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June 25th, 2007 by Sean“As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen

I’ve read this book twice in the past month: As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen, published in 1902.

It’s a short book - the version I have is 52 pages long. But it’s a great read. Here are some quotes:

> As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them. This applies equally to those acts called “spontaneous” and “unpremeditated” as to those which are deliberately executed.

> …

> A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of groveling thoughts and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man fall suddenly into crime by stress of any mere external force; the criminal thought had long been secretly fostered in the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed its gathered power. Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.

> …

> Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set.

> …

> A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And as he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities within himself.

> …

> The universe does not favor the greedy, the dishonest, the vicious, although on the mere surface it may sometimes appear to do so; it helps the honest, the magnanimous, the virtuous. All the great Teachers of the ages have declared this in varying forms, and to prove and know it a man has but to persist in making himself more and more virtuous by lifting up his thoughts.

> …

> Tempest-tossed souls, wherever ye may be, under whatsoever conditions ye may live, know this - in the ocean of life the isles of Blessedness are smiling, and the sunny shore of your ideal awaits your coming. Keep you hand firmly upon the helm of thought. In the bark of your soul reclines the commanding Master; He does but sleep; wake Him. Self-control is strength; Right Thought is mastery; Calmness is power. Say unto your heart, “Peace, be still!”

The entire book is like that. I like it!

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### 13 Responses to ““As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen”

1. EnKi Says:
   June 25th, 2007 at 12:27 pm

   That does sound like a good personal development book. I doubt I can find it in this town’s only library though.

2. Drk Pwnr Says:
   June 25th, 2007 at 1:20 pm

   Wow, some of those quotes were just what I needed to turn my mood today around. I need add that book to my summer reading list!

3. huggiesunrise Says:
   June 25th, 2007 at 3:23 pm

   This book helps abit with finding that “be Still” ness.

   It might help you in your manifesting study as well to study what “peace” really means.

4. neveza Says:
   June 25th, 2007 at 6:19 pm

   Humm…another book to look into when I get some form of access to a library or bookshop…maybe I’ll just use amazon when I turn 18 next year…who knows?

   I like the quotes, I mean, nothing new to me. Something I followed by the age of 6(have no friends, you can only do but think and improve)…for a while.

5. Hey_you Says:
   June 25th, 2007 at 8:09 pm

   This is good stuff but the book I just finished reading: The Nature of Personal Reality by Jane Roberts. It talks about the same things except more detailed, less convoluted and talks a lot more about beliefs and how they effect you personal reality. It also reads less like airy-fairy metaphysics even though it is channelled. fgs

6. bobelly Says:
   June 25th, 2007 at 11:54 pm

   if you guys wanna read this book, you can read it FREE online:

   http://www.psitek.net/pages/PsiTekAAMTContents.html

7. YoYo Says:
   June 26th, 2007 at 11:12 am

   huggiesunrise: ya completely agree. I think I’m gonna give this book a read.

   Sean, where’d you here about it?

8. Sean Says:
   June 26th, 2007 at 12:27 pm

   YoYo - I don’t remember exactly, but I think I stumbled on it in the Amazon.com recommendations, and read somewhere that it was an old book on intention manifestation.

   Hey_you - I’ve read that book. I have a few others by Jane Roberts and “Seth” as well. I think they’re interesting, but a lot of it can’t be confirmed one way or another, so to me it felt a little cheap. Still interesting though.

   ~Sean

9. Hey_you Says:
   June 26th, 2007 at 6:31 pm

   The information in Personal Reality is useful and logically consistent so I’m not complaining :). I think it is possible to verify the phenomena of channelling but I agree that you shouldn’t believe everything you hear without any kind of reason too.

10. ClearVision Says:
    June 27th, 2007 at 10:35 am

    A good book by the looks of it. A bit old, but it seems to touch on reality more than going into a senseless metaphysical slurr of thoughts. The only thing I don’t like is, that it tries to put good over evil. They’re both the same to me, in terms of power. Good, evil, one builds society, the other tries to destroy it. They have both the same power. Just, one is more positive. We all know which one.

11. As a Man Thinketh « YoYo’s World Says:
    June 27th, 2007 at 3:32 pm

    […] June 27th, 2007 at 7:32 pm (Personal Development, Books, Random) This is a book by James Allen and was written 100 years ago. I’ve just started reading about it a few days ago. I heard about it from a fellow blogger named Sean. He’s got a nice blog on it and you can check it out by clicking here. […]

12. jesse Says:
    July 12th, 2007 at 3:17 pm

    “Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.”

    This line is my favorite, as it really hits home. I have always felt an underlying connection between my wealth and my health. As I strive to improve myself financially, I often become focused on losing weight and eating right. There is a very real correlation between interior development and exterior development, even if it is not always obvious and visible.

13. Rick Says:
    August 12th, 2009 at 12:01 pm

    There’s a great resource on James Allen at The James Allen Library (www.jamesallenlibrary.com) This site has the complete writings of James Allen available to read as well as discussion forums, emails, and the ability to search his works!

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