As A Man Thinketh by James Allen

08/18/14 • 26 min

Book Talk Podcast – Better Living Institute

James Allen got the name for his book from the Bible, Proverbs 23:7: “As a man Thinketh in his heart, so is he.” His book is a 112 year old classic in the tradition of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

Listen in as Kira and Bill Van Ittersum discuss James Allen’s work, tell a little of his history, and explain how this train of thought compares with today’s fascination with the Law of Attraction.

Bill and Kira agree with some of Mr. Allen’s conclusions and quite strongly disagree with some of his others. They invite you to examine this book and engage in your own inner reflection. It’s a great book for discussion!

Previous Episode

Griffin and Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence

Griffin and Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence, is a charming picture book for grown-ups that is told through a series of removable letters and postcards between the two main characters, Griffin Moss and Sabine Strohem. It is Part 1 of a trilogy by writer/illustrator, Nick Bantock.

The letters Bantock began writing—and lavishly illustrating—detail the mysterious relationship between these two lonely artists who live on opposite sides of the globe.

Kira and Bill Van Ittersum discuss this trilogy and the highly unusual correspondence between Griffin and Sabine, which includes the unfolding of their uniquely tantalizing love story. At the heart of this podcast are the soul-provoking realizations and personal disclosures—that our moderators feel compelled to make—regarding pieces of their own love story. This is delicious stuff!

Next Episode

The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living

Nearly every time you see him, he’s laughing, or at least smiling. And he makes everyone else around him feel like smiling. He’s the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, a Nobel Prize winner, and a hugely sought-after speaker and statesman. Why is he so popular? Even after spending only a few minutes in his presence you can’t help feeling happier.

If you ask him if he’s happy, even though he’s suffered the loss of his country, the Dalai Lama will give you an unconditional yes. What’s more, he’ll tell you that happiness is the purpose of life, and that the very motion of our life is toward happiness. How to get there has always been the question. He’s tried to answer it before, but he’s never had the help of a psychiatrist to get the message across in a context we can easily understand.

The Art of Happiness is the book that started the genre of happiness books, and it remains the cornerstone of the field of positive psychology.

Through conversations, stories, and meditations, the Dalai Lama shows us how to defeat day-to-day anxiety, insecurity, anger, and discouragement. Together with Dr. Howard Cutler, he explores many facets of everyday life, including relationships, loss, and the pursuit of wealth, to illustrate how to ride through life’s obstacles on a deep and abiding source of inner peace. Based on 2,500 years of Buddhist meditations mixed with a healthy dose of common sense, The Art of Happiness is a book that crosses the boundaries of traditions to help readers with difficulties common to all human beings. After being in print for ten years, this book has touched countless lives and uplifted spirits around the world.

—Amazon.com