Don’t let people or things disturb you. Some people go through their whole lives without being aware that we have the power to regulate whether other people will disturb them or not. Incredible as it may seem, you have the power to decide whether someone or something will steal your peace of mind.

It’s all about your focus. If you’re focused on external things, such as making money and what others think about you, then, naturally, you’ll be totally swayed by things and people. You’ll feel every up and down and you’ll be in a constant state of anxiousness about what’s going to happen next. Foolishly, this is how I went about my life for a long time. I know from my own experience that this is no way to live.

The alternative is to gradually shift your focus to your performance, in other words, your actions and your state of consciousness. This shift is at the heart of the 3T Path, the path of self-improvement and self-realization in yoga. It’s deceptively simple.

Notice the big difference between the two. You have, basically, zero control over external things and the actions of other people. How can you be happy when your happiness depends on things you have zero control over? It’s not going to work. That’s why most people go through life miserable, anxious and frustrated. But you can develop total control over your actions and your state of consciousness. You can take full satisfaction in doing your best and experience the bliss of inner peace and bhakti.

Check out my video on this here.

Just as our bodies need shelter to stay healthy, so too our inner selves need a refuge for restoration and growth.  We need to create an inner space and refuge to where we can and should retreat to once every day, if not several times a day.  Here are 5 tips on how to do this.

  1. Silence and solitude: find a place to be alone and in silence. This is a special moment of the day, have some quality time with yourself.
  2. Total honesty: this inner space must be one of total honesty. Be honest with yourself. Face your fears. Hear your doubts.
  3. Inner peace: get a feel for your inner peace, what’s blocking it, what’s facilitating it. Get a feel for what’s giving you anxiety and why it’s giving you anxiety. What’s making you feel in harmony, what’s blocking it.
  4. Soul time: evaluate your connection. How connected are you to yourself? How connected are you to God. How much of your life is based on connection and service, and how much is trivial and superficial?
  5. Personalize the experience: you may want to create an image of your inner space, or a smell, or other sensation. You may want to do some deep breathing to go with it. You may want to start with a mantra or prayer. Adjust the experience to make your inner space and refuge as secure and welcoming as possible.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of this practice. There can be no self-improvement or self-realization without directing your attention to your inner self.

Check out my video on the subject for more on this.