People, Ideas, and Movements That Shaped New Thought
Biographies and contributions of key individuals in New Thought.
Florence Scovel Shinn transformed New Thought with her 1925 classic The Game of Life and How to Play It, blending practical prosperity teachings with spiritual affirmations. This article traces her journey from illustrator to metaphysical teacher, her core ideas, and her lasting influence on modern self-help.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox, a prolific American poet, became one of the most widely read voices of the New Thought movement. Her optimistic verses, including ‘Laugh, and the world laughs with you,’ brought metaphysical ideas to a mass audience. This article explores her life, her connections to Emma Curtis Hopkins and New Thought, and her lasting influence.
Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, healed through New Thought principles, founded Unity, the largest Christian movement in the tradition. Their journey from students of Emma Curtis Hopkins to leaders of a global prayer ministry transformed American spirituality.
Genevieve Behrend, a French-born author and teacher, became the only personal pupil of Thomas Troward, the renowned New Thought philosopher. Her story of visualizing her way to Cornwall and her subsequent book ‘Your Invisible Power’ shaped the mental science movement.
Emma Curtis Hopkins, known as the ‘mother of New Thought,’ taught and ordained the founders of Unity, Religious Science, and other major metaphysical movements. This article traces her life, teachings, and enduring legacy.
Nona Lovell Brooks was a pioneering leader of the New Thought movement and co-founder of the Church of Divine Science. This article traces her life, healing, teachings, and lasting impact on American metaphysical religion.
Nona Lovell Brooks (1861–1945) was a cofounder of the Divine Science movement, a New Thought religious tradition that emphasized the omnipresence of God and the power of spiritual healing. This article explores her life, her healing, and her role in building the first Divine Science church.
From Elizabeth Towne’s presidency in 1924 to the contemporary women guiding the Alliance, this article traces the pivotal roles women have played in shaping the International New Thought Alliance and the broader New Thought movement.
Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802–1866) was a 19th-century American healer whose revolutionary ideas about the mind’s power to heal the body laid the groundwork for the New Thought movement. This article explores his life, philosophy, methods, and lasting influence on mental healing and self-help culture.
Ernest Holmes (1887–1960) was an American New Thought leader who founded Religious Science and authored The Science of Mind. His teachings blended Christian Science, transcendentalism, and practical metaphysics, influencing modern self-help and spiritual movements.