THE
purpose of mental exercises must not be misunderstood. There is no virtue in
charms or formulated strings of words; there is no short cut to development by
repeating prayers or incantations. A mental exercise is an exercise, not in
repeating words, but in the thinking of certain thoughts. The phrases that we
repeatedly hear become convictions, as Goethe says; and the thoughts that we
repeatedly think become habitual, and make us what we are. The purpose in
taking a mental exercise is that you may think certain thoughts repeatedly
until you form a habit of thinking them; then they will be your thoughts all
the time. Taken in the right way and with an understanding of their purpose,
mental exercises are of great value; but taken as most people take them they
are worse than useless.
The
thoughts embodied in the following exercise are the ones you want to think. You
should take the exercise once or twice daily, but you should think the thoughts
continuously. That is, do not think them twice a day for a stated time and then
forget them until it is time to take the exercise again. The exercise is to
impress you with the material for continuous thought.
Take a
time when you can have from twenty minutes to half an hour secure from
interruption, and proceed first to make yourself physically comfortable. Lie at
ease in a Morris chair, or on a couch, or in bed; it is best to lie flat on
your back. If you have no other time, take the exercise on going to bed at
night and before rising in the morning.
First let
your attention travel over your body from the crown of your head to the soles
of your feet, relaxing every muscle as you go.
Relax
completely. And next, get physical and other ills off your mind. Let the
attention pass down the spinal cord and out over the nerves to the extremities,
and as you do so think: - “My nerves are in perfect order all over my body.
They obey my will, and I have great nerve force.” Next bring your attention to
the lungs and think: - “I am breathing deeply and quietly, and the air goes
into every cell of my lungs, which are in perfect condition. My blood is
purified and made clean.” Next, to the heart: - “My heart is beating strongly
and steadily, and my circulation is perfect, even to the extremities.’ Next, to
the digestive system: - “My stomach and bowels perform their work perfectly. My
food is digested and assimilated and my body rebuilt and nourished. My liver,
kidneys, and bladder each perform their several functions without pain or
strain; I am perfectly well. My body is resting, my mind is quiet, and my soul
is at peace.
“I have
no anxiety about financial or other matters. God, who is within me, is also in
all things I want, impelling them toward me; all that I want is already given
to me. I have no anxiety about my health, for I am perfectly well. I have no
worry or fear whatever.
“I rise
above all temptation to moral evil. I cast out all greed, selfishness, and
narrow personal ambition; I do not hold envy, malice, or enmity toward any
living soul. I will follow no course of action which is not in accord ‘with my
highest ideals. I am right and I will do right.”
Viewpoint
All is
right with the world. It is perfect and advancing to completion. I will
contemplate the facts of social, political, and industrial life only from this
high viewpoint. Behold, it is all very good. I will see all human beings, all
my acquaintances, friends, neighbors, and the members of my own household in
the same way. They are all good. Nothing is wrong with the universe; nothing
can be wrong but my own personal attitude, and henceforth I keep that right. My
whole trust is in God.
Consecration
I will
obey my soul and be true to that within me that is highest. I will search
within for the pure idea of right in all things, and when I find it I will
express it in my outward life. I will abandon everything I have outgrown for
the best I can think. I will have the highest thoughts concerning all my
relationships, and my manner and action shall express these thoughts. I
surrender my body to be ruled by my mind; I yield my mind to the dominion of my
soul, and I give my soul to the guidance of God.
Identification
There is
but one substance and source, and of that I am made and with it I am one. It is
my Father; I proceeded forth and came from it. My Father and I are one, and my
Father is greater than I, and I do His will. I surrender myself to conscious
unity with Pure Spirit; there is but one and that one is everywhere. I am one
with the Eternal Consciousness.
Idealization
Form a
mental picture of yourself as you want to be, and at the greatest height your
imagination can picture. Dwell upon this for some little time, holding the
thought: “This is what I really am; it is a picture of my own perfect and
advancing to completion. I will contemplate the facts of social, political, and
industrial life only from this high viewpoint. Behold, it is all very good. I
will see all human beings, all my acquaintances, friends, neighbors, and the
members of my own household in the same way. They are all good.
Nothing
is wrong with the universe, nothing can be wrong but my own personal attitude,
and henceforth I keep that right. My whole trust is in God.
Realization