Enlightenment and meditation: Achieving calm in our fast-paced world

When I listen to the sounds in the video at left, I feel safe, content and at peace. On a broader level, there are 4 main points to my current understanding of tranquility:

(1) Meditation. One of the books on my shelf right now is Becoming Enlightened by Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama. The book explains that the key to enlightenment is "morality, concentrated meditation, and wisdom, enhanced by compassion." The book recommends to meditate in 2-4 daily sessions of several minutes each, and to gradually increase session length over time.

(2) Respect for others. I've recently read an important thought of a very classic author, Dale Carnegie: you should never argue, since there is no way to win an argument. Even if you suceed in proving the other person wrong, you have not created an ally. You have made the other person feel annoyed and/or incompentent. It is better to respect others' opinions and beliefs.

(3) Self control. Carnegie's no-argue rule ties into a belief of Napoleon Hill's (from Napoleon Hill's Golden Rules): There is no greater power than complete self control. Once you have mastered self control, you are truly on your way to success. Nothing can affect your mood, and therefore you can make consistent, clear-headed decisions. You can always act in your best interest.

(4) Allowing. Here I am referring to the Abraham Hicks teaching known as the Art of Allowing (this is detailed in The Law of Attraction: The Basic Teachings of Abraham by Esther and Jerry Hicks). Being an Allower means that you feel positive emotion connected to who you are in life, regardless of what others do or say. Allowing is not to be confused with tolerating, which is a state when you feel negative emotion but don't display it. Allowing is a state in which you feel happy and content and respectful, both towards yourself and others, regardless of others' opinions.

These points come together to form a clear picture about calmness. Once these points are mastered, the sense of self is strengthened and a person's life objectives become clearer and easier to obtain.

Going further with objectives and attaining goals, I recently attended a seminar on the Law of Attraction in Manhattan. At one point, we were told to close our eyes and go to a place where we were supremely happy. I envisioned a breathtaking rainforest where the leaves were bright green and the trunks of trees were black with moisture. I was sitting on a huge rock overlooking a river and there was a roaring waterfall nearby. I could see a jaguar moving smoothly in the forest on the other side of the river, and I could hear monkeys and birds calling from high branches above. It was heaven.

What an eye-opening experience! I learned that I can harness the power I feel from my rainforest fantasy to feel more at peace in everyday life. Because my "happy place" is the rainforest, I have begun listening to calming rainforest sounds while at home cleaning or studying. These sounds allow me to create tranquil pictures in my mind that I associate with extreme peace and contentment. This is a form of pseudo-meditation that brings my vibration closer to what I would like to achieve.

Enjoy the calming sounds of the rainforest. May you attract everything you wish to have. And according to Becoming Enlightened, "Appreciate how rare and full of potential your situation is in this world, and take joy in it, and use it to your best advantage."

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Bookshelf: Developing inner power to change the world

Each of us has a strong inner power of positivity and strength. To change the world for the better, you must acknowledge that inner power and channel it to bring out the best in yourself and the best in others. You must focus on your strengths and have a positive outlook.

This past month, I've begun building the habit of reading several inspiring pages of a book each day. I've noticed that I tackle my days with more enthusiasm and gusto, and that I believe in my power to initiate a ripple of positivity every day.

These books hold very exciting tokens! I've never delved into books like these before, and as I eagerly devour them now, my mind is riddled with thoughts of expanding their power. Imagine if children were taught these positive ideals from birth. Imagine if positive thinking were a concept taught and enforced in schools. Imagine if each nation's leader were an expert at exercising the principles outlined in books that teach persuasion vs. force, projection of joy and candor, truth, oneness, and the power of one's mind. Would there be fewer disagreements? Perhaps not. But there would be better and stronger resolutions, more constructive negotiations, more empowering connections and relationships.

I am so grateful to have found books that strengthen my resolve in my goals to change the world for the better. Inspiring words have the power to incite change. Read on to discover the books I'm reading so that you can develop your inner power to change the world! I want to emphasize how inspiring I find these books -- if you pick one up and read only a sentence or two, you will understand what I mean! Please don't take my word for it; try them yourself.

Currently on my bookshelf:
Napoleon Hill's Golden Rules, Napoleon Hill. True to its name, this book reads like literary gold. I especially like the principles of self discipline outlined here. Hill describes the building blocks for living a successful goal-oriented life. One of my favorite quotes from this book is "I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit alike all who participate in it." Hill writes in a way that stirs the reader, alluding that the only things between you and your ideal career is your own determination and willpower.

The Master-Key to Riches, Napoleon Hill. For me, attaining riches is not a key point of interest. I'm more focused on attaining a life filled with the opportunity to change the world for the better. However, the principles in this book are written for those who wish to find success, and I find them very applicable to my goals. In this book, Hill writes about the value of self discipline and going the extra mile. He also tackles the negative connotations of the word "ego," and describes how courage and self-confidence are linked. (He also emphasizes the delicate balance between confident, complete self control and overinflation of ego.)

Personal Development for Smart People, Steve Pavlina. This book is very probing. It talks about three main cores of being: truth, love and power. The book really causes self reflection with questions that you must answer for yourself truthfully -- questions about how you complete tasks, interact with others, and set goals for yourself. Very, very insightful and philosophical. You can also read some entries on Steve's blog to get an idea for his writing style.

The Law of Attraction, Esther and Jerry Hicks.So much of this book seems intuitive, but if it's applied to daily life it is truly a revelation. The Law of Attraction states that what you project is what you will receive in kind. In fact, The Law advocates that you are always thinking about you want -- never of what you don't want. In that way, you will subconsciously take steps toward whatever you want, because you will be focused on attaining it. This book explains The Law and claims you can use it to get everything you want, ranging from good grades to an amazing job to wonderful friendships.
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