In brief
Haanel's system began as a 24-week correspondence course in 1912 and appeared as a book in 1916. Each part has a short lesson, numbered paragraphs, and an exercise to practice daily for several days before moving on.
The exercises build gradually: sitting still, then releasing tension, then concentration, then visualization. The ideas draw on New Thought, with threads from Hinduism, the Bible, and esoteric traditions. With Wattles, it is one of the two books most often named as sources for The Secret.
Key ideas
- Practice beats reading: one part per week, exercises daily.
- Stillness and concentration come before visualization.
- Harmonious thought produces harmonious conditions.
- The individual mind is one with universal mind.
Who it’s for
Read it if you want a structured program instead of a book. Work through it slowly, one part per week.