9 Tips for Success in Life as Dada Vaswani Advises Us

Photo: Dada gave his DRISHTI and blessed all on his 92nd birthday.
Credit: sadhuvaswani.org: Sadhu Vaswani Mission News & Updates

"Can you give us a software for success?"

From “Dada Answers - Questions you have always wished to ask" by J.P. Vaswani
(Gita Publishing House, Pune, India), page 302

Dada’s simple answers on his nine steps for success:

1. Do only that which you feel is right and true. Nothing in life brings about failure more surely than lack of integrity.
2. Do your best each day. Let this be the motto of your life: “only the best is good enough for me”. When you give to the world the best you have, the best will come back to you.
3. Fully trust in the divine wisdom that designs and orders the scheme of things.
4. Plan for today. Budget your time. The truly successful man fits 26 hours into a day of 24, cutting down waste. Take care of every moment of your life.
5. Begin the day right! Wake up each morning, full of hope and expectation.
6. Never give up. Persistence is the law of success!
7. Tact is better than talent.
8. Stay young all your life. Age is a state of mind.
9. Reach out to others. You succeed in the measure in which you help others to succeed.

Because my family knows how much I admire Dada Vaswani for his spiritual thinking and being they sent me his book “Dada Answers - Questions you have always wished to ask" (Gita Publishing House, Pune, India). The impact that this humble man, with the tale of love and compassion for all living things, has on people, is impossible to measure. He is highly regarded amongst his peers and has spoken at the UNO on universal peace and has been the recipient of several honors, including the prestigious U Thant Peace Award.

When I read the book I was amazed how the author addresses answers for complex life issues in such simple manner and language. Simple concepts, but often difficult to tackle on your own, it is almost as if one would benefit from a To-Do-List, and Dada Vaswani shares with us his 9 steps for success in life. Over the next few weeks we will explore each of these points in more depth.

Next week we will discuss the first point: do only which you feel is right and true.

From Chaos to Order

Single tree in grass field
Credit: MS Office: 00438698_.jpg

Holistic psychotherapy promotes an integration of wellbeing on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. When all these three aspects reach their peak, then there is harmony and a sense of wellbeing in a person. In the process of moving towards this "perfection" we evolve in an upward spiral of order and then chaos to a higher level of order through chaos or disease to an even higher level, etc.

Chaos is a stepping stone from one level of order to the next higher level. Everyone experiences this, whether or not they are conscious of it. Each new level of order is a new level of health (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual).. It may be a combination or all of them. Chaos only becomes a disease when we get stuck in the chaos without breaking through to a higher level of order. We might say to ourselves: "this does not feel good," or "maybe something is out of synch".

When we become "stuck" within a chaotic pattern, without learning or evolving through it, that’s when we disrupt our natural energy flow, creating stress and disease. Order-chaos-order happens on a regular basis. It is a cycle that can be used to help us evolve. Chaos is one of the biggest teachers. Most people’s lives have a certain amount of chaos each day and our response can be constructive or destructive.

As a therapist, I help people to break through the chaos to a higher level of peace and serenity. The method I often use: Focusing, is a way of getting to the core of the issues and then gently transforming the obstacles.

Look out for the next post where I will elaborate on the method Focusing further.

Be in the World, Not of the World

Businessman on mobile phone
Credit: MS Office: 00443129_.jpg

In an attempt to find happiness, we often tend to increase the complexity of our lives to a point of no return. For example: BlackBerries, iPods, Facebook, Twitter, cell phones etc…keep us occupied almost all day (and night).

We seem to be relying on outer stimuli to have some meaning in life, to find some importance in ourselves, to fill the emptiness within. As if, without the outside stimuli, the silence would be deafening to us.

Is there a fear that if we are on our own, without the outer stimuli, that we may be forced to get our inner stimuli going? Fear to look within of what we may or may not find? Fear of knowing your inner self is quite natural; often we think that there are “monsters” hidden in there, because we may not have positive feelings about ourselves.

We can take ourselves gently by the hand and find a peaceful place within, where we can make some space to experience our true inner beauty. You can try to see yourself as a little vulnerable, innocent child. Now you can, as the grown up and wise adult embrace and comfort the child and give it all the love it needs. Getting to know your true self is what may give you inner peace.

As a therapist, I guide people to find their peaceful place and from there to discover what is standing in their way to overcome their "blocks".