Mentalism

"The All is Mind; the Universe is Mental."

Historical interpretation

In late antique Hermetic and similar esoteric texts, reality is often described as an emanation of a divine Mind. The cosmos is not a random pile of stuff but the expression of a living Intelligence. What we call "matter" is a condensed expression of thought in a hierarchy that runs from the subtle (Nous, divine intellect) down into the dense (body, elements).

Current interpretation

Life shows up as heavily shaped by mindset and perception. What we focus on, rehearse mentally, and continually imagine becomes the filter through which we notice opportunities, threats, and meaning. The principle does not say "you can think a sports car into your driveway," but it does say that thought is the first shaping layer of experience.

Relatable example

Two people start the same new job. One keeps thinking, "Everyone here is judging me; I never fit in." The other keeps thinking, "I’m still learning; every day I’ll get a bit better." For the first person, every neutral glance proves the story that they do not belong. For the second, every small success proves that growth is happening. Same office, same desks, same emails. Two very different universes, because the mental story is different.