Series 2 - Lesson 4 - Annotation 1
What is thinking? What is a structure, and what builds all structures?
1. Thinking is a process by which the human soul (i.e., the mind or consciousness) is able to handle abstract ideas so as to form a mental "picture" or pattern. Once solidified in man's mind (subconscious as well as conscious) this pattern becomes a magnet or a "mental equivalent" that is the nucleus for the outer structure. The structure will bear the character of the mind pattern of the individual doing the thinking.
"Thought is the process in mind by which substance is acted on by energy, directed by intelligence. Thought is the movement of ideas in mind" (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, p. 654).
(Note: Added reference of value is Lessons in Truth Lesson 3 Annotation 3.)
The creative power of God (Spirit, Divine Mind) in its action builds all structures, whether they be structures of consciousness, living organic structures of men and animals, structures of plant life, structures in the mineral kingdom, or structures "made" by man using spiritual substance in various forms. The power that provides for the building of any structure comes from God. In the first chapter of Genesis (Gen. 1) we find an allegorical description of the great creative Mind at work. Charles Fillmore in Mysteries of Genesis 12 states:
"The record portrays just how divine ideas were brought into expression. As man must have an idea before he can bring an idea into manifestation, so it is with the creations of God. When a man builds a house he builds it first in his mind. He has the idea of a house, he completes the plan in his mind, and then he works it out in manifestation. Thus God created the universe. The 1st chapter of Genesis (Gen. 1) describes the ideal creation."
The process of building all structures, whether they be on the spiritual, mental, or physical planes, follows the pattern of the Holy Trinity — Father, Son, Holy Spirit — or Mind, Idea, Expression — producing manifestation. The Word of God is the composite idea of all the elements of divinity and creation. This Word is the active agent of Spirit, guiding and directing the action so that the consciousness on earth may be the same as it is in heaven; that the abstract may be made concrete. "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). The resources used in the building of any structure are life, substance, and intelligence. Life (movement, animation) and substance (unformed essence containing the idea of the form) work with intelligence (light, understanding, wisdom, the knowing quality of the species) to bring forth divine ideas into form.
"Since man is the offspring of God, made in the image and likeness of Divine Mind, he must express himself under the laws of this great creative Mind. The law of manifestation for man is the law of thought. God ideates: man thinks. One is the completion of the other in mind" (Mysteries of Genesis 12).
The creative power of God moves ideas into expression and manifestation as consciousness, things, conditions, and circumstances. In the structure of human consciousness, the active agent of man is thought (thinking and feeling) and the spoken word of human beings.
When manifest man (a human being) desires a certain condition in his body or in his world, he consciously directs his attention toward it; he thinks about it with the conscious phase of his mind; he feels with his emotional nature (subconscious phase of mind); he speaks the word, silently or audibly, and the manifestation comes forth. Spirit is the power that does all things; but man by his thinking, feeling, spoken word (the formative power of thought) directs the creative power of God (the Word of God) to build structures, thereby producing conditions, circumstances, and things in his world according to his own beliefs and level of soul unfoldment. "All structures are thought concentrations" (The Twelve Powers of Man 24).
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Preceding Entry: To whom do we refer when we say: "Son of God"; "Son of man"; "son of man"?
Following Entry: What is the Superconscious phase of mind?
