The Miracle Club by Mitch Horowitz

I have read The Miracle Club – How Thoughts Become Reality by Mitch Horowitz, below are some of my thoughts upon reading the book.

Disclaimer

Mitch is, to my great horror, a Leftist! Even so, I read this book with an open mind (as I always do) and was surprised to see quite a few similarities between our thoughts. It must also be noted that the Leftism at hand is not what we usually mean with Leftism (i.e. anti-White hatred), but rather a concern with labour rights and similar old-school matters – matters that I, as a Nationalist, do not object to. The author does, however, refer to the Ethics of the Fathers from the Talmud. Cultured gentlemen will, of course, know that the Talmud is a book full of questionable teachings (which shall not sully this fine page). Other than that, there was not anything in particular that I directly objected to in the book.

Spirituality and Money

I have mostly reviewed older spiritual traditions (Norse, Persian, etc.); The Miracle Club draws more on the New Thought movement of the last two centuries (the Law of Attraction and affirmations come to mind, for example). A refreshing passage that appears early in the book is one about money. The author correctly identifies that there is a tendency among ‘spiritual’ people to view money as something unclean or unworthy to strive towards.

‘Whether you are an artist or activist, soldier or craftsman, you must see wealth as a necessary and vital facet of your life. You can do far more good with money than without. You must recognize money as a healthful part of existence. Nothing is more duplicitous than someone who runs down acquisitiveness while enjoying money that comes from well-off parents, a situation typical of many in the New York media world in which I work.’

Mitch Horowitz – The Miracle Club. Page 12.

I am always interested in practical applications of magic (i.e. mental techniques etc.) – as opposed to overly theoretical speculations. Moreover, as an aside, many Icelandic spells (dating from the Middle Ages) concern the accumulation of wealth (securing good trade deals, for example). In the chapter titled Metaphysics and Morality the author nuances the discussion in a good way:

‘Graft is sometimes described, or used to be, as “selling out.” Selling out means: putting money before quality. There is no other definition.’

Mitch Horowitz – The Miracle Club. Page 78.

This is probably the best definition of selling out that I have encountered. To this I would add that there is a similar matter – when people resort to sensationalism (i.e. drama or posting outright lies) to maintain or gain attention. I am, thankfully, interesting enough to not have to engage in such nefarious activities myself. Moreover, I am happy to say that I have never sold out in any way. Quality in everything I do is always my priority!

Pictured below: a mystic known to admirers as The Enlightened One, who seeks spiritual as well as temporal gains.

Neville Goddard

The author speaks highly of Neville Goddard, a name that might be familiar to many of my esteemed readers, and says the following about him:

‘Neville believed, simply, that the God of Scripture is a metaphor for the human imagination.’

Mitch Horowitz – The Miracle Club. Page 149.

The teachings Goddard (as well as of the author) heavily emphasise the power of the mind. I, too, am a firm believer in the power of the mind, although I do not necessarily agree with the quote above – I must meditate further upon the matter before elaborating on it. The author shares an interesting magical technique inspired by Goddard – one that involves a deeply felt desire (a new home, for example), repeated visualisations of said desire being achieved (i.e. you walking around in your new home) during a hypnagogic state (the state between being awake and asleep). Interesting stuff for sure; I will experiment with it and report back with my success in a coming video or podcast episode. If you are interested in the teachings of the late Neville Goddard, you can listen to some of his lectures on YouTube (they are available in surprisingly good audio – surprising, considering that they date to the middle of last century).

Since we are on the topic, and since I never miss an opportunity to bask in high praise, I feel inclined to mention that I was recently likened to Goddard by James J. O’Meara in a review of Demigod Mentality. O’Meara noted the following:

‘Both men are — to start at a level that only seems superficial — tall, handsome, and charismatic, a necessary qualification for their role as effective public speakers.’

James J. O’Meara

My esteemed readers must forgive me for not being able to resist sharing such fine praise! As those who have read Demigod Mentality will know, being called charismatic is particularly heart-warming.

Neuroplasticity

The author discusses the interesting topic of neuroplasticity. I have touched upon this in my long-standing campaign against pornography. He notes that research shows that biologic changes can manifest in the brain when one (over a period of time) substitutes certain thoughts (i.e. intrusive OCD thoughts) with other thoughts or activities. I have often recommended that guys struggling with a pornography addiction should, as soon as the urge to look at pornography enters their mind, quickly occupy themselves with something else – going out for a walk or playing a game, whatever distracts the mind away from the temptation.

‘Hence, we’re seeing thoughts themselves change brain biology’

Mitch Horowitz – The Miracle Club. Page 149.

Conclusion

The Miracle Club has 175 pages and is written in an accessible fashion. It contains plenty of insights for those interested in the power of the mind and of positive thinking. With the caveat mentioned in the disclaimer above, I can say that I liked the book. If you are interested in the teachings of the author, there are plenty of interviews with him on YouTube (which is where I first encountered and got interested in them). Upwards and onwards!