And this brings me to the seventh of the Rituals of Radiant Living: the Ritual of Music.”
“I think I’m going to love this one,” I replied.
I’m sure you will. The sages loved their music. It gave them the same spiritual boost as the sun did. Music made them laugh, it made them dance and it made them sing. It will do the same for you. Never forget the power of music. Spend a little time with it every day, even if it is listening to a soft piece on a cassette while you drive to work. When you feel down or weary, play some music. It is one of the finest motivators I know of.”
“Aside from yourself!” I exclaimed sincerely. “Just listening to you makes me feel great. You really have changed, Julian, and not just on the outside. Gone is your old cynicism. Gone is your former negativity. Gone is your old aggressiveness. You really do seem to be at peace with yourself. You have touched me tonight.”
“Hey, there’s more!” shouted Julian with his fist in the air.
“Let’s keep going.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Okay. The eighth ritual is the Ritual of the Spoken Word. The sages had a series of mantras which they would recite morning, noon and night. They told me that this practice was immensely effective in keeping them focused, strong and happy.”
“What’s a mantra?” I asked.
“A mantra is nothing more than a collection of words strung together to create a positive effect. In Sanskrit, ‘man’ means ‘mind’ and ‘tra’ means ‘freeing.’ So a mantra is a phrase which is designed to free the mind. And, believe me, John, mantras accomplish this objective in a very powerful way.”
“Are you using mantras in your daily routine?”
“I sure am. They are my faithful companions wherever I go. Whether I am on the bus, walking to the library or watching the world go by in a park, I am constantly affirming all that is good in my world through mantras.”
“So mantras are spoken?”
“They do not have to be. Written affirmations are also very effective. But I have found that repeating a mantra aloud has a wonderful effect on my spirit. When I need to feel motivated, I might repeat, ‘I am inspired, disciplined and energised’ out loud two or three hundred times. To maintain the supreme sense of self-confidence I have cultivated, I repeat, ‘I am strong, able and calm.’ I even use mantras to keep me youthful and vital,” Julian admitted.
“How could a mantra keep you young?”
“Words affect the mind in a pronounced way. Whether they are spoken or written, they are powerful influences. While what you say to others is important, even more important is what you say to yourself.”
“Self-talk?”
“Exactly. You are what you think about all day long. You are also what you say to yourself all day long. If you say that you are old and tired, this mantra will be manifested in your external reality. If you say you are weak and lack enthusiasm, this too will be the nature of your world. But if you say that you are healthy, dynamic and fully alive, your life will be transformed. You see, the words you say to yourself affect your self-image and your self-image determines what actions you take. For example, if your self-image is one of a person who lacks the confidence to do anything of value, you will only be able to take actions which are aligned with this trait.
On the other hand, if your self-image is one of a radiant individual who is fearless, again, all your actions will correspond to this quality. Your self-image is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.”
Excerpt from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma
