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¶ "Collapse physically. Practice this several times a day. Let go every muscle in the body. Conceive of yourself as a jellyfish, getting your body into complete looseness. Form a mental picture of a huge burlap bag of potatoes. Then mentally cut the bag, allowing the potatoes to roll out. Think of yourself as the bag. What is more relaxed than an empty burlap bag?"
¶ "Ten times a day repeat these dynamic words: 'If God be for us, who can be against us?' (Stop reading and repeat them NOW slowly and confidently)."
¶ "Every morning before arising, lie relaxed in bed and deliberately drop happy thoughts into your conscious mind . . . While dressing or shaving . . . say aloud a few such remarks as the following: 'I believe this is going to be a wonderful day. I believe I can successfully handle all problems ... At intervals during the day ... let mental pictures of the most peaceful scenes . . . pass across your mind, as, for example, some beautiful valley filled with the hush of evening time, as the shadows lengthen and the sun sinks to rest."
¶ "Should a negative thought of defeat come into your mind, expel it by increasing the positive affirmation. Affirm aloud: 'God is now giving me success. He is now giving me attainment.' "
¶ In case of sickness, "form a picture of the loved one as being well. Visualize him in perfect health. Picture him as radiant with the love and goodness of God."
Picturize & Pasteurize. Author Peale cites dozens of before-and-after case histories of people who have followed such advice with good results—the despondent businessman who kept repeating a Bible verse until he could "square his shoulders and walk out into the night"; the high jumper who made it after he was told: "Throw your heart over the bar and your body will follow"; the gym proprietor who kept a sign on the wall reading A P R P B W P R A A (for "Affirmative Prayers Release Powers By Which Positive Results Are Accomplished"); the woman who could not find a husband because she was too domineering ("You have a very firm way of pressing your lips together," said Dr. Peale on that occasion. "[You should get] those too-firm lines out of your face . . . Perhaps it might help to get your hair fixed up a little. It's a little—floaty").
No matter how mundane his advice may sometimes sound, Dr. Peale always returns to the need for prayer—and "prayers that have plenty of suction." To Dr. Peale, "prayer is a sending out of vibrations . . . In our brains we have about two billion little storage batteries. The human brain can send off power by thoughts and prayers." The big rule is "1) PRAYERIZE, 2) PICTURIZE, 3) ACTUALIZE." Much of the book's advice falls under a fourth possible heading, PASTEURIZE, e.g., "A mind free of negatives [will] produce positives, that is to say, a clean mind will deliver power."