The Challenge

Apart from technical perfection, we must have character, a cheerful outlook on life and a readiness to face all problems and challenges which confront us. Then alone can we become personalities which will attract others toward you.

If I have such a performance in the world outside - performance here meaning not that of a car or a machine but performance in my actions - if can bring out a feeling for or an instant capacity to make sacrifices, to offer love, if I can bring these ideas to the mind of other men, then others will be compelled to be drawn to me.

Negative qualities

How then am I to work? How will I prepare for my performance in the world outside? How can my behaviour, my daily conduct in life be improved? Who amongst us does not wish to become some thing better than what we are? Every one of us experiences that but even though we want to improve, honestly speaking, we find it very difficult to do so. We lose our temper, sometimes even with our mother and father. It is not that I am disloyal to them. But perhaps at home no one listens to me. No one seems to understand me. I am unhappy. A hundred things disturb me. Emotions gurgle out. I make a mess of my life. I make myself a dirty, filthy and ugly individual.

Others hate me and remove themselves from me. Nobody comes near me. I have no patience. What is in me that is repelling others? These unwanted tendencies are called negative qualities - our immoral or unethical actions. Modern psychologists call them negative ideas. Just as there is a negative and a positive electric current, there are also negative and positive ideas. When negative ideas are expressed in my character, others will be repelled from me. If I can bring out in the expression of my life the fragrance of my positive qualities, then people will be drawn towards me.

The power of positive thoughts

It has been found true all over the world - whether it is in South Africa or in New York - that people, in whatever society, of whatever caste, creed or colour, are magnetically pulled by certain qualities. These qualities which attract others are called positive qualities. When I am dealing with others, if I demonstrate the sweetness of these qualities in my personality, I find that more and more people encircle me, love me and are ready to support me. These positive qualities are there in us all but it is not sufficient that we just know of these things. Everyone of us knows about love, mercy, cheer, kindness, joy and courage of convictions. We know that all these are noble virtues, we recognise them as the qualities we admire in others. We know it, but when we act, we do just the opposite.

To be continued

About the author

Swami Chinmayananda

Swami Chinmayananda the great master's lectures were an outpour of wisdom. He introduced the Geetha Gnana Yagna. He wrote a lot of books on spirituality, commentaries to Vedantic texts, children books etc. He then started spreading His teachings globally.....