Finding True Magic, the blog

“The thought manifests as the word. Word manifests as the deed. Deed develops into habit. And habit hardens into character.”   — Buddha

#5. Align your thoughts, words, and actions with your deepest convictions.

Mahatma Ghandi said, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

What is it that the rare, great ones — the geniuses of wisdom and kindness — all have in common? When we consider someone like Ghandiji, it’s easy to see that he didn’t just think nonviolence was a good idea, and stop there. Ghandi didn’t just preach nonviolence and stop there, either. What caused people to called Mohandas K. Ghandi “mahatma” — great soul — was that his whole being was headed in a single direction, based on a single, great purpose of attaining freedom through peaceful means. His commitment to this goal was wholly present in him, which is why it made sense for him to respond (when asked for a “message” for his followers), “My life is my message.”

Biographers, reporters, friends and even opponents of Ghandi all remarked on his rare good humor. Despite the many obstacles he faced during the decades that he struggled for his country’s freedom, Ghandi generated happiness in his thoughts, words, and actions. His happiness didn’t just satisfy Ghandi himself; it inspired an entire generation.

We revere Ghandi not for one part of his life’s work, but for the message made by the whole of his life: his beliefs and convictions about nonviolence (his thoughts), his guidance on nonviolence to others in public speeches (his words) and most of all his courage in responding peacefully when confronted with the violence of others (his actions). So many years after his death, Ghandi’s life and message are still generating happiness: when things look bleak and obstacles seem insurmountable, peacemakers and other activists still look to him as a compass, to find their own true North.

Happiness comes in many forms, but we are happy when our words and actions are full of integrity and authenticity. When we know our own mind, speak our own mind, living and making daily choices in agreement with our deepest convictions (”I am 100% committed to living nonviolently”) we are happy.

May all beings be happy and free! May our compassion for all beings, ourselves included, continue to increase!

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Jack Elias, CHT is founder and director of the Institute for Therapeutic Learning in Seattle, Washington. He is the author of Finding True Magic: Transpersonal Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy/NLP, a book and course which blends NLP training modalities with philosophical traditions of both East and West. Jack offers private sessions in Lucid Heart Therapy and Life Coaching. He offers live trainings and distance learning trainings in Transpersonal Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy/NLP. Jack also presents keynotes and other programs to teach audiences how to use the techniques of  Transpersonal Hypnotherapy/NLP to achieve success, confidence, and a consistent sense of well-being.  Book Jack Elias to speak to your group or organization.