One of the primary obstacles to success is the lack of a definite aim – knowing what you want to achieve or attain. The lack of a definite aim results in either doing nothing, or starting one thing and then quitting and starting something else. This kind of behavior doesn’t lead to success. You can achieve more and better results when you define your goal, big or small, and work toward achieving it.

You cannot get anywhere, if you don’t know what you want. Many start in one direction without much thinking, but after some time realize that they don’t really want what they have been pursuing, and switch to something else. If you don’t know exactly what you want, you cannot attract it into your life.

One focused on a definite goal is like a person who sees his destination at the end of the road, and walks straight toward it, while one without a definite goal doesn’t know in which direction to go, and either stands still in one spot, or keep changing directions, and consequently wasting time and energy and getting nowhere.

Aiming at a definite goal is like focusing the lenses of a binocular or a microscope. You need to focus the lenses in order to see clearly, because otherwise you will see a blurred image. It is the same with visualization; you need to focus on a clear aim in order to attract it into your life.

It is usually not so simple to define goals, and most people don’t really know what they want. You need a clear and detailed mental picture in order to focus and direct your mental energy toward the realization of your goal. To do this, you need to know exactly what you want, and not behave like a blindfolded person standing at a crossroads not knowing which direction to take. Only when you know both the destination and the direction you can proceed in the shortest and most direct way.

Excerpt from Visualize and Achieve, the book about creative visualization.

‘What we commonly think of as constituting the “I” is an idea which changes from year to year. This is the personal “I.” But what we feel most intimately as being always present in all these different ideas of the “I,” that is, the sense of being, of existence, never changes at all. It is this which is our true enduring “I.”‘
- Paul Brunton. An excerpt from The Notebooks of Paul Brunton.

Sit down at a quiet place and think about yourself.
Are you your thoughts and feelings? They always change.
Are you your moods and state of mind? They too change often.
Are you your body?

Now watch your thoughts. They come and go like the waves of the ocean. If you are able to watch them, then you must be apart from them. You are the one watching your thoughts. Then who are you? You are “THIS” that is always here, beyond thoughts and feelings.

If you are able to separate yourself from your thoughts, from your personality, even for a brief moment, you become aware of your true “I”.

Read about Spiritual Awakening, Enlightenment, Consciousness, Being, Freedom

Pupil: Can an average person, like me, who is constantly harassed by all kinds of problems and worries, attain peace of mind?

Teacher: Of course! Peace of mind is not the privilege of special people. On the contrary, any person who is earnest about attaining inner peace, and is willing to devote the necessary time and energy, can learn to reduce the restlessness of his mind and attain at least some measure of inner peace. Every earnest step taken in this direction, even the smallest one, will take you closer to inner peace.

Everyone desires freedom from worries, unpleasant thoughts, anxiety and the hustle and bustle of daily life, but too often, the solutions are sought through various externals activities that might bring some temporary peace. Few know that true peace of mind comes from within, and is not dependent on outer conditions and situations.

Excerpt from Peace of Mind in Daily Life

The Magical Power of Focus

By Leo Babauta

“Always remember, your focus determines your reality.” – Qui-Gon to Anakin, Star Wars Episode I

The quote above, as cheesy as George Lucas’ writing often is, contains a nugget of Jedi wisdom that I’ve repeatedly found to be true.

Your focus determines your reality.

It’s something we don’t think about much of the time, but give it some consideration now:

If you wake up in the morning and think about the miserable things you need to do later in the day, you’ll have a miserable day. If you wake up and focus instead on what a wonderful gift your life is, you’ll have a great day.

If we let our attention jump from one thing to another, we will have a busy, fractured and probably unproductive day. If we focus entirely on one job, we may lose ourselves in that job, and it will not only be the most productive thing we do all day, but it’ll be very enjoyable.

If we focus on being tired and wanting to veg out in front of the TV, we will get a lot of television watching done. If, however, we focus on being healthy and fit, we will become healthy and fit through exercise and good eating.
This may seem simplistic, but it’s completely true. This is the magical power of focus.

Let’s look at some of the ways you can use focus to improve different aspects of your life.

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.” – Buddha

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Yoga For Stress And Anxiety Relief
by Paul M. Jerard Jr.

Today’s lifestyles define the word, “stress.” More than 19 million Americans suffer from some from of anxiety on a regular basis. Part of what contributes to the increase in stress, and anxiety, is that very few people know how to manage their stress.

Some of those, who know how to manage stress, fail to create a plan of action. In a nutshell, Yoga can provide the means to cope and reduce stress. Allowing stress to become chronic, or permitting anxiety to take over one’s life, can be seriously detrimental to a person’s health.

Stress can cause a variety of health problems. Existing conditions, illness, and ailments, are worsened, if they are allowed to thrive through stress. Anxiety and stress can lead to a paralyzed existence, or inability, to function.

The good news is that yoga works to loosen the tension in the mind, body, and spirit. Even the medical community has begun to recognize what yogis have known for hundreds of years.

The core goal of yoga is to reach a state of tranquility, completeness, and peaceful union, of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Is there a better way to calm your worry?

The methods of breathing, and focused meditation, draw your mind away from stressful distraction. Visualization during breathing, and the performance of yoga postures, plant your mind in a place of calm.

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