16 心靈能量的秘密

The vibratory activities of the planetary Universe are governed by a law of periodicity. Everything that lives has periods of birth, growth, fruitage, and decline. These periods are governed by the Septimal Law. 行星宇宙的共振活動受到週期定律的支配。所有生命體都會歷經出生、成長、結果和衰落等階段，這些時期皆由「七律」（Septimal Law）掌控。

The Law of Sevens governs the days of the week, the phases of the moon, the harmonies of sound, light, heat, electricity, magnetism, atomic structure. It governs the life of individuals and of nations, and it dominates the activities of the commercial world. 七律掌管一週七天、日落月升、聲、光、熱、磁場、原子結構的和諧；也管理個體生命、國家興亡，更統御商業世界的所有活動。

Life is growth, and growth is change, each seven years period takes us into a new cycle. The first seven years is the period of infancy. The next seven the period of childhood, representing the beginning of individual responsibility. The next seven represents the period of adolescence. The fourth period marks the attainment of full growth. The fifth period is the constructive period, when men begin to acquire property, possessions, a home and family. The next from 35 to 42, is a period of reactions and changes, and this in turn is followed by a period of reconstruction, adjustment and recuperation, so as to be ready for a new cycle of sevens, beginning with the fiftieth year. 生命就是成長，成長必定改變，對我們而言，每七年一次的循環就意味著一個新的階段。生命的第一段七年是嬰幼期，第二段七年是童年期，代表即將開始承擔個體的責任；第三段七年是青春期、第四段七年象徵進入完全成熟狀態；第五段七年是建設期，我們開始創建財富、成就、屋舍和家庭。三十五到四十二歲這段時期是反思和改變階段，此後隨之而來的就是重組、調整和恢復階段；然後就到了五十歲，人生下一輪的七七循環就此開始。

There are many who think that the world is just bout to pass out of the sixth period; that it will soon enter into the seventh period, the period of readjustment, reconstruction and harmony; the period which is frequently referred to as the Millennium. 許多人以為，我們的世界即將跨出第六段週期，邁入第七個階段，也就是一個調整、重構與和諧的階段，經常被稱為「千禧年期」。

Those familiar with these cycles will not be disturbed when things seem to go wrong, but can apply the principle outlined in these lessons with the full assurance that a higher law will invariably control all other laws, and that through an understanding and conscious operation of spiritual laws, we can convert every seeming difficulty into a blessing. 凡是熟悉這個循環的人即使諸事不順也不會心煩意亂，反而會充分認知本週課程闡述的各項原理，知道有一條至高法則在一切法則之上。透過理解和有意識地運用精神法則，我們就可以把每一個看似困難的狀況轉化成祝福。

PART SIXTEEN

1. Wealth is a product of labor. Capital is an effect, not a cause; a servant, not a master; a means, not an end. 財富是勞動的產物；資產其實是結果，不是起因；它是僕人，不是主人；它是工具，不是目的。
2. The most commonly accepted definition of wealth is that it consists of all useful and agreeable things which possess exchange value. It is this exchange value which is the predominant characteristic of wealth. 最普遍的財富定義如下：財富泛指一切具有交換價值、對個人有用處，而且令人愉悅的物品。財富的最大特性就是它的「交換價值」。
3. When we consider the small addition made by wealth to the happiness of the possessor, we find that the true value consists not in its utility but in its exchange. 財富只能為其擁有者帶來些許的快樂，我們會發現它真正的價值在於交換，而不是它的實用性。
4. This exchange value makes it a medium for securing the things of real value whereby our ideals may be realized. 這種交換價值，使財富成為一種媒介，協助我們在實現理想的過程中獲取彌足珍貴的事物。
5. Wealth should then never be desired as an end, but simply as a means of accomplishing an end. Success is contingent upon a higher ideal than the mere accumulation of riches, and he who aspires to such success must formulate an ideal for which he is willing to strive. 請絕對不要將財富視為你的最終目的，而是應該將它看成是達到目的的方法。成功的先決條件就是具備比累積財富更崇高的理想。凡是渴望成功的人都應該先定下一個自己願意全力以赴的理想目標。
6. With such an ideal in mind, the ways and means can and will be provided, but the mistake must not be made of substituting the means for the end. There must be a definite fixed purpose, an ideal. 一旦你心中有了這種理想，就會自然找到實現理想的途徑和方法。在實現的過程中，切記不要犯下把方法當成目的的錯誤。一定要立定一個具體、穩固的目標，也就是「理想」。
7. Prentice Mulford said: "The man of success is the man possessed of the greatest spiritual understanding and every great fortune comes of superior and truly spiritual power." Unfortunately, there are those who fail to recognize this power; they forget that Andrew Carnegie's mother had to help support the family when they came to America, that Harriman's father was a poor clergyman with a salary of only $200.00 a year, that Sir Thomas Lipton started with only 25 cents. These men had no other power to depend upon, but it did not fail them. 十九世紀新思想運動推動者普林提斯．馬爾福德（PrenticeMulford）曾說：「成功者正是擁有最高精神領悟的人，所有龐大財富都源於這一超然、真實的精神能量。」遺憾的是很多人無緣認識這種能量，這些人不記得鋼鐵大王安德魯．卡內基（Andrew Carnegie）全家剛移民美國時，母親其實還得外出工作補貼家計；美國鐵路大王愛德華．亨利．哈利曼（Edward Henry Harriman）的父親只是一位年薪兩百美元的窮牧師；英國企業家湯瑪士．立頓（Thomas Lipton）爵士的創業資本僅二十五美分。這些成功代表都是無權無勢之輩，但最終都靠著白手起家闖出一片天。
8. The power to create depends entirely upon spiritual power; there are three steps, idealization, visualization and materialization. Every captain of industry depends upon this power exclusively. In an article in Everybody's Magazine, Henry M. Flagler, the Standard Oil multi-millionaire, admitted that the secret of his success was his power to see a thing in its completeness. The following conversation with the reporter shows his power of idealization, concentration and visualization, all spiritual powers: 創造力完全取決於心靈的能量，共包含了三大步驟：「理想化」、「視覺化」、「具體化」。每一家企業的領導者都是靠著這種能量才能得到成功。標準石油（Standard Oil）共同創辦人之一亨利．M．富萊勒（Henry M. Flagler）身價億萬美元，在《人人雜誌》（Everybody's Magazine）一篇文章中透露，自己成功之祕就是全面檢視問題的能力。以下是他與記者的對談，顯示他運用理想化、專注和視覺化想像的心靈能量：
9. "Did you actually vision to yourself the whole thing? I mean, did you, or could you, really close your eyes and see the tracks? And the trains running? and hear the whistles blowing: Did you go as far as that?" "Yes." "How clearly?" "Very clearly." 「你是否真的會想像整件事情完成時的畫面？我的意思是，你真的能做到閉上眼睛也能清楚看到火車奔馳在軌道上、清晰聽見汽笛發出轟隆鳴聲？你真的能做到這個程度嗎？」「沒錯。」「有多清楚？」「再清楚不過。」
10. Here we have a vision of the law, we see "cause and effect", we see that thought necessarily precedes and determines action. If we are wise, we shall come into a realization of the tremendous fact that no arbitrary condition can exist for a moment, and that human experience is the result of an orderly and harmonious sequence. 我們可以從中觀察到法則的存在，看到「因果關係」的運行，我們瞭解到思想必然先行於行動，並且決定了行動。如果我們夠明智，就能領會一個重要的事實：任何境遇自有成因，人類的一切經歷都依循著和諧有序的前因後果。
11. The successful business man is more often than not an idealist and is every striving for higher and higher standards. The subtle forces of thought as they crystallize in our daily moods is what constitutes life. 成功的生意人多半是理想主義者，他們持之以恆地朝向更嚴格的標準邁進。想法的精妙力量形塑我們的日常生活，進而建構我們的人生。
12. Thought is the plastic material with which we build images of our growing conception of life. Use determines its existence. As in all other things our ability to recognize it and use it properly is the necessary condition for attainment. 思想就像是一種具有可塑性的素材，我們用這種素材來建構生命成長概念的圖像，「應用」決定了它存在的意義。就如同所有其他事物一樣，我們能否認識它的存在並正確地使用，正是能否獲得這種力量的必要條件。
13. Premature wealth is but the forerunner of humiliation and disaster, because we cannot permanently retain anything which we do not merit or which we have not earned. 在時機尚未成熟的時候得到財富，只會帶來羞辱和災難，這是因為我們不能永遠留住我們不該得的東西，也留不住我們尚未有能力賺得的財富。
14. The conditions with which we meet in the world without, correspond to the conditions which we find in the world within. This is brought about by the law of attraction. How then shall we determine what is to enter into the world within? 我們在外在世界所面臨的種種際遇都可以在自己的內心世界找到相應的經歷，這一點取決於吸引力法則。那麼，我們應該如何決定任由哪些事物進入我們的內心世界？
15. Whatever enters the mind through the senses or the objective mind will impress the mind and result in a mental image which will become a pattern for the creative energies. These experiences are largely the result of environment, chance, past thinking and other forms of negative thought, and must be subjected to careful analysis before being entertained. On the other hand, we can form our own mental images, through our own interior processes of thought regardless of the thoughts of others, regardless of exterior conditions, regardless of environment of every kind, and it is by the exercise of this power that we can control our own destiny, body, mind and soul. 經由我們的感覺器官或客觀意識進入心智的一切事物，都會在心上烙下印記，並形成一幅精神圖像，這圖像會成為創造性能量在進行創造時依據的樣本。這些經歷大多來自外在環境、際遇、過去的思想，甚至是其他各種型態的負面思想，我們必須在它們進入心智之前仔細分析驗證。另一方面，我們可以透過內在的思維過程自主創造心靈圖像，無需顧慮其他人的想法、外在條件與形形色色的各種環境，只要活用這種力量就可以掌握自己的命運、身體、心智和心靈。
16. It is by the exercise of this power that we take our fate out of the hands of chance, and consciously make for ourselves the experiences which we desire, because when we consciously realize a condition, that condition will eventually manifest in our lives; it is therefore evident that in the last analysis thinking is the one great cause in life. 藉由這種能力的練習，我們可以將自己的命運牢牢掌握在手中，並自發自覺地為自己創造出渴望得到的經歷，因為當我們自覺地理解某一種境遇時，那境遇最終將會在我們的生活中化為實體。很明顯的，思想就是生命中的成因。
17. Therefore, to control thought is to control circumstances, conditions, environment, and destiny. 因此，掌握思想就是掌握環境、際遇與命運。
18. How then are we to control thought; what is the process? To think is to create a thought, but the result of the thought will depend upon its form, its quality and its vitality. 那麼我們要如何掌握思想？整個過程該怎麼進行？所謂思考就是創造想法，但這個想法將帶來怎樣的結果，取決於思想的型態、特質和生命力。
19. The form will depend upon the mental images from which it emanates; this will depend upon the depth of the impression, the predominance of the idea, the clarity of the vision, the boldness of the image. 思想的型態取決於心靈圖像的意象，這取決於印象的深刻度、想法的卓越度、願景的清晰度以及精神圖像本身的大膽程度。
20. The quality depends upon its substance, and this depends upon the material of which the mind is composed; if this material has been woven from thoughts of vigor, strength, courage, determination, the thought will possess these qualities. 思想的特質取決於它的組成物質，這些組成物質又取決於形塑心靈的素材。倘若這些素材是由勇氣、膽識、力量、意志力交織而成，那它所編織的思想就會擁有這樣的特質。
21. And finally, the vitality depends upon the feeling with which the thought is impregnated. If the thought is constructive, it will possess vitality; it will have life, it will grow, develop, expand, it will be creative; it will attract to itself everything necessary for its complete development. 最後，思想的活力取決於每個人構思當下的感受。倘若思想具有建設性，必將充滿活力、生動鮮明，而且會成長、茁壯、具有創造性；還會為自己完整的生長過程磁吸自身所需的一切條件。
22. If the thought is destructive, it will have within itself the germ of its own dissolution; it will die, but in the process of dying, it will bring sickness, disease, and every other form of discord. 但如果思想具有破壞性，就會自發性長出自我破壞的壞菌；它最終將會凋零，但在邁向消滅的期間會招致疾病、患難及其他形式的不和諧。
23. This we call evil, and when we bring it upon ourselves, some of us are disposed to attribute our difficulties to a Supreme Being, but this supreme being is simply Mind in equilibrium. 這就是我們所說的「邪惡」。當我們召喚邪惡上身時，有些人會傾向把我們遭遇的所有困難歸咎於至高無上的造物主，但所謂至高無上的造物主不過就是處於平衡狀態的心智。
24. It is neither good nor bad, it simply is. 它既稱不上好，也無所謂壞，造物主就只是一種超然的存在。
25. Our ability to differentiate it into form is our ability to manifest good or evil. 我們具有將它分化為不同形態的能力，就是這種能力造就了「善」與「惡」。
26. Good and evil therefore are not entities, they are simply words which we use to indicate the result of our actions, and these actions are in turn predetermined by the character of our thought. 因此，善與惡都不是實體，而是用來形容我們自身行動結果的詞彙而已。我們會採取何種行動，取決於我們自身思想的性質。
27. If our thought is constructive and harmonious we manifest good; if it is destructive and discordant we manifest evil. 假使我們的思想具有建設性、和諧感，我們就能揚善；如果它具有破壞性、不和諧，我們就是作惡。
28. If you desire to visualize a different environment, the process is simply to hold the ideal in mind, until your vision has been made real; give no thought to persons, places or things; these have no place in the absolute; the environment you desire will contain everything necessary; the right persons, and the right things will come at the right time and in the right place. 如果你想要具象化另一個環境，執行的程序就是：在心中牢牢記住這幅圖像，直到你的願景美夢成真。請不要讓其他人、事、物闖進來；這些旁騖都不是絕對要事。你渴望的境遇本身涵蓋著必要的一切條件──正確的對象、正確的事件會在正確的時間和正確的地點自然發生。
29. It is sometimes not plain how character, ability, attainment, achievement, environment and destiny can be controlled through the power of visualization, but this is an exact scientific fact. 有時候，我們可能無法通盤明白，視覺化的力量究竟如何控制我們的性格、能力、學識、成就、環境與命運，但這一點絕對是禁得起科學檢驗的事實。
30. You will readily see that what we think determines the quality of mind, and that the quality of mind in turn determines our ability and mental capacity, and you can readily understand that the improvement in our ability will naturally be followed by increase in attainment and a greater control of circumstances. 你將很快就會看到，我們思考的內容決定心智的品質，心智的品質則又反過來決定我們的能力和心智能量。你也可以很快理解到，隨著我們身心能力的提升，成就自然也會提升，同時能夠更完善地掌控自身的環境。
31. It will thus be seen that Natural laws work in a perfectly natural and harmonious manner; everything seems to "just happen." If you want any evidence of this fact simply compare results of your efforts in your own life, when your actions were prompted by high ideals and when you had selfish or ulterior motives in mind. You will need no further evidence. 因此，你可以看出來，自然法則完美地在一種自然又和諧的秩序下運行，每一件事似乎都是「水到渠成」。如果你要求檢驗這個事實的證據，請簡單比較一下，這一生你付出的努力換來什麼成果。當你的行動是受到崇高理念所驅動，結果如何？但是當你懷抱自私自利的動機時，結果又如何？答案不言自明。
32. If you wish to bring about the realization of any desire, form a mental picture of success in your mind, by consciously visualizing your desire; in this way you will be compelling success, you will be externalizing it in your life by scientific methods. 如果你期盼實現任何渴望，請在你的心中描繪出一幅成功的精神圖像。你若能自發自覺地具象化自己的渴望，這種方式就能讓你推進成功，你也就可以採用科學手法將它具體化。
33. We can only see what already exists in the objective world, but what we visualize, already exists in the spiritual world, and this visualization is a substantial token of what will one day appear in the objective world, if we are faithful to our ideal. The reason for this is not difficult; visualization is a form of imagination; this process of thinking forms impressions on the mind, and these impressions in turn form concepts and ideals, and they in turn are the plans from which the Master architect will weave the future. 我們的肉眼僅可以看到客觀世界中的存在，但我們可以把存在於精神世界中的事物具象化。倘若我們忠於自己的理想，那我們想像的畫面就會成為一個重要標記，終有一天將會顯現在客觀世界中。原因不難理解，視覺化想像是想像力的表現形式，思考的過程會形成心智印象，這些印象又會反過來形塑概念與理想，之後它們也會再轉化成為計畫，偉大的造物主正是廣納這些計畫打造我們的未來。
34. The psychologists have come to the conclusion that there is but one sense, the sense of feeling, and that all other senses are but modifications of this one sense; this being true, we know why feeling is the very fountain head of power, why the emotions so easily overcome the intellect, and why we must put feeling into our thought, if we wish results. Thought and feeling is the irresistible combination. 心理學家已經歸納出結論：我們只有一種感官功能，那就是感受的感官功能，其他感官功能都可說是它的變體。這話說得正確。我們知道為什麼感受是一切能量的泉源，我們知道情感為何能輕易地凌駕理智，我們知道為什麼期待開花結果就必須在思想中注入感受的成分。思想和情感是不可分割的共同體。
35. Visualization must, of course, be directed by the will; we are to visualize exactly what we want; we must be careful not to let the imagination run riot. Imagination is a good servant but a poor master, and unless it is controlled it may easily lead us into all kinds of speculations and conclusions which have no basis or foundation of fact whatever. Every kind of plausible opinion is liable to be accepted without any analytical examination and the inevitable result is mental chaos. 當然，視覺化想像必須由意志力來引導，這樣我們才可以精準地視覺化自己所期盼的事物，我們必須小心謹慎，別讓想像力有如脫韁野馬馳騁。想像力可說是一流僕人、三流主人，除非駕馭得當，否則很容易就帶著我們沉淪在天馬行空的空想與毫無事實根據的結論中。如果欠缺檢驗分析，我們的心智就很容易對那些似是而非的意見照單全收，結果可能是導致精神錯亂。
36. We must therefore construct only such mental images as are known to be scientifically true. Subject every idea to a searching analysis and accept nothing which is not scientifically exact. When you do this you will attempt nothing but what you know you can carry out and success will crown your efforts; this is what businessmen call far-sightedness; it is much the same as insight, and is one of the great secrets of success in all important undertakings. 因此，我們必須只構築科學解釋站得住腳的正確精神圖景。透澈分析每一個想法，除非是科學檢驗正確無誤，否則絕對拒之門外。當你這麼做，你就不會浪費力氣在無謂的事情上，而是專注在你知道可以實現的目標上，成功將會為你付出的努力加冕。這就是生意人所說的「先見之明」，它和洞察力頗為類似，可以說是所有事業成功的偉大祕密之一。
37. 【本週練習】For your exercise this week, try to bring yourself to a realization of the important fact that harmony and happiness are states of consciousness and do not depend upon the possession of things. That things are effects and come as a consequence of correct mental states. So that if we desire material possession of any kind our chief concern should be to acquire the mental attitude which will bring about the result desired. This mental attitude is brought about by a realization of our spiritual nature and our unity with the Universal Mind which is the substance of all things. This realization will bring about everything which is necessary for our complete enjoyment. This is scientific or correct thinking. When we succeed in bringing about this mental attitude it is comparatively easy to realize our desire as an already accomplished fact; when we can do this we shall have found the "Truth" which makes us "free" from every lack or limitation of any kind. 本週，你的作業就是充分理解一個重要事實，亦即和諧與幸福是一種自覺意識的狀態，並非由擁有物質來決定。唯有塑造良好精神狀態，才能收割在這種心境下生成的果實。如此一來，假若我們渴望得到物質財富，我們首要的關注目標應該是任何可以為我們帶來豐碩結果的良好心態。要養成這種心靈狀態，唯有充分理解我們的精神本質，並與身為萬物之源的宇宙心智合而為一。這才是科學、正確的思維方式。當我們進入這種心靈狀態，就會更容易瞭解「我們想要的一切其實早以實現」。到了這個境界，我們自然就會發現「真理」將我們從各式各樣的匱乏和局限中「解放」出來。

"A man might frame and let loose a star, to roll in its orbit, and yet not have done so memorable a thing before God as he who lets a golden-orbed thought to roll through the generations of time." —— H. W. Beecher

Study Questions with Answers

1. Upon what does wealth depend? Upon an understanding of the creative nature of thought. Q1：財富取決於何物？A：取決於是否能理解思想的創造性本質。
2. Upon what does its true value consist? Upon its exchange value. Q2：它的真正價值取決於何物？A：取決於交換的可能性。
3. Upon what does success depend? Upon spiritual power. Q3：成功取決於何物？A：取決於能否掌握精神力量。
4. Upon what does this power depend? Upon use; use determines its existence. Q4：這股力量又是取決於何物？A：實際應用。使用決定它存在的意義。
5. How may we take our fate out of the hands of chance? By consciously realizing the conditions which we desire to see manifested in our lives. Q5：我們如何才讓自己的命運不再是隨機事件？A：自發自覺地讓我們渴望的境遇在自身生活中發生。
6. What then is the great business of life? Thinking. Q6：若是如此，生命中的最重要的是什麼？A：思想。
7. Why is this so? Because thought is spiritual and therefore creative. To consciously control thought is therefore to control circumstances, conditions, environment and destiny. Q7：（承上題）何以如此？A：因為思想屬於精神層面，因此具有創造性。自發自覺地掌控思想就是掌控環境、條件、環境和命運。
8. What is the source of all evil? Destructive thinking. Q8：所有「惡」的根源為何物？A：具有破壞性的思維。
9. What is the source of all good? Scientific correct thinking. Q9：所有「善」的來源為何物？A：採用科學方法正確思考。
10. What is scientific thinking? A recognition of the creative nature of spiritual energy and our ability to control it. Q10：何謂採用科學的方法思考？A：體認到靈性能量的創造性本質，以及我們有能力可以控制它。

“The greatest events of an age are its best thoughts. It is the nature of thought to find its way into action." —— Bovee.