How The Mind Works
	When All Things Work For Good <  Previous Contents Next  >

In analyzing the workings of the mind there is no subject of more importance than that of the relation of good and evil. Concerning evil there are many doctrines, some of which declare that it is a real and permanent power battling with the good, while others declare that it is nothing, or simply the absence of good. Then between these two extreme beliefs almost any number of other beliefs may be found. To prove that evil is an actual principle personified in some form is not only difficult, but also impossible. On the other hand, to prove to the world that evil is nothing is by no means simplicity itself. Nevertheless, this doctrine comes very nearly being the truth.

However, it is not our purpose to analyze the nature of evil in this connection. That is a subject so large that separate attention would be required. Our object here is to make clear what we wish to bring out in connection with a most important law, viz., that when we give conscious recognition to the existence of an evil we tend to increase its power and multiply its effects. And in dealing with this law it will be necessary to define briefly what evil actually is, or rather what the new psychology has found it to be.

To say that evil is the absence of the good is not sufficiently explicit; while to say that evil, is undeveloped good is simply to play upon words. The process of development is continuous; therefore the fully developed of today is undeveloped in comparison with the possibilities of tomorrow. So that according to that idea the good of today would be evil in the light of tomorrow which is by no means a scientific idea. The truth in this connection is that when we employ the undeveloped just as if it were developed we produce what we call evil, and it is this fact that has given rise to the belief that evil is undeveloped good.

When we look closely at those things that are called evil we find that in every case force has been employed contrary to the natural laws involved. It will therefore be correct to say that evil is misdirected good, or that it is the improper use of a power that is in itself good. In fact, all powers, forces and elements are good in themselves because all that is real is good. Everything is created for a good purpose and is actually good, but it is possible to employ it for a purpose that is not in accord with those laws under which we live at the present moment. And here is where evil may arise.

Every act is good, proper and useful when performed in its own sphere of action, but when performed outside of its own sphere it is not good. It produces conditions that we call evil. This being true the fact that every act has its own sphere of action is one of the greatest facts in the universe. We can do only such things at such times that harmonize with the laws that obtain at the time and under the circumstance. And it is absolutely necessary to the persistence of the universe that such laws be absolute, because if they were not the universe would be chaos.

To simplify the subject we may state that evil is a condition produced by an act that is performed outside of its natural sphere, and that the power and effects of that condition depend upon how much life the mind throws into that particular act. It is a well known fact that the mind gives its life to those actions and conditions upon which consciousness is directed, and consciousness is always directed where reality is supposed to exist. Therefore when we give conscious recognition to the existence of an evil we give more life and power to those conditions that we call evil, and in consequence make them much worse than they were. This is very simple because the more attention you give to anything the more life and power you add to that particular thing, be it good or evil. Accordingly it is unwise to give attention or recognition to evil under any circumstance.

However, the question is how we can prevent giving conscious attention to the evil and the wrong. When evil seems so very real how can we avoid giving conscious recognition to its existence? The answer is that we must get a better understanding of the real nature of evil and the real nature of good, because when this understanding is gained we can train the mind to act correctly in this connection. When we know that evil is not a thing, not a principle, not a reality, but simply a certain temporary and mistaken use of reality; and when we know that the use of that reality has its origin in our own minds, our attention will at once be transferred from the unpleasant condition surrounding the evil, and be directed instead upon our own inner mental domain. Thus consciousness will be withdrawn from the condition called evil and will become concerned with the change of mental action. Accordingly the power of the evil will at once be diminished. Actual experience in life has demonstrated the fact a number of times that pain or even a severe disease will disappear instantaneously when consciousness is fully and completely taken into another sphere or thought or action.

This proves that an evil condition can live only so long as we give it life, and we give it life only so long as we consciously admit or recognize its existence. When an evil condition is felt, attention should at once be directed upon the opposite good that exists in the inner world of perfection. This action of the mind will take consciousness away from the unpleasant condition and will cause all the faculties of the mind to work in realizing the absolutely good.

When we proceed to trace all perverted action to its inner mental source consciousness will follow, leaving evil behind, and coming to give its life to the change of the said source that proves itself simply to be a misunderstanding of things. Then if the desire of the heart is to change the source of that action, or in other words, to gain a correct understanding of things, the new and the ideal image of the good will appear in the mind, and according to laws previously presented a change for the better will follow at once.

To illustrate, we will take a depressed condition of mind or body and proceed to remove it by this method. First, we will picture clearly upon the mind the perfect image of harmony so that we can almost see harmony with the mind. Second, we will prove to ourselves through reason that this depressed condition is not a thing, but the temporary result of valuable power misdirected. And since this power is misdirected by our own mind, our own mind must contain the origin of that misdirection. Then we will turn attention upon our own inner mentality with a view of removing the source of perversion, establishing a state of harmony; and while thus directing attention upon the inner mentality we will hold the mind in such an attitude that it is moving directly upon the image of perfect harmony.

The result will be that consciousness will become so absorbed in creating the new state of harmony that it will withdraw completely from the outer evil condition. This outer condition will in consequence disappear as it is deprived of life, while the new state of harmony will be firmly established by receiving all the attention and all the life. In other words, when consciousness leaves the condition of evil, evil has nothing further to live on, and will disappear; and as consciousness enters the condition of harmony and good in the within those conditions will receive all the life that consciousness has to give, and will accordingly grow and develop until they become sufficiently strong to take possession of the entire human system.

This is a simple process that works perfectly and that can be employed successfully in removing any undesirable condition from mind or body. However, before we begin we must picture clearly upon the mind the image of the perfect state that we seek to realize and develop, and proceed as above in the elimination of the wrong through the creation of the right. A perfect understanding of the law under consideration will aid remarkably in turning our attention as required because there is nothing that can change the mind so readily as the reasoning process involved in a clear understanding of the subject at hand.

To realize fully that life and power always go wherever consciousness goes, is extremely important and also that consciousness can be directed anywhere by becoming thoroughly interested wherever we wish it to go. In applying these methods people who feel deeply always have the best results because deep feeling tends to produce deep interest in those conditions into which we wish to direct attention.

Closely connected with this process we find a most important metaphysical law that may be stated as follows: All things work together for good to him who desires only the good. And as it is possible for anyone to desire the good and the good only we realize that it is possible for anyone to cause all things to work together for good in his life. This law proves that the way to better things is not nearly as difficult as we have supposed it to be, and also that the straight and narrow path is by no means a path that the few alone can enter.

The doctrine of the straight and narrow path has been misinterpreted as it does not refer to something that is so extremely difficult to pass through, nor is it a path that leads directly away from everything that is pleasant in life. Neither is it so narrow that we can pass through it only when we have given up everything else in life. The belief that everything in life must be left out if we wish to take this path is not only absurd, but is the very opposite to the real truth. The path that leads into life, the full life, the complete life, the beautiful life is straight because it is established upon law. When you take this path you begin to use all the laws of life properly and will therefore gain all the good things that life has the power to give.

Here we must remember that a law is not a cruel something, the function of which is simply to punish. A law is a path that leads to greater and better things. Therefore to follow a law is to move directly towards the better and the greater. When we live according to a law we are constantly receiving the greater riches that lie in that path, and when we live according to all the laws of life we receive everything good that life can give. However, when we violate law we go outside of the path, where there is nothing to be gained and nothing to live for. In fact, we step out of everything that pertains to life and thus enter chaos, the result of which is pain, loss and retrogression.

It is not the law that gives us punishment when we go astray. When we go astray we deprive ourselves of the good things of life by going away from that path where those good things are to be found. And when we are deprived of the good, the good is absent; and the absence of the good means evil, the entering into of which means punishment.

The path that leads into life is narrow because it gives room only for your own individuality, and only for the true self. You cannot be a double self, one part good and the other not, when you enter this path. There is only room for the true self. Neither can you lean on someone else. There is not room for anyone upon which to lean, as the path is for yourself alone. On this path you must live your own life and give all others freedom to live their own life.

Life is given us to be lived, and to live life we must live to ourselves according to our own light and our own individual needs. The path to life is the path to better things; in other words, it is, the advancing path and is therefore not a dismal, disagreeable or difficult path. On the contrary, it is the very opposite and is found by seeking the good and the good only. So long as we have only the good in mind we will be on this path.

We will live according to the laws of life and will receive only good things because the laws of life can give only good things. But when we begin to desire what is not good we are at once drawn out of the path. Thus we will be deprived of the essentials of life, and instead we will enter into emptiness, weakness, perversion, confusion and all kinds of disaster.

When all our desires are directed upon the attainment of the highest good our creative powers will proceed to create and rebuild everything within us and about us, thus causing all things to become better. Everything in life will improve. We will be in more perfect harmony with our surroundings and will attract more agreeable persons, circumstances and events. We will become creators of the good. Everything that we do will produce good and everything that we attempt will result in good. We will meet all persons and environments on the better side, and will in consequence receive the best things that such persons and environments have the power to give. Every change that we make will be an open door to greater good because we are moving towards the good and the good only as every change is being made.

Here it is very important to remember that when we desire only the good we are always moving towards greater good, and must without fail realize the greater good in the near future. If we pass through a few unpleasant experiences while we are waiting we must not pay attention to such seeming inconsistencies. The fact that all will be well when we reach the goal in view should so fully occupy our minds that we will not be disturbed by any defect that may be found in the way over which we must for the present pass.

To desire the good, however, does not mean to desire mere self-satisfaction. It is the universal good that must be held in mind, the greatest good for everybody. And this must not only be held in mind but deeply desired with the whole heart and soul. The proper course is to desire only the highest good and then turn all the life and power we possess into that desire. In fact we should make that desire far stronger than all other desires and we should live in it constantly.

As you proceed in this manner all the laws of the mind will work with you in promoting the realization of the good that you have in view and will gradually eliminate the results of past mistakes. Should the personal self tend to make new mistakes or take mis-steps, thereby leading your plans out of the true path, something will occur to prevent you from doing this before it is too late. The laws of your being will cause something to come in your way and thus turn your life in another direction, that is, in a new direction where the highest good you have in view may be finally realized.

When you have set your heart and soul upon the attainment of the good and the good only, the predominating powers in your being will work only for good, and a lesser powers will, one after the other, be taken into the same positive current so that before long all things in your life will work together for good. We may not understand at first how these powers operate, but we shall soon find that the results we had in view are being realized more and more. And as this realization is gained we shall come positively to the conclusion that all things do work together for good when we desire the good and the good alone.