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Spiritual advancement or any type of work on oneself, be it meditation, yoga, or developing PMA, requires many things of you, but it takes two things in particular: adherence to the system’s principles and discipline.
mostly what I do is mantra meditation. I chant Hare Krishna on japa beads. I find chanting engages my mind and senses. My tongue vibrates a sacred sound and my ears hear it. Because I offer and burn incense to help create a spiritual mood, my sense of smell is engaged. My eyes look at a beautiful picture of Krishna while I chant, and my sense of touch is engaged because I’m moving beads through my fingers as I chant each mantra.
So here’s how to do it. Sit on a cushion—or, if you’re on a break at work, a chair. Concentrate on your breaths—prana is the energy contained in it. Let negative thoughts and emotions go. Stay in the present. Every time the mind strays, bring it back under the control of the higher self. Remember, aham brahmasmi: “I am not the body, not the mind, but an eternal self full of bliss and free from anxiety, stress, and disease.” Send healing, pranic energy from your toes to your head and feel your breath become energized. Stay focused on your breath and watch the stress be released. Do this for
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Remember, true character is only revealed under pressure, and the greater the pressure, the greater the revelation.
That’s why these days I gravitate toward very positive, motivated peeps. That shit’s contagious. It’s the sure-fire way to get on the road to happiness.
That’s why when I wake up, I immediately offer respects and say mantras (prayers). I acknowledge the new day as a gift. I also take a vow to help someone that day, whether it’s to go out and feed the homeless, do something nice for someone, or even just offer a few kind words of encouragement to someone who is struggling. I search out acts of kindness on a daily basis. You have no idea how heavy the statement “Kindness is contagious” truly is.
I find the quickest way to happiness is to go out and try to make others happy.
I also make taking action part of my daily positive mindset, my PMA. I make my bed, clean my space, do my sit-ups and pushups, make my juice. I identify the tasks on my corkboard and get to...
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give the mind no time for procrastination (more on that later), no time to wallow in some negative headspace. I beat it into submission. That’s my method. You should try that as well....
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The best way to beat a case of the blues, or even a depression, is to find positive things that make you feel good and then act on them.
That’s why I work each day to avoid it. I don’t have to fight the darkness; all I have to do is bring so much light into the room that the darkness dissipates and disappears.
Exercise Put a piece of blue masking tape across the top of your corkboard. If you still don’t have a corkboard, stop reading, get off your ass, and go get one. While you’re there, get a pack of 3x5 index cards and some push pins. Next, write PMA on the left side of the tape. Then, on a dozen index cards, list the things that make you happy. Maybe even add a few of the things I’ve suggested, like helping others. Pin those twelve cards to the corkboard under PMA. Then, on the far right side of the tape write NEGATIVITY. Take another dozen cards and list the things that put you in a bad mood.
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If you’re grieving, you must reach out. Don’t go it alone. People will help.
If we’re caught up in the rat race, we can easily lose sight of what’s important in life.
Although there are many Gitas out there, I read Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
If you know you are beyond the temporary body and mind, then there’s no need to convince others of your self-worth; your self-worth is rooted in the truth about yourself, so it gives you confidence and perspective on how to pursue your goals with integrity.
Social status actually doesn’t matter. You don’t need to make it into the right clique of so-called cool people or some scene. Think of all the bullshit that goes along with that.
Knowledge of the soul is what serious religionists are striving for.
The willingness to inquire about the nature of life is a sign of real intelligence.
Playing the victim ultimately means we can sidestep our own shortcomings while we focus on our suffering and the faults of others. And that means we don’t have to fix our shit.
One of my good friends never gets rattled when others do him grimy. He simply accepts it and says, “It’s God’s grace to push me forward on the path.” That’s an advanced state of consciousness, and by no means am I there. But I can strive to get there, as can you.
Always be mindful of how your words may impact others.
That’s why your word is so important. When you say you’re going to do something, by God, make it your business to get it done. You must be impeccable with your word.
As many sage people say, deal with fire, debt, and disease immediately. Well, procrastination is a type of disease.
Besides, I love the feeling of staying clean and sober.
Another one of the many books I’ve read on my journey is The Science of Self-Realization, by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Remember, addiction never starts out full-blown; it creeps up on you.
If things aren’t happening in your life, rather than bellyaching constantly, seek out ways to fix it.
So remain mindful when you’re facing a stressful situation. Watch your thoughts, emotions, and how you’re responding to them.
Your breath is full of prana/energy. Anger pollutes the body and breath, shutting down the third-eye chakra. When you practice your breath-relaxation techniques (I’ll give you some below), your heart rate slows, blood pressure stabilizes, muscles relax, and blood flows to your brain, which means your overall energy and focus increase.
A positive mindset, PMA, is your most powerful weapon against stress. It’s stronger than any drug, prescription or otherwise.
Be mindful during exercise and meditation.
You have to follow the entire PMA process, and that includes the dietary stuff.
Eat a whole-food, plant-based diet for one month. Meditate. Practice mindfulness when you’re stressed. Avoid negative people. Get plenty of rest. Stay drug, alcohol and tobacco-free. Exercise daily to get your endorphins flowing. Breathe! If you don’t feel better in thirty days, I’ll buy the damn book back from you.
The more you practice awareness of your thought patterns and what they’re doing to you, the faster you’ll redirect your energy to something positive.
Our thoughts play a major role in our lives and health.
The Vedas categorize those flaws into four basic defects, true of anyone who’s living a conditioned life: (1) we each make mistakes; 2. we each have the tendency to cheat ourselves and others; 3. we each operate under so many illusions; 4. we each have imperfect senses.
Forgive, but don’t forget.
Hating someone and carrying a grudge is like carrying around a heavy toxic load on your back.
Relationships must never take precedence over your self-work. Do you hear me? You come first. That’s not selfish; I’m giving you real talk.
“Do not overrate what you have received nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.” — Buddha
Be mindful of any envy in your mind and heart and be happy for others’ successes. Revel in the happiness of others.
I heard a lot of people say that you know who your friends are when you’re down and out. Bullshit! Let’s see who has your back and is happy for you when you’re kicking ass and great things are happening for you.
So do this exercise: even if you don’t particularly like someone, try to be happy when something good happens to him or her. Then sit back and watch what happens to your attitude—how it changes for the better—and with that infusion of PMA, you in your turn will be able to accomplish more.
I even wish success for those who wish me ill. Ahimsa: never wish harm on others.
Paramahamsa Yogananda quoted his guru on this point in his amazing book, The Autobiography of a Yogi: “Some people try to be tall by cutting off the heads of others.”
Hating doesn’t make you tall; it makes you a very small person.
I want to mention again a book that’s helped metremendously to stay on course with all my passion projects. It’s called The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz, a Toltec shaman spiritualist.
The Four Agreements are: 1. be impeccable with your word; 2. always do your best; 3. don’t make assumptions; 4. don’t take things personally.
Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using words to speak against yourself or to gossip. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
