Thoughts Are Things — The Material and Spiritual Mind
Thoughts Are Real Forces
Prentice Mulford was one of the earliest New Thought writers to declare unequivocally that thoughts are things — actual, tangible forces that produce real effects in the physical world. Writing in 1889, decades before most other authors in the tradition, he laid groundwork that would influence generations.
"Every thought of yours is a real thing — a force," Mulford wrote. "Thoughts are things. Every thought you have is a real substance that goes out from you and affects those around you and your circumstances." He did not use this as a metaphor or a moral lesson. He meant it literally: thoughts are as real as rocks, as consequential as actions, and as powerful as any physical force.
Mulford distinguished between what he called the "material mind" and the "spiritual mind." The material mind sees only the physical world, thinks in terms of limitation, and is governed by fear, habit, and convention. The spiritual mind is connected to infinite intelligence, thinks in terms of possibility, and is governed by faith, creativity, and the expansion of consciousness.