New Thought

New Thought is a way of thinking.

Many people follow these ideas. They believe that thoughts are very strong.

Some people think good thoughts can help them. They believe this can help them feel well. They also believe that God is everywhere.

Many leaders helped start this movement. A man named Phineas Quimby was one of them. He thought the mind could help the body.

People also use books to learn. They read magazines about these ideas. One magazine was for children. It lasted for a very long time.

Today, many groups still share these ideas. They teach people to be kind to others. They want to use their minds for good.

New Thought is a group of ideas and faiths. It started in the United States in the early 1800s.

Many people believe our thoughts are very powerful. They think our mental state can change our lives. Some followers believe that God is everywhere. They say that every person has a spark of the divine inside them.

Many thinkers helped shape these ideas. Phineas Quimby was a key leader. He believed that sickness could start in the mind. He thought a mind open to God could heal.

Other writers, like Henry Wood, taught people how to use disciplined thought. This was seen as a practical way to live.

New Thought also uses books and magazines to spread its message. One famous idea is the Law of Attraction. This is the belief that our thoughts can draw things to us.

Many women were leaders in this movement. They led churches and taught others. Today, many groups still follow these paths. They focus on positive thinking and being kind to all.

New Thought is a religious movement that began in the United States. It started growing during the early 19th century. Many followers believe that our thoughts have a special power. They think our minds can affect our lives and the world around us.

This movement is not just one single group. It is a collection of different churches and thinkers. They often share ideas about positive thinking and the law of attraction. They also talk about healing and personal power.

There are many core beliefs that people in this movement hold. Most believe that a supreme force called Infinite Intelligence is everywhere. They feel that every person is a spiritual being with a divine part inside.

Some followers believe that sickness begins in the mind. Because of this, they believe "right thinking" can help a person heal. They also teach that we should love one another without any conditions. They believe our mental states shape our daily experiences.

Many different people helped build these ideas over many years. Phineas Quimby was an important healer in the 1800s. He believed a mind open to God could overcome illness.

Other thinkers like Henry Wood wrote books to explain these ideas clearly. Wood viewed these ideas as a practical way to train the mind. Women also played very large roles as leaders. Famous teachers included Emma Curtis Hopkins and Myrtle Fillmore. Many churches and centers have been led by women since the 1880s.

Some of these ideas came from scientific studies in the 19th century. Doctors in France studied how suggestion could work on the mind. Later, the Chicago School of Psychology was founded in 1896.

This school used the language of psychology to teach mental laws. A man named William Walker Atkinson helped spread these ideas to everyone. He wrote many books about thought force and personal magnetism. He also helped run a famous magazine for the movement.

New Thought grew a lot through the use of books and magazines. Writers like Prentice Mulford helped explain the Law of Attraction.

One magazine called Nautilus had a very large number of readers. There was even a children's magazine called Wee Wisdom that lasted for many years. Today, many groups still meet to talk about these spiritual ideas. Some groups belong to the International New Thought Alliance. This group helps many different institutions stay connected to these ideals.

New Thought is a religious movement that emerged in the United States during the early 19th century. It is often referred to as Higher Thought. This movement is not a single, unified organization. Instead, it is a loosely allied group of religious denominations, philosophers, and individual authors. They share a common interest in metaphysics and the power of the human mind. Many followers believe in the law of attraction and the concept of personal power. They also explore ideas regarding healing and a spiritual life force.

At the center of New Thought are several core metaphysical beliefs. Adherents believe that a supreme, universal, and everlasting force called Infinite Intelligence, or God, is everywhere. They hold that spirit represents the totality of all real things. A key idea is that true human selfhood is divine, meaning divinity dwells within every person. Followers believe that all people are spiritual beings. They teach that divine thought acts as a force for good. Another central tenet is that our mental states are carried forward into manifestation. This means our thoughts become our actual experiences in daily living. Consequently, many believe that sickness originates in the mind and that "right thinking" can have a healing effect.

The movement's origins are often traced to various historical thinkers. Some point to Franz Mesmer, a European thinker who linked mental states to physical conditions. However, many trace the movement more directly to Phineas Quimby. Quimby was an American mesmerist and healer active in the 19th century. He believed that illness resulted from erroneous beliefs in the mind. He taught that a mind open to God's wisdom could overcome any sickness. Interestingly, Quimby's methods were often seen as separate from traditional religion. His son noted that Quimby's healing did not involve prayer or asking a divinity for help. Instead, he relied on his own wisdom. This differs from Christian Science, which was founded by Mary Baker Eddy. Eddy was a patient of Quimby and shared his view on mental causes of disease, but her teaching was a religious one.

As the movement developed, it moved through several distinct stages and denominations. In the late 19th century, various churches emerged to formalize these ideas. The Unity Church and the Church of Divine Science were established in 1888 and 1889. Later, Religious Science grew from the establishment of the Institute of Religious Science and Philosophy in 1927. Women played a vital role in leading these early developments. Notable founders and teachers included Emma Curtis Hopkins, known as the "teacher of teachers." Other important figures were Myrtle Fillmore, Malinda Cramer, and Nona L. Brooks. Many community centers and churches have continued to be led by women from the 1880s to the present day.

New Thought also integrated ideas from the field of psychology. In the 19th century, the Nancy School in France studied how suggestion worked. Physicians like Ambroise-Auguste Liébeault and Hippolyte Bernheim viewed hypnosis as a psychological state. In the United States, these clinical principles were institutionalized at the Chicago School of Psychology. Founded by Herbert A. Parkyn in 1896, this school used scientific language. They taught that the "Law of Suggestion" operated according to fixed mental laws. William Walker Atkinson was a prominent figure who emerged from this school. He translated clinical ideas into concepts like thought force and personal magnetism.

Literature has been a primary driver of growth for the movement. Many followers learned through books and magazines rather than just through churches. Prentice Mulford was pivotal, especially through his essays on the Law of Attraction. William Walker Atkinson was also highly prolific, writing more than 100 books. He served as the editor of New Thought magazine, a highly influential journal. Other publications, like Elizabeth Towne's Nautilus, reached massive audiences. Nautilus had a total circulation of approximately 150,000 readers. There was even a long-running children's magazine called Wee Wisdom, which published from 1893 until 1991.

Today, the movement remains connected through various organizations and publications. The International New Thought Alliance (INTA) serves as a voluntary membership organization. It aims to advance New Thought ideals and includes approximately 350 institutional members. Some reports suggest there are around 200 affiliated societies, some of which still use the label "church." Modern magazines like Daily Word and Science of Mind continue to reach readers. The movement connects ancient wisdom with modern psychological concepts. It remains a diverse collection of people exploring the relationship between consciousness and reality.