TheBreakaway | BreakawayConciousness
Zy Marquiez
July 27, 2017
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and , if they can’t find them, make them.”
– George Bernard Shaw
“Do not wait: the time will never be ‘just right’. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along.”
– Napoleon Hill
As A Man Thinketh is the magnificent manifestation of an individual that examines potential when coupled with a sound mindset. Timeless as it is engaging, this book sheds light into one of the most overlooked truths mankind has ever set his mind up: each of us is individually responsible for our own circumstances.
Keenly observing the truth, Allen consistently contemplates how sound mental faculties and a strong mindset are what are most responsible for the all we achieve in life. By way of illustration, in Allen’s own words:
“All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is just direct result of his own thoughts. In a justly ordered universe, where the loss of equipoise would mean total destruction, individual responsibility must be absolute. A man’s weakness and strength, purity and impurity, are his own, and not another man’s; they are brought about by himself, and not by another; and they can only be altered by himself, never by another. His condition is also his own, and not another man’s. His suffering and his happiness are evolved from within. As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.”[1]
Such are the insightful words of a master at his craft.
As A Man Thinketh is a thorough discourse into the profound implications that the mindset of the individual has for the world around him. This is one of the most appealing points of the book. The book examines thoughts in relation to character and purpose, the effect of thought on health and circumstances, and much more.
In fact, particularly of note, Allen elucidates on the power of thought and character:
“Thought and character are one, and as character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstances, the outer condition of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state.”[2]
I have found this to be the case in my life, and began noticing it considerably when I began employing mindfulness on a daily basis; I became attentive not only to the environs around me, but also to the direct correlation between my actions and my circumstances, even the ones that I did not like. This was a crucial point for me to comes to terms with, since the state of my life wasn’t going to change until I began changing in profound ways. I say this in hope that others realize the profound truths discussed in this book.
Unexpected, and yet alluring, Allen’s words are poetry itself – elegant and incisive, inspiring and highly thought-provoking. In fact, I was so inspired by Allen’s writing I had to apprise myself of additional work by him. That prompted me to purchase Mind Is The Master, which features 19 of his works. This is mentioned for the individuals who already read the book finding it advantageous and are seeking additional information.
Allen’s no-nonsense, down to earth approach is rather inspiring as it is engaging. Having now read the book, whose insightful words resonate with me quite well, I have grown more centered, better prepared, to tackle daily circumstances in a way that I had not before. It has quickly become a mainstay in my daily routine of study.
As A Man Thinketh is an discerning and inspirational read in its totality, made all the more relevant by the fact that science is beginning to bear this out, as books like The Intention Experiment and others have ascertained. If you are looking for an author that ruminates at length about the keen power of the individual mind and its power to create, look no further. Complement this book with Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, by Shunryu Suzuki, and Maximum Achievement by Brian Tracy, and one has not only the foundation to live a mindful life, but the veritable recipe for success and growth for any individual.
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[1] James Allen, As A Man Thinketh, p. 43.
[2] Ibid., p. 12.
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About The Author:
Zy Marquiez is an avid book reviewer, inquirer, an open-minded skeptic, yogi, and freelance writer who aims at empowering individuals while also studying and regularly mirroring subjects like Consciousness, Education, Creativity, The Individual, Ancient History & Ancient Civilizations, Forbidden Archaeology, Big Pharma, Alternative Health, Space, Geoengineering, Social Engineering, Propaganda, and much more.
His other blog, BreakawayConsciousnessBlog.wordpress.com features mainly his personal work, while TheBreakaway.wordpress.com serves as a media portal which mirrors vital information nigh always ignored by mainstream press, but still highly crucial to our individual understanding of various facets of the world.
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