 The effectiveness of “I can and I will” as a statement to live by depends upon the manner in which you say it. To say ‘I can and I will” through gritted teeth and with clenched fists is to defeat the very object you aim for. To assume a prize-fighter attitude toward life is to invite a licking. And yet it will not do to say “I can and I will” in a limp, half-hearted fashion. The right manner, which means the effective manner, of uttering this potent phrase depends upon a correct knowledge of the meaning of “I.” “I can and I will” may be the truth or a lie, just according as you define “I.” For instance, a foolish man who happened to be mayor of Minneapolis said to himself, “I can and I will make a lot of money for myself out of the criminals of this city.” There were others who said the same thing. That mayor reckoned the “I” simply as so much personal cuteness pitted against the city. He gritted his teeth and pulled in all the money in sight. He pitted himself against the city, which rose up and placed him behind prison bars. He may still be gritting his teeth and saying, “I can and I will get out of here.” He may be able to get out of those particular prison walls, but all the world will be to him a prison. He will have to skulk and hide—he is not free. The money he took was never his and he knew it. And he could not keep it, though he said mightily “I can and I WILL.” You see, “I” to that mayor meant a small something bounded by a skin, a suit of clothes, a hat and a pair of shoes. The rest of the city, and the world, and the universe at large, seen and unseen, had no part in the “I” he placed before “can and will.” The undefeatable “I” has no such puny boundaries. It fills all space and expresses through all personalities. It is ONE and never goes back on itself. Sooner or later— generally sooner—it punishes fully every puny rebel who rises against it. In other words, a man must consider all creation and uncreation when he says “I.” If he fails to do this his success is but a transitory imitation and his down-fall sure, as in the case of Minneapolis boodlers. It is a foolish and short-sighted business policy which ignores the Golden Rule. To do unto others that which you would not like done unto yourself is to bite off your nose in order to leave more blood for the rest of your face. All life is One, and the good of all is the good of each one; the hurt of one is the injury of all. When a man realizes this his personal I has expanded and merged in the “I” of omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence which really "can and WILL” do things he has found the Sublime Self which cannot be denied. Instead of gritting his teeth and driving ahead against the will of the Whole he identifies himself with the Whole. He works with All and All with him. The entire universe backs him. Clench your hands and say “I can and I will” several times in succession through closed teeth. Note how you force all the breath out of your lungs as you repeat it, and how exhausted you feel by the effort. Why? Because you shut yourself off from the source of breath and will-power. You tried to act and will from the little skin-bounded “I” The result is that your skin-bounded self is quickly exhausted of the power it had—had from where? From the All. Now straighten up and stand like a young god. Look upward and imagine yourself possessed of all power in heaven and an earth. Imagine that all the world and the starry hosts are waiting alert and with shining eyes, to do your bidding. Imagine that you are to touch the button now and instantly they will spring to do the rest. The instant you say “I can and I will” the entire powers of the universe are to be set in motion. Ah, your eyes shine and your whole form expands with gladness, you unconsciously take a full breath and “I can and I will” rings forth in its full harmony. You are filled with joy and a sense of full power. You feel that you “can and will,” and that it will take no clenched muscles, gritted teeth and brute will to accomplish, for all creation will back you. Will is not a matter of straining muscles and set jaw, but of quiet, firm RECOGNITION of your oneness with all creation, and of creation’s readiness to further your cause. The most effective practice for the cultivation of will is that of dwelling mentally upon the Sublime Self. Go away by yourself for a half hour or more and simply remember, and try to feel, this unity of the personal self with the Sublime Self. Do not try to argue yourself into believing and understanding how it can be so; simply relax your muscles, lift up your soul and try to feel as if it were so. At first you will see little result, except that you feel more quiet than has been usual with you. You will be less easily and frequently upset, and recover more quickly. Rejoice in this and keep at the recognition exercises. Very soon you will find this peace deepening in you, and you will find it growing easy to do many things you had considered hard. You will find yourself remembering without effort that ALL things are working with you, and that you are free to do as you will. Keep on with the practice and you will find all the deepest desires of your heart growing easy of accomplishment. You see, you are making sure your connection with the All-Self. Instead of having to do things all by yourself as you used to, you have opened the sluice for the Sublime Will to flow into and work through you for the accomplishment of what you desire. |
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