Practical Psychology

                                                        LESSON 3

 

SELF CONTROL AND SELF RELIANCE

It is true that what each seek will differ, but it is possible that one might plunge about for years before finding out just what he did really want, and under such circumstances there is one course which is safe. It is more than this: it is wise, and will appeal strongly to the earnest student because it will develop great self reliance, Poise and feeling of Power.

It is this: Practice Thought control and concentration several times a day until you become possessed of calm confidence, and are thoroughly convinced of the reality of control of yourself.

The fact that you have become a student of Concentration and Will Culture by attending this course on Self mastery, clearly indicates that your desire for a stronger will is earnest. Therefore, let this earnest desire form the basis of the first exercise.

1. 1 would now like you to write upon a sheet of note paper a list of reasons why you are attending these lessons, also the benefits you hope to derive from them. We will call this your list of motives. These motives must not be in any way general motives, but should be concerning matters in which you have a deep absorbing interest, in fact, motives which will move you.

Write with the greatest of care. Put strong Will into your writing. Feel that you are engraving these desires upon your will, as indeed you are.

AS you doubtless know from experience, resolutions though easily made are not so easily continued: but this List, by being frequently reviewed, will be found to form an excellent incentive. This method of reminding oneself of one's pledges is wonderfully ejective, and when performed in the proper spirit -with the earnest desire for a strong will power - is one which can scarcely fail. Even one reading of the list will spur you on to greater effort should at any time your interest lag. By repeatedly reviewing these motives, you will soon get to know them by hart, and so be able to recall them at will. As time goes on new motives will come to you. These of course, should be added to the original list, as this will do much towards keeping your interest alive and fresh.

 

Page 2.

TO serve you as a guide, I have written out a specimen list of motives. This list is by no means complete - as it is impossible to tell the whole of anyone's private interests - but it will furnish you with sufficient material to make a beginning.

Therefore make your resolution somewhat as close to the following as you can, use this as a guide only:

I ( your name ) hereby f irmly and solemnly resolve to do my utmost to strengthen and increase my present Concentration and Will Power for the following reasons:

I shall gain greater strength of character, so that my every thought, word, and action will be characterised with more power and purpose.

I shall become more able to help those around me ( mention names of definite individuals, as this will make tour motive more interesting and personal, besides having thought of others will keep your exercising from becoming a self centred practice.)

I desire to create for myself an independent position in life ( mention definite position ).

I shall gain greater Self-Control and Self-Reliance. I shall be able to exercise greater control.

My personal appearance will be greatly improved;my mouth and jaw will be stronger and firmer,and my whole bearing will denote greater Self-Confidence and Strength of Character.

My powers of Concentration will be enormously developed.

TO the forgoing motives add others which touch you more personally, and about which you alone know. Always bear in rdrd that your motives must be powerful ones - regarding affairs which constantly engage your attention, and in which you take an engrossing and vitalising interest. Use your own words in writing out the list, but let them be forceful words. Infuse them with all the power and enthusiasm you can command. Write with the thought firmly in mind that your success in Concentration, mental Discipline and Will Culture largely depends upon the strength and earnestness of your motives. Never be guilty of base or mean motives. motives create interest; Interest invigorates the Attention; the Attention is the life blood of the Will; therefore, the purer and nobler your motives are, the healthier and stronger shall be your will.

 

Page 3.

2.

The will like the muscles, can only be developed by exercise, and the developed obtained depends very largely upon the amount of Consciousness thrown into the exercising.

You know that when the arm is flexed in a purposeless fashion the biceps remain quite soft, but when the same actions preformed with "Will" the muscles are made to stand out hard and firm. You are also aware that regular practice of this exercise in this manner will quickly develop the muscles used.

Similarly, when any daily duty is carried out in a listless manner it lacks vigour and force, but when performed with attention, strongly willed, the action is characterised with a strength of purposefulness which makes it a vastly different from the carelessly performed act as the firm muscle is from the flabby one. Moreover, continued practise of this willed attention assuredly develops the Will, because in summoning and holding the attention to the task the will is exercised, and thereby increases in strength and flexibility. Therefore, development of the attention means development of the will.

in every day life you have a never failing supply of opportunities for practice of willed Attention, when you are working, or perform any similar act of the daily routine. Instead of performing these acts in the usual perfunctory manner, you should infuse them with ,life,, by calling forth the Will to focus the Attention steadily and strongly upon them, and at the same time earnestly affirming, 11 1 will to do this act quickly yet carefully."

Interest in the Key to Attention, so should any of these seemingly unimportant acts fail to possess Interest you must create it by surrounding the act with thoughts which are of interest to you. Thus, say to yourself, 11 by attending steadfastly to this act I am strengthening and increasing my will Power and Concentration. 11 Recall and apply any of your other motives, and you interest and attention in the task are certain to increase.

 

Page 4.

3.

You are possessed of a power which is invaluable - namely, Calm Confidence. By Calm Confidence is meant the power of performing every act in a calm, confident manner, so that you are able to accomplish with ease that which was formally well-neigh impossible to you. You can experience this mood of Calm Confidence by experimenting with the following exercisers.

Experiment 1.

Close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, take in a deep breath hold it f or as long as you can breath out and let there come into your mind - peaceful and inspiring thoughts, say unto yourself,

I feel much happier, I am conf ident that I can accomplish any

task set before me. My life is good, grand,  glorious,

and beautiful, that I cannot feel anything other, than being

confident and perfectly happy.

If you do the above experiment no less than three times a day with renewed earnestness you will find that as the thoughts take hold, your eyes will brighten, you will sit up, draw in a deep full breath, and bring the shoulders back. Your whole body will seem vitalised and tingling with a new found strength, and you will feel capable of accomplishing any undertaking.

Here you will experience the Mood of Calm Confidence.

I would ask you to forget everything for a time, and give this exercise a fair trial over the coming week, preform it in a earnest way, and be conscious of it all day, and every day, and you will f eel a buoyancy of mind and body, which comes only through feeling confident of success.

The Power of Calm Confidence is within you, and can be brought forth only by persistent practice. Thus, to make it permanently one of the features of your personality. Cultivate this state of mind, and you will be repaid ten thousand fold for the time spent on the application of the exercise.

 

Page 5.

There are periods in everyone's life when they feel depressed and out of sorts, at this time, have you ever noticed your breathing?, if you have, you will find it to be very shallow, short. and somewhat jerky, and only sufficient enough to keep the lungs supplied with oxygen as required to keep you alive. But when you feel happy and elated say over some good news have you noticed how your breathing is then?, it is more fuller, deeper, more rhythmical and more invigorating.

Therefore, our breathing is a very important concern to us all, especially to the student of self mastery, and one who is the possessor of Calm Confidence and strong will.

Better breathing means better health and so it is important that you establish a good strong breathing habit, you will do so, if you follow the following exercise.

Breathing Exercise

Sit relaxed palms down upon your lap, breath in deeply through the nose, quietly and in a unhurried manner and keep your breathing Rhythmically while doing so say unto yourself,

,,I am inhaling health giving oxygen and greater Will Power."

You will hold your breath and affirm,

"I am absorbing Health and Will Power."

'I-- Now exhale out and affirm,

"I am breathing out all body weaknesses and Weak Will."

You must do this exercise with a strong conviction and live the words feel the strength coming in and feel ~ all your weaknesses flowing out.

You must practice this exercise at least twice a day I would suggest upon rising in the morning and upon retiring at night and you will find in no time that you will posses good health and a strong mind.

 

Page 6.

5.

1\._

The following exercise, is one of the very utmost importance, to any person who endeavours in the field of mind exsertion, and will stop mental fatigue.

it is through muscular Relaxing which removes the possibility of overstrain and will enable you to preform more work with less fatigue, let us then try this exercise.

Sit relaxed, inhale in a deep rhythmical breath, and exhale fully but very slowly, while doing so let the body thoroughly relax, let the head droop forward, and the arms fall listly down beside you, and let the fingers loose their stiffness and the face be free of all tension so that you feel and look limp. Close the eyes and hold before the mind a picture of pure quietness and carry the thought 11 1 am receiving and absorbing Power from this delightful Peace." again inhale, but do not change the body posture from this limpness. Relax even more fully than before. Inhale and relax for the third time, again after which inhale again but in so doing bring the body back up to a sitting position.

Do this exercise whenever and wherever you can and as many times a day as you can, besides being of a great benefit to you this exercise possess exceptional value as a tonic for jaded nerves, and will do much towards developing the Mood of Calm Confidence.

PREFORM THE FOLLOWING EXERCISES THREE TIMES DAILY

Read over your list of motives ( EX. 1)

2. Preform WILLED ATTENTION (EX. 2)

3. Summon the Mood of Calm Confidence (EX. 3)

4. PREFORM SEVERAL ACTS DURING THE DAY UTILISING CALM CONFIDENCE

5. Preform breathing exercise ( EX. 4)

6. Preform Relaxing exercise (EX. 5)

Before commencing the above exercises say unto yourself "I Will to gain Strong Will Power."