Deep Thought

     The first rule is to seek information. The second rule is to ask the question: But what do I understand here, personally and directly? The third rule is to ask, quite mercilessly, the question: Am I going to take this problem seriously or not? The fourth rule here is an opening to the confidence that something can be done and there is a way through; I have not awakened to it, but it is there. Having convinced oneself that the problem can be solved, one is ready for the fifth rule, the stage of emptiness, to allow the arising of a spontaneous element that is outside of our own control. This vacuity of mind must be combined with clarity on the goal that is desired. Something significant is wanted, not just any ideas — these will come anyhow and it is necessary to deny oneself and refuse to take the second best. Whether this is a sixth rule or whether it is part of the fifth I do not know, but there must be a resolution to accept only the treasure.
     These stages I have been describing are often wonderfully pictured in fairy stories. At the last stage of the hero's search, he must not succumb to temptations drawing him to accept something other than the solution that he has set out for. I can say, speaking from my own experience, that this is a temptation that I very easily fall into. One becomes tired at this stage and various things suggest themselves — interesting ideas — and it is very easy to snatch at what comes along and do something with it. Of course something will happen, but perhaps something very much bigger has been missed.
— John G. Bennett, Creative Thinking, p. 70.

     Many students of metaphysics fall into the vital error of thinking that there are two worlds: a world of limitation and trouble "down here," and another world "somewhere up there." It is probably that they do not always visualize their mistake as clearly as this, but that they do labor under such a delusion is evident from the remarks they often make when off their guard.
     Watch your own phraseology and notice whether you speak as though you thought there were two worlds; if you do, you must hasten to correct that view.
     The truth is that there is one world — God's world — spiritual and perfect now, but that we see it in a limited and distorted way owing to our false beliefs, and this distorted view of the real world is the so-called world of limitation. By practicing the Presence of God wherever distortion shows itself, you will rapidly redeem your own existence and help to liberate the whole race too.
— Emmet Fox, Find and Use Your Inner Power, p. 40.

....In my attempt to answer her, this is what I recognized, and although it wasn't much, it was all the answer I had, and it was honest: I no longer cared whether what I had seen was true. Life as I had looked at it before was not worth living. It was therefore my decision to live as if this new perception was true. And if the question of whether God exists cannot be answered in the terms in which we ask it, yet the improvement in the quality of our life cannot be denied whenever we assume that God does exist, why then delay making that assumption? Why choose to be right instead of happy when there is no way to be right? I choose to make the assumption and not reconsider. A new way of seeing had been given me for a reason, and I would simply trust that.
     For this was not the first time in my life I had looked God in the face. But each time before I had walked away and said, "He is an illusion." Maybe He is, but I no longer care about that. There isn't time for uncertainty. For me He exists. That is the only thing I know. And that is the reason I live.
— Hugh Prather, There is a Place Where You are not Alone, pp. 34-35.

When you find yourself in a battle with life, lose. There are no triumphs over truth.
****
"Rely on yourself" and "Do not rely on yourself alone" are not conflicting ideas. One must rely on what he is, but what he is is not alone.
****
I am not resting in Love's gentle arms while I am questioning how they got there or demanding to know why they would want to support me.
— Hugh Prather, Ibid., pp.39-40.

There are times when the concept of "trying is lying" is not useful to me. Trying can be an easily understandable way of beginning. "You can but try" means, "Do what you can do" or "Begin where you are," or simply, "Begin." The thought that all I need to do is begin focuses my mind on this moment, which is the instant that every choice I will ever make will have to take place. Saying to myself, "All I can do is try," allows me to let go my anxiety over how much needs to be accomplished. I will accomplish what I will acomplish, and anxiety over quantitative goals is not accomplishment.
— Hugh Prather, Ibid., p. 55.