Why Florence Scovel Shinn Matters

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BY MITCH HOROWITZ

The following is the author’s introduction to a new Condensed Classics edition of Florence Scovel Shinn’s final book, The Secret Door to Success, forthcoming in audio and digital from Gildan Media.

schinn-portrait
A recently discovered photograph of Shinn circa 1903. Her artwork is in the background.

This book almost never saw publication. It appeared in 1940, the year that Florence Scovel Shinn died. The work of the metaphysical teacher remains a formative influence on people around the world touched by her simple message that thoughts are destiny.

Shinn has many times over passed the test that philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson posed for whether someone has lived well—which is “to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.” I believe that Shinn, through her message of mental causation, left many thousands of people breathing easier, and living better. She may be about to do the same for you.

Shinn is best known for her 1925 classic The Game of Life and How to Play It. While Shinn called life a “game,” her own life was not easy—and nor did she seek ease. Born Florence Scovel in Camden, New Jersey in 1871, she took a rare path as a female artist, attending the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. There she met her future husband, realist painter Everett Shinn. Married in 1898, they moved to New York’s Greenwich Village, where they became part of the Ashcan School of American artists, a cohort known for depicting street scenes, tenements, and the immigrant experience. The couple divorced in 1912. While pursuing her own career as an illustrator, Shinn became a student of metaphysics, leading her to write The Game of Life and several other books. She also became a popular spiritual lecturer and counselor. Following an illness, she died at home in Manhattan in October of 1940.

Shinn provided a role model for many independent seekers not only by how she lived out her principles of self-creation, but also by her do-it-yourself ethic. When no publisher would accept her manuscript for The Game of Life, Shinn published the book herself. It became one of the most popular works of practical metaphysics of the past hundred years, and remains widely read today. She did the same with her next book, Your Word is Your Wand, published in 1928, and with this one. The final book that bears her name, The Power of the Spoken Word, appeared posthumously in 1944, four years after her death.

The Secret Door to Success uses the Bible as its chief point of reference. This has been a basic aspect of New Thought tradition. Shinn and her contemporaries interpreted Scripture as a psychological blueprint of individual development and personal excellence. In so doing, Shinn influenced some of the most powerful and varied voices in the positive-mind tradition, including the mystic Neville Goddard and the mega-selling Norman Vincent Peale, both of whom used Shinn’s phraseology in her work. Shinn was likewise an influence on spiritual thinkers of our own generation, including writer-publisher Louise Hay and on Yolanda King, eldest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr.

Shinn’s contemporary Emmet Fox eulogized her: “One secret of Shinn’s success was that she was always herself … colloquial, informal, friendly, and humorous. She never sought to be literary, conventional, or impressive. For this reason she appealed to thousands who would not have taken the spiritual message through more conservative and dignified forms, or have been willing to read … at least in the beginning … the standard metaphysical books.”

I quote from Fox’s eulogy with a tinge of hesitancy. There is, I think, something of a backhanded compliment, or even a veiled putdown, in his noting that Shinn’s books are for seekers who might not have taken the message through more “dignified forms.” A problem with our spiritual and intellectual culture (and many of those who aspire to be a part of it) is its suspicion of simple ideas and methods.

Shinn’s technique of “speaking the word”—of placing faith in God’s channels and announcing the arrival of that which is needed—either works or it does not. If it works—and I say that, in great measure, it does and challenge the reader to find his or her own applications—where is the need for the more “dignified” works to which Fox alludes? We should never be embarrassed or warned off an idea because it is simple. The only true test of a religious or ethical principle is its efficacy. That may be why Shinn is far more widely read today than Fox and many of her contemporaries.

Shinn’s natural, practical voice inspired a wide range of seekers and metaphysical ministers. In so doing, she gave New Thought its popular tone: one of encouragement, experiment, boldness, and boundless possibility. In this, the final book of Shinn’s life, now a part of our Condensed Classics Library, the teacher left us a testament that conveys something of the woman herself

Mitch Horowitz is the PEN Award-winning author of books including Occult AmericaOne Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life; and the forthcoming The Miracle of a Definite Chief Aim.

 

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39 Comments

  1. Thank you for this awesome history. Shinn is a favorite of mine and I’ve covered her books in the Metaphysical Bible Hangout. But, I was unaware of this history. Re-sharing!

    1. HI SHERRI. there is so many of people who can help you find your answers about life the real meaning of the bible, books left out of the bible and the real metaphysic’s of the bible but books and peoples opinion wont give you the answers you need to find it yourself. (Ask and it will be given) )keep asking the superconscious will answer if your heart is in knowing the answer ,you need to find your own answers not other peoples. i have studded all the greats as well as the bible but could’nt understand the bible until the divine taught me.

  2. How delightful to find a few words of biography about Florence Scovell Shinn and a picture besides. Sometimes these wonderful “old” books are enjoyed with no understanding of the life of the writer who has long since passed. I have referenced her work many times in writing and in classes I’ve taught. This is like having a cherry on the sundae.

    1. helloi have studed all the greats in this field to find that most die after 60 years old and dont live long lives. you need to search and find the truth out why. and not what people tell you or write in books .I own all the books on all the greats joseph s benner,…charles f hannel,…..prentice mulford…dr joseph murphy….joseph benner…..james allen…neville goddard…napoleon hill…parmahansa yogananda as well all of florences and many more too many to mention..my advice to all people who want to do any thing with the superconscious and the subconscious and conscious you must be like jesus in his spiriality.like jesus said ,you can do what i can do and more .jesus change vibrational into matter at will..you must become one with the father to achieve the kingdom.

      1. Yes, well said. We must become one with the father and accept deep within that if Jesus lives in us then like he did, carrying out the will of the father, we can do exactly the same! But we must believe that we are one and limitless!
        Isabelle

  3. Just wanted to add that without these biographies we often don’t know whether these authors are living or dead. In one class I took the teacher assured me that John Randolph Price had written his books many years ago and had long since died. Imagine her chagrin when he was a guest speaker at the following New Thought convention.

  4. I own the full Shinn library, and love its simplicity. Is it spiritual “law”? No. Everyone who follows these principles isn’t always rewarded with his or her desired results. But Shinn does encourage us to create consciously, and this is vitally important.

    As immortals (and possibly multi-dimensional beings), we’ve been thinking and creating since The Beginning. It’s only when we believe we are something less, chiefly the human body costumes we’re temporarily wearing, that we misinterpret or completely miss the wisdom of New Thought.

    Consider the possibility that what we’re currently experiencing is the immortal soul’s life, not the mortal body costume’s. When we think like a body, we act like a body. But it’s the soul, not always the body, that must deal with the karmic consequences of those thoughts, words and actions of the frightened ego self.

    A soul who is here purposefully has outlined, if not scripted, its scenes on Earth’s stage. It’s the body who is surprised by situations and encounters the soul had previously planned. Only the body is disappointed when the soul rejects the body’s desires because they are counterproductive to the attainment of its goals for the current experience.

    When we read the wisdom of Shinn and others through our soul’s eyes, rather than our human eyes, we see the real power in her words, and we realize their long-term, beyond-this-lifetime implications. New Thought is not about learning to manipulate matter, thinking positively and creating consciously for what I call a “bat of an eyelash experience in Universal Time.” I believe it’s really about helping us consciously realign with The One, thinking godly and understanding our true power so that we can finally jump off of this bumpy, karmic roller ride called human incarnations.

    But I could be wrong.

    1. Very wrong you are ma’am, it is absolutely spiritual law and all of her teachings are based in just that SPIRITUAL LAWS that govern the entire universe! And not everyone get their hearts desires because of unbelief, wavering and doubting and it is written James 1:6-7 ask never doubting or you shall not receive anything from the LORD!

      1. I agree with you Christina. it is all the spiritually law and for anyone to get there desires they have to abbey the spirally laws which are in place like gravity and there are quiet a few but if you know them and practice them you can get what your heart desires as is written in the greatest metaphysical book ever written the Bible .not many can understand its interpretations .Jesus tried to teach but most men in religion have got it wrong, since it was put together and books and parts were left out. The father and you must become one to make the kingdom on earth ,. AS IS WRITTEN IN BIBLE. The lord in bible means the( law) and you need faith..you need to be like jesus .( you can do what i can do and better)

    2. helloi have studed all the greats in this field to find that most die after 60 years old and dont live long lives. you need to search and find the truth out why. and not what people tell you or write in books .I own all the books on all the greats joseph s benner,…charles f hannel,…..prentice mulford…dr joseph murphy….joseph benner…..james allen…neville goddard…napoleon hill…parmahansa yogananda as well all of florences and many more too many to mention..my advice to all people who want to do any thing with the superconscious and the subconscious and conscious you must be like jesus in his spiriality.like jesus said ,you can do what i can do and more .jesus change vibrational into matter at will..you must become one with the father to achieve the kingdom.

    3. hi partrica I don’t believe in reincarnation it is a Indian Hindu concept and karmic law doesn’t apply to spiritually law some times nature can give the truth as is written in the greatest metaphysical book ever written . The Bible I have read all the greats and the superconscious has provided me with my understanding or everything but still learning. books that have been written are only a guild to your awareness but you have to find your answers, not what people say to you or what you read or what sounds right for you. the only one who can give you the truths the infinite .keep asking till you get the true answers which with come from the( universe.).(.god.)..(superconscious) 9 the divine ) if you ask from your heart (ask and you with receive)

    4. Actually I believe it is very much spiritual “law”. You do actually have to believe in the strength of faith and you will see that it is so. Keep practicing spiritual “law” as Florence Has outlined in the book. If it doesn’t work for you then realize it’s because you do not have enough faith and you need to practice your faith much more. I’ve used and lived Florence words and trust me. It is all spiritual “law”.

  5. I love Florence Scovel Shinn’s work. I read it several times daily. You are correct about her being overlooked and underestimated. She states her words with power and simplicity. I have yet to find a writer quite like her. The closest I could find was Emma Curtis Hopkins.

    1. hi kiarra there are others that are like Florence reference the bible, so does Neville Goddard as a metaphysical book I have studied all the greats and most have a similar story YET FLORENCE DIED ABOUT 60 YEARS OLD .Neville Goddard did the same these books are a guild .you must find your answers within you the truth. And only one way to do that is to keep asking for the answers to you find them (ask and you will be answered) the superconscious..( god)

      1. You write like death is a bad thing? To die in body is to be present with the Lord. Perhaps they diligently fulfilled their purpose here and moved on to be where they are suppose to be in eternity., in their sixties.

  6. I found Florence Scovel Shinn through Emmet Fox. While I found his work essential to my understanding of truth, I kept being drawn back to the simplicity and practicality of Shinn. What a gift you’ve given us ‘seekers’, Mr. Horowitz! Thank you.

  7. It was quite odd how i received this book. I was looking to hike waterfalls a forty minute drive for me. I knew the direction, but not the exact location. I used google of course, and was led to a residential street. I did notice a hiking trail and decided to take it instead and there was a tiny book booth ( the take one leave kind) i just grabbed one. Funny, how i was using Brad Yates videos and speaking affirmations daily. This book is a miracle book! I’m blown away she passed so long ago?. I’ve tried to get to those waterfalls 3 times now and everytime i get lost?

    1. then why don’t you take notice of what Florence shinn , tells you to do in the book ask the divine from the heart with emotion and believe it is done and follow intuition

      1. Hi. Love to read Florence daily. Maybe you can clarify. Recall reading that that you can’t demand or force something. How do you know the point between too much emotion and demanding?

  8. I was not seeking Florence Shinn, nor information on New Thought or any type of life guidance. But, quite serendipitously, an audio book called “The Game if Life…” began to play on a new pair of headphones I was wearing. Before I could manipulate the controls on the head set to stop the reading, it was well into chapter 1 and I was hooked. I feel I have come home, after a lifetime of juggling the consequences of my self-will run riot and taming a narcissistic ego, Florence Shinn’s prophetic words provide the bridge between our humanity and our divinity. For some it may take several lifetimes to fully cross; sadly, some may never even begin the journey..
    Infinite Spirit, I give great thanks; open the path for humanity to embrace compassion and dignity as the Divine Design for how to treat each other, manifest under Grace , in a perfect way, Bring into manifestation, under Grace , in a perfect way, the Divine light within each of us, that is due by Divine right. Open the path for enormous wealth due each individual by Divine right, manifest under Grace, in a perfect way., if this is Your will.

    1. About three days ago I was listening to a YouTube video and her work began play. This is the first work that I have found which predominantly ties directly to statements from the Bible. Her simplicity is refreshing and I too am hooked! Divine intervention at work.

      1. I saw a video about Florence Shinn today on youtube and was researching her and found this post. Its August 16, 2020 lol I never post public like this but couldn’t resist!

    2. hi Pamela to achieve what you want you need to be like Jesus. Florence died at 60 years old most people who teach this die around 60 years. become like Jesus and your desires will be met as Jesus said ( you can do what i can do but more) you need to be spiritually and learn to give. to much to talk about you can look at other answers i have answered if you need to know more

  9. I couldn’t sleep one night – troubled by so many things, the Pandemic, the World, our Government etc. And suddenly on YouTube a reading of “The Game of Life and How to Play It” started up. It was just the thing I needed to hear. I had read this book by Shinn many years ago and it came at the right time to me again. There are no accidents. Shinn’s words and wisdom are there for us to always practice and remember. What a brilliant mind and such insight Shinn has to offer us – tools to live a better, more healthy and prosperous life. If only should we practice it more often than not.

  10. Could someone please tell me if they know how she died. I’m a curious soul and I love her work, so I wanted to know more about the person, but strangely I found very little. The thing that strikes me the most is not details of her death. Does anyone know?
    Thank you in advance….

    1. hi rose yes i love to read Florence’s books i have all her books and have studied all the greats.. Florence only wrote 4 books she was 60 years old when she died .she died of heart disease so many other great teachers also died around 60 years as well. She teachers you the truth about the truth in the bible .it is a metaphysical book.

      1. John,
        I appreciate that you’ve taken the time to post so many replies. However, I have to question the source of your “facts.” If Florence was born in 1871 and died in 1940, that would make her 69, not the 60 that you state multiple times was her age at death as well as “so many other great teachers.” Also, there is not a single other well-researched source I’ve uncovered that cites the actual cause of her death, including the scan of her obituary https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82837679/obituary-for-florence-scovel-shinn/ (which reads more like a death notice than an obit.). So if you’ve uncovered legitimate references proving she died of heart disease, please provide them, as I’ve been searching for quite a while.

  11. There is a Youtube channel (Nevellution) that has a wonderful reader of Florence Scovel Shinn’s books and affirmations. I think her name is Lila. She has such a calm and soothing voice that I sometimes think that it is Ms. Shinn herself speaking the words directly to me. Blessings to all!

  12. All is well till she concludes with her ” belief in reincarnation’..JESUS said ” it is appointed for men once to die and then the Judgement”. Nevertheless there is much to glean from the content provided in her work.

    1. You know reincarnation has been proven over and over. The soul is ever lasting and comes to earth to learn. With every lifetime that you come back you get closer to God until you do not have to return. Perhaps be more open minded.

      1. I would love to hear some of those stories if you can guide me to them, as I had various dreams of living a previous life. Thank you! In fact I have soon much in common with Florence, including city & state of birth and much more. During tea ceremony experience, I saw her but did not know who she was until I got her book, looked her up and saw her picture. People who know me well have commented on our similar expressions, beliefs, practices, teachings, etc.

  13. Why does everyone keep saying she died at 60? Her biography clearly states she was born in 1871 in Camden, New Jersey and died in 1940 in Manhattan. Am I missing something? She died at 69, no?

  14. Even though I love FSS’s books/message, I’m often on a roller coaster while or after listening to The Game of Life…audio book. The message is lovely, but doesn’t her own life directly contradict her words? Why divorce? Did she not marry the man meant for her by “divine right”? Why die young from illness (69 is pretty young). I believe that Peter A. Levine (and Bessel van der Kolk) teach us the truth when they say trauma is biological, and needs to be healed. People who have suffered repeated trauma do die younger than others, often from “heart disease” (like a broken heart?). What would she have thought of Hitler (or Ayn Rand)? Would she have blessed him and wished him well, believing his sword would turn to dust? She died as Hitler invaded. I wonder if that caused her to doubt her faith. As I said, I love her message, but “do as I say, not as I do” confounds me. I can’t absorb the words when they’re delivered to me that way. I think that traumatized people often turn to metaphysics in hopes of curing the pain and finding meaning in human life. As for hoarding, most of the greedy hoarders I knew growing up ended up millionaires (and a couple of billionaires) able to put their kids through the best schools and pay for the best healthcare. Some of them don’t care who they hurt to get what they want for their own families, and as for karma, I don’t see where it comes into play. I’d be a lot happier if I could believe Florence Scovil Shinn.

    1. Peregrine, I agree with you, except… 69 years in that time wasn’t a short life. As for “positive thinking” (it became the basis for “Secret” — very fashionable book nowadays), I think it has limited use. One cannot totally rely on it for practical results. True, it forces one to analyze and crystallize one’s thoughts and wishes, conjure up motivation and courage (like that man who came to the bank 15 minutes before closing time and demanded a loan which was given to him). In other words it pushes one to do some spiritual work, but that’s it. The rest depends either on God’s will (as religion teaches) or on your life plan which you made before your birth (as anthroposophists believe). Even then the situation is fluid: God may give his blessing later or one’s life plan allows it to happen later when one reaches some spiritual maturity. Also — it seems she doesn’t believe in existence of evil which makes her sound superficial. Evil does exist and does affect people regardless of how “positively” they think.

    2. I have started researching Florence´s life because I am obsessed with her. I want to write a book about her because I want to know as much as possible about this mysterious and remarkable woman. She was also a great artist and married to another one, Everett Shinn, who was also a terrible womanizer. He inspired Theodore Dreiser to write his book The Genius, about a man who searched for the ideal woman, never finding anyone perfect enough.

      So I am guessing Florence grew apart from Everett and had n option but to divorce him, to maintain her integrity. Divorce is not always bad. It might be necessary for the partners to grow. Well, seems like Everett did not grow but Florence most certainly did! You know what they say: in divorces, the husband finds another woman and the wife finds herself : )

      Florence died 69 years old, which might have been a reasonable age to leave the physical, back in the day. Also, maybe she had completed her mission. Maybe she wanted to go? Who knows.

      But I want to know so I am researching. I am reading The Genius, to learn about Everett. And then I might travel to New York, Pandemic allowing.

      I am very excited and energized. There is something about Florence!

  15. Well, if I could respectfully disagree here….

    Florence Scovel Shinn never said anything to indicate that people should suffer in dead-end marriages. She actually mentioned a few students whose marriages ended, adding that it was for the best.
    We also have no idea why she and her husband divorced.

    I can’t agree with your opinion that she’s basically a hypocrite; we don’t know when she became, first a student, then a teacher of metaphysics. We know she was an artist and book illustrator, and somewhere along the way, was married for about twelve years. It seems more likely than not that she got involved in metaphysics after her divorce. I say this because…..

    She self-published “The Game of Life and How to Play It” in 1925, when she was already 54 years old. I don’t see any evidence that she ever instructed people to do one thing while she did the opposite. If she wasn’t in to metaphysics as a younger woman, then we can see how she may not have made the best choice for a husband. If she came to her spiritual beliefs later in life, then her mistakes were behind her and she set about trying to educate others.

    P.S.- Florence Scovel Shinn was born in 1871; her life expectancy was just about 42 years old. She lived 27 years beyond that.

    Oh, wait!! ?
    P.P.S.– Have you tried her other books? You might like “The Secret Door to Success” or “Your Word is Your Wand”. Personally, my favorite is “The Power of the Spoken Word”.

    God Bless, Peregrine.

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