The writer suggests that the greatest parts of our lives are spent in wasted thoughts. She tells us, "mental maturity is the full developed power of being able to control and use the yet unfathomed power of the mind - and the soul."
Her description of wasted, wandering thoughts is detailed and leads us through a winding maze of mediocre thinking in order to give us an example of what we should not allow our minds to do. She encourages us to train our minds. With this training she writes, "minds trained like this will in time become so pure that Christ will be able to reveal His mind and will to the children of men by direct contact".
She also states that "up until this day there has been a period of preparation between death and the resurrection in which to attain to this state of maturity. Now, however, we are facing a new day - a day when man will 'be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortal to immortal beings.'"
In this chapter, Annalee also speaks of the power of the atom. This book was first published in 1952 - but Annalee still sheds new light on the mysterious atom even to people of our day. For instance, we know that when the atom is divided it brings destruction. But what can the human race do to use the atom for the opposite effect - creation? And is the power to work with atoms for good instead of destruction within the reach of you or I? Even within our own souls?
Children on this earth are required in the progress and growth of development to mature physically to the stature of their parents. This is one of the chief purposes of life. It is most necessary in this realm of mortal advancement. Yet parents sometimes remark that they wish their children would just stay small and never grow up, which is an unthinking, selfish thing to say. No parent would be happy in seeing his children unprogressive and standing still just for the mere pleasure of keeping them always under the parent's control. We were put here to grow up, to become adults, to be free to live our own lives, to think our own thoughts.
However we still remain children mentally. Education is not mental maturity. Learning is not mental maturity; nor is sophistication, nor pride, nor even worldly accomplishments. Mental maturity is the full developed power of being able to control and use the yet unfathomed power of the mind -- and the soul. It is true that inventors, artists, musicians, builders and some others have learned to concentrate to a certain extent and to tap the greater supply of power, but definite thought control has never been understood as the soul maturity necessary to prepare for Godhood -- for the full power of achievement.
Educational processes of the present day take one farther from the true process of thinking than anything else. One gets his credits in the schools of modern training on how well he can memorize other men's thoughts, books, courses of study. Knowledge is poured into him which he is required to remember -- knowledge or facts that will probably be obsolete within a few short years. He may even become an encyclopaedia of facts, and as dead and lifeless in using them as a dull book upon a shelf. Intelligence is living, feeling, reaching, an alertness of enthusiasm that must be forever pliable. Real thinking will never permit one to become a fossiled container of stagnant knowledge, but a continual miracle of advancement. Mental maturity is the finding of the path that leads to the deep and hidden possibilities of the human mind, and gives a glimpse of their full value, and opens the way for the complete development.
Up until this day there has been a period of preparation between death and the resurrection in which to attain to this state of maturity. Now, however, we are facing a new day -- a day when man will "be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortal to immortal beings,"1 and this law of thought control will have to begin to work on this plane in order to prepare for the Millennium, for there will be no period of death and waiting in which to complete this maturity. It shall have to be done here on this earth.
This law of thought control may seem difficult at first, perhaps at a few casual tries, impossible in the ordinary stress of living. Yet in observing more closely it seems to be the most practical thing that we could possibly undertake and the most worthwhile.
It is quite easy to discover that the greatest part of our lives is spent aimlessly wandering up and down in the halls of the past, plucking a memory here, another there, as flowers from the garden of dreams. These flowers, however, have very little value unless we need them for some special occasion to make the present a richer glory by some experience gleaned in the past. But memories that we gather at random, as we wander aimlessly along, wither at our touch and we cast them thoughtlessly away, to pass on to gather other memories, and in turn leave them behind. So on and on in our minds we wander back down the pages of the past. The past is gone forever -- we cannot truly bring it back. By continually abiding in it we lose the glory and the value of the present and we may even lose the future. It is true that the future is the Lord's. We cannot reach out and claim one moment of it before it arrives. Only the present is ours, to glorify, to bless, to send on into the tomorrows, crowned with the touch of our hands upon it. If we lose the present, if we fail to value it, to glorify it with every breath and thought, then we will also lose the future. Live each moment as you desire the future to be, and the future will fulfill your desires. Leave the memories and enrich each moment of the present with intense desire, far vision and deep worship.
Worse than memory gathering, we sometimes inhabit only the halls of fantasy. We are children, mentally immature. As a race it is time for us to grow up, to open the hallways of the future by glorifying each moment of the present. So, with our heads held high, our faces to the light and with courageous understanding in our souls, we are to meet this great destiny. It is the future destiny of all mankind. Our every thought must become a purpose -- and that one great purpose should be to become like our Heavenly Father, for no parent ever existed who did not plan on his children achieving as much as he had, or more, if he is not a jealous, wicked parent. To watch one's children mature is a continual joy in the life of a true parent.
When worry is permitted to take hold of one's mind it is like an old, broken-down phonograph record that goes round and round in the mind, whirling into the same squeaking grooves, the same worn-out notches, bringing nothing but discord, confusion -- dismay -- terror -- fear -- ill health, and sometimes insanity. Around and around it whirls, through dreary days and sleepless nights -- unanswered -- unsolved. When one learns to control thought it becomes a simple thing to weigh carefully every angle of the problem confronting one, seeing its difficulties, its hopeless aspects, even its utter impossibilities, its unsolved conditions. Then it will be possible to turn off the record, to relax the mind and to go to sleep in peace, knowing with confidence that it will be solved. As one commands one's mind to relax, after giving the subject very careful thought upon every angle, it is possible to turn the difficulty over to the subconscious part of the mind for the solving, which in turn has the power to reach out into the realms of Divine Light and receive answers. The most glorious thing is the amazing thoroughness of such a process, the ease with which the difficulty is completely taken care of, the impossible situation ironed out. When this becomes a habit one soon learns to cast out all fear -- all fear is darkness. Darkness eventually is eliminated -- and "there will be no darkness in him -- and he will be filled with light and comprehend all things."2
This is a new day, a day of glory, of mental and spiritual progress. This is the time of preparation for God's day on earth. It is also our day -- and day in which we are to leave the dark shadows of the past and light the future by the spiritual desires of the present.
The very purpose of controlled thinking is to bring power and glory to every individual who has been created as a child of the Most High God.
As one goes more deeply into the study of thought control, he realizes that it is the key of progress and happiness. Existence, even in Celestial glory, would not be worth having if we were forever to be slaves to our rambling, wandering thoughts that chase each other around our brains like squirrels in a cage, our spells of temper, our moods, our idle thoughts which waste ninety percent of our brain power. We have been slaves as surely as we have lived. We have been lashed along, or dragged about by our noses with thoughts of fear, doubts, gloom, worry or just purposeless wandering. If joy has ruled for a short time, our happiness has been snatched in half-hearted degree, for always there would be the knowledge that it probably would not last -- there would be tomorrow -- and tomorrow. Even a few hours might bring a state of mind bordering on despair. Almost every moment has been unpredictable.
If this condition were to continue forever in our minds, thoughts ruling us instead of our ruling our thoughts, then life and existence would be a dreary, sordid, meaningless thing, not worth the living.
As one learns to become a musician by so many hours of concentrated practice, so it is possible to control one's thoughts by so many hours of definite work. Just the desire and the will to practice brings the most astonishing results.
At first it seems almost impossible to control every rambling, runaway thought. Every thought seems to turn into a laughing, shouting, screaming, boisterous, mischievous child that will keep just beyond reach. To control the mind in this manner, in chasing down every stray, rambling thought one has to work many, many months. This is not necessary. There is indeed, the hard way, the way in which one learns to turn his brain inside out to understand just what thoughts are, how they work, what they accomplish and how to control them. If one works in this manner he will find, at first, that it is necessary to chase each thought around in his mind until it is cornered and then it is necessary to almost hurl it bodily from the brain. This process takes sometimes an hour or more -- an hour just to corner one elusive, defiant little thought that will sneak in again the moment your back is turned.
There is the easy way in which one can fill his mind so full of the vision desired, so full of prayer and hope and love that there is no room for anything else. This will be explained more thoroughly later on.
Thoughts can be such harmless, inoffensive, mild little things as they trip to and fro through one's mind. But just try to send them out and they turn into fighting little demons struggling for existence. There is no such thing as a single thought, for each miserable little entity holds hands with friends, and they in turn with friends and relatives. There is never an end to them. They cling together and fight equally hard to hold their place, like roots cling to the soil. There is never just one that needs to be conquered. They are legion. But however harmless they may seem they turn into battling armies the minute one tries to banish them. They will kick, and struggle and clutch and scream, fighting to hold their own. It becomes necessary at first, to almost pick up each one bodily and hurl it out, then bolt the door of consciousness against it. Then in unlocking the door for even a small crack to evict its playmate, or friend, who follows, it will edge its way back in.
This method demands great patience, but it is a marvelous training. It is an interesting method of procedure if one has the time and energy to spare. It is an education in itself and reveals the startling fact that thoughts are living, vital little entities, each with a distinct personality, even as people. On completing this method one has to spend hours, days, weeks and months on constant awareness of his own thinking process and after awhile the sub-conscious mind is trained to assist, and when a little wandering thought slyly edges its way in there is a warning from that deeper consciousness. Then before there is time to turn the attention upon the intruder it flees, slamming the door behind it. If one is curious enough to open the door a tiny crack to see what little thought had entered, it considers that an invitation in and rushes forth with its relatives and friends and then one finds that he has to only turn with stern command and they flee, and are gone.
The value of the super-conscious or spiritual part of the brain becomes a priceless help in this work. It is the part of us that never sleeps or relaxes. It is the part of the mind that when once it has learned to type, can manipulate the key-board without any help whatsoever from the conscious mind -- or the part of us that finally learns to drive a car without having to think, or to play a musical instrument without having to search desperately for each key. It is the mind that gives us mastery in any field of achievement. It is quiet necessary to get this super-mind trained to help in the controlling of thoughts. It always takes rigid, concentrated training to prepare this subconscious or the super-conscious to co-operate, and change one from being a mediocre person into a master.
The result of such training in the mind is most amazing. The brain instead of feeling clogged, tired and stupid seems to be alert to almost everything, yet worried about nothing. There is a calmness and control that is majestic, and a joy and glory that is beyond anything that has ever been imagined. There are no longer discordant thoughts, but only confidence that the glory of this work will continue forever and ever, and that our thinking can control our destinies, for by proper thinking there is no room for dislikes, hates, discords or confusion. Minds trained like this will in time become so pure that Christ will be able to reveal His mind and will to the children of men by direct contact.
"Be still, and know that I am God."3
Only a few have ever done this, yet it is as practical as breathing or eating. Some have come to this point from dire necessity when deep sorrows have left a bleak confusion of terror and fear too great to be endured; or when worry and worldly problems have almost submerged them. Then for a moment they have kneeled down and with the power of their intelligence, demand the screaming elements or thoughts and nerves to "BE STILL!" They have felt the peace and glory of having every warring atom and cell of their bodies instantly grow calm. They have felt their jangling nerves become perfectly in tune with the universe -- and they have known for a few minutes, at least, that God is God. That He is very near. That it is possible to speak and He will hear.
This is a glorious experience, and every human being is invited by God to try it. There will be another chapter later explaining how this achievement may be accomplished.
Not only is it a beautiful experience to bring occasional calm out of chaos, but it is possible to attain this point of power all the time -- to abide in it continually -- or to abide in Him and in His love and peace, in which the screeching problems of the outside confusion melt into the peace and joy of achievement. Then it is that we find it easy to fulfill the command, "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." (D. & C. 6:36).
"Verily, thus saith the Lord; it shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am." (D. & C. 93:1).
"But the day soon cometh that ye shall see me, and know that I am; for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent, and he that is not purified shall not abide the day." (Ibid., 38:8).
This promise to know God is God, is therefore, not just a promise of the mind. It will become a literal reality as we prepare ourselves to receive the promises He has given.
"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive, knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Ibid., 88:63).
"Seek me early and ye shall find me."
"And this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true and living God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
Desire is the flame that will fulfill anything. Intensify your desires -- intensify them until they burn as a fire within you, until the very flame reaches into eternity to gather from the universe the material necessary to fulfill them. Intense desire cuts the pattern from the spiritual realms and gathers the material substance to fulfill the complete pattern, to make it a reality, tangible and true. Mere "likes" and "wants" are seldom realized. Wishing is not sufficient. But intense desire always carries with it the power of its own fulfillment, as the seed or life-germ carries with it the power to fulfill and bring forth the mature, perfect product of its existence. The time of the achieving of a desire will be based primarily upon the intensity put into it. When it fills the soul, when the desire is so intense that other things do not matter, when it has thoroughly tested the patience, endurance and earnestness of the individual, then it will be granted. That desire will be fulfilled when it has been so intense that it is imbedded into every cell and fibre of the being. If you can desire anything that badly, and it is a righteous desire, then you may have it.
The time of the achieving of a desire will be always an individual consideration. No two radishes mature at the same time, though planted at the same hour. No two flowers bloom at the same moment of precision. No two people desire with the same intensity. No two desires have the same value. Some can be answered almost instantly -- others take time to mature into perfection -- but for those who can contact the Spirit, time is not.
When one desires to control his thoughts more than he desires life, knowing that by controlling them he can control his own destiny, then only does it become easy, and then only is life worth the living.
The hard, black shell of the walnut, those heavy, black shells of the hardest nuts known, is easily broken and cast aside as the soft substance within, as a dynamic force of living energy, lightened by desire, begins to grow, desires to expand. So everything that holds us back, every impossible, insurmountable barrier, every wall will crumble before the intensified desires of the soul.
The atomic energy of the soul can be released through sincere, intense desire and continued prayer. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE! All that is needed to accomplish anything is the knowledge of God's laws, the understanding of the power of faith and the law of exercising it, plus vision that leads to desire. "EXERCISE" means to "train by use; exert; practice; employ actively; make anxious; harass; to undergo training; bodily exertion or mental or physical development; labor; work." With this definition of the word "exercise" as given in the dictionary we can readily understand why exercising great and mighty faith has been neglected. Or rather not understood.
This atomic energy of the soul is generated in the mind of man. It includes the key of progress and eternal power. If a grain of sand, a speck of soil, a drop of water, holds such unspeakable power when released back into its original source of energy, then consider the great power that is stored in the mind or soul of man. Think of its incomprehensible achievements when used in full understanding, in comparison with the strides of the past few years without its full power being even tapped.
Faith includes the knowledge and the power to use the spiritual energy of creation to fulfill the desires of righteousness -- and to perform the works of God. All spirit or energy is matter in a more refined degree than is registered on mortal senses. And all matter is spirit or energy, or light.
Matter, as we understand it, is congealed or condensed in its vibrations into tangible form so that mortals are aware of it. The birth of an atom is the gathering of this energy, or spirit into mass. The death of an atom is the releasing of the mass back into energy, or spirit.
The work of the present-day scientists is to take the mass, or the atom and return it speedily and swiftly back into the source from which it came. This is a marvelous thing to be able to release the spiritual energy in matter. The very power of this releasing bears witness of the dynamic energy contained in even the inanimate materials of the earth.
If this power is so great even in the lower, mineral kingdom, which is the lowest form of existence, then try and comprehend what it is like in the highest form of life -- man.
The work of the future is a much greater work than the work of the present-day scientists. The work of the future is to take the spiritual energy, through the great principles of Faith, and bring it into tangible form -- "For faith is the substance of things hoped for," etc. "Substance" means the material, which in this case is the "evidence of things unseen," therefore is spiritual energy. By believing, or understanding this great spiritual force, it is possible to bring things "hoped for" into tangible form or manifestation. THIS IS FAITH. Anything short of this power is not acceptable to God. It is the power of God in the lives of men. It is really the work of the scientists in reverse. Or rather, their work is in reverse as they are working the laws of God backwards, or contrary to God's great plan of creation. It is His will that men should take hold of this dynamic energy and light of God and create with it -- not destroy with it.
Faith is this great, dynamic spiritual energy as it is directed or set in motion by the intelligence and desires of the mind of man. It is the mind, or thoughts of man that has the power to reach out and take hold of this force of creation as his understanding opens. And the opening of his understanding is the "believing" that always is given along with the principle of faith in the scriptures. The "belief" mentioned, is the believing that this great Spiritual power or force does exist, and faith is the actual using of it. It is to be understood in all its mighty field of glory in order to be used freely by man. And then it can only be used with great love and deep humility, for it is the power of God in action -- a power so much greater than any power known that even the power of the "hydrogen bomb" would be insignificant in comparison, if it were used in its fullness. For all power is based on the one great power of Almighty God -- the power of faith. For it was by faith that the atom bomb, the hydrogen bomb and everything else that has been produced has been brought forth.
As man opens his understanding to comprehend this dynamic principle he will understand that the word "FAITH" has been a forgotten word and its meaning lost in the individual lives of men. It is only being used for mechanical productions. It is being used to complete a machine age of complete frustration, for man is being belittled by the very works of his own hands instead of finding his own power and taking his place in a higher realm of divine achievement. Yea, man himself stands more weak and trembling than ever before. There are more and more hospitals, more and more mental cases, more and more unhappiness and insecurity -- more and more disasters -- more deaths -- more suicides -- more misery -- more fear.
When man becomes fully conscious, or fully comprehensive of the dynamic principle of "FAITH", knowing what it is, and how to use it, it will be a simple thing to restore the flesh of the leper, the eyes of the blind, the hearing of the deaf, the limbs of the lame, or any of the other works of God, in the name of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as given continuously in the scripture. Yes, it will be a simple thing to do the works that Christ did -- and do even the GREATER WORKS that were promised -- for all power is contained in the living, active principle of faith.
As man uses this powerful force or principle to gather into tangible form the unseen substance of eternal elements to glorify God and to fulfill his own personal needs, he will not require miles upon miles of land, acres and acres of buildings, nor millions upon millions of dollars worth of machinery. He will need only a pure heart aflame with inspiration and a love that is deep and perfect, plus vision to see and know. And the positive knowing can only come through earnest, humble prayer -- not lip prayers, but prayers deep from the very heart of man. As one learns to comprehend this great power -- or spirit energy that composes all substance, it will be the most natural thing in the world for him to take hold of his divine heritage and begin to work the works of God, "For all that the Father has is yours"4 including power. "And the kingdom is not in word, but in power."
The scientist has discovered that the atom is composed of pure energy. As they continue in their search they will learn that energy is light, and light is spirit. They will know that this spirit energy is set in motion by the mind of man, and is "faith", the great dynamic gift of God. It is the power of God through which the worlds were made. It is a principle of everlasting creation and glory that God desires man to use -- not in reverse, but in all its creative glory. As man begins to use this glorious, powerful force of creation nothing will be impossible to him. And without it, it is impossible to please God. Neither can man be saved without it, as given in the scripture, for our lives are wasted and in vain. The faith to raise the dead, to move mountains, to overcome all evil and misery still slumbers in the seed of the plan waiting for man to bring it forth for the eternal glory of God and the benefit of man.
As one begins to understand the power of controlled thought -- thought that has cast out fear, overcome hates and discords and confusion, he will as naturally find his way into these greater things as the flower lifts its face to the sun, as the tree ascends from the seed, or as the harvest follows the planting.
Thoughts are to the mind what food is to the body. A starved, underfed body cannot thrive. Neither can an underfed, neglected mind. A body fed on an unbalanced or insufficient diet becomes ill. Sagging muscles, pimples, skin blemishes, scurvy, over-weight, rheumatism and many other ailments can be traced directly to wrong diets. Too much dieting on the other hand, can also be detrimental. A body fed on garbage becomes a soggy, pitiful thing. A mind fed on evil or wrong thoughts can become even more so. If a mind is fed only upon sensual thoughts the body also is affected and becomes an instrument of shame and darkness instead of a temple of light. A diet of pure food is necessary to health, but if the mind is not also given pure food the body will still suffer. Any mind that is fed only on unkind thoughts, criticizing thoughts, condemning, hateful, morbid, jealous or dishonest thoughts will drag the body down -- and will eventually destroy it. Souls are glorified or destroyed by thoughts, "For as a man thinketh, so he is." You are your thoughts. They are you. You are noble, mediocre or evil, according to your thinking. A man is made or unmade by himself. He alone is the builder or the destroyer.
Only glory and light and joy can possibly come to the man who has ceased "sowing the dragon's teeth," and instead cultivates the power of his own possibilities. He who plants only love and peace can reap only the fulfillment of the perfect life in all its unfolding light of glorious, happy achievement. And as he follows the highway of divine thinking he will as surely ascend beyond his present conditions as the airplane has surpassed the ox-team.
In this great work of thought control one soon learns that it is not necessary to watch every individual thought, but rather the caliber of one's thinking. When every unkind thought, fear thought, or evil thought is replaced with thoughts of beauty, love, joy, perfection and that inner ecstasy one will have completely conquered darkness and will be filled with Light, and comprehend all things.
1. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 IVB: Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
3rd Nephi 13:19 Book of Mormon RLDS 1908 version: And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall come in my glory, ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.
RLDS D&C 43:7d: and he that liveth in righteousness, shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye;
RLDS D&C 63:13e: wherefore children shall grow up until they become old, old men shall die; but they shall not sleep in the dust, but they shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye;
RLDS D&C 98:5f: In that day an infant shall not die until he is old, and his life shall be as the age of a tree, and when he dies he shall not sleep (that is to say in the earth), but shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up, and his rest shall be glorious. return to paragraph →
2. RLDS D&C 85:18a And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you, and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. return to paragraph →
3. Psalms 46:10 IVB: Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. return to paragraph →
4. John 16:15 IVB: All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you. return to paragraph →