Correspondence course: The psychology of use or The extravagance of economy

Foreword

The purpose of this Course of Study is not to teach students either to spend or save money, but to teach how to develop such a consciousness and thought habit as will enable one to use his money so he will attract a constantly increasing abundance of supply to him.

Life on every plane of consciousness is purely a question of relationships; nothing is absolute except Universal Law, and no form is ever perfect except for its kind.

There are a number of men in the United States whose annual incomes are more than twenty millions of dollars.

iii iv FOREWORD

There are also more men here whose incomes are less than two thousand dollars annually than there are whose incomes exceed that amount.

Money does not turn from the one class into the coffers of the other by accident, chance or luck, but as the result of the use each one makes of universal laws.

That those in both these classes use these universal laws unknowingly does not prevent the universal laws from working.

The earth has been revolving in its orbit around the Sun ever since it was created, although the most enlightened men a few centuries ago taught that the Sun revolved around the earth and tortured those who disagreed with them. They are still attempting to do the same thing to-day.

FOREWORD v

These Lessons are designed to teach the student what the universal law is that directs this flow of money away from some persons and towards others;

Also how to use this universal law knowingly, constructively and harmoniously, and so be able to direct a constantly increasing flow towards such user.

The underlying principles taught in these Lessons are not new; they have been known to man for ages, but the use taught of universal laws is new.

It is so different and at such complete variance with all former teachings of every science, philosophy and religion with which the world is familiar that the ordinary student is likely to stand aghast with amazement when he first hears them.

There are others who will at once recognize the truth of everything taught herein vi FOREWORD

for their own soul has lived them in consciousness and knows they are true.

The real student always starts to learn his lesson with an open and receptive mind. He knows that unless he is ready to receive what the teacher has to give out, he will make but little progress.

When he finds a statement he is not yet ready to accept as a greater interpretation of truth than he already knows, he does not reject it but begins to study and analyze it more closely.

In order to study these Lessons constructively, one should relax in both mind and body and become receptive to their vibrations.

The strained, tense, forceful condition in which many earnest seekers after knowledge, wisdom and understanding, pursue their quest, should be avoided.

FOREWORD vii

No attempt should be made to memorize the text. One might be able to repeat every word in these Lessons and their answers and still not know the first thing taught in them.

In such a case he would have the form, the outer clothing, but would not have the inner meaning or consciousness.

The Lessons should be read often, absorbed and assimilated.

Not a day should be allowed to pass without reference to them. This aids in keeping their teaching fresh in our memory and we unconsciously absorb and assimilate the consciousness back of them.

In this way will the student get into and relate with the finer, more vibrant and harmonious currents where he will obtain a better understanding of the viii FOREWORD

Author's interpretation and subtle teaching.

The universal law of use by an intelligent, constructive and harmonious consciousness, is the keynote to these Lessons.

The subtleness of this law and its action can be best understood by those who go deeper than the surface.

The vital importance of this is selfevident to the thinker and analyst.

A consciousness and thought habit of harmony by which this subtle universal law of use may be knowingly and constructively applied so one may "eat his cake and have it too," figuratively speaking, is not grown in a day by those who have spent years and incarnations in growing the opposite kind of a consciousness and thought habit.

FOREWORD ix

But it can be grown and these Lessons teach how to do it.

Such a consciousness and thought habit is the result of persistent study and application, and can be grown by any earnest student who will persist.

Such a consciousness and thought habit can be grown by any student in less than half the time it has taken him to grow the kind of a one he now has, and it is worth the price any one may have to pay in time, effort and study.

The Author knows the truth of this for he does not teach any universal law until he has first tested and proven its truth for himself.

His work then becomes that of a teacher ; to teach these universal laws and their application to those who want to x FOREWORD

learn ; he has no desire to reach others nor "convert" any one.

Your work is to prove as much or as little of these teachings as you may desire.

The Author.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS

When one loves or enjoys doing a thing he gets more out of it than is otherwise the case.

This is because he does it under the Law of Harmony and so both his action and its reaction on him are harmonious and constructive.

The student should therefore study these Lessons with the feeling it is his blessed privilege to do so. The stronger this feeling is within him the more will he get out of the Lessons and the better and deeper will be his understanding of them.

He should remember it has taken vears xii SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS

for him to grow his consciousness and thought habit of economy, and while it is possible for him to learn how to change that consciousness in a few hours, yet the process of effecting the change usually takes longer than learning how to make it.

The process of making the change in anything is purely a matter of use and growth, after one learns how to make it.

How long it will take any one to effect the change in his consciousness and thought habit, which these Lessons teach, will be determined solely by the use he makes of the knowledge contained in them, and the growth in his consciousness resulting from such use.

The amount of time to be given to the study of these Lessons is a matter for each student to determine for himself, but it is wise to give them some time each day.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS xiii

When their study is taken up one should relax, let go, get as easy and comfortable as he can, then quietly and calmly read over the Lesson or such part of it as he may wish. One should do this as best he can whether he is riding in the subway or in the seclusion of his own home.

One should never attempt to memorize the Lesson. It should be read over carefully and as much of it absorbed as possible, that is, the student should not "work at it," nor attempt to force, make or compel himself to understand or remember.

When the student is ready to answer the questions at the end of each Lesson he should take a separate piece of paper, write his own name and address at the top, also the following: "Answers to Questions of Lesson One (or whatever xiv SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS

the number of the Lesson may be) The Extravagance of Economy/'

It is not necessary to write the questions; simply answer them in their numerical order, placing the number only of such question before the answer.

By being careful to follow the instructions in the two preceding paragraphs you will greatly aid in the review of your answers.

The student should remember he is writing these answers for his own benefit, not for ours and that the more he uses his own language in giving his answers (rather than the language used in the text) the more will he show his own understanding of the Lesson.

We would suggest the student write his answers just as though he was explaining the matter to some one who knew

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS xv

nothing about it, but to whom he wished to give as clear and lucid an explanation as he was capable of giving.

When sending in answers for review students may ash any question about the Lesson they desire.

When answers to all three Lessons have been received by us we will mail you a copy of the printed answers without further expense.

These are contained in a book similar to this one comprising about the same number of printed pages. It is a most valuable adjunct to these Lessons.

CENTRE PUBLISHING CO.,

108 and 110 W. 34th St., New York.

OR

The Extravagance of Economy by F. W. Sears, M.P.

Immediately after the announcement of the armistice in the great world war, November, 1918, the call went out for the people of the United States to economize so we might pay off the immense debt our country had incurred.

All the other Nations of the world also called upon their people to economize, either for the same reason or some other which seemed equally important to them.

Economy; economy; economy; was the cry heard everywhere.

From the administration at Washington to the humble housewife bending over her wash tub;

From the great financiers of Wall Street to the "bolsheviki" orators haranguing the crowd;

From sky-line billboards, merchant's windows, newspaper editorial and advertising columns, has the cry for economy been blazoned forth to an ignorant, impressionable and unsuspecting public.

Economy sales of hats, shoes, clothing, gowns, food, and everything else one could think of, have faced us no matter which way we turned.

So insistent have these calls for economy been, one would almost be inclined to think that all the money in the world had been destroyed and there was little or no hope of ever being able to get any more.

Conversation with even casual acquaintances seemed impossible without the question of economy being brought up in some way.

While in conversation with a well to do business man one day he commented on having his last year's straw hat cleaned up so he could wear it and economize in his expenditures.

Let me say right here that it matters not how many old hats, old suits of clothes, old gowns, old shoes, or old anything else we may have repaired and wear, as long as we do so with the thought, the feeling, the consciousness, of their being of use to us.

It is the thought, the feeling, the consciousness, of doing these things for the purpose of economizing which is destructive.

It is not the thing we are doing which is destructive, but it is the consciousness with which we do it that determines whether its effect is constructive or destructive.

This truth is fundamental in the Sears Philosophy, and proves itself whenever we are ready to prove it.

Why the thought, the feeling, the consciousness, makes this difference will be more explicitly unfolded to the student as he progresses in the study of these Lessons.

For some time now has the entire world been concentrating on the thought, the idea, the image, the vision, of economy and practicing it as best it knows how, and what is the result?

Every Nation in the world feels poor and poverty-stricken, no matter what its financial condition may be.

Shortly after the United States declared war against Germany in April, 1917, our Government, through Secretary Houston, sent out a long and earnest plea for all of our people to economize in every possible way so we might have ample means with which to carry on the war.

The response was so quick, earnest and whole-hearted, the effect so sudden and complete, that it was quickly brought home to our politicians, financiers and business men generally that the life blood of the Nation was being sapped at its fountain head by the economy of the people.

None of these "great" men had learned the great universal law of use (which we see expressed everywhere around us when we look with eyes that see), constructive and harmonious use, and that the more we use anything under the Law of Harmony the more of it do we have to use; while the less we use of it, or when we use it under the Law of Force, the less we have of it to use.

The Washington administration was soon calling for help and urging the people to at least buy what they really needed in order that business might be continued along more normal lines.

Such reversal of form by the Government was practically telling the people it did not know what it was talking about before and did not mean all it had said.

The damage had been done, however, and not until the people began to see evidences of the extravagant war expenditures of the Government did they cease pinching down in their expenditures, and economizing.

While the practice of economy ceased almost entirely for the time being, yet the consciousness of it remained dormant with the people.

Man seldom learns his lesson from one experience, but usually has to have many of them before he even realizes what the lesson is that he has to learn.

The history of 1920 shows that the experiences of 1917 in the practice of economy were again repeated, but without the accompanying inspiration to the masses of the extravagant and prodigal was expenditures by the Government.

The business world experienced a period of stagnation and adjustment which needed but little encouragement to become a panic. Nearly every one we met was curtailing his expenses in order to economize, like the man with the straw hat.

Banks curtailed their loans in order that they might be prepared for anything which might happen.

Liberty bonds touched new low levels.

Stocks and bonds of undoubted value were selling at prices way below that justified by both their intrinsic and earning value.

Interest rates increased beyond the legal rates allowed in many states in the frantic endeavor to draw capital to the various industries.

And still the cry went out for yet greater economy.

Why do the great financiers, the monied interests of the world, endorse and encourage this cry for economy, but refuse to practice it?

Do they understand the universal law of use and so know that the less the masses use their money the more will they need to economize and the longer will they remain slaves in their consciousness and so be the easier to exploit?

Should the practice of economy in the use of money be a wise provision and in full accord with the highest, best and greatest use of Energy under universal law, then economy is a wise practice in its application to all things and not simply in its application to the use of money.

One of the very first things our country did after declaring war was to call out all of our young men in order to train them for the arduous duties the work of a soldier entails.

The army and navy officers did not economize in their work of developing the muscular and physical strength and the mental power of our boys, but went carefully and systematically at work to bring it out and develop it to the uttermost.

Man has learned that through the gradual, systematic and harmonious development of the muscles of his physical body he can increase his strength and power of endurance (that is, his ability to use Energy through his physical body) to an almost unlimited degree.

He has also learned that by economizing in the use of his muscles, or by using them inharmoniously and destructively, he impairs their usefulness, decreases his physical strength and power of endurance, and when this is persisted in for any length of time he becomes physically unfit and an easy prey to disease.

We can, therefore, readily see and understand that economy is not a universal law, but is a law which man, in his ignorance, has made for himself.

When we look with eyes that see we cannot help but read Nature's story everywhere which is that abundance, extravagance even to the extent of profligacy, is the universal law.

That the more we use of anything under the Law of Harmony the more of it do we have to use; while the less we use of it, economize in our use of it, or use it under the Law of Force, the less do we have of it to use.

Let us apply this truth to the use of money from a National viewpoint and analyze the result.

Prior to the breaking out of the great World War in 1914, Great Britain was always a creditor Nation.

She became a creditor Nation by reason of the savings of her people as the result of their practicing economy.

In other words she became a creditor Nation under the Law of Force by reason of her people straining, striving, scrimping, saving, denying themselves, economizing, in their expenditures in order to have something for a "rainy day."

What was the result?

The great World War came along and took away, under the Law of Force, all of her great savings so accumulated, and changed her from a creditor Nation to a debtor one.

Before the World War the United States was always a debtor Nation, that is, it sent more money out of the country each year than it received from other Nations.

As a Nation the United States has always expended its money lavishly, extravagantly, profligately, and yet in the face of this fact and the further fact that she is the youngest of all the great Nations of the world, she is also the richest of them all.

During the war she cancelled practically all of her foreign indebtedness, and from being a debtor Nation at the beginning of the war she became a creditor Nation before the close of the war.

Had it not been for her consciousness of the abundance of the supply of everything and her oneness with it, that no matter how much she spent there was always "plenty more" where that came from, she never would and never could have accomplished this result, to say nothing of financing her own war expenditures of twenty-five billions of dollars and the loaning to the allies of ten billions of dollars in addition.

There always will be "plenty more" for her as long as she retains that kind of a consciousness and thought habit and works under the Law of Harmonv.

a/

The same thing is true of the individual.

When Ave eliminate the fear habit from our consciousness, whether it be the fear of a lack of money, health, love, strength, courage, social position, business success, political power, or what not;

When we cease to use our fear faculties and allow them to atrophy from disuse, using those of courage and harmony instead, we will begin the gradual development of great strength and power through the constructive use of our imagination.

We will continue to grow in strength and power under these conditions until the day will come when nothing will be impossible for us to accomplish.

Having acquired this consciousness under the Law of Harmony there will never be any desire to use our great power for any purpose other than that which will be for one's highest, best and greatest good.

Policy will have ceased to be a controlling factor in such a life, while principle and character will stand out strong, powerful and unconquerable.

Let us go back a moment and study the effect of Secretary Houston's message of economy, made to our people at the outbreak of the war.

This message so completely filled the imagination of our people with the thought and idea of economy that they stopped buying even some of the necessities of life, and at once business began to feel the full effects everywhere of this universal stoppage of trade.

The people were deeply interested in carrying on the war to a quick and successful conclusion and were ready to do everything the Government officials thought necessary towards accomplishing this end.

It was this fact that made them respond so quickly and thoroughly to the message of economy.

The stoppage of all kinds of business was so quick, strong, powerful and complete, that the Government had to start other propaganda and urge the people to begin buying again to at least the extent of what they actually needed and for which they could pay.

The Government discovered that to shut off the use of money through stopping its expenditure by economizing was like shutting off the flow of blood in the human body.

The practice of economy in the latter case would cause the death of one very soon, but it is no more deadly to the body than is the shutting off of the life blood of the Xation deadly to the Xation.

The continued free and uninterrupted circulation of money is as much of a necessity to the life of a civilized Nation as is the free and uninterrupted circulation of blood to the life of the individual.

Interfere in any way with the blood's circulation and the individual's life is endangered.

Interfere in any way with the money circulation of a civilized Nation of to-day and its commercial life is endangered.

And yet everywhere in financial, business and political circles, all of which ought to know better, was heard the cry for economy and the censure of extravagance.

Extravagance of what? Material things?

Suppose we should destroy everything man has ever created and which is in the

LESSON fc ONE 19

world to-day we could replace them all in a comparatively short time.

But destroy the consciousness, the feeling , the knowledge that we have the ability to do this; destroy our consciousness of the abundance of the supply and our oneness with it, that is, our ability to create, and there would be no hope for us anywhere.

Those who have censured extravagance and preached economy are the most destructively extravagant of all for they would ignorantly destroy the consciousness and thought habit of abundance (in which all material things are first created) in their ignorant use of their power.

The greatest and most destructive extravagance man can possibly commit is to grow a consciousness and thought habit of economy; this far transcends any material waste or extravagance he can otherwise express.

A consciousness and thought habit of economy shuts man away from the universal source of supply, curtails the production of material things — which are the symbols of wealth — and limits his relationship with all material and spiritual things.

Extravagance in the use of material things only destroys the material product after it is created, while in no way limiting the power to create or lessening the production, but tends rather to increase the latter.

A consciousness of economy at first destroys the incentive to create and, when persisted in, will destroy the power and ability to create.

A consciousness of economy is business and financial suicide by strangulation.

No greater and more complete, yet subtle and insidiously destructive power can come into the life of the individual or Nation than the development of a consciousness of economy.

It is far more dangerous and destructive than is T.N.T., the most powerful explosive known, for it is more subtle and far reaching in its action; its greater danger lies in its being less liable to be recognized or understood as being dangerous and destructive.

No more sure and certain prophecy of the decline to abject poverty of individual or Nation can be found than is the development of a consciousness and thought habit of economy.

I know this is heresy of the greatest kind; that all our former teachings and preconceived ideas are against this kind of philosophy.

So are all of the teachings of the Sears Philosophy heretical to our old beliefs.

That is why it is the Sears Philosophy , and why the Sears Philosophy, is different from every other science, philosophy and religion with which the world is familiar.

Questions for Lesson One

1. What is the most important thing to you

which this Lesson teaches?

2. What kind of a consciousness and thought habit

has the world been unconsciously developing?

3. How may we use our old clothes construc-

tively?

4. What truth is taught herein that is funda-

mental to the Sears Philosophy?

5. What is the effect of the world concentrating

on economy?

6. What was the effect of our Government's

call on the people to economize when the U. S. entered the great World War in 1917?

7. What was the effect again in 19*20?

8. Is the practice of economy a constructive or

destructive principle, and why?

9. Is the practice of economy a universal law or a

man-made law, and why?

10. What is the universal law that Nature

teaches?

11. How did Great Britain become a creditor

Nation?

12. How did the United States become a creditor

Nation?

13. Which character of consciousness is the more

constructive, and why?

14. Why will there always be " plenty more "?

15. What is one of the destructive habits necessary

to eliminate, and why?

16. What is the difference between " policy " and

" principle"?

17. Is it good economy to stop the flow of blood in

one's veins? Why?

18. Why did the Government change its economy

message of 1917?

19. What is the destructive feature in the prac-

tice of economy?

20. Why is a consciousness and thought habit of

economy more destructive than any material waste or extravagance ?

The Sears Philosophy is based on an unlimited fundamental principle: — the manipulation of universal Energy, the power that creates all form and gives life to it.

All other teachings, scientific, philosophical and religious, are based upon a limited fundamental : — the manipulation of form after it has been created.

Methods, which are the manner, system, creed, dogma, rules, regulations, technique, by which all form is manipulated, are the all important thing with all scientific, philosophical and religious teachings.

The consciousness and thought habit with which all methods are used is the all important thing in the Sears Philosophy teaching.

This is why we teach those who want to learn, to receive and use the Sears Philosophy to whatever extent they are able to do so, accepting only as much of it as becomes a truth to them, for it is only that much one can use constructively.

We can prove the truth of whatever we really want to prove.

When we are satisfied to prove only a limited interpretation of life then it is worse than useless for anyone to attempt to make, force or compel us to prove a larger interpretation.

Ex-President Wilson once said: "War is worth the cost can the Nation be taught to save."

This was the biggest truth he knew at that time.

Is it the biggest truth you know, or want to know?

Is it the biggest vision possible for anyone to obtain?

When we examine the history of Nations we find that the more freely their wealth has been circulated the more prosperous have they been.

Never in the history of the world have the masses had so much wealth, and never has the world generally prospered so much as during the last half century, barring the period of the World War.

The prosperity of Nations began to decline only as wealth became centralized in the hands of the few and its free circulation was curtailed.

This also holds true in the case of the individual.

The United States is the most prosperous Nation in the world's history.

Its people, individually, are the most prosperous of any Nation in the world's history.

Its people are the most intelligent and enlightened, taken as a whole, of any Nation in the world's history.

Its people have always been the most extravagant and wasteful of any Nation in the world's history.

They have never saved their wealth by denying themselves what they wanted, as have the people of other Nations.

Their savings, as a people, have been their surplus over and above what they wanted to expend for their comfort, education, pleasure and upliftment, instead of being made at the expense of these things.

They have always spent their money with a prodigality which caused the people of other Xations to gasp in astonishment and believe we were all millionaires.

It is not what man either spends or retains which counts, but it is the consciousness with which he does either one.

As the result of our Government's call for the people to economize, their imagination became filled with the fear that unless they scrimped and saved down to the very last crust the war might be lost.

Probably no one went hungry, naked or shelterless in order to effect a greater saving. In fact the "saving" was undoubtedly made up from what had heretofore been wasted rather than from any real savings made because of selfdenial.

Such "savings" were, therefore, really a surplus which had never been used before, rather than the effect of any real economy.

Had the "saving" been made with the consciousness of its being a surplus over and above what we needed or could constructively use ourselves it would have been alright, for the image such a conscionsness stamps on the imagination is one of an abundance and our oneness with it.