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Manly P. Hall: Dynamics of Simplicity | Manly Hall Society | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: Manly P. Hall: Dynamics of Simplicity
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the more complicated world problems become
become
the more important it is for us to
do everything possible to simplify
our own relationships with life
a tremendous amount of energy
is lost in the mere
confusion of complication
even though we may gradually
solve whatever the confusion may be
we have used energy
and we have used time
and life as we know it is a problem in
time and energy
and to
achieve the maximum
of security
and happiness and
and usefulness
usefulness
we must try
to conserve our resources
we've noticed for the last 25 years how
the tempo of life has increased
and the individual has not really been
able to adjust to this increase successfully
successfully
we realize that
in the last
two and a half decades
we have become more and more dependent upon
upon
artificial means
of vitality support
we have become addicted to every type of
vitamin that there is known
we require continual use of stimulant or
sedational material
both these
indicating that we are not able
to cope successfully
with the pressure of
conditions the pressure of conditions
must also be regarded as
a compound of the prevailing confusion
the more confused we become
the more difficult our environment becomes
becomes
and the individual confusion finally
summarizes itself or masses itself into
vast patterns of collective confusion
while it is not possible for us to
create any code that we can require
others to follow
thus adding
to a general simplification
we must to the best of our ability
prevent ourselves from falling into the prevailing
prevailing dilemma
dilemma
simplification must never be interpreted
as compromise
we do not want to simplify things by
losing values
we do not want to follow lines of least resistance
resistance
at the expense of principles
but we do want to first of all get our
principles straight
the individual who really has
an internal organization whose beliefs
are well set
whose ideals are clear to himself
already has a strong defense against
the uncertainties of his times
so by simplification we mean
organization of values
that the person decides in his own mind
that which he shall do and what he shall
not do
what he can do and what he cannot do
and having come to certain clear
internal directives
he must learn to apply these directives
to the circumstances which arise around him
him
the simplification is
self-leadership over circumstances
it is the individual
charting a course and staying on that course
course
it takes much less energy to stay on a
course than it does to find it again
after it has been lost
so we try in every way possible to
to remove
remove useless
useless valueless
valueless
worthless kinds
of pressure
pressures that even if we succeeded in
all the things we want to do or that
these pressures invite us to attempt to do
do
we would probably be very little better
off than we are today
so we are not looking for simplification
in the giving up of value
but in the clarification of value
we are looking for a way of life in which
which
we recognize what is good
and stay with it
not allowing ourselves to be lured into some
some
confused state
which is going to require more energy
than we can afford to expend
if this is true of all persons it is
especially true of those who are growing older
older
whose energy supplies are therefore less adequate
adequate
and whose lives have become increasingly
more burdened
we find as we get older that time moves
more rapidly than ever before
that we have less and less time
time
to do the things that we really want to accomplish
accomplish
our interests have become richer and fuller
fuller
our responsibilities have increased in number
number
we are surrounded with more inducements
to activity
we are called upon more and more by
those who may respect our
wisdom or understanding or experience
therefore as we go along the road
simplification is the secret of
preserving health
and vitality for the longest possible
period of time
to do all these different things that
are necessary to
straighten out life
we have to begin
with all the
minor problems the autonetic common
problems of time of our time and living
one thing we also learned is that
we have a greater skill in handling
important critical situations
that we have in administering
nuisance situations
if we are faced with a major decision in
life it seems as though something comes
along and gives us guidance
the major decision calls for all our
resources we gather ourselves together
sit down
and use the best that we know to solve it
it
the result is that many times the
greatest decisions the greatest changes
the greatest
integrations that we achieve
take the least energy
we are more or less sure of what we are
doing or what is necessary and we
proceed accordingly
the greatest of all wasting factors
is that of minor problem
problems that are not very clear in themselves
themselves
that lead to ends that are not very certain
certain
things which come along as endless minor irritations
irritations
against these we must be ever watchful
because this endless wasting away of
small amounts of energy
will in the end deplete our major resources
resources
if we study the allotments of body
energy as we find these in the human personality
personality
we become aware of nature's intention
and it is of course the
wisdom of nature
that we shall use our energy as wisely
as possible
conserve it as much as we can
and never assume for a moment that the
resources that we have are unlimited
they are all limited by many problems in
many circumstances
the energy allotments of different
persons differ
some individuals seemingly can stand far
more burden and responsibility and
irritation than others
we have undoubtedly learned from
experience something of our own allotment
allotment
we find how quickly things tire us and
we gradually learn what kind of things
tire us most
and if we make such discoveries we
should put this information away and
keep it where we can get at it
because it is the secret of our ability
to conserve energy
ordinarily speaking we do have however
enough energy for the things
that most need doing
but very often our energy follows our
inclinations rather than our needs
thus we do have energy often
for projects that are not
actually very important
and at the same time we get a strange
sense of fatigue
when we are confronted with problems or
responsibilities that may be necessary
but which we do not particularly want to assume
assume
energy follows desire very closely
that is one of the reasons we must guard
our energy
because the fulfillment of our desires
can often be a very exhausting thing
often impossible in substance even
though we
struggle desperately to achieve it
to begin with then energy
energy
is most wasted perhaps in conflict
wherever it is possible to remove
conflict either internal or
environmental we are making a major gain
a conflict may arise from situations
outside of ourselves but it may also and
frequently does arise
from within us or from our own reaction
to conditions around us
i know more persons who have exhausted a
complete life of vitality
simply trying or laboring
laboring
with situations that they have created
for themselves
creations of their own
uh mental and emotional pressures which
should never have existed at all
one of the common experiences we have in
this field and of course at this season
of the year it is particularly obvious
and that is the amount of energy we can
waste over religious criticism
the amount of energy that we can deplete
ourselves of
in our worries and anxieties about
people whose religious beliefs are
different from ours
in families this can be a very trying
and exhausting thing
and a profitless waste of resources
if we could simplify our thinking to
this very basic philosophical principle
that a religion is finally a way of life
that an individual is religious who
keeps principles
and that above all sectarian considerations
considerations
must be elevated the fact of conduct if
the individual is keeping the rules of
life as wisely as lovingly and as
skillfully as he knows
we do not need to worry very much about
the church he goes to
if he is not keeping these rules it
makes very little difference which
church he goes to he is still in trouble
so we can get out of our minds worries
fears and anxieties about these abstract
things that we cannot do anything about
even at best
and yet many persons have ruined their
lives worrying about abstract values
which they cannot control and about
which they have no clear insight even themselves
themselves
another very desperate way of wasting energy
energy
is to try to control dominate other people
people
the desperate determination to rule the
life or activity of others
the resolution to take leadership where
this leadership is not required
requested or desired
can also lead to a very serious
depletion of resources
not only do we have the actual energy
loss as such
but we have the continual unhappiness
and all forms of unhappiness are debilitating
debilitating
the individual becomes weakened through
the use of energy in the simple process
of being miserable
so whatever in life we are doing if we
are miserable about it it is shortening
our lives and injuring our health
we must gradually recognize what nature was
was
and what nature is trying to tell us
from the cradle to the grave
that is that nature wants us to live at
peace with ourselves and others if we do
not achieve this peace we must pay for
it in revitalization in some way
for the absence of peace is discord and
discord uses up energy
all forms of
discord deplete and destroy
life resources
nature has never rewarded confusion
except with more confusion
nature has never allowed the individual
to be a dictator or a tyrant without
ultimately impoverishing him
and after all we must recognize that
above all codes that we are capable of
formulating ourselves
is the inevitable code of cause and effect
effect
we see around us
the inevitable consequences of action
therefore we must keep this basic code
for some reason man from the beginning
has rebelled against this
he has almost always determined in some
way to impose his own will upon the face
of nature
he wants to do things his way
he assumes that nature does not know
what it needs what it wants or what it
must have
it is up to man to decide these things
so man has gone valiantly and rather
arbitrarily along trying to
correct the common mistakes that the
infinite has made
this is a hard job
it can use up a great deal of time and
energy peace of mind
and in the long run
man cannot win
it is possible that if all those down
through the ages who have tried
to impose their own will upon infinite will
will
survived or could now communicate with
us from some other bond to which they
have gone
we might get some valuable testimony on
this problem
but the individual in his desperate
determination to live his own life finally
finally
comes to the end
and tips into the grave
and is silent and we never know what his
final thoughts are on any subject
we do not know to what degree he may
ultimately come into the possession of
the understanding of the mistake of his
own attitude
but because he perishes without
confessing we do not gain the
instruction from him we might otherwise receive
receive
in our daily thinking then we begin with
the communist problems of energy conservation
conservation
and one of these is the quick easy
natural acceptance
of situations that arise
acceptance where it is obvious that
there are no values more important than acceptance
acceptance
if we must compromise value in order to
accept that we may pause
but where the project itself is comparatively
comparatively meaningless
meaningless
then to accept it easily
and naturally and graciously is to save
time and energy
we know this in the innumerable small
interruptions that come along
these interruptions are not nearly so
dangerous or detrimental
as the
mental and emotional
stress of interruption within ourselves
it is very common today for our plans to miscarry
miscarry
we have something that we intend to do
conditions arise and it seems
unreasonable or difficult for us to do
uh according to our original program
if what we intended to do was of great moral
moral
ethical spiritual value
then we may accept confusion as the
price of achievement
we may realize that in this case we must
stand firm against compromise
but there are so few things that we do
in life that are that important
usually confusion is nothing more than
the common interferences
of an involved social social system
and where the problems are are of no
great meaning no real vital importance
then our basic solution for them
is a quiet acceptance of interruption
the ability for example for the
individual to experience interruption
without his own consciousness being interrupted
interrupted
the problem of not regretting the things
that happened
not gaining any unreasonable attitude
about pressures and circumstances
but quietly
accept them
and follow the ancient adage of the
ancient thought
suffer these things to be so now they
too shall pass away
things that we graciously and quietly
accept do pass away
if they are not important
they do not cause too much concern
but if we become constantly nervously
bound to these interruptions then the
things do not pass away
but we pass away out of the stress shock
and strain
of our struggle with inevitables
another very wonderful thing to help us
along the path of simplification is a
sense of humor
the individual who can laugh off minor problems
problems
who can suddenly recognize the
ridiculousness of the situations and of
his own involvement in them
who can suddenly realize that these
things are simply not important
that they're all a little ridiculous
ridiculous
will often find a great deal of release
if he can learn to laugh at himself
one of the great causes of debility in
this world is that we take ourselves too seriously
seriously
take the things that we do with such
tremendous sense of self-importance that
we wear out even contemplating this self-importance
self-importance
we just
are unable
uh to quietly go along the course of
years we have to fight things
we have to win battles
there's only one battle we all of us
have to win and that's the last one
and it is always this what we should
bear in mind
also it is important in
the contemplation of these problems to
think in the terms
of the reduction of nuisances
too many things that we have too many
projects that we try to carry too many
attitudes that we desperately cling to
have little more than nuisance value
they never will amount to anything
they become simply habitual reactions
and we develop many uh negative
attitudes simply by habit
we no longer really regard the values or
the factors we always have reacted in a
certain way so we always will
we have always wasted time and energy so
we keep right on doing it
we do not realize that there are many
nuisance situations that we never need
to be part of
these nuisance situations
may seemingly be important to other
people but if they are not important to
all concerned they are not basically valuable
valuable
so we can look for ways of reducing nuisance
nuisance
and one of the basic ways of achieving
this end is to simplify ways of life
to simplify the way we live
the individual who is living
outside of simplicity as far as his own
problems are concerned
is simply contributing to his own
premature end
the person for example who living alone
lives in a very large house
is simply asking for exhaustion
he is trying to maintain some kind of a
social front or something of that nature
or has become accustomed to the idea
that he has to live this way
but he is paying for it he is paying for
it with energy
whereas if he would simplify his
arrangements he would do a great deal
to save time and energy
in old days when it was possible to
maintain a serving class perhaps this
large house provided employment for many people
people
today it merely provides exhaustion for
the owner
there is simply no need for this type of thing
arrange your life so that there is
nothing wasted in the form of life resources
resources
in the old days many individuals became
vast accumulators of knickknacks
i have known cases where it required
several loads of a large moving van company
company
to take things from one place to another
that should never have been owned in the
first place
this is a great loss of time and now a
great loss of money and the individual
who pays for it has to worry about the
money or earn it and therefore
he should
use it more wisely
there are two there are too many memento
mori floating around things that we keep
simply because they belong to somebody
in the last generation we dust them
repair them take care of them move them
store them take them out of storage put
them back in again
and when we get through what happens
when our own day comes
and we leave all this behind to the
executor of the estate he takes it out
back and burns it
we might as well anticipate this
we might as well burn it while we still
have some energy with which to survive it
it
rather than to let it gradually
contribute to our own disintegration
though in the simplification of this
type of thing we can preserve what is
truly meaningful
no one wants to suggest that anyone
gives up things that they really want or
that they really regard as necessary or valuable
valuable
but we may hope that some people will
learn to re-educate their sense of values
values
that they will gradually learn
not to hold on to things not to want
things which are in themselves useless
it is much better to clear this entire
situation before it makes life
increasingly complicated for ourselves
another problem is that no matter how
much worldly goods we store up we are
apt to store up still more
emotional and mental baggage
this also can be totally useless
first of all it may relate to things
which are uniquely of this world
therefore we're not going to be able to
take them with us anyway
and any thoughts or emotions that we
cannot take with us are no more valuable
than physical goods that we cannot take
with us
we haven't spoken to a certain relative
for 20 years and every time we think of
them we become so depleted we have to
take a new vitamin pill
we might as well get over this now
we might as well realize that unless the
things we carry in our thoughts and
emotions are good enough to live with in
eternity they're not good enough enough
to live with here today
by gradually relaxing away from these
pressures we achieve a great deal of
good for ourselves people will say
however that we can't give up these
feelings we have them
we've had an antagonism for half a
lifetime how are we suddenly going to
get over it
we can get over it but we can only get
over it by outgrowing it
we can only get over it if somewhere
along the line a little flash of insight
occurs within ourselves by which our own
attitude is basically changed
we cannot uh get over despising someone
if we really continue to loathe them
there's no answer here
but if we gradually realize behind this
situation the uselessness of our own
attitude if it dawns on us that we are
only wasting energy
and that actually if the other person
doesn't like us
and really wishes us to have a bad time
in life
there's no better way that he that he
can accomplish this than to hope that we
will keep on hating him
because if we do this we will ruin our
lives but we may not ruin his in any way
so we have to give up these things
otherwise we give all authority to our adversary
adversary
we achieve the very ends which someone
who dislikes us might hope we will come to
to
and that is we will ruin our own happiness
happiness
so in order to
rescue ourselves from such dilemmas we
have to sit down and think and feel
beyond them
we have to get over them as forces in
our own consciousness
one way to
find a great new vitality
is suddenly to awaken and realize
that we have accepted life that we have
accepted people as they are we have not
demanded the impossible
we have not built from a wrong
philosophy which caused us to expect the impossible
impossible
we have not endowed them with virtues
which they never possessed
nor have we endowed them with vices
which are exaggerated beyond any
reasonable degree
we have finally adjusted to the
circumstances of life
we realize that other people will have
their own thoughts whether we like it or not
not
and we stop trying to
to react
react
violently to the thinking of any other person
person
another problem that arises with
simplification is that simplicity is
closely related to beauty
wherever true beauty exists we observe
law and order
and we notice that nature in the
presentation of beauty follows very
definite canons and laws
the beauty is something which is perhaps
most clearly revealed through simplicity
therefore that everywhere in life the
dignity of living the happiness of
living the beauty of living
these are related to into simplicity
to freeing the person
from all the complications which come from
from
lack of insight into what constitutes beauty
beauty
we've had a great deal of discussion and
debate about these things through the years
years
and as we
all watch us the old city of los angeles
disappearing in front of us
as we all observe the grand old houses
that were considered works of beauty and
a joy forever 50 years ago
disappearing with all their gingerbread
domes and cupolas and things of that nature
nature
we have a touch of nostalgia
we say that
certainly these new
orange crates that are being built in
their place
but can scarcely be regarded as things
of beauty
we are right in a sense both ways
uh to the individual with the highly
cluttered mind of the victorian era
clutter was beauty
to the extreme modernist who has lost
all sense of value
that which is completely devoid of any
proportion value or symmetry is now
regarded as beauty
in both instances there is no real
appreciation of value
we do not find in the simplicity that is
now being developed
uh an artistic simplicity we find a barrenness
barrenness
and that is what we have to watch also
in our own thinking that simplification
does not lead to barrenness that is not
the end
simplification leads to grace and
insight design and order
but all things in a very quiet simple way
way
one way for example to understand this point
point
is to realize that in a sense
where we live the way we live all these
types of things
are in some way frames upon
a good picture takes a proper frame and
is better for it
an interesting person is better in a
setting that is suitable to their nature
but when the setting completely
dominates the individual we are lost
and i know a good many cases where
persons are simply overwhelmed by what
they have
they are insignificant unimportant human
beings living in the midst of
significance and importance which is not
really their own
things they have bought things they have
accumulated the individual who has very
little actual quality in his own soul
trying to get a certain reflective glory
from the fact that he owns a half a
million dollar painting
he doesn't understand the painting
he develops a terrible inferiority
complex every time he looks at it
but at the same time he seems to believe
or feel that in some way this is status
that it makes him important
and in the desperate effort to have
things make us
important we go into debt we become
overwhelmed with possessions we gain too
many responsibilities we may even assume
too much debt in the desperate effort to
have things build us up
the fact of the matter is they do the
exact reverse
for when people see us
against this tremendous tapestry of
things our own insignificance becomes
only more apparent
we are not a success in this
we do not actually deceive anyone except
another person who is making the same
mistake that we are
so we search for
what the oriental calls the shabu equality
equality
we search for that kind of setting which
becomes a gracious background
background
for a human being
if the human being is unable to
maintain himself
against this background then the
challenge is to him
if he finds that he cannot
survive his wallpaper
then it is necessary for him to consider
the survival quality of his own nature
it is necessary for him to realize that
the only way in which he can come finely
to the management of his
domicile is through
the development of a strength of
character by which what he has
becomes merely a setting for what he is
this process of trying to constantly
redecorate a home every few months
this endless irritation in which the
person feels himself out of place among
his own possessions
is another form of exhaustion
it wears us out trying to compete
with things or possessions which are not
suited to us
so we find that the wise person the
thoughtful person the intelligent person
simplifies his environment but does so graciously
graciously
so that in the
end he will have that which best reveals him
him
best sustains him
not that which at any time or for any
reason overwhelms him if he is
overwhelmed he is lost
and too many people today are overwhelmed
overwhelmed
in fact the whole world is overwhelmed
by the physical situations that have arisen
arisen
man is getting lost
in the universe of his own achievements
man is no longer able
to use his background properly it has
moved into the foreground and destroyed him
him
this conflict does cause nervousness
tension unhappiness and i know many
people have been made very ill by it
so we take hold of these situations and
we try to the best of our ability to
handle them more intelligently and more
in the process of simplification we have
to realize
also that exactly
is a great labor saver
there are many ways of approximating something
something
but nearly all trial and error methods
result in exhaustion of resource
the individual who knows exactly what he
is doing
can do it quickly
the individual who knows exactly what he
means can say it simply
but the person who is not quite sure
must drown his uncertainties in a sea of words
words
so always
the individual
who gains a certitude of
realization within himself
can do things simply
when we know exactly what is necessary
we can achieve this end with a minimum
of effort on our own part
but when we are not sure
we must try
too hard we must work too long
we must correct too many mistakes that
we ourselves make as we go along
and all of this is energy wasting
resource destroying
as we become
more and more nervous and tense under
the pressure of circumstances
if we do not have resources within
ourselves we have to develop
excessive escape mechanisms
the individual who reaches a degree of
tension in which he must be at something
every minute gradually
gradually
destroys all of his energy resources
resources
it takes energy
to drive a freeway
it takes energy
to activate any social project of
importance it takes energy to entertain
friends it takes energy to go out and be
entertained by other friends
the energies required for the various
social activities of life today are so
excessive that it means that we must
think these things through very
carefully and decide what we really want
to do
to do those things which best express
and best reveal our own basic needs
so the person who finds it necessary to
constantly escape
or extrovert from some pressured
situation that has arisen within himself
must begin to study
the conservation of his own resources
to do this he must begin to eliminate
useless activities
now i know there's a great problem we
have here in california of where people live
live
they live great distances from their employment
employment
they do this in order to achieve certain ends
ends
let's consider for a moment just what
this means in terms of energy exhaustion
not long ago an experiment was made
scientifically which proved that it
required more nervous energy to drive
the freeway
than it did to put a man in orbit
it was less
mental emotional physical straight to be
shot into the stratosphere
than to go along a few miles of local traffic
traffic
this means that whether we realize it or
not we are using up precious resources
now it's very often necessary that we do
perhaps for the maintenance of our
economy make these trips but we
certainly should consider them reduce
their number as far as possible
and choose wherever we can
less frequented highways
it may take a little longer
but the individual may live a little
longer we cannot afford to carelessly
waste life
because this energy cannot be
continuously renewed
we are gradually wearing out whether we
know it or not
and it is desirable for most people that
they wear out as slowly as possible
so we have to keep this type of thinking
constantly in mind
realizing always that there are certain
basic confusions from which we can
constantly suffer
it is also important therefore that we
develop basic attitudes which will help
to simplify confusion
one of the most important of all basic
attitudes is to simplify our words
to bring them within a pattern of
graciousness and at the same time a
pratt a pattern of practicality
competitive warranting is one of the
dangers of our time
the individual wants too many things and
having them he has to live with them and
they gradually exhaust him
so it is in all these different problems
that we face
that we should regardless of prevailing
attitudes and prevailing tendencies and prevailing
prevailing policies
policies
we should always work for an economy of
energy an economy of the unnecessary
reducing things to their most gracious
and natural possibilities
possibilities
to do this we may have to stand a
certain amount of public criticism
we will not be understood if we do not conform
conform
so we have to decide somewhere along the
line whether we wish to conform and be exhausted
exhausted
or be misunderstood and have a little
more energy to do the things we want to do
do
in the last analysis there's probably
nothing more dangerous than being
understood socrates pointed that out
on one occasion after one of his
discourses there was a wild burst of
applause from the audience
socrates was greatly disturbed
he said what foolish thing have i said
that so many people should appreciate it
now this business of
trying to conform is just about that
we confirm with people whose taste is no
good in the first place we follow
policies that have never produced
anything for anybody
and because we have the applause of
others who are no
wiser than ourselves we consider that we
have achieved something
let us get away from all of this type of thinking
thinking
and get down to the kind of thinking
that really will will profit us will
give us true
true
energy release
one thing to do perhaps is to divide
our belongings and possessions into the
kind of things that help us and the kind
of things that hurt us let us get rid
first of all the things that hurt
because hurt pain
is an energy
destroying thing
not only do we lose energy from pain but
we lose energy from the fact that nature
has to throw more energy in to help us
to recover from the pain
so we lose both ways
so look around you
if you have things around you
that are associated with negative
attitudes negative thoughts negative reactions
reactions
get rid of them
get rid of things that cause you
a negative response by their very
existence even though you may cherish
them even more though you may regard
them as valuable
pass them on to other people who perhaps
can enjoy the things because they do not
have the personal association factors
which make these things dangerous to you
time and time again someone will take
the old family bible into a second-hand bookstore
bookstore
the book dealer will look it over and
say well what do you want for it
the person who says well that was
father's bible
and he got it from his father
that bible has been in our family for 75
years it's priceless
the book dealer looks it over again says
probably i'll give you 50 cents for it
now that is how priceless it is
and that just how priceless it really is
to the owner
the rest of it is all sentiment
we don't realize when we nurse these old
belongings that the bible perhaps
reminds us that grandfather was no good
on the front page are all our relatives
signatures who have died
also it reminds us of misfortunes and
situations that have arisen in the
family for three generations
but to a person who buys the book from
the book dealer this is not important
so another individual can enjoy the fine
old bible while that same book is
hurting us
so the book dealer should have it for 50 cents
cents
in fact we should pay him a couple of
because in so doing we have saved a part
now if we have gradually emancipated
ourselves from this family background so
that the book really stood there because
it was a fine old morocco bound volume
gave a certain sense of dignity there
are many people who feel a fine old
bible should be out somewhere visible in
every dignified home
if it has lost its power to hurt it
still has not lost its power
to perhaps clutter
when a very nice new simple book the
deeply bound that would go on the shelf
properly would carry the same importance
to us and be perhaps a great release
from this old odd-shaped
odd-shaped
massive family tome
so why do we have sentiment about these
things this sentiments can sometimes add
to our misfortune
the same is very true of old family
portraits and things of this nature
they are meaningless to anyone but
ourselves they're meaningless to the
but if they are in any way dragging down
our psychology of life if they're
becoming difficult for us to live with
if they are difficult for us to ship
from place to place and dust every day
then simplification says
that all of the things the symbols the
principles for which these old pictures
stand have their own life and their own
value we are not disrespectful
we are not in any way
endangering the values
if these portraits represented people we
knew and admired
their real portrait is in our own soul
and if there was nothing in there in
their lives that put them into our hearts
hearts
there is no keeping their pictures on
little by little we can get rid of these things
things
little by little we can weed out
elements that are of no particular value
knickknacks also calls for weeding every
once in a while
knickknacks like art are things that we outgrow
outgrow
anything that we outgrow and keep we
have to serve
it no longer serves us in any way it is
simply a dust catcher
so if we have outgrown it pass it on to
someone else who needs it
if a quality of art that we no longer
regard as great still remains in our
possession move it along
if we doesn't do anything for us the
blank place where it stood is more important
important
if it is still serving us if it makes us
better people keep it
if it doesn't make us better people move
it on
there's somebody who needs it
and if in the course of this procedure
we discover that we have new needs
then we sometimes have to make a very
definite decision in life
if something of beauty something of
fineness has developed in our lives if
so we suddenly sense a need for music if
we suddenly sense a need for paintings
or art or sculpturing
then we may have to add things
but we have to add them because we need them
them
we have to add them because they serve
our consciousness
or that we feel that we are elected to
protect them for a common good
we have to have motives and reasons
and values that are adequate
and where anything has ceased to be
valuable then we must let it go
if we hold onto it beyond the point of value
value
we are destroying something of our own
integration we are losing our own values
and most of all we move this away from
the things around us to the things
within us
and we try to simplify our way of life
in the development of private
philosophies we are apt to get into the
danger of complexity
we are liable to have two or three
different systems of belief that do not
agree but we like them all
therefore at one time or another we try
to apply them all
and because they do not work together we
frequently create confusion
which would not be true if we had
integrated our own concepts in the first place
place
one of the most important elements of
the simplification of life is therefore
the clarification of our religious
philosophical principles
we have to have them in a way that we
can understand them
if we do not understand them clearly we
will misunderstand them continuously
if they are not understood also they do
not have a dynamic for us
when we have a mass of beliefs which are
but poorly digested none of them really
serve us
we find our memories being used to
perpetuate these beliefs rather than to
gain courage from them
if we have to defend beliefs we are in trouble
trouble
because a belief which we have only
understood to the degree that we have to
defend it is not serving us
we are soldiering for it
actually the things that are true need
no defense they cannot be assailed
no individual has to ever defend the principle
principle
all he has to do is exemplify it and
this saves a tremendous amount of energy
also where we find that other people do
not agree with our principles do not see
things our way we frequently go on to
the energy defensive
we try to force their understanding we
do it with the best meeting of the world
we want them to be better people we know
they're in trouble we'd like to get them
out of trouble but it usually ends up by
our getting into the trouble
we cannot force enlightenment
we cannot press insight upon another person
person
and if we try at all
if if there is any hope of success or
any hope of contributing anything
it must be on the level of absolute simplicity
simplicity
the individual must
use only the simplest of his faculties
to understand this with
if we can get our thoughts so very
straight and so very simple
perhaps we might reach him in part but
the more complicated our ideas are the
more certainly he will never be able to
understand them
in the same particular problem we have
to decide in our own minds what we can
use out of wisdom there are many great
principles in life which we can learn
but we can never use them
it is far better for us to admit they
exist and not spend too much time on them
them
because if we spend too much time on
them we will never have any time to use
the principles that we do have need to
apply in our daily lives
so never allow abstractions
never allow vast cosmic problems to
become so important
that we have no time to do the things
that immediately need doing
though in study we have this problem
constantly in front of us
study is a fascinating thing especially
in religion and philosophy
and we are very much inclined to take a
philosophy that interests us
and carry it too far into abstraction
we study it day after day after day and
night after night i know people that
study six and eight hours a day they
have studied so industriously they
haven't had a moment in which to apply
they have stored up a lot of treasures
but i'm afraid not in heaven
they have stored them up in their own minds
minds
and they become tremendously excited
about it
but these same people become very
unhappy when they observe a scientist
becoming absorbed in some scientific
problem of his own that seems important
to him but not to other people
but you could do the same thing in
religion and philosophy
you can become so involved in the
situation that you never have a time or
opportunity to work with it
now it's very interesting to learn for
instance the mysteries of first cause
and of ultimates and to try to plumb the
infinite nature of deity and things of
this kind
they become fascinating problems
even these however are not the worst complications
complications
the worst complications lie generally in
the middle distances
uh we may come to the conclusion that uh
a certain kind of primordial principle
resides the source of life in other
words we may come to our definition of deity
deity
though this definition of deity can help us
us
because after all deity to the average
individual is an ideal statement
it is a statement of the best that he
knows the most that he is
and in some way it ties into his entire
ethical moral spiritual conviction
if he could get a truly clear concept of
his own idea about god
it tells him most of what he needs to
know about himself
it tells him most of what he needs to
know about how he should grow and how he
should think and how he should build
so this basic conviction is usually good
and most religious philosophies uh make
strong point of the importance of it
but then we pass into this great mystery
which no one has ever been able to
completely solve to universal satisfaction
satisfaction
and that is the outflowing of this deity
the infinite manifestation of it in the
infinite processes of life
these processes are too complicated for
us to understand
too remote for us to be able to grasp
and usually too abstract for us to use
even if we understood them
so we have to have a watchfulness we may
want a skeletal outline of how we
believe things happen
we may want a few brief definitions of
the processes of the cosmos
but we do not want to get so involved in this
this
that we gradually find ourselves falling
into a strange kind of orthodoxy
it may be a heterodox kind of orthodoxy
a private one but it is still infinitely
orthodox to us
and in the interesting mental
speculations that arise from these things
things
we gain a tremendous exhilaration when
we think we have solved something
we gain a tremendous sense of enthusiasm
almost a mystical a perception when we
believe that we have been able to take
some abstraction and fit it into another abstraction
abstraction
or that it seems as though we have
discovered some abstract principle of
yoga or something of that nature it all
seems perfectly fascinating and we can
go on and make a life out of this
we can make a life of simply putting
together the intricate parts of a
strange pattern
when we put it together it satisfies us
it may not satisfy anyone else
but it is our solution and we have a
series of mental experiences
but what we have forgotten entirely is
that we are simply doing a kind of
mental gymnastic
we are employing the mind
we are completely concerned with these
mental processes and yet uh the same persons
persons
are being imposed upon by their
relatives they are unable to take care
of their own common daily affairs any
better than they did before
and they and the advice which they give
to others from this vast structure of
their own thinking is an abomination in
the majority of cases
they simply do not
make the adjustments
using a tremendous amount of energy a
vast amount of time
trying to create a universe i know
people for example who have spent a
lifetime trying to decide what life was
like on the other side of the grave
they really didn't have to they'll find
out in due course
they would have been much wiser have
they tried to find out what life was on
this side of the grave
because here is where they have to live now
now
when the time comes they'll find those answers
answers
but they must not overlook the
importance of now
so i think it is quite true
uh what the mystic has found out and
what we find in zen and certain other philosophies
philosophies
that namely the experiences that we need
to have in the form of insight
come to us very simply and very
naturally if we will relax
it is true that we need a basic pattern
of law
it is true that perhaps every individual
in the course of a lifetime
should have a conviction that is based
upon we might say three or four hundred
hours of fairly careful thinking
during the course of a lifetime this is
not too much
it means that we have gradually come to
certain principles by which we are not
going to be deceived or overwhelmed by
the superstitions around us
but having gotten our principles straight
straight
i think we come very close to this
problem in following the concepts taught
by buddha
namely that we are not
to go off into this infinite
consideration of abstraction
but we are to take all knowledge that is
available to us
and apply it immediately to the problem
of our own existence
unless we solve something in ourselves
our knowledge is vain
therefore we need only that much abstract knowledge
abstract knowledge as it's necessary to create a practical
as it's necessary to create a practical concrete pattern
concrete pattern that is suitable to protect us from
that is suitable to protect us from common era
common era and to keep our minds and hearts
and to keep our minds and hearts and natures
and natures dedicated fairly closely
dedicated fairly closely to the essential principles of daily
to the essential principles of daily existence
existence so that
so that energy says that we can't afford too
energy says that we can't afford too much abstraction
much abstraction i have known several instances in which
i have known several instances in which persons who spent too much time in these
persons who spent too much time in these abstract situations
abstract situations actually came to an acute state of
actually came to an acute state of mental fatigue
mental fatigue i know one individual who finally passed
i know one individual who finally passed through what was almost equivalent to a
through what was almost equivalent to a mental stroke
mental stroke this person exhausted the energy of
this person exhausted the energy of think of the thinking process until he
think of the thinking process until he had a violent disability in this area
had a violent disability in this area did not be that he lost his mind he did
did not be that he lost his mind he did not
not but it meant that from that time on he
but it meant that from that time on he was simply unable to do any more of that
was simply unable to do any more of that kind of thinking
kind of thinking he ran into immediate fatigue
he ran into immediate fatigue nature was telling him he'd done too
nature was telling him he'd done too much the first place
much the first place but he wouldn't believe it until nature
but he wouldn't believe it until nature stepped in and forced him to stop
stepped in and forced him to stop something
something which in itself was no longer profitable
which in itself was no longer profitable or necessary to him
so we do realize the importance of keeping learning within the range or
keeping learning within the range or area of things that can be done with it
area of things that can be done with it and never permitted to simply exist
and never permitted to simply exist completely for its own sake
completely for its own sake if we could do the same thing with the
if we could do the same thing with the common daily knowledge that we have we
common daily knowledge that we have we could finally end by conserving
could finally end by conserving resources through using knowledge
resources through using knowledge when we use so much energy getting the
when we use so much energy getting the knowledge
knowledge we have practically no resource left
we have practically no resource left with which to apply it
with which to apply it so this is something that every student
so this is something that every student should bear in mind
should bear in mind namely that to get the principles clear
namely that to get the principles clear and then apply them simply
and then apply them simply to simple
to simple normal objectives of
normal objectives of and so we find that the simple ways to
and so we find that the simple ways to achieve ends is to discover for example
achieve ends is to discover for example that we are in a universe of law and
that we are in a universe of law and order in a few hours if our
order in a few hours if our consciousness is reasonably awakened
consciousness is reasonably awakened we can become aware of this universe we
we can become aware of this universe we can sense it around us
can sense it around us we can become addicted to the conviction
we can become addicted to the conviction that there is a universe of principles
that there is a universe of principles operating having come to this point we
operating having come to this point we have all that is necessary in the
have all that is necessary in the abstract
abstract now we have to begin to make these
now we have to begin to make these principles
principles uh work in operation
uh work in operation uh
uh learning how to live within
learning how to live within this grand pattern that we have sensed
this grand pattern that we have sensed to be true
to be true and this grand pattern is complete
and this grand pattern is complete comparatively simple
comparatively simple one of the common uh factors for
one of the common uh factors for instance
instance that we have
that we have out of the concept of buddhism
out of the concept of buddhism at the time when the
at the time when the same east government or the government
same east government or the government of thailand
of thailand issued its official bulletin for the
issued its official bulletin for the 2500th anniversary of the birth buddha
2500th anniversary of the birth buddha it contained within the booklet one very
it contained within the booklet one very simple statement
simple statement a statement that perhaps summarized
a statement that perhaps summarized buddhism as well as anyone could
buddhism as well as anyone could summarize it
summarize it just three words purify the mind
just three words purify the mind now that doesn't take a great deal of
now that doesn't take a great deal of wording to get that far you see you can
wording to get that far you see you can write that down or think that up or
write that down or think that up or remember that in a few minutes
remember that in a few minutes but that's only the beginning of the
but that's only the beginning of the problem
problem the problem then is do it
the problem then is do it and the
and the problem of doing it
problem of doing it is the great application of wisdom
is the great application of wisdom to purify the mind means to relieve the
to purify the mind means to relieve the mind
mind of all that of its own thinking which is
of all that of its own thinking which is destructive
to purify the mind means to reduce the waste of energy in the mind
waste of energy in the mind to the point that every part of mental
to the point that every part of mental energy is used to advance individual and
energy is used to advance individual and collective good
collective good this is a tremendous thing in itself
this is a tremendous thing in itself it is so simple as a term
it is so simple as a term very few persons who would think of the
very few persons who would think of the term would not be able to understand it
term would not be able to understand it well enough to to get a sensing of what
well enough to to get a sensing of what it means
it means so simplification can begin
so simplification can begin with this process of purifying the mind
with this process of purifying the mind by purifying the mind we say to
by purifying the mind we say to ourselves what is pure and what is
ourselves what is pure and what is impure
impure and we must come finally to the decision
and we must come finally to the decision that everything that is destructive
that everything that is destructive everything that is hurtful
everything that is hurtful everything that is negative everything
everything that is negative everything that is unfair everything that is unjust
that is unfair everything that is unjust everything that is unkind
everything that is unkind must in some way or another be impure
must in some way or another be impure if we could really take that simple
if we could really take that simple thought and apply it to our our lives
thought and apply it to our our lives we would gradually create a tremendous
we would gradually create a tremendous overtone of value
overtone of value and this overtone would make life much
and this overtone would make life much simpler
simpler it would make energy much more available
it would make energy much more available to us and would prevent most of the
to us and would prevent most of the wasting of energy which is now due to
wasting of energy which is now due to uh our mental attitudes
uh our mental attitudes to purify the mind implies also in
to purify the mind implies also in general
general to redeem the emotional content of the
to redeem the emotional content of the mind
mind so that thoughts and emotions
so that thoughts and emotions will be pure
will be pure if thought and emotion are pure action
if thought and emotion are pure action will be pure
will be pure if these things are clear and right and
if these things are clear and right and simple
simple then all values will be what they should
then all values will be what they should be
be and by this very process in itself we
and by this very process in itself we would come to the simple life
would come to the simple life not the simple life of the individual
not the simple life of the individual who goes out of the forest and tries to
who goes out of the forest and tries to live on acorns
live on acorns but the simple life of the civilized
but the simple life of the civilized being
being whose entire attention
whose entire attention is centered upon values
is centered upon values upon those things which by the doing of
upon those things which by the doing of them
them achieves the greatest wisest noblest and
achieves the greatest wisest noblest and most virtuous applications of energy
most virtuous applications of energy the simple way then for every individual
the simple way then for every individual is to gradually take destructiveness out
is to gradually take destructiveness out of his concepts out of his life
of his concepts out of his life out of his way of thinking
out of his way of thinking how will he be able to discover
how will he be able to discover destructiveness
destructiveness well one way i think you could do it but
well one way i think you could do it but i think it'd be a rather tedious one and
i think it'd be a rather tedious one and that is to use a tape recorder
that is to use a tape recorder if for example an individual would keep
if for example an individual would keep a tape running through the day of his
a tape running through the day of his life
life particularly
particularly if he could live just the same way not
if he could live just the same way not trying to accommodate to this tape
trying to accommodate to this tape but simply living as he normally does he
but simply living as he normally does he would learn in a few hours or a few days
would learn in a few hours or a few days certainly
certainly what is destructive in what he was doing
what is destructive in what he was doing the first place he would find out what
the first place he would find out what hurts his own voice
hurts his own voice he would hear sharpness bitterness
he would hear sharpness bitterness anger
anger he would hear impatience and sense the
he would hear impatience and sense the emotional uh destructiveness of it
emotional uh destructiveness of it nature will tell him very simply that
nature will tell him very simply that anything that he has to dis it has to
anything that he has to dis it has to express
express in an unpleasant way
in an unpleasant way must be in itself wrong
must be in itself wrong he will realize that when he is kind and
he will realize that when he is kind and sympathetic his voice is kind and
sympathetic his voice is kind and sympathetic and that in this kind and
sympathetic and that in this kind and sympathetic voice he wins friends he
sympathetic voice he wins friends he makes people respect him he is
makes people respect him he is recognized as a kindly benevolent person
recognized as a kindly benevolent person and then comes that tone of nagging he
and then comes that tone of nagging he hears it himself he won't like it
hears it himself he won't like it he will wonder how he gets along with it
he will wonder how he gets along with it then he suddenly realizes that he's
then he suddenly realizes that he's become so accustomed to himself that he
become so accustomed to himself that he no longer questions his own destructive
no longer questions his own destructive uses of energy
uses of energy but you can tell by the voice
but you can tell by the voice you could tell by your own voice in the
you could tell by your own voice in the course of days
course of days what is good and what is bad in what you
what is good and what is bad in what you are saying and the thoughts behind them
are saying and the thoughts behind them you can tell what is brittle what is
you can tell what is brittle what is harsh
harsh you can tell
you can tell not only from the words but from the way
not only from the words but from the way they are spoken
they are spoken you will make another interesting
you will make another interesting discovery namely that wrong words
discovery namely that wrong words really always have to be spoken
really always have to be spoken harshly or unpleasantly
harshly or unpleasantly the words form their own kind of
the words form their own kind of expression
expression when you're criticizing someone you're
when you're criticizing someone you're not only saying something but you are
not only saying something but you are vitalizing what you say
vitalizing what you say by a peculiar symbolic use of your own
by a peculiar symbolic use of your own voice
voice by uh
by uh they pressure upon your own
they pressure upon your own uh wording and thinking
uh wording and thinking so you will find pressured words
so you will find pressured words you will find words that are barked out
you will find words that are barked out rather than spoken
rather than spoken you will find words that obviously come
you will find words that obviously come too rapidly to be well thought
too rapidly to be well thought you come to all kinds of semantic
you come to all kinds of semantic peculiarities and in a very short time
peculiarities and in a very short time you can tell yourself what you are
you can tell yourself what you are saying that is good and what is not good
saying that is good and what is not good you can learn your own bad habits
you can learn your own bad habits you can also learn how you can say a
you can also learn how you can say a true thing so badly that it is worse
true thing so badly that it is worse than a lie
than a lie you can learn how you can take all the
you can learn how you can take all the beauty out of the ten commandments and
beauty out of the ten commandments and out of the sermon on the mount
out of the sermon on the mount if you use it bitterly to attain some
if you use it bitterly to attain some end of your own
end of your own you learn that behind words are
you learn that behind words are inflections tones that represent the
inflections tones that represent the degree of your own conscious
degree of your own conscious participation
participation in the understanding which you may claim
in the understanding which you may claim to possess
to possess you will also realize
you will also realize that as you gain understanding and
that as you gain understanding and insight and interior interior control
insight and interior interior control that you will speak quietly that you
that you will speak quietly that you will speak gently
will speak gently that you will not shout that you will
that you will not shout that you will not try to dominate conversation
not try to dominate conversation and from the way you very the very way
and from the way you very the very way you speak you can find out which of your
you speak you can find out which of your words are valuable and which are not
words are valuable and which are not you will gradually realize that as you
you will gradually realize that as you relax internally your words will be more
relax internally your words will be more beautiful
beautiful and because they are beautiful they will
and because they are beautiful they will be more valuable
be more valuable it is not necessary to increase a
it is not necessary to increase a vocabulary in order
vocabulary in order to
to say what you really believe
say what you really believe the very simplest of words become
the very simplest of words become garland with beauty
garland with beauty and with meaning and with overtones if
and with meaning and with overtones if they're used from a great source of
they're used from a great source of spiritual strength within yourself
spiritual strength within yourself so little by little through the
so little by little through the observation of your own ways you could
observation of your own ways you could find out how you were wasting energy
find out how you were wasting energy you can find out that every destructive
you can find out that every destructive thought and emotion is a waste
thought and emotion is a waste that every unkind word is a waste
that every unkind word is a waste because it is producing nothing
because it is producing nothing what tears down does no good
what tears down does no good we have to we like to think of course
we have to we like to think of course that we must be critics that we must
that we must be critics that we must constantly pass judgment on things this
constantly pass judgment on things this is not true
is not true we only have to state the truth of the
we only have to state the truth of the thing
thing say it without belligerence say it
say it without belligerence say it without
without any sense of personal
any sense of personal uh dysplasia
uh dysplasia in the presence of the truth
in the presence of the truth uh that which is real will reveal itself
uh that which is real will reveal itself we do not need to fight with error
we do not need to fight with error we do not need to argue with it
we do not need to argue with it all we have to do is have the simple
all we have to do is have the simple facts within our own consciousness they
facts within our own consciousness they will present themselves and defend
will present themselves and defend themselves with a minimum of energy and
themselves with a minimum of energy and a minimum of wasted effort
a minimum of wasted effort so we started by trying to save these
so we started by trying to save these things
things and we observe everything within
and we observe everything within ourselves which tires us out
ourselves which tires us out we realize that whenever we have a bad
we realize that whenever we have a bad mood we have a period of depletion
mood we have a period of depletion so if you wake up in the morning someday
so if you wake up in the morning someday you feel unusually tired a little bit
you feel unusually tired a little bit off kilter
off kilter and you have this idea that you got out
and you have this idea that you got out of bed on the wrong side
of bed on the wrong side begin to think back and see if you
begin to think back and see if you didn't go to bed on the wrong side
didn't go to bed on the wrong side make sure that somewhere within the last
make sure that somewhere within the last few days you haven't broken the pattern
few days you haven't broken the pattern of harmony
of harmony if you are having a bad time with energy
if you are having a bad time with energy see if you cannot relate it to the fact
see if you cannot relate it to the fact that the day before you lost your temper
that the day before you lost your temper or that you did an unpleasant thing of
or that you did an unpleasant thing of some kind or that you got stirred up
some kind or that you got stirred up emotionally or psychologically by some
emotionally or psychologically by some situation
situation i know people who watch the television
i know people who watch the television for two hours and are sick for a week
for two hours and are sick for a week not because they necessarily have even
not because they necessarily have even watched horror plays because there's
watched horror plays because there's nothing more horrible sometimes than a
nothing more horrible sometimes than a news release
news release but at the same time if you take on all
but at the same time if you take on all these things
these things if you get angry at everything
if you get angry at everything if you have no faith in anything if you
if you have no faith in anything if you believe everyone's a liar
believe everyone's a liar this type of attitude you'll carry it
this type of attitude you'll carry it for a while and all of a sudden you're
for a while and all of a sudden you're so tired
so tired you're not only tired but your digestion
you're not only tired but your digestion is ruined your elimination ties up
is ruined your elimination ties up every part of your nature begins to
every part of your nature begins to rebel
rebel very soon you are
very soon you are debilitated you're not happy anymore
debilitated you're not happy anymore you're not healthy
you're not healthy because you cannot be healthy on a life
because you cannot be healthy on a life of criticism no matter how hard you try
of criticism no matter how hard you try now you may believe this criticism is
now you may believe this criticism is justified and that somebody's got to
justified and that somebody's got to stand up and tell the truth
stand up and tell the truth everyone has to stand up and tell the
everyone has to stand up and tell the truth
truth but
but if you quietly rise and quietly tell it
if you quietly rise and quietly tell it you're all right
you're all right but when you get up with a great deal of
but when you get up with a great deal of excitement and instead of telling the
excitement and instead of telling the truth spend all your time trying to
truth spend all your time trying to point out that the other fellow is a
point out that the other fellow is a liar
liar then your energy goes down
then your energy goes down because it's not supposed to be done
because it's not supposed to be done this way
this way so wherever you find
so wherever you find loss of energy look back and see what
loss of energy look back and see what you're doing that is wrong if you're
you're doing that is wrong if you're tired out all the time there is
tired out all the time there is something wrong in your conduct pattern
something wrong in your conduct pattern there has to be
there has to be now perhaps you are trying to carry too
now perhaps you are trying to carry too heavy a
heavy a although research indicates that
although research indicates that responsibility well carried is seldom
responsibility well carried is seldom the cause of exhaustion
the cause of exhaustion the cause of exhaustion is
the cause of exhaustion is escaping of energy into areas where you
escaping of energy into areas where you cannot constructively control it
cannot constructively control it so again simplification helps to bring
so again simplification helps to bring these values into focus
these values into focus we can face any problem that we can
we can face any problem that we can understand
understand to individuals looking at a television
to individuals looking at a television program to one of them it is a very
program to one of them it is a very serious irritation
serious irritation another person looking at the same
another person looking at the same program with a different point of view
program with a different point of view may not be irritated
may not be irritated i know there are cases in which programs
i know there are cases in which programs come along that are very difficult for
come along that are very difficult for some people to watch
some people to watch other people
other people are grateful
are grateful for the ideas that these programs
for the ideas that these programs stimulate although the program itself
stimulate although the program itself might not be the direct cause of the
might not be the direct cause of the association
association but sometimes we learn things and helps
but sometimes we learn things and helps us to know
us to know if we can learn without tension
if we can learn without tension if we can accept without
if we can accept without over acceptance without accepting
over acceptance without accepting anything that is not true
anything that is not true but if we can take all things that come
but if we can take all things that come to us and use them for the enlargement
to us and use them for the enlargement of our own insight they can serve us
of our own insight they can serve us sometimes very indirectly but definitely
sometimes very indirectly but definitely if however we meet these things with
if however we meet these things with resistance we simply de-vitalize
resistance we simply de-vitalize ourselves
ourselves so when you ever we
so when you ever we begin to note that the energy supply is
begin to note that the energy supply is inadequate then comes the time to look
inadequate then comes the time to look back
back and see what we are doing that we no
and see what we are doing that we no longer have to do
longer have to do how we can get away from this complex
how we can get away from this complex situation by giving up a bad habit
situation by giving up a bad habit if we do not give up the bad habit it
if we do not give up the bad habit it will lead us to the grave there's no
will lead us to the grave there's no escaping
escaping we cannot bargain with a bad habit
we cannot bargain with a bad habit we cannot say we'll do what we please
we cannot say we'll do what we please and correct it later
and correct it later we have to face
we have to face the inevitable consequences of action
the inevitable consequences of action if people would just realize this
if people would just realize this they could say to themselves very
they could say to themselves very sharply very definitely when the need
sharply very definitely when the need arises it would be very nice at this
arises it would be very nice at this moment for me to get mad at someone
moment for me to get mad at someone but i can't afford it i simply cannot
but i can't afford it i simply cannot afford it
afford it or at some other occasion we say well
or at some other occasion we say well that person over there is talking making
that person over there is talking making a perfect fool out of himself i think
a perfect fool out of himself i think i'll go over and correct him
i'll go over and correct him i think i will talk louder than he does
i think i will talk louder than he does i will say all kinds of things more
i will say all kinds of things more rapidly than he can say them and i'll
rapidly than he can say them and i'll show our wrong ears
show our wrong ears then we have to pause
then we have to pause to decide which one of the biblical
to decide which one of the biblical admonitions we are going to follow
admonitions we are going to follow and the bible is so convenient to these
and the bible is so convenient to these matters
matters i remember two verses bearing on this
i remember two verses bearing on this subject one says answer a fool according
subject one says answer a fool according to his folly and not far away is another
to his folly and not far away is another verse answer not a fool according to his
verse answer not a fool according to his folly you can make your own choice
but i think either way you think of it is that the answer is as foolish as the
is that the answer is as foolish as the fool himself
fool himself so we can decide where our values lie
so we can decide where our values lie we can look at problems and we can say
we can look at problems and we can say the principles are
the principles are thus
thus the principle of this matter is that i
the principle of this matter is that i should have tolerance
should have tolerance at the moment i feel exactly as though
at the moment i feel exactly as though i'd like to be intolerant
i'd like to be intolerant but i can't afford it
but i can't afford it we cannot afford to break the rules
we cannot afford to break the rules we cannot afford the smallest thing to
we cannot afford the smallest thing to break them
break them the parent can't afford to break them in
the parent can't afford to break them in working with the child who wears it out
working with the child who wears it out and worries it to distraction
and worries it to distraction it isn't the child who causes the
it isn't the child who causes the distraction finally it's the fact that
distraction finally it's the fact that we become tired we are fatigued we can
we become tired we are fatigued we can no longer handle these things
no longer handle these things but if we can achieve a quietude within
but if we can achieve a quietude within ourselves we can handle them
ourselves we can handle them and whenever we have an outburst even
and whenever we have an outburst even though it is the most righteous form of
though it is the most righteous form of indignation we have heard something
indignation we have heard something nature does not want it that way
nature does not want it that way nature does not want negative vibrations
nature does not want negative vibrations to be released into space by anybody
to be released into space by anybody for any reason
for any reason everything must be cured by an insight
everything must be cured by an insight greater than the problem and if we grow
greater than the problem and if we grow bigger than the problem we can solve it
bigger than the problem we can solve it simply and directly
simply and directly if it is greater than we are it is
if it is greater than we are it is unsolvable no matter how loudly we shout
unsolvable no matter how loudly we shout so we say save energy conserve resources
so we say save energy conserve resources reduce tension and try
reduce tension and try to keep
to keep all of our vital resources
all of our vital resources for the long pull
for the long pull if we have to use energy we want to use
if we have to use energy we want to use it creatively
it creatively if we want to use it creatively it's far
if we want to use it creatively it's far better for this energy to be used in the
better for this energy to be used in the writing of a beautiful point
writing of a beautiful point or in the making of a wonderful painting
or in the making of a wonderful painting or the molding of a beautiful piece of
or the molding of a beautiful piece of ceramics whatever energy we have should
ceramics whatever energy we have should be used for good purpose
be used for good purpose if we use it for good purpose
if we use it for good purpose nature will not penalize
nature will not penalize us now it seems sometimes i know that
us now it seems sometimes i know that i know a case where a person
i know a case where a person really had a wonderful time being
really had a wonderful time being disagreeable
disagreeable they really did a splendid job of it
they really did a splendid job of it they enjoyed every moment of it
they enjoyed every moment of it they they got a feedish look in their
they they got a feedish look in their eye when they were saying something that
eye when they were saying something that hurt somebody it was a look of triumph
hurt somebody it was a look of triumph if they could get the other person
if they could get the other person discomforted
discomforted this individual couldn't reason
this individual couldn't reason they liked it that way they'd never had
they liked it that way they'd never had so much fun in their life as when they
so much fun in their life as when they were trying to embarrass somebody else
were trying to embarrass somebody else [Music]
[Music] after about 20 years of this they landed
after about 20 years of this they landed as most people do with this type of a
as most people do with this type of a problem in the psychiatrist's office
problem in the psychiatrist's office and from that point on they didn't have
and from that point on they didn't have any fun at all
from that time on they were miserable they discovered gradually at great
they discovered gradually at great expense that this attitude had led the
expense that this attitude had led the way to another
way to another vast span of time 10 or 15 years it took
vast span of time 10 or 15 years it took getting over having fun doing the wrong
getting over having fun doing the wrong thing
thing this person finally
this person finally reached the point where their
reached the point where their temperament
temperament was completely out of control
was completely out of control they had
they had destroyed
destroyed the integrity of their lives doing what
the integrity of their lives doing what they wanted to do
they wanted to do then came that great period of
then came that great period of repentance
repentance but repentance is expensive it is not
but repentance is expensive it is not easy to repent your problems over a
easy to repent your problems over a period of years at 25 an hour
period of years at 25 an hour you begin to wish you thought
you begin to wish you thought differently
differently so wherever there seems to be any reward
so wherever there seems to be any reward for the wrong thing
for the wrong thing let us always bear in mind that it is
let us always bear in mind that it is accumulative and that it will ultimately
accumulative and that it will ultimately get us if we do not change our ways
so simplicity also points out to us the importance of the fact that simple
importance of the fact that simple direct things are easier to get over
direct things are easier to get over if we make a small quiet mistake we may
if we make a small quiet mistake we may survive it if we make a loud enough one
survive it if we make a loud enough one we're in a very bad way
we're in a very bad way if we make minor errors due to poor
if we make minor errors due to poor judgment but our hearts are in the right
judgment but our hearts are in the right place
place and we have not become
and we have not become unpleasant if we have not forced a
unpleasant if we have not forced a negative situation
negative situation uh unduly we can correct small mistakes
uh unduly we can correct small mistakes the individual making a hesitant brush
the individual making a hesitant brush stroke or a pencil line can erase it if
stroke or a pencil line can erase it if need
need but if he covers the whole paper with
but if he covers the whole paper with the wrong design then he has to throw it
the wrong design then he has to throw it away and start over again
away and start over again in psychology we see so much of this
in psychology we see so much of this tremendous impulse art
tremendous impulse art where the individual is simply fighting
where the individual is simply fighting constantly with this desperate
constantly with this desperate determination to achieve certain
determination to achieve certain purposes
purposes these purposes are wrong the individual
these purposes are wrong the individual is in trouble all the time
we can imagine the ideal situation if it could be possible for man to attain it
could be possible for man to attain it an ideal situation of gracious living
an ideal situation of gracious living of gracious simple relationship with
of gracious simple relationship with life
life of the individual who finds
of the individual who finds that the simplest and most gracious
that the simplest and most gracious types of environment
types of environment simplicity in clothing
simplicity in clothing simplicity in attitude
simplicity in attitude to live simply to eat simply to think
to live simply to eat simply to think simply but deeply
simply but deeply to fill all available part of life that
to fill all available part of life that is ours to fill when the
is ours to fill when the responsibilities are finished
responsibilities are finished with gracious simple quiet gentle
with gracious simple quiet gentle activities
activities we think probably we'd be bored to death
we think probably we'd be bored to death but we wouldn't after once we become
but we wouldn't after once we become accustomed
accustomed to the joys of reflection and peace
to the joys of reflection and peace and harmony
and harmony western man has so little experience of
western man has so little experience of the beauty
the beauty and and desirability of peace
and and desirability of peace to us everything has to be shattering it
to us everything has to be shattering it has to be colossal it has to be dramatic
has to be colossal it has to be dramatic therefore we are the most tired people
therefore we are the most tired people on earth
on earth we take more stimulants and more
we take more stimulants and more sedations in this country
sedations in this country than all the rest of the world put
than all the rest of the world put together simply because we are
together simply because we are under a constant pressure
under a constant pressure if we reduce life
if we reduce life to a livable state
to a livable state if we have the quiet dude to sit down
if we have the quiet dude to sit down read a little while take a little while
read a little while take a little while maybe have a small god do a few things
maybe have a small god do a few things in it
in it write a poem
write a poem quietly and gently
quietly and gently contemplate the tremendous values of
contemplate the tremendous values of life
life have one or two sincere friends and
have one or two sincere friends and share with them without trying to
share with them without trying to overwhelm them
overwhelm them and little by little reduce life to a
and little by little reduce life to a livable state
livable state the individual will then have
the individual will then have a great deal more energy for valuable
a great deal more energy for valuable things
things he would also find that instead of being
he would also find that instead of being bored by this simplicity that for the
bored by this simplicity that for the first time he is able to enter into a
first time he is able to enter into a deeper relationship with value
deeper relationship with value life becomes more interesting every day
life becomes more interesting every day when we simplify it
when we simplify it you would also find that his mind will
you would also find that his mind will turn from matters of little importance
turn from matters of little importance to things which are of greater
to things which are of greater substantial value
substantial value things which have lasting meaning
things which have lasting meaning that instead of worrying he will use
that instead of worrying he will use this same time to understand which is
this same time to understand which is the important thing
the important thing not so much that we learn all the time
not so much that we learn all the time but that every day every opportunity
but that every day every opportunity broadens the foundations of
broadens the foundations of understanding
understanding understanding is meaning it is the
understanding is meaning it is the putting of meaning into things or the
putting of meaning into things or the discovery of the true meaning that is in
discovery of the true meaning that is in them
them the life lived in meaning is terribly
the life lived in meaning is terribly important
important and this meeting can only come when we
and this meeting can only come when we are quiet enough
are quiet enough uh to accept it to investigate it to
uh to accept it to investigate it to consider it to seek for it
consider it to seek for it if you are looking at a picture maybe
if you are looking at a picture maybe you go to a great gallery you see a fine
you go to a great gallery you see a fine painting
painting the first time you look at it you don't
the first time you look at it you don't understand it you can't
understand it you can't you gain a certain
you gain a certain tremendous overall sense of that picture
tremendous overall sense of that picture but it is only after a long time that
but it is only after a long time that this picture really begins to mean
this picture really begins to mean something to you
something to you i had a friend many years ago was a
i had a friend many years ago was a great authority on wagnerian music
great authority on wagnerian music which is a difficult music wagner has
which is a difficult music wagner has many friends and enemies and music
many friends and enemies and music but this individual particularly like
but this individual particularly like that which has later been demonstrated
that which has later been demonstrated or gradually came to be recognized as
or gradually came to be recognized as wagner's greatest achievement and that
wagner's greatest achievement and that is the tristan of his only music
is the tristan of his only music this person said that they really began
this person said that they really began to understand tristan
to understand tristan after the 50th listening to the opera
after the 50th listening to the opera after listening 50 times with the score
after listening 50 times with the score they began to know what it meant
they began to know what it meant though it's the same thing in travel
though it's the same thing in travel if you go to a country and stay two
if you go to a country and stay two weeks you're an authority on it
weeks you're an authority on it if you live there for a year you know
if you live there for a year you know nothing about it
nothing about it if you live there for 20 years you begin
if you live there for 20 years you begin to understand it
to understand it so whatever you're doing you cannot
so whatever you're doing you cannot instantly command it
instantly command it you cannot take any subject that is of
you cannot take any subject that is of any value
any value and simply eat it
and simply eat it whole
whole devour it
devour it you have to live with it you have to
you have to live with it you have to relax to it you have to allow its
relax to it you have to allow its meaning to grow and unfold within
meaning to grow and unfold within yourself
yourself the only way this could happen
the only way this could happen whether it's philosophy or religion or
whether it's philosophy or religion or science or psychology or art or music or
science or psychology or art or music or literature
literature whatever it may be
whatever it may be you have to
you have to you have to become a friend of what you
you have to become a friend of what you want to understand
want to understand you have to gain a quiet
you have to gain a quiet honorable relationship
honorable relationship you have to give time to it and thought
you have to give time to it and thought to it and a certain amount of basic
to it and a certain amount of basic energy to it
energy to it if you're hurried all the time if you're
if you're hurried all the time if you're constantly changing from one subject to
constantly changing from one subject to another if you're meeting every
another if you're meeting every emergency with every available ounce of
emergency with every available ounce of energy
energy you can never get under the surface of
you can never get under the surface of anything
anything your energy is all gone your time is all
your energy is all gone your time is all gone
gone wasted used up
wasted used up uh dissipated without any production
uh dissipated without any production whatever
whatever if however you can simplify life to the
if however you can simplify life to the point that you have a few hours now and
point that you have a few hours now and then
then hours that have been rescued from trivia
hours that have been rescued from trivia hours that you once used to worry with
hours that you once used to worry with hours that you once used uh for argument
hours that you once used uh for argument or dissertation on useless subjects
or dissertation on useless subjects hours that were once
hours that were once spent trying to
spent trying to take care of great an establishment
take care of great an establishment uh trying to work too hard for an
uh trying to work too hard for an extravagant code of life that you could
extravagant code of life that you could do nothing with anyway
do nothing with anyway if you could rescue this time you could
if you could rescue this time you could then sit down quietly with it
then sit down quietly with it and with this quietude you can begin to
and with this quietude you can begin to understand things
understand things you can begin to penetrate into the
you can begin to penetrate into the source of things
source of things and every amount of energy that you
and every amount of energy that you conserve by the simplification of life
conserve by the simplification of life gives you penetrating power in areas
gives you penetrating power in areas where you really want to know something
you can quietly understand friendship but it will take years
but it will take years you can quietly understand the needs of
you can quietly understand the needs of children but it will take time
children but it will take time it takes time and relaxed energy
it takes time and relaxed energy but quietly understanding thinking
but quietly understanding thinking bringing together all the insight that
bringing together all the insight that you have you can do these things
you have you can do these things peacefully in an orderly way without
peacefully in an orderly way without destruction
destruction and a half hour of very quiet
and a half hour of very quiet recognition of the values of a situation
recognition of the values of a situation may save you a half hour
may save you a half hour mental or emotional outburst the next
mental or emotional outburst the next day
day the quiet
the quiet energizing the quiet visualization of
energizing the quiet visualization of the situation took a few units of energy
the situation took a few units of energy the anger arising from not understanding
the anger arising from not understanding takes hundreds of units of energy
takes hundreds of units of energy so by solving these problems quietly you
so by solving these problems quietly you lengthen your own life expectancy and
lengthen your own life expectancy and increase your usefulness
increase your usefulness most of all also however you come nearer
most of all also however you come nearer to the true solution
to the true solution in as much as the true solution must
in as much as the true solution must come from quiet thoughtfulness
come from quiet thoughtfulness so simplicity simply takes away all of
so simplicity simply takes away all of these factors that are not very valuable
these factors that are not very valuable and by reducing the waste
and by reducing the waste you rescue time and energy for yourself
you rescue time and energy for yourself by ordering confusion you rescue your
by ordering confusion you rescue your own peace of mind
own peace of mind so when you gradually eliminate
so when you gradually eliminate confusion you can think the person who
confusion you can think the person who is mad one minute and happy the next is
is mad one minute and happy the next is unable to think
unable to think it is only when we are quiet
it is only when we are quiet when we have a deep well-organized
when we have a deep well-organized rhythm of life that we can ever get at
rhythm of life that we can ever get at the values of things
the values of things so by simplifying away the confusion
so by simplifying away the confusion simplifying away the things that have no
simplifying away the things that have no real meaning
real meaning we come at the end to a very simple
we come at the end to a very simple approach to the things that have real
approach to the things that have real meaning
meaning and out of this comes solution and out
and out of this comes solution and out of solution comes regeneration of
of solution comes regeneration of character and code conduct
character and code conduct and we really find that it is possible
and we really find that it is possible for us to be enlightened human beings
for us to be enlightened human beings man has so many wonderful values in him
man has so many wonderful values in him that he never permits himself to express
that he never permits himself to express and he keeps the surface of his nature
and he keeps the surface of his nature so agitated by the winds of circumstance
so agitated by the winds of circumstance that we never know the deep ocean of
that we never know the deep ocean of value that lies underneath
value that lies underneath but when we simplify
but when we simplify then we become aware of the of the depth
then we become aware of the of the depth of the human being
of the human being by simplifying our attitudes we
by simplifying our attitudes we understand better these days
understand better these days by approaching the other person with
by approaching the other person with these simplified attitudes we understand
these simplified attitudes we understand his depths we get beneath this tendency
his depths we get beneath this tendency to critic criticize or condemn or to
to critic criticize or condemn or to pass quick judgment
pass quick judgment and we begin to sense the human being
and we begin to sense the human being was there and out of this comes
was there and out of this comes experience and insight and understanding
experience and insight and understanding so make life as smooth as you can
so make life as smooth as you can quiet it down
quiet it down put it in order get rid of the things
put it in order get rid of the things that will never pay off
that will never pay off get rid of the attitudes that will never
get rid of the attitudes that will never permit you to think
permit you to think get rid of the emotional pressures that
get rid of the emotional pressures that will never permit you to love or be a
will never permit you to love or be a friend to anything
friend to anything reduce these bring them down to their
reduce these bring them down to their quietudes to their simple honesties to
quietudes to their simple honesties to their natural directness
their natural directness and you will not only
and you will not only live longer but the years of life will
live longer but the years of life will be richer and you will have better
be richer and you will have better health and those critical periods
health and those critical periods when the person who has wasted energy no
when the person who has wasted energy no longer has any available at all
longer has any available at all so if you want to have happiness ahead
so if you want to have happiness ahead relax now if you want to have more
relax now if you want to have more energy later save it now
energy later save it now if you were to have greater insight
if you were to have greater insight tomorrow than you have today
tomorrow than you have today relax
relax simplify life and bring to tomorrow a
simplify life and bring to tomorrow a personality as far as possible free from
personality as far as possible free from ulterior motives and ulterior pressures
ulterior motives and ulterior pressures if you could do that
if you could do that you would have nearly as many health
you would have nearly as many health problems
problems to face as those who are thoughtless
to face as those who are thoughtless simplicity pays off
simplicity pays off it pays off every day
it pays off every day world time is up so i think we'll have
world time is up so i think we'll have to
well now we have a few announcements that i think we'll want to make first of
that i think we'll want to make first of all
all uh we have a little booklet called 10
uh we have a little booklet called 10 rules basic rules for better living
rules basic rules for better living which we think will help
which we think will help don't forget to let us have your names
don't forget to let us have your names for the mailing list if we
for the mailing list if we are not sending you a program regularly
are not sending you a program regularly we would be very happy to do so
we would be very happy to do so our most recent publication is words to
our most recent publication is words to the wise which is available on the table
the wise which is available on the table and as it has been out of print for very
and as it has been out of print for very many years
many years the chances are it'd be a useful
the chances are it'd be a useful christmas present to friends who you
christmas present to friends who you know uh have many of our other writings
know uh have many of our other writings the chances are they do not have that
the chances are they do not have that one
one i might also announce that in our gift
i might also announce that in our gift shop we have several things now i've
shop we have several things now i've been away in san francisco
been away in san francisco uh
uh ever since uh thursday morning so i
ever since uh thursday morning so i don't know what this is all about but it
don't know what this is all about but it says here that there are some christmas
says here that there are some christmas fruit cakes in the gift shop
fruit cakes in the gift shop and as i should not have them you can
and as i should not have them you can really understand that it's not at all
really understand that it's not at all desirable for me to have fruitcakes
desirable for me to have fruitcakes i hope you will buy them so that there
i hope you will buy them so that there won't be any left attempt me so anyway i
won't be any left attempt me so anyway i think you'll have an interesting time
think you'll have an interesting time looking them over
looking them over don't forget the gift shop you also will
don't forget the gift shop you also will find some last minute things such as
find some last minute things such as cards and small presents for your
cards and small presents for your friends or gift certificate which will
friends or gift certificate which will enable them to come in and select
enable them to come in and select something they might like after
something they might like after christmas if you're not sure what they
christmas if you're not sure what they would like
would like also let me remind you of the library we
also let me remind you of the library we are still exhibiting this story of the
are still exhibiting this story of the word which has had very wide recognition
word which has had very wide recognition as being an important educational
as being an important educational exhibit so we hope you will see or go
exhibit so we hope you will see or go there and visit this record of nearly 5
there and visit this record of nearly 5 000 years of man's effort
000 years of man's effort to express his own convictions
to express his own convictions speaking about this expression there is
speaking about this expression there is some very wonderful simplicity
some very wonderful simplicity one of the great things about the
one of the great things about the scriptural writings of most people
scriptural writings of most people is that of all literature they are the
is that of all literature they are the most simple
most simple there are more
there are more uh
uh ideas contained in one and two syllable
ideas contained in one and two syllable words
words in the new testament that you will find
in the new testament that you will find almost anywhere else in the literature
almost anywhere else in the literature of the world
of the world the parables the simple statements of
the parables the simple statements of things
things these are the things that live
these are the things that live and when we can begin to think simply uh
and when we can begin to think simply uh we begin to think with the ages we begin
we begin to think with the ages we begin to think of those things that endure we
to think of those things that endure we think you will enjoy this exhibition in
think you will enjoy this exhibition in the library and we hope you will visit
the library and we hope you will visit there you will also find a number of
there you will also find a number of prints and interesting objects which
prints and interesting objects which might perhaps also serve your christmas
might perhaps also serve your christmas shopping
shopping on wednesday evening of this week there
on wednesday evening of this week there will be no lecture here
will be no lecture here but the gift shop will be open wednesday
but the gift shop will be open wednesday evening
evening for those who might have a little time
for those who might have a little time at that time and i i'm not sure but uh i
at that time and i i'm not sure but uh i i suspect that
i suspect that if they friends on wednesday evening
if they friends on wednesday evening should want to see the library that that
should want to see the library that that would also be possible
would also be possible so we hope that you will be interested
so we hope that you will be interested in the uh various books and publications
in the uh various books and publications that we have to use them as christmas
that we have to use them as christmas gifts or magazine subscriptions which
gifts or magazine subscriptions which you may find helpful
you may find helpful give ideas if you can that's much better
give ideas if you can that's much better than another necktie the fellow already
than another necktie the fellow already probably has one
probably has one the uh it's too late now really perhaps
the uh it's too late now really perhaps to buy our books and read them first and
to buy our books and read them first and then give them to your friends which we
then give them to your friends which we recommend for the thrifty minded but you
recommend for the thrifty minded but you have another out also
have another out also buy them now give them to your friends
buy them now give them to your friends borrow them afterwards and read them
borrow them afterwards and read them anyway do as much of our of your
anyway do as much of our of your shopping as you can with us thank you
shopping as you can with us thank you very much
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