Johnny had been working hard and had learned hundreds of thoughts like

red, white, coat, beard and man.  One winter day when he was getting into

something that he was not supposed to, his mother said that if he behaved

himself, Santa Claus would bring him some toys.  "Who is Santa Claus?" was his

next question.

      As his mother explained, John took the thoughts that he had learned, and

created an image of a big man with a white beard, wearing a red coat and

carrying a little ball.  This image is called a belief.  This process is the

reverse of thinking.  Instead of John creating a thought from what he had seen,

he used his thoughts to create an image of what he has not seen.

      While this believing process can be valuable, it also can cause John many

problems.  If he accepts that Santa Claus exists, he emotionally will feel the

pleasure of having someone to give him presents like his parents.  But when he

learns that there is no Santa Claus, he not only will feel the pain of losing

Santa Claus, he may lose his confidence in all his mental images.  To avoid this

problem, Johnny needs only to think about what people say, and never just accept

what they believe.