or maybe even  ‘O God in Man’

“Good habits are the key to all success.” (Og Mandino)

This week we were asked to project ourselves mentally into the future and write a Press Release. We were to imagine being interviewed in a few years time and talking about how life had changed since the MasterKeys Course. Contrary to initial concerns, I actually found it great fun to do and the words flowed effortlessly. But why was it so easy to imagine?

For the last four weeks I have been reading Scroll 1 in ‘The Greatest Salesman in the World’ by Og Mandino three times a day, every day. As the words have “become part of my active mind” (after so much reading you’d hope something went in lol), “but more important, they also seep into my other mind! That mysterious source which never sleeps, which creates my dreams.”  What is she talking about?!………..hang in there, let me explain.

If you take a thimble and fill it with water from the ocean, is the contained water any less salt water? Is it still a part of the ocean? Does it still have all the chemical elements within it that are found in the whole? If we return the water to the ocean does it remain separate? Ooohh…….now this is getting deep! ;o) … Ok, well not too deep……….let’s continue.

Did you know that 90% of our mental life is subconscious? If you’re following on from my previous posts, you’ll know our Inner Spirit communicates through our Subconscious, which we experience through our Solar Plexus in the form of feelings. When we have a thought it creates a feeling, good or bad. If it is a good feeling we tend go with it, if it is bad we tend to avoid it.

The Universal Spirit is present in all, knows all and has unlimited power. It is this Spirit that keeps us alive, our blood circulating, our heart beating, our organs working, whether we studied biology at school or not.

“Take away the spirit and what is left? Nothing.” (Haanel 5:26)

Spiritual Laws work even in our ignorance of them. Just as the Law of Gravity will cause a thrown object to fall, so the Law of Attraction brings to us the things that we continuously focus on, whether we fully understand these laws or not. It would seem to me then, that paying a bit more attention……. ok…….. a lot more attention, to my thoughts, and using my conscious mind to create the life I want is far preferable to creating by default.

We pick up thoughts willy nilly from all over the place (TV, media, other people, internet, radio) without really questioning where they came from. Some are even hereditary! The old roasting tin story springs to mind……a young wife decides to prepare her new husband his favourite roast for Sunday lunch. She lovingly prepares the veg, cuts the ends of the meat off and puts it in the oven. After dinner her husband compliments her culinary skills but questions why she cut off the ends of the meat saying he thought these were the best bits. “That’s the way my mother always did it” she said. When she next visited her mother the young wife asked why they always cut the meat ends off. “That’s the way my mother always did it” was the reply. Curious they decide to give Grandma a call to find out her secret cooking tip. “Well the tin was too small and the meat wouldn’t fit in it” was Grandma laughed!!!!

Haanel highlights that science has mountains of evidence of our progressive physical hereditary, but goes on to says, “there is a heredity which the physical scientists have not compassed. It lies beneath and antecedent (which means ‘going before in time’) to all their researches.” (5:19)

“It originates life, which the physical scientist has not done, or ever can do. It stands among all forces supreme, unapproachable. No human heredity can approach it. No human heredity measures up to it.” (Haanel 5:20)

Our thoughts are magnetic vibrations, a bit like radio waves, and I have complete control over what thoughts I allow my Conscious mind to accept and pass on the my Subconscious. So should I focus on my problems and attract more of the same vibrations, or, on what makes me feel alive, joyous and peaceful, and attract more of these vibrations……….. Hmmmmm!!!

I actually wrote this little poem a few months ago while studying ‘Think & Grow Rich’ but it seems quite fitting here.

Did you know there’s an elephant living in your head,         Who meanders along going just where you said!                   But I never said I wanted no money. Yes you did laughs the Ant, Oh my you’re so funny.

When did I say that, tell me just when, Oh thats too easy said Ant with a grin. Remember the times you thought for hours about unpaid bills and needing new tyres? I’ll never be wealthy, I’ll never be rich. Each time you thought that Ele veered into a ditch.

Clear and wise, Ant spouted his words, And Ele realised He’d been fed to the birds. What you think about grows, the Ant insisted, choose wisely your thoughts, don’t let them get twisted.

When we focus our thoughts on our dreams and our goal, Elephant searches for the path to our Soul. Remember your youth, Life’s adventure ahead, And follow your quest ’til life sees you blessed.  

I understand now how writing a Press Release is another way of honing our mental abilities, helping our conscious mind to focus, thereby helping to create the life we want, be the person we were born to be and let our Spirit shine. The MasterKeys is helping me to find the treasure within (my gifts and talents), assert my heirship, take possession and use what I have been freely given to help others. I am like that thimble, the Spirit in me is the same as the whole, it has the same elements, the same potential power, the same potential knowledge. All I need to do is learn to use it.

“This power is from within, but we cannot receive it unless we give it away.” ……….“The athlete who wishes to get strong must make use of the strength he has, and the more he gives the more he will get.” (Haanel 5:25)

As soon as I read Chapters 1-7 of ‘The Greastest Salesman in the World’ I saw the anagram ‘O God in Man’ in the authors name. Og was actually christened Augustine Mandino but I’ve not found any reason for the nickname. Must be just my analytical brain working overtime again, but I know the words in his scrolls are certainly bringing out the good, or Spirit in me. Onwards and upwards dear friends.