The ancients knew that the secret name of God had power. Now we do.
Everything in the universe has come from something. It was believed at one time that something was made out of nothing. This is not scientific and therefore not true. All things in the visible universe are made of something and that something is invisible to our physical sense of sight. The invisible becomes visible by mental activity. In the past, many people believed what I have just stated, but could not seem to manifest in the visible by the action of mind. The difficulty is here: they believed that mind was over matter, and that mind could work with matter and form it, but the results were very disappointing. When you understand the nature of matter you will not experience a repetition of the past. That which is called matter is in reality Spirit, and it is absolutely necessary that you accept this. The natural science point of view regarding matter will possibly help you most, because it fits in best with your preconceived ideas. The present scientific position is that matter and electricity are synonymous terms.
The basis of the so-called material universe consists of lines of force. I believe that what the scientist calls lines of force, correspond to what we call thought. Since matter is one with thought, it is thought brought into visibility. You will see from this, that a man’s thoughts may become the things he sees and feels.
Since there is no matter, the more we can eliminate the material thought, the nearer we are to Reality. All is Spirit; then Spirit produces form out of itself. As one understands Substance, one reaches the realization of Reality. Formerly, the idea in the minds of most people was that Substance was matter. Now that you know that matter is nothing as matter, then matter understood is Substance expressed. Stop here again and think. The Substance of all is Spirit. The word “substance” (from sub, under and stare, to stand) means “that which stands under.” That which stands under the form of the thing you see and want is Spirit.
One might say then, “What I really want is more Spirit Substance.” I reply, “No. It is the consciousness of this, that you want.”
Let me give you a simple illustration. It being true that things and conditions are thoughts expressed, why do not people think rain during a drought? If they should, rain would appear. The difficulty is that they think the thing they do not want into manifestation, and then complain when they get it. The old prayer meetings conducted in the interest of those who wanted rain were very successful. This was true because the people stopped thinking drought (lines of force producing what they thought) and changed their mental action through getting into a universal, impersonal consciousness. Then the divine Power had an opportunity of expressing Itself through them as rain (lines of force producing electrons, electrons producing atoms and atoms forming into molecules of moisture).
The material thought that Substance is material, has been responsible for “short circuiting” our health, wealth and happiness. Because matter can be seen, men have thought that it was different from the primary (unseen) Substance. There is only one Substance. As we have this in mind we will eliminate the dual belief, and thus cease being double-minded.
As a great scientist has said, “Reality is Permanence.” Spirit is the only Reality, and since there is no matter, but all is Spirit . . visible and invisible . . Spirit as Substance never changes. When one speaks of changing his mind he means that he has changed the action of mind, or stopped thinking one way and thought in another. Spirit (Substance; Permanence) never changes, but the form of it may change from one expression into another. As one understands this action, one can see how true scientific thinking (guided by a teacher, perhaps) changes the form of what has been called illness, poverty and unhappiness into health, wealth and happiness.
Many people succeed in attaining the thing they want, wholly unconscious of the law by which they attain it. This being true does not release the many who have suffered because they did not know. It is better to know the law, and consciously apply it in realizing the thing we want: By this understanding one may say, “I AM creator and not creature.”
You now have made up your mind definitely as to what you want. The desire indicates that it is for you, or you would not desire it. You must now state that you have what you desire. Just here do not think that it is too vague. You have not the thing you want in form, but you have it in Substance. You want form. Remember, if you expect results, you must keep each link in the chain, or the chain (law) will be broken. Know what form you want of the Substance you have. If there is any doubt as to whether you have Substance, go back and read carefully. You are not ready for the treatment until you have this understanding.
Consider this brief outline in three steps:
- Know what you want.
- State what you want.
- State that you have it in Substance.
Up to the present moment, it is very necessary that you have understanding. You cannot expect direct results if you simply recite the formula; you must understand it. Be patient and do not think it is impractical. Remember . . it is a science; in fact it is this science which the ancients understood so well.
When I speak of the “consciousness of Plenty” I do not mean that you must know that there is plenty of money, business, or any other form, but there is an abundance of Substance out of which forms come. Be sure that you understand this, or the statement, “There is Plenty ” will be but words.
Let me give you a few simple, practical illustrations. A woman may have the material to make a dress, without having the dress in form. She is pleased to know that there is sufficient material out of which to make the dress. I walked into a bakery sometime ago, and while there was not a loaf of bread in the store, there was plenty of dough to be made into loaves, back in the bakeshop. The student may at this point ask this question . . “Would the dress or loaves of bread come into form unless someone made them?” I answer, “No; but no one could do it without Mind.” You must not be idle and wait passively for all things to come to you without effort. Your thoughts form your Good and you will have success as directed by Mind. Then there is your constructive thought that will lead someone else to respond to what you think, and you will reap the benefit.
I will state with authority that as you develop the consciousness of Plenty (plenty of Substance), you will be magnetic and attract many desirable things in an unconscious way.
“To him that hath [understanding] shall be given, and to him that hath not [understanding] shall be taken away even that which he hath.
From this point on I shall use the word “God” in place of Substance. This will spiritualize your mind and act in neutralizing the materialistic thought. Your success will be measured largely by the degree in which you eliminate the material thought. The following is very helpful in enlarging the consciousness: “Sensing the allness of God, leaving out all trace of human personality, if earnestly engaged in, will permanently remove every difficulty from my path”
The difficulty with many people is mental limitation. You may reasonably expect forms in proportion to your capacity to receive them. To illustrate, it is not likely that you will receive five hundred dollars a week, if you are expecting twenty-five.
Wealth is created mentally first. The stream of Plenty will not flow toward the stingy, parsimonious thought. Holding the poverty thought keeps one in touch with poverty producing conditions. You are a center and according to your thought you receive.
Again let me remind you that an expanded mentality means an expanded and enlarged life of plenty. To declare that there is plenty of God (Substance) is to declare a fact that will manifest.
The thought of “Allness” will so enlarge a man’s conception of life, that narrowness gives way to broadness, intolerance to tolerance, hate to love, illness to health, failure to success and lack to plenty. While you have been studying the subject matter herein presented, your mind has been clarified. As the mental fog of negation has disappeared, it has left you with the faculty so clear and sharp, that it creates and attracts even now.
This is a study, and as you have grasped the idea, the mental law has been put into operation because of the renewing effect which this has had upon the mind. The word “consciousness” has appeared frequently. I want to make this plain to the reader. By it, I mean to be aware of or awake to the real fact . . not to the seeming. When you are aware that the thing you want is in reality Mind Substance expressed, and that you make that form by mental activity, it is “consciousness.”
Just here the student may still be in doubt as to the process. If this question is in the mind . . “Since I have the Substance and have furnished the pattern or mold by knowing definitely what I want, must I not work in some way to put that Substance into form, and if so, how?”
I will answer it. I repeat that you will be active and not wait for things to come to you (though they will), but you will not be active in the sense of being conscious of working for the thing. It is not necessary to visualize and work mentally, but to realize the “Allness of God,” and let the law operate and the mind work out your form. This may be different from anything you have been taught heretofore, but observation, experience and testimonies from many, have convinced me that this is the unfailing Absolute.
By the other method (visualizing) one becomes too conscious of the material thought, instead of letting the power operate.
There is a great deal of electrical power along the wires in our homes. There is enough there to run a motor, or only give a 25 watt bulb power. It is according to our understanding. A story is told of a woman who had been using the old carbon globes and seemed perfectly satisfied. One day an enterprising agent advised her to use his bulb that would give much better illumination. He screwed the bulb into the socket and the room was filled with light. The woman was surprised and asked how this was done. The agent replied that there was an abundance of this power in the wire, but that she had not been using it. She had a 25 watt bulb consciousness and received just that much. The missing link that connects the abundance of Substance with the manifestation is to know . . “There is plenty of God.” Remember . . the bulb did not form the electricity or make it, but acted as a medium.
Let me tell you what you may expect from this study. As the mind expands under the influence of this idea of Abundance, there will be a breaking up of the old ideas of poverty and lack. As these are “broken up under the positive influence of the Truth, outer conditions will also break up and outer circumstances will improve. The payment of money long deferred will take place; new customers will visit your store; new opportunities for gain will come into your professional life; you will find it easier to make sales. People will be attracted toward you and your circle of friends will be widened; money will come easily and freely. People will seem more kind, not competing with you, but instead cooperating. All things will work together for good in your behalf in the outer world, because you have a new inner world.
When things change, know that it is the working of this Law that cannot fail Any idea held in the mind will be realized and demonstrated. The reason for poverty producing conditions and circumstances is that the thought of lack has been retained in the mind and eventually realized. With this new idea and understanding of “Plenty ” we accept the fixed idea and repeat it often with understanding: “There is Plenty.”
One final suggestion here at this point do not think “plenty of money,” “plenty of positions,” “plenty of friends” . . but “plenty of I AM.”
All I AM Quotes From The Power of I AM Volume 2 are from the following Authors
Fay Adams, U. S. Andersen, Raymond Charles Barker, M. MacDonald-Bayne, Joseph Benner, Kate Atkinson Boehme, Thomas Parker Boyd, Louise Brownell, H. Emilie Cady, Robert Collier, Florence Gloria Crawford, Mrs. Dan M. Davidson, Walter Devoe, Franklin Fillmore Farrington, Charles Fillmore, Emmet Fox, John Seaman Garns, Harry Gaze, Neville Goddard, Henry Hand, Shirley Bell Hastings, Ernest Holmes, C. W. Kyle, Christian D. Larson, Elinor S. Moody, Joseph Murphy, Janeski Robenoff, Robert A. Russell, John Milton Scott, Elizabeth Towne, Thomas Troward, Helen Wilmans