The Teachings of HT Hamblin

Henry Thomas Hamblin - A Very Practical Mystic

People sometimes asked the Sussex Saint and visionary, HT Hamblin, where his learning came from. He replied that, although he had grown up with the Bible and "The Pilgrim's Progress", he explained, "It is true that I know some things which I have never learned from books or people, but how I learned them I do not know. I simply know them, and always have known them."

Practical Mysticism was Hamblin's life's work. He helped people in deeply practical ways to become less fearful, happier and more successful in their lives. To this end he wrote books like The Antidote to Worry. However, later in life he realised that whilst these books genuinely helped people, they were largely concerned with the personality. He then wished to go a step further and become more fully a truly 'practical mystic', so he wrote a spiritual course of 26 lessons, each with a definite theme presented in a systematic way. This was designed to move beyond the constraints of personality so that the soul could breathe the pure air of Spirit. What was needed, he felt, was: 'a total surrender of ourselves to the Divine.’ The course is available in book format The Way of the Practical Mystic.

The Power of Thought

HT Hamblin was at the forefront of the 'new thought' movement which was gaining pace in the early 20th century. In reality, as he discovered, 'new thought' was in fact 'old thought', based upon the Truth that has always subsisted since before time began. But it is equally true that all great souls give voice to that timeless Truth in a myriad of different ways. HT Hamblin was inspired by the universality of Truth and the Divine Ideas behind all creation. He urges us to "Think in harmony with the Universal Mind." In other words, he underlines the fact that Truth is and cannot be changed depending upon our mood or our whim.

Hamblin realised that we need not only a positive frame of mind but an applied way of thinking. What did he mean by 'Right Thinking'? Well, he wrote a book on it, The Little Book of Right Thinking, which is in its 17th reprint. Essentially, he defines Right Thinking as:

• Thinking from the Divine standpoint.

• Controlling the thoughts so they do not go off on negative tangents away from the Divine Truth which is always positive.

• Replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts

• Living in the consciousness that all is well and as an adjunct to this, remembering that perfection exists as a reality now and to think in the consciousness of that knowledge.

• Meditation or prayer is the highest form of Right Thinking.

At its pinnacle, Hamblin describes Right Thinking as 'getting beyond thought to enter ultimate Truth'.

He says: 'When we cease thinking we glide out on the ocean of God's Peace. Thought brings us to the foot of the mountain after which we have to proceed by intuition'.

‘Health, Wealth and Happiness. Isn't this something we all want, either for ourselves or for those dear to us? And yet, how many of us are struggling to reach or hold such a goal for a sustained period of time?’

Hamblin's teachings explain how we can achieve all of these things, not by hard work and striving but by a simple change of thought - Within You is the Power is one of his simple but profound statements, and the title of one of his books.

Hamblin was a prolific author and had many thousands of followers studying and benefiting from his teachings and courses until his death in 1958. The simple principles contained in those teachings are as relevant today as they were when he was alive and, whilst the style of writing might now seem somewhat dated, they can still help us to achieve health, prosperity and happiness if we apply them conscientiously.

Whilst the Hamblin Trust still sells many of his previous publications, the one that contains the whole of his spiritual course is The Way of the Practical Mystic and, if you are interested in bringing greater health, prosperity and happiness into your life, we recommend you buy it, study it and apply the principles contained within it.