Believe in Yourself.

Age is not the flight of years; it is really the dawn of wisdom and Divine knowledge in you. Imagination is the mighty instrument used by great scientists, artists, physicists, inventors, architects, and mystics. When the world said, "It is impossible. It can't be done," the man with imagination said, "It is done!" Through your imagination you can also penetrate the depths of reality, and reveal the secrets of nature.

Joseph (imagination) wears a coat of many colors. A coat in the Bible is a psychological covering. Your psychological garments are the men­tal attitudes, moods, and feelings you entertain. The coat of many colors represent the many facets of the diamond, or your capacity to clothe any idea in form. You can imagine your friend who is poor living in the lap of luxury. You can see his face light up with joy, see his expression change, and a broad smile cross his lips. You can hear him tell you what you want to hear. You can see him exactly as you wish to see him — i.e., he is radiant, happy, prosperous, and success­ful. Your imagination is the coat of many colors; it can clothe and objectify any idea or desire. You can imagine abundance where lack is; peace where discord is; health where sickness is.


Your mental attitude means your mental reaction to people, circumstances, conditions, and objects in space. What is your relationship with your co-workers? Are you friendly with people, with animals, and with the universe in general? Do you think the universe is hostile, and that the world owes you a living? In short what is your attitude?

You can develop the right, mental attitude when you realize that nothing externally can upset you or hurt you without your mental consent. You are the only thinker in your world; consequently nothing can move you to anger, grief, or sorrow without your mental consent. The suggestions that come to you from the outside have no power what­soever, except you permit them to move you in thought negatively. Realize you are master of your thought-world. Emotions follow thought; hence you are supreme in your own orbit. Do you permit others to influence you? Do you allow the head­lines in the newspapers, or the gossip, or criti­cism of others to upset you, or bring about mental depression? If you do, you must admit you are the cause of your own mood; you created your emotional reaction. Your attitude is wrong.

Do you imagine evil of others? If you do, no­tice the emotion generated in your deeper self; it is negative and destructive to your health and prosperity. Circumstances can affect you only as you permit them. You can voluntarily and defi­nitely change your attitude toward life and all things. You can become master of your fate, and captain of your soul (subconscious mind). Through disciplined, directed, and controlled imagination you can dominate and master your emotions and mental attitude in general.

You mold, fashion, and shape your outer world of experience according to the mental images you habitually dwell on. Imagine conditions and circumstances in life which dignify, elevate, please, and satisfy. If you imagine life is cold, cruel, hard, bitter, and that struggle and pain are inevitable, you are making life miserable for yourself.

In ancient symbology, the sun and the moon represent the conscious and subconscious mind. The eleven stars represent the eleven powers in addition to imagination. Here again the inspired writers are telling you that disciplined imagination takes precedence over all other faculties of the mind, and controls the direction of the conscious and subconscious mind. Imagination is first and foremost; it can be scientifically directed.


Excerpts from
Believe in Yourself[1955]
by Dr. Joseph Murphy