on>
From Passion to Peace
JAMES ALLEN TITLES
Above Life’s Turmoil
All These Things Added
As a Man Thinketh
Byways of Blessedness
Eight Pillars of Prosperity
Foundation Stones to Happiness and Success
From Passion to Peace
From Poverty to Power
James Allen’s Book of Meditations for Every Day in the Year
Light on Life’s Difficulties
Man: King of Mind, Body, and Circumstance
Men and Systems
Morning and Evening Thoughts
Out from the Heart
Poems of Peace
The Life Triumphant
The Mastery of Destiny
The Shining Gateway
Through the Gate of Good
From Passion to Peace
James Allen
Published 2019 by Gildan Media LLC
aka G&D Media
No part of this book may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any manner whatsoever, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. No liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained within. Although every precaution has been taken, the author and publisher assume no liability for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
Design by Meghan Day Healey of Story Horse, LLC
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request
ISBN: 978-1-7225-0253-9
eISBN: 978-1-7225-2347-3
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
James Allen: A Memoir by Lily L. Allen
Foreword
The first three parts of this book—Passion, Aspiration, and Temptation—represent the common human life, with its passion, pathos, and tragedy: the last three parts—Transcendence, Beatitude, and Peace—present the Divine Life, calm, wise and beautiful, of the sage and Saviour. The middle part—Transmutation—is the transitional stage between the two; it is the alchemic process linking the divine with the human life. Discipline, denial, and renunciation do not constitute the Divine State; they are only the means by which it is attained. The Divine Life is established in that Perfect Knowledge which bestows Perfect Peace.
—James Allen
Bryngoleu,
Ilfracombe, England
Passion
The pathway of the saints and sages; the road of the wise and pure; the highway along which the Saviours have trod, and which all Saviours to come will also walk—such is the subject of this book; such is the high and holy theme which the author briefly expounds in these pages.
Passion is the lowest level of human life. None can descend lower. In its chilling swamps and concealing darkness creep and crawl the creatures of its sunless world. Lust, hatred, covetousness, pride, vanity, greed, revenge, envy, spite, retaliation, slander, backbiting, lying, theft, deceit, treachery, cruelty, suspicion, jealousy—such are the brute forces and blind, unreasoning impulses that inhabit the underworld of passion, and roam, devouring and devoured, in the rank, primeval jungles of the human mind.
There also dwell the dark shapes of remorse, and pain, and suffering; and the drooping forms of grief, and sorrow, and lamentation.
In this dark world the unwise live and die, not knowing the peace of purity, nor the joy of that Divine Light which for ever shines above them, and for them, yet shines in vain so long as it falls on unseeing eyes which look not up, but are ever bent earthward—fleshward.
But the wise look up. They are not satisfied with this passion-world, and they bend their steps toward the upper world of peace, the light and glory of which they behold, at first afar off, but nearer and with ever-increasing splendour as they ascend.
None can fall lower than passion, but all can rise higher. In that lowest place where further descent is impossible, all who move forward must ascend; and the ascending pathway is always at hand, near and easily accessible. It is the way of self-conquest; and he has already entered it who has begun to say “nay” to his selfishness, who has begun to discipline his desires and to control and command the unruly elements of his mind.
Passion is the arch enemy of mankind, the slayer of happiness, the opposite and enemy of peace. From it proceeds all that defiles and destroys. It is the source of suffering, the maker of misery, and the promulgator of mischief and disaster.
The inner world of selfishness is rooted in ignorance—ignorance of Divine Law, of Divine Goodness; ignorance of the Pure Way and the Peaceful Path. Passion is dark; and it thrives and flourishes in spiritual darkness. It cannot enter the regions of spiritual light. In the enlightened mind the darkness of ignorance is destroyed; in the pure heart there is no place for passion.
Passion in all its forms is a mental thirst, a fever, a torturing unrest. As a fire consumes a magnificent building, reducing it to a heap of unsightly ashes, so are men consumed by the flames of passions; and their deeds