Physical science is responsible for the marvelous age of invention in which we are now living, but spiritual science is now setting out on a career whose possibilities no one can foretell.
Spiritual science has previously been the football of the uneducated, the superstitious, the mystical, but men are now interested in definite methods and demonstrated facts only.
We have come to know that thinking is a spiritual process, that vision and imagination preceded action and event, that the day of the dreamer has come.
The following lines by Mr. Herbert Kaufman are interesting in this connection.
"They are the architects of greatness, their vision lies within their souls, they peer beyond the veils and mists of doubt and pierce the walls of unborn Time. The belted wheel, the trail of steel, the churning screw, are shuttles in the loom on which they weave their magic tapestries. Makers of Empire, they have fought for bigger things than crowns and higher seats than thrones. Your homes are set upon the land a dreamer found. The pictures on its walls are visions from a dreamer's soul. They are the chose few -- the blazers of the way. Walls crumble and Empires fall, the tidal wave sweeps from the sea and tears a fortress from its rocks. The rotting nations drop off from Time's bough, and only things the dreamer's make live on."
Part Thirteen which follows tells why the dreams of the dreamer come true. It explains the law of causation by which dreamers, inventors, authors, financiers, bring about the realization of their desires. It explains the law by which the thing pictured upon our mind eventually becomes our own.
PART THIRTEEN
1. It has been the tendency, and, as might be proved, a necessity for science to seek the explanation of everyday facts by a generalization of those others which are less frequent and form the exception. Thus does the eruption of the volcano manifest the heat which is continually at work in the interior of the earth and to which the latter owes much of her configuration.
2. Thus does the lightning reveal a subtle power constantly busy to produce changes in the inorganic world, and, as dead languages now seldom heard were once ruling among the nations, so does a giant tooth in Siberia, or a fossil in the depth of the earth, not only bear record of the evolution of past ages, but thereby explains to us the origin of the hills and valleys which we inhabit today.
3. In this way a generalization of facts which are rare, strange, or form the exception, has been the magnetic needle guiding to all the discoveries of inductive science.
4. This method is founded upon reason and experience and thereby destroyed superstition, precedent and conventionality.
5. It is almost three-hundred years since Lord Bacon recommended this method of study, to which the civilized nations owe the greater part of their prosperity and the more valuable part of their knowledge; purging the mind from narrow prejudices, denominated theories, more effectually than by the keenest irony; calling the attention of men from heaven to earth more successfully by surprising experiments than by the most forcible demonstration of their ignorance; educating the inventive faculties more powerfully by the near prospect of useful discoveries thrown open to all, than by talk of bringing to light the innate laws of our mind.
6. The method of Bacon has seized the spirit and aim of the great philosophers of Greece and carried them into effect by the new means of observation which another age offered; thus gradually revealing a wondrous field of knowledge in the infinite space of astronomy, in the microscopic egg of embryology and the dim age of geology; disclosing an order of the pulse which the logic of Aristotle could never have unveiled, and analyzing into formerly unknown elements the material combinations which no dialectic of the scholastics could force apart.
7. It has lengthened life; it has mitigated pain; it has extinguished diseases; it has increased the fertility of the soil; it has given new securities to the mariner; it has spanned great rivers with bridges of form unknown to our fathers; it has guided the thunderbolt from heaven to earth; it has lighted up night with the splendor of day; it has extended the range of human vision; it has multiplied the power of the human muscles; it has accelerated motion; it has annihilated distance; it has facilitated intercourse, correspondence, all friendly offices, all dispatch of business; it has enabled men to descend into the depths of the sea, to soar into the air, to penetrate securely into the noxious recesses of the earth.
8. This then is the true nature and scope of induction. But the greater the success which men have achieved in the inductive science, the more does the whole tenor of their teachings and example impress us with the necessity of observing carefully, patiently, accurately, with all the instruments and resources at our command the individual facts before venturing upon a statement of general laws.
9. To ascertain the bearing of the spark drawn from the electric machine under every variety of circumstances, that we thus may be emboldened with Franklin to address, in the form of a kite, the question to the cloud about the nature of the lightning. To assure ourselves of the manner in which bodies fall with the exactness of a Galileo, that with Newton we may dare to ask the moon about the force that fastens it to the earth.
10. In short, by the value we set upon truth, by our hope in a steady and universal progress, not to permit a tyrannical prejudice to neglect or mutilate unwelcome facts, but to rear the superstructure of science upon the broad and unchangeable basis, of full attention paid to the most isolated as well as the most frequent phenomena.
11. An ever-increasing material may be collected by observation, but the accumulated facts are of very different value for the explanation of nature, and as we esteem most highly those useful qualities of men which are of the rarest occurrence, so does natural philosophy sift the facts and attach a pre-eminent importance to that striking class which cannot be accounted for by the usual and daily observation of life.
12. If then, we find that certain persons seem to possess unusual power, what are we to conclude? First, we may say, it is not so, which is simply an acknowledgment of our lack of information because every honest investigator admits that there are many strange and previously unaccountable phenomena constantly taking place. Those, however, who become acquainted with the creative power of thought, will no longer consider them unaccountable.
13. Second, we may say that they are the result of supernatural interference, but a scientific understanding of Natural Laws will convince us that there is nothing supernatural. Every phenomenon is the result of an accurate definite cause, and the cause is an immutable law or principle, which operates with invariable precision, whether the law is put into operation consciously or unconsciously.
14. Third, we may say that we are on "forbidden ground," that there are some things which we should not know. This objection was used against every advance in human knowledge. Every individual who ever advanced a new idea, whether a Columbus, a Darwin, a Galileo, a Fulton or an Emerson, was subjected to ridicule or persecution; so that this objection should receive no serious consideration; but, on the contrary, we should carefully consider every fact which is brought to our attention; by doing this we will more readily ascertain the law upon which it is based.
15. It will be found that the creative power of thought will explain every possible condition or experience, whether physical, mental or spiritual.
16. Thought will bring about conditions in correspondence with the predominant mental attitude. Therefore, if we fear disaster, as fear is a powerful form of thought, disaster will be the certain result of our thinking. It is this form of thought which frequently sweeps away the result of many years of toil and effort.
17. If we think of some form of material wealth we may secure it. By concentrated thought the required conditions will be brought about, and the proper effort put forth, which will result in bringing about the circumstances necessary to realize our desires; but we often find that when we secure the things we thought we wanted, they do not have the effect we expected. That is, the satisfaction is only temporary, or possibly is the reverse of what we expected.
18. What, then, is the proper method of procedure? What are we to think in order to secure what we really desire? What you and I desire, what we all desire, what every one is seeking, is Happiness and Harmony. If we can be truly happy we shall have everything the world can give. If we are happy ourselves we can make others happy.
19. But we cannot be happy unless we have, health, strength, congenial friends, pleasant environment, sufficient supply, not only to take care of our necessities but to provide for those comforts and luxuries to which we are entitled.
20. The old orthodox way of thinking was to be "a worm," to be satisfied with our portion whatever it is; but the modern idea is to know that we are entitled to the best of everything, that the "Father and I are one" and that the "Father" is the Universal Mind, the Creator, the Original Substance from which all things proceed.
21. Now admitting that this is all true in theory, and it has been taught for two thousand years, and is the essence of every system of Philosophy or Religion, how are we to make it practical in our lives? How are we to get the actual, tangible results here and now?
22. In the first place, we must put our knowledge into practice. Nothing can be accomplished in any other way. The athlete may read books and lessons on physical training all his life, but unless he begins to give out strength by actual work he will never receive any strength; he will eventually get exactly what he gives; but he will have to give it first. It is exactly the same with us; we will get exactly what we give, but we shall have to give it first. It will then return to us many fold, and the giving is simply a mental process, because thoughts are causes and conditions are effects; therefore in giving thoughts of courage, inspiration, health or help of any kind we are setting causes in motion which will bring about their effect.
23. Thought is a spiritual activity and is therefore creative, but make no mistake, thought will create nothing unless it is consciously, systematically, and constructively directed; and herein is the difference between idle thinking, which is simply a dissipation of effort, and constructive thinking, which means practically unlimited achievement.
24. We have found that everything we get comes to us by the Law of Attraction. A happy thought cannot exist in an unhappy consciousness; therefore the consciousness must change, and, as the consciousness changes, all conditions necessary to meet the changed consciousness must gradually change, in order to meet the requirements of the new situation.
25. In creating a Mental Image or an Ideal, we are projecting a thought into the Universal Substance from which all things are created. This Universal Substance is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Are we to inform the Omniscient as to the proper channel to be used to materialize our demand? Can the finite advise the Infinite? This is the cause of failure; of every failure. We recognize the Omnipresence of the Universal Substance, but we fail to appreciate the fact that this substance is not only Omnipresent, but is Omnipotent and Omniscient, and consequently will set causes in motion concerning which we may be entirely ignorant.
26. We can best conserve our interests by recognizing the Infinite Power and Infinite Wisdom of the Universal Mind, and in this way become a channel whereby the Infinite can bring about the realization of our desire. This means that recognition brings about realization, therefore for your exercise this week make use of the principle, recognize the fact that you are a part of the whole, and that a part must be the same in kind and quality as the whole; the only difference there can possibly by, is in degree.
27. When this tremendous fact begins to permeate your consciousness, when you really come into a realization of the fact that you (not your body, but the Ego), the "I," the spirit which thinks is an integral part of the great whole, that it is the same in substance, in quality, in kind, that the Creator could create nothing different from Himself, you will also be able to say, "The Father and I are one" and you will come into an understanding of the beauty, the grandeur, the transcendental opportunities which have been placed at your disposal.
Increase in me that wisdom Which discovers my truest interest, Strengthen
物理科學帶來了發明創造的神奇時代，如今我們正生活在這個時代中。而精神科學眼下正在揚帆啟航，沒有人能夠預測會有怎樣的可能性。
精神科學從前一直是那些目不識丁、盲從迷信、神神叨叨的人們所玩的足球遊戲，但如今人們只對明確的方法和已證的事實感興趣。
我們開始認識到，思想是一種精神作用，夢幻和想像總是先於行動和事件，夢想家的日子到了。赫伯特。考夫曼（Herber Kaufman）下面這段話很有意思：
他們是偉大的建築師，他們的夢想潛藏在他們的靈魂中，他們透過懷疑的薄霧和紗幕，洞穿未來時間的墻垣。裝甲的車輪、鋼筋的履跡、旋緊的螺絲，都是他們用來織造神奇掛毯的織梭。他們是帝國的創始人，他們為之奮戰的一切比皇冠更加寶貴，比寶座更加高不可攀。你的居所建立在夢想家發現的國土上。這片國土的墻恒上繪著夢想家靈魂中的幻影。
他們是被選擇的少數--他們是“道”的傳播者。墻垣崩塌了，帝國傾倒了，大海的潮汐漲落，撕裂巖石堅硬的壁壘。時光的樹幹上不斷有腐朽的王國枯萎落下，惟有夢想家親手締造的一切存留下來。
接下來的第十三章將告訴你夢想家的夢想是如何實現的。這一章中闡述了一切想家、發明家、作家、金融家藉以夢想成真的因果關系法則。闡述了這一法則何以使我們的精神中形成的圖景終成為我們自己所擁有的現實。
《第十三章》
1、現今科學的趨勢，或者說需要，是通過對那些少見、例外的事件進行概括，做出對日常事件的解釋。就像火山爆發顯示出地球內部的熱能運動一樣，正是因為地球內部的熱能運動才讓地球表面形成了現在的樣子。
2、同樣，閃電揭提示了一種常常在改變著無機世界的微妙能量。再比如，一種已經消逝的古老語言可能曾一度在某個國家風行，在西伯利亞發現的一顆巨齒、在地球深處發現的一塊化石，不僅僅記錄著過往歲月的變遷，也同樣向我們昭示著我們今天居住在其中的山陵河谷的起源。
3、用這種方式，對那些少見、古怪、例外的事情做出概括，就如同有了指南的磁針，引導著科學的全部發現。
4、這種方法是建立在推理和經驗的基礎上，因此，它破除了迷信、常規與先例。
5、自從培根勛爵推薦這種研究方法以來，已經有幾百年了，文明國家的物質、知識的繁榮、大多歸功於此。這種方法洗掉了人們頭腦中狹隘的偏見、根深蒂固的理念，比使用最鋒利的諷喻更加卓有成效。它成功地把人們的目光由天國吸引到地面，通過令人吃驚的實驗，而不是強有力地批駁人們的無知。它有力地培養了發明創造的本領，通過把最新有用的發現公布於眾，而不是通過對那些我們頭腦中固有的理念誇誇其談。
6、培根的方法與偉大的古希臘哲學家們的思想不謀而合，並在新時代所賦予的新的觀察手段下讓這種思想行之有效。這樣，上至天文學無垠的空間，地理學久遠模糊的年代，下至生物胚胎學的微小的卵細胞，逐步揭示出一個偉大奇妙的知識領域。脈搏跳動的規律呈現出來，這是亞裏士多德的邏輯學無論如何推演不出的；物質集合被分解成我們從前一無所知的分子，這是任何經院哲學的辯證思維都做不到的。
7、人的壽命延長了，痛楚減輕了，疾病被攻克了，地裏的產出增加了，海員航行更加安全了，我們的先人從未見過的大橋橫跨了大江大河，像白日一樣的光明照亮了夜晚的黑暗，人類的視野被大大地拓寬，人們肌腱的能力成倍地提高，速度加快了，距離不見了，交流通信、官方通訊、商務往來更加便利了，人們可以自由地在高高的天空上遨遊，可以放心大膽地潛入大海深處的那些幽深的地球的洞穴裏。
8、這就是歸納法的真正本質的範圍。人類科學的成就越是卓越，我們就越是應該對這些例證和教導心領神會──在敢於得出普遍規律的結論之前，我們必須利用一切的手段和資源，仔細、耐心、正確地觀察個體的事例。
9、為了探知電動機械上為何會有火花出現──這種情況比比皆是──我們應該有勇氣同富蘭克林站在一起，藉著風箏的形式，鬥膽向天空的烏雲詢問閃電的性質。為了確知伽利略自由落體的方式，我們應該敢於同牛頓並肩而立，向天上的月亮詢問系之於地球的引力。
10、簡要地說，基於我們所認定的真理的價值，基於我們對普遍、穩定的進步的期盼，我們不允許暴虐的偏見讓我們忽視或毀傷那些不受歡迎的事實，而應該把科學的上層建築紮根在寬闊穩固的基礎上，不僅僅要關註那些常見的現象，也要註意到那些少見的事實。
11、通過觀察，我們可以收集越來越多的資料，但是，堆積的大量事實對於解釋自然規律來說，意義價值各不相同。正如我們把人類的品性、才能視為自然進化中最珍奇的事件，同樣，自然哲學也對一切事實進行了篩選，而那些重要性壓倒一切的事實，也正是那些日常生活中不易觀察到的現象。
12、如果我們發現某些人擁有異常的能力，我們能夠得出什麼結論呢？首先，我們會說，怎會有這樣的事？這樣說的人只是承認了自己的無知，因為任何一個誠實的探索者都會承認世界上經常有一些奇怪的、先前沒法解釋的現象發生。而那些熟知思想的創造力的人，決不會認為這些現象是永遠無法解釋的。
13、其次，我們可能會說，這些是超自然現象幹預的結果，但是對自然法則的科學理解會讓我們明白，沒有任何事情是超自然的現象。一切現象的發生都有它們的原因，而這種原因一定是某種固定的法則或原理。這種法則或原理的運行──不管是有意識還是無意識地運行──必然是精密準確、始終如一的。
14、第三，我們可能會說，我們走到了“禁地”中，也許有一些東西是我們不應該知道的。這種反對意見在每一次人類進步中都會聽到。那些提出新的理念的人，諸如哥倫布、達爾文、伽利略、富爾頓或是愛默生，等等一類的人物，都經歷了這樣的冷嘲熱諷或是殘酷迫害。所以這種反對聲音是不值一哂的。不過，從另一方面來講，我們應該細心思考任何一件引起我們註意的事實，只有這樣我們才能更容易發現其中的基本規律。
15、我們會發現，思想的創造力能夠解釋一切的經歷或際遇，不管是物質的、精神的、還是心靈的。
16、思想會帶來與主導性的精神狀態相一致的際遇。因此，如果我們對疾病恐懼（恐懼也是一種強有力的思想形式），疾病就會成為這種念頭的必然結果。這種思想形式會使多年的辛苦努力付諸東流。
17、如果我們心中想要有一些實際的財富，我們就會獲得這些財富。把意念集中在需要的情境上，就會引發這種情境，再付出適當的努力，就會推動這種情境轉換，最終，有助於我們實現自己夢想的際遇。然而，我們常常發現，當我們獲得自己想要的東西時，期望中的感受卻沒有出現。這意味著滿足只是暫時的，甚至可以說，所謂的滿足與我們的真正期望恰好相反。
18、那麼，這一過程的正確方法又是什麼呢？我們如何思想，才能實現我們真正的夢想呢？你和我的夢想，我們全人類的夢想，也是每一個人向往追求的，就是幸福與和諧。如果我們能夠把握這個世界所能給予我們的一切，我們就獲取了真正的幸福。如果我們能夠使其他人幸福快樂，我們自己才能感覺到真正的幸福。
19、但是，如果我們沒有健康，沒有力量，沒有知己好友，沒有令人開懷的際遇，吃不飽穿不暖，我們又怎能快樂得起來呢？我們不僅要能夠滿足自身的日常所需，還要擁有一切的舒適奢華──這些都是我們完全有資格獲得的，只有這樣，我們才會幸福快樂。
20、傳統保守的思維方式是要像一只“蟲”，滿足於自己所當得的那一份，不管它到底如何。而當代的理念是：要了解我們被賦予了天地萬物間最好的一切，了解“天父與我合而為一”，並且了解“天父”就是宇宙精神，就是創造者，一切物質的起源。
21、現在，既使我們知道這些在理論上都是正確的，兩千年來我們一直接受這樣教導，並且這些理論也是一切宗教或哲學體系的精華，我們又如何能在生活中付諸實踐呢？我們如何能夠立馬看到實際可見的結果呢？
22、首先，我們必須應用我們的知識。一切的實現都來源於實踐。運動員一生可能要讀很多體育訓練方面的書和課本，但除非他在實際的訓練中付出大量的體力，否則他永遠也不可能收獲更加強壯的體魄。他最終的收獲完全與他的付出成正比。而收獲在後，付出在前。我們的情形也是一樣。我們最終的收獲完全與我們的付出成正比，同樣也是收獲在後，付出在前。我們將會得到多倍的回報，而付出不過是一個精神過程，因為思想是因，境遇是果。因此，只要付出各種有益的思想，如勇氣、激情、健康，我們就把“因”的導火線點燃，相應的結果就一定會出現。
23、思想是一種精神活動，因此是具有創造性的，但是不要搞錯了，思想如果不受到有意識的、系統化的、建設性的引導，就不能有任何創造。這就是空想和建設性思想的差距，空想只是蹉跎光陰，浪費精力，而建設性思想它意味著永無止境的成功。
24、我們知道降臨到我們身上的一切遭際，都遵循著引力法則。不快樂的意識與快樂的念頭無法共存，因此，意識必須發生變化，當意識發生改變的時候，一切情景都會適應變化了的意識而逐步改觀，以適應新的情形之下新的需求。
25、在創造精神圖景或理想的過程中，我們就把意念投射到創造萬物的宇宙物質中。宇宙物質是無所不在、無所不能、無所不知的。我們豈可告知無所不知者應當如何實現我們的需求呢？有限的人豈能都導無限的上帝呢？這就是失敗的“因”，是一切失敗的“因”。我們認識到宇宙物質的無所不在，但我們卻不能接受它不只是無所不在，也是無所不知和無所不能的事實，因此，就常常引燃我們自己其實一無所知的“因”的導火索。
26、通過認知宇宙精神的無限能量和無限智慧，我們可以最好地維護我們的利益。通過這種方式，我們就可以成為無限的宇宙精神實現我們願望的渠道。這意味著認識帶來現實，所以，你們這一周的功課是，運用這個原理，認識到你自己是整體的一部分，你和整體在本質和屬性上都完全相同，惟一可能存在的差異是程度上的差異。
27、當這種偉大的思想開始滲入到你的意識中，當你真正地開始認識到你（不是你的身體，而是你的自我），你心中的“我”，那個能夠思考的靈魂，是這個偉大整體的不可分割的組成部分，在實質、種類、和性質上，創造者所給與你的與他本身毫無二致，你也應該能夠這樣說，“我與天父合而為一”，你將開始體會到：所有美好、宏偉、神奇的機遇，都聽命於你的吩咐。
加給我智慧，
讓我知道我真正的利益所在，
加給我堅定的意誌，
讓我能夠按照智慧的引領行事。
富蘭克林
待續
The Master Key System 24週財富金鑰系統Week14
Spiritual science has previously been the football of the uneducated, the superstitious, the mystical, but men are now interested in definite methods and demonstrated facts only.
We have come to know that thinking is a spiritual process, that vision and imagination preceded action and event, that the day of the dreamer has come.
The following lines by Mr. Herbert Kaufman are interesting in this connection.
"They are the architects of greatness, their vision lies within their souls, they peer beyond the veils and mists of doubt and pierce the walls of unborn Time. The belted wheel, the trail of steel, the churning screw, are shuttles in the loom on which they weave their magic tapestries. Makers of Empire, they have fought for bigger things than crowns and higher seats than thrones. Your homes are set upon the land a dreamer found. The pictures on its walls are visions from a dreamer's soul. They are the chose few -- the blazers of the way. Walls crumble and Empires fall, the tidal wave sweeps from the sea and tears a fortress from its rocks. The rotting nations drop off from Time's bough, and only things the dreamer's make live on."
Part Thirteen which follows tells why the dreams of the dreamer come true. It explains the law of causation by which dreamers, inventors, authors, financiers, bring about the realization of their desires. It explains the law by which the thing pictured upon our mind eventually becomes our own.
PART THIRTEEN
1. It has been the tendency, and, as might be proved, a necessity for science to seek the explanation of everyday facts by a generalization of those others which are less frequent and form the exception. Thus does the eruption of the volcano manifest the heat which is continually at work in the interior of the earth and to which the latter owes much of her configuration.
2. Thus does the lightning reveal a subtle power constantly busy to produce changes in the inorganic world, and, as dead languages now seldom heard were once ruling among the nations, so does a giant tooth in Siberia, or a fossil in the depth of the earth, not only bear record of the evolution of past ages, but thereby explains to us the origin of the hills and valleys which we inhabit today.
3. In this way a generalization of facts which are rare, strange, or form the exception, has been the magnetic needle guiding to all the discoveries of inductive science.
4. This method is founded upon reason and experience and thereby destroyed superstition, precedent and conventionality.
5. It is almost three-hundred years since Lord Bacon recommended this method of study, to which the civilized nations owe the greater part of their prosperity and the more valuable part of their knowledge; purging the mind from narrow prejudices, denominated theories, more effectually than by the keenest irony; calling the attention of men from heaven to earth more successfully by surprising experiments than by the most forcible demonstration of their ignorance; educating the inventive faculties more powerfully by the near prospect of useful discoveries thrown open to all, than by talk of bringing to light the innate laws of our mind.
6. The method of Bacon has seized the spirit and aim of the great philosophers of Greece and carried them into effect by the new means of observation which another age offered; thus gradually revealing a wondrous field of knowledge in the infinite space of astronomy, in the microscopic egg of embryology and the dim age of geology; disclosing an order of the pulse which the logic of Aristotle could never have unveiled, and analyzing into formerly unknown elements the material combinations which no dialectic of the scholastics could force apart.
7. It has lengthened life; it has mitigated pain; it has extinguished diseases; it has increased the fertility of the soil; it has given new securities to the mariner; it has spanned great rivers with bridges of form unknown to our fathers; it has guided the thunderbolt from heaven to earth; it has lighted up night with the splendor of day; it has extended the range of human vision; it has multiplied the power of the human muscles; it has accelerated motion; it has annihilated distance; it has facilitated intercourse, correspondence, all friendly offices, all dispatch of business; it has enabled men to descend into the depths of the sea, to soar into the air, to penetrate securely into the noxious recesses of the earth.
8. This then is the true nature and scope of induction. But the greater the success which men have achieved in the inductive science, the more does the whole tenor of their teachings and example impress us with the necessity of observing carefully, patiently, accurately, with all the instruments and resources at our command the individual facts before venturing upon a statement of general laws.
9. To ascertain the bearing of the spark drawn from the electric machine under every variety of circumstances, that we thus may be emboldened with Franklin to address, in the form of a kite, the question to the cloud about the nature of the lightning. To assure ourselves of the manner in which bodies fall with the exactness of a Galileo, that with Newton we may dare to ask the moon about the force that fastens it to the earth.
10. In short, by the value we set upon truth, by our hope in a steady and universal progress, not to permit a tyrannical prejudice to neglect or mutilate unwelcome facts, but to rear the superstructure of science upon the broad and unchangeable basis, of full attention paid to the most isolated as well as the most frequent phenomena.
11. An ever-increasing material may be collected by observation, but the accumulated facts are of very different value for the explanation of nature, and as we esteem most highly those useful qualities of men which are of the rarest occurrence, so does natural philosophy sift the facts and attach a pre-eminent importance to that striking class which cannot be accounted for by the usual and daily observation of life.
12. If then, we find that certain persons seem to possess unusual power, what are we to conclude? First, we may say, it is not so, which is simply an acknowledgment of our lack of information because every honest investigator admits that there are many strange and previously unaccountable phenomena constantly taking place. Those, however, who become acquainted with the creative power of thought, will no longer consider them unaccountable.
13. Second, we may say that they are the result of supernatural interference, but a scientific understanding of Natural Laws will convince us that there is nothing supernatural. Every phenomenon is the result of an accurate definite cause, and the cause is an immutable law or principle, which operates with invariable precision, whether the law is put into operation consciously or unconsciously.
14. Third, we may say that we are on "forbidden ground," that there are some things which we should not know. This objection was used against every advance in human knowledge. Every individual who ever advanced a new idea, whether a Columbus, a Darwin, a Galileo, a Fulton or an Emerson, was subjected to ridicule or persecution; so that this objection should receive no serious consideration; but, on the contrary, we should carefully consider every fact which is brought to our attention; by doing this we will more readily ascertain the law upon which it is based.
15. It will be found that the creative power of thought will explain every possible condition or experience, whether physical, mental or spiritual.
16. Thought will bring about conditions in correspondence with the predominant mental attitude. Therefore, if we fear disaster, as fear is a powerful form of thought, disaster will be the certain result of our thinking. It is this form of thought which frequently sweeps away the result of many years of toil and effort.
17. If we think of some form of material wealth we may secure it. By concentrated thought the required conditions will be brought about, and the proper effort put forth, which will result in bringing about the circumstances necessary to realize our desires; but we often find that when we secure the things we thought we wanted, they do not have the effect we expected. That is, the satisfaction is only temporary, or possibly is the reverse of what we expected.
18. What, then, is the proper method of procedure? What are we to think in order to secure what we really desire? What you and I desire, what we all desire, what every one is seeking, is Happiness and Harmony. If we can be truly happy we shall have everything the world can give. If we are happy ourselves we can make others happy.
19. But we cannot be happy unless we have, health, strength, congenial friends, pleasant environment, sufficient supply, not only to take care of our necessities but to provide for those comforts and luxuries to which we are entitled.
20. The old orthodox way of thinking was to be "a worm," to be satisfied with our portion whatever it is; but the modern idea is to know that we are entitled to the best of everything, that the "Father and I are one" and that the "Father" is the Universal Mind, the Creator, the Original Substance from which all things proceed.
21. Now admitting that this is all true in theory, and it has been taught for two thousand years, and is the essence of every system of Philosophy or Religion, how are we to make it practical in our lives? How are we to get the actual, tangible results here and now?
22. In the first place, we must put our knowledge into practice. Nothing can be accomplished in any other way. The athlete may read books and lessons on physical training all his life, but unless he begins to give out strength by actual work he will never receive any strength; he will eventually get exactly what he gives; but he will have to give it first. It is exactly the same with us; we will get exactly what we give, but we shall have to give it first. It will then return to us many fold, and the giving is simply a mental process, because thoughts are causes and conditions are effects; therefore in giving thoughts of courage, inspiration, health or help of any kind we are setting causes in motion which will bring about their effect.
23. Thought is a spiritual activity and is therefore creative, but make no mistake, thought will create nothing unless it is consciously, systematically, and constructively directed; and herein is the difference between idle thinking, which is simply a dissipation of effort, and constructive thinking, which means practically unlimited achievement.
24. We have found that everything we get comes to us by the Law of Attraction. A happy thought cannot exist in an unhappy consciousness; therefore the consciousness must change, and, as the consciousness changes, all conditions necessary to meet the changed consciousness must gradually change, in order to meet the requirements of the new situation.
25. In creating a Mental Image or an Ideal, we are projecting a thought into the Universal Substance from which all things are created. This Universal Substance is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Are we to inform the Omniscient as to the proper channel to be used to materialize our demand? Can the finite advise the Infinite? This is the cause of failure; of every failure. We recognize the Omnipresence of the Universal Substance, but we fail to appreciate the fact that this substance is not only Omnipresent, but is Omnipotent and Omniscient, and consequently will set causes in motion concerning which we may be entirely ignorant.
26. We can best conserve our interests by recognizing the Infinite Power and Infinite Wisdom of the Universal Mind, and in this way become a channel whereby the Infinite can bring about the realization of our desire. This means that recognition brings about realization, therefore for your exercise this week make use of the principle, recognize the fact that you are a part of the whole, and that a part must be the same in kind and quality as the whole; the only difference there can possibly by, is in degree.
27. When this tremendous fact begins to permeate your consciousness, when you really come into a realization of the fact that you (not your body, but the Ego), the "I," the spirit which thinks is an integral part of the great whole, that it is the same in substance, in quality, in kind, that the Creator could create nothing different from Himself, you will also be able to say, "The Father and I are one" and you will come into an understanding of the beauty, the grandeur, the transcendental opportunities which have been placed at your disposal.
Increase in me that wisdom Which discovers my truest interest, Strengthen
物理科學帶來了發明創造的神奇時代，如今我們正生活在這個時代中。而精神科學眼下正在揚帆啟航，沒有人能夠預測會有怎樣的可能性。
精神科學從前一直是那些目不識丁、盲從迷信、神神叨叨的人們所玩的足球遊戲，但如今人們只對明確的方法和已證的事實感興趣。
我們開始認識到，思想是一種精神作用，夢幻和想像總是先於行動和事件，夢想家的日子到了。赫伯特。考夫曼（Herber Kaufman）下面這段話很有意思：
他們是偉大的建築師，他們的夢想潛藏在他們的靈魂中，他們透過懷疑的薄霧和紗幕，洞穿未來時間的墻垣。裝甲的車輪、鋼筋的履跡、旋緊的螺絲，都是他們用來織造神奇掛毯的織梭。他們是帝國的創始人，他們為之奮戰的一切比皇冠更加寶貴，比寶座更加高不可攀。你的居所建立在夢想家發現的國土上。這片國土的墻恒上繪著夢想家靈魂中的幻影。
他們是被選擇的少數--他們是“道”的傳播者。墻垣崩塌了，帝國傾倒了，大海的潮汐漲落，撕裂巖石堅硬的壁壘。時光的樹幹上不斷有腐朽的王國枯萎落下，惟有夢想家親手締造的一切存留下來。
接下來的第十三章將告訴你夢想家的夢想是如何實現的。這一章中闡述了一切想家、發明家、作家、金融家藉以夢想成真的因果關系法則。闡述了這一法則何以使我們的精神中形成的圖景終成為我們自己所擁有的現實。
《第十三章》
1、現今科學的趨勢，或者說需要，是通過對那些少見、例外的事件進行概括，做出對日常事件的解釋。就像火山爆發顯示出地球內部的熱能運動一樣，正是因為地球內部的熱能運動才讓地球表面形成了現在的樣子。
2、同樣，閃電揭提示了一種常常在改變著無機世界的微妙能量。再比如，一種已經消逝的古老語言可能曾一度在某個國家風行，在西伯利亞發現的一顆巨齒、在地球深處發現的一塊化石，不僅僅記錄著過往歲月的變遷，也同樣向我們昭示著我們今天居住在其中的山陵河谷的起源。
3、用這種方式，對那些少見、古怪、例外的事情做出概括，就如同有了指南的磁針，引導著科學的全部發現。
4、這種方法是建立在推理和經驗的基礎上，因此，它破除了迷信、常規與先例。
5、自從培根勛爵推薦這種研究方法以來，已經有幾百年了，文明國家的物質、知識的繁榮、大多歸功於此。這種方法洗掉了人們頭腦中狹隘的偏見、根深蒂固的理念，比使用最鋒利的諷喻更加卓有成效。它成功地把人們的目光由天國吸引到地面，通過令人吃驚的實驗，而不是強有力地批駁人們的無知。它有力地培養了發明創造的本領，通過把最新有用的發現公布於眾，而不是通過對那些我們頭腦中固有的理念誇誇其談。
6、培根的方法與偉大的古希臘哲學家們的思想不謀而合，並在新時代所賦予的新的觀察手段下讓這種思想行之有效。這樣，上至天文學無垠的空間，地理學久遠模糊的年代，下至生物胚胎學的微小的卵細胞，逐步揭示出一個偉大奇妙的知識領域。脈搏跳動的規律呈現出來，這是亞裏士多德的邏輯學無論如何推演不出的；物質集合被分解成我們從前一無所知的分子，這是任何經院哲學的辯證思維都做不到的。
7、人的壽命延長了，痛楚減輕了，疾病被攻克了，地裏的產出增加了，海員航行更加安全了，我們的先人從未見過的大橋橫跨了大江大河，像白日一樣的光明照亮了夜晚的黑暗，人類的視野被大大地拓寬，人們肌腱的能力成倍地提高，速度加快了，距離不見了，交流通信、官方通訊、商務往來更加便利了，人們可以自由地在高高的天空上遨遊，可以放心大膽地潛入大海深處的那些幽深的地球的洞穴裏。
8、這就是歸納法的真正本質的範圍。人類科學的成就越是卓越，我們就越是應該對這些例證和教導心領神會──在敢於得出普遍規律的結論之前，我們必須利用一切的手段和資源，仔細、耐心、正確地觀察個體的事例。
9、為了探知電動機械上為何會有火花出現──這種情況比比皆是──我們應該有勇氣同富蘭克林站在一起，藉著風箏的形式，鬥膽向天空的烏雲詢問閃電的性質。為了確知伽利略自由落體的方式，我們應該敢於同牛頓並肩而立，向天上的月亮詢問系之於地球的引力。
10、簡要地說，基於我們所認定的真理的價值，基於我們對普遍、穩定的進步的期盼，我們不允許暴虐的偏見讓我們忽視或毀傷那些不受歡迎的事實，而應該把科學的上層建築紮根在寬闊穩固的基礎上，不僅僅要關註那些常見的現象，也要註意到那些少見的事實。
11、通過觀察，我們可以收集越來越多的資料，但是，堆積的大量事實對於解釋自然規律來說，意義價值各不相同。正如我們把人類的品性、才能視為自然進化中最珍奇的事件，同樣，自然哲學也對一切事實進行了篩選，而那些重要性壓倒一切的事實，也正是那些日常生活中不易觀察到的現象。
12、如果我們發現某些人擁有異常的能力，我們能夠得出什麼結論呢？首先，我們會說，怎會有這樣的事？這樣說的人只是承認了自己的無知，因為任何一個誠實的探索者都會承認世界上經常有一些奇怪的、先前沒法解釋的現象發生。而那些熟知思想的創造力的人，決不會認為這些現象是永遠無法解釋的。
13、其次，我們可能會說，這些是超自然現象幹預的結果，但是對自然法則的科學理解會讓我們明白，沒有任何事情是超自然的現象。一切現象的發生都有它們的原因，而這種原因一定是某種固定的法則或原理。這種法則或原理的運行──不管是有意識還是無意識地運行──必然是精密準確、始終如一的。
14、第三，我們可能會說，我們走到了“禁地”中，也許有一些東西是我們不應該知道的。這種反對意見在每一次人類進步中都會聽到。那些提出新的理念的人，諸如哥倫布、達爾文、伽利略、富爾頓或是愛默生，等等一類的人物，都經歷了這樣的冷嘲熱諷或是殘酷迫害。所以這種反對聲音是不值一哂的。不過，從另一方面來講，我們應該細心思考任何一件引起我們註意的事實，只有這樣我們才能更容易發現其中的基本規律。
15、我們會發現，思想的創造力能夠解釋一切的經歷或際遇，不管是物質的、精神的、還是心靈的。
16、思想會帶來與主導性的精神狀態相一致的際遇。因此，如果我們對疾病恐懼（恐懼也是一種強有力的思想形式），疾病就會成為這種念頭的必然結果。這種思想形式會使多年的辛苦努力付諸東流。
17、如果我們心中想要有一些實際的財富，我們就會獲得這些財富。把意念集中在需要的情境上，就會引發這種情境，再付出適當的努力，就會推動這種情境轉換，最終，有助於我們實現自己夢想的際遇。然而，我們常常發現，當我們獲得自己想要的東西時，期望中的感受卻沒有出現。這意味著滿足只是暫時的，甚至可以說，所謂的滿足與我們的真正期望恰好相反。
18、那麼，這一過程的正確方法又是什麼呢？我們如何思想，才能實現我們真正的夢想呢？你和我的夢想，我們全人類的夢想，也是每一個人向往追求的，就是幸福與和諧。如果我們能夠把握這個世界所能給予我們的一切，我們就獲取了真正的幸福。如果我們能夠使其他人幸福快樂，我們自己才能感覺到真正的幸福。
19、但是，如果我們沒有健康，沒有力量，沒有知己好友，沒有令人開懷的際遇，吃不飽穿不暖，我們又怎能快樂得起來呢？我們不僅要能夠滿足自身的日常所需，還要擁有一切的舒適奢華──這些都是我們完全有資格獲得的，只有這樣，我們才會幸福快樂。
20、傳統保守的思維方式是要像一只“蟲”，滿足於自己所當得的那一份，不管它到底如何。而當代的理念是：要了解我們被賦予了天地萬物間最好的一切，了解“天父與我合而為一”，並且了解“天父”就是宇宙精神，就是創造者，一切物質的起源。
21、現在，既使我們知道這些在理論上都是正確的，兩千年來我們一直接受這樣教導，並且這些理論也是一切宗教或哲學體系的精華，我們又如何能在生活中付諸實踐呢？我們如何能夠立馬看到實際可見的結果呢？
22、首先，我們必須應用我們的知識。一切的實現都來源於實踐。運動員一生可能要讀很多體育訓練方面的書和課本，但除非他在實際的訓練中付出大量的體力，否則他永遠也不可能收獲更加強壯的體魄。他最終的收獲完全與他的付出成正比。而收獲在後，付出在前。我們的情形也是一樣。我們最終的收獲完全與我們的付出成正比，同樣也是收獲在後，付出在前。我們將會得到多倍的回報，而付出不過是一個精神過程，因為思想是因，境遇是果。因此，只要付出各種有益的思想，如勇氣、激情、健康，我們就把“因”的導火線點燃，相應的結果就一定會出現。
23、思想是一種精神活動，因此是具有創造性的，但是不要搞錯了，思想如果不受到有意識的、系統化的、建設性的引導，就不能有任何創造。這就是空想和建設性思想的差距，空想只是蹉跎光陰，浪費精力，而建設性思想它意味著永無止境的成功。
24、我們知道降臨到我們身上的一切遭際，都遵循著引力法則。不快樂的意識與快樂的念頭無法共存，因此，意識必須發生變化，當意識發生改變的時候，一切情景都會適應變化了的意識而逐步改觀，以適應新的情形之下新的需求。
25、在創造精神圖景或理想的過程中，我們就把意念投射到創造萬物的宇宙物質中。宇宙物質是無所不在、無所不能、無所不知的。我們豈可告知無所不知者應當如何實現我們的需求呢？有限的人豈能都導無限的上帝呢？這就是失敗的“因”，是一切失敗的“因”。我們認識到宇宙物質的無所不在，但我們卻不能接受它不只是無所不在，也是無所不知和無所不能的事實，因此，就常常引燃我們自己其實一無所知的“因”的導火索。
26、通過認知宇宙精神的無限能量和無限智慧，我們可以最好地維護我們的利益。通過這種方式，我們就可以成為無限的宇宙精神實現我們願望的渠道。這意味著認識帶來現實，所以，你們這一周的功課是，運用這個原理，認識到你自己是整體的一部分，你和整體在本質和屬性上都完全相同，惟一可能存在的差異是程度上的差異。
27、當這種偉大的思想開始滲入到你的意識中，當你真正地開始認識到你（不是你的身體，而是你的自我），你心中的“我”，那個能夠思考的靈魂，是這個偉大整體的不可分割的組成部分，在實質、種類、和性質上，創造者所給與你的與他本身毫無二致，你也應該能夠這樣說，“我與天父合而為一”，你將開始體會到：所有美好、宏偉、神奇的機遇，都聽命於你的吩咐。
加給我智慧，
讓我知道我真正的利益所在，
加給我堅定的意誌，
讓我能夠按照智慧的引領行事。
富蘭克林
待續
The Master Key System 24週財富金鑰系統Week14
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