First a story:
A disciple and his teacher were walking
through the forest.
He asked his teacher, “Why do only a few
possess a calm mind?
The teacher spoke, “An elephant was once
picking leaves from a tree. A small fly came buzzing near his ear. The elephant
waved it away with his long ears. The fly came again, and the elephant waved it
away once more.
“This was repeated several times. The
elephant asked the fly: ‘Why are you so restless and noisy? Why can’t you stay
for a while in one place?’ The fly answered: ‘I am attracted to whatever I see,
hear or smell.
My five senses, and everything that happens
around me, pull me constantly in all directions and I cannot resist them. What
is your secret? How can you stay so calm and still?’
“The elephant stopped eating and said: ‘My
five senses do not rule my attention. I am in control of my attention, and I
can direct it wherever I want. This helps me to get immersed in whatever I do,
and therefore, my mind is focused and calm. Now that I am eating, I am
completely immersed in eating. ‘”
Upon hearing these words, the disciple’s
eyes opened wide. He looked at his teacher and said, “I understand! My mind
will be in constant unrest if my five senses; and whatever is happening in the
world around me are distracting me. On the other hand, if I am in command of my
five senses, I can disregard sense impressions, and my mind will become calm.”
“Yes, that’s right,” answered the teacher.
“The mind is restless and goes wherever the attention is. Control your
attention and you control your mind.”
Source: http://mythologystories.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/calmness/
Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it - Brian Tracy
Calmness is about serenity, tranquility, and peace of
mind. You are not disturbed easily because calmness is strength:
1. Clarity:
Your mind is not cluttered. You are not thinking about anything else but what
you need to do now. It can be an assignment, a problem to solve, an idea for a
new article, or planning for your next trip. You can think clearly, rationally
and you can decide wisely.
2. Focus:
As your mind is like a calm lake without ripples, you are focused on the task at
hand. A calm mind facilitates a flow experience at work. It is productive.
Working with concentration gives you job satisfaction and a sense of
well-being.
Being
relaxed, at peace with yourself, confident, emotionally neutral loose, and
free-floating –these are the keys to successful performance in almost
everything - Wayne W. Dyer
4. Anti
stress: Calmness is the best way to fight stress. You are able to breathe
slowly, attend to your work with undivided attention under challenging conditions.
Never
be in a hurry, do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your
inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset - Francis
de Sales
5. Enhance
Health: When your mind is not at ease because there are outstanding issues
bugging you, you can’t relax and you can’t go to sleep with peace of mind. A
mind in turbulence is stressful. Learn
to forgive and let go; live in calmness and enjoy a good night’s sleep.
6. Live
in the moment: When you are calm you are not anxious and worrying; your mind is
at peace and you pay attention to each passing moment. You enjoy what you do one thing at a time.
7. Avoid
negative impulse actions: When you are calm you will not get agitated easily. You
are composed under hostile conditions. You are perceived by others to be
confident when you stay calm.
Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous
desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought. - Thucydides
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