Ralph Waldo Trine was a philosopher, mystic, teacher and author of many books, and was one of the early mentors of the New Thought Movement. His writings had a great influence on many of his contemporaries including Ernest Holmes, founder of Religious Science. He was a true pioneer in the area of life-transforming thought. No other New Thought author has sold more books than he, his writings reaching far beyond New Thought circles out to the general public, which has bought and read Trine's books without ever knowing that they were New Thought.

Trine wrote some wonderful books including:

What All the World's A-Seeking

This Mystical Life of Ours
The Wayfarer on the Open Road

The Greatest Thing Ever Known
Character-Building Thought Power

The Man Who Knew

In Tune With The Infinite: Fullness of Peace, Power and Plenty
The Greatest Thing Ever Known
What All The World's A-Seeking
On the Open Road
The Higher Powers of Mind & Spirit
Land of Living Men
Character Building Thought Power
The New Alignment of Life

Every Living Creature: Heart Training Through The Animal World
In the Fire of the Heart
Power That Wins (with Henry Ford)
Thoughts From Trine: An Anthology
This Mystical Life of Ours
My Philosophy and My Religion
In the Hollow of His Hand
Winning of the Best
Selections from the Writings of RWT
Through the Sunlit Year
World's Balance Wheel
The Man Who Knew

 

Born on the 6th of September, 1866, in Mount Morris, northern Illinois, Trine was educated at Carthage College Academy, Knox College, A.B. 1891; and studied at the University of Wisconsin and later at John Hopkins University in the fields of history and political science. Trine displayed a talent for understanding social and economic problems, winning a $100 prize for an essay on "The Effects of Human Education on the Prevention of Crime." After spending some time as a graduate student at the John Hopkins, Ralph became a special correspondent for The Boston Daily Evening Transcript. during this period, he built himself a small cabin on the edge of a pine grove - testament to the peace and simplicity of the man and soon married Grace Hyde, a graduate of the School of Expression (which later became Curry College). Grace Hyde Trine was an author and poet in her own right. They lived for many years at Mt. Airy, New York, and were deeply involved in the metaphysical seminars at Oscawana.

Trine began his writing career in his early 30s. He was much influenced by the writings of Fitche, Emerson and the Scottish scientist/evangelist, Henry Drummond. Trine's work What All the World's A-Seeking expounded upon a number of themes covered in Drummond's inspirational classic, The Greatest Thing in the World. Ralph Trine's seminal work, In Tune with the Infinite was launched in 1897 and eventually sold over 2 million copies. It has stood the test of time for over a century, being read by such luminaries as Queen Victoria, Janet Gaynor and Henry Ford. Henry Ford attributed his success directly to having read "In Tune with the Infinite." In fact, later Ford distributed copies freely to high profile industrialists.

In its pages we find perennial truths that have been restated in many other forms in recent years, though perhaps never so clearly. By recognizing the power of our thoughts and by harmonizing our own with the Divine will, we attract perfect peace, health, love, prosperity and success. A number of chapters from In Tune with the Infinite can be read on-line in the book This Mystical Life of Ours listed below.

Trine wrote over a dozen books and was still writing into his 70s. He died peacefully at a fine age of 91 on 22nd February, 1958, in an elderly living facility for religious professionals, Plymouth Place, Claremont, California. He moved there years earlier from a home in the Hudson River valley. In California, Trine spent his time in quiet leisure, planting and tending fruit trees! He retired there with his wife only a few years before his death.

Although he never sought fame or fortune for himself, and although his name remains largely unknown to the masses, his legacy is an indelible mark on the world in the form of elevated thinking and inspired writings. Trine influenced myriads of people for the good of humanity.