Golden Gate Course 7

In my dealings with many different types of students, one factor has stood out very clearly among many others. It is this, people tend to think that if they read about faith and think about it, this is having and using faith. But it is not so. A hungry person might read about and think about food, and know many satisfying recipes, but this could not assuage their hunger. Just as we must eat the food, so must we use faith.

The chief difficulty here, in most people’s minds is a feeling that thought is not real. I wrote a book on this subject some time ago. (Incidentally, I was told by a professional psychologist that it had all that many books and postal courses costing much more had, but was put more simply and clearly) This book of mine put the case for thought and its tremendous wonder-working power, and so I have withdrawn it from circulation and incorporated it instead, into these lessons, because it is so important that you should see why you are thought building and what happens when you do.

This lesson will be thrilling to read. I find it so, and its fascination never fails. So as you read it, let that tingling feeling of happy expectancy sweep over you. Remember this is the uplifted feeling of belief that brings success.

THIS IS THE WAY

This is the way to attain to the fulfilment of all your highest desires and truest dreams. And by highest and truest I do not mean dull and goody-goody. I mean the dearest wish of your heart, dreamed when you have been on top of the world, feeling full of good-will to everybody, so full of power that nothing seemed impossible. Well, nothing is impossible.

“If thou cans’t believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

“Believe?” you may query. “Believe in what?”

“Believe that you can create with your thoughts”, is my reply. “For belief is thought, isn’t it?”

To the beginner along this way, it may be very difficult to believe that thought alone, apparently such a wispy thing, can really affect matter, apparently such a solid thing. How for instance, could a person’s thought have any effect upon say, a house?

Well in order to know that these things are indeed possible, we have first to understand what substance is.

As we know, all matter is composed of groups of many billions of tiny things called “atoms”, which in turn are composed of even smaller particles. Matter is partly made up of electrons which constantly move at high speed and in some substances can migrate from atom to atom, which is what happens when electricity flows.

Of the word “matter”, we read:

“Matter, in physics, is roughly defined as that which has weight and occupies space. Modern research has shown that matter or substance may be converted into energy. The reverse process, the conversion of energy into substance or matter, is also possible.”

What then, does our encyclopaedia tell us about energy? We read;

“Energy. It has been shown that substance may be converted into energy by the mutual annihilation of positive and negative particles.”

Without having to be in the least scientifically-minded, you can readily see that substance or matter is not nearly so solid and immovable as we thought, First you are shown that substance contains many billions of swiftly-moving electrons. Then you see that that particles can merge and vanish, and by their vanishing can convert substance into energy. And what is thought but an aspect of energy – mental energy? Mental power in action? The dictionary defines the word “thought” as “the power of thinking”.

Before we go any further, let us sum it all up simply, like this.

Substance is partly made up of particles which, by merging and vanishing can be changed into energy. Energy in one of its aspects is the power of thinking. Therefore substance and thought are really one in their ultimate ingredients. Do you see? So now do you think it is so difficult to change matter by thought-power? Of course it isn’t. To return to my earlier question about a thought affecting a house – you will see that this isn’t impossible after all.

When you are feeling very optimistic and that nothing much is really impossible to you, you begin to think, don’t you? You think of all kinds of wonderful things you want to achieve. You make plans, you “dream dreams and see visions”. What are you actually doing by these thoughts? You are taking hold of matter and shaping it to suit your thought-pictures. You are kneading and moulding it as if you were kneading and moulding a lump of dough on a pastry-board. You are taking hold of that energy-substance called “matter” and. shaping it to fit your own thought-mould.

And what do you do when “everything goes wrong” and all seems dark and grim? When you feel depressed and sink into a lethargic state, thinking only of weakness and of woe? You are taking the energy-substance called “matters’ and moulding it into the most horrible and ugly shapes you can conceive. So change your thought-picture quickly. Think hopeful thoughts. Never look with mental intensity at the lack of the thing you went. Look at the thing itself.

Having reached this point we can now pass on because, if you have followed me (and I suggest a second, thirtieth or hundredth reading if you haven’t, as the subject is important) you cannot help believing.

This is what “belief” did for one of our cats some years ago. He was a lovely animal, Big, plump and silky. He was all black, except for an oval white mark under his chin, and we called him “Spotty”.

One day this fine fellow skinned his shoulder while squeezing through a narrow gap in a fence and because he continually licked it with his rough tongue, he made it quite raw. It spoilt his beauty, besides making him very uncomfortable! For weeks we tried all kinds of animal-ointments for him. We even bandaged him, but he easily slipped out of it. Finally we tied him up in a cloth bag to keep him from licking the wound. Poor Spotty was thoroughly miserable, and after an, hour or two of this, I resolved to see what my thought-energy could do to the substance-energy of his body.

First I visualised the great power of the universe itself. Reaching up in thought, I drew it into myself while in-breathing deeply. Then pointing my finger towards Spotty’s wound, I mentally poured out the power into saying within myself, “Be whole!”. We did nothing more, and in a few days the wound had entirely disappeared,

Another time we thought our dog Simon had, strained his heart, for he had started to pant rapidly. After about three hours he fell asleep, still panting. I began to “call down” the power as before. Immediately I pointed at Simon he awoke, sat up and stared at me. Then gradually the panting ceased. He lay down again, slept naturally and we saw no more of it after that.

As well as my own answers to prayers, I want to tell you about some of my students’ successes. This will prevent you from thinking that the answers may come to me, but not to others! I am an ordinary person, and so are all these students and we have all experienced results, as you shall see. The following are extracts from letters I have received:

1. “Money seems to have come to me in an extraordinary way these past two months.”

2. “The dawn is breaking. An opportunity has come my way, quite unexpectedly. I will soon be my own boss. A little business of my own, with good prospects. This is something I have always had in mind, something I’ve always longed for.”

3. “I would like to tell you of an experience I had. I was quite alone – but this is not strictly correct! I had my bull terrier with me. Her name, Chloe. One evening she came limping in, quite unable to put her paw to the ground. I called her, took her paw in my hand, made certain affirmations and then gave thanks that my prayer had been answered. After a very short time I told Chloe to jump down as there was nothing wrong with her paw. And there wasn’t. She had no limp or soreness. I felt very humble afterwards. A feeling that I was not fit for such things – but I hope to be some day. No doubt Chloe has forgotten all this, but I never shall.”

4. “I have ‘asked’ for several things that have manifested. I get a picture of what I want, think as though I’ve already got it. And it turns out so.”

5. “Do you remember some time ago I told you that I had ‘asked’ for an extra amount of money per week? Well I have just had an offer of a job at just over that amount”

6. “I am praying for more comfortable surroundings where I may enjoy some nice country air. With your teachings my hopes are soaring.”
Later:- “I am doing what you suggest, but so far the country seems far away.”
Two months later:- “My son has been posted near Southampton and be making regular trips to the Isle of Wight. This means that I can give up my attic room in London and find a cottage and job in Ryde! {Ryde is the main town on the Isle of Wight, on the South coast of England – William M.} Sounds very good indeed. So you can see the spiritual law is contacted and I going into the country”

Don’t you think that these extracts make thrilling reading? All this you can do also, if you are willing to persevere. First you must believe in what I have shown you about the nature of matter, energy and thought. Then you must know that the dominant picture in your mind is the one which is brought into manifestation in your life. You cannot thought build with enthusiasm for ten minutes a day and. then think all the wrong kind of thoughts for the next ten hours. So you see, you must persevere. Expect great results. Do not just wish, but will.

REMEMBER- Change your thoughts and you change your circumstances. You have 18 more weeks to practise prosperity-thinking. By then it should be a habit.

Bernard

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