Mindfulness

Sep 2 / Feb 9

Dear Gary,

Frank Laubach says,” I feel sure now that our thoughts flow around the world even when we do not express them. So I mean to make a contribution with my thoughts every hour. I am making a strenuous effort of will to concentrate upon people, those in my presence and those out of sight in order to send to them my thoughts of Christ. I propose to think as hard of God as I can when in crowds, in the confidence that really dynamic thought will influence many others.”

Why am I initially so dismissive of Frank? When I read this the first thing that came to mind was the appearance of Yuri Geller on TV. He was, and I suppose still is, famous for performing spoon bending, telepathy, and psychokinesis. He was variously labeled a fake or a genius, but ultimately he was a performer. 

I don’t accuse Laubach of being either of those. I see him as a committed Christian whose interest lies in gaining a deeper relationship with God. At this point he views telepathy as a route to spiritual growth: “Perhaps you have begun to suspect what tremendous dynamite lies hidden in the idea. If the Christian people, the really Christian people of the world began to comprehend the power of thought, they could use it as a lever to lift the world! If people realize that telepathy is a fact …”  

I’ve dabbled in this in the past. I don’t know if I would call it experimenting. I would, however, attempt to read other people’s minds. My purpose, I confess, was usually to try and discover what they were really thinking. And I wondered if I could influence their thoughts. Perhaps influence them to say or do certain things. I have even tried it on inanimate objects. The closest I’ve ever come to success was learning that if I stared at something long enough - a ball in the yard or the bathtub faucet - it would slowly begin to drift to the right. This would continue until I blinked, at which point it would assume it’s former position and remain still.

Laubach isn’t into thought control or telekinesis, but persuading people of the reality and goodness of God. HIs hope is that as people become adept at this skill Christians will “keep their thoughts right, to make them helpful every hour from morning to night. We may yet attempt to make the world over by the sheer force of good thoughts!” He has high ideals. We have surely tried to make the world over with war, violence, immigrant suppression, promiscuity, and financial superiority. Whether this approach of thinking continually has merit, I’m not sure, but it is certainly more honorable than all the other things we keep attempting. At least spending one’s time thinking good thoughts trumps doing evil deeds, and I suspect we can’t do both at once.