We are sending out thoughts of greater or less intensity all the time, and we are reaping the results of such thoughts. Not only do our thought- waves influence ourselves and others, but they have a drawing power — they attract to us the thoughts of others, things, circumstances, people, “luck,” in accord with the character of the thought uppermost in our minds.
Thoughts of Love will attract to us the Love of others; circumstances and surroundings in accord with the thought; people who are of like thought. Thoughts of Anger, Hate, Envy, Malice and Jealousy will draw to us the foul brood of kindred thoughts emanating from the minds of others; circumstances in which we will be called upon to manifest these vile thoughts and will receive them in turn from others; people who will manifest inharmony; and so on.
A strong thought, or a thought long continued, will make us the center of attraction for the corresponding thought-waves of others. Like attracts like in the Thought World — as ye sow so shall ye reap. Birds of a feather flock together in the Thought World — curses like chickens come home to roost, and bring their friends with them.
The man or woman who is filled with Love sees Love on all sides and attracts the Love of others. The man with Hate in his heart gets all the Hate he can stand. The man who thinks Fight generally runs up against all the Fight he wants before he gets through. And so it goes, each gets what he calls for over the wireless telegraphy of the Mind. The man who rises in the morning feeling “grumpy” usually manages to have the whole family in the same mood before the breakfast is over. The “nagging” woman generally finds enough to gratify her “nagging” propensity during the day.
This matter of Thought Attraction is a serious one. When you stop to think of it you will see that a man really makes his own surroundings, although he blames others for it. I have known people who understood this law to hold a positive, calm thought and be absolutely unaffected by the inharmony surrounding them. They were like the vessel from which the oil had been poured on the troubled waters — they rested safely and calmly whilst the tempest raged around them.
One is not at the mercy of the fitful storms of Thought after he has learned the workings of the Law.
William Atkinson “Thought Vibration, Or, The Law of Attraction in the Thought World” (1908)