by Wayne W. Dyer: One of my great joys is discovering—and rediscovering…

the work of the wisdom teachers of the past. I have recently been inspired to go back and read again the work of Thomas Troward, who lived in India and Great Britain from 1847 to 1916. Troward wrote about a concept that has somehow been part of my intuitive knowing since childhood—the idea of manifesting your dreams through the gift of imagination. Contemplate yourself surrounded by the circumstances you are seeking, and they will appear.

Thomas Troward was a brilliant scholar in the field of comparative religion who published his Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science in 1904. His work forever changed the way we look at the process of creation and manifestation. Troward makes the connection between the work of the Divine in creating the universe and our efforts to imagine into being the life and circumstances we wish to create.

Troward asks us get the steps of the creative process clearly in mind as they relate to contemplating our desired circumstances. Here is a summary of the four steps he describes:

1. Spirit is created by self-contemplation. The process of moving from nonbeing to being involves an invisible Source, which we call “Spirit,” deciding to expand into the world of form. This is God expressing Himself/Herself in all material things. Thus, coming from their originating nature, everything and everyone is a result of Spirit contemplating itself and expressing its inherent life, love, light, power, peace, beauty, and joy as a part of the material world.
2. So what it contemplates itself as being, it becomes. Contemplation by Spirit results in the manifestation of what is being contemplated. Troward goes to great lengths in his book to explain the Divine ideal and how the very cosmos had to come into being as a result of how the originating Spirit (Tao or God) engaged in self-contemplation for the purpose of expressing life.
3. You are individualized Spirit. Here’s where you are urged to recognize your own Divinity. You too were materialized from nonbeing (Spirit) to being (form) by the self-contemplation of Spirit itself. And Spirit itself is oneness, indivisible. Since you are a piece of God, so to speak, the following conclusion is offered by Troward:
4. “Therefore, what you contemplate as the law of your being becomes the law of your being.” And he goes on to state that you must use your creative power of thought to maintain your unity with Spirit rather than to create a separate sense of self that is cut off from Spirit and suffers from poverty and limitation. That is to say, as long as you’re able to stay in harmony with how Spirit contemplates itself, you have precisely the same powers of manifestation. After all, in the truest sense of the word, you are the same as your originating Spirit.

Your thoughts begin the process of materialization. If you contemplate with thoughts that match originating Spirit, you have the same power as originating Spirit. When contemplation is a vibrational match to originating Spirit, you gain the cooperation of Divine mind, attracting and fulfilling your desires. Contemplation is therefore a kind of action in itself, which sets into motion all of the creative forces of the universe. Contemplate like God does, with thoughts of How may I serve? rather than What’s in it for me?

I love to quote Troward’s famous observation: “The law of floatation was not discovered by contemplating the sinking of things …” In other words, when you see what you contemplate as if it’s already here, the universe will ultimately offer you experiences that match what you’re contemplating.

Suggestions for Implementing a New Way of Contemplating

Thomas Troward urges us to grasp the idea that the contemplation of Spirit as power is the way for the individual to generate that same power within him- or herself. “We all have it in us,” he says, and “it depends upon us to get it out into expression.” Say to yourself: The creative and intelligent power manifests perfectly as the universe. I am a result of this power. I feel connected to it, and I know it will work with me in creating the life I desire. See your mind as a powerful force that’s in harmony with the same power that’s behind all of creation.

Begin the practice of viewing contemplation as action, rather than as passive mental meandering. Treasure your mind as a grand gift from your Creator, a gift so wondrous that it has the Creator’s mind inside of it as well. View your contemplative moments the same way you view your practice time for improving your skills at any endeavor. An hour a day throwing a bowling ball is action that leads to a higher bowling average; a few moments several times a day musing about what you intend to manifest in some area of your life will have precisely the same effect on your manifesting average. Contemplation is action. It’s necessary mind training for the implementation of anything you desire.

Repeat the following mantra to yourself for a minimum of five straight minutes each day: I contemplate myself surrounded by the conditions I wish to attract into my life. Say it quickly and repeatedly. The repetition will help you begin to imagine the right people or circumstances, the necessary funding, or whatever it is you desire. Stay detached and allow the universe to take care of the details.

Source: Spirit Library