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Gratitude Notes
T
1 he illustrations given in the last chapter will have
2 conveyed to the reader the fact that the first step
3 toward getting rich is to convey the idea of your wants to
4 the formless substance.
5 This is true, and you will see that in order to do so it becomes
6 necessary to relate yourself to the formless intelligence in a
7 harmonious way.
8 To secure this harmonious relationship is a matter of such
9 primary and vital importance that I will give some space to its
10 discussion here. I will give you instructions which, if you follow
11 them, will be certain to bring you into a perfect unity of mind
12 with God.
13 The whole process of mental adjustment and atunement can
14 be summed up in one word: gratitude.
15 First, you believe that there is one intelligent substance from
16 which all things proceed. Secondly, you believe that this
17 substance gives you everything you desire. And, thirdly, you
18 relate yourself to it through a feeling of deep and profound
19 gratitude.
20 Many people who order their lives rightly in all other ways
21 are kept in poverty by their lack of gratitude. Having received
22 one gift from God, they cut the wires which connect them with
23 him by failing to make acknowledgment.
24 It is easy to understand that the nearer we live to the source
25 of wealth, the more wealth we shall receive. It is also easy to
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Notes
26 understand that a soul that is always grateful lives in closer touch
27 with God than one who never looks to him in thankful
28 acknowledgment.
29 When good things come to us, the more gratefully we fix our
30 minds on the Supreme Power, the more good things we will
31 receive—and the more rapidly they will come. The reason for
32 this is simply that the mental attitude of gratitude draws the mind
33 into closer touch with the source from which the blessings come.
34 If it is a new thought to you that gratitude brings your whole
35 mind into closer harmony with the creative energies of the
36 universe, consider it well, and you will see that it is true. The
37 good things you already possess have come to you because of
38 certain laws. Gratitude will lead your mind out along the ways
39 by which things come. And, it will keep you in close harmony
40 with creative thought and prevent you from falling into
41 competitive thought.
42 Gratitude alone can keep you looking toward the Infinite and
43 prevent you from falling into the error of thinking that the supply
44 of riches is limited—and to think that would be fatal to your
45 hopes.
46 There is a law of gratitude, and if you are to get the results
47 you seek, it is absolutely necessary that you should observe this
48 law.
49 The law of gratitude is the natural principle that action and
50 reaction are always equal and in opposite directions. The grateful
51 outreaching of your mind in thankful praise to the Supreme
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Notes
52 Power is a liberation or expenditure of force; it cannot fail to
53 reach that to which it is addressed. And, as a result, God
54 responds with an instantaneous movement toward you.
55 “Draw nigh unto God, and He will draw nigh unto you.” That
56 is a statement of psychological truth.
57 And, if your gratitude is strong and constant, the reaction in
58 the formless substance will be strong and continuous. The
59 movement of the things you want will always be toward you.
60 Notice the grateful attitude that Jesus took—how he always
61 seems to be saying, “I thank Thee, Father, that Thou hearest
62 me.” You cannot exercise much power without gratitude, because
63 it is gratitude that keeps you connected with power.
64 But, the value of gratitude does not consist solely in getting
65 more blessings in the future. Without gratitude you cannot keep
66 from being dissatisfied with things as they are.
67 The moment you permit your mind to dwell with
68 dissatisfaction upon things as they are, you begin to lose ground.
69 You fix attention upon the common, the poor, the squalid, and
70 the mean—and your mind takes the form of these things. You
71 will then transmit these forms or mental images to the formless.
72 Thus, the common, the poor, the squalid, and the mean will come
73 to you.
74 To permit your mind to dwell upon the inferior is to become
75 inferior and to surround yourself with inferior things. On the
76 other hand, to fix your attention on the best is to surround
77 yourself with the best and to become the best.
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78 The creative power within us makes us into the image of that
79 to which we give our attention. We are thinking substance, and
80 thinking substance always takes the form of that which it thinks
81 about.
82 The grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best.
83 Therefore, it tends to become the best; it takes the form or
84 character of the best and will receive the best.
85 Also, faith is born of gratitude. The grateful mind continually
86 expects good things, and expectation becomes faith. The
87 reaction of gratitude upon one’s own mind produces faith. Every
88 outgoing wave of grateful thanksgiving increases faith. The
89 person who has no feeling of gratitude cannot long retain a living
90 faith. And, as we will see in the following chapters, without a
91 living faith you cannot get rich by the creative method.
92 It is necessary, then, to cultivate the habit of being grateful
93 for every good thing that comes to you—to give thanks
94 continuously. And, because all things have contributed to your
95 advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.
96 Do not waste time thinking or talking about the shortcomings
97 or wrong actions of plutocrats or trust magnates. Their
98 organization of the world has made your opportunity. All that
99 you have received really has come to you because of them.
100 Do not rage against corrupt politicians. If it were not for
101 politicians we should fall into anarchy, and your opportunity
102 would be greatly lessened.
103 God has worked a long time and very patiently to bring us
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104 up to where we are in industry and government. And he is going
105 right on with his work. I believe that he will do away with
106 plutocrats, trust magnates, captains of industry, and politicians
107 as soon as they can be spared. But, in the meantime, they are
108 very necessary. Remember that they are helping to arrange the
109 lines of transmission along which your riches will come to you.
110 Be grateful to them. This will bring you into a harmonious
111 relationship with the good in everything and the good in
112 everything will move toward you.
48
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Chapter 7 - Questions
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1. What are the three steps by which you enter into relationship with the
Supreme Power?
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2. Explain why and how gratitude keeps you in close touch with God?
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3. Explain the operation of the law of action and reaction.
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4. Why should you fix your mind on the best?
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5. Explain the relation between gratitude and faith.
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Questions (Cont’d)
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6. Explain why and how all things are good.
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49A
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Gratitude
This is possibly one of the most important chapters. Write down your thoughts
on this chapter and then reread them frequently.
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49B
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As a result of what you have learned from this chapter, state what you intend
to do in the future to make certain you begin doing things “in a certain way.”
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