On Character Growth by Richard Kieninger A man IS what he thinks. His character and his fortune are the sum of all his thoughts. Everything that a man does springs from a prior thought, and even his unpremeditated responses to a surprise situation have their roots in his past habits of viewing life. Whether his spontaneous reactions are violent or gentle, brainless or wise, courageous or cowardly, the reaction is in accordance with the disciplines he has instituted in his manner of thinking or the lack of control he has over his own mind. A man’s character does not improve by chance or by the favor of the Gods. A noble character is the natural result of continued right-thinking and disciplined selection of the thoughts that course through one’s consciousness. A man IS what he thinks. His character and his fortune are the sum of all his thoughts. Everything a man does springs from a prior thought, and even his unpremeditated responses to a surprise situation have their roots in his past habits of viewing life. Since mind activity is one’s character and determines his environment, happiness, wealth, and health via the laws of mental precipitation, the whole secret of successfully coping with life stems ultimately from one’s mental activity. A man does not attract what he would like, but rather what he thinks most about, Many a husband would like a beautiful marriage, but he constantly concentrates on the “faults” of his wife. Even though man is lord of his thoughts, he is often guilty of misgoverning his domain through omission. It is easier to drift than to devote time and energy to taking thought, but advancement comes from self-evaluation, determination of cause and effect, and detailed analysis of environmental conditions in order to surmount the adverse conditions of life. A man’s mind must be intelligently cultivated lest it grow wild through neglect. If no good seeds are planted there, then every vagrant thought takes root there. Evil seeds planted by the Black Mentalists or by communications media must not be permitted to grow in one’s consciousness. Because all thoughts to which we have ever been exposed are harbored forever in the subconscious memory, we must always be on guard to quash the negative ones when they rise to a conscious level. Here, the newspapers and TV do us a vast disservice by continually displaying the vices of man. Suffering is the karmic result of bad actions which in turn sprang from negative thoughts. One must always be careful of the kind of things he thinks about because they become reality, One may mentally transmute the many negative influences of society into a happy personal oasis of serenity. Being immersed in identical circumstances, one man may grouse, be bitter and discontent while his neighbor will be joyful, thankful, and positive in outlook. The difference lies in attitude of mind and nothing else. The resistance of the first man is destructive to him; the mental transmutation of the second provides a serene environment further conducive to his spiritual uplift. The advancement of one’s character is attended by gains in attaining the Great Virtues with corresponding intensification of the senses. The Mind can be trained to turn habitually from negative thoughts and instead immediately concentrate upon only the inherently positive aspects of a situation. These practices raise vibrational energies. When the Great Virtues are well established in a man’s character, naturally-controlled clairvoyance results. I have stated many times that individuals must develop themselves, give of themselves to mankind and to learn, as Christ admonished, to love one another. However, before we can truly love one another, we must first create an atmosphere of trust and respectfulness, a climate of safety (a climate in which individuals do not abuse, victimize or control one another), by engaging in those behaviors which are conducive to creating such an atmosphere. After people have been the recipients of this respectful behavior and have gone through the motions of these behaviors many times themselves, actual respect begins to take place. Good behaviors become automatic responses after a while. In extended families, guidelines are continually given. Grandparents and aunts and uncles are always there offering guidance and making sure that children do not go too far off track. What is and is not tolerated with children should certainly also be expected of adults. By following a code of conduct (in effect a system of etiquette, manners and guidelines) and creating such a safe place, then people will be able to give of themselves. It's only when we all look out for each other—and that's what manners are—that we are free to concentrate on other things. Love cannot be mandated or lectured into being, but an environment can be created which is warm, supportive and nurturing, and in this environment, love can grow. We will become a magnet for high-caliber people if we are emotionally attractive. We are setting the standards and the tone for all those who follow. If we establish a solid foundation of codes by which to live, all who come after will naturally blend in with our high standards. The world is a training ground for membership into the ultimate of societies—the Brotherhoods. There the requirements are highest—one can be a likable guy, but if he does not meet the requirements, he is not in. And once in, he knows if at any time he ceases to maintain any one of those requirements, he must leave. It is good practice for us to get used to having to meet certain minimum standards for membership in preparation for Citizenship in the Nation of God. If we tolerate consistent rude, hostile or negative behavior of any kind, we are impeding the growth of the Great Plan. Courtesy is contagious. It takes more strength to be gentle and more independence to be considerate than it does to be bullying and selfish. The Brotherhoods, will be judged by the world at large by each of our behaviors, and that memory will last forever. We are representing the Great Plan itself; it is a grave responsibility. I cannot stress enough how imperative it is that we think before we speak or act, lest it detract from Christ's vision which has been prepared for so long. Indeed, we have before us the awesome responsibility of determining what the future civilization will be. Our behaviors in every encounter shall serve as models for future members and the next generation. This is the beginning point of creating the culture. And a culture cannot be created without a code by which we treat each other. Literally, every future inhabitant of the planet will be affected by what we say and do now.
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