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Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802 - 1866) is recognized as the founding father of the 19th century mind-cure movement. He was one of the first mesmerists (hypnotists) who practiced in America, from his office in Portland, Maine. He cured over 12,000 clients of various physical and mental infirmities during his time of work, using the power of "mind communicating with mind." He was clairvoyant, telepathic and also involved in Spiritualism. He left behind journals containing articles written from around 1843 - 1865, explaining his methods of treatment and his discoveries on the workings of the mind in relation to disease, health and happiness.
“What is Dr. Quimby's theory? It is reducing the Christian Religion to a Science so that it can be applied to ourselves and others for the happiness and knowledge of mankind. By his theory we correct our errors which ignorance and superstition have bequeathed to us. It separates us from the phenomenon and makes man look for science or the cause outside of the phenomenon. Ignorance directs us to look for the cause inside the phenomenon. Now all mankind think and act upon these two theories. This is the field where all the battle must be fought.” [Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, The Christian Religion Reduced to a Science]
“Jesus stood before the world as I do, with this exception; my own case will explain both. The two parties who sat in judgment on Jesus were divided on this point. One party thought he came from heaven; the other thought that the spirits of the dead talked through him, and they hoped to introduce dissension among the people, enough to put down the established religion. Jesus was in the hands of these bigots and could not explain what he intended to have the people believe. It is so with me. One class calls me a spiritualist but a hypocrite; another calls me evil or the devil. The third says I am an infidel or a disbeliever in Christ. A fourth, not the least, say I am a harmless humbug. The sick is the only class who know anything about what I teach. They say it is a science and can be learned. But as it is in the world of error and superstition and my judges belong to this class, I am accused, as I have stated, and of course my works are my proof.” [Phineas Parkhurst Quimby; Article: Spiritualism (Death of the Natural Man)]
Although Dr. Quimby did not believe in the teachings of orthodox Christianity as is usually taught, he interpreted the metaphyiscal teachings of Jesus in such a way as to substantiate and explain his own theory, a theory which he successfully put into practice by healing thousands of people of all manner of sickness and disease, a fact attested to by hundreds of testimonials from his patients and innumerable articles which appeared in the newspapers during his lifetime.
The spiritual world had never been investigated before as a science until Dr. Quimby did so. He reduced the Christian religion to a science which he called "The Science of Christianity," "The Science of Christ," "The Science of Correcting an Error," "The Science of Health and Happiness," etc.
Dr. Quimby said that Jesus healed by this science which he called "Christ" but his disciples as well as the people confused the man Jesus with the science which he taught and called him "Jesus Christ." Just as we might associate the man Franklin with his discovery and call him "Franklin Electricity."
Dr. Quimby also believed that he healed by this same science which Jesus taught and practiced and to him he gives all the credit for introducing it to the world. He believed this, perhaps because of certain similarities in both his and Jesus' methods of healing, similarities such as these:
They were both clairvoyant.
They both could take the feelings of others.
They both attacked and disagreed with the beliefs and opinions of the priests and doctors.
They both healed by word of mouth and touch.
Finally, he seemed to have followed an injunction of Jesus who said: "I am not come to destroy but to fulfill" and this I think is exactly what Dr. Quimby did. He fulfilled the teachings of Jesus without destroying the structure of his own philosophy, a philosophy which he hoped some day would be understood and acknowledge by the scientific world as a science, which would explain the cause and cure of disease and bring health and happiness to the human race. How he did this can only be learned by reading and studying all of his writings.
Quimby Neither Mesmerist or Spiritualist
“Dr. P. P. Quimby takes this way to give the sick and those who need his services a short illustration of the manner of treating diseases, as they are called by the medical faculty. My mode of treating the sick is entirely new and original with myself. I have no similarity or affinity with any other mode of practice. Therefore, when others undertake to identify my practice with any other, they not only misrepresent me but show their weakness by so doing. For everyone that I treat that can understand me at all will see that I am entirely different from any other person. Those that have some selfish motive to identify me with mesmeric practice use this argument: it is nothing but mesmerism, etc. Others that wish to class me with the spiritualist say it is spiritualism, but I won't own it. Now this mode of misrepresenting me I, of course, can't help, only as I make my patients understand. And as it is easier to let it go that I am a spiritualist or anything else than to explain, they let it go by, saying I don't care what you call it if I get well.” [Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, Article: To the Sick, page 568]
Introduction I and II by P. P. Quimby (best summary of his philosophy)
Phineas Parkhurst Quimby
Quimby's Writings alphabetical
The Healing Wisdom of Dr. Quimby (entire content online)
The Quimby Manuscripts (entire content online)
The Complete Writings - This title is in three volumes. While it is slow reading because of Quimby's unique use of key terms there can be little doubt Quimby was head and shoulders above every other writer in explaining what Man is as a whole being as Master of his life and destiny. If you never read any other text in your entire life - read these. Dale Pond
“When I sit down by a patient, their thought is their wisdom or opinions and to me there is no light in them. My light or wisdom sees through their darkness or belief and I, knowing that their sufferings are the effect of this world's wisdom, take them by the hand and guide them by my light till I raise them from the dead or error into the light of science or heaven. This is my heaven. My hell is where I was and where all others are till they come to a knowledge of this great truth, that man is outside of matter. When he knows this, he cuts himself clear and floats in the ocean of light where matter is to him a shadow, moved around by a wisdom attached to it, and their ignorance knows not that they are not of the matter but outside.” [Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Article: Letter to Mr. Carter, Printed Page: 111]
Quimby's Science of Happiness
by Collie, Erroll Stafford
DeVorsss & Company, 1980
ISBN: 0-87516-410-2
Christs Letters
Disease
Dominant
Entanglement
Mesmerism
Mind
Mind to Mind
Quantum Entanglement
Quimby - Lecture Notes Book VI
Quimby on Spirit Communication
Radionics
Science
Sense
Wisdom
See Also