What makes life difficult for man throughout
history is that he was born without a manual; all alone to fend for himself, it seems.
And as he strives to follow his bliss to
fulfill his inner longings -- that will consequently shape his life -- he finds himself
struggling at every crossroad; that is, whether or not to transcend his comfort
zone and leave his family and culture that once nurtured him. Thus, begins what
Joseph Campbell would refer to as the “hero’s journey.”
From teenage angst to mid-life
reevaluations, we cope with personal issues. And for the most
part, on our own. Regardless of our basic support system that may be comprised
of family and friends; despite of their well-meaning intentions, suggestions
and recommendations, we often base our decisions on the set of thoughts and
core beliefs that we alone ascertain for ourselves.
As a Man Thinketh tells us that although we are powerless to change any condition that comes our way, we do, however, have the power to
provide its meaning, as well as how and to what extent we will allow this particular condition to affect us.
But then again, this book argues, most people
and conditions that we attract into our life are equivalent experiences of the
thoughts we harbor in our mind.
Long before the publication of this book, many had already attested to the power of thoughts to manifest
themselves; that our every uttered word and every action taken was preceded by
our having thought about it first. Henceforth, everything around us – from our cellphones
to the cars we drive — all came from thought.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Emperor of
Rome, A.D. 161-180, said, “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality
of your thoughts, therefore guard accordingly; and take care that you entertain
no notions unsuitable to virtue, and reasonable nature.”
James Allen, in this book, also
underscores our innate power to fill our minds with thoughts of what we want to
experience in our life, as well as our power to filter out those we do not wish
to experience.
He asserts, “Of all the beautiful
truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought to light in
this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence
than this – that man is the master of thought, the moulder of character, and
the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny.”
In essence, we actively participate in
creating our destiny through the thoughts we often find ourselves thinking a
lot about.
This is a wonderful book that reminds
us about a simple truth: We are what we think.
As A Man Thinketh
By James Allen
By James Allen
free downloadable ebook
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