Law of Attraction - 11. PSYCHOLOGY OF EMOTION: Mastering Emotional Habits - William Walker Atkinson (1908) cover art

Law of Attraction - 11. PSYCHOLOGY OF EMOTION: Mastering Emotional Habits - William Walker Atkinson (1908)

Law of Attraction - 11. PSYCHOLOGY OF EMOTION: Mastering Emotional Habits - William Walker Atkinson (1908)

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 Law of Attraction - 11. PSYCHOLOGY OF EMOTION: Mastering Emotional Habits - William Walker Atkinson (1908)Chapter 11 of William Walker Atkinson's *Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World* (1906), titled "The Psychology of Emotion", explores the intimate connection between emotions and habits, framing emotions not as uncontrollable forces but as malleable patterns that can be repressed, intensified, developed, or entirely transformed through conscious mental discipline. Building on prior discussions of thought waves, mind building, the will's secret, immunity to harmful thoughts, transmutation of negatives, mental control, life-force assertion, and habit training, Atkinson applies the book's core principles to the realm of feeling. He argues that most people mistakenly view emotions as innate or fixed aspects of temperament, when in reality they are largely products of repeated mental indulgence—habits of thought that manifest as habitual emotional responses.Atkinson opens by challenging the common notion that emotions operate independently of habit. He asserts that emotions depend heavily upon habit and can be managed much like habits of action or thought. One can suppress an undesirable emotion, amplify a desirable one, cultivate new feelings, or shift from negative to positive states through deliberate effort. The key insight is timing: the best moment to conquer an unwanted emotion is early, before it gains momentum through repetition. Once an emotion becomes habitual—entrenched through frequent indulgence—it grows stronger, easier to trigger, and harder to dislodge. Atkinson likens this to physical habits: the more you practice something, the more automatic and powerful it becomes.He illustrates with specific negative emotions. Jealousy, for example, begins as a fleeting suspicion but grows through repeated mental dwelling on imagined slights or comparisons. Each indulgence feeds the jealousy-center in the mind, making future episodes more intense and automatic. Similarly, **rage** or habitual anger starts small but escalates when one repeatedly yields to irritation, allowing outbursts to become a patterned response. Atkinson warns of the "habit of feeling and acting 'mean'"—chronic pettiness, fault-finding, or nagging—which stems from allowing small resentments to fester. The chronic "nagger," he observes, has built a mental pathway where criticism flows effortlessly, poisoning relationships and personal peace.Worry receives special attention as a pervasive negative emotion rooted in habitual fearful thinking. Continued thought on potential disasters manifests in anxious feelings and, ultimately, in paralyzing inaction. Atkinson reiterates that negative emotions recur because the mind has been trained to return to them; each recurrence strengthens the neural grooves (foreshadowing the next chapter on brain-cells). To break these cycles, one must "choke out" the habits by starving them of attention. Refuse to entertain the thought that sparks the emotion; redirect the mind immediately to opposites. For jealousy, cultivate trust and appreciation; for anger, practice calm and forgiveness; for worry, focus on present certainties and constructive action.Atkinson emphasizes practical mastery. Emotions are not to be fought directly (which often intensifies them) but supplanted by cultivating their opposites. Hold the desired emotional state before the mind through visualization, affirmation, and deliberate outward expression. Act "as if" the positive emotion is already yours: smile to invite joy, stand erect to foster confidence, speak kindly to build goodwill. These actions reinforce the inner shift, gradually making the new emotion habitual. He stresses persistence—sporadic efforts fail, but consistent practice rewires the emotional life.The chapter ties emotions to the broader Law of Attraction. Negative habitual emotions vibrate on low frequencies, attracting more discord, failure, and toxic influences. Positive emotions—love, courage, gratitude—vibrate higher, drawing harmony, success, and supportive circumstances. By mastering emotional habits, one aligns with constructive thought-waves and becomes a magnet for good. Atkinson critiques passive surrender to "temperament," insisting that emotional tendencies are acquired, not inevitable, and thus changeable.In tone, the chapter is direct and empowering, urging readers to take responsibility as masters rather than victims of their feelings. Atkinson rejects excuses like "That's just how I am," countering that awareness and will enable transformation. He encourages viewing emotions as servants of mind, not tyrants, and applying the same discipline used for thoughts and habits."The Psychology of Emotion" serves as a crucial pivot, linking earlier mental mechanics to later manifestation techniques. By controlling emotional habits, one purifies the mental field for desire force, dynamic energies, and claiming ...
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