Genevieve Behrend

Born in Paris in 1881 and passing in the United States in 1960, Geneviève Behrend was a teacher and author in the field of Mental Science, a discipline within the New Thought movement. Little is known about her upbringing, other than that one of her parents was of Scottish descent. Following the death of her husband, she embarked on extensive travels. During this period, she explored Christian Science and met its founder, Mary Baker Eddy, though she eventually departed from that religious path.

Her spiritual journey led her to meet Abdul Baha, son of the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. He prophesied that she would travel the world seeking truth and then speak it. Later, in her book 'Your Invisible Power,' Behrend recounted discovering the lectures of Thomas Troward. This discovery profoundly influenced her, leading her to seek Troward's tutelage. Despite financial constraints preventing her from traveling from her home in New York to Troward's residence in Cornwall, England, she employed visualization and affirmation techniques, affirming "My mind is a center of Divine operations." Within approximately six weeks, she received the necessary funds.

Geneviève Behrend studied directly with Thomas Troward, a prominent figure in Mental Science, from 1912 to 1914. She is noted as being his sole personal student throughout his lifetime. Her dedication to Troward's teachings was so profound that she employed powerful mental techniques to overcome obstacles to her studies. Facing financial difficulties that prevented her from traveling to England to study with Troward, Behrend engaged in nightly and morning visualization exercises. She mentally counted out significant sums of money, pictured herself purchasing a ticket, traveling by ship, and being accepted as Troward's pupil. This practice, combined with the affirmation "My mind is a center of Divine operations," led to a profound inner realization described as "I am all the substance there is." This insight, she believed, was the key to manifesting the financial means required for her studies.

Following her intensive studies with Troward, Behrend established 'The School of the Builders' in New York City around 1915. She personally directed this New Thought school until 1925. Subsequently, she founded another New Thought institution in Los Angeles. For the following 35 years, Behrend traveled across North America, delivering lectures on mental science and New Thought principles. Her public engagement also included radio broadcasts, disseminating her teachings to a wider audience. Her work and philosophy have been recognized in contemporary contexts, with her being quoted as an expert in Rhonda Byrne's highly successful self-help book, 'The Secret.'

“travel the world over seeking the truth, and when [she] had found it, would speak it out”

“My mind is a center of Divine operations”

“I am all the substance there is.”

“Of course, that's it; 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.”