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Over a relatively short, nine year span as an author, James Allen released 19 short texts based on his simple life of contemplation in a small cottage in Ilfracombe, Devon, England. The texts he produced, although generally short, are concise summaries of his thoughts and resonate with wisdom and spirituality. His best known work is the self-help classic “As A Man Thinketh” (released in 1902) and represents one of his early works.
“He never wrote theories, or for the sake of writing, or to add another to his many books; but he wrote when he had a message, and it became a message only when he had lived it out in his own life, and knew that it was good. Thus he wrote facts, which he had proven by practice.
To live out the teaching of this book faithfully in every detail of life will lead one to more than happiness and success — even to Blessedness, Satisfaction and Peace” (Editor’s Preface to “Foundations Stones to Happiness and Success”
The following is a list of the philosophical texts produced by James Allen in chronological order:
From Poverty to Power, or The Realization of Prosperity and Peace (1901) All These Things Added (1903) Through the Gates of Good; or, Christ and Conduct (1903) Poems of Peace (1907) The Life Triumphant: Mastering the Heart and Mind (1908) The Mastery of Destiny (1909) Morning and Evening Thoughts (1909) Above Life’s Turmoil (1910) Eight Pillars of Prosperity (1911)
Books published posthumously:
The following represents the foreword accompanying each text, in alphabetical order of the corresponding text, as a brief description of the content of the text.
As A Man Thinketh - to purchase digital ebook (Click Here)
This little volume (the result of meditation and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much-written upon subject of the power of thought. It is suggestive, rather than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that -
"They themselves are makers of themselves"
by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.
Byways to Blessedness - to purchase digital ebook (Click Here)
Along the highways of Burma there are placed, at regular distances away from the dust of the road, and under the cool shade of a group of trees, a small wooden building called a “rest-house”, where the weary traveller may rest a while, and allay his thirst and assuage his hunger and fatigue by partaking of the food and water which the kindly inhabitants place there as a religious duty.
Along the great highway of life there are such resting places; away from the heat of passion and the dust of disappointment, under the cool and refreshing shade of lowly Wisdom, are the humble, unimposing “rest-houses” of peace, and the little, almost unnoticed, byways of blessedness, where alone the weary and footsore can find strength and healing.
Nor can these byways be ignored without suffering. Along the great road of life, hurrying, and eager to reach some illusive goal, presses the multitude, despising the apparently insignificant “rest-houses” of true thought, not heeding the narrow little byways of blessed action, which they regard as unimportant; and hour by hour men are fainting and falling, and numbers that cannot be counted perish of heart hunger, heart-thirst, and heart-fatigue.
But he who will step aside from the passionate press, and will deign to notice and enter the byways which are here presented, his dusty feet shall press the incomparable flowers of blessedness, his eyes be gladdened with their beauty, and his mind refreshed with their sweet perfume. Rested and sustained, he will escape the fever and the delirium of life, and, strong and happy, he will not fall fainting in the dust, nor perish by the way, but will successfully accomplish his journey.
Foundation Stones to Happiness and Success - to purchase digital ebook (Click Here)
How does a man begin building a house? He first secures a plan of the proposed edifice, and then proceeds to build according to the plan, scrupulously following it in every detail, beginning with the foundation. Should he neglect the beginning - the beginning on a mathematical plan - his labour would be wasted, and his building, should it reach completion without tumbling to pieces, would be insecure and worthless. The same law holds good in any important work; the right beginning and first essential is a definite mental plan on which to build.
Nature will have no slipshod work, no slovenliness and she annihilates confusion, or rather, confusion is, in itself, annihilated. Order, definiteness, and purpose eternally prevail, and he who, in his operations, ignores these mathematical elements at once deprives himself of substantiality, completeness, happiness and success.
From Passion to Peace - to purchase digital ebook (Click Here)
The First three parts of this book, Passion, Aspiration, and Temptation, represent the common human life, with its passion, pathos, and tragedy. The last three parts, Transcendence, Beatitude, and Peace, represents the Divine Life - calm, wise and beautiful - of the sage and Savior. The middle part, Transmutation, is the transitional stage between the two; it is the alchemic process linking the divine with the human life. Discipline, denial, and renunciation do not constitute the Divine State; they are only the means by which it is attained. The Divine Life is established in that Perfect Knowledge which bestows Perfect Peace.
Light on Life’s Difficulties - to purchase digital ebook (Click Here)
When a man enters a dark room he is not sure of his movements, he cannot see objects around him, or properly locate them, and is liable to hurt himself by coming into sudden contact with them. But let a light be introduced, and immediately all confusion disappears. Every object is seen, and there is no danger of being hurt. To the majority, life is such a dark room, and their frequent hurts - their disappointments, perplexities, sorrows and pains - are caused by sudden contact with principles which they do not see, and are therefore not prepared to deal with. But when the light of wisdom is introduced into the darkened understanding, confusion vanishes, difficulties are dissolved, all things are seen in their true place and proportion, and henceforth the man walks open-eyed and unhurt, in the clear light of wise comprehension.
Man: King of Mind, Body and Circumstance - to purchase digital ebook (Click Here)
The problem of life consists in learning how to live. It is like the problem of addition or subtraction to the schoolboy. When mastered, all difficulty disappears, and the problem has vanished. All the problems of life, whether they be social, political, or religious, subsist in ignorance and wrong-living. As they are solved in the heart of each individual, they will be solved in the mass of men. Humanity at present is in the painful stage of “learning”. It is confronted with the difficulties of its own ignorance. As men learn to live rightly, learn to direct their forces and use their functions and faculties by the light of wisdom, the sum of life will be correctly done, and its mastery will put an end to all the “problems of evil”. To the wise, all such problems have ceased.
Out From The Heart - to purchase digital ebook (Click Here)
Out From the Heart concerns itself primarily with embarking on a program of consciously changing our mindset under the premise: As within, so without. The way you receive the world through the various filters of your mind, is how you perceive the world. Viewed in a negative perspective, you will receive the world in a negative manner. However, if you change your mindset to a more positive one, you will receive the world in a more positive manner.
The conversion of your mindset with regard to the three Disciplines of Body, Speech and Tendencies represents an initial step toward the ultimate objective of enlightenment, as further discussed in his other texts.
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