The Game of Life (Book) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Game of Life and How to Play It, published in 1925, teaches the philosophies of its author, Florence Scovel Shinn

Florence Scovel Shinn

Florence Scovel Shinn was an American artist and book illustrator who became a New Thought spiritual teacher and metaphysical writer in her middle years...

. The book holds that ignorance of, or carelessness with the application of various 'Laws of Metaphysics

Metaphysics

Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...

' (see below) can bring about undesirable life events.

Spiritual laws discussed in the book

Here are some of the Spiritual Laws Florence Scovel Shinn explains in the book:

The Law of Expectancy

Florence Scovel Shinn emphasises the power of the imagination to bring about life events—
And the power of words—
Florence Scovel Shinn points out that words must be followed-up with acts of faith that one will receive what one desires:

The Divine Pattern and Intuition

Florence Scovel Shinn says that one must always ask for the "right" circumstance, or the "Divine selection," and not to ask for specifics.

The Law of Substitution

According to Florence Scovel Shinn, sometimes our desires are misdirected, if only slightly.

The Law of Karma

Florence Scovel Shinn explains that the Law of Karma is also known as the Law of Cause and Effect.
Also:
The interesting thing about this Law, is that the Karmic return often comes back from a different direction:
Similarly, good deeds can be returned somewhere else:

The Law of Non Resistance

The Law of Non Resistance may be considered a sensible corollary to the Law of Karma, ie. do not react to a negative situation with more negativity, as that will bring back more harm down the track.
Florence adds an important message for foreign ministers:
As in Christian Science, Florence Scovel Shinn questions the reality of evil:
and

The Law of Forgiveness

Though Karma is a powerful law, Florence Scovel Shinn explains that the Law of Forgiveness or Grace is a higher law.

The Law of Use

Florence Scovel Shinn explains that a gift is a better investment than a savings account.
Scovel Shinn explains that the Law of Use means that it is improper to hoard that for which one has no use for.
So man must not hoard, but must use or give away generously...

The Law of Love

Florence Scovel Shinn quotes Jesus when she explains the importance of love.
Furthermore:
Scovel Shinn reveals that love (in conjunction with faith) restores health.

Influences

Scovel Shinn's writing shares some common beliefs with Mary Baker Eddy, and there is some shared terminology. eg. 'Infinite Spirit', 'Mortal Mind', 'Treatment', 'Demonstration' and 'Native Nothingness'. However her writing style is more familiar and less verbose than that of Mary Baker Eddy.

Also Scovel Shinn makes less of the illusion of matter, an argument that dominates Mary Baker Eddy's work Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is the central text of the Christian Science religion. It was written by Mary Baker Eddy, inspired by studies of the Bible she undertook in 1867 following a healing experience....

.

Scovel Shinn's emphasis on the power of the spoken word may have been influenced by Emma Curtis Hopkins.

Florence Scovel's books are widely discussed and admired in Unity Churches around the globe.

Books and writing

Unable to find a publisher for The Game of Life and How to Play It she published it herself in 1925. "Your Word is Your Wand" was published in 1928 and The Secret Door to Success was published in 1940 shortly before her death on October 17, 1940. The Power of the Spoken Word is a compendium of her notes, gathered by a student and published posthumously in 1945.

Florence Scovel Shinn's first book can be downloaded in pdf format at the following site:

http://www.keepyourassets.net/The%20Game%20of%20Life%20&%20How%20to%20Play%20It.pdf The Game of Life and How to Play it

Extracts from all of her books can be read online at the following links:

http://florencescovelshinn.wwwhubs.com/game.htm The Game of Life and how to play it (1925)
http://florencescovelshinn.wwwhubs.com/wand.htm Your Word is your Wand (1928)
http://florencescovelshinn.wwwhubs.com/secret.htm The Secret Door to Success (1940)
http://florencescovelshinn.wwwhubs.com/power.htm The Power of the Spoken Word (1945 - notes published posthumously)