Florence Scovel Shinn
Encyclopedia
Florence Scovel Shinn was an American artist and book illustrator who became a New Thought
spiritual teacher and metaphysical writer in her middle years. In New Thought circles, she is best known for her first book, The Game of Life and How to Play It
(1925).
Shinn expressed her philosophy as:
and there met her future husband, the artist Everett Shinn
(1876-1953). After marriage they moved into a studio apartment
at 112 Waverly Place
, near Washington Square, New York. Everett built a theatre next door, and wrote three plays in which Florence played a leading role. Everett Shinn became known as a member of the Ashcan School
of art, and Florence worked as an illustrator. They were divorced in 1912.
and anecdotal explanations of the author's understanding of God and man. Her philosophy centers on the power of positive thought
and usually includes instructions for verbal or physical affirmation
.
A typical Scovel Shinn piece of advice would be "It is safe to say that all sickness and unhappiness come from the violation of the law of love. A new commandment I give unto you, 'Love one another,' and in the Game of Life, love or good-will takes every trick."
Her advice is usually accompanied by a "real life" anecdote, as for the above "Love one another" advice:
Shinn is considered part of the New Thought
movement, as her writings follow in the tradition of Phineas Quimby
(1802 - 1866), Emma Curtis Hopkins
(1849-1925), and both Charles Fillmore
(1854 - 1948) and Myrtle Fillmore
(1845 - 1931), co-founders of the Unity Church
.
Motivational author Louise Hay
acknowledges her as an early influence.
The Cornish Colony:
New Thought
New Thought promotes the ideas that "Infinite Intelligence" or "God" is ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, sickness originates in the mind, and "right thinking" has a healing effect.Although New Thought is neither...
spiritual teacher and metaphysical writer in her middle years. In New Thought circles, she is best known for her first book, The Game of Life and How to Play It
The Game of Life (Book)
The Game of Life and How to Play It, published in 1925, teaches the philosophies of its author, Florence Scovel Shinn. The book holds that ignorance of, or carelessness with the application of various 'Laws of Metaphysics' can bring about undesirable life events.-Spiritual laws discussed in the...
(1925).
Shinn expressed her philosophy as:
- The invisible forces are ever working for man who is always ‘pulling the strings’ himself, though he does not know it. Owing to the vibratory power of words, whatever man voices, he begins to attract.
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- The Game of Life, Florence Scovel Shinn
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Early life
Florence Scovel was born in New Jersey, the daughter of Alden Cortlandt Scovel, and Emily Hopkinson Scovel. She was educated in Philadelphia where she attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine ArtsPennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a museum and art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1805 and is the oldest art museum and school in the United States. The academy's museum is internationally known for its collections of 19th and 20th century American paintings,...
and there met her future husband, the artist Everett Shinn
Everett Shinn
Everett Shinn was an American realist painter and member of the Ashcan School, also known as 'the Eight.' He was the youngest member of the group of modernist painters who explored the depiction of real life...
(1876-1953). After marriage they moved into a studio apartment
Studio apartment
A studio apartment, also known as a studio flat , efficiency apartment or bachelor/bachelorette style apartment, is a small apartment which combines living room, bedroom, and kitchen or kitchenette into a single room...
at 112 Waverly Place
Waverly Place
Waverly Place is a narrow street in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, in the borough of Manhattan. Waverly changes direction roughly at its midpoint, turning from a north-by-northwest/south-by-southeast street to a northwest/southeast street...
, near Washington Square, New York. Everett built a theatre next door, and wrote three plays in which Florence played a leading role. Everett Shinn became known as a member of the Ashcan School
Ashcan School
The Ashcan School, also called the Ash Can School, is defined as a realist artistic movement that came into prominence in the United States during the early twentieth century, best known for works portraying scenes of daily life in New York's poorer neighborhoods. The movement grew out of a group...
of art, and Florence worked as an illustrator. They were divorced in 1912.
Writings and New Thought
Her metaphysical works began with her self-published The Game of Life and How to Play it in 1925. Your Word is Your Wand was published in 1928 and The Secret Door to Success in 1940. The Game of Life and How to Play it includes quotes from the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and anecdotal explanations of the author's understanding of God and man. Her philosophy centers on the power of positive thought
Positive Thinking
Positive Thinking... or Positive Thinking may refer to one of two songs:*Positive Thinking *Positive Thinking...
and usually includes instructions for verbal or physical affirmation
Affirmations (New Age)
Affirmations in New Age and New Thought terminology refers primarily to the practice of positive thinking—fostering a belief that "a positive mental attitude supported by affirmations will achieve success in anything." More specifically an affirmation is a carefully formatted statement that should...
.
A typical Scovel Shinn piece of advice would be "It is safe to say that all sickness and unhappiness come from the violation of the law of love. A new commandment I give unto you, 'Love one another,' and in the Game of Life, love or good-will takes every trick."
Her advice is usually accompanied by a "real life" anecdote, as for the above "Love one another" advice:
A woman I know, had, for years an appearance of a terrible skin disease. The doctors told her it was incurable, and she was in despair. She was on the stage, and she feared she would soon have to give up her profession, and she had no other means of support. She, however, procured a good engagement, and on the opening night, made a great "hit." She received flattering notices from the critics, and was joyful and elated. The next day she received a notice of dismissal. A man in the cast had been jealous of her success and had caused her to be sent away. She felt hatred and resentment taking complete possession of her, and she cried out, "Oh God don't let me hate that man." That night she worked for hours "in the silence."
She said, "I soon came into a very deep silence. I seemed to be at peace with myself, with the man, and with the whole world. I continued this for two following nights, and on the third day I found I was healed completely of the skin disease!" In asking for love, or good will, she had fulfilled the law, ("for love is the fulfilling of the law") and the disease (which came from subconscious resentment) was wiped out.."
Shinn is considered part of the New Thought
New Thought
New Thought promotes the ideas that "Infinite Intelligence" or "God" is ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, sickness originates in the mind, and "right thinking" has a healing effect.Although New Thought is neither...
movement, as her writings follow in the tradition of Phineas Quimby
Phineas Quimby
Phineas Parkhurst Quimby , was a New England philosopher, magnetizer, mesmerist, healer, and inventor, who resided in Belfast, Maine, and had an office in Portland, Maine...
(1802 - 1866), Emma Curtis Hopkins
Emma Curtis Hopkins
Emma Curtis Hopkins organized New Thought and was a primary theologian, teacher, writer, feminist, mystic and prophet who ordained women at what she named the Christian Science Theological Seminary of Chicago...
(1849-1925), and both Charles Fillmore
Charles Fillmore (Unity Church)
Charles Sherlock Fillmore , born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, founded Unity, a church within the New Thought movement, with his wife, Myrtle Page Fillmore, in 1889...
(1854 - 1948) and Myrtle Fillmore
Myrtle Fillmore
Mary Caroline "Myrtle" Page Fillmore was co-founder of Unity, a church within the New Thought movement, along with her husband Charles Fillmore. Prior to that time, she worked as a schoolteacher....
(1845 - 1931), co-founders of the Unity Church
Unity Church
Unity, known informally as Unity Church, is a religious movement within the wider New Thought movement and is best known to many through its Daily Word devotional publication...
.
Motivational author Louise Hay
Louise Hay
Louise Hay is an American motivational author, and the founder of Hay House, a publishing company. She has authored several New Thought self-help books, and is best known for her 1984 book, You Can Heal Your Life.-Biography:...
acknowledges her as an early influence.
Further reading
- Rubinstein, Charlotte Streifer American Women Artists: From Early Indian Times to the Present Published 1982 G.K. Hall ISBN 0816185352
- John Cook, Steve Deger, Leslie Ann Gibson The Book of Positive Quotations Published 2007, Fairview Press ISBN 1577491696 . Contains 8 quotations by Florence Scovel Shinn.
- Sheppard, Alice (1984) There Were Ladies Present: American Women Cartoonists and Comic Artists in the Early Twentieth Century The Journal of American Culture 7 (3) , 38–48 doi:10.1111/j.1542-734X.1984.0703_38.x http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1542-734X.1984.0703_38.x (pdf) Accessed May 2008
The Cornish Colony:
- Virginia Reed Colby, James B. Atkinson, Footprints of the Past, Images of Cornish, New Hampshire and the Cornish Colony. New Hampshire Historical Society, Concord, New Hampshire, 1996.
External links
- Selection of quotes from Shinn at Brainyquotes. Accessed May 2008.
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students Group picture 1894 showing Florence Scovel standing. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Accessed May 2008
- Works of Florence Scovel Shinn at the Internet Sacred Text ArchiveInternet Sacred Text ArchiveThe Internet Sacred Text Archive is a website dedicated to the preservation of electronic public domain texts, specifically those with significant cultural value...