A Rosicrucian Speaks

Joseph J. Weed

The Power of Thought

1948

On the morning of September 21st, 1774, Alphonsus Ligouri, abbot of the monastery of Arienzo, some four days journey from Rome, was found in what appeared to be a deep sleep. This was a matter of some surprise and concern to his brother monks because Alphonsus was clothed in the liturgical vestments used by the clergy in saying Mass. All efforts to rouse him failed but his heart was regular, though slow, and his breathing easy so aside from putting him into his bed no particular treatment was accorded him.

When he awoke several hours later, he found the monks of the monastery gathered around him.

"What is the matter ?" he asked. "Why are you all standing here ?"

"We have been worried about you," was the reply. "You haven't moved for hours and we thought you might be at death's door."

Ligouri then made a very strange remark, "I feel perfectly all right," he said, "but I have just come from Rome, from the bedside of the Pope. He is now dead."

The monks naturally assumed this to have been a dream but four days later when word came from Rome, they were astonished to learn that the Pope had died at the time when Ligouri was in a trance-like sleep. And more than that : Among those in attendance at the bedside of the dying Pontiff had been Alphonsus Ligouri.

Other details soon came to light. Everyone who was present including the superiors of the Dominican, Observantine and Augustine Orders, not only spoke to Ligouri but joined with him as he led the prayers for the dying Pope.

Here therefore were two sets of witnesses who saw Ligouri both in Arienzo in a coma-like sleep, and in Rome, some four days journey from Arienzo, at the bedside of the dying Pope. Both groups were honestly convinced that he had been with them.

This is what is known as bi-location, being in two or more places at once, and there are many such cases on record. Many of these cases are amply testified to by competent witnesses and carefully recorded. We have them in the logs of ships, in military reports and in the annals of business as well as in the records of religion. Of course, in religious records we find the most striking examples among which the multi-appearance of Milarepa at the time of his death is outstanding. This great Tibetan mystic and saint had taught all over India, Tibet, and Ceylon. At the time of his death, knowing that his transition was expected, his disciples of which there were many thousands had gathered together in groups to pray. There were literally hundreds of these groups scattered all over southern Asia from the mountains of Tibet through Afghanistan, India and Burma, right down to Ceylon and the Malay states. As he passed through transition Milarepa was seen in physical form by every one of these groups. Each group was convinced he had been physically present with them--each thought theirs was the only group so honored.

Thus we have portrayed in these two striking examples one of the dramatic and impressive powers of thought. Thought is all powerful. It is hard for us to comprehend this fact. Our own minds do not readily embrace the mighty creativeness of thought, yet our whole universe is the result of thought and all the worlds to come will have the same thoughtful origin.

The Master says "Behold the Great One as He sits there brooding, His thoughts whirling and flashing before Him. Who knows what beauty, what majesty, what future worlds He may spin from his flashing web ?"

To most of us thinking is to commonplace. It is one of the things we take for granted--like breathing for instance. We are never conscious of any power in our own thoughts. Yet power there is, vast power, power to accomplish great deeds, to change ourselves and our environment, power to change the world.

"How can this be ?" you ask. "I have never seen any miracles wrought by thought. I have concentrated upon many objectives and I seem to fail as often as I succeed."

The answer probably lies in the fact that you do not control your thoughts. Very few people do. Every thought is an active instrument which creates a result. Every single thought you have, or I have, or anyone else has throughout the whole world, no matter how small or fleeting it may be, has a tendency to create an effect in the manifest universe. I say "has a tendency to create an effect" because that effect is not always manifested. Most frequently these tiny inchoate thoughts meet opposing thoughts of equal strength and are neutralized or counter-balanced. Then a stalemate results--there is no manifestation whatsoever.

Let us take an obvious example. A young man at work desires a raise in salary. He visualizes it and thinks about it. He wants it. But at the same time he feels down deep in his heart that he won't get the raise. He remembers how one of his companions asked for a raise recently and was turned down. He thinks, "If Charlie was turned down, they surely will not raise me." And in so doing effectively off and neutralizes his earlier pictures by these negative thoughts.

This is what happens most frequently to us in our own thinking. And it is probably a fortunate thing for us that it does. Because most of our thinking is colored or directed by our emotions. There are very few people capable of pure clear thought. Over 95% of all the thoughts in this world today are "emotional". Now if all these "emotionally impelled" thoughts were to manifest themselves in physical action the world would be destroyed, would have been destroyed long ago. This is literally true.

In our present stage of development therefore it is most fortunate for us that most of our thoughts are neutralized by other thoughts which we hold before they have an opportunity to "out picture" themselves in physical reality. The overall thinking of the human race is what we term "negative". It is destructive rather than constructive and it has been constantly necessary for the Great Ones to oppose the downward current of human thinking with Their own clear high thoughts in order to save the race.

If you fell off a pier into the water and could not swim you would certainly be grateful to the one who jumped in and saved you. And what is more you would have learned a lesson--it would be a long time before you would be so careless as to fall in again. What would you think of a man therefore who was so clumsy and careless and stupid as to have his life endangered each day and to be saved over and over and over again by the same tireless Savior ? You would say he deserved to drown and you would be right ! Yet this is exactly what we all do in our thought life. Day after day, month after month, year after year, our mass thinking continues to be destructive, continues to create chaos rather than beauty, continues to necessitate the powerful and generous counteraction on the part of the compassionate Elder Brothers in order to save us all from self destruction.

Do you think this is fair ? How much longer do you think Hierarchy will consent to carry our weight ? Where is the limit of Their endurance ? It could be now. When it comes and They withdraw their aid a world shaking catastrophe will result. It has happened before--it can happen again and only a handful will survive.

Pray to the Holy Ones to continue Their beneficent aid, offer thanks to Them for Their protection and try in every way to turn the tide of human thinking from chaos to beauty, from darkness to light.

How can this last be done ? By starting with yourself. By correcting your own thoughts, by controlling your own emotions. In every object there are to be found both perfect parts and chaotic particles side by side. It is possible by your thought to call to action either the perfect or the chaotic portions of every single thing. When one thinks about the inconvenience of an object, it actually becomes inconvenient. When one sees only the beautiful aspects of an object it begins to manifest beauty as its perfect particles begin to act. This is true with people as well as with so called inanimate objects and most of all it is true of yourself.

Contemplate the good side of your nature--dwell upon it, emphasize it and your whole life will become better. Consider the child. How quickly the little one responds to praise-- how hard he tries when told he is good. Use praise in all things on all levels, to emphasize the good.

Man has but to realize this natural force to apply it beneficially in all circumstances of life. Send out benevolent thoughts. Let the arrow of your heartfelt wish wing its way unerringly to the mark. Send help in the form of good thoughts, thoughts filled with heart energy, to your striving brothers and sisters. Send help daily to all creature both animate and inanimate.

Do not overlook so called inanimate objects. Do not undervalue their importance. Even a stone with its small cold still life can strike a mighty spark. Whence comes the fire if not from the heart of the stone ? Do not belittle objects. Give them their proper place and treat them with the proper consideration. As long as we find it difficult to deal with objects, we shall not grasp the full meaning of the power of thought. As an aid in dealing with objects one great Master has suggested to his pupils that they talk to the objects. Yes, talk to them. For words are the ships of thought and convey our thoughts more surely along the proper channels.

Study and apply this technique and experiment with your own. I say to you it is possible for every one of you to become accustomed to and trained in the proper treatment of inanimate objects. Isn't it beautiful that even the least gifted person can summon beautiful particles into action by the power of thought ?

Study your own nature and learn to control your thoughts. You will find that true thought control depends upon a balanced emotional nature. Strive to achieve this, for only by constant striving is attainment possible. And when the going gets too rough and things get out of hand, as sometimes happens, call upon Hierarchy for help. No such petition is ever left unanswered. You will be amazed at the speed and efficiency of our Elder Brothers in coming to your help. Then in appreciation go and do likewise. Send your own benevolent thoughts to others less fortunate that they too may one day control and direct their thinking into higher and ever higher channels. Help them that your call in turn will not remain unanswered. Be a strong link in the chain and from the lowest to the highest let us all apply the power of our thought in support of the beautiful and good.

Joseph J. Weed

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A Rosicrucian Speaks
Joseph J. Weed