The Relation of Thought to Health

Leander E. Whipple (1848-1916) was a teacher and practiced mental healing in Hartford, Conn. and New York City and authored several books. A native of Southborough, Mass, he used the term “mental science” when he began his work as mental healer. The interest aroused by his highly successful work made him a pioneer in mental healing.


He founded the Metaphysical Publishing Co. in 1893 in New York. In addition to publishing, it sold books and advertised that it would

“supply any number of copies of any book relating to Meta Physics, Philosophy, or any of the Mental Sciences and works on kindred subjects – which are its speciality. Also any book on any subject published in any part of the world. Those having overstocked libraries or possessing CHOICE EASTERN WORKS to sell or exchange should write us, giving full descriptions and prices.”

He founded The Metaphysical Magazine, a monthly review devoted to science, psychology, philosophy, metaphysics, and occult subjects. It was the first magazine devoted to mental healing in the country.
He began teaching metaphysics by correspondence before starting the American School of Metaphysics in New York. The science of metaphysics investigates first causes of existence and knowledge and seeks to explain the nature of being and the origin and structure of the world, uniting man’s physical, mental, and spiritual character

“into its true nature of holism.”

He predicted Metaphysics would influence the work of ministers and teachers in handling the emotional and physical problems of youth and maturity and in dealing with the sick and dying. He taught that

“the true metaphysician is a combination of teacher, healer, and counselor and espoused universal spirituality.”

During his 30 years of teaching, he authored a number of books including The Philosophy of Mental Healing in 1893. It addressed metaphysics versus hypnotism, mental healing and surgery, telepathy, thought images, the effects of fright, mental causes, curative influences, the law of correspondences, etc.
He wrote Mental Healing in 1905 and Practical Health in 1907. The latter discussed the effect that the mind has on cases of sickness either for good or bad. His A Manual of Mental Science (1911) gave concise rules for the application of mental science to everyday living. He wrote Healing Influences in 1913 which in 14 chapters described “The True Healing Power, Mental Processes and Healing Results, The Relation of Thought to Health, True and False Conceptions of Mental Science, Metaphysics and Health, The Idea and Its Image, Symbolism In Mentality, and Spiritual Healing.

Elizabeth Stuart, Leander’s teacher, was a member of an organization known as “Humanity.” which identified Truth as being established

“through the law of polar or real opposites and its twin sister, the law of contradictories, revealed to man by the science of numbers. It is to that science man must look for a solution of the problems of life in their varied relations.”

She also taught that the “imaging faculty is the highest known to man; through it he expressed the ideal, and it is the means by which he expresses to the senses whatever intellect accepts, thus forming the relation between mind and body. Through that open door fear enters and stamps upon the body distorted, untrue mental images, which physicians name, then proceed to try to erase from the body by physical means."

“As a man thinketh, that he be becometh. As is the mind, so is the thought; as is the thought, so is the image expressed in form externally. Let him who would have pure blood keep his picture-gallery free from impurity. Whatever he does not desire to appear in the external, must be watchfully kept out of mind. Once there, its picture hangs upon the inner walls ready for the favorable moment to appear. The imaging faculty is both cause and cure for all bodily discord.”