Geneviève Behrend's Journey of Manifestation and Spiritual Awakening

Geneviève Behrend’s story is one of unwavering faith, vivid imagination, and spiritual transformation. Born in Paris in 1881, Geneviève would go on to become a pioneering teacher of Mental Science, a branch of the New Thought movement that teaches the mind’s power to shape reality. Her journey from a truth-seeking young widow to the only personal student of the great metaphysical teacher Thomas Troward is nothing short of inspirational. Through mental discipline, creative visualization, and an unshakeable belief in the divine power within, Geneviève manifested her dreams and transformed her life. In this post, we’ll explore her spiritual awakening, the challenges she overcame, and how she embodied New Thought principles to create her own reality. This is a tale of inner transformation and the “invisible power” we all possess to shape our destiny.

🎧 Listen to the podcast version of this episode: “Geneviève Behrend — The Story Behind the Story.”
In ~13 minutes, hear how she turned visualization into lived results—the $20,000, the Atlantic crossing, and the apprenticeship with Troward—plus the exact sequence you can use today: picture → belief → receptivity → form.

Awakening to the Invisible Power

Geneviève’s early life gave few hints of the spiritual adventure to come. Little is known of her youth, except that she was born to a French family (with one Scottish parent) and married young. Tragically, she became a widow early on. Seeking comfort and meaning, she explored various spiritual paths. She even studied Christian Science, meeting its founder Mary Baker Eddy, though Geneviève eventually parted ways with that faith in search of deeper truths. Her quest for understanding took her across continents, and during her travels she had a chance encounter that planted a prophetic seed in her mind.

In the early 1900s, Geneviève met Abdu’l-Bahá, a prominent spiritual leader of the Bahá’í Faith. During their meeting, Abdu’l-Bahá spoke words that would echo in her heart for years to come. He told Geneviève that she would “travel the world over seeking the truth, and when [she] had found it, would speak it out”. This prophetic message struck a chord. It was as if the universe itself affirmed that her spiritual mission was to discover a great truth and share it with humanity.

Not long after, Geneviève found the clue that would lead her to that truth. She came across a book of lectures by Judge Thomas Troward, an English author and former judge whose works on mental science were gaining renown. Troward’s ideas electrified Geneviève’s mind. He wrote of a Universal Mind that creates and sustains all things, and taught that our own minds are individual centers of this divine operation. In Troward’s philosophy, thoughts are the molds into which the substance of reality is poured, meaning that by holding the right thoughts, one can shape one’s world.

For Geneviève, reading Troward was a spiritual awakening. “It is the nature of ideas to manifest,” he asserted, and she felt a new idea taking root within her. If mind is truly the one creative power, then imagination and belief are not just daydreams – they are forces that can sculpt destiny. This realization lit a fire in Geneviève’s soul. She knew she had found the truth she was seeking, and now she was determined to “speak it out” by learning all she could and bringing this wisdom to others.

A Vision of Twenty Thousand Dollars

Inspired by Troward’s lectures, Geneviève felt an overwhelming desire to study under the man himself. Thomas Troward lived in Cornwall, England, and had never taken on a personal student before. Geneviève, who was then living in New York City, faced a very practical problem: she lacked the money for the long voyage and tuition. Traveling by ship to England and staying there to study for an extended period would be expensive – in fact, Geneviève calculated she’d need the considerable sum of $20,000 (a fortune in the early 1910s) to fulfill this dream.

This challenge might have discouraged anyone else, but Geneviève was now a woman transformed by possibility. Armed with Troward’s principles, she decided to use her imagination as a manifestation tool. Each morning and night, Geneviève entered a quiet meditation and vividly visualized her goal as if it were already achieved. She mentally counted out twenty one-thousand dollar bills, imagining the crisp feel of the notes and the certainty of having the full $20,000 in hand. She pictured herself purchasing a steamship ticket to London, boarding the ship, crossing the Atlantic, and finally arriving in England to meet Troward in person. In her mind’s eye, she even saw Troward welcoming her and accepting her as his pupil – a crucial detail, since this outcome was far from guaranteed.

Along with her detailed mental pictures, Geneviève harnessed the power of affirmation and belief. She continually repeated to herself a bold mantra: “My mind is a center of Divine operations.” This affirmation, adapted from Troward’s teachings, was a declaration that the divine creative power of the universe was working through her own mind. By affirming this, she conditioned herself to expect that the Infinite would provide the means necessary to realize her vision. As she later explained, “The Divine operation is always for expansion and fuller expression,” and she saw herself as a focal point of that ever-expanding good.

Yet, even with such strong faith, Geneviève was human – moments of doubt did arise. One night, as she performed her usual visualization, she felt a twinge of skepticism: Was it really possible to manifest such a large sum from the unseen ethers? It was in that very moment of uncertainty that a sudden illumination came to her. She described how a thought seemed to rise from deep within: “I am all the substance there is.” At first this cryptic idea puzzled her, but then another insight followed: “Of course… everything must have its beginning in mind. The ‘I,’ the Idea, must be the only one and primary substance there is, and this means money as well as everything else.” In a flash, Geneviève realized that money was a form of energy and substance that originates in the Infinite Mind. If Divine Mind is the source of all supply, and her mind is a center of that Divine operation, then in truth she was one with the source of that $20,000. This epiphany washed away her last residues of fear. Her body and mind relaxed completely as she trusted the infinite substance of the universe to flow into the form she had pictured.

With unwavering conviction, Geneviève “lived in her picture” of success – feeling and acting as though the money were already hers. She let go of anxious worry and continued her daily mental practice with a sense of joy and expectation rather than strain. According to the Law of Visualization she was practicing, the images held in mind, when deeply felt, must externalize in the material world by the natural law of cause and effect. Geneviève’s role was simply to provide the mental blueprint with clarity and faith, and allow the Universal Mind to do the rest.

Amazingly, her miracle arrived within about six weeks. Through a series of events (which she described in her book Your Invisible Power without giving all details), Geneviève received the entire $20,000 she needed. Exactly how the money came was less important than the fact that her belief and visualization had manifestedit. Imagine her gratitude and excitement – not only did this outcome validate her faith in Troward’s teachings, it also provided the literal ticket to her dreams. With funds in hand, Geneviève wasted no time: she booked passage on a ship bound for England, fully confident that what she had envisioned was now coming true.

Journey to Meet the Master

In 1912, Geneviève Behrend embarked on the voyage that she had so often rehearsed in her imagination. As the steamship left New York harbor, she stood on deck watching the skyline recede, feeling a profound sense of déjà vu – after all, she had crossed this ocean hundreds of times in her mind. Now the salt air on her skin and the rumbling of the engines made it real. This leg of the journey was not just a physical trip across the Atlantic, but the crossing of a threshold into a new life chapter. She was answering the call of her inner voice, the call that had whispered of a great truth and a great teacher waiting for her.

Still, stepping into the unknown wasn’t without anxiety. Would Thomas Troward truly accept her as a student? He was a respected retired judge and metaphysical author, known to be private and deeply analytical. Geneviève had only ever corresponded by mail to arrange the visit, and she knew Troward had never had a personal pupil before. On the long sea journey, she surely fortified herself each day with prayer, affirmations, and mental imagery of a warm welcome. She reminded herself that the same Divine Mind that guided her to Troward would prepare the way for their meeting. In her words, “nothing can prevent your picture from coming into concrete form, except the power that gave it birth – yourself.” In other words, only her own doubt could stop this providence now, and she wasn’t about to allow that.

Arriving in England, Geneviève traveled to Cornwall where Troward resided. The English countryside must have felt like hallowed ground to her, knowing that the mind which had penned those life-changing lectures dwelt somewhere among those rolling hills. When she finally came face to face with Thomas Troward, it was a meeting of kindred spirits. We can imagine Troward, with his keen, penetrating eyes, studying the earnest woman who had crossed an ocean to learn from him. He might have been astonished at her determination – indeed, her very presence was living proof of his teachings in action. Geneviève likely shared the story of how she had applied his principles to manifest the funds for this journey. That story, coupled with her obvious devotion to truth, must have convinced Troward that here was a student truly ready for the wisdom he had to impart.

So it was that Thomas Troward accepted Geneviève as his pupil, the only personal student he would ever have in his lifetime. In that moment, the vision she had so carefully cultivated became reality. Geneviève had literally imagined her way into a once-in-a-lifetime mentorship. It was a testament to what New Thought philosophy proclaimed: the inner picture held with faith will sooner or later manifest in the outer world. With gratitude and reverence, Geneviève stepped through the door that had opened, ready to absorb all she could from the man she regarded as the greatest mental scientist of the age.

At the Feet of the Master: Lessons in New Thought

From 1912 until 1914, Geneviève’s life focused solely on the wisdom of Thomas Troward. Those two years were a period of intense study, practice, and inner growth. Under Troward’s tutelage, Geneviève delved into metaphysical principles and laws of the mind. Troward’s teaching style was rigorous; as a former judge, his approach to metaphysics was grounded in logic and precise thinking. He had a way of illuminating mystical concepts with clear reasoning, which is why the philosopher William James praised Troward’s work as “far and away the ablest statement of philosophy I have met, beautiful in its sustained clearness of thought and style”. In this focused environment, Geneviève learned not just theory, but practical mental discipline to apply the theory.

One of the core lessons Troward imparted was the power of controlled imagination. He taught that the imagination is the “creative function” of mind – the faculty that images an idea and thus provides a pattern for creative force to work upon. However, imagination must be directed, and this is where will and discipline come in. Troward likened the will to a tool-holder in a machine: it doesn’t generate power by itself, but it keeps all the mental faculties aligned toward the intended outcome. In practical terms, Geneviève learned to train her will to keep her thoughts focused on her chosen picture and not let doubt or distraction dissipate her mental energy. This ability to concentrate on a single, cherished vision was key to achieving results – it’s a mental muscle she had already exercised when attracting the $20,000, and now she was refining it even further under Troward’s guidance.

Troward also emphasized a fascinating principle: Creative Power is a receptive attitude. On the surface, this sounds paradoxical – how can power be receptive? What he meant was that true creative power requires an open, expectant mindset rather than forceful striving. Geneviève was taught to cultivate a calm expectancy of good, which “makes a mold into which the plastic and as yet undifferentiated substance can flow and take the desired form”. In other words, by quietly expecting her goal to come about, she was providing the universe with a template of what to create. This teaching reinforced what she intuitively knew during her manifestation experience: anxiety or desperation can stifle the process, whereas confident expectation opens the door for Divine abundance to pour in.

Throughout their studies, spiritual principles were interwoven with mental techniques. Geneviève came to understand that the mind’s creative power is an expression of the Divine. In her own words, she realized that “the individual mind is a center through and in which ‘all power there is’ is in operation”, awaiting direction. This meant that her consciousness was not separate from God (or Universal Spirit), but rather an active channel through which God-creative energy could flow. Such an insight was profoundly liberating: it affirmed the oneness of her soul with the Creative Spirit of Life. It also instilled a great sense of responsibility – since thoughts were the channel of that creative force, she must discipline herself to think and feel only those ideas that were in harmony with the divine good. Any thought of doubt, fear, or selfishness would be an “idea of the opposite” that could sabotage the manifestation.

Under Troward’s mentorship, Geneviève practiced meditation, affirmative prayer, and visualization daily, deepening her mastery of these arts. She studied Troward’s works like The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science and The Creative Process in the Individual, exploring concepts such as the Law of Attraction (though not called by that exact name at the time) and the Law of Growth. The Law of Growth, for instance, describes how a mental prototype or “spiritual nucleus” will attract conditions to itself and grow into a full-fledged physical reality, much like a seed grows into a plant. This helped explain why persistent mental images eventually become life experiences. With each lesson, Geneviève’s confidence and spiritual understanding blossomed. She not only learned the mechanics of manifestation but also imbibed the ethics of New Thought: the idea that one’s desires must align with the good of the whole and with one’s own higher nature. Any misuse of mental power (for selfish or harmful ends) would be out of tune with the “All-Originating Spirit” and thus bound to fail. In essence, Troward taught her that creating her reality was as much about inner growth and alignment with divine law as it was about outer results.

These two years were transformative for Geneviève. She faced the inner challenges that serious metaphysical training brings – perhaps old doubts resurfaced for healing, or she had to cultivate patience when results were not instant. But each challenge was met with the tools of faith and mind science. Under Troward’s gentle yet firm guidance, she shed layers of limited thinking and emerged with a radiant understanding of her own creative potential. By 1914, Geneviève was no longer merely a student; she was becoming a master of her own mind, ready to take these teachings out into the world.

Embodying the Principles and Overcoming Challenges

If Geneviève’s time with Troward was like a spiritual bootcamp, the years afterward were an opportunity to put everything into practice in real-life situations. Returning to the United States around 1915, she set out to embody the principles of New Thought philosophy in her work and personal life. She founded a New Thought school in New York City called “The School of the Builders,” symbolically named for building one’s life through thought. As the sole teacher and leader, she applied her mental discipline to grow the school and help students craft better lives. It wasn’t easy – starting a metaphysical school in the 1910s (when such ideas were still quite unconventional) required grit and persistence. Yet Geneviève persisted, running the school successfully for about a decade (1915–1925) en.wikipedia.org . This period undoubtedly came with challenges: perhaps financial strains, societal skepticism, or the simple test of whether she could sustain her own faith while guiding others. By all accounts, she succeeded by staying true to what she had learned: whenever obstacles arose, she returned to visualization, affirmations, and prayer to navigate through them.

Geneviève also began writing and sharing her story. In 1921, she published her first and most famous book, Your Invisible Power en.wikipedia.org . In it, she distilled the essence of what she had learned from Troward and her own experiences. She recounted, in a practical step-by-step manner, how she used visualization to manifest $20,000 en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org , and how any person could use these same techniques to attain their desires. Importantly, she stressed that this was not about wishful thinking or greed, but about understanding one’s unity with the Infinite Source and using that knowledge for good and liberation truthunity.net truthunity.net . Her tone was gentle and encouraging, yet clear that one must banish fear and truly believe in the vision in order to see results truthunity.net truthunity.net . Your Invisible Power became a beloved text in New Thought circles, influencing many seekers and even future self-help authors. (Decades later, her teachings would be quoted in the modern bestseller The Secret en.wikipedia.org , introducing her wisdom to a new generation.)

However, Geneviève’s path was not without personal trials. As a teacher and lecturer, she had to constantly “walk her talk.” She could only inspire others to overcome fear, doubt, or negativity to the extent that she herself had faced and conquered those in her own consciousness. There might have been moments when students or audience members challenged her ideas or when external circumstances tested her optimism – perhaps world events like the Great Depression or World War II cast collective shadows of fear. During such times, Geneviève remained a beacon of the New Thought movement, reminding people of the invisible power within. She famously taught that fear must be entirely banished from the effort of manifestation truthunity.net , because fear contradicts faith. Her life was her message: if a young woman with no resources could manifest a new life through mental science, so could anyone.

One of Geneviève’s internal transformations was a deepening of spiritual trust. Early on, she had used mental techniques to get what she desired (money to study, for example). As she matured, her focus shifted more toward being of service and trusting the Divine wisdom to fill in the details. She advised her students to aspire for greater liberty and joy rather than material things alone truthunity.net truthunity.net . She knew from experience that true happiness comes from within, not from outer possessions truthunity.net . So, while she taught people how to manifest their goals, she also gently taught them what goals were worth manifesting – those that would genuinely enrich one’s soul and contribute to others. This perspective kept her work ethical and heart-centered, even as she demonstrated how to attract abundance.

Spreading the New Thought Message

With her schools and books, Geneviève quickly became a sought-after speaker and teacher in the New Thought community. After closing the New York “School of the Builders” in 1925, she moved west to Los Angeles and established another center there en.wikipedia.org . Los Angeles in the 1920s was fertile ground for spiritual and metaphysical teachings, and Geneviève’s presence attracted many students eager to learn about the power of mind. She spent the next several decades traveling across the United States and Canada, lecturing in churches and at spiritual gatherings, and even speaking on the radio about mental science en.wikipedia.org . By some reports, she toured and taught for 35 years, right up to the mid-20th century en.wikipedia.org . Through all these years, she remained a living example of the principles she taught: using mental pictures, affirmations, and faith to navigate life’s terrain.

Audiences were captivated by Geneviève’s personal story as much as by her eloquence. Here was a woman who had made the intangible tangible in her own life. She described the Law of Visualization in such clear and empowering terms that ordinary people felt they too could start directing their thoughts constructively. Many people did try her methods and experienced improved circumstances, further validating the principles of New Thought. Geneviève also authored additional books, such as How to Live Life and Love It (1922) and Attaining Your Heart’s Desire (1929) en.wikipedia.org , expanding on various aspects of practical spirituality. In these works, she often used stories and dialogues to teach, sometimes writing in the form of conversations between a sage and a student to illustrate how one might apply mental science to real problems brainybetty.com . Her aim was always to translate lofty metaphysical ideas into doable, daily practices for better living.

What set Geneviève apart was her ability to blend spiritual insight with warm, relatable guidance. She had a way of instilling faith in her listeners – faith not only in a Higher Power, but in their own innate potential. She would remind them that “the joy of living comes from within” and that no person or thing can give you happiness unless you first find it in yourself truthunity.net . She taught the practice of seeing the good in others and understanding that mistakes are often misunderstandings – a perspective that cultivates forgiveness and love. All these teachings were part of embodying the New Thought philosophy, which at its core holds that we co-create our reality with the Divine and that by changing our thoughts, we change our world.

Legacy and Lessons from Geneviève’s Journey

Geneviève Behrend’s life is a shining testament to the principle that inner change leads to outer change. Her legacy continues to inspire spiritual seekers, self-improvement enthusiasts, and anyone who dares to dream beyond their current circumstances. By the time of her passing in 1960, the world had dramatically changed from the one she was born into, yet the truths she championed proved timeless. In recent years, with the resurgence of interest in the Law of Attraction and books like The Secret, Geneviève’s teachings have found new audiences who marvel at her clarity and conviction en.wikipedia.org . Her story offers rich lessons for all of us today. Here are a few key takeaways from Geneviève’s remarkable journey:

Imagination is the Workshop of Creation

Imagination is the Workshop of Creation: Geneviève’s life illustrates that everything is created twice – first in the mind and then in the world. By visualizing a clear mental picture of her goal (whether it was a sum of money, a voyage, or a successful school), she essentially designed a blueprint for reality to follow truthunity.net . We learn that nurturing a vision and “living in the picture” of our desired good can set powerful forces in motion to make it real.

Unwavering Belief and Faith

Unwavering Belief and Faith: At every turn, Geneviève met challenges with unshakeable faith. Her constant affirmation that “My mind is a center of Divine operations” was not just positive thinking – it was a profound statement of faith that the Divine Creative Spirit was working through her en.wikipedia.org . We see that believing in a friendly universe and in one’s own God-given power is essential. Doubt and fear were her true adversaries, and by conquering them internally, she found that external obstacles could also be overcome truthunity.net .

Discipline and Focus

Geneviève cultivated strong mental discipline under Troward’s mentorship. She trained her will to support her imagination, keeping her thoughts aligned with her goals despite temptations to worry or waver (yogebooks.com; yogebooks.com). This teaches us the value of focus – what we consistently focus on will grow, as per the law of growth in the mental realm (yogebooks.com). By daily practices of meditation, affirmation, and visualization, we too can strengthen our ability to focus on what we want rather than what we fear.

Alignment with Higher Purpose

New Thought philosophy, as lived by Geneviève, emphasizes aligning desires with a higher good. She sought not just personal gain but greater liberty, joy, and the upliftment of others (truthunity.net; danielleraine.com). Her results came when her intentions were in tune with her soul’s purpose (for instance, the $20,000 wasn’t for frivolity but for an education that would enable her to help thousands). The lesson is to ensure our goals resonate with our deeper values and contribute positively to our lives and others’. When we do so, we feel morally and spiritually empowered to pursue them, and the Universe “cooperates” more readily (danielleraine.com).

Persistence Through Challenges

Finally, Geneviève showed that challenges are stepping stones, not stop signs. From scraping together funds to boldly traveling alone to a foreign country, to starting schools and speaking to large audiences, she encountered many tests. Her life teaches us the importance of persistence – to keep affirming, keep imagining, and keep moving forward even if results don’t appear overnight. In her words, “persistent effort to understand the law… and make practical application of this knowledge” is rewarded (truthunity.net). She demonstrated patience and trust in Divine timing, exemplifying that when we do our part mentally and spiritually, Providence opens the way.

In conclusion, Geneviève Behrend’s story is a beacon of hope and possibility. It reminds us that within each of us is an “invisible power” – the creative God-Mind – ready to shape our lives according to our highest vision, if we only dare to discipline our thoughts and believe. Geneviève’s journey from loss and limitation to spiritual illumination and abundance shows that nothing is truly impossible when one works with the laws of mind and Spirit. Her life encourages us to listen to our own inner call, to envision boldly, and to trust that the “Great Architect of the Universe,” as she often referred to the Divine, seeks expression through our dreams (danielleraine.com). May her example inspire you to use your imagination as a tool of manifestation, to awaken your own center of Divine operation, and to create a life that not only fulfills your heart’s desires but also uplifts the world around you. As Geneviève Behrend proved through her incredible journey: change your thinking, and you truly can change your reality.

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