November Thoughts: James Allen

In aiming at the life of blessedness, one of the simplest beginnings to be considered, and rightly made, is that which we all make every day—namely, the beginning of each day’s life. There is a sense in which every day may be regarded as the beginning of a new life, in which one can think, act, and live newly, and in a wiser and better spirit. The right beginning of the day will be followed by a cheerfulness permeating the household with a sunny influence, and the tasks and duties of the day will be undertaken in a strong and confident spirit, and the whole day will be well lived.

The wise man is always anxious to learn, but never anxious to teach.

The true Teacher is in the heart of every man.

Dispersion is weakness; concentration is power.

All successful men are men of purpose.

To follow, under all circumstances, the highest promptings within you; to be always true to the divine self; to reply upon the inward voice, the inward light, and to pursue your purpose with a fearless and restful heart, believing that the future will yield unto you the need of every thought and effort; knowing that the laws of the universe can never fail, and that your own will come back to you with mathematical exactitude—this is faith and the living of faith.

Know this thou makest and unmakest thyself.

Thou art a slave if thou preferrest to be; thou art a master if thou wilt make thyself one.

He who has found Meekness has found divinity.

The meek man has realized the divine consciousness and knows himself as divine.

Having clothed himself with humility, the first questions a man asks himself are:—

“How am I acting towards others?”
“What am I doing to others?”
“How am I thinking of others?”
“Are my thoughts of, and acts towards others prompted by unselfish love?”

As a man, in the silence of his soul, asks himself these searching questions, he will unerringly see where he has hitherto failed.

He who lives in Meekness is without fear, knowing the Highest, and having the lowest under his feet.

The meek man is found in the time of trial; when other men fall he stands.

The meek man resists none, and thereby conquers all.

Take all evil out of thine own heart, then shall thou see the folly of resisting it in another.

Great is the power of purpose.

Inert matter yields to a living force, and circumstance succumbs to the power of purpose.

All things at last yield to the silent, irresistible all-conquering energy of purpose.

The intensity of the purpose increases with the growing magnitude of the obstacles encountered.

Joy is always the accompaniment of a task successfully accomplished.

An undertaking completed, or a piece of work done, always brings rest and satisfaction.

The price of life is effort.

The reward of accomplishment is joy.

Everything that happens is just.

Nothing is fated, everything is formed.

The man whose thoughts, words, and acts are sincere is surrounded by sincere friends; the insincere man is surrounded by insincere friends.

When you know yourself you will perceive that every event in your life is weighed in the faultless balance of equity.

He who would be blessed, let him scatter blessings.

He who would be happy, let him consider the happiness of others.

Men reap that which they sow.

IF a man is troubled, perplexed, sorrowful, or unhappy, let him ask:

“What mental seeds have I been sowing?”

“What seeds am I sowing?”

“What is my attitude towards others?”

“What seeds of trouble and sorrow and unhappiness have I sown that I should thus

  reap these bitter weeds?”

Let him seek within and find, and having found, let him abandon all the seeds of self, and sow, henceforth, only the seeds of Truth.

Let him learn of the farmer the simple truths of wisdom, and sow broadcast the seeds of kindness, gentleness, and love.

The way to obtain peace and blessedness is to scatter peaceful and blessed thoughts, words, and deeds.

Destroying the idols of self, we draw nearer to the great, silent Heart of Love.

Enter the Path of obedience to the Law.

Perfection, which is knowledge of the Perfect Law, is ready for all who earnestly seek it.

Adopt the life of self-obliteration.

God does not alter for man, for this would mean that the perfect must become imperfect; man must alter for God.

The Law cannot be broken for man, otherwise confusion would ensue; this is in accordance with harmony, order, justice.

There is no more painful bondage than to be at the mercy of one’s inclinations.

There is no greater liberty than utmost obedience to the Law of Being.

If you are one of those who are praying for, and looking forward to a happier world beyond the grave, here is a message of gladness for you—you may enter into and realize that happy world now; it fills the whole universe, and it is within you, waiting for you to find, acknowledge, and possess.

Said one who understood the inner laws of Being—“When men shall say, lo here, or lo there, go not after them. The Kingdom of God is within you.”

The moral universe is sustained and protected by the perfect balance of its equivalents.

As in the physical world Nature abhors a vacuum, so in the spiritual world disharmony is annulled.

The Divine Order cannot be perceived until passion and self are transcended.

Justice is not perceived, cannot be perceived by those who are engaged in conflict.

Having no knowledge of cause and effect in the moral sphere, men do not see the exacting process which is momentarily proceeding.

 “By this the slayer’s knife doth stab himself,

  The unjust judge has lost his own defender,

  The false tongue dooms its lie, the creeping thief

  And spoiler rob to render.

“Such is the Law.”

Ignorance keeps alive hatred and strife.

Cause and effect cannot be avoided; consequence cannot be escaped.

Unerring Justice presides over all.

They who refuse to trim their lamps of reason will never perceive the Light of Truth.

They who despise the light of reason, despise the Light of Truth.

A man does not live until he begins to discipline himself; he merely exists.

With the practice of self-discipline a man begins to live.

The true silence is not merely a silent tongue; it is a silent mind. To merely hold one’s tongue, and yet to carry about a disturbed and rankling mind, is no remedy for weakness, and no source of power.

Silentness, to be powerful, must envelop the whole mind, must permeate every chamber of the heart; it must be the silence of peace.

To this broad, deep, abiding silentness a man attains only in the measure that he conquers himself.

In the process of self-discipline there are three stages— control, purification, and relinquishment.

There is in the heart of every man and woman a selfless center.

The Rock of Ages, the Christ within, the divine and immortal in all men!

It is in the purification of his lower nature that a man becomes strong and godlike.

Purification is effected by thoughtful care, earnest meditation, and holy aspiration.

With the growth in purity, all the elements which constitute a strong and virtuous manhood are developed.

Meditation centered upon divine realities is the very essence and soul of prayer. It is the silent reaching upward of the soul toward the Eternal.

Meditation is the intense dwelling, in thought, upon an idea or theme with the object of thoroughly comprehending it; and whatsoever you constantly meditate upon, you will not only come to understand, but will grow more and more into its likeness, for it will become incorporated with your very being, will become, in fact, your very self.

If, therefore, you constantly dwell upon that which is selfish and debasing, you will ultimately become selfish and debased; if you ceaselessly think upon that which is pure and unselfish, you will surely become pure and unselfish.

By self-discipline a man rises higher and higher, approximating more and more nearly to the divine.

By self-discipline a man attains to every degree of virtue and holiness, and finally  becomes a purified son of God, realizing his oneness with the central heart of all things.

A life without resolution is a life without aims, and a life without aims is a drifting and unstable thing.

Resolution the companion of noble aims and lofty ideals.

True resolution is the crisis of long thought.

Hasty resolutions are futile.

James Allen

Book of Meditations

&

Thoughts for the Day

For Every Day in the Year

A combination of two books: 'Morning and Evening Thoughts' by James Allen, published 1909 and 'James Allen's Book of Meditations' published 1913.