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As We Think, So We Are: James Allen's Guide to Transforming Our Lives
The fifth book in the Library of Hidden Knowledge series, As We Think, So We Are offers a contemporary interpretation of the century-old work of James Allen, one of the founders of the self-help movement.
DREAM LOFTY DREAMS, AND AS YOU DREAM, SO YOU SHALL BECOME.
A s We Think, So We Are , the fifth book in the Library of Hidden Knowledge, invites readers to explore the pioneering teachings of James Allen, one of the first leaders of the self-help movement.
Dr. Ruth Miller offers modern translations of three of Allen’s most insightful essays. Using clear, concise language paired with practical applications, Miller creates an accessible way to delve into and explore the fundamental processes that determine how we interact with—and understand—the world.
Allen’s seminal theories in metaphysics introduced millions in the last century to the Law of Attraction, one of the most transformative paths to fulfillment in the modern age. In As We Think, So We Are , we find Allen’s writing to be as important and life changing today as it was a hundred years ago. As Allen put it, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded in our thoughts; it is made up of our thoughts.”
DREAM LOFTY DREAMS, AND AS YOU DREAM, SO YOU SHALL BECOME.
A s We Think, So We Are , the fifth book in the Library of Hidden Knowledge, invites readers to explore the pioneering teachings of James Allen, one of the first leaders of the self-help movement.
Dr. Ruth Miller offers modern translations of three of Allen’s most insightful essays. Using clear, concise language paired with practical applications, Miller creates an accessible way to delve into and explore the fundamental processes that determine how we interact with—and understand—the world.
Allen’s seminal theories in metaphysics introduced millions in the last century to the Law of Attraction, one of the most transformative paths to fulfillment in the modern age. In As We Think, So We Are , we find Allen’s writing to be as important and life changing today as it was a hundred years ago. As Allen put it, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded in our thoughts; it is made up of our thoughts.”
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2012
16 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
About the author
James Allen
1,998 books1,234 followersThe James Allen Free Library
Allen was 15 when his father, a businessman, was robbed and murdered. He left school to work full-time in several British manufacturing firms to help support the family. He later married Lily L. Allen and became an executive secretary for a large company. At age 38, inspired by the writings of Leo Tolstoy, he retired from employment. Allen — along with his wife and their daughter, Nohra — moved to a small cottage in Ilfracombe, Devon, England to pursue a simple life of contemplation. There he wrote for nine years, producing 19 works. He also edited and published a magazine, "The Light of Reason".
Allen's books illustrate the use of the power of thought to increase personal capabilities. Although he never achieved great fame or wealth, his works continue to influence people around the world, including the New Thought movement.
Allen's most famous book, As a Man Thinketh, was published in 1902. It is now considered a classic self-help book. Its underlying premise is that noble thoughts make a noble person, while lowly thoughts make a miserable person.
Following his death in 1912, his wife continued publishing the magazine under the name, "The Epoch".
Allen was 15 when his father, a businessman, was robbed and murdered. He left school to work full-time in several British manufacturing firms to help support the family. He later married Lily L. Allen and became an executive secretary for a large company. At age 38, inspired by the writings of Leo Tolstoy, he retired from employment. Allen — along with his wife and their daughter, Nohra — moved to a small cottage in Ilfracombe, Devon, England to pursue a simple life of contemplation. There he wrote for nine years, producing 19 works. He also edited and published a magazine, "The Light of Reason".
Allen's books illustrate the use of the power of thought to increase personal capabilities. Although he never achieved great fame or wealth, his works continue to influence people around the world, including the New Thought movement.
Allen's most famous book, As a Man Thinketh, was published in 1902. It is now considered a classic self-help book. Its underlying premise is that noble thoughts make a noble person, while lowly thoughts make a miserable person.
Following his death in 1912, his wife continued publishing the magazine under the name, "The Epoch".
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 19, 2024
Enriquecedor, inspirador y super motivador💖. James Allen abre las puertas a tomar conciencia, en tanto teórica como prácticamente, de que donde pongamos nuestra atención, va a ir nuestra energía✨️. Gracias por esta bella herramienta🌹.
December 2, 2011
In a book review Buzz Bradshaw said that 'As a Man Thinketh' by James Allen, “is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read,” and "the influence of that book helped to build our team—the most powerful sales organization you’ve ever witnessed.”
For some who lived a rich life to be 101 years old, I thought this might be a good book to check out, and it was well with the read. "As a Man Thinketh" is actually a short essay, which this book included, but also had related excerpts from other books of James Allen.
The book is an excellent blend of the power of positive thinking and self improvement. What is nice is that it is from a biblical Christian perspective to help reinforce its point. Because of this it it feels less like a self help book, but a self improvement book.
I look forward to implementing some of the techniques and perspectives in my work and personal life.
For some who lived a rich life to be 101 years old, I thought this might be a good book to check out, and it was well with the read. "As a Man Thinketh" is actually a short essay, which this book included, but also had related excerpts from other books of James Allen.
The book is an excellent blend of the power of positive thinking and self improvement. What is nice is that it is from a biblical Christian perspective to help reinforce its point. Because of this it it feels less like a self help book, but a self improvement book.
I look forward to implementing some of the techniques and perspectives in my work and personal life.
December 1, 2011
This was a fascinating philosophy. I agree with much of what Mr. Allen says. Some of it was a bit over my head, and a few things I did not agree with. The following quotes appealed to me. "...the most which others can do is to afford an opportunity for our own good or evil to manifest itself; they cannot make us good or evil." " No one is, or can be, arbitrarily shut out from Heaven; each shuts himself out."
September 1, 2009
A very thought provoking book. I took my time getting through this one. Every page and every paragraph could pack a punch and get me to reflect on my own thought patterns. And I liked this version because more was added to it that relate to the same topic but from other writings of James Allen. It's definitely one I need to read multiple times.
January 31, 2011
This is a great book to read if you are aspiring to live closer to God. It is uplifting, inspiring, thought-provoking, blunt, and written with beauty and grace in language. I have read it several times and continue to benefit.
May 1, 2017
Classic book. A must read for personal development and psychology
Read
May 4, 2017a must read book..
November 8, 2022
Αν και μικρό βιβλίο σου προσφέρει πολλές γνώσεις που σε οδηγούν στο να σκεφτείς αρκετά πράγματα για τον εαυτό σου. Ο καθε άνθρωπος δημιουργείται ή καταστρέφεται απο τον ίδιο του τον εαυτό. Εμείς είμαστε υπεύθυνοι για την φροντίδα του μυαλού μας, όπως ένας κηπουρός για τον κήπο του ετσι και εμεις πρέπει να καλλιεργούμε τις θετικές και όμορφες σκέψεις και να αφαιρούμε ότι αρνητικό υπάρχει γιατί όσο σκέφτεσαι θετικά τοσο πιο όμορφη και γαλήνια θα γίνει η ζωή σου. Για να πετύχεις τους στόχους σου χρειάζονται θυσίες, οποίος θυσιάζει πολλα πετυχαίνει και πολλα και μονο με την αφοσίωση ελέγχεις πραγματικά το μυαλό σου γίνεσαι ο κύριος αφέντης του μυαλού σου. Τέλος η δύναμη της προσπάθειας ειναι το μέτρο του αποτελέσματος και οχι η τύχη γι αυτό ποτέ μην τα παρατάς μέχρι να τα καταφέρεις. Αυτο το βιβλίο με έβαλε σε ουσιαστικές σκέψεις, οι οποίες με βοήθησαν να καταλάβω οτι μπορώ να καταφέρω πολλα αρκει να υπάρχει θέληση για αλλαγή και βελτίωση της σκέψης
January 4, 2023
This kept me on the edge. A little unbelievable but very entertaining
November 14, 2019
This is peace,
To conquer the love of self and lust of life,
To tear deep-rooted passion from the heart
To still the inward strife. (p. 154)
What a wonderful, wonderful book. Of the late religious leader Neal Maxwell it was said, "every sentence was a sermon." Allen is similar. The thought-to-word ratio is so dense that it is difficult to catch some of it on a quick read (which was hard because my goal was 20 pages a day). There are some gems in Allen's phrasing: "the silence of the soul," "the simple laws of life," "spiritual alchemist," etc. Let me share three thoughts of Allens before diving a little deeper into the book itself, three samplings:
"You are powerful, not powerless. You are as powerful to obey as you are to disobey; as strong to be pure as to be impure; as ready for wisdom as for ignorance. You can learn what you will, can remain as ignorant as you choose. If you love knowledge, you will obtain it; if you love wisdom, you will secure it; if you love purity, you will realize it. All things await your acceptance, and you choose by the thoughts you entertain." (5)
"The only difference between the life of the beast and that of the undisciplined man is that the man has a wider variety of desires and experiences a greater intensity of suffering. It may be said of such a man that he is dead, being truly dead to self-control, chastity, fortitude, and all the nobler qualities which constitute life. In the consciousness of such a man, the crucified Christ lies entombed, awaiting that resurrection which shall revivify the mortal suffering and wake him up to a knowledge of his existence." (11)
"A man must first of all be willing to lose himself (his self-seeking self) before he can find himself (his divine self)." (114)
I came into contact with James Allen when in high school. I read the classic pamphlet, "As A Man Thinketh," which itself is only one small part of this book. Allen wrote nineteen books in between 1902 and 1912 (nineteen!), and they are all variations of the theme that is captured beautifully in the short four lines that began this review: still yourself, conquer yourself, dwell on "fixed principles" (what Allen constantly calls "Truth" with a capital "T"), and you will find true peace. Allen is religious, but as the editor notes, Allen was accepted into various circles. He was Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, and then some all rolled into one; as he says, "[t]here is but one religion, the religion of Truth." He talks frequently about "simple laws" which are as true in nature as in the realm of the mind and soul: the idea that we have to work for qualities as we have to work to arrive at the top of the mountain. (He derives from the natural world especially, saying there is no natural or physical law not mirrored in the mind.)
Classic inspirational literature. I was surprised by how good it was. James Allen worked most of his life in the industrial world of his time, working as an assistant to British manufactures. That he retired and, in a short span of time wrote 19 books and being received into both eastern and western worlds of wisdom from his writings--that's amazing to me. The sections on meditation alone are worth their weight in gold, and his practical advice on living a life of holiness provided thoughtful countering to my interest in philosophy. We have to BE good, and DO good things, and this all starts in the mind. To paraphrase Milton's classic anti-hero, we can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven. And Allen argues both to make a heaven of hellish circumstances and to WORK to chance the circumstances around us.
It's a terrific worldview Allen has, and this is a book I anticipate coming back to time and time again. For the density of wisdom and the beauty of the writing, I'm giving this book a five-star review.
To conquer the love of self and lust of life,
To tear deep-rooted passion from the heart
To still the inward strife. (p. 154)
What a wonderful, wonderful book. Of the late religious leader Neal Maxwell it was said, "every sentence was a sermon." Allen is similar. The thought-to-word ratio is so dense that it is difficult to catch some of it on a quick read (which was hard because my goal was 20 pages a day). There are some gems in Allen's phrasing: "the silence of the soul," "the simple laws of life," "spiritual alchemist," etc. Let me share three thoughts of Allens before diving a little deeper into the book itself, three samplings:
"You are powerful, not powerless. You are as powerful to obey as you are to disobey; as strong to be pure as to be impure; as ready for wisdom as for ignorance. You can learn what you will, can remain as ignorant as you choose. If you love knowledge, you will obtain it; if you love wisdom, you will secure it; if you love purity, you will realize it. All things await your acceptance, and you choose by the thoughts you entertain." (5)
"The only difference between the life of the beast and that of the undisciplined man is that the man has a wider variety of desires and experiences a greater intensity of suffering. It may be said of such a man that he is dead, being truly dead to self-control, chastity, fortitude, and all the nobler qualities which constitute life. In the consciousness of such a man, the crucified Christ lies entombed, awaiting that resurrection which shall revivify the mortal suffering and wake him up to a knowledge of his existence." (11)
"A man must first of all be willing to lose himself (his self-seeking self) before he can find himself (his divine self)." (114)
I came into contact with James Allen when in high school. I read the classic pamphlet, "As A Man Thinketh," which itself is only one small part of this book. Allen wrote nineteen books in between 1902 and 1912 (nineteen!), and they are all variations of the theme that is captured beautifully in the short four lines that began this review: still yourself, conquer yourself, dwell on "fixed principles" (what Allen constantly calls "Truth" with a capital "T"), and you will find true peace. Allen is religious, but as the editor notes, Allen was accepted into various circles. He was Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, and then some all rolled into one; as he says, "[t]here is but one religion, the religion of Truth." He talks frequently about "simple laws" which are as true in nature as in the realm of the mind and soul: the idea that we have to work for qualities as we have to work to arrive at the top of the mountain. (He derives from the natural world especially, saying there is no natural or physical law not mirrored in the mind.)
Classic inspirational literature. I was surprised by how good it was. James Allen worked most of his life in the industrial world of his time, working as an assistant to British manufactures. That he retired and, in a short span of time wrote 19 books and being received into both eastern and western worlds of wisdom from his writings--that's amazing to me. The sections on meditation alone are worth their weight in gold, and his practical advice on living a life of holiness provided thoughtful countering to my interest in philosophy. We have to BE good, and DO good things, and this all starts in the mind. To paraphrase Milton's classic anti-hero, we can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven. And Allen argues both to make a heaven of hellish circumstances and to WORK to chance the circumstances around us.
It's a terrific worldview Allen has, and this is a book I anticipate coming back to time and time again. For the density of wisdom and the beauty of the writing, I'm giving this book a five-star review.
August 26, 2018
It took me several months to get through this book, but that's because it's not the kind of thing you can rush through if you really want to get something out of it--it's meant to be savored and pondered and munched over for awhile. While I don't agree with every single one of James Allen's assertions, there are still SO MANY powerful, life-changing thoughts in this that I felt I MUST give it five stars, just because it has forever altered the way I think about certain things (and the way I think about thought itself).
If you read this, make sure you have a highlighter handy--you will be wanting to mark stuff up all over the place.
If you read this, make sure you have a highlighter handy--you will be wanting to mark stuff up all over the place.
Read
July 17, 2016"The oak sleeps in acorn," would sum up the main idea. This book is an awesome guide to become a noble and efficient person. I found language of original easy to understand, but also appreciated "Essential Points," and exercises posted in the first part of the book.
November 22, 2009
An incoherent and aimless book. He needs to direct his thoughts or organize them somehow . . .
September 19, 2016
I enjoyed this book. I helped me realize how powerful our thoughts are I creating our reality. Pretty cool, deep thinking kind of book.
June 4, 2018
Another one of my top 10 favourite.
A priceless book with a straight foward reality message that has to pass from the head to the heart to get the essence of its contents.
A priceless book with a straight foward reality message that has to pass from the head to the heart to get the essence of its contents.
April 12, 2020
Precioso! me lo lei en un rato en la mañana por que es muy corto, pero su contenido es invaluable, cada pagina quería guardar sus frases.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews