, 1904-01-07
PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES.
The Power of Thought.

~ ''P' 'b'N ~ Z
ten on it and the whole truth in this
very important field not be opened
up to view.
The first thing that startles one
who stops to consider his thought
for "a moment, is how very empty of
thought his mind usually is. When
he stops and asks himself what am !
thinking about" he either finds his
mind entirely empty Of thought or
that it has become a playground for
vague desultory thinking which at
best is of no value to him to say
nothing of the indolent habit his
mind is forming by allowing it to be
ii prey to useless thinking. This
empty, negative condition of mind
body or the mind itself as we com
monty say the word. 1t is "a habit
one can not break up too soon or too
decidedly. To prove this conclusive
ly Just sit down for fifteen OF twenty
minutes and take tote of the images
and thoughts that come to the mind
and pass through it a. though 1t were
a long hall and the thoughts we're
living beings. In nine cases out of
ten it will he found that the great
majority of these had much better be
H.. yr.l a.t .F Il. ,,f,I ..,t,rl,
1t takes strong willing to do this
after longand persistent practice.
The most rational way is to select
some very high and lofty thought or
ideal and. whenever the mind is at
rest from the turmoil Of the daily
routine. to turn to that as to IA haven
of rest. Think the high and noble
thought and let the baser go.
All who think san help others-a
most useful way Of using our power
to think. Once knowing this, it he
comes criminal to neglect fitting
ourselves To be of service Il our fel-
low man. When We have knowledge
enough we understand the law of
thought aud knowing it can use il.
The effect upon ourselves and others
certain thought b, ing known, we
RAJ deliberately arrange to bring
about such thoughts with their re
In definitely thinking noble and
helpful thoughts IA man will mould
his character to their form NOT only
in this life but he thus determines
his character in the next life.
Scientists put it that with every
thought a cell eXplodes in the brain
and there is left in the mind "a men.
tai product AS the result of the
thought which is the acquired power,
Of more readily thinking IA similar
thought again. To put this in Theo-
sophical parlance we would say: "A
thought is II vibration in the matter
Of the mental body and the same
thought persistently repeated evokes
corresponding vibrations in the mat
ter of the causal BODY" thus affect
ing the very soul itself.
Loving thoughts will protect and
our dear ones, Thoughts Of
hatred %injure, not only the one to
whom they are directed. but also the
sender. Our loving thoughts are
things angels of blessings -
protecting those for whom they are
Intended like II guardian wall. Our
evil thoughts are demons of hatred
the thought world with their
malevolent influence. Minds that
are empty, or negative aud idle. be
their playground and who may
say how many men have been spur
red ON TO evil deeds by the uhuence
Of the living thoughts that have
coursrd through the halls of the
that might have besn actively
engaged in helpful thinking instead.
A thought is a living entity having
a longer or shorter life. according to
the strength of will used in its mak
lug. The entity il beneiirent or mn-
levoIent according 10 the motive of
sending II out.
If relncarnHtion be true. il stands
tn reason that the man who believes
it to he possibly true, will hovern his
thoughts SO that they will he helpful
the evolution of himself and his
fellows. II on the contrary, there is
but one life to live aud some one else
is to bear the burden of his sins. a
man may use the power of thought
he has developed for his own aggran.
If he chose to do evil with his
thoughts he must take the whole of
he choice including their effect up.
pu himself. A man is himself and
other after he has laid off the phy.