In Tune with the Infinite, by Ralph Waldo Trine, is perhaps the most beautiful book I have read on the law of attraction. Written in 1897, this book is poetically expressed from what is clearly experiential knowledge. Mr. Trine does not speak theoretically about how one should draw from the universe, how to summon one’s greatest desires into reality, but rather he speaks from his firsthand experience of how energy and thoughts produce reality and manifestation.
Keep in mind that the way this book is written is indicative of writing styles from over a century ago. If you are not accustomed to the formal language and long sentence structures, it may feel like a bit of a dry read. However, I guarantee that if you persevere, you will see the sheer beauty of his words and their profound meaning. In Tune with the Infinite is written from the heart and Mr. Trine’s manner of expression very much speaks to me. I hope that it will speak to you as well.
Another important consideration when reading this masterpiece is, your stance on religion. Ralph Waldo Trine makes many references to God and the bible throughout, as did most writers of the mental science era, but he clearly states at the beginning of the book, “I care not what term you may use, be it Kindly Light, the Over Soul, Omnipotence, or whatever term may be most convenient.” Though he calls this power God, it matters not where you choose to place your focus, for this infinite power, this universal force, does not require a fixed label. What is of importance is faith and belief. In my estimation, God, source, universal wisdom, energy, love… are one and the same. I use them interchangeably and it is of no consequence to me if the writer uses the term God, for it is the message that can be easily recognized within, and its inherent truth that speaks to the soul, that is of prime importance.
In Tune with the Infinite
Inspirational Law of Attraction Wisdom from Over a Century Ago
From the beginning, Trine points out that, when it comes to the law of attraction, “The optimist is right. The pessimist is right.” Here, we recognize that by the very nature of the law, one will prove or disprove in accordance with belief. He goes on to say, “The optimist has the power of seeing things in their entirety and in their right relations. The pessimist looks from a limited and one-sided point of view. The one has their understanding illuminated by wisdom, the understanding of the other is darkened by ignorance.”
Trine talks about how each is building reality from within which is determined by point of view. “The optimist, by their superior wisdom and insight, is making their own heaven, and in the degree that they make their own heaven are helping to make one for all the world beside. The pessimist, by virtue of their limitations, are making their own hell, and in the degree that they make their own hell are they helping to make one for all mankind.”
In Tune with the Infinite is just as relevant today as it was over a hundred years ago, for Trine speaks of universal truths, universal wisdom. They are not subject to the coming and going of trends or the change in attitudes throughout the generations, for the core of these principles are discovered through the heart, with or without a book.
It is the law of cause and effect. As we see experiences enter our world, we are naturally prompted to ask the question “why is this happening to me?” By way of pain or pleasure, as living, breathing souls, we are innately attuned to seeking resolution and deeper understanding through our life experiences. If we are not, painful lessons intensify until we feel we have no option but to ask the questions and listen for the answers.
When the author writes about “divine inflow”, he refers to intuition and the voice of the soul, saying, “in the degree that we recognize, listen to, and obey it, does it speak ever more clearly, until by-and-by there comes the time when it is unerring, absolutely unerring, in its guidance.” Such is the way when we embark on the path of internal guidance in connection with the ALL, in connection with infinite source. What may begin as a simple practice, following the prompts of the heart, soon produces a leading experience of profound depth.
The longer we follow this path of intuition and divine guidance, the more exacting the result. From it comes wisdom and a deeper connection both to our greater selves and to the world around us. It begins with earnest desire, faith, and firm expectation, feeling the thing we wish to have within our grasp in the here and now. This must be continually nurtured and felt lovingly as though we are already in receipt of its goodness. Even that which we cannot readily see in existence, is ready and waiting to be experienced.
Desire, however, is only part of the equation, for it is imperative that we must not only apply faith in its successful manifestation, but we must also feel it already in our possession. Trine points out, “Many people greatly desire a certain thing, but expect something else.” In other words, many people will state that which they most desire, while in the back of their minds, and in their hearts, they believe it unachievable. This is the unconscious run amok.
To plant the seed of desire and “water it with firm expectation”, we must be continually aware of the undercurrent of thoughts. Those thoughts that escape our notice and color our expectations. Trine says, “To live undisturbed by passing occurrences you must first find your own center. You must then be firm in your own center, and so rule the world from within.” It is essentially about not paying heed to that which appears to be reality before you, but rather to that which you have firmly decided upon within, that which speaks to your soul’s desire.
To set this firmly with intention, you must do so with commitment and perseverance, with the unshakable belief that it is already occurring in the here and now. In Trine’s words, “Every thought you entertain is a force that goes out, and every thought comes back laden with its kind.” Putting yourself in the very realm of that which you truly desire draws upon more in its kind, mirrored in your world as the new reality.
“Recognize, working in and through you, the same Infinite Power that creates and governs all things in the universe, the same Infinite Power that governs the endless systems of worlds in space. Send out your thought—thought is a force, and it has occult power of unknown proportions when rightly used and wisely directed—send out your thought that the right situation or the right work will come to you at the right time, in the right way, and that you will recognize it when it comes. Hold to this thought, never allow it to weaken, hold to it, and continually water it with firm expectation.”
To draw upon the infinite energy of the universe, to create the life desired, one must live in its essence in each moment, forgetting about past and future. NOW, is the only moment, for the energy you cultivate in the now sets the tone of your experience in this moment and each moment that follows. It very much calls for awakening to the quality one wishes to create. At any given moment, if one experiences a feeling of dullness, flatness, discord, suffering, loss of hope, or negative emotion, one must reach higher to enliven the spirit.
Once you taste the experience of creating this elevated state, one which elicits excitement, passion, joy, love, the kind of moments that fill your heart, you will be inclined to monitor and adjust your focus in every moment. Rather than view this as future tasks or a tall list of must-do corrections, understand that we are always speaking of the here and now, therefore, all you ever need do is bring yourself into this one moment and ask, “what state am I creating right now?”
Then, it is simply a matter of choosing the desired state and making the internal shift. It may seem easier said than done, however, it starts with only one NOW. As you awaken to creating an optimal state in each moment, it becomes increasingly easier to do. One builds upon the other and soon you will find yourself reaping the deep reward of overseeing your own state. You will form a habit that becomes your new normal and one which you will not imagine breaking.
The shifting of reality, the creating of one’s desired life, is always about this one moment in time: NOW. It is your thoughts and emotions in the now that need tending. Each thought and corresponding emotion mirrors your current reality. Change the quality of your thoughts and emotions to that of your desired experience and continually do that in the here and now and you will live that which you desire. If you are asking “will this work?”, know that this is a question asked by everyone that risks stepping into faith, for faith is precisely what is needed. Faith and surrender.
So long as you hold onto the idea that something as simple as changing one’s thoughts and feelings will produce the desired life will not work, you delay and resist its possibility. To practice the teachings of In Tune with the Infinite, to follow Ralph Waldo Trine’s words, you must be willing to recognize that your external world is created from within, and you must surrender to the process of mastering that state within, if you wish to see it mirrored without.
In Tune with the Infinite is a book written with love. When I first discovered Ralph Waldo Trine’s words, it was like coming home, for I found in his writing an immediate recognition of truth. It is not surprising that the way in which he assembles his words speaks to me as I have felt an affinity for the late 1800’s since I was a child. In fact, I only happened upon his book when I was writing a fiction novel about a young lady in 1897. Being that this character was raised by parents who follow the practice of mental science, I wanted her to be reading a book written in her era.
Naturally, this led me to In Tune with the Infinite as it was published that very year. What transpired after that was a magical journey of “coincidences”, including finding a small string of words that reflected precisely what I had written prior to discovering them in Trine’s book. Things began to appear in my world, sometimes within minutes of having a thought.
Small things, but none-the-less an accurate reflection of the thoughts I was entertaining. Later, I found a lovely passage where Trine quotes Robert Browning. It occurred to me that I had purchased an antique Robert Browning book several years ago. I searched and searched for this passage so that I could read it in its entirety and quote it in my novel, but I could not find it.
In some creepy, yet wonderful way, it was this 100-year-old hair in the book that marked the spot with the passage. Hmmm. Although I have subscribed to these beliefs in the law of attraction since I was a teenager, I have not always allowed myself the joy in its implementation. However, as I have continued to immerse myself in both writing about and reading the old classics on the subject, I have experienced, firsthand, the many serendipitous occurrences that often have me shaking my head in wonder.
Once you are on the path of being in tune with the infinite, you too will discover the magic of connecting with something greater. To follow your heart, no matter how silly or seemingly unjustified some of its callings may be, is to live continually in connection with your earnest desire and inner promptings. When you place these promptings in the forefront of your thoughts and intentions, you open to a world greater and more rewarding than you can imagine. You awaken to your true self.
While I have maintained my faith in the law of attraction and the belief that I personally create my own reality, it has not been easy. There are times when I could not reconcile with the reality before me. It has always been my inclination to take 100 percent responsibility for the life and the reality I have created, but there was a time not too long ago when I could just not wrap my mind around this concept. This was the year that my 10-year-old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia.
Why on earth do children suffer? What draws this kind of trauma upon a child? Perhaps I should have the answer to this, however, I do not. The closest I have come to understanding this very thing is through Ralph Waldo Trine, for he is virtually the only author I have yet found to address childhood suffering with some level of depth. Still, it is something I may not fully understand for many years to come.
What I do know is that I practiced the law of attraction all throughout her treatment and I also aim to teach her how to harness its powers to create the life she desires. I do the same for my 20-year-old son and he has observed, firsthand, the powerful effects of following inner guidance and setting intentions. Little-by-little, this can be taught, this can be learned.
The alternative to not harnessing the law of attraction with intention, awareness, and purpose, is to live life as a tumbleweed, forever blowing hither and thither with the winds of an uninspired life, a life with no clear direction. It is an existence led enslaved to the unconscious turnings of your mind, the tugging pains of your heart. Indeed, it is a life absent of personal power and choice.
If you are looking to tap into the inner workings of your heart, your most sacred desires, Ralph Waldo Trine’s, In Tune with the Infinite is as good as any a place to start… no, it is one of the finest places to start. There are many excellent authors from the turn of the century to the mid 1900’s. I say, read them all, although one of my personal favorites is In Tune with the Infinite. I hope that you will find the book and Trine’s age-old wisdom as inspirational as I have. Return from In Tune with the Infinite to main LOA page