Chapter Fifteen
A New Beginning
And so we come to the end. Happiness is not the goal, but the product of a successful life, infused with direction and depth. We have a road map toward such success. The journey is one of Mind Integration and Spirit Connection. The best route to take and the theme to adopt is based on your nature. The process is one of making small changes, creating new perspectives, new attitudes, and new habits. Some of the exercises or experiments may seem simple in the scheme of things, but small changes sustained over time can have a major impact on your life. Think about it this way. Let’s say you’re traveling at twenty miles an hour and change your direction by only one degree. In a year’s time, how far do you reckon you will be from where you would have been if you hadn’t made the one-degree change? You would be around three thousand miles away. Small changes can take you to completely new places. If you are unsure what the first degree of change can be for you, try this: One attitude to develop is “I control my thoughts and actions, not the outcome.” This is not a ‘mind game,’ but a fact. If there is any doubt, test it. Whenever there is an unexpected outcome to anything,
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remember this. Let there be no doubt in your mind. It is the way things are. Water is wet. Fire is hot. We control our thoughts and actions, not the outcome. Once you are satisfied, use it. This is your new wisdom. Remind yourself of it continually. Let it seep into your subconscious. With time your conscious mind will need little or no reminding. It may seem simple, but it is extremely powerful. You’ll have less stress and your energy will increase. You’ll get through more work and more play. This itself could change your life for good. The question is: Will you make that one-degree change to start? Will you take control of the direction of your life by taking control of your mind? Whatever you decide to do, act wholeheartedly. Invest each day with a positive mentality. Think about not just what you are doing, but how you are doing it. Use your mind wisely. Every thought, every attitude, and every action has a consequence. The life you have today is a consequence of thoughts, attitudes, and actions in the past. The life you have in the future will be a consequence of past and present thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Wisdom lies in ensuring your current thoughts, attitudes, and actions are positive and effective in moving you forward. You cannot undo the past, so don’t waste time and energy thinking about what you could or should have done. At the time, you acted according to the best information you had and on the basis of your skills, wisdom, and state of mind. There is no reason to feel guilty or sad that you didn’t know then what you know now. Learn your lessons and focus on what you have to do now. There is much to be done. Don’t while away your time. Develop the wisdom to differentiate between the Appropriate Actions that move you forward and ones that move you backward. Maintain a positive philosophy: If you fill your life with the positive, there is automatically no room for the negative. Act positively. Know that all action does not involve physical activity. Great gains are made in moments of silence and meditation. This is an important investment too; the wise ones
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know this. Invest in your mind. Act now! Today is the day; tomorrow is promised to no one.
What about Arjun? We left Arjun, the bravest and noblest of princes, in the middle of the battlefield in a state of mental turmoil. He was sitting with his head in his hands – despondent in a situation requiring mental clarity and focus. His intentions were selfless and his need for wisdom intense – a prime candidate for some divine intervention. Through divine instruction, he is given the wisdom of life. Arjun stands up and declares: Lord, my confusion has cleared. I see clearly what has brought me here and what I must do. I have no doubt in my mind and no fear in my heart. I will act decisively with all my strength. I know righteousness will prevail. I have no fear… I have no fear.
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