The Science Of Being Well
February 8th, 2008
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New addition to the Resources page: The Science of Being Well by Wallace D. Wattles. It was published in 1910, which ironically was the year before Wattles died from health problems at age 51. However, I don’t think this diminishes the validity of the book. For one thing, he didn’t have modern medicine working in his favor, and lots of people died young. Also, he had been in poor health for several years, and might not have even discovered his health secrets until the very end. I’m sure he would have been worse off not knowing what he knew.
Unlike The Science of Getting Rich, The Science of Being Well is not completely based on the law of attraction. Significant emphasis is placed on proper eating, drinking, breathing, and sleeping. It may be a bit controversial; for example, he says that you should always skip breakfast. But much of what he says is hard to argue with, aside from the polarizing issue of the law of attraction.
Partway through the book is an editor’s note that underscores the significance of this book:
“In 1910, very little was known about physiology and pathology, the inner workings of the body in health and disease. Today, almost a century later, despite huge advances in medical science, the human body is still largely a mystery. The process of mapping the intricate genetic code that makes us human (the Human Genome Project) has called into question what every present day doctor was taught in school about the most basic function in our cells: the role of DNA.
The implications of this are at least as dramatic as the discovery that the earth is not flat! Amazingly enough, cutting-edge science supports exactly what Mr. Wattles wrote in this last paragraph, which bears repeating: the Power of Nature within you is sufficient to overcome all hereditary impressions, and if you will learn to control your thoughts, so that you shall think only those of health, and if you will perform the voluntary functions of life in a perfectly healthy way, you can certainly be well.”
There are a tremendous number of unnatural typos in the book, such as periods and hard returns in the middle of a sentence. No doubt introduced by the editor and not the author, but unfortunately I found it very distracting. Still, it’s a very good ebook. You should read The Science of Getting Rich first, in order to get the necessary background on the law of attraction. The next book in the series is The Science of Being Great.
Note that this particular copy of the ebook contains an advertising link at the top of each page. I’m not affiliated with this link, I haven’t researched it, and I have no recommendation either for or against it.
Please share your thoughts on The Science of Being Well in the comments.
February 8th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Hi Hunter,
Thank you for sharing your “finds”. I love reading that “old” stuff. At times, I don’t think enough credit is given to those that came before us.
It’s interesting that he says you should skip breakfast, with all of the nutritionists saying how breakfast is your most important meal of the day.
Barbara’s last blog post..Are Spammers Saying “Gotcha”
February 8th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Glad you like the “oldies but goodies,” Barbara. While some books become outdated, some stand the test of time.
I think it’s funny that even now that we’re well into the 21st century, we still don’t know much more about health and nutrition than we did way back then. Wattles mentions that there’s a lot of debate about the benefits of raw foods vs. cooked foods…yeah, it’s still going on nearly 100 years later in the Steve Pavlina forum!
And yes, the breakfast thing is interesting, but at least he gives a reason for it. Personally, I’m not convinced on that point yet.
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
Great post and I am proof this works. I was diagnosed with several chronic illnesses and in chronic pain for years. I was told I would get worse and to “manage my pain with prescription drugs”. Instead I used the law of attraction and the mind/body connection to heal myself. Now I blog telling other people about natural methods of healing. Thanks for sharing the Wattles book — it is a valuable one even though it is a bit dated. Gratefully, Jenny
Jennifer Mannion’s last blog post..Do I Have to Stay Positive ALL the Time for the Law of Attraction to Work?
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Jenny, it’s always good to hear a story about the law of attraction at work! While drugs obviously work well in many cases, they also have serious side effects, especially when taken for extended periods of time. The mind/body connection is so underused it’s ridiculous.