pain!" Pain does exist, whatever you affirm, and your affirmation
that it does not is proof that it does exist, for why (and HOW)
declare the non-existence of that which actually is non-existent?
But if you say, "As a matter of fact I have pain, but I am
earnestly striving to ignore it, and to cultivate thought-health
so that the cause of pain may be removed," that is sane and
beautiful. This is the commendable attitude of the Bible character
who cried: "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." To
undertake swamping pain with a cloud of psychological fog--that is
to turn anarchist against the good government of Nature. By pain
Nature informs the individual that he is somewhere out of order.
This warning is normal. The feeling becomes abnormal in the mind
when imagination twangs the nerves with reiterated irritation, and
Will, confused by the discord and the psychic chaos, cowers and
shivers with fear.

I do not say there is no such thing as fear. Fear does exist. But
it exists in your life by your permission only, not because it is
needful as a warning against "evil."

Fear is induced by unduly magnifying actual danger, or by
conjuring up fictitious dangers through excessive and misdirected
psychical reactions. This also may be taken as a signal of danger,
but it is a falsely-intentioned witness, for it is not needed, is
hostile to the individual because it threatens self-control and it
absorbs life's forces in useless and destructive work when they
ought to be engaged in creating values. Hence we state


THE FIRST GREAT PRINCIPLE OF FEAR-CONQUEST.