CONCENTRATION.
The mind can think of one thing only. Fear is an acute form of negative concentration—worry its chronic form. If you learn how to place your mind upon a particular subject and inhibit or "shut off" all other thoughts, the fascination of fear and worry shall have no power over you. Most of the things you fear never happen—others can be routed by a bold front. Even if something ugly does befall you, you have the power within to enable you to 'bear up' heroically. Fear is a mere negative thought-habit. It is a negative tendency in the mind. You can best eradicate this weed from your mind by cultivating the positive attitude of Courage. There are particular sets of brain-cells being created or destroyed by particular types of thoughts. The best way to destroy negative brain-cells is to develop positive brain-cells. If you want to Kill off Fear-thoughts, do not fight them. That would be like trying to realise how dark a place is and then starting to pitch it out by the handful. You know you cannot do it. Just open the blinds and let in sunshine and the place will be flooded with light. The mind hypnotised by negative thoughts has been compared by a mental scientist to a dirty wash-bowl full of dirty water. Take the wash-bowl near a tap and turn the tap on. The steady pour of clean water will soon wash off all the dirty water and fill the wash-bowl with clear water. So the only way to root out and destroy evil thoughts is to turn a steady stream of positive thoughts. To overcome all fear thoughts, you should think courage-thoughts. Don't crawl on your belly; don't call upon Heaven to witness what a despicable creature you are. No—a thousand times—no. Act Courage. Think Courage. Say Courage. That's the way. Turn your face towards the rising sun. Take "Courage" for your watchword. Affirm it as far as you can. Fasten it deep and strong in your mind. Always tell yourself that you are full of courage, morning, noon and night; never tell yourself that you are weak.
Now, in order to inhibit fear-thoughts and exhibit Courage-thoughts, you must possess CONCENTRATION. You should be able to take your mind off a certain subject and put it on something else at your will. Do you know what Concentration means? Let me give you in my own words something I remember reading about Napoleon. When banished to St. Helena and suffering from disease, one day his doctor expressed his curiosity as to the secret of his success and astonishing power. Napoleon replied "Doctor, there are drawers in my brain. When I want to think of politics I pull out the drawer of politics, when I want to think of Josephine, I pull out the drawer of Law, and so on; and when I shut all these drawers, I can go to sleep." The doctor smiled incredulity blandly. "Doctor, I can show you this minute. Doctor, I shut all drawers"—even while saying this, Napoleon fell with a thud on his pillow. He was fast asleep. The man of science and medicine examined him in all ways, but Napoleon had fallen actually fast asleep. This is Concentration and Mind-Control. I don't admire men of Napoleon's selfish types. Their place is in dark hell. They use their power for preying upon others. But that his powers of mind were great, I don't deny. Napoleon in his past life had been a great Yogi, but the remnants of self and cumulative force of bad Karma precipitated the bloody results you all know in connection with Napoleon's career. No doubt, this man was only a means used by God to bring about certain changes and revolutions.
To develop Concentration, pay attention to the daily work of your life. Don't neglect small things. Put interest and attention into whatever you think, say, or do. Be a wide-awake man. Don't go about your work half-asleep. Wake up and display a few signs of life. Be progressive. Think much and to the purpose.
WILL-POWER.
You all understand this. It is that aspect of your make-up that enables you to make your mind and body obey you. The true principle of Will is closely interlocked with the "I am I" as I have already explained it. Resolve at the start to do one thing once in 24 hours that you would do if you were not afraid. Face fear and it is your slave. Your Will-power enables you to prove things practically to yourself and to the world; to make actions match-thoughts. Give your Will much exercise in the right direction. Without Will a man is no better than a log of wood. Keep your Will strong by auto-suggestion and exercise. Try the powers of your Will on your personality till you can do anything and be anything. Say "I can and I will" in a thousand different ways and prove it too. The requisite qualities that form valuable adjuncts to Will-power are: 1. Determination. 2. Stick-to-it-ive-ness. 3. Perseverance. 4. Invincible and indomitable courage. 5. Non-attachment. 6. Faith in yourself. 7. Faith in God. 8. I can and I will. Repeat this affirmation often till it becomes a constant mental trait.
AFFIRMATIONS.
1. I am fearless. I am full of courage. There is nothing to fear. I say courage, I think, I act courage.
2. Courage is my distinct and leading trait. Everyone knows me as a man of Indomitable courage. The criticisms and opinions of others cannot affect me the least.
3. I am part of the Divine Self. I harm none. My nature knows no harm. Hence no harm comes to me.
4. I am equal to anything. Nothing can crush my spirit. I can face everything. I can face everybody.
5. My powers of resistance are strong, strong, strong. I use them never for the aggression of others. They are for my self-defence.
6. I am absolutely fearless morally and physically.
7. I stand for absolute truthfulness and justice and manifest them in myself.
8. Work with this affirmation. Strongly implant it in your mind. The use of strong, positive Affirmation in the Silence is valuable in that it gives you a firm hold of your thought so that you can "carry the thought" mentally. The value of expressing thought in act and speech lies in this that it clinches your thought into a permanent habit. Remember this psychologic axiom: 1. Thoughts take form in action. 2. Action induces thought and corresponding habits. Therefore act out the part physically. If you want a courageous mind—"act out" the part physically, in your daily life, on suitable occasions, in all earnestness as you would in a theatre or drama. In a very short time it shall become a confirmed habit. Force yourself to it. Take an interest in what you do and say. Have confident expectations of SUCCESS. Never be daunted and cowed down by initial difficulties and failures. Never say die. If you go down—don't remain lying and moaning. Never, I say, never. Get up. Shake yourself up free and say, like the royal lion "Come one, come all, this rock shall fly sooner from its base than I." Have a will of your own and be a force for good. Exercise your Will-power. Be something. Do something.
LOVE FOR HUMANITY, ENERGY, ASPIRATION, SELF-ESTEEM.
I cannot too strongly emphasise the difference between Self-Esteem and Self-Conceit. I wish to drive and thoroughly pound this difference into your brain. Self-Esteem is decidedly a manly trait. It is based upon a conviction of the Kingship of God and the Sonship of Man. Man is a dignified being with divine attributes. He should not disgrace his Maker by crawling on the ground. This is Self-Esteem. Self-Esteem does not lower itself. It never lowers others. You shall never see a leader of mankind without tremendous faith in himself. But equally truly you shall never see a true man or woman taking delight in having others crawl to dust before them. They feel pained and shocked at such a sight. There is infinite humiliation to them in this sorry spectacle. But Self-Conceit is that original obliquity that leads a man to make a hog of himself. It is the old, dirty, unmanly "I-am-greater-than-you" feeling. Such men are hogs, hogs, hogs. They are not the true sons of their mothers. They are bastards and imbeciles. If you come across this type and get a chance to deal with him on your private strength open his eyes to his hoggishness. If he has any manly stuff in himself, he shall reform. If not, let him sizzle in his fat. Nature and its rigorous Laws will rub the lesson home some day. But don't you stand their nonsense for want of moral backbone. And the "I am" in you shall revolt against any such meanness and smallness in yourself. Encourage it not. Revere God. Revere yourself. Revere others. Next, as to energy and aspiration—these two characteristics transmute your mind from a negative into a positive type. They give you an aura of thought-force such as never knows fear. In point of fact fear is starved off to death. Be progressive. Take an interest in the affairs of this world and be a force for good. Raise yourself first. Then give others a lift. Have an Increasing Purpose in your life. Work towards its accomplishment. The man who renounces the world does not become a burden unto others. He helps others to shoulder their responsibilities. Nature aids at building up strong individuals. It has no use for barnacles and is always scraping them off. Nature does not tolerate leeches, vampires and parasites. Aspire to do something great in life "for the good of many, for the happiness of many." Live to some purpose. When you have a positive life-purpose, your tone of mind shall be dominant and positive and your thoughts shall match. All-strength shall come to you. Bad health, fear, worry and the whole array of disintegrating forces are set into active motion by a purposeless life. The Purposeful Man has no time to bother about them. Understand clearly, spirituality is not laziness, whatever else it may be.
AFFIRMATIONS.
1. I have perfect Self-Confidence. I am a Divine Being. I lower not myself—I lower not others.
2. My Life-Purpose is Constructive—not Destructive.
3. I will be great spiritually and mentally. I will make others great. I am an irresistible force for good.
4. I live to some great purpose. I am an Individual. I recognise the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man.
HEALTH, CHASTITY AND SELF-CONTROL.
Chastity and Self-Control bring to you a clean healthy physique. Strong health means strong brain. And strong brain means abounding vitality, magnetism and ambition. Remember our aim is the development of courage. The Chaste brain has tremendous energy. You should observe Bramhacharya—the conservation of vital energy in the body. You should acquire control over your passions and appetites. The energy generated in your body should not be drawn off at the lower end of your being, but should be transmuted into creative activity mentally and spiritually. Get a clean body, first. You can get it by fasting, breathing and exercise.
FASTING AND SELF-CONTROL.
If you feel heavy in body and brain, if you feel mentally sluggish it is a sure indication that your system is "clogged" with waste matter, due to partial or total inactivity of the physical channels of elimination. You have been indulging in high living and gluttony or you have been indulging in physical gratifications and have thus exhausted the vital fibres of your body. Perhaps you have drunk very little water which is nature's demand for cleaning the vessels of the body. Perhaps you have exercised little and thus the supply of oxygen required for burning off carbon and energising the blood has been rather limited. Mental depression, 'weak nerves,' melancholy, despair, fear, lack of concentration and lots of other mental weakness are due to a clogging of the system with accumulated refuse. In brief, the following are a few of the benefits derivable from scientific fasting:—(1) It gives nature a chance to "Clean Up." The day of fasting is a day of physical "house cleaning." (2) Like the galvanic battery the body "recuperates" its energies. Strength is invariably restored to one's powers of digestion after a careful fast. No case of dyspepsia, constipation, etc., there is, but can benefit or be totally and radically cured by fasting. Fasting will increase powers of assimilation, quicken hunger, purify and strengthen the nerves and raise your health in all ways. (3) By gaining control over appetite you gain control over your lower nature. It is a splendid drill for your Will. You shall gain in spiritual strength. You shall grow positive to your flesh and its cravings. Jesus Christ fasted for 40 days in order to prepare himself to face his great trial and temptation. Our Yogis are all great fasters.
HOW TO FAST.
Don't undertake too much. If you have never observed a fast begin with a 24 hour fast. Drink at least 5, if possible, 8 tumblers of pure water at frequent intervals slowly. Keep yourself gently active and occupied the whole day, mentally and physically. You may feel a feeling of faintness, all-goneness and an irresistible craving for food. These are mischievous pranks of a cultivated and pampered and artificial appetite. Drink water slowly but don't give your body anything else. Always keep before yourself the distinction between the regal "I—am—I" the soul and the carnal, sensating animal known as the body. The great point of achievement during a fast lies in thinking high thoughts and forgetting the demands of the flesh. Don't think of your fast. If you do think say to yourself "this is to develop my will." Breathe plenty of fresh air. Exercise gently and walk. I have seen educated men afraid to go out for a walk during a day's religious fast "lest they should feel hungry." O shame! You can't control a little hunger! You should bathe daily thoroughly early in the morning, fast or no fast.
And don't be afraid. "Man liveth not by bread alone but by very word that proceeds from the mouth of God"—said Christ. Starvation may kill off your body but not fasting. Deny the power of all disease and weakness over yourself. Your mind is master of your body. Assert this mental control. Lastly, during a fast, your body is sensitive to your suggestions. Fill your mind with incessant affirmations of courage. Think courage, say courage, act courage. Take time by the forelock. Force your suggestions upon body and brain right now.
HOW TO BREAK A FAST.
When breaking a fast, be sure to control re-action. Eat very lightly and only sensible food. Now that you have a clean body, stay clean You can train yourself to fast for 40 days at a stretch.
TRANSMUTING SEX-ENERGY.
Here is some sensible advice from a leading thinker and teacher:
To be a perfect Bramhacharin (a regenerate).
1. You must have a clean, healthy body; 2. Good breathing capacity and some control over same; 3. A strong will such as can move body and mind; 4. Assiduous cultivation of the intellectual side; 5. Control over emotions; 6. A fearless mind; 7. Great determination; 8. and abstemious living and high thinking.
The Yogis possess great knowledge regarding the use and abuse of the reproductive principle in both sexes. Some hints of this esoteric knowledge have filtered out and have been used by Western writers on the subject, and much good has been accomplished in this way. In this little book we cannot do more than touch upon the subject, and omitting all except a bare mention of theory, we will give a practical breathing exercise whereby the student will be enabled to transmute the re-productive energy into vitality for the entire system, instead of dissipating and wasting it in lustful indulgence in or out of the marriage relations. The reproductive energy is creative energy, and may be taken up by the system and transmuted into strength and vitality, thus serving the purpose of regeneration instead of generation. If the young men of the Western world understood these underlying principles they would be saved much misery and unhappiness in after years, and would be stronger mentally, morally and physically.
This transmutation of the reproductive energy gives more vitality to those practising it. They will be filled with great vital force, which will radiate from them and will manifest in what has been called "personal magnetism." The energy thus transmuted may be turned into new channels and used to great advantage. Nature has condensed one of its most powerful manifestations of prana into productive energy, as its purpose is to create. The greatest amount of vital force is concentrated in the smallest area. The re-productive organism is the most powerful storage factory in animal life, and its force can be drawn upward and used, as well as expended in the ordinary functions of reproduction, or wasted in vicious lust. The majority of our students know something of the theories of regeneration, and we can do little more than to state the above facts, without attempting to prove them.
The Yogi exercise for transmuting re-productive energy is simple. It is coupled with rhythmic breathing, and can be easily performed. It may be practised at any time, but is especially recommended when one feels the instinct more strongly, at which time the re-productive energy is manifesting and may be most easily transmuted for regenerative purpose. The exercise is as follows:—
Keep the mind fixed on the idea of energy, and away from ordinary sexual thoughts and imaginings. If these thoughts come into the mind do not be discouraged, but regard them as manifestations of a force which you intend using for the purpose of strengthening the body and mind. Lie passively or sit erect, and fix your mind on the idea of drawing the re-productive energy upward to the Solar Plexus, where it will be transmuted and stored away as a reserve force of vital energy. Then breathe rhythmically, forming the mental image of drawing up the re-productive energy with each inhalation. With each inhalation make a command of the Will that the energy be drawn upward from the re-productive organisation to the Solar Plexus. If the rhythm is fairly established and the mental image is clear, you will be conscious of the upward passage of the energy, and will feel its stimulating effect. If you desire an increase in mental force, you may draw it up to the brain instead of to the Solar Plexus, by giving the mental command and holding the mental image of the transmission to the brain.
The man or woman doing mental creative work, or bodily creative work will be able to use this creative energy in their work by following the above exercise, drawing up the energy with the inhalation and sending it forth with the exhalation. In this last form of exercise only such portions as are needed in the work will pass into the work being done, the balance remaining stored up in the Solar Plexus.
You will understand, of course, that it is not the reproductive fluids which are drawn up and used, but the etheric prana energy which animates the latter, the soul of the reproductive organism, as it were. It is usual to allow the head to bend forward easily and naturally during the transmuting exercise.
Practise this Breathing Exercise sturdily. Be heroic. Learn to make 100 Pranayams at a sitting, but do not rush things. Deep breathing exercise, Will-Culture, regular Meditation and a clean normal mode of living when combined with much thinking will surely awaken your Latent Powers. Be not worried if progress be a bit slow at first. Keep up cheerful and work patiently. Things cannot but come your way if you don't give up but preserve to the last. Have infinite and unbounded faith in yourself. And, lastly, if you want to grow space in Wisdom and Power, persevere in deep breathing. Pranayam is the key to all spiritual success. "Spirituality is fullness of Breath." Almost all forms or Mental and physical weakness are due to imperfect and shallow breathing. Of all these instructions you practise nothing but the Breathing Exercise, your gain shall be great but in order to get all the results you must practise all the instructions regularly and methodically.
Your sex-force is under the direction of your sub-conscious mind which is quite amenable to your authoritative suggestions. Get control through your sub-consciousness. All you have to do is to let it to do its own work without adverse and negative suggestions and fear-thoughts. Say "No" vigorously to all adverse thoughts and shake them off from you. All health comes by letting nature alone.
BREATHING EXERCISE.
Find a quiet place as far as possible, where the air is pure and the surroundings soothing and pleasant. After a bath or a thorough rubbing of the body from top to toe, with a wet towel, on an empty stomach, take this exercise: Send a current of holy thought to everyone, on planes seen and unseen, north and south, east and west, engage in meditation—take anyone of the meditation exercises you like. When you are perfectly calm and relaxed, seat yourself cross-legged, assuming any posture that comes easiest to you, with head, neck and chest held in a straight line and the weight of the upper parts of the body resting on ribs. Keep the region about the waist quite free. Loosen the cloth there out and out. Now inhale air slowly and steadily through right nostril after closing left nostril with your finger as long as it takes to count sixteen mentally. Close both nostrils, holding the inspired air within and count sixty-four. Then very slowly exhale the air through the left nostril for as long as it takes to count thirty-two. You must begin with a 4 second inhalation, 16 second retention and 8 second exhalation. Instead of dry counting you might improve yourself decidedly by repeating the word "Fearless" as many times holding mentally that dominant idea back of the word. Practise 5 pranayamas mornings and evenings for one week daily. Increase to 10 next week. Work up to 20. Go slowly. Practise as long as you like, but not less than 6 months. Be serious and earnest. This is not for non-serious minds. This exercise will augment digestive power, steady heart-action, make the body light and the mind calm. It shall help also miraculously in your Soul-Unfoldment. During this practice be pure in all ways. Observe Bramhacharya. Practice mental concentration and spiritual meditation. Don't talk much with others. Don't encourage any but holy society. Don't sleep much. Don't work very hard. Keep your emotions well-in-hand. Be always engaged mentally and physically. Be hopeful and cheerful. Never encourage negative thinking. It shall do wonders for you.
PHYSICAL EXERCISE.
Exercise No. 1.
Stand straight, facing a corner of the room with bare feet about 14 or 15 inches from the corner itself, arms straight out, even with shoulders or perhaps two inches below, hands resting on the two-side walls, chest out, abdomen in. Now lean forward towards the corner, without moving the feet or bending the knees. Aim lightly to touch the corner with the chest, while holding the head and abdomen as far back from the corner as possible, arms and hands slipping forward on the walls in a straight line with shoulders. Resume first position without moving the feet or lowering the arms, and repeat. Make the forward movement slowly, at the same time inhaling through nostrils a slow, full breath; put your whole effort into stretching the chest forward and upward (careful not to bruise yourself against wall) and head and abdomen backward, thus straightening the back at the shoulders. Hold the chest to the corner a moment, holding the breath likewise, then slowly resume original upright position, slowly exhaling through slightly open lips at the same time bending the head forward towards the chest. As you lean forward toward the corner, mentally keep count of your exercise one, two, three, etc. As you resume the upright position, exhaling and bending the head forward mentally, affirm "I am fearless, pure, strong." Make these movements always slowly, deliberately, with the closest attention. Begin with 5 or 6 movements and raise to 20 at a time.
Exercise No. 2.
Stand straight about two feet from the wall. Place the palms on the wall-level with the shoulders. Without moving the feet or bending the body, lean forward slowly, inhaling slowly as you do so, until the chest touches the wall, head back; then push yourself slowly to an upright position slowly exhaling as you do so. Repeat 10 times or more.
Exercise No. 3.
Clasp the hands behind. As you slowly inhale extend the clasped hand slowly downwards as far as possible, straightening arms at elbow and lowering shoulders as much as possible, at the same time extending and lifting the chest as far as you can. Hold the breath and the position a moment only, shoulders down, chest out and up, abdomen in, then release the hand and slowly exhale. A rather vigorous exercise. So go slowly.
Exercise No. 4.
Stand straight, arms extended even with the shoulders, head up; tense muscles of right arm doubling slowly at elbow and hand only, until the clenched fist touches the shoulders; at the same time tensing the neck muscles, chin up, and turning the head slowly to face the clenched fist. Repeat with the left arm. The arms from shoulder to elbow must be kept in a horizontal position.
Exercise No. 5.
Stand straight, hands at sides. Bend as far over to the right as possible, slowly; then to the left as far as possible. Repeat 10 times.
Exercise No. 6.
Stand straight, arms at sides. Lean as far forward as you can without bending the knees and roll the body clear around in a circle to the right, arms and body as limp as possible. Repeat 5 times. Then roll five times to the left.
Exercise No. 7.
Stand straight. Extend arms easily in front. Wave them backwards and upwards in a sort of reversed swimming movement, until they meet overhead; at the same time bending backward as far as possible slowly inhale a full breath. Now bend forward, exhaling breath, taking care not to bend the knees, until your fingers touch your toes, head hanging as low as possible, toes and head as limp as possible, fingers reaching towards the floor. Repeat upright position. Keep the knees straight throughout. Aim to stretch the entire body and hands upward and backward as far as possible, with the upward motion of the arms. If you can't touch the floor without bending the knees, just come as near it as you can. Practice will limber you up until you can touch it.
Exercise No. 8.
Lie full length on the back of the floor, hands clasped under head. Tense the muscles of the right leg, raising the knee slowly until it touches or almost touches the body, at the same time bending the foot downward as far as possible, stretching the toes towards the floor. Now slowly lower the right leg, still tense, towards the floor, straightening the knee and turning the toe upward towards the body. As the right leg is being lowered, raise the left one upward in the same way tensing the muscles, knee to chest, toes stretching upward; as the left leg goes down, point the toes and foot toward the knee 5 times, increasing gradually to 10 times.