The Law of Growth
Well it’s Sunday, so I get to read lots, and indulge my love of Thomas Troward. Also, because the lessons on Bob Proctor’s Coaching Program only come during weekdays, I get to study the mp3’s that are part of the bonus section..
I thought I’d try something a little different, and not only post the text from the chapter I studied on ‘The Law of Growth’, but also some after thoughts..
Chapter VI
THE LAW OF GROWTH
—
A CORRECT understanding of the law of growth is of the highest importance to the student of Mental Science. The great fact to be realized regarding Nature is that it is natural. We may pervert the order of Nature, but it will prevail in the long run, returning, as Horace says, by the back door even though we drive it out with a pitchfork; and the beginning, the middle, and the end of the law of Nature is the principle of growth from a vitality inherent in the entity itself. If we realize this from the outset we shall not undo our own work by endeavoring to force things to become that which by their own nature they are not.
For this reason when the Bible says that “he who believeth shall not make haste,” it is enunciating a great natural principle that success depends on our using, and not opposing, the universal law of growth. No doubt the greater the vitality we put into the germ, which we have agreed to call the spiritual prototype, the quicker it will germinate; but this is simply because by a more realizing conception we put more growing power into the seed than we do by a feebler conception.
Our mistakes always eventually resolve themselves into distrusting the law of growth. Either we fancy we can hasten it by some exertion of our own from without, and are thus led into hurry and anxiety, not to say sometimes into the employment of grievously wrong methods; or else we give up all hope and so deny the germinating power of the seed we have planted. The result in either case is the same, for in either case we are in effect forming a fresh spiritual prototype of an opposite character to our desire, which therefore neutralizes the one first formed, and disintegrates it and usurps its place.
The law is always the same, that our Thought forms a spiritual prototype which, if left undisturbed, will reproduce itself in external circumstances; the only difference is in the sort of prototype we form, and thus evil is brought to us by precisely the same law as good.
These considerations will greatly simplify our ideas of life. We have no longer to consider two forces, but only one, as being the cause of all things; the difference between good and evil resulting simply from the direction in which this force is made to flow.
It is a universal law that if we reverse the action of a cause we at the same time reverse the effect. With the same apparatus we can commence by mechanical motion which will generate electricity, or we can commence with electricity which will generate mechanical motion; or to take a simple arithmetical instance: if 10 divide by 2 equals 5 then 10 divided by 5 equals 2; and therefore if we once recognize the power of thought to produce any results at all, we shall see that the law by which negative thought produces negative results is the same by which positive thought produces positive results.
Therefore all our distrust of the law of growth, whether shown in the anxious endeavor to bring pressure to bear from without, or in allowing despair to take the place of cheerful expectation, is reversing the action of the original cause and consequently reversing the nature of the results.
It is for this reason that the Bible, which is the most deeply occult of all books, continually lays so much stress upon the efficiency of faith and the destructive influence of unbelief; and in like manner, all books on every branch of spiritual science emphatically warn us against the admission of doubt or fear. They are the inversion of the principle, which builds up, and they are therefore the principle, which pulls down; but the Law itself never changes, and it is on the unchangeableness of the law that all Mental Science is founded.
We are accustomed to realize the unchangeableness of natural law in our every day life, and it should therefore not be difficult to realize that the same unchangeableness of law, which obtains on the visible side of nature, obtains on the invisible side as well. The variable factor is, not the laws but our own volition; and it is by combining this variable factor with the invariable one that we can produce the various results we desire.
The principle of growth is that of inherent vitality in the seed itself, and the operations of the gardener have their exact analogue in Mental Science. We do not put the self-expansive vitality into the seed, but we must sow it, and we may also, so to speak, water it by quiet concentrated contemplation of our desire as an actually accomplished fact.
But we must carefully remove from such contemplation any idea of a strenuous effort on our part to make the seed grow. Its efficacy is in helping to keep out those negative thoughts of doubt, which would plant tares among our wheat, and therefore, instead of anything of effort, such contemplation should be accompanied by a feeling of pleasure and restfulness in foreseeing the certain accomplishment of our desires. This is that making our requests known to God with thanksgiving, which St. Paul recommends, and it has its reason in that perfect wholeness of the Law of Being which only needs our recognition of it to be used by us to any extent we wish.
Some people possess the power of visualization, or making mental pictures of things, in a greater degree than others, and by such this faculty may advantageously be employed to facilitate their realization of the working of the Law. But those who do not possess this faculty in any marked degree, need not be discouraged by their want of it, for visualization is not the only way of realizing that the law is at work on the invisible plane.
Those whose mental bias is towards physical science should realize this Law of Growth as the creative force throughout all nature; and those who have a mathematical turn of mind may reflect that all solids are generated from the movement of a point, which, as our old friend Euclid tells us, is that which has no parts nor magnitude, and is therefore as complete an abstraction as any spiritual nucleus could be.
To use the apostolic words, we are dealing with the substance of things not seen, and we have to attain that habit of mind by which we shall see its reality and feel that we are mentally manipulating the only substance there ultimately is, and of which all visible things are only different modes. We must therefore regard our mental creations as spiritual realities and then implicitly trust the Laws of Growth to do the rest.
– end –
Now here is the text again, with some thoughts that I had, helping me make sense more easily of what is sometimes, difficult text to read for me..
Chapter VI
THE LAW OF GROWTH
—
A CORRECT understanding of the law of growth is of the highest importance to the student of Mental Science.The great fact to be realized regarding Nature is that it is natural. We may pervert the order of Nature, but it will prevail in the long run, returning, as Horace says, by the back door even though we drive it out with a pitchfork; and the beginning, the middle, and the end of the law of Nature is the principle of growth from a vitality inherent in the entity itself. If we realize this from the outset we shall not undo our own work by endeavoring to force things to become that which by their own nature they are not.
Thoughts: The law of growth is a fundamental principle of how everything comes into being, including our success. It’s a totally natural process, which we need to understand and then simply work with. A gardener knows that a carrot seed will grow into a carrot in 70 days, all he has to do is plant it, and provide conditions for growth - the seed and the law of growth will do the rest. With 100% certainty. We can relax, as we plant and nourish the seed.
We would never try and force a cucumber seed to grow into a carrot, or try and force the carrot seed to grow to maturity in just 10 days, or leave the raw dry seed on the window sill and expect it to grow.. by instinct, we follow the natural law - we plant the seed, nourish it, wait for it to grow naturally according to natural law - in 70 days.
For this reason when the Bible says that “he who believeth shall not make haste,” it is enunciating a great natural principle that success depends on our using, and not opposing, the universal law of growth. No doubt the greater the vitality we put into the germ, which we have agreed to call the spiritual prototype, the quicker it will germinate; but this is simply because by a more realizing conception we put more growing power into the seed than we do by a feebler conception.
Thoughts: When we truly believe, we feel safe in the knowledge that the seed will grow, it will happen, we expect it to happen, and would in fact be surprised if it didn’t. Interestingly, with goals, which have no fixed germination period, the more concentrated the ‘feeding’, the better the environment, and the more we nurture the seed, the faster it grows.
But this isn’t forcing, it’s feeding and nurturing more - which is creative - we’re giving the seed more of what it wants, whereas an outside force is destructive - in a way we’re taking something away from the seed (or goal) - it’s natural growth process, as we try and force it to grow unnaturally.
Our mistakes always eventually resolve themselves into distrusting the law of growth. Either we fancy we can hasten it by some exertion of our own from without, and are thus led into hurry and anxiety, not to say sometimes into the employment of grievously wrong methods; or else we give up all hope and so deny the germinating power of the seed we have planted. The result in either case is the same, for in either case we are in effect forming a fresh spiritual prototype of an opposite character to our desire, which therefore neutralizes the one first formed, and disintegrates it and usurps its place.
Thoughts: Thinking we can force the growth, we hold a picture of that forced and unnatural process, which is in opposition to the natural one - and our thoughts then work against the natural process, slowing or stopping it. Alternatively we give up - so in effect the picture we see is one of death, or ‘not life’ - and so in effect we stop feeding it, so of course it will wither and die.
The law is always the same, that our Thought forms a spiritual prototype which, if left undisturbed, will reproduce itself in external circumstances; the only difference is in the sort of prototype we form, and thus evil is brought to us by precisely the same law as good.
Thoughts: What we think about, we create. Good or bad. The law doesn’t judge or differentiate.
These considerations will greatly simplify our ideas of life. We have no longer to consider two forces, but only one, as being the cause of all things; the difference between good and evil resulting simply from the direction in which this force is made to flow.
Thoughts: We can tell what we are focusing on and thinking about, by our results - what shows up in our life, by what we create - either consciously, or in ignorance.
It is a universal law that if we reverse the action of a cause we at the same time reverse the effect. With the same apparatus we can commence by mechanical motion which will generate electricity, or we can commence with electricity which will generate mechanical motion; or to take a simple arithmetical instance: if 10 divide by 2 equals 5 then 10 divided by 5 equals 2; and therefore if we once recognize the power of thought to produce any results at all, we shall see that the law by which negative thought produces negative results is the same by which positive thought produces positive results.
Thoughts: Again, thinking it good or bad, makes it so. This is a law that is in action, below and beyond the level of conscious human thought. It is always working and will always work - whatever you put in, you get out - negative in, negative out, positive in, positive out. The secret is to understand the mechanics of the process - and then learn how to operate or use it - consciously - by choosing what results you want,by choosing what you would like to create.
Therefore all our distrust of the law of growth, whether shown in the anxious endeavor to bring pressure to bear from without, or in allowing despair to take the place of cheerful expectation, is reversing the action of the original cause and consequently reversing the nature of the results.
Thoughts: The law is always in process, whether we agree with it or not, trust it or not, understand it or not, fight it or not, or consciously use it or not. The only way it will work for us, is if we work in harmony with it - naturally.
It is for this reason that the Bible, which is the most deeply occult of all books, continually lays so much stress upon the efficiency of faith and the destructive influence of unbelief; and in like manner, all books on every branch of spiritual science emphatically warn us against the admission of doubt or fear. They are the inversion of the principle, which builds up, and they are therefore the principle, which pulls down; but the Law itself never changes, and it is on the unchangeableness of the law that all Mental Science is founded.
Thoughts: Fear and doubt show us our thinking mode and our belief - if we fear loss and failure, we are really expecting loss and failure, thinking about loss and failure, so we will create loss and failure. If we believe in success, we are thinking success, and will create success.
We are accustomed to realize the unchangeableness of natural law in our every day life, and it should therefore not be difficult to realize that the same unchangeableness of law, which obtains on the visible side of nature, obtains on the invisible side as well. The variable factor is, not the laws but our own volition; and it is by combining this variable factor with the invariable one that we can produce the various results we desire.
Thoughts: Again, the law is always in process, whether we agree with it, trust it, understand it, fight it, or use it. The only way it will work for us, is if we work in harmony with it - naturally. The difference between good results and ‘bad’ results - are simply down to what we think and focus on, not the law working or not.
The principle of growth is that of inherent vitality in the seed itself, and the operations of the gardener have their exact analogue in Mental Science. We do not put the self-expansive vitality into the seed, but we must sow it, and we may also, so to speak, water it by quiet concentrated contemplation of our desire as an actually accomplished fact.
Thoughts: The principle and dynamic of growth is a natural quality that is contained within the seed itself. We don’t need to do anything about that, as long as the seed is planted in an environment conducive to it’s growth, and is nourished, it will grow all by itself.
We can create the seed in our minds - by thinking of the thing we want to create, and we can create the environment conducive to its growth, by maintaining the belief in it as the truth, and feeding it with positive feelings, holding the image in our minds constantly, keeping the image alive in our minds.
But we must carefully remove from such contemplation any idea of a strenuous effort on our part to make the seed grow. Its efficacy is in helping to keep out those negative thoughts of doubt, which would plant tares among our wheat, and therefore, instead of anything of effort, such contemplation should be accompanied by a feeling of pleasure and restfulness in foreseeing the certain accomplishment of our desires. This is that making our requests known to God with thanksgiving, which St. Paul recommends, and it has its reason in that perfect wholeness of the Law of Being which only needs our recognition of it to be used by us to any extent we wish.
Thoughts: Nourishing the seed, is keeping the image alive in our minds, focusing our attention on it regularly, getting emotional about it. This is more like focus, than willpower. It should be an easy natural thing, not forced. Negative thoughts about the thing, will inhibit it’s growth. Distractions from it will weaken the feeding, and slow the growth.
Hold the image in your mind, of the reality. Believe it, know it, rest in confidence that it is. The law will ensure it happens, as long as we plant the seed, believe in it growing according to natural law, feed and nourish it.
Some people possess the power of visualization, or making mental pictures of things, in a greater degree than others, and by such this faculty may advantageously be employed to facilitate their realization of the working of the Law. But those who do not possess this faculty in any marked degree, need not be discouraged by their want of it, for visualization is not the only way of realizing that the law is at work on the invisible plane.
Thoughts: Because our thinking starts this, and we think with our minds, and our minds work in images - visualising the image is a powerful way to plant and nurture the seed. But it is not the only way. Don’t be discouraged if visualising isn’t the way you form thoughts and hold them in your mind as a truth. However you personally experience ‘truth’ and connect with it, will work.
Those whose mental bias is towards physical science should realize this Law of Growth as the creative force throughout all nature; and those who have a mathematical turn of mind may reflect that all solids are generated from the movement of a point, which, as our old friend Euclid tells us, is that which has no parts nor magnitude, and is therefore as complete an abstraction as any spiritual nucleus could be.
Thoughts: Because we are dealing with a universal law, then whatever direction we approach it from, whatever our preferred perspective or context - we are looking at the same thing. It may be explained in different ways, but it is the same law, and works in the same way - regardless.
To use the apostolic words, we are dealing with the substance of things not seen, and we have to attain that habit of mind by which we shall see its reality and feel that we are mentally manipulating the only substance there ultimately is, and of which all visible things are only different modes. We must therefore regard our mental creations as spiritual realities and then implicitly trust the Laws of Growth to do the rest.
Thoughts: This substance from which we form the seed in our mind (the idea or thought), and from which all solid things are also made, including ourselves, is referred to in many different ways. We might call it spirit, or god, or energy, divine love, light, or higher consciousness. But whatever it is, it comes from a something that is bigger than us, that we are part of, and that is infinite in depth and intelligence.
Our gift, is that as humans, we can choose our thoughts - we can create what we choose, from this formless substance. Once we understand the law of growth, we can create the seed of an idea, plant it in our minds, nourish and feed it with love and energy, and it will take on form in the physical world - it has to - by law.
to your success,
Paul.
http://SixMinuteSuccess.com/ - come join us on the journey of awareness..
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