In an era where self-help gurus and manifestation coaches dominate the digital landscape, it’s easy to forget the pioneers who first dared to declare that our innermost thoughts aren’t just fleeting whispers but tangible forces capable of sculpting our reality. Enter Prentice Mulford’s “Thoughts Are Things,” a groundbreaking collection of essays from the late 19th century that pulses with the raw energy of the New Thought movement. Published in 1889, this book isn’t merely a philosophical treatise; it’s a clarion call to awaken the dormant spiritual giant within each of us, urging readers to harness the invisible currents of thought to build lives of health, abundance, and eternal vitality.
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Mulford, a former gold miner turned mystic journalist, weaves personal anecdotes with profound metaphysical insights, challenging the materialistic worldview that chains humanity to decay and despair. Through vivid metaphors drawn from nature, human relationships, and the cosmos, he reveals how every thought we entertain acts like a magnet, drawing in corresponding experiences—be they joyous symphonies of success or dissonant chords of failure. As we delve into this timeless work, prepare to question everything you thought you knew about the mind, for Mulford insists that thoughts are not ephemeral dreams but the very building blocks of our physical existence, capable of healing bodies, mending souls, and even conquering death itself.
The Eternal Battle: Material Mind Versus Spiritual Mind
At the heart of Mulford’s philosophy lies a profound duality that defines the human condition: the clash between the material mind and the spiritual mind. The material mind, he argues, is a product of our bodily experiences, shackled to the illusions of time, decay, and limitation. It whispers defeatist mantras like “we are born to suffer,” accepting illness, aging, and death as inevitable fates scripted by some cruel cosmic playwright. In contrast, the spiritual mind—soaring high above these earthly chains—taps into the infinite wellspring of divine power, recognizing spirit as an ever-active force that molds matter at will.
Mulford paints this spiritual awakening as a revolutionary act, where one shifts from passive victimhood to active creator. “There belongs to every human being a higher self and a lower self–a self or mind of the spirit which has been growing for ages, and a self of the body, which is but a thing of yesterday,” he writes, emphasizing that this higher self craves freedom from physical pains and disabilities, while the lower self resigns to them. Through detailed descriptions of how thoughts emanate like electric darts from the mind—capable of healing or harming at a distance—Mulford illustrates the practical implications: focus on health and vigor, and they manifest; dwell on sickness, and it becomes your unwelcome companion.
He warns against self-imposed tyrannies, such as rigid moral codes or ascetic denials, which only stifle the spirit’s flow. Instead, he advocates a wholeness born of faith in the Supreme Power, where affirming life’s possibilities becomes the alchemy turning base fears into golden triumphs. This chapter isn’t just theoretical; it’s a blueprint for transformation, urging readers to reject the “must” of decay—”To say a thing must be, is the very power that makes it”—and embrace the spiritual mind’s eternal growth, leading to a life where the body serves as a vibrant vessel for unending adventure.
Redefining Bonds: Who Are Our True Relations?
Mulford shatters conventional notions of family and friendship in a chapter that probes the subtle energies binding souls together. Far beyond bloodlines or societal obligations, he posits that our real relations are those whose thought-atmospheres harmonize with our own, fostering mutual growth and vitality. “Physical or ‘blood relationship’ has very little bearing on the real or mental relationship,” Mulford asserts, highlighting how forced associations with discordant minds drain our life force, leading to depression, illness, and even premature aging. He delves into the tyrannies of familial expectations—the parental pressure to conform, the grudging support that poisons both giver and receiver—with vivid examples of how insincere aid, laced with resentment, creates spiritual starvation.
Imagine a parent sacrificing endlessly for a child, only to breed dependency and mediocrity; Mulford likens this to birds pushing fledglings from the nest, a natural law ensuring independence and strength. Genuine love, he explains, is a life-giving elixir: “Genuine heartfelt love is literally life giving, and if received by the child is for it a source of cheer, health, strength, and activity.” Yet, he cautions against duty-bound affections that mask fear or obligation, as they forge chains of misery.
Through long, introspective passages, Mulford explores the harm of prolonged dependencies, where over-support exhausts parents and weakens offspring, urging a release that allows each soul to soar on its own currents. This redefinition extends to all relationships, advocating for connections based on shared aspirations rather than mere proximity, where the exchange of positive thoughts builds a symphony of collective empowerment. In essence, Mulford transforms the mundane act of relating into a spiritual art, where choosing companions wisely becomes the key to unlocking personal and communal flourishing.
Invisible Rivers: Navigating Thought Currents
Like unseen rivers carving landscapes over eons, Mulford describes thoughts as flowing currents that connect minds and shape destinies. In this captivating exploration, he warns that our conversations and mental fixations draw in like energies, creating self-fulfilling prophecies. “We need to be careful of what we think and talk. Because thought runs in currents as real as those of air and water,” he notes, illustrating how gossiping about illness invites sickly vibes, while discussing success magnetizes opportunities. Mulford paints a vivid picture of these currents: a group dwelling on disease attracts a miasma of weakness, manifesting as physical ailments, whereas cheerful dialogues summon invigorating forces. He delves into the perils of fear’s omnipresent stream—”The thought current of fear is everywhere. All humanity fears something–disease, death, loss of fortune, loss of friends, loss of something”—which saps vitality and breeds symptoms like trembling or malaise.
With detailed anecdotes, he critiques extremes in reform or frugality, born from fear, that warp body and mind, advocating instead for balanced, positive associations. Women, he observes, are particularly impressionable, but training the mind builds resilience, diverting negative flows through demands to the Supreme Power. Mulford’s prose flows like the currents he describes, urging readers to cultivate cheerfulness and reliance on Infinite Mind, reducing toil and unlocking miracle-like abilities. This chapter is a masterclass in mental hygiene, where steering thought currents becomes the rudder guiding ships through life’s tempests toward harbors of abundance and peace.
Building Inner Fortitude: One Way to Cultivate Courage
Courage, in Mulford’s eyes, isn’t the reckless bravado of warriors but a deliberate mastery of the mind, forged in the forge of everyday actions. He equates it with presence of mind—”Courage and presence of mind mean the same thing. Presence of mind implies command of mind”—and contrasts it with the hurry born of fear that scatters focus and invites disaster. Through intricate descriptions, Mulford outlines a practical regimen: perform each task—whether tying a shoe or speaking—with undivided attention, building a reservoir of concentrated force. “There is always a bit of fear where there is a bit of hurry,” he observes, explaining how preoccupied minds turn simple acts into burdens, paving the way for panics and failures.
He draws from history, citing figures who triumphed through deliberation, and warns that genius in one area without balanced growth leads to imbalance. Pleasure arises from focusing on the now—”Pleasure is the sure result of placing thought or force on the thing we are doing now, and pain of some sort in both present and future is the certain result of sending thought or force away from the act which needs to be done at this moment”—while distraction manifests dreaded outcomes. Mulford’s method is gradual, emphasizing that cultivating deliberate movement in all things lays the foundation for unshakeable courage, both moral and physical, transforming timid souls into pillars of strength capable of facing any storm with serene command.
Eyes on the Horizon: The Imperative to Look Forward
Mulford implores us to shatter the rearview mirror of regret and gaze steadfastly ahead, for dwelling on the past is the material mind’s favorite trap, accelerating decay and blocking evolution. “The tendency with many people after they are a little ‘advanced in years’ is to look backward and with regret. The ‘looking’ should be the other way–forward,” he urges, portraying the spiritual self as indifferent to bygone identities, eager for perpetual advancement. In lush, evocative paragraphs, he describes how every mournful reminiscence drains life force—”Every regret, every mournful thought, takes so much out of your life. It is force used to pile on more misery”—while forward-thinking attracts fresh joys and powers. Graveyards and sad tales, he warns, embed thoughts of death, hastening our own decline; instead, emulate the divine serenity that never regrets. This forward momentum, Mulford argues, is the secret of the successful, who press onward, forgetting unprofitable pains to birth new realities. Over millennia, this mindset promises transformation, where forgetting past selves unlocks greater pleasures and abilities, turning life into an eternal ascent rather than a descent into oblivion.
Divine Whispers in the Wild: God in the Trees and Nature’s Infinite Mind
Venturing into the wilderness of the soul, Mulford reveals nature as a living tapestry woven from the Infinite Mind, where trees and rocks pulse with divine intelligence. “You are fortunate if you love trees, and especially the wild ones growing where the Great Creative Force placed them,” he writes, describing how communing with untamed nature absorbs exhilarating forces that revitalize body and spirit. He personifies trees as God’s thoughts incarnate—”The tree is then literally one of God’s thoughts.
That thought is worth our study. It contains some wisdom we have not yet got hold of”—with sap mirroring human vitality and growth reflecting spiritual laws. Mulford laments deforestation and animal captivity, which deplete life’s vital elements, advocating a future harmony where humans draw power from loving exchanges with the wild. Prophets and poets, he notes, gained insights by demanding a new mind to sense God’s presence in every leaf and stone. This chapter is a poetic ode to nature’s sanctity, urging readers to embrace wild beauty as a conduit for miraculous strength, fostering a reciprocal love that elevates humanity toward divine communion.
Sculpting the Self: Laws of Health, Beauty, and Eternal Youth
Mulford demystifies health and beauty as direct outgrowths of thought, where positive mental states forge symmetrical bodies and radiant faces. “Your thoughts shape your face, and give it its peculiar expression. Your thoughts determine the attitude, carriage, and shape of your whole body,” he explains, rejecting aging as inevitable and attributing it to erroneous beliefs. In detailed expositions, he outlines the attraction law: “Of whatever possible thing we think, we are building, in unseen substance, a construction which will draw to us forces or elements to aid us or hurt us, according to the character of thought we think or put out.” Cheerful eating averts dyspepsia, while persistent idealization of vigor builds it—”Persistency in thinking health, in imagining or idealizing yourself as healthy, vigorous, and symmetrical, is the cornerstone of health and beauty.” He envisions humanity’s evolution toward eternal youth through mental refinement, paralleling technological advances, where demanding renewal from the Infinite banishes decay forever.
Chains of Cruelty: The Horrors of Museums and Menageries
With a compassionate eye, Mulford condemns the barbarity of confining wildlife, where cages strip creatures of their essence and teach humanity nothing true. “What do we then learn of their real natures and habits in these prisons? What would be learned of your real tastes, inclinations and habits were you kept constantly in a cage?” he questions, detailing the suffering of tropical birds dying in cold or seals languishing in unnatural waters. Observing free birds reveals shared human traits—”Like you, it builds a home; like you, it has affection and care for its mate; like you, it provides for its family; like you, it is alarmed at the approach of danger”—fostering sympathy over destruction. This critique exposes the crude instincts driving such practices, urging a shift toward harmonious observation that honors life’s interconnected web.
Awakening the Divine Within: The God in Yourself
Mulford affirms each soul as a fragment of the Infinite, destined for boundless expansion. “The aim of living is happiness. There is today more of you, and more of every desirable mental quality belonging to you, than ever before,” he declares, viewing struggles as pathways to refinement. Pain prods toward growth—”You cannot stop growing, despite all appearances to the contrary. The pain you have suffered has been through that same growth of the spirit pressing you harder and harder against what caused you misery”—while rejecting impossibilities unlocks divine power. He advocates forgiveness and individual paths, evolving from fear to pleasure-driven goodness, where the Infinite refines all through love.
Nature’s Rebirth: The Healing Force of Spring
Spring’s solar elixir renews all life, Mulford explains, casting off old elements for fresh vitality. “To receive the fullest benefit of the heating and renewing element of spring, you should rest whenever you feel like resting, whether it be the middle of the day or the middle of the night,” he advises, critiquing overwork that hinders this moulting. Aligning with seasons prevents decay—”The decay of the physical body which we call ‘old age,’ is owing entirely to man’s neither believing nor knowing that he can place himself in the proper conditions to receive a never-ceasing supply of force”—promising perpetual youth through spiritual attunement.
Defying the Grave: Immortality in the Flesh
Mulford boldly claims physical immortality as attainable, where spirit renews the body eternally. “We believe that immortality in the flesh is a possibility, or, in other words, that a physical body can be retained so long as the spirit desires its use, and that this body instead of decreasing in strength and vigour as the years go on will increase, and its youth will be perpetual,” he proclaims. Sickness reconstructs—”All disease (lack of physical ease) or sickness comes of a spiritual process, the aim of which is reconstruction of the physical body”—while faith heals: “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” Thoughts materialize in flesh, demanding renewal banishes death.
The Magnetic Pull: The Attraction of Aspiration
Aspiration reverses earthly repulsion, drawing strength through love. “Attraction is the Law of Heaven, repulsion that of Earth,” Mulford states, where seeing good builds power. “Think of strength and power and you will draw it to you. Think of health and you get it,” he instructs, envisioning painless transitions: “O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” The body mirrors spirit, aspiration uplifting all.
Fresh Horizons: The Accession of New Thought
New thoughts fuel life—”New thought is new life”—countering stagnation. “Our thought is the unseen magnet, ever attracting its correspondence in things seen and tangible,” Mulford reminds, promising untold joys: “Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” This culminates Mulford’s vision, where embracing novelty banishes decay for eternal discovery.
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