"Time is passing quickly," said Julian before pouring himself
another cup of tea. "The morning will soon be upon us. Do you
want me to continue or have you had enough for one night?"
There was no way that I was going to let this man, who held
such gems of wisdom within his grasp, stop without completing his
story. At the outset, his tale seemed fantastic. But as I listened to
him, as I absorbed the ageless philosophy that had been bestowed
upon him, I came to believe deeply in what he was saying. These
were not the superficial self-serving ruminations of some two-bit
huckster. Julian was the real thing. He clearly walked his talk. And
his message rang true. I trusted him.
"Please continue, Julian, I have all the time in the world. The
kids are sleeping at their grandparents' house tonight, and Jennywon't be up for hours."
Sensing my sincerity, he continued with the symbolic fable that
Yogi Raman had offered him to illustrate his wisdom on cultivating
a richer, more radiant life.
"I have told you that the garden represents the fertile garden
of your mind, a garden that is filled with delightful treasures and
boundless riches. I have also spoken of the lighthouse and how it
represents the power of goals and the importance of discovering
your calling in life. You will recall that as the fable continues, the
door of the lighthouse slowly opens and out walks a nine-foot-tall,
nine-hundred-pound Japanese sumo wrestler."
"Sounds like a bad Godzilla movie."
"I used to love those when I was a kid."
"Me too. But don't let me distract you," I replied.
"The sumo wrestler represents a very important element in
the life-changing system of the Sages of Sivana. Yogi Raman told
me that many centuries ago in the ancient East, the great teachers
developed and refined a philosophy called kaizen. This Japanese
word means constant and never-ending improvement. And it's the
personal trademark of every man and woman who is living a
soaring, fully awakened existence."
"How did the concept of kaizen enrich the lives of the sages?"
I asked.
"As I mentioned earlier, John, success on the outside begins
with success on the inside. If you really want to improve your outer
world, whether this means your health, your relationships or your
finances, you must first improve your inner world. The most
effective way to do this is through the practice of continuous self-
improvement. Self-mastery is the DNA of life mastery."
"Julian, I hope you don't mind me saying it, but all this talkabout one's 'inner world' sounds more than a little esoteric to me.
Remember, I'm just a middle-class lawyer from the leafy suburbs
with a minivan sitting in the driveway and a Lawn-Boy in the
garage.
"Look. Everything you have told me so far makes sense. As a
matter of fact, much of what you have shared with me appears to
be common sense, although I know that common sense is anything
but common in this day and age. I must tell you though, I'm having
a little difficulty with this notion of kaizen and improving my inner
world. What exactly are we talking about here?"
Julian was agile in his response. "In our society, we all too
often label the ignorant as weak. However, those who express
their lack of knowledge and seek instruction find the path to
enlightenment before anyone else. Your questions are honest and
show me that you are open to fresh ideas. Change is the most
powerful force in our society today. Most people fear it, the wise
embrace it. Zen tradition speaks of a beginner's mind: those who
keep their minds open to new concepts — those whose cups are
always empty — will always move to higher levels of achievement
and fulfillment. Never be reluctant to ask even the most basic of
questions. Questions are the most effective method of eliciting
knowledge."
"Thanks. But I still am unclear about kaizen."
"When I speak of improving your inner world, I am simply
speaking of self-improvement and personal expansion and it is the
best thing you can do for yourself. You might think that you are too
busy to spend time working on yourself. This would be a very big
mistake. You see, when you have taken the time to build a strong
character full of discipline, energy, power and optimism, you can
have anything and do anything you want in your outer world.When you have cultivated a deep sense of faith in your abilities and
an indomitable spirit, nothing can stop you from succeeding in all
your pursuits and living with great rewards. Taking the time to
master your mind, to care for the body and to nourish your soul
will put you in a position to develop more richness and vitality in
your life. It is as Epictetus said so many years ago: 'No man is free
who is not a master of himself.'"
"So kaizen is actually a very practical concept."
"Very. Think about it, John. How could a person possibly lead
a corporation if he cannot even lead himself? How could you
nurture a family if you haven't learned to nurture and care for
yourself? How could you possibly do good if you don't even feel
good? Do you see my point?"
I nodded in full agreement. This was the first time I had given
any serious thought to the importance of improving myself. I had
always thought that all those people I would see on the subway
reading books with titles like The Power of Positive Thinking or
MegaLiving! were troubled souls desperate for some form of
medicine to get them back on course. Now I realized that those
who took the time to strengthen themselves were the strongest
and that it was only through improving one's self that one could
ever hope to improve the lot of others. I then started to reflect on
all the things I could improve. I really could use the added energy
and good health that exercising would surely bring. Ridding
myself of my nasty temper and my habit of interrupting others
might do wonders for my relationship with my wife and kids. And
erasing my worry habit would give me the peace of mind and deep
happiness I had been searching for. The more I thought about it,
the more potential improvements I saw.
As I started to see all the positive things that would flood intomy life through the cultivation of good habits, I grew excited. But
I realized that Julian was talking about far more than the
importance of daily exercise, a healthful diet and a balanced
lifestyle. What he had learned in the Himalayas was deeper and
more meaningful than this. He spoke of the importance of building
strength of character, developing mental toughness and living
with courage. He told me that these three attributes would lead
one not only to a virtuous life but to a life filled with achievement,
satisfaction and inner peace. Courage was a quality everyone
could cultivate and one that would pay huge dividends over the
long run.
"What does courage have to do with self-leadership and
personal development?" I wondered aloud.
"Courage allows you to run your own race. Courage allows you
to do whatever you want to do because you know that it is right.
Courage gives you the self-control to persist where others have
failed. Ultimately, the degree of courage you live with determines
the amount of fulfillment you receive. It allows you to truly realize
all the exquisite wonders of the epic that is your life. And those
who master themselves have an abundance of courage."
"Okay. I am starting to understand the power of working on
myself. Where do I start?"
Julian returned to his conversation with Yogi Raman high atop
the mountains, on what he remembered as a remarkably starry
and gloriously beautiful night.
"Initially, I too had trouble with the notion of self-
improvement. After all, I was a tough, Harvard-trained legal
gunslinger who had no time for New Age theories forced on me by
what I thought were people with bad haircuts who hung out at
airports. I was wrong. It was this close-mindedness that was holding my life back all of those years. The more I listened to Yogi
Raman and the more I reflected on the pain and suffering of my
former world, the more I welcomed the philosophy of kaizen,
constant and never-ending enrichment of the mind, body and soul,
into my new life," Julian asserted.
"Why am I hearing so much about the 'mind, body and soul'
these days? It seems I can't even turn on the tube without
someone making mention of it."
"This is the trilogy of your human endowments. To improve
your mind without the cultivation of your physical gifts would be a
very hollow victory. Elevating your mind and body to their highest
level without nurturing your soul would leave you feeling very
empty and unfulfilled. But when you dedicate your energies to
unlocking the full potential of all three of your human
endowments, you will taste the divine ecstacy of an enlightened
life."
"You've got me pretty excited, pal."
"As to your question about where to start, I promise that I will
give you a number of ancient yet powerful techniques in a few
moments. But first I must share a practical illustration with you.
Get into push-up position."
'Good grief, Julian's become a drill sergeant,' I silently
thought. Being curious and wishing to keep my cup empty, I
complied.
"Now do as many push-ups as you can possibly do. Don't stop
until you truly are certain that you cannot do any more."
I struggled with the exercise, my two-hundred-and-fifteen-
pound frame not being used to much more than walking to the
nearest McDonald's with my kids or meandering through a round
of golf with my law partners. The first fifteen push-ups were pureagony. With the heat of that summer evening adding to my
discomfort, I started to sweat profusely. However, I was
determined not to show any signs of weakness and carried on until
my vanity started to give way along with my arms. At twenty-
three push-ups I gave up.
"No more, Julian. This is killing me. What are you trying to do
here?"
"Are you certain that you can't do any more?"
"I'm sure. C'mon, give me a break. The only lesson I'm going
to learn from this is what to do for a heart attack."
"Do ten more. Then you can rest," commanded Julian.
"You've got to be kidding!"
But I continued. One. Two. Five. Eight. And finally ten. I lay
on the floor in total exhaustion.
"I went through precisely the same experience with Yogi
Raman the night he shared his special fable with me," said Julian.
"He told me that pain was a great teacher."
"What could anyone possibly learn from an experience like
this?" I asked breathlessly.
"Yogi Raman, and all of the Sages of Sivana for that matter,
believed that people grow the most when they enter the Zone of
the Unknown."
"Okay. But what does that have to do with making me do all
those push-ups?"
"You told me after you had done twenty-three that you
couldn't do any more. You told me that this was your absolute
limit. Yet, when I challenged you to do more, you responded with
another ten push-ups. You had more inside you and when you
reached for your resources, you received more. Yogi Raman
explained a fundamental truth to me whilst I was his student: 'Theonly limits on your life are those that you set yourself.' When you
dare to get out of your circle of comfort and explore the unknown,
you start to liberate your true human potential. This is the first
step towards self-mastery and mastery over every other
circumstance in your life. When you push beyond your limits, just
as you did in this little demonstration, you unlock mental and
physical reserves that you never thought you had."
'Fascinating,' I thought. Come to think of it, I had recently
read in a book that the average person uses only a minute measure
of his human capacity. I wondered what we could do if we started
using the remaining reservoir of our abilities.
Julian sensed he was on a roll.
"You practice the art of kaizen by pushing yourself daily.
Work hard to improve your mind and body. Nourish your spirit.
Do the things you fear. Start to live with unbridled energy and
limitless enthusiasm. Watch the sun rise. Dance in a rain shower.
Be the person you dream of being. Do the things you have always
wanted to do but didn't because you tricked yourself into
believing that you were too young, too old, too rich or too poor.
Prepare to live a soaring, fully alive life. In the East they say that
luck favors the prepared mind. I believe that life favors the
prepared mind."
Julian continued his passionate discourse. "Identify the things
that are holding you back. Are you scared of speaking or do you
have trouble in your relationships? Do you lack a positive attitude
or do you need more energy? Make a written inventory of your
weaknesses. Satisfied people are far more thoughtful than others.
Take the time to reflect on what it is that might be keeping you
from the life you really want and know deep down you can have.
Once you have identified what your weaknesses are, the next stepis to face them head on and attack your fears. If you fear public
speaking, sign up to give twenty speeches. If you fear starting a
new business or getting out of a dissatisfying relationship, muster
every ounce of your inner resolve and do it. This might be the first
taste of real freedom that you have experienced in years. Fear is
nothing more than a mental monster you have created, a negative
stream of consciousness."
"Fear is nothing more than a negative stream of consciousness?
I like that. You mean all my fears are nothing more than imaginary
little gremlins that have crept into my mind over the years?"
"Exactly, John. Every time they have prevented you from
taking some action, you have added fuel to their fire. But when you
conquer your fears, you conquer your life."
"I need an example."
"Sure. Let's take public speaking, an activity most people fear
more than death itself. When I was a litigator, I actually saw
lawyers who were scared of stepping into court. They would do
anything, including settling their client's otherwise worthy cases
just to avoid the pain of getting up on their feet inside a packed
courtroom."
"I've seen them too."
"Do you actually think that they were born with this fear?"
"I sure hope not."
"Study a baby. She has no limits. Her mind is a lush landscape
of potential and possibility. Properly cultivated, it will lead her to
greatness. Filled with negativity, it will lead her to mediocrity, at
best. What I am saying is this: no experience, whether it is public
speaking or asking your boss for a raise or swimming in a sun-
soaked lake or walking along the beach on a moonlit night, is
inherently painful or pleasant. It is your thinking that makes it so.""Interesting."
"A baby could be trained to view a glorious sunny day as
depressing. A child could be trained to see a puppy as a vicious
animal. An adult could be trained to see a drug as a pleasant
vehicle for release. It's all a matter of conditioning, isn't it?"
"Sure."
"The same holds true of fear. Fear is a conditioned response: a
life-sucking habit that can easily consume your energy, creativity
and spirit if you are not careful. When fear rears its ugly head,
beat it down quickly. The best way to do that is to do the thing you
fear. Understand the anatomy of fear. It is your own creation. Like
any other creation, it is just as easy to tear it down as it is to erect
it. Methodically search for and then destroy every fear that has
secretly slid into the fortress of your mind. This alone will give you
enormous confidence, happiness and peace of mind."
"Can a person's mind actually be fully fearless?" I asked.
"Great question. The answer is an unequivocal and emphatic
'Yes!' Each and every one of the Sages of Sivana was absolutely
fearless. You could see it in the way they walked. You could see it
in the way they talked. You could see it when you looked deep into
their eyes and I'll tell you something else, John."
"What," I asked, fascinated by what I was hearing.
"I too am fearless. I know myself and I have come to see that
my natural state is one of indomitable strength and unlimited
potential. It was just that I was blocked by all those years of self-
neglect and unbalanced thinking. I'll tell you another thing. When
you erase fear from your mind, you start to look younger and your
health becomes more vibrant."
'Ah, the old mind-body connection," I replied, hoping to mask
my ignorance"Yes. The sages of the East have known about it for over five
thousand years. Hardly 'new age,'" he said, with a broad grin
lighting up his radiant face.
"The sages shared another powerful principle with me which
I think about often. I think it will be invaluable to you as you walk
the path of self-leadership and personal mastery. It has given me
motivation at times when I feel like taking things easy. The
philosophy can be stated succinctly: what sets highly actualized
people apart from those who never live inspired lives is that they
do those things that less developed people don't like doing—even
though they might not like doing them either.
"Truly enlightened people, those who experience deep
happiness daily, are prepared to put off short-term pleasure for
the sake of long-term fulfillment. So they tackle their weaknesses
and fears head on, even if dipping into the zone of the unknown
brings with it a measure of discomfort. They resolve to live by the
wisdom of kaizen, improving every aspect of themselves
ceaselessly and continuously. With time, things that were once
difficult become easy. Fears that once prevented them from all the
happiness, health and prosperity they deserved fall to the wayside
like stickmen toppled by a hurricane."
"So you're suggesting that I must change myself before I
change my life?"
"Yes. It's like that old story my favorite professor told me
when I was in law school. One night a father was relaxing with his
newspaper after a long day at the office. His son, who wanted to
play, kept on pestering him. Finally, fed up, the father ripped out a
picture of the globe that was in the paper and tore it into a
hundred tiny pieces. 'Here son, go ahead and try to put this back
together.' he said, hoping that this would keep the little boy busylong enough for him to finish reading his paper. To his amazement,
his son returned after only one minute with the globe perfectly
back together. When the startled father asked how he achieved
this feat, the son smiled gently and replied 'Dad, on the other side
of the globe there was a picture of a person, and once I got the
person together, the world was okay.'"
"That's a great story."
"You see John, the wisest people I have ever met, from the
Sages of Sivana to my professors at Harvard Law School, all seem
to know the key formula for happiness."
"Do continue," I said with a hint of impatience.
"It's precisely what I said earlier: happiness comes through the
progressive realization of a worthy objective. When you are doing
what you truly love to do you are bound to find deep contentment."
"If happiness comes to everyone who simply does what they
love doing, why are so many people miserable?"
"Fair point, John. Doing what you love, whether this means
giving up the work you are presently doing to become an actor or
spending less time on those things that are less important to make
time for those things that are more meaningful, requires a great
deal of courage. It requires you to step out of your comfort zone.
And change is always a little uncomfortable at first. It is also more
than a little risky. Having said this, this is the surest way to design
a more joyful life."
"Exactly how does one go about building courage?"
"It's the same as the story: once you get yourself together,
your world will be okay. Once you master your mind, body and
character, happiness and abundance will flow into your life almost
magically. But you must spend some time daily working on
yourself, even if for only ten or fifteen minutes.""And what does the nine-foot-tall, nine-hundred-pound
Japanese sumo wrestler symbolize in Yogi Raman's fable?"
"Our hefty friend will be your constant reminder of the power
of kaizen, the Japanese word for constant self-expansion and
progress."
In just a few hours, Julian had revealed the most powerful —
and the most astonishing — information that I had ever heard in
my lifetime. I had learned of the magic in my own mind and its
treasure trove of potential. I had learned highly practical
techniques to still the mind and focus its power on my desires and
dreams. I had learned the importance of having a definite purpose
in life and of setting clear goals in every aspect of my personal,
professional and spiritual world. Now I had been exposed to the
ageless principle of self-mastery: kaizen.
"How can I practice the art of kaizen?"
"I will give you ten ancient yet supremely effective rituals that
will lead you far along the path of personal mastery. If you apply
them on a daily basis, with faith in their utility, you will observe
remarkable results in just one month from today. If you continue
to apply them, incorporating the techniques into your routine such
that they become habits, you are bound to reach a state of perfect
health, limitless energy, lasting happiness and peace of mind.
Ultimately, you will reach your divine destiny — for this is your
birthright."
"Yogi Raman offered the ten rituals to me with great faith in
what he termed their 'exquisiteness' and I think you will agree
that I am living proof of their power. I simply ask that you listen
to what I have to say and judge the results for yourself."
"Life-changing results in only thirty days?" I asked in
disbelief."Yes. The quid pro quo is that you must set aside at least one
hour a day for thirty consecutive days to practice the strategies I
am about to offer to you. This investment in yourself is all it takes.
And please don't tell me that you don't have the time."
"But I don't," I said honestly. "My practice is really booming. I
don't have ten minutes to myself, let alone a full hour, Julian."
"As I told you, saying that you do not have the time to improve
yourself, whether this means improving your mind or nourishing
your spirit, is much like saying you do not have time to stop for gas
because you are too busy driving. Eventually it will catch up with
you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"How so?"
"Let me put it this way. You are very much like a high-
performance race car worth millions of dollars; a well-oiled, highly
sophisticated machine."
"Why thank you Julian."
"Your mind is the greatest wonder of the universe and your
body has the capacity to perform feats that might astonish you."
"Agreed."
"Knowing the value of this high performance multi-million
dollar machine, would it be wise to run it full out every minute of
every day without taking a pit stop to let the motor cool down?"
"Of course not."
"Well then, why are you not taking some time every day for
your personal pit stop or rest break? Why are you not taking the
time to cool down the high performance engine of your mind? Do
you see my point? Taking the time to renew yourself is the most
important thing you can do. Ironically, taking time out from yourhectic schedule for self-improvement and personal enrichment
will dramatically improve your effectiveness once you get back
into it."
"One hour a day for thirty days is all it takes?"
"It's the magic formula I was always searching for. I would
probably have paid a couple of million dollars for it in my old glory
days, if I had understood its importance. Little did I know that it
was free, as is all priceless knowledge. Having said this, you must
be disciplined and apply the strategies which make up the formula
daily, with utter conviction in their value."
"This is not a quick-fix type deal. Once you are in, you are in it
for the long term."
"What do you mean?"
"Spending one hour a day tending to yourself will surely give
you dramatic results in thirty days — provided you do the right
things. It takes about one month to fully install a new habit. After
this period, the strategies and techniques you will learn will fit like
a second skin. The key is that you must keep on practicing them
every day if you want to keep on seeing the results."
"Fair enough," I agreed. Julian clearly had unlocked a
wellspring of personal vitality and inner serenity in his own life.
Actually, his transformation from a sickly old litigator to a radiant,
energetic philosopher was nothing less than miraculous. At that
moment I resolved to dedicate one hour a day to implementing the
techniques and principles I was about to hear. I decided to work on
improving myself before working to change others, as had been my
habit. Maybe I too could undergo a "Mantle-like" transformation.
It was surely worth a try.
That night, sitting on the floor of my cluttered living room, I
learned what Julian called "The Ten Rituals of Radiant Living."Some of them required a little concentrated effort on my part.
Others could be performed effortlessly. All were intriguing and
rich with the promise of extraordinary things to come.
"The first strategy was known to the sages as the Ritual of
Solitude. This involves nothing more than ensuring that your daily
schedule includes a mandatory period of peace."
"Just what is a period of peace?"
"It is a period of time, as little as fifteen minutes or as much as
fifty, wherein you explore the healing power of silence and come to
know who you really are," Julian explained.
"Sort of a rest break for that overheated engine of mine?" I
suggested with a slight smile.
"That's a pretty accurate way of looking at it. Have you ever
been on a long road trip with your family?"
"Sure. Every summer we drive down to the islands to spend a
couple of weeks with Jenny's parents."
"Okay. Do you ever make pit-stops along the way?"
"Yes. For food, or if I'm feeling a little sleepy I'll take a quick
nap after having listened to my kids fight in the back seat for six
hours."
"Well, think of the Ritual of Solitude as a pit-stop for the soul.
Its purpose is self-renewal and this is accomplished by spending
time alone, immersed in the beautiful blanket of silence."
"What is so special about silence?"
"Good question. Solitude and quiet connects you to your
creative source and releases the limitless intelligence of the
Universe. You see, John, the mind is like a lake. In our chaotic
world, most people's minds are not still. We are full of inner
turbulence. However, by simply taking the time to be still and
quiet every day, the lake of the mind becomes as smooth as a plateof glass. This inner quietness brings with it a wealth of benefits
including a deep sense of well-being, inner peace and boundless
energy. You will even sleep better and enjoy a renewed feeling of
balance in your day-to-day activities."
"Where should I go for this period of peace?"
"Theoretically, you could do it anywhere, from your bedroom to
your office. The key is to find a place of true quiet — and beauty."
"How does beauty fit into the equation?"
"Beautiful images soothe a ruffled soul," Julian observed with
a deep sigh. "A bouquet of roses or a simple, solitary daffodil will
have a highly salutary effect on your senses and relax you no end.
Ideally, you should savor such beauty in a space that will serve as
a Sanctuary of the Self."
"What's that?"
"Basically, it is a place that will become your secret forum for
mental and spiritual expansion. This might be a spare room in
your house or simply a peaceful corner of a small apartment. The
point is to reserve a spot for your renewal activities, a place that
sits there quietly awaiting your arrival."
"I love the sound of that. I think having a silent place to go to
when I come home from work would make a world of difference. I
could decompress for a while and let go of the stresses of the day
It would probably make me a much nicer person to be around."
"That brings up another important point. The Ritual of
Solitude works best when you practice it at the same time every
day."
"Why?"
"Because then it becomes integrated into your routine as a
ritual. By practicing it at the same time every day, a daily dose of
silence will soon become a habit that you will never neglect. Andpositive life habits inevitably guide you to your destiny."
"Anything else?"
"Yes. If at all possible, commune with nature daily. A quick
walk through the woods or even a few minutes spent cultivating
your tomato garden in the backyard will reconnect you to the
wellspring of calm that may now be dormant within you. Being
with nature also allows you to tune in to the infinite wisdom of your
highest self. This self-knowledge will move you into the uncharted
dimensions of your personal power. Never forget this," advised
Julian, his voice rising with passion.
"Has this ritual worked well for you, Julian?"
"Absolutely. I rise with the sun and the first thing I do is head
off to my secret sanctuary. There I explore the Heart of the Rose
for as long as need be. Some days I spend hours in quiet
contemplation. On other days I spend only ten minutes. The result
is more or less the same: a deep sense of inner harmony and an
abundance of physical energy. Which brings me to the second
ritual. This is the Ritual of Physicality."
"Sounds interesting. What's it about?"
"It's about the power of physical care."
"Huh?"
"It's simple. The Ritual of Physicality is based on the principle
that says as you care for the body so you care for the mind. As you
prepare your body, so you prepare your mind. As you train your
body, so you train your mind. Take some time every single day to
nourish the temple of your body through vigorous exercise. Get
your blood circulating and your body moving. Did you know that
there are 168 hours in a week?"
"No, not really."
"It's true. At least five of those hours should be invested insome form of physical activity. The Sages of Sivana practiced the
ancient discipline of yoga to awaken their physical potential and
live a strong, dynamic existence. It was an extraordinary sight to
see these marvellous physical specimens who had managed to
age-proof their lives standing on their heads in the center of their
village!"
"Have you tried yoga, Julian? Jenny started practicing it last
summer and says it has added five years to her life."
"There is no one strategy that will magically transform your
life, John, let me be the first to say this. Lasting and profound
change comes through the continued application of a number of
the methods I have shared with you. But yoga is an extremely
effective way to unlock your reserves of vitality. I do my yoga
every morning and it is one of the best things that I do for myself.
It not only rejuvenates my body, it completely focuses my mind. It
has even unblocked my creativity. It is a terrific discipline."
"Did the sages do anything else to care for their bodies?"
"Yogi Raman and his brothers and sisters also believed that
vigorous walking in natural surroundings, whether high on the
mountain paths or deep in the lush forests, worked wonders for
relieving fatigue and restoring the body to its natural state of
vibrancy. When the weather was too harsh to walk, they would
exercise within the security of their huts. They might miss a meal
but they would never miss their daily round of exercise."
"What did they have in their huts? NordicTrack machines?" I
quipped.
"Not quite. Sometimes they would practice yoga postures.
Other times I would catch a glimpse of them doing a set or two of
one-handed push-ups. I really think it didn't matter too much to
them what they did, so long as they moved their bodies and got thefresh air of their breath-taking surroundings flowing through
their lungs."
"What does breathing fresh air have to do with anything?"
"I'll answer your question with one of Yogi Raman's favorite
sayings, 'To breathe properly is to live properly.'"
"Breathing is that important?" I asked in surprise.
"Quite early on in Sivana, the sages taught me that the fastest
way to double or even triple the amount of energy I had was to
learn the art of effective breathing."
"But don't we all know how to breathe, even a newborn baby?"
"Not really, John. While most of us know how to breathe to
survive, we have never learned how to breathe to thrive. Most of
us breathe far too shallowly and in so doing, we fail to take in
enough oxygen to run the body at an optimal level."
"Sounds like proper breathing involves a lot of science."
"It does. And the sages treated it that way. Their philosophy
was simple: take in more oxygen through efficient breathing and
you liberate your energy reserves along with your natural state of
vitality."
"Okay so where do I start?"
"It's actually pretty easy. Two or three times a day take a minute
or two to think about breathing more deeply and effectively."
"How do I know if I'm breathing effectively?"
"Well, your belly should move out slightly. This indicates that
you are breathing from the abdomen, which is good. A trick that
Yogi Raman taught me was to cup my hands over my stomach. If
they moved out as I inhaled, my breathing technique was proper."
"Very interesting."
"If you like that, then you will love the Third Ritual of Radiant
Living," said Julian."Which is?"
"The Ritual of Live Nourishment. In my days as a litigator, I
lived off of a steady diet of steaks, fries and other types of junk
food. Sure I ate at the finest restaurants in the country, but I still
filled my body with junk. I didn't know it at the time, but this was
one of the main sources of my discontent."
"Really?"
"Yes. A poor diet has a pronounced effect on your life. It drains
your mental and physical energy. It affects your moods and it
hampers the clarity of your mind. Yogi Raman put it this way: 'As
you nourish your body, so you nourish your mind.'"
"I assume then that you changed your diet?"
"Radically. And it made an amazing difference in the way I felt
and looked. I always thought that I was so run down because of
the stresses and strains of my work and because the wrinkled
fingers of old age were reaching out for me. In Sivana, I learned
that much of my lethargy was due to the low-octane fuel I was
pumping into my body."
"What did the Sages of Sivana eat to stay so youthful and
bright?"
"Live foods," came the efficient reply.
"Huh?"
"Live foods are the answer. Live foods are foods that are not
dead."
"C'mon, Julian. What are live foods?" I asked impatiently.
"Basically, live foods are those which are created through the
natural interaction of the sun, air, soil and water. What I'm talking
about here is a vegetarian diet. Fill your plate with fresh
vegetables, fruits and grains and you might just live forever."
"Is that possible?""Most of the sages were well over one hundred and they
showed no signs of slowing down, and just last week I read in the
paper about a group of people living on the tiny island of Okinawa
in the East China Sea. Researchers are flocking to the island
because they are fascinated by the fact that it holds the largest
concentration of centenarians in the world."
"What have they learned?"
"That a vegetarian diet is one of their main longevity secrets."
"But is this type of diet healthy? You wouldn't think that it
would give you much strength. Remember, I'm still a busy
litigator, Julian."
"This is the diet that nature intended. It is alive, vital and
supremely healthy. The sages have lived by this diet for many
thousands of years. They call it a sattvic, or pure diet. And as to
your concern about strength, the most powerful animals on the
planet, ranging from gorillas to elephants, wear the badge of
proud vegetarians. Did you know that a gorilla has about thirty
times the strength of a man?"
"Thanks for that important tidbit of information."
"Look, the sages are not extreme people. All of their wisdom
was based on the ageless principle that 'one must live a life of
moderation and do nothing to extremes.' So if you like meat, you
can certainly keep eating it. Just remember that you are ingesting
dead food. If you can, cut back on the amount of red meat that you
eat. It is really hard to digest and since your digestive system is
one of the most energy-consuming processes of your entire body,
valuable energy reserves are needlessly depleted by this foodstuff.
Do you see what I'm getting at? Just compare how you feel after
eating a steak with your energy levels after eating a salad. If you
don't want to become a strict vegetarian, at least start having asalad with every meal and fruit for dessert. Even this will make a
huge difference in the quality of your physical life."
"That doesn't seem like it would be too hard to do," I replied.
"I've been hearing a lot about the power of a largely vegetarian
diet. Just last week, Jenny told me about a study in Finland where
it was found that thirty-eight percent of new vegetarians studied
reported that they felt far less tired and much more alert after
only seven months of this new way of life. I should try eating a
salad with every meal. Looking at you, Julian, I might even make
the salad the meal."
"Try it for about a month and judge the results for yourself
You will feel phenomenal."
"Okay. If it's good enough for the sages, it's good enough for
me. I promise you I will give it a shot. It doesn't sound like too
much of a stretch, and anyway I'm getting pretty tired of firing up
the barbeque every night."
"If I have sold you on the Ritual of Live Nourishment, I think
you will love the fourth one."
"Your student is still holding his empty cup."
"The fourth ritual is known as the Ritual of Abundant
Knowledge. It centers around the whole notion of lifelong learning
and expanding your knowledge base for the good of yourself and
all those around you."
"The old 'knowledge is power' idea?"
"It involves far more than that, John. Knowledge is only
potential power. For the power to be manifested, it must be
applied. Most people know what they should do in any given
situation, or in their lives for that matter. The problem is that they
don't take daily, consistent action to apply the knowledge and
realize their dreams. Theabout becoming a student of life. Even more importantly, it
requires that you use what you have learned in the classroom of
your existence."
"What did Yogi Raman and the other sages do to live this
ritual?"
"They had many sub-rituals which they performed on a daily
basis as a tribute to the Ritual of Abundant Knowledge. One of the
most important strategies is also one of the easiest. You can even
start doing it today."
"It won't take up too much time, will it?"
Julian smiled. "These techniques, tools and tips I am sharing
with you will make you more productive and effective than you
have ever been. Don't be penny wise, pound foolish."
"Say what?"
"Consider those who say that they do not have the time to back
up their computers because they are too busy working on them.
Yet, when those machines crash and months of important work is
lost, they regret not investing a few moments a day in saving it. Do
you see my point?"
"Get my priorities straight?"
"Exactly. Try not to live your life bound by the shackles of your
schedule. Instead, focus on those things that your conscience and
your heart tell you to do. When you invest in yourself and start to
devote yourself to raising your mind, body and character to their
highest levels, you will almost feel as if you have a personal
navigator inside you, telling you which things you must do to see
the greatest and most rewarding results. You will stop worrying
about your clock and start living your life."
"Point well taken. So what was that simple sub-ritual you were
about to teach me?" I asked."Read regularly. Reading for thirty minutes a day will do
wonders for you. But I must caution you. Do not read just
anything. You must be very selective about what you put into the
lush garden of your mind. It must be immensely nourishing.
Make it something that will improve both you and the quality of
your life."
"What did the sages read?"
"They spent many of their waking moments reading and re-
reading the ancient teachings of their ancestors. They devoured
this philosophical literature. I still remember seeing these
wonderful looking people seated on little bamboo chairs reading
their strangely bound books with the subtle smiles of
enlightenment unfolding across their lips. It was in Sivana that I
really learned the power of the book and the principle that a book
is the best friend of the wise."
"So I should start reading every good book I can get my
hands on?"
"Yes and no," came the reply. "I would never tell you not to
read as many books as you can. But remember, some books are
meant to be tasted, some books are meant to be chewed and,
finally, some books are meant to be swallowed whole. Which
brings me to another point."
"You're feeling hungry?"
"No, John," Julian laughed. "I simply want to tell you that to
truly get the best out of a great book, you must study it, not just
read it. Go through it as you do when you read those contracts your
big clients bring to you for your legal opinion. Really consider it,
work with it, become one with it. The sages would read many of the
books of wisdom in their vast library ten or fifteen times. They
treated great books as scriptures, holy documents of divine origin.""Wow. Reading is really that important?"
"Thirty minutes a day will make a delightful difference in your
life because you will quickly start to see the vast reserves of
knowledge available for your use. Every answer to every problem
you have ever faced is in print. If you want to be a better lawyer,
father, friend or lover, there are books out there that will rocket you
to those goals. All the mistakes you will ever make in your life have
already been made by those that have walked before you. Do you
really think that the challenges you are facing are unique to you?"
"I've never thought about it, Julian. But I see what you are
saying, and I know you are right."
"All the problems anyone has ever, and will ever face over the
course of their lifetime have already been made," Julian asserted.
"More importantly, the answers and solutions are all recorded on
the pages of books. Read the right books. Learn how those who
have preceded you have handled the challenges you are currently
facing. Apply their strategies for success and you will be
astonished by the improvements you will note in your life."
"What exactly are 'the right books?'" I asked, quickly realizing
that Julian's point was an excellent one.
"I'll leave that to your good judgment my friend. Personally,
since I have returned from the East, I spend the better part of my
days reading biographies of the men and women I have come to
admire and a great deal of the wisdom of literature."
"Any titles you could recommend to an eager young beaver?"
I said, flashing a broad grin.
"Sure. You will thrive on the biography of the great American,
Benjamin Franklin. I think you will also find much growth impetus
from Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography entitled The Story of My
Experiments with Truth. I by Hermann Hesse, the highly practical philosophy of Marcus
Aurelius and some of the work of Seneca. You might even read
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I read it last week and
thought it was very profound."
"Think and Grow Rich!" I exclaimed. "But I thought you left
all of that behind you after your heart attack. I'm really sick and
tired of all the 'make-money-fast manuals' that are being peddled
out there by snake-oil salesmen preying on the weak."
"Easy, big fella! I couldn't agree with you more," offered
Julian with all the warmth and patience of a wise, loving
grandfather. "I too want to restore the character ethic to our
society. That little book is not about making a lot of money, it is
about making a lot of life. I will be the first to tell you that there is
a huge difference between well-being and being well off. I've lived
it and know the pain of a money-driven life. Think and Grow Rich
is about abundance, including spiritual abundance, and how to
attract all that is good into your life. You might do well to read it.
But I will not press the point."
"Sorry Julian, I didn't mean to sound like an aggressive
litigator," I offered apologetically. "I guess my temper gets the
better of me sometimes. One more thing I need to improve. I
really am grateful for all that you are sharing with me."
"No problem, water under the bridge. My point simply is read
and keep reading. Do you want to know something else
interesting?"
"What?"
"It's not what you will get out of the books that is so enriching
— it is what the books will get out of you that will ultimately
change your life. You see, John, books do not actually teach you
anything new.""Really?"
"Really. Books simply help you to see what is already within
your self. That's what enlightenment is all about. After all my
journeying and exploring I found that I have actually come full
circle back to the point from which I started as a young boy. But
now I know myself and all that I am and can be.
"So the Ritual of Abundant Knowledge is all about reading and
exploring the wealth of information out there?"
"Partly. For now, read thirty minutes a day. The rest will come
naturally," Julian said with a hint of mystery.
"Okay, what's the Fifth Ritual of Radiant Living?"
"It is the Ritual of Personal Reflection. The sages were firm
believers in the power of inner contemplation. By taking the time
to get to know yourself, you will connect to a dimension of your
being that you never knew you had."
"Sounds pretty deep."
"It's actually a very practical concept. You see, we all have
many sleeping talents inside of us. By taking the time to get to
know them, we kindle them. However, silent contemplation will
deliver even more than this. This practice will make you stronger,
more at ease with yourself and wiser. It is a very rewarding use of
your mind."
"I'm still a little fuzzy on the concept, Julian."
"Fair enough. It was also foreign to me when I first heard it.
Boiled down to its basic form, personal reflection is nothing more
than the habit of thinking."
"But don't we all think? Isn't that part of being human?"
"Well, most of us do think. The problem is that most people
think just enough to survive. What I am speaking about with this
ritual is thinking enough to thrive. When you read Ben Franklin'sbiography you will see what I mean. Every evening, after a full day
of productive work, he would retire to a silent corner of his home
and reflect on his day. He would consider all of his actions and
whether they were positive and constructive or whether they were
of the negative sort, in need of repair. By clearly knowing what he
was doing wrong in his days, he could take immediate steps to
improve and advance along the path of self-mastery. The sages did
the same. Every night, they would retire to the sanctuary of their
huts covered by fragrant rose petals and sit in deep contemplation.
Yogi Raman would actually take a written inventory of his day."
"What kinds of things would he write down?" I asked.
"First he would list all of his activities, from the personal care
activities of his morning to his interactions with the other sages to
his forays into the forest in search of firewood and fresh food.
Interestingly, he would also write down the thoughts he had run
through his mind during that particular day."
"Isn't that hard to do? I can hardly remember what I thought
five minutes ago let alone twelve hours ago."
"Not if you practice this ritual daily. You see, anyone can attain
the kind of results I have attained. Anyone. The real problem is
that too many people suffer from that dreadful disease known as
excusitus."
"I think I might have contracted that one in the past," I said in
full knowledge of what my wise friend was saying.
"Stop making excuses and just do it!" Julian exclaimed, his
voice resonating with the strength of conviction.
"Do what?"
"Take the time to think. Get into the regular habit of personal
introspection. Once Yogi Raman had listed all that he had done and
all that he had thought in one column, he would then do anassessment in another column. As he was confronted by his
activities and thoughts in the written form, he asked himself
whether they were positive in nature. If they were, he resolved to
continue giving his precious energy to them, as they would pay
huge dividends in the long run."
"And if they were negative?"
"Then he would come up with a clear course of action to get rid
of them."
"I think an example might help me."
"Can it be personal?" Julian asked.
"Sure, I'd love to know some of your innermost thoughts," I
suggested.
"Actually, I was thinking about yours."
We both started to giggle like a couple of kids in a schoolyard.
"Oh, alright. You always did get your way."
"Okay let's go through just a few of the things that you did
today. Write them down on that piece of paper on the coffee table,"
Julian instructed.
I started to realize that something important was about to
happen. This was the first time in years that I had actually taken
the time to do nothing but reflect on the things I was doing and the
thoughts that I was thinking. It was all so strange and yet so
intelligent. After all, how could I ever hope to improve myself and
my life if I hadn't even taken the time to figure out what I was
supposed to improve?"
"Where do I start?" I asked.
"Start with what you did this morning and progress through
your day. Just hit a few of the highlights, we still have a fair amount
of ground to cover and I want to get back to Yogi Raman's fable in
a few minutes.""Fine. I woke up at six-thirty to the sound of my electric
rooster," I joked.
"Get serious and keep going," Julian replied firmly.
"Okay. Then I showered and shaved, gobbled down a waffle
and rushed off to work."
"And what about your family?"
"They were all asleep. Anyway, once I got to the office, I
noticed that my seven-thirty appointment had been waiting there
since seven, and boy, was he furious!"
"What was your response?"
"I fought back, what was I supposed to do, let him push me
around?"
"Hmm. Okay. Then what happened?"
"Well, things went from bad to worse. The courthouse called
and told me that Judge Wildabest needed to see me in his
chambers and if I wasn't there within ten minutes, 'heads would
roll.' You remember Wildabest don't you? You were the one who
nicknamed him Judge Wild Beast after he held you in contempt
for parking your Ferrari in his parking spot!" I recalled, breaking
into laughter.
"You would have to bring that up, wouldn't you?" Julian
replied, his eyes revealing the remnants of that mischievous
twinkle he was once well known for.
"Anyway I rushed down to the courthouse and had another
argument with one of the clerks. By the time I got back to the
office, there were twenty-seven phone messages waiting for me,
all marked 'urgent.' Need I go on?"
"Please do."
"Well on the way home, Jenny called me in the car and asked
me to stop by her mother's house and pick up one of those amazingpies my mother-in-law is famous for. Problem was that when I took
that exit, I found myself in the middle of a gridlock that was worse
than anything I have seen in ages. So there I was, in the middle of
rush-hour traffic, in ninety-five-degree heat, shaking with stress
and feeling that even more time was slipping away."
"How did you respond?"
"I cursed the traffic," I said with complete honesty. "I was
actually shouting out loud inside my car. Do you want to know what
I said?"
"I don't think that would be the kind of thing that would
nourish the garden of my mind," Julian responded with a soft
smile.
"But it might make for good fertilizer."
"No thanks. Maybe we should stop there. Just take a second
and look at your day. Obviously, in retrospect, there are at least a
few things that you would do differently if you had the chance."
"Obviously."
"Like what?"
"Hmm. Well, first, in a perfect world I would get up earlier. I
don't think I'm doing myself any favors by hitting the ground
running. I'd like to have a little peace in the morning and ease
myself into the day. The Heart of the Rose technique you told me
about earlier sounds like it would be fun. Also, I really would like to
have the family around the breakfast table, even if only for a bowl
of cereal. It would give me a better sense of balance. I always seem
to feel that I never spend enough time with Jenny and the kids."
"But it is a perfect world, and you have a perfect life. You do
have the power to control your day. You do have the power to think
good thoughts. You do have the power to live your dreams!" Julian
observed, his voice rising.