New Thought and the History of the Law of Attraction

Introduction

The New Thought movement, which coalesced in the United States in the early 19th century, represents one of the most influential yet often overlooked spiritual currents in modern Western culture. Rooted in metaphysical beliefs that emphasized the power of the mind to shape physical reality, New Thought gave rise to the Law of Attraction—a principle that has permeated popular self-help literature and motivational philosophy. This article traces the movement’s historical evolution, its key figures and institutions, and the specific emergence of the Law of Attraction as a central tenet. From Phineas Quimby’s pioneering healing methods to the institutional frameworks of Divine Science, Unity, and Religious Science, New Thought’s legacy is inseparable from the modern fascination with positive thinking and intentional manifestation.

Historical Context

The New Thought movement emerged in a period of profound intellectual and spiritual ferment in America. During the 1830s and 1840s, a wave of transcendentalism, mesmerism, and universalist Christianity challenged orthodox religious doctrines. The transcendentalist belief that ideal spirituality “transcends” the physical and is realized only through individual intuition rather than institutional religion [1] provided a philosophical foundation. Simultaneously, Franz Mesmer’s theories linking mental state to physical condition influenced early metaphysical healers [2]. The movement also drew on John Locke’s definition of ideas as anything existing in the mind that could be expressed through words [1], and on the Romantic interest in universal science that sought to harmonize religion and empirical observation. These currents converged in a uniquely American context, where a newly secure nation, free from Old-World threats, turned its gaze toward the unseen [4].

Alongside New Thought, other movements such as Christian Science, theosophy, and the transcendental movement were born from similar interests [1]. The emphasis on mental causation and the power of thought to influence health and circumstance distinguished New Thought from these contemporaries, though they shared a common metaphysical milieu.

Main Narrative

Origins: Phineas Quimby and the Mind-Cure Movement

Most historians trace the origins of New Thought to Phineas Quimby (1802–1866), a clockmaker and mesmerist from Maine. Quimby developed a system of healing based on the idea that disease was a product of false beliefs and that correcting these beliefs could restore health. His work in the 1840s and 1850s attracted patients and students, including Mary Baker Eddy, who would later found Christian Science. While Eddy diverged significantly, Quimby’s core insight—that mental states directly affect physical conditions—became foundational to New Thought [2]. Quimby’s methods, though not formally published, were disseminated through his many students and through the writings of Warren Felt Evans, a Swedenborgian minister who became one of the movement’s earliest authors.

The Emergence of the Law of Attraction

The phrase “Law of Attraction” itself emerged from the liberal metaphysics of the 1840s. According to historian Mitch Horowitz, the concept—though not yet named—was articulated in works such as Robert H. Collyer’s Psychography; or, The Embodiment of Thought (1843), which featured an experiment with a “Bowl of Molasses” to demonstrate the power of thought to attract material substance [4]. Edgar Allan Poe and the Rev. George Bush were among the intellectuals who engaged with these ideas, which posited that like attracts like on a mental and spiritual plane [4]. The farmhand mystic Andrew Jackson Davis, a clairvoyant and early spiritualist, also contributed to the popularization of these concepts, though his direct influence on the Law of Attraction is debated.

Institutionalization: Emma Curtis Hopkins and the New Thought Alliance

In the 1880s, Emma Curtis Hopkins, a former student of Mary Baker Eddy, became a central figure in New Thought. She established the Emma Hopkins College of Metaphysical Science in Chicago and trained a generation of leaders, including Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, founders of Unity, and Malinda Cramer, co-founder of Divine Science. Hopkins emphasized the power of affirmative prayer and the “Science of Mind,” a term later adopted by Ernest Holmes. Her teaching synthesized Quimby’s healing methods with a more explicit focus on the law of attraction, asserting that thoughts attract corresponding experiences.

In 1890, representatives from various New Thought groups formed the International New Thought Alliance (INTA), which sought to unify the movement while respecting its diverse expressions [2]. INTA provided a platform for sharing ideas and standardizing teachings, though individual organizations retained their distinct emphases.

Key Figures and Their Contributions

Charles and Myrtle Fillmore founded Unity in 1889 in Kansas City, Missouri. Their publication, Unity Magazine, became a leading voice for New Thought, emphasizing practical Christianity and the power of positive prayer. Unity’s teachings incorporated the Law of Attraction as a natural corollary of the mind’s creative power.

Malinda Cramer and Nona Brooks established Divine Science in the 1880s, with Cramer founding the Home College of Divine Science in San Francisco. Divine Science emphasized the immanence of God and the reality of the spiritual universe, arguing that the physical world is a reflection of mental states.

Ernest Holmes, influenced by both New Thought and Christian Science, published The Science of Mind in 1926, which became the foundational text of Religious Science. Holmes’s system explicitly articulated the Law of Attraction as a universal principle: “What we think, we create.” His work reached a wide audience and laid the groundwork for later self-help movements.

William Walker Atkinson, a prolific author under several pseudonyms, wrote extensively on the Law of Attraction in the early 20th century. Books such as Thought Vibration (1906) and The Law of Attraction in the Thought World (1906) popularized the concept for a general readership, blending New Thought with elements of yoga and occultism.

Ralph Waldo Trine, whose In Tune with the Infinite (1897) became a bestseller, articulated the power of positive thinking and alignment with the divine, further embedding the Law of Attraction in American spiritual culture.

Publications and Periodicals

The movement’s growth was fueled by a robust print culture. The Christian Science Journal (founded 1883) initially served the broader mind-cure movement before Christian Science separated. Unity Magazine (1889) and Science of Mind magazine (1927) provided ongoing instruction and community for adherents. The Nautilus, published by Elizabeth Towne from 1898, was another influential periodical that promoted New Thought and the Law of Attraction. These publications not only spread the teachings but also created a sense of belonging among geographically dispersed believers.

Branches and Changes Over Time

New Thought evolved through several phases. The early mind-cure movement gave way to more organized denominations in the late 19th century. Divine Science, Unity, Religious Science, and the Church of the Truth (founded by H. Emilie Cady) each developed distinct liturgical and doctrinal expressions. The International New Thought Alliance, though not a governing body, facilitated cooperation and mutual recognition.

In the 20th century, New Thought’s influence expanded beyond explicitly religious contexts. Figures like Norman Vincent Peale and Napoleon Hill drew on its principles, and the human potential movement of the 1960s and 1970s incorporated New Thought ideas into secular self-help frameworks. The Law of Attraction received renewed attention with the release of the film and book The Secret (2006), which brought the concept to a global audience, albeit often stripped of its spiritual and ethical dimensions.

Why It Matters in New Thought History

The Law of Attraction is arguably the most widely recognized legacy of the New Thought movement. It crystallized the movement’s central premise—that thought shapes reality—into a simple, marketable formula. Understanding its history is crucial for students of New Thought because it reveals how a metaphysical healing practice evolved into a universal law of success and well-being. The Law of Attraction also illustrates the movement’s capacity to adapt to cultural shifts, from Victorian-era spiritualism to contemporary motivational culture. Moreover, the institutional structures built by New Thought leaders—such as Unity, Divine Science, and Religious Science—continue to thrive, and their teachings on the Law of Attraction remain central to their pastoral and educational missions. By studying this history, we gain insight into the enduring human quest to harness the mind’s power over circumstances.

Primary Sources

• Psychography; or, The Embodiment of Thought (1843) by Robert H. Collyer – Early treatise linking thought to material manifestation, featuring the “Bowl of Molasses” experiment.
• Thought Vibration (1906) by William Walker Atkinson – Popular exposition of the Law of Attraction, blending New Thought with esoteric ideas.
• The Science of Mind (1926) by Ernest Holmes – Foundational text of Religious Science, systematically presenting the Law of Attraction.
• Unity Magazine (1889–present) – Periodical that chronicles the development of Unity and New Thought teachings.
• In Tune with the Infinite (1897) by Ralph Waldo Trine – Bestselling work that popularized New Thought principles for a general audience.