Reading the right words in the right way at the right time can have an effect that is almost magical. Something changes permanently for the better on the inside, and this causes a change for the better on the outside. The illumination caused by reading and understanding the words changes our vibrational rate; lumps in our subconscious minds disappear; we move to a better psychological area; we become different people and thus we attract different types of people and experiences.
This process is not under our conscious control. What works for other people does not always work for us, and vice versa.
I heard very good reports of A Course in Miracles so I got a copy but found that I could not get through it. It did not speak my language nor resonate with my thoughts and experiences. I wanted to get something positive from this book but my subconscious mind refused to co-operate. Not only did it not like the book, it disliked it very much! Other people may have transformed their lives thanks to this book, but it did nothing at all for me.
It was very different when I picked up a little booklet in a New Age bookshop. It was 50 Ways To See Thru People by Vernon Howard. Something about it attracted me, so I bought it and three companion booklets. I got a lot out of reading these little publications, which came into my life at just the right time. They provide a good introduction to the subject of spiritual development.
Vernon Howard mentions ‘energy thieves’ and ‘human sharks’ as examples of people to be avoided. I particularly liked his metaphor of the pier: we can escape the shark-infested waters of life and move to dry land, a pier from which we can look down in safety at all the sharks thrashing around in the water below. Moving to a better psychological area is done by employing self-knowledge, perception, insight, understanding and wisdom, and looking at things from the spiritual rather than the human viewpoint.
I like Vernon Howard’s concept of the ‘Optruth’. The truth carries us to a place that is the opposite of what our fears tell us. For example, we may fear that by mentally leaving a sick society we will arrive at a place of loneliness and rejection, but the opposite is true.
Howard’s booklets provide independent confirmation of conclusions that I had already come to: for example, that we cannot see others clearly until we see ourselves clearly, which takes courage; that using expressions such as ‘energy vampire’ and ‘human shark’ frightens off many potential predators; that if we respect the truth everything else will fall into place.
Some of Vernon Howard’s pronouncements and guidance that I particularly like:
“Be a detective seeking clues to the human mystery, not a harsh judge.”
“When meeting anyone you should ask yourself: ‘what does he want that I must not give?’”
“Anyone who sees why he has been a victim in a dangerous world will cease to be one.”
“It is immoral and dangerous to help someone who refuses to help himself.”
“The very presence of an awakened human being sends a message to mental attackers that makes them want to run and hide.”
“When anyone has problems with others it is because he first has problems with himself.”
“False men and women want only false things from other men and women… if you have nothing false in your nature they have no motive for approaching you.”
“Submission to any staged atmosphere induces a hypnotic spell.”
“A secret weapon … is a sensing that something is wrong.”
I have many criticisms of Vernon Howard’s booklets: they are dated and paranoia inducing; they remind me of Victorian religious tracts; I am not wild about the style of writing, which reminds me of American pop psychology and self-development books such as Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.
Despite what my conscious mind says, my subconscious mind likes them. By re-reading the key sentences, I re-programmed myself for the better and effected some permanent positive changes.
For more information go to www.vernonhoward.com
and www.anewlife.org
This process is not under our conscious control. What works for other people does not always work for us, and vice versa.
I heard very good reports of A Course in Miracles so I got a copy but found that I could not get through it. It did not speak my language nor resonate with my thoughts and experiences. I wanted to get something positive from this book but my subconscious mind refused to co-operate. Not only did it not like the book, it disliked it very much! Other people may have transformed their lives thanks to this book, but it did nothing at all for me.
It was very different when I picked up a little booklet in a New Age bookshop. It was 50 Ways To See Thru People by Vernon Howard. Something about it attracted me, so I bought it and three companion booklets. I got a lot out of reading these little publications, which came into my life at just the right time. They provide a good introduction to the subject of spiritual development.
Vernon Howard mentions ‘energy thieves’ and ‘human sharks’ as examples of people to be avoided. I particularly liked his metaphor of the pier: we can escape the shark-infested waters of life and move to dry land, a pier from which we can look down in safety at all the sharks thrashing around in the water below. Moving to a better psychological area is done by employing self-knowledge, perception, insight, understanding and wisdom, and looking at things from the spiritual rather than the human viewpoint.
I like Vernon Howard’s concept of the ‘Optruth’. The truth carries us to a place that is the opposite of what our fears tell us. For example, we may fear that by mentally leaving a sick society we will arrive at a place of loneliness and rejection, but the opposite is true.
Howard’s booklets provide independent confirmation of conclusions that I had already come to: for example, that we cannot see others clearly until we see ourselves clearly, which takes courage; that using expressions such as ‘energy vampire’ and ‘human shark’ frightens off many potential predators; that if we respect the truth everything else will fall into place.
Some of Vernon Howard’s pronouncements and guidance that I particularly like:
“Be a detective seeking clues to the human mystery, not a harsh judge.”
“When meeting anyone you should ask yourself: ‘what does he want that I must not give?’”
“Anyone who sees why he has been a victim in a dangerous world will cease to be one.”
“It is immoral and dangerous to help someone who refuses to help himself.”
“The very presence of an awakened human being sends a message to mental attackers that makes them want to run and hide.”
“When anyone has problems with others it is because he first has problems with himself.”
“False men and women want only false things from other men and women… if you have nothing false in your nature they have no motive for approaching you.”
“Submission to any staged atmosphere induces a hypnotic spell.”
“A secret weapon … is a sensing that something is wrong.”
I have many criticisms of Vernon Howard’s booklets: they are dated and paranoia inducing; they remind me of Victorian religious tracts; I am not wild about the style of writing, which reminds me of American pop psychology and self-development books such as Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.
Despite what my conscious mind says, my subconscious mind likes them. By re-reading the key sentences, I re-programmed myself for the better and effected some permanent positive changes.
For more information go to www.vernonhoward.com
and www.anewlife.org
