William Atkinson - The Essential Works of William Walker Atkinson - 50+ Books in One Edition

This idea of the Oneness of All explains many problems that Man has considered incapable of solution. It is at the heart of all occult and esoteric teachings. It is at the centre of all religious thought, although it is hidden until one finds the key. It is the Key that opens all doors. It explains all contradictions—all paradoxes. It welds together all discrepancies—all opposing theories—all the different views of any subject. All is One—nothing can be left out of that Oneness—all and everything is included. Man cannot escape his Oneness with All, try as he may. Separateness and selfishness are seen as merely the result of ignorance, from which man is slowly emerging. Every man is doing the best he can, in his particular stage of development. And every man is growing, slowly but surely. Sin is but ignorance of the truth. Selfishness and the sense of Separateness are at the bottom of all that we call “sin.” And, under the Law, when we wilfully hurt another, it rebounds upon ourselves. Evil, selfish thoughts and acts react upon ourselves. We cannot hurt another without injuring ourselves. It is not necessary for God to punish us— we punish ourselves. When the race finally understands and is conscious of the Oneness of All—when it has a knowledge of the Law—when it has a consciousness of things as they are, then will Separateness and Selfishness drop away like a cast-off cloak, and that which we call sin and injustice can no longer exist for the race. When the Fatherhood of God, and the Brotherhood of Man, become realities in the consciousness of Man, instead of beautiful ideals fondly cherished but considered impractical and impossible of realization, then will Life be that which has been dreamt of through the ages. This Oneness of All is one of the fundamental truths of The New Thought, although many of its followers seem to have but a faint conception of what it really means, and are but slowly growing into an understanding of what it will mean for the world.

The New Thought teaches that Man is immortal. Its teachers differ in their theories as to just how and where he will live in the future, and of such speculations I do not purpose speaking at length. I will say this, however, that when Man obtains that wonderful assurance of immortality from his awakened spiritual faculties, he sees no need of worrying about the “how” and “where”. He knows that he is and will be. He has within him such an abiding sense of existence, and deathlessness, that all of man’s speculations seem like idle theories to him—useful in their place, of course, but of no vital importance to him. He knows that there are no limits to the possible manifestations of life—he knows that “infinity plus infinity” would not begin to express the possibilities before him, and he frets not. He learns to live in the Now, for he knows that he is in Eternity right now, just as much as he ever will be, and he proceeds to Live. He is concerned with Life, not with Death, and he Lives. He has confidence in God and in the Divine Plan, and is content. He knows that if our entire solar system, and every other system the suns of which are visible to Man, were dissolved into their original elements, he would still exist, and would be still in the Universe. He knows that the Universe is large, and that he is a part of it—that he cannot be left out or banished from the Universe—that he is an important atom, and that his destruction would disarrange and destroy the whole. He knows that while the Universe lasts— he lasts. That if he is destroyed the Universe is destroyed. He know that God had use for him or he would not be here, and he knows that God makes no mistakes—changes not his mind—and destroys no soul that he has expressed. He says: I am a Son of God; what I shall be doth not yet appear; but come what will I am still a Son of God; what my future may be, concerns me not—it is not my business—I will place my hand in that of the Father and say “Lead Thou me on.”

This idea of the Immortality of the Soul—that Man is a Spiritual being, is also a fundamental principle of The New Thought, although its teachers have differing ideas regarding the methods and plans of the future life. To me, personally, I can see Life only as being on an ascending scale, rising from lower to higher, and then on to higher and higher and higher, until my spiritual vision fails me. I believe that in the Universe are beings much lower than us in the spiritual scale; and that there are also others much more advanced, much more highly developed than ourselves, very gods as compared with us, and that we are progressing along the Path until some day we will be where they are; and that others now much lower will some day be where we are now, and so on. This is but my finite view of an infinite subject, and I do not know these things as I do know the fundamental fact. These particular views are not fundamental, being nothing more than a dim perception, aided in certain ways from outside sources, so do not accept them unless you feel that they mean truth to you—form your own concept, if you prefer. It will not make any difference to the fundamental principle. If you have the consciousness of the fundamental principle of immortality, then theories and views and concepts are as nothing. Do not be satisfied with theories—mine or anyone else’s—there is no satisfaction until your feet are firmly planted on the rock. Then, when you feel the solid rock beneath you, you may amuse and instruct yourself by playing at building houses, which you may tear down tomorrow to erect others more in accordance with your advanced ideals. But the rock is there all the time, and you are on it.

The New Thought teaches us that there is a spiritual evolution going on in Man—that he is growing, developing and unfolding in spiritual attainment. That his mind is developing and causing to unfold new faculties which will lead him to higher paths of attainment. That the Higher Reason is beginning to make itself manifest. It teaches that the race is nearing the plane of Cosmic Knowing. Teachers speak this Truth in different ways—using different words—but the thing itself is a fundamental principle of The New Thought.

The New Thought teaches also that “thoughts are things” that every thought we think goes forth, carrying with it force which affects others to a greater or less extent, depending upon the force behind our thought, and the mental attitude of the other persons. And it teaches that like attracts like in the world of thought—that a man attracts to himself thoughts in harmony with his own—people in harmony with his thoughts—yes, that even things are influenced by thought in varying degrees. It teaches that “as a man thinketh in his heart so is he,” and that a man may change, and often does change, his entire character and nature by a change of thoughts, an adjustment of his mental attitude. It teaches that Fearthought and Worry and all the rest of the foul brood of negative thoughts attract thoughts, people, things, from the outside, and pull the man down to the level of his thought-pictures. And on the contrary a man may, by right thinking, raise himself from the mire, and surround himself with people and things corresponding to his thoughts. And it teaches that thoughts take form in action. And it teaches that the Mind is positive to the Body, and that a man may become sick or well—diseased or free from disease, according to his thoughts and mental attitude. It teaches that the mind of Man contains latent forces, lying dormant, awaiting the day of their unfoldment, which may be developed and trained and used in a wondrous way. It teaches that Man is in his infancy regarding the proper use of his mental powers. These things and similar things, expressed in scores of forms, according to the views of the respective teachers, are fundamental principles of The New Thought.