What do you think?
Your Mind and How to Use It: A Manual of Practical Psychology
William Walker Atkinson (1862-1932) was an attorney, merchant, publisher, and author, as well as an occultist and an American pioneer of the New Thought movement. He is also known to have been the author of the pseudonymous works attributed to Theron Q. Dumont and Yogi Ramacharaka. "Your Mind and How to Use It" is a pioneering New Thought work on unleashing the mental powers within you, to create a stronger, my dynamic will, and bring your inner strength to the fore.
132 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1911
About the author
William Walker Atkinson
2,812 books417 followersPseudonyms: Theron Q. Dumont, Yogi Ramacharaka, Swami Bhakta Vishita & Swami Panchadasi
William Walker Atkinson (December 5, 1862 – November 22, 1932) was an attorney, merchant, publisher, and author, as well as an occultist and an American pioneer of the New Thought movement. He is also known to have been the author of the pseudonymous works attributed to Theron Q. Dumont, Swami Panchadasi and Yogi Ramacharaka and others.
Due in part to Atkinson's intense personal secrecy and extensive use of pseudonyms, he is now largely forgotten, despite having obtained mention in past editions of Who's Who in America, Religious Leaders of America, and several similar publications—and having written more than 100 books in the last 30 years of his life. His works have remained in print more or less continuously since 1900.
William Walker Atkinson was born in Baltimore, Maryland on December 5, 1862, to William and Emma Atkinson. He began his working life as a grocer at 15 years old, probably helping his father. He married Margret Foster Black of Beverly, New Jersey, in October 1889, and they had two children. The first probably died young. The second later married and had two daughters.
Atkinson pursued a business career from 1882 onwards and in 1894 he was admitted as an attorney to the Bar of Pennsylvania. While he gained much material success in his profession as a lawyer, the stress and over-strain eventually took its toll, and during this time he experienced a complete physical and mental breakdown, and financial disaster. He looked for healing and in the late 1880s he found it with New Thought, later attributing the restoration of his health, mental vigor and material prosperity to the application of the principles of New Thought.
Some time after his healing, Atkinson began to write articles on the truths he felt he had discovered, which were then known as Mental Science. In 1889, an article by him entitled "A Mental Science Catechism," appeared in Charles Fillmore's new periodical, Modern Thought.
By the early 1890s Chicago had become a major centre for New Thought, mainly through the work of Emma Curtis Hopkins, and Atkinson decided to move there. Once in the city, he became an active promoter of the movement as an editor and author. He was responsible for publishing the magazines Suggestion (1900–1901), New Thought (1901–1905) and Advanced Thought (1906–1916).
In 1900 Atkinson worked as an associate editor of Suggestion, a New Thought Journal, and wrote his probable first book, Thought-Force in Business and Everyday Life, being a series of lessons in personal magnetism, psychic influence, thought-force, concentration, will-power, and practical mental science.
He then met Sydney Flower, a well-known New Thought publisher and businessman, and teamed up with him. In December, 1901 he assumed editorship of Flower's popular New Thought magazine, a post which he held until 1905. During these years he built for himself an enduring place in the hearts of its readers. Article after article flowed from his pen. Meanwhile he also founded his own Psychic Club and the so-called "Atkinson School of Mental Science". Both were located in the same building as Flower's Psychic Research and New Thought Publishing Company.
Atkinson was a past president of the International New Thought Alliance.
Throughout his subsequent career, Atkinson wrote and published under his own name and many pseudonyms. It is not known whether he ever acknowledged authorship of these pseudonymous works, but all of the supposedly independent authors whose writings are now credited to Atkinson were linked to one another by virtue of the fact that their works were released by a series of publishing houses with shared addresses and they also wrote for a series of magazines with a shared roster of authors. Atkinson was the editor of a
William Walker Atkinson (December 5, 1862 – November 22, 1932) was an attorney, merchant, publisher, and author, as well as an occultist and an American pioneer of the New Thought movement. He is also known to have been the author of the pseudonymous works attributed to Theron Q. Dumont, Swami Panchadasi and Yogi Ramacharaka and others.
Due in part to Atkinson's intense personal secrecy and extensive use of pseudonyms, he is now largely forgotten, despite having obtained mention in past editions of Who's Who in America, Religious Leaders of America, and several similar publications—and having written more than 100 books in the last 30 years of his life. His works have remained in print more or less continuously since 1900.
William Walker Atkinson was born in Baltimore, Maryland on December 5, 1862, to William and Emma Atkinson. He began his working life as a grocer at 15 years old, probably helping his father. He married Margret Foster Black of Beverly, New Jersey, in October 1889, and they had two children. The first probably died young. The second later married and had two daughters.
Atkinson pursued a business career from 1882 onwards and in 1894 he was admitted as an attorney to the Bar of Pennsylvania. While he gained much material success in his profession as a lawyer, the stress and over-strain eventually took its toll, and during this time he experienced a complete physical and mental breakdown, and financial disaster. He looked for healing and in the late 1880s he found it with New Thought, later attributing the restoration of his health, mental vigor and material prosperity to the application of the principles of New Thought.
Some time after his healing, Atkinson began to write articles on the truths he felt he had discovered, which were then known as Mental Science. In 1889, an article by him entitled "A Mental Science Catechism," appeared in Charles Fillmore's new periodical, Modern Thought.
By the early 1890s Chicago had become a major centre for New Thought, mainly through the work of Emma Curtis Hopkins, and Atkinson decided to move there. Once in the city, he became an active promoter of the movement as an editor and author. He was responsible for publishing the magazines Suggestion (1900–1901), New Thought (1901–1905) and Advanced Thought (1906–1916).
In 1900 Atkinson worked as an associate editor of Suggestion, a New Thought Journal, and wrote his probable first book, Thought-Force in Business and Everyday Life, being a series of lessons in personal magnetism, psychic influence, thought-force, concentration, will-power, and practical mental science.
He then met Sydney Flower, a well-known New Thought publisher and businessman, and teamed up with him. In December, 1901 he assumed editorship of Flower's popular New Thought magazine, a post which he held until 1905. During these years he built for himself an enduring place in the hearts of its readers. Article after article flowed from his pen. Meanwhile he also founded his own Psychic Club and the so-called "Atkinson School of Mental Science". Both were located in the same building as Flower's Psychic Research and New Thought Publishing Company.
Atkinson was a past president of the International New Thought Alliance.
Throughout his subsequent career, Atkinson wrote and published under his own name and many pseudonyms. It is not known whether he ever acknowledged authorship of these pseudonymous works, but all of the supposedly independent authors whose writings are now credited to Atkinson were linked to one another by virtue of the fact that their works were released by a series of publishing houses with shared addresses and they also wrote for a series of magazines with a shared roster of authors. Atkinson was the editor of a
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 29, 2020
One of the jewels of the old books that you can now access in the public domain, as there is also a nice audiobook on YouTube...
One can learn the basics of the mind, and how it is used, there are important definitions throughout the chapters, as well as nice introduction into logic and logical thinking.
One can learn the basics of the mind, and how it is used, there are important definitions throughout the chapters, as well as nice introduction into logic and logical thinking.
May 23, 2018
Though this was published in the early 1900s, there's a lot of information in here that's still shockingly relevant. The suggestions for building up perception, imagination, and will (more often called "discipline" nowadays) should not be overlooked!
December 26, 2017
Absolute genius
This is must read. All I gotta say about this one is if you adapt the things it says, it is life changing !
This is must read. All I gotta say about this one is if you adapt the things it says, it is life changing !
March 1, 2023
Difficult read, took 3 years to finish the E-book version !
October 10, 2018
Comprehensive overview of the basics of psychology--with some practical tips for self improvement. The content is overall a little dated. For example, the advice on cultivating good habits seems amusingly uninformed given the vast body of work that's been done on how to form and maintain good habits since Atkinson wrote his manual. But the breadth still makes this title a good starter for folks wanting to better understand how their minds work and perhaps gain a foundation that will help ground newer research in everything from management psychology to behavioral economics.
December 26, 2021
MY FIRST NON-FICTION BOOK AND MAYBE THE LAST T___T LMAO KIDDING. it gave me a loootttt of new insights but it was really hard to process the information since the language is pretty hard (even though i read it in indonesian which is my mothe language). my favorite part of the book is when they talked about reflects!!!
April 15, 2023
A concise overview of some of the basic concepts in self-help literature that you can go back to every now and then. the book offered more of a theoretical rather than practical approach to the subject, and the language’s fluid and easy to understand.
If you are seeking a comprehensive summary to refresh your view of certain psychological concepts, this book would be a useful resource.
If you are seeking a comprehensive summary to refresh your view of certain psychological concepts, this book would be a useful resource.
April 25, 2024
(Actually listened to the Librivox recording).
This book was interesting enough to listen to while doing other things, though I don't know that I would have sat down to read a physical copy. A bit dry, and some of the information seemed dated, but at the very least it was an interesting look into the mindset of the time with some relevant information throughout.
This book was interesting enough to listen to while doing other things, though I don't know that I would have sat down to read a physical copy. A bit dry, and some of the information seemed dated, but at the very least it was an interesting look into the mindset of the time with some relevant information throughout.
October 21, 2025
I definitely want to reread it, for it has many practical psychological tips , which would be useful to implement for many individuals. Read itself was not complicated, was quite easy to understand the subject independently of previous knowledge in subject. I would recommend it to everyone
February 24, 2018
Brilliant!!
One of the best psychology books i have ever read.......
Explains very clearly how the human mind thinks and why does it think in such a way and also how to train it
One of the best psychology books i have ever read.......
Explains very clearly how the human mind thinks and why does it think in such a way and also how to train it
October 1, 2018
Boring, Maybe I can come back to read this later when My brain can accpet all this.
May 18, 2021
i was reading its traslation, unfortunately its not as good as its original version
September 18, 2021
good intro for psych.
For me, just a reminder of things I've read before
For me, just a reminder of things I've read before
December 3, 2022
Outdated info. Long winded writing style.
June 19, 2023
A good overview on basic psychology principles. Language can be a bit over the top and I found some ideas to contradict themselves. Feels a bit outdated but still worth the read.
August 6, 2024
What a genius bookk! This is must read!
This book explain clearly how the human mind thinks and why does it think in such a way and also how to train it.
This book explain clearly how the human mind thinks and why does it think in such a way and also how to train it.
February 12, 2025
I like how it wasn’t all psychology and had a scientific basis.
May 23, 2025
2.5/5 Stars.
A decently contemplative book that delves into the mind as it was understood in the era it was written.
A decently contemplative book that delves into the mind as it was understood in the era it was written.
January 27, 2026
This book gives a practical guide on how to use your mind.
July 21, 2018
Although at first you may be discouraged to continue to read because of the amount of theory and facts that Atkinson offers, soon you'll realize they're all required to effectively implement the practical suggestions that are proven to be effectual. Also you can achive a much deeper understanding of human nature by means of contemplating on this masterpiece of psychology that after more than a century is still scientifically sound and correct.
June 15, 2016
This book started ok. But as you went along he mixed in evolution from Darwin which turned me off. If he had stopped at around chapter 14 I believe it was this would have been a five star book to me.
July 21, 2018
Your mind and how to use it
Thank you Mr W. Atkins.
Totally enlightening and has opened my eyes a bit further in my search for My Truth. 10/10
Thank you Mr W. Atkins.
Totally enlightening and has opened my eyes a bit further in my search for My Truth. 10/10
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews