The Law of Habit Forming
Written by Jerry on February 24, 2010 – 9:02 am -
by Ralph Waldo Trine
Have we it within our power to determine at all times what types of habits shall take form in our lives? In other words, is habit-forming, character-building, a matter of mere chance, or have we it within our own control? We have, entirely and absolutely.
For there is a simple, natural, and thoroughly scientific method that all should know. A method whereby old, undesirable, earth-binding habits can be broken, and new, desirable, heaven-lifting habits can be acquired, — a method whereby life in part or in its totality can be changed, provided one is sufficiently in earnest to know, and, knowing it, to apply the law.
Thought is the force underlying all. And what do we mean by this? Simply this: Your every act — every conscious act — is preceded by a thought. Your dominating thoughts determine your dominating actions. The acts repeated crystallize themselves into the habit. The aggregate of your habits is your character. Whatever, then, you would have your acts, you must look well to the character of the thought you entertain. Whatever act you would not do, –habit you would not acquire you must look well to it that you do not entertain the type of thought that will give birth to this act, this habit . It is a simple psychological law that any type of thought, if entertained for a sufficient length of time, will, by and by, reach the motor tracks of the brain, and finally burst forth into action. Murder can be and many times is committed in this way, the same as all undesirable things are done. On the other hand, the greatest powers are grown, the most God-like characteristics are engendered, the most heroic acts are performed in the same way.
The thing clearly to understand is this: That the thought is always parent to the act. Now, we have it entirely in our own hands to determine exactly what thoughts we entertain. In the realm of our own minds we have absolute control, or we should have, and if at any time we have not, then there is a method by which we can gain control, and in the realm of the mind become thorough masters.
Here let us refer to that law of the mind which is the same as is the law in connection with the reflex nerve system of the body, the law which says that whenever one does a certain thing in a certain way it is easier to do the same thing in the same way the next time, and still easier the next, and the next, and the next, until in time it comes to pass that no effort is required, or no effort worth speaking of; but on the contrary, to do the opposite would require the effort. The mind carries with it the power that perpetuates its own type of thought, the same as the body carries with it through the reflex nerve system the power which perpetuates and makes continually easier its own particular acts. Thus a simple effort to control one’s thoughts, a simple setting about it, even if at first failure is the result, and even if for a time failure seems to be about the only result, will in time, sooner or later, bring him to the point of easy, full, and complete control.
Each one, then, can grow the power of determining, controlling his thought, the power of determining what types of thought he shall and what types he shall not entertain. For let us never part in mind with this fact, that every earnest effort along any line makes the end aimed at just a little easier for each succeeding effort, even if, as has been said, apparent failure is the result of the earlier efforts. This is a case where even failure is success, for the failure is not in the effort, and every earnest effort adds an increment of power that will eventually accomplish the end aimed at.
(from: Character-Building Thought Power)
Never Stop Exploring Life!
Jerry L Saunders, RM
Tags: Absolute Control, Aggregate, Brain, Character Building, Conscious Act, Earth, god, Habit, Heaven, Heroic Acts, Length Of Time, Nbsp, Psychological Law, Ralph Waldo, Scientific Method, Totality
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The Law of Habit Forming
Written by Jerry on February 3, 2010 – 4:02 am -
by Ralph Waldo Trine
Have we it within our power to determine at all times what types of habits shall take form in our lives? In other words, is habit-forming, character-building, a matter of mere chance, or have we it within our own control? We have, entirely and absolutely.
For there is a simple, natural, and thoroughly scientific method that all should know. A method whereby old, undesirable, earth-binding habits can be broken, and new, desirable, heaven-lifting habits can be acquired, — a method whereby life in part or in its totality can be changed, provided one is sufficiently in earnest to know, and, knowing it, to apply the law.
Thought is the force underlying all. And what do we mean by this? Simply this: Your every act — every conscious act — is preceded by a thought. Your dominating thoughts determine your dominating actions. The acts repeated crystallize themselves into the habit. The aggregate of your habits is your character. Whatever, then, you would have your acts, you must look well to the character of the thought you entertain. Whatever act you would not do, –habit you would not acquire you must look well to it that you do not entertain the type of thought that will give birth to this act, this habit . It is a simple psychological law that any type of thought, if entertained for a sufficient length of time, will, by and by, reach the motor tracks of the brain, and finally burst forth into action. Murder can be and many times is committed in this way, the same as all undesirable things are done. On the other hand, the greatest powers are grown, the most God-like characteristics are engendered, the most heroic acts are performed in the same way.
The thing clearly to understand is this: That the thought is always parent to the act. Now, we have it entirely in our own hands to determine exactly what thoughts we entertain. In the realm of our own minds we have absolute control, or we should have, and if at any time we have not, then there is a method by which we can gain control, and in the realm of the mind become thorough masters. Read more »
Tags: Absolute Control, Aggregate, Brain, Character Building, Conscious Act, Earth, god, Habit, Heaven, Heroic Acts, Length Of Time, Nbsp, Psychological Law, Ralph Waldo, Scientific Method, Totality
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CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION
Written by Jerry on December 2, 2009 – 1:59 am -
by Mildred Mann
The next stage of the program deals with the conscious mind. You must learn to concentrate. In one sense, everyone knows how to concentrate on subjects with which they are familiar and which have constituted their fields of interest. You will rarely find a man who cannot spend hours reading, talking and thinking about various events in the world of sports. He will spend hours debating the qualities of the Dodgers and the Yankees, mentally and vocally. You will rarely find a woman who cannot spend hours reading, talking and thinking about fashions,-to say nothing of a little choice tid-bit of gossip. We all know how to concentrate. What we do not know is how to use the same technique on an unfamiliar subject. Concentration is nothing more than becoming engrossed in a particular subject. As long as you are giving it your full attention, you are concentrating on it.
Now, we know that first we must learn to relax. Then we must also do some concentrative work on a specific subject,– God. When we concentrate our thoughts on God, we call it prayer, or meditation. Meditation is to the soul what food is to the body. The tragic thing is that so few people have realized this, but in the past quarter of the century, more and more people have learned it. We should spend about ten or fifteen minutes each day with God.
What is meant by meditation? You take an idea,–any idea that happens to interest you, but NOT your problems. That is the rub, because we love to dwell on our problems. You start with a positive idea,-such as what you think God is. Think what God means to you, and then think what you mean of God. Do not forget that you are "a special enterprise on the part of God." Think it through in those terms. Nobody uses exactly the same words. It might happen, because it happens to many people,-that in spite of your loquaciousness with your fellowman, you find yourself tongue-tied now. It is an odd sidelight on our habit patterns, but a very real one. If you find this to be the case in your instance, release your shyness with the realization that God loves you, with a far greater and deeper love than that of your parents, your husband, or wife, your children or your dearest friend. He knows you, not only as you should be, but as you are. He cares for you. Your welfare is dear to the heart of Being. Read more »
Tags: Concentration And Meditation, Conscious Mind, Dodgers, Fifteen Minutes, Full Attention, god, Gossip, Habit Patterns, Loquaciousness, Many People, Nbsp, Prayer Meditation, Program Deals, Sidelight, Spite, Subject Concentration, Tongue, World Of Sports, Yankees
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