Chandra Sekhar Channapragada: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

By ROBIN SHARMA

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is a self-help book by Robin Sharma, a writer and motivational speaker. The book is a business fable derived from Sharma's personal experiences after leaving his career as a litigation lawyer at the age of 25 (1999)

A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny

1. The Wake-Up Call

Sure, I am that this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond my endurance. As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us – Winston Churchill

Julian , a flamboyant Lawyer - won Mother of All Murder Trials. John his assistant. Jenny John’s wife.

2. The Mysterious Visitor

· "Julian Mantle as an Indian yogi"

· "The Law works in the most mysterious of ways."

· "On your deathbed you will never wish you spent more time at the office"

3. The Miraculous Transformation of Julian Mantle

· The Law became less a pleasure and more a business

· Travelled from tiny village to tiny village, sometimes by foot, sometimes by train, learning new customs, seeing the timeless sights and growing to love the Indian people who radiated warmth, kindness and a refreshing perspective on the true meaning of life. Even those who had very little opened their homes — and their hearts — to weary visitor from the West

· I had received a command from within, an inner instruction telling me that I was to begin a spiritual voyage to rekindle the spark

· 'Real generosity toward the future consists in giving all to what is present'

· Life became so much simpler and meaningful when I left the baggage of my past behind

· Stopped spending so much time chasing the big pleasures of life, I began to enjoy the little ones, like watching the stars dancing in a moonlit sky or soaking in the sunbeams of a glorious summer morning

· India is such an intellectually stimulating place

· Everything happens for a reason," offered Yogi Krishnan sympathetically. "Every event has a purpose and every setback its lesson. Failure, whether of the personal, professional or even spiritual kind, is essential to personal expansion. It brings inner growth and a whole host of psychic rewards. Never regret your past. Rather, embrace it as the teacher that it is."

· A holistic, integrated set of ageless principles and timeless techniques to liberate the potential of the mind, body and soul

· Great Sages of Sivana. In their mythology, Sivana means 'Oasis of enlightenment'

· Life is all about choices. One's destiny unfolds according to the choices one makes

4. A Magical Meeting with The Sages of Sivana

· All appeared to be happy

· Though they were clearly mature adults, each one of them radiated a child-like quality, their eyes twinkling with the vitality of youth. None of them had wrinkles. None of them had grey hair. None of them looked old

· A life of simplicity, serenity and harmony

5. A Spiritual Student of the Sages

Great dreamers' dreams are never fulfilled; they are always transcended - Alfred Lord Whitehead

· Twin disciplines of personal mastery and self-responsibility

· See the divinity in every aspect

· Success on the outside means nothing unless you also have success within.

· There is a huge difference between well-being and being well-off

· Self-mastery and the consistent care of one's mind, body and soul are essential to finding one's highest self and living the life of one's dreams. How can you care for others if you cannot even care for yourself? How can you do good if you don't even feel good? I can't love you if I cannot love myself,"

· "When the student is ready, the teacher appears"

6. The Wisdom of Personal Change

I am an artist at living — my work of art is my life – Suzuki

· The wellspring of youthfulness and energy he said every one of us has slumbering deep inside of us

· Needed to be healed from within

· Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life; it will improve the lives of all those around you.

· "You will experience changes within the workings of your mind, body and even your soul that will astonish you. You will have more energy, enthusiasm and inner harmony than you have had in, perhaps, your entire life. People will actually begin telling you that you look younger and happier. A lasting sense of well-being and balance will swiftly return to your life. These are just some of the benefits of the Sivanan System."

· It is straightforward, practical and has been tested in the laboratory of life for centuries

You are sitting in the middle of a magnificent, lush, green garden. This garden is filled with the most spectacular flowers you have ever seen. The environment is supremely tranquil and silent. Savor the sensual delights of this garden and feel as if you have all the time in the world to enjoy this natural oasis. As you look around you see that in the center of this magical garden stands a towering, red lighthouse, six stories high. Suddenly, the silence of the garden is disturbed by a loud creaking as the door at the base of the lighthouse opens. Out stumbles a nine-foot-tall, nine-hundred-pound Japanese sumo wrestler who casually wanders into the center of the garden.

"The Japanese sumo wrestler is naked! Well, actually he is not totally naked. He has a pink wire cable covering his private parts."

As this sumo wrestler starts to move around the garden, he finds a shiny gold stopwatch which someone had left behind many years earlier. He slips it on, and falls to the ground with an enormous thud. The sumo wrestler is rendered unconscious and lies there, silent and still. Just when you think he has taken his last breath, the wrestler awakens, perhaps stirred by the fragrance of some fresh yellow roses blooming nearby. Energized, the wrestler jumps swiftly to his feet and intuitively looks to his left. He is startled at what he sees. Through the bushes at the very edge of the garden he observes a long winding path covered by millions of sparkling diamonds. Something seems to instruct the wrestler to take the path, and to his credit, he does. This path leads him down the road of everlasting joy and eternal bliss.

1) The garden, 2) the lighthouse, 3) the sumo wrestler, 4) the pink wire cable, 5) the stopwatch, 6) the roses and 7) the winding path of diamonds are symbols of the seven timeless virtues for an enlightened life.

'Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.' – Carl Jung

7. A Most Extraordinary Garden

Most people live—whether physically, intellectually or morally—in a very restricted circle of their potential being. We all have reservoirs of life to draw upon of which we do not dream – William James

· "In the fable, the garden is a symbol for the mind"

· "If you care for your mind, if you nurture it and if you cultivate it just like a fertile, rich garden, it will blossom far beyond your expectations

· The worries and anxieties, the fretting about the past, the brooding over the future and those self-created fears that wreak havoc within your inner world

· Worry drains the mind of much of its power and, sooner or later, it injures the soul

· To live life to the fullest, you must stand guard at the gate of your garden and let only the very best information enter. You truly cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought—not even one.

· On an average day the average person runs about sixty thousand thoughts through his mind. Ninety-five percent of those thoughts were the same as the ones you thought the day before!

· Mind management is the essence of life management

· Most of us have the same raw materials from the moment we take our first breath of air; what separates those people who achieve more than others or those that are happier than others is the way that they use and refine these raw materials. When you dedicate yourself to transforming your inner world your life quickly shifts from the ordinary into the realm of the extraordinary."

· We might not be able to control the weather or the traffic or the moods of all those around us. But we most certainly can control our attitude towards these events.

· The face of your greatest enemy might be the face of my finest friend. An event that appears to be a tragedy to one might reveal the seeds of unlimited opportunity to another. What really separates people who are habitually upbeat and optimistic from those who are consistently miserable is how the circumstances of life are interpreted and processed.

· Your I can is more important than your I.Q

· When you form the habit of searching for the positive in every circumstance, your life will move into its highest dimensions. This is one of the greatest of all the natural laws.

· 'Crisis' is comprised of two sub-characters: one that spells 'danger' and another that spells 'opportunity

· 'There are no mistakes in life, only lessons. There is no such thing as a negative experience, only opportunities to grow, learn and advance along the road of self-mastery. From struggle comes strength. Even pain can be a wonderful teacher.'

· The laws of nature always ensure that when one door closes another opens.

· Stop being a prisoner of your past. Instead, you will become the architect of your future.

· Things are always created twice: first in the workshop of the mind and then, and only then, in reality.

'I have had dreams and I have had nightmares. I overcame the nightmares because of my dreams.' – Jonas Salk

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all of your thoughts break their bonds: your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person than you ever dreamed yourself to be – Patanjali

· "The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master. If you have become a negative thinker, this is because you have not cared for your mind and taken the time to train it to focus on the good.

Winston Churchill said that 'the price of greatness is, responsibility over each of your thoughts.'

· The mind truly is like any other muscle in your body. Use it or lose it.

· The boundaries of your life are merely creations of the self

· Enlightened thinkers know that their thoughts form their world and the quality of one's life comes down to the richness of one's thoughts. If you want to live a more peaceful, meaningful life, you must think more peaceful, meaningful thoughts.

· All lasting inner change requires time and effort. Persistence is the mother of personal change.

· To reach this destination, you must not get hung up on the outcome. Instead, enjoy the process of personal expansion and growth. Ironically, the less you focus on the end result, the quicker it will come.

· With one eye fixed on the destination, there is only one left to guide you along the journey

· "Be patient and live with the knowledge that all you are searching for is certain to come if you prepare for it and expect it."

· "Luck is nothing more than the marriage of preparation with opportunity."

· The very fact that you have a desire or a dream means that you have the corresponding capacity to realize it.

· To liberate the power of the mind, you must first be able to harness it and direct its focus only to the task at hand. The moment you concentrate the focus of your mind on a singular purpose; extraordinary gifts will appear within your life.

· When you concentrate its tremendous power on definite, meaningful objectives, you will quickly ignite the flames of your personal potential and produce startling results.

· The happiest, healthiest, most satisfied people of our world, you will see that each and every one of them has found their passion in life, and then spent their days pursuing it.

· Once you are concentrating your mind power and energy on a pursuit that you love, abundance flows into your life, and all your desires are fulfilled with ease and grace.

· Those who rise with the sun all have one thing in common. They all have a purpose that fans the flames of their inner potential. They are driven by their priorities, but not in an unhealthy, obsessive way. It is more effortless and gentler than that. Therefore, there are no energy leaks. These people are the most vibrant and vital individuals.

· Worry causes your precious mental energy and potential to leak, just like air leaking out of an inner tube. Soon, you have no energy left. All of your creativity, optimism and motivation have been drained, leaving you exhausted.

· Take the road less travelled.

· Daily incremental improvements produce lasting results which, in turn, lead to positive change.

· Even ten minutes of focused reflection a day will have a profound impact on the quality of your life.

The Heart of the Rose

"All that you need to perform this exercise is a fresh rose and a silent place. Natural surroundings are best but a quiet room will also do nicely. Start to stare at the center of the rose, its heart. Yogi Raman told me that a rose is very much like life: you will meet thorns along the way but if you have faith and believe in your dreams you will eventually move beyond the thorns into the glory of the flower. Keep staring at the rose. Notice its color, texture and design. Savor its fragrance and think only about this wonderful object in front of you. At first, other thoughts will start entering your mind, distracting you from the heart of the rose. This is the mark of an untrained mind. But you need not worry, improvement will come quickly. Simply return your attention to the object of your focus. Soon your mind will grow strong and disciplined."

· 'One must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind him to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle — and a mystery.'

· Either you control your mind or it controls you

· There is power in silence and stillness. Stillness is the stepping stone to connecting with the universal source of intelligence that throbs through every living thing

Opposition Thinking.

When an undesirable thought occupies the focal point of your mind, immediately replace it with an uplifting one. It's as if your mind is a giant slide projector, with every thought in your mind being a slide. Whenever a negative slide comes up on the screen, take swift action to replace it with a positive one.

· Thoughts are just as much a part of the material world as the lake you swim in or the street you walk on. Weak minds lead to weak actions. A strong, disciplined mind, which anyone can cultivate through daily practice, can achieve miracles. If you want to live life to the fullest, care for your thoughts as you would your most prized possessions.

· One should only think "Sattvic" or pure thoughts.

· They arrived at such a state through the techniques along with other practices such as a natural diet, the repetition of positive affirmations or 'mantras' as they called them, reading books rich with wisdom and by constantly ensuring that their company was enlightened.

· The mind works through pictures. Pictures affect your self-image and your self-image affects the way you feel, act and achieve.

The Secret of the Lake

Take a few deep breaths. You will notice that after two or three minutes you will start to feel relaxed. Next, visualize mental pictures of all that you want to be, to have and to attain in your life.

· Mind has magnetic power to attract all that you desire into your life. If there is a lack in your life it is because there is a lack in your thoughts. Hold wonderful pictures in your mind's eye

· You will realize the infinite potential of your mind and begin to liberate the storehouse of ability and energy that currently sleeps within you

· The mind must have a great deal more potential than most of us are currently using

· Never get into the petty habit of measuring your self-worth against other people's net worth

· Every second you spend thinking about someone else's dreams you take time away from your own

· Tiredness was nothing more than a mental creation, a bad habit your mind has cultivated to act as a crutch when you are performing a tedious task

· Common sense is not always so common.

· Only those who seek shall find

8. Kindling Your Inner Fire

Trust yourself. Create the kind of life you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into the flames of achievement - Foster C. McClellan

· As you strive to improve the lives of others, your own life will be elevated into its highest dimensions. This truth is based on an ancient paradigm for extraordinary living

· Lighthouse This symbol is an ancient principle for enlightened living: the purpose of life is a life of purpose

· The real source of happiness can be stated in a word: achievement. Lasting happiness comes from steadily working to accomplish your goals and advancing confidently in the direction of your life's purpose

· Self-Examination

o You must know your life's aim and then manifest this vision into reality by consistent action

o Self-knowledge is the DNA of self-enlightenment. It is a very good, indeed essential thing

· You will not find true joy in sleeping, in relaxing or in spending your time like an idler.

· Benjamin Disraeli - 'The secret of success is constancy of purpose’

· Those things which are most important should never be sacrificed to those things which are the least important

· Mapping out your objectives and your goals releases the creative juices which get you on to the path of your purpose

· You will never be able to hit a target that you cannot see

· People spend their whole lives dreaming of becoming happier, living with more vitality and having an abundance of passion. Yet they do not see the importance of taking even ten minutes a month to write out their goals and to think deeply about the meaning of their lives, their Dharma. Goalsetting will make your life magnificent. Your world will become richer, more delightful and more magical.

· By writing out your desires and goals on a piece of paper, you send a red flag to your subconscious mind that these thoughts are far more important than the remaining 59,999 other ones

· Joriki, 'concentrated mind’

· Goethe - 'we are shaped and fashioned by what we love’

· A five-step method to reach objectives and fulfil the purposes of lives. It was simple, practical and it worked.

o The first step was to form a clear mental image of the outcome. The clearer this mental picture, the more effective the process would be.

o Step two was to get some positive pressure on - There are a whole host of ways to do this. One of the best is the public pledge. Tell everyone you know that you will. Once you make your goal known to the world, there will instantly be pressure on you to work towards its fulfilment since no one likes to look like a failure. when you train your mind to associate pleasure with good habits and punishment with bad ones, your weaknesses will quickly fall by the wayside.

o The third step is a simple one: never set a goal without attaching a timeline to it. Prepare Dream Book and fill it with all desires, objectives and dreams. "Divide your Dream Book into separate sections for goals relating to the different areas of your life. Physical fitness goals, Financial goals, Personal empowerment goals, Relationship and social goals and, perhaps most importantly, Spiritual goals."

o Fourth Step: The Magic Rule of 21 - for new behaviour to crystallize into a habit, one had to perform the new activity for twenty-one days in a row. bad habits can never be erased. It does not mean that negative habits could not be replaced, when you insert any activity into your routine by doing it the same way at the same time every day, it quickly grows into a habit.

o Fifth Step: Enjoy the process. have fun while you are advancing along the path of your goals and purpose. Remain spirited, joyful and curious. Stay focused on your lifework and on giving selfless service to others. The Universe will take care of everything else. This is one of nature's truest laws.

· A burning sense of passion is the most potent fuel for your dreams

· What lies behind you and what lies in front of you is nothing when compared to what lies within you.

9. The Ancient Art of Self-Leadership

Good people strengthen themselves ceaselessly – Confucius

· Kaizen - This Japanese word means constant and never-ending improvement – Self Mastery

· Those who express their lack of knowledge and seek instruction find the path to enlightenment before anyone else

· Those whose cups are always empty can learn quickly

· No man is free who is not a master of himself.

· Building strength of character, developing mental toughness and living with courage. these three attributes would lead one not only to a virtuous life but to a life filled with achievement, satisfaction and inner peace.

· 'Mind, body and soul' - This is the trilogy of human endowments

· People grow the most when they enter the Zone of the Unknown

· When you push beyond your limits, you unlock mental and physical reserves that you never thought you had

· The average person uses only a minute measure of his human capacity

· 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.

· In the East they say that luck favours the prepared mind. Similarly believe that life favours the prepared mind.

· 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.

· The next step is to face them head on and attack your fears. Fear is nothing more than a mental monster you have created, a negative stream of consciousness. When you conquer your fears, you conquer your life. Properly cultivated, baby will lead her to greatness. Filled with negativity, it will lead her to mediocrity, at best. Fear is a conditioned response: a life-sucking habit that can easily consume your energy, creativity and spirit if you are not careful. When you erase fear from your mind, you start to look younger and your health becomes more vibrant. Truly enlightened people, those who experience deep happiness daily, are prepared to put off short-term pleasure for the sake of long-term fulfilment.

· 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.

· "Our hefty friend (Sumo) will be your constant reminder of the power of kaizen, the Japanese word for constant self-expansion and progress.

· 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.

· Dedicate one hour a day to implementing the techniques and principles

The Ten Rituals of Radiant Living

1. The Ritual of Solitude as a pit-stop for the soul. Daily schedule includes a mandatory period of peace - the healing power of silence and come to know who you really are. Have a secret sanctuary which is a beautiful, calm and pleasant place for this. Works best when you practice it at the same time every day.

2. The Ritual of Physicality - the power of physical care. Take some time every single day to nourish the temple of your body through vigorous exercise. Get your blood circulating and your body moving - At least five of those hours should be invested in some form of physical activity. To breathe properly is to live properly. Take in more oxygen through efficient breathing and you liberate your energy reserves along with your natural state of vitality. Breathing from the abdomen.

3. The Radiant Living - As you nourish your body, so you nourish your mind. Live foods are those which are created through the natural interaction of the sun, air, soil and water. Vegetarian diet. Fill your plate with fresh vegetables, fruits and grains and you might just live forever. Satvik food. One must live a life of moderation and do nothing to extremes.

4. 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. Knowledge is only potential power. For the power to be manifested, it must be applied. Becoming a student of life. 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. Read regularly. Reading for thirty minutes a day. A book is the best friend of the wise. Some books are meant to be tasted, some books are meant to be chewed and, finally, some books are meant to be swallowed whole. To truly get the best out of a great book, you must study it, not just read it. All the problems anyone has ever, and will ever face over the course of their lifetime have already been made. 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. 1) The biography of the great American, Benjamin Franklin 2) Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography entitled The Story of My Experiments with Truth 3) Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse 4) The highly practical philosophy of Marcus Aurelius 5) Some of the work of Seneca 6) Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Books do not actually teach you anything new. Books simply help you to see what is already within yourself. That's what enlightenment is all about.

5. The Ritual of Personal Reflection - The sages were firm believers in the power of inner contemplation. Happiness comes through good judgment, good judgment comes through experience, and experience comes through bad judgment.

6. The Ritual of Early Awakening - Rise with the sun and start the day off well. The average person can get by on six hours. Pain is often the precursor to personal growth. Don't dread it Instead, embrace it. In the ancient culture of the East, the Sun was thought to be a connection to the soul. Sun is God. It is the quality and not the quantity of sleep that is important. The ten-minute period before you sleep and the ten-minute period after you wake up are profoundly influential on your subconscious mind. Only the most inspiring and serene thoughts should be programmed into your mind at those times. We don't laugh because we are happy. We are happy because we laugh. Start your day on a delightful footing. Laugh, play and give thanks for all you have. When you live every day as if it was your last, your life will take on a magical quality.

7. The Ritual of Music

8. The Ritual of the Spoken Word - In Sanskrit, 'man' means 'mind' and 'tra' means 'freeing.' A mantra is a phrase which is designed to free the mind. Ex: 'I am inspired, disciplined and energized’. 'I am strong, able and calm.' Self-image is a self-fulfilling prophecy. When I change my inner world, I change my outer world.

9. The Ritual of a Congruent Character - You sow a thought, you reap an action. Reap an action, you sow a habit. Sow a habit, you reap a character. Sow a character, you reap your destiny. industry, compassion, humility, patience, honesty and courage. Do the right things. Act in a way that is congruent with your true character. Act with integrity. Be guided by your heart. Emerson said: 'Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as to think.'

10. Ritual of Simplicity - Unless you reduce your needs, you will never be fulfilled. Nothing to extremes, everything in moderation.

· Every being on this Earth, every object on this Earth has a soul. All souls flow into one, this is the Soul of the Universe.

· Every arrow that hits the bull's eye is the result of one hundred misses. It is a fundamental Law of Nature to profit through loss.

· Stand your ground and follow your dreams. They will lead you to your destiny. Follow your destiny, it will lead you into the wonders of the universe. And always follow the wonders of the universe, for they will lead you to a special garden filled with roses.

10. The Power of Discipline

Sure, I am that this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strengths; that its pangs and toils are not beyond my endurance. As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us – Winston Churchill

Mystical fable as the cornerstone for the wisdom 1) The garden within our mind, a storehouse of power and potential. 2) The symbol of the lighthouse - the over-riding importance of a definite purpose in life and the effectiveness of goal-setting. 3) Nine-foot-tall, nine-hundred-pound Japanese sumo wrestler - Instruction on the timeless concept of kaizen and the bountiful benefits that self-mastery would bring.

· The pink wire cable will serve to remind you of the power of self-control and discipline in building a richer, happier and more enlightened life.

· The wire cable consists of many thin, tiny wires placed one on top of the other. Alone, each one is flimsy and weak. But, together, their sum is much greater than their constituent parts and the cable becomes tougher than iron. Self-control and willpower are similar.

· 'When spider webs unite, they tie up a lion.'

· Lack of willpower is a mental disease

· It is willpower that offers you the inner power to keep your commitments to others, and, perhaps even more importantly, to yourself

Through the steel of discipline, you will forge a character rich with courage and peace. Through the virtue of Will, you are destined to rise to life's highest ideal and live within a heavenly mansion filled with all that is good, joyful and vital. Without them, you are lost like a mariner without a compass, one who eventually sinks with his ship.

· Truly enlightened people never seek to be like others. Rather, they seek to be superior to their former selves. Don't race against others. Race against yourself.

· Building self-control and discipline into your life will also bring you a tremendous sense of freedom. This alone will change things.

· People have liberty but lack freedom. The freedom to choose what is right over what seems pressing

· When you control your thoughts, you control your mind. When you control your mind, you control your life. And once you reach the stage of being in total control of your life, you become the master of your destiny.

· Wisdom without proper tools for its application is no wisdom at all.

· By filling your mind with words of hope, you become hopeful. By filling your mind with words of kindness, you become kind. By filling your mind with thoughts of courage, you become courageous. Words have power.

· Mantra (Creative Envisioning) , repeat daily 30 times in a still - 'I am more than I appear to be, all the world's strength and power rests inside me.’

1. Start doing the things you don't like doing

2. Go an entire day without speaking – Vow of Silence

· Most people believe they don't have any will-power. They blame everyone and everything except themselves for this apparent weakness. You have the power to be more than your environment. Similarly, you have the capacity to be more than a prisoner of your past. To do this, you must become the master of your will.

11. Your Most Precious Commodity

Well-arranged time is the surest mark of a well-arranged mind - Sir Isaac Pitman

· By the time most people figure out what they really want and how to go about attaining it, it's usually too late. That saying, 'If youth only knew, if age only could – symbolizing the Stop watch of the Mystical Fable.

· The garden keeps focused on inspiring thoughts, the lighthouse reminds that the purpose of life is a life of purpose, the sumo wrestler keeps centered on continuous self-discovery, while the pink wire cable links to the wonders of will power. Stop-watch is a symbol of most important commodity — time.

· Those who use time wisely from an early age are rewarded with rich, productive and satisfying lives. Those who have never been exposed to the principle that 'time mastery is life mastery' will never realize their enormous human potential.

· The busiest people have time to spare (Busy, productive people are highly efficient with their time). Failing to plan is planning to fail. Eighty percent of the results you achieve in your life come from only twenty percent of the activities that occupy your time - The 'Ancient Rule of Twenty. Don't let others steal your time. Be wary of time thieves. Learn to say no. Having the courage to say No to the little things in life will give you the power to say yes to the big things. It is human nature to do things that feel good and avoid the things that feel bad. The most productive people in this world have cultivated the habit of doing the things that less productive people don't like doing, even though they too might not like doing them. Laughter opens your heart and soothes your soul. No one should ever take life so seriously that they forget to laugh at themselves. The best time to plant a tree was forty years ago. The second-best time is today. Don't waste even one minute of your day. Develop a Deathbed Mentality.

· "Push yourself to do more and to experience more. Harness your energy to start expanding your dreams. Yes, expand your dreams. Don't accept a life of mediocrity when you hold such infinite potential within the fortress of your mind. Dare to tap into your greatness.

· Act as if failure is impossible, and your success will be assured. Wipe out every thought of not achieving your objectives, whether they are material or spiritual. Be brave, and set no limits on the workings of your imagination. Never be a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future. You will never be the same.

· There is an ancient saying in India: 'We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.'

12. The Ultimate Purpose of Life

Everything that lives, lives not alone, not for itself - William Blake

· Practice Daily Acts of Kindness - Fresh yellow roses in Mystic fable. The flowers will remind the ancient Chinese proverb, "a little bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives you roses." The meaning is clear — when you work to improve the lives of others, you indirectly elevate your own life in the process.

· A paradigm is simply a way of looking at a circumstance or at life in general.

· Give to those who ask - Special gifts - An abundance of mental ability, boundless energy, unlimited creativity, a storehouse of discipline and a wellspring of peacefulness. It is simply a matter of unlocking these treasures and applying them for some common good. Giving more to those around you, whether this means your time or your energy: Start striving to make the world a better place. Compassion and daily acts of kindness make life far richer. 'Every dawn is a new day to the one who is enlightened.

· Cultivate Richer Relationships – Friends, Colleagues, Relations, Family

· A human being passing through life without a care for anyone need to be changed to a spiritual being passing through life caring only about others.

13. The Timeless Secret of Lifelong Happiness

When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator – Mahatma Gandhi

· The path of diamonds, will serve to remind the final virtue for enlightened living. Living in the now. The past is water under the bridge and the future is a distant sun on the horizon of imagination. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. Stop spending so much time chasing life's big pleasures while you neglect the little ones. Slow things down. Enjoy the beauty and sacredness of all that is around you.

· Today is the day to enjoy the fruits of your efforts. Today is the day to seize the moment and live a life that soars. Today is the day to live from your imagination and harvest your dreams. And please never, ever forget the gift of family. Live your children's childhood. Happiness is a journey.

· Life doesn't always give you what you ask for, but it always gives you what you need. Simply follow the path of your dreams, in full expectation of the bounty that is certain to flow.

· Stop sacrificing the present for the future and begin to live in the moment. We will never get a second chance to live life to the fullest. Today is your chance to awaken to the gift of living — before it is too late. Stop putting off your happiness for the sake of achievement. Instead enjoy the process.

· The ultimate destination of all truly enlightened souls was a place (infact state) called Nirvana - Noticing the holiness in everything that is around.

· Practice Gratitude

· Every one has the potential for extraordinary achievement, happiness and lasting fulfillment. All it takes are small steps in the direction of dreams. Small victories lead to large victories. Tiny, incremental changes and improvements will create positive habits. Positive habits will create results. And results will inspire towards greater personal change. Begin to live each day as if it was last. Learn more, laugh more and do what truly love to do. Do not be denied destiny. What lies behind you and what lies in front of you matters little when compared to what lies within you.