As a Man Thinketh
James Allen. A short, luminous meditation on thought as the root of character and circumstance.
A modern reader’s guide to New Thought
Thought is the first light.
We’re at the dawn of a new era. For a century, people were trained to work like machines; now we’re teaching machines to think like people. New Thought teaches the optimism and creativity this moment calls for, and this library is the place to begin.
“Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance, 1841
The Podcast
The New Thought Literature Podcast
Episode 1
AI is terrifying 95% of people. It shouldn’t be.
Why this is the most exciting time to be alive, what a 1960s mouse experiment says about comfort without purpose, and how a hundred-year-old way of thinking helps you meet AI with hope instead of fear.
With Travis Ahern and Jeremy Kenisky
Start here
Three short classics to read tonight
Complete public-domain texts in a calm, distraction-free reading edition: chapters, adjustable text size, and it remembers where you left off.
From the library
Six books to start with
The founding classics are in the public domain, so you can read them free.
Self-Reliance
Ralph Waldo Emerson. The Transcendentalist essay behind the whole movement: trust the voice within over custom and opinion.
The Science of Getting Rich
Wallace D. Wattles. A compact, practical method for prosperity through clear vision, gratitude, and action.
The Game of Life and How to Play It
Florence Scovel Shinn. Brisk stories and affirmations from a New York illustrator turned metaphysical teacher.
Your Invisible Power
Genevieve Behrend. Troward's only personal pupil turns his philosophy into a daily practice of visualization.
The Mental Cure
Warren Felt Evans. The first book to set out mental healing as a system, blending Quimby with Swedenborg.
Why this site exists
From always-on to flow
The industrial age asked people to behave like robots. The age of AI is teaching robots to behave like humans. The people who thrive next will be the ones who can think creatively alongside these new tools.
New Thought teaches exactly that: how to stay optimistic, how to direct the mind, and how to create from within. This site is the first step.
— Travis Ahern, founder · My story
The Morning Letter
One passage, once a week
A short reading from the library each Sunday morning, with a line or two of context. New subscribers also get Where to Begin, our free reading guide.