1THE LAW OF ATTRACTION IN THE THOUGHT WORLD
The Universe is governed by Law—one great Law. Its manifestations are multiform, but viewed from the Ultimate there is but one Law. We are familiar with some of its manifestations, but are almost totally ignorant of certain others. Still we are learning a little more every day—the veil is being gradually lifted.
We speak knowledgeably of the Law of Gravitation, but then ignore that equally wonderful manifestation, The Law of Attraction in the Thought World. We are familiar with that wonderful manifestation of Law which draws and holds together the atoms of which matter is composed—we recognize the power of the law that attracts bodies to the earth, that holds the circling worlds in their places, but we close our eyes to the mighty Law of Attraction that draws to us the things we desire or fear, that makes or limits our lives.
When we come to see that Thought is a force—a manifestation of energy—having a magnet-like power of attraction, we will begin to understand the why and wherefore of many things that have heretofore seemed dark to us. There is no study that will so well repay the student for their time and trouble as the study of the workings of this mighty law of the world of Thought—the Law of Attraction.
Whenever we think a thought, we are sending out vibrations which are as real as the vibrations manifesting light, heat, electricity, magnetism. That these vibrations are not evident to our five senses is no proof that they do not exist. A powerful magnet will send out vibrations and exert a force sufficient to attract to itself a piece of steel weighing a hundred pounds, but we can neither see, taste, smell, hear nor feel the mighty force. These thought vibrations, likewise, cannot be seen, tasted, smelled, heard, nor felt in the ordinary way; although it is true there are on record case studies of persons peculiarly sensitive to psychic impressions who have perceived powerful thought-waves. Also, many of us can testify that we have distinctly felt the thought vibrations of others, both while in the presence of the sender and also at a distance. Telepathy and its kindred phenomena are not idle dreams.
Light and heat are manifested by vibrations of a far lower intensity than those of Thought, but the difference is solely in the rate of vibration. The records of science throw an interesting light upon this question. Prof. Elisha Gray, an eminent scientist, says in his little book, “The Miracles of Nature” (or “Nature’s Miracles”):
“There is much food for speculation in the thought that there exist sound-waves that no human ear can hear, and color-waves of light that no eye can see. The long, dark, soundless space between 40,000 and 400,000,000,000,000 vibrations per second, and the infinity of range beyond 700,000,000,000,000 vibrations per second, where light ceases, in the universe of motion, makes it possible to indulge in speculation.”
M. M. Williams, in his work entitled “Short Chapters in Science,” says:
“There is no gradation between the most rapid undulations or tremblings that produce our sensation of sound, and the slowest of those which give rise to our sensations of gentlest warmth. There is a huge gap between them, wide enough to include another world of motion, all lying between our world of sound and our world of heat and light; and there is no good reason whatever for supposing that matter is incapable of such intermediate activity, or that such activity may not give rise to intermediate sensations, provided there are organs for taking up and sensifying their movements.”
I cite the above authorities merely to give you food for thought, not to attempt to demonstrate to you the fact that thought vibrations exist. The last-named fact has been fully established to the satisfaction of numerous investigators of the subject, and a little reflection will show you that it coincides with your own experiences.
We often hear repeated the well-known Mental Science statement, “Thoughts are Things,” and we say these words over without consciously realizing just what is the meaning of the statement. If we fully comprehended the truth of the statement and the natural consequences of the truth back of it, we should understand many things which have appeared unclear to us, and would be able to use the wonderful power, Thought Force, just as we use any other manifestation of Energy.
As I have said, when we think we then set thought vibrations into motion at a very high degree, “just as real as the vibrations of light, heat, sound, electricity.” And when we understand the laws governing the production and transmission of these vibrations we will be able to use them in our daily life, just as we do the better known forms of energy. Even though we cannot see, hear, weigh, or measure these vibrations is not proof that they do not exist. There exist waves of sound which no human ear can hear, although some of these are undoubtedly registered by the ear of some of the insects, and others are caught by delicate scientific instruments invented by humans; yet there is a great gap between the sounds registered by the most delicate instrument and the limit which our mind, reasoning by analogy, knows to be the boundary line between sound-waves and some other forms of vibration. And there are light waves which human eyes do not register, some of which may be detected by more delicate instruments, and many more so fine that the instrument has not yet been invented which will detect them, although improvements are being made every year and the unexplored field gradually lessened.
As new instruments are invented, new vibrations are registered by them—and yet the vibrations were just as real before the invention of the instrument as afterward. Supposing that we had no instruments to register magnetism—one might be justified in denying the existence of that particular mighty force, because it could not be tasted, felt, smelt, heard, seen, weighed, or measured. And yet the mighty magnet would still send out waves of force sufficient to draw to it pieces of steel weighing hundreds of pounds.
Each form of vibration requires its own form of instrument for action. At present the human brain seems to be the only instrument capable of registering thought-waves, although metaphysicians say that in this century scientists will invent ways to catch and register such impressions. To those who have experimented along the lines of practical telepathy, no further proof is required than the results of their own experiments.
Not only do our thought-waves influence ourselves and others, but they have a drawing power—they attract to us the thoughts of others, things, circumstances, people, “luck,” in accord with the character of the thought uppermost in our minds.
We are sending out thoughts of greater or lesser intensity all the time, and we are reaping the results of such thoughts. Not only do our thought-waves influence ourselves and others, but they have a drawing power—they attract to us the thoughts of others, things, circumstances, people, “luck,” in accord with the character of the thought uppermost in our minds. Thoughts of Love will attract to us the Love of others; circumstances and surroundings in accord with the thought; people who are of like thought. Thoughts of Anger, Hate, Envy, Malice, and Jealousy will draw to us the foul results of kindred thoughts emanating from the minds of others. Those who think vile thoughts of others will receive them in turn from others. A strong thought, or a thought long continued, will make us the center of attraction for the corresponding thought-waves of others. Like attracts like in the Thought World—as ye sow so shall ye reap. Birds of a feather flock together in the Thought World—curses, like chickens, come home to roost, and they bring their friends with them.
Like attracts like in the Thought World—as ye sow so shall ye reap.
The person who is filled with Love will then see Love everywhere, and will attract the Love of others. The person with Hate in their heart will then get all the Hate they can stand. One who thinks Fight generally runs up against all the Fight they want before they get through. And so it goes, each gets what they call for over the wireless telegraphy of the Mind. The one who rises in the morning feeling “grumpy” usually manages to have the whole family in the same mood before the breakfast is over. The “nagging” person generally finds enough to further gratify their “nagging” propensity during the day.
This matter of Thought Attraction is a serious one. When you stop to think about it, you will see that we really make our own surroundings, although we sometimes blame others for it. I have known people who understood this law to hold a positive, calm thought and be absolutely unaffected by the negativity surrounding them. They were like the vessel from which the oil had been poured on the troubled waters—they rested safely and calmly whilst the tempest raged around them. One is not at the mercy of the fitful storms of Thought after they have learned the workings of the Law.
We have passed through the age of physical force on to the age of intellectual supremacy, and we are now entering a new and almost unknown field, that of psychic power. This field of energy has its established laws, as well, just as the other fields have, and we should acquaint ourselves with these laws or we will be lost in the crowded area with those who don’t understand how the law works. I will try to make these great underlying principles of this new field of energy, which are opening up before us, plain to you This way, you may be able to make use of this great power, and then apply it for legitimate and worthy purposes.
2THOUGHT-WAVES AND THEIR PROCESS OF REPRODUCTION
Like a stone thrown into the water, thought produces ripples and waves which spread out over the great ocean of thought. There is this difference, however: the waves on the water move only on a level plane in all directions, whereas thought-waves move in all directions from a common center, just as do the rays from the sun.
Just as on earth we are surrounded by a great sea of air, so are we surrounded by a great sea of Mind. Our thought-waves move through this vast mental ether, extending in all directions, becoming somewhat lessened in intensity according to the distance traversed, because of the friction occasioned by the waves coming in contact with the great body of Mind surrounding us on all sides.
These thought-waves have other qualities differing from the waves on the water. They have the property of reproducing themselves. In this respect they resemble sound-waves rather than waves upon the water. Just as a note of the violin will cause the thin glass to vibrate and “sing,” so will a strong thought tend to awaken similar vibrations in minds attuned to receive it. Many of the “stray thoughts” which come to us are but reflections or answering vibrations to some strong thought sent out by others. But unless our minds are attuned to receive it, the thought will not likely affect us. If we are thinking high and great thoughts, our minds acquire a certain level that corresponds to the character of the thoughts we have been thinking. And, this level once established, we will be apt to catch the vibrations of other minds keyed to the same thought level. On the other hand, if we get into the habit of thinking thoughts of a lower character, we will soon be echoing the low order of thought emanating from the minds of the thousands thinking along the same lower lines.
We are largely what we have thought ourselves into being, the balance being represented by the type or level of the suggestions and thought of others, which have reached us either directly by verbal suggestions or telepathically by means of such thought-waves. Our general mental attitude, however, determines the type or level of the thought-waves received from others as well as the thoughts emanating from ourselves. We receive only such thoughts as those that are in harmony with the general mental attitude held by ourselves; the thoughts not in harmony affecting us very little, as they awaken no response in us.
The person who believes thoroughly in themself and maintains a positive strong mental attitude of Confidence and Determination is not likely to be affected by the adverse and negative thoughts of Discouragement and Failure emanating from the minds of other persons in whom these last qualities predominate. At the same time these negative thoughts, if they reach one whose mental attitude is pitched on a low key, deepen their negative state and add fuel to the fire which is consuming their strength, or, if you prefer this figure, serve to further smother the fire of their energy and activity.
We attract to us the thoughts of others who are on the same level of thought.
We attract to us the thoughts of others who are on the same level of thought. The one who thinks at the vibration of success will then be in tune with the minds of others thinking at the same vibration. They will help the person, and they will help them. The one who allows their mind to dwell constantly upon thoughts of failure brings themself into close touch with the minds of other “failure” people, and each will tend to pull the other down even further. The one who thinks that all is evil is apt to see evil everywhere and in everyone, and will be brought into contact with others who will seem to prove their theory. And the one who looks for good in everything and everybody will be likely to attract to themself the experiences and people corresponding to their thought. In other words, we generally see that for which we look.
We generally see that for which we look.
You will be able to carry this idea more clearly if you will think of the Marconi wireless instruments (such as the telegraph and radio), which receive the vibrations only from the sending instrument which has been attuned to the same key, while other telegrams are passing through the air in near vicinity without affecting the instrument. The same law applies to the operations of thought. We receive the signals that only corresponds to our own mental attunement. If we have been discouraged, we may rest assured that we have dropped into a negative level or vibration, and have been affected not only by our own thoughts, but have also received the added depressing thoughts which are constantly being sent out from the minds of others who have not yet learned the law of attraction in the thought world. And if we occasionally rise to heights of enthusiasm and energy, how quickly we feel the inflow of the courageous, daring, energetic, positive thoughts being sent out to others in the world. We recognize this without much trouble when we come in personal contact with people and feel their vibrations, whether depressing or invigorating, as the case may be. But the same law operates when we are not in their presence, although less strongly.
The mind has many degrees, or levels, ranging from the highest positive note to the lowest negative note, with many notes in between, varying in level according to their respective distance from the positive or negative extreme.
When your mind is operating along positive lines you feel strong, buoyant, bright, cheerful, happy, confident, and courageous, and are enabled to do your work well, to carry out your intentions, and progress on your road to Success. You send out strong positive thought, which affects others and causes them to co-operate with you or to follow your lead, according to their own mental keynote.
When you are playing on the extreme negative end of the mental spectrum you feel depressed, weak, passive, dull, fearful. You might find yourself unable to make progress or to succeed, and your effect upon others is practically nil. You follow rather than lead others, and might even be used as a human doormat by some who appear more positive.
In some people the positive element seems to predominate, and in others the negative quality seems to be more in evidence. There are, of course, widely varying degrees of positiveness and negativeness, and B may be negative to A, while positive to C. When two people first meet there is generally a silent mental conflict in which their respective minds test their quality of positiveness, and fix their relative position toward each other. This process may be unconscious in many cases, but it occurs nevertheless. The adjustment is often automatic, but occasionally the struggle is so sharp—the persons being so well matched—that the matter forces itself into the consciousness of the two people. Sometimes both parties are so much alike in their degrees of positiveness that they practically fail to come to terms, mentally; they never really are able to get along with each other, and they are either mutually repelled and separate, or else they stay together amid constant broils and wrangling.
We are either positive or negative to everyone with whom we come into contact. We may be positive to our children, our employees, and dependents, but we are at the same time negative to others.
Of course, something may occur and we will suddenly become more positive than the person to whom we have heretofore been negative. We frequently see cases of this kind. And as the knowledge of these mental laws becomes more well-known we will see many more instances of people asserting themselves and making use of their new-found power.
You possess the power to raise the vibration of your mind to a positive level whenever you choose.
But remember, you possess the power to raise the vibration of your mind to a positive level whenever you choose. And, of course, it is equally true that you may allow yourself to drop to a low, negative level by carelessness or a weak will.
There are more people on the negative plane of thought than on the positive plane, and consequently there are more negative thought vibrations in operation in our mental atmosphere.
There are more people on the negative plane of thought than on the positive plane, and consequently there are more negative thought vibrations in operation in our mental atmosphere. But, happily for us, this is counterbalanced by the fact that a positive thought is infinitely more powerful than a negative one. If we choose, we can raise ourselves to a higher mental key and we can shut out the depressing thoughts, and may increase the vibrations corresponding with our changed mental attitude. This is one of the secrets of the affirmations and auto-suggestions used by the several schools of Mental Science and other New Thought spiritual centers. There is no particular merit in affirmations of themselves, but they serve a two-fold purpose: (1) They tend to establish new mental attitudes within us and act wonderfully in the direction of character building—the science of making ourselves over. (2) They tend to raise our mental vibration so that we may get the benefit of the positive thought-waves of others on the same plane of thought.
Whether or not we believe in them, we are constantly making affirmations. The person who asserts that they can and will do a thing—and asserts it earnestly—develops in themself the qualities conducive to the well doing of that thing, and at the same time places their mind in the proper vibration to receive all the thought-waves likely to help them in the doing. If, on the other hand, one says and feels that they are going to fail, they will smother the thoughts coming from their own subconscious mentality which are intended to help them, and at the same time will place themself in tune with the Failure-thought of the world—and there is plenty of the latter kind of thought around, I can tell you.
Do not allow yourselves to be affected by the adverse and negative thoughts of those around you.
Do not allow yourselves to be affected by the adverse and negative thoughts of those around you. Rise to the upper chambers of your mental dwelling, and key yourself up to a strong level, away above the vibrations on the lower planes of thought. Then you will not only be immune to their negative vibrations but will be in touch with the great body of strong positive thought coming from those of your own plane of development.
My aim will be to direct and train you in the proper use of thought and will, that you may have yourself well in hand and may be able to strike the positive key, or vibration, at any moment you may feel it necessary. It is not necessary to strike the extreme note on all occasions. The better plan is to keep yourself in a comfortable level without much strain, and to have the means at command whereby you can raise the level at once when an occasion demands. By this knowledge you will not be at the mercy of the old automatic action of the mind, but may have it well under your own control.
Copyright © 2023 by Joel Fotinos
