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The Power of Concentration by Theron Q. Dumont, LESSON XIV. THE ART OF CONCENTRATING BY MEANS OF PRACTICAL EXERCISES (2)

LESSON XIV. THE ART OF CONCENTRATING BY MEANS OF PRACTICAL EXERCISES (2)

Exercise 7

Concentration Increases the Sense of Smell. When you take a walk, or drive in the country, or pass a flower garden, concentrate on the odor of flowers and plants. See how many different kinds you can detect. Then choose one particular kind and try to sense only this. You will find that this strongly intensifies the sense of smell. This differentiation requires, however, a peculiarly attentive attitude. When sense of smell is being developed, you should not only shut out from the mind every thought but that of odor, but you should also shut out cognizance of every odor save that upon which your mind, for the time, is concentrated.

You call find plenty of opportunity for exercises for developing the sense of smell. When you are out in the air, be on the alert for the different odors. You will find the air laden with all kinds, but let your concentration upon the one selected be such that a scent of its fragrance in after years will vividly recall the circumstances of this exercise.

The object of these exercises is to develop concentrated attention, and you will find that you can, through their practice, control your mind and direct your thoughts just the same as you can your arm.

Exercise 8

Concentration on the Within. Lie down and thoroughly relax your muscles. Concentrate on the beating of your heart. Do not pay any attention to anything else. Think how this great organ is pumping the blood to every part of the body; try to actually picture the blood leaving the great reservoir and going in one stream right down to the toes. Picture another going down the arms to the tips of the fingers. After a little practice you can actually feel the blood passing through your system.

If, at any time, you feel weak in any part of the body, will that an extra supply of blood shall go there. For instance, if your eyes feel tired, picture the blood coming from the heart, passing up through the head and out to the eyes. You can wonderfully increase your strength by this exercise. Men have been able to gain such control over the heart that they have actually stopped it from beating for five minutes. This, however, is not without danger, and is not to be practiced by the novice.

I have found the following a very helpful exercise to take just before going to bed and on rising in the morning: Say to yourself, "Every cell in my body thrills with life; every part of my body is strong and healthy." I have known a number of people to greatly improve their health in this way. You become what you picture yourself to be. If your mind thinks of sickness in connection with self you will be sick. If you imagine yourself in strong, vigorous health, the image will be realized. You will be healthy.

Exercise 9

Concentrating on Sleep. What is known as the water method is, although very simple, very effective in inducing sleep.

Put a full glass of clear water on a table in your sleeping room. Sit in a chair beside the table and gaze into the glass of water and think how calm it is. Then picture yourself , getting into just as calm a state. In a short time you will find the nerves becoming quiet and you will be able to go to sleep. Sometimes it is good to picture yourself becoming drowsy to induce sleep, and, again, the most persistent insomnia has been overcome by one thinking of himself as some inanimate object—for instance, a hollow log in the depths of the cool, quiet forest.

Those who are troubled with insomnia will find these sleep exercises that quiet the nerves very effective. Just keep the idea in your mind that there is no difficulty in going to sleep; banish all fear of insomnia. Practice these exercises and you will sleep.

By this time you should have awakened to the possibilities of concentration and have become aware of the important part it plays in your life.

Exercise 10

Concentration Will Save Energy and Appearance. Watch yourself and see if you are not in the habit of moving your hands, thumping something with your fingers or twirling your mustache. Some have the habit of keeping their feet going, as, for instance, tapping them on the floor. Practice standing before a mirror and see if you are in the habit of frowning or causing wrinkles to appear in the forehead. Watch others and see how they needlessly twist their faces in talking. Any movement of the face that causes the skin to wrinkle will eventually cause a permanent wrinkle. As the face is like a piece of silk, you can make a fold in it a number of times and it will straighten out of itself, but, if you continue to make a fold in it, it will in time be impossible to remove it.

By Concentration You Can Stop the Worry Habit. If you are in the habit of worrying over the merest trifles, just concentrate on this a few minutes and see bow needless it is; if you are also in the habit of becoming irritable or nervous at the least little thing, check yourself instantly when you feel yourself becoming so; start to breathe deeply; say, "I will not be so weak; I am master of myself," and you will quickly overcome your condition. Exercise 11

By Concentration You Can Control Your Temper. If you are one of those that flare up at the slightest "provocation" and never try to control yourself, just think this over a minute. Does it do you any good? Do you gain anything by it? Doesn't it put you out of poise for some time? Don't you know that this grows on you and will eventually make you despised by all that have any dealings with you? Everyone makes mistakes and, instead of becoming angry at their perpetrators, just say to them, "Be more careful next time." This thought will be impressed on them and they will be more careful. But, if you continually complain about their making a mistake, the thought of a mistake is impressed on them and they will be more likely to make mistakes in the future. All lack of self-control can be conquered if you will but learn to concentrate.

Many of you that read this may think you are not guilty of either of these faults, but if you will carefully watch yourself you will probably find that you are, and, if so, you will be greatly helped by repeating this affirmation each morning:

"I am going to try today not to make a useless gesture or to worry over trifles, or become nervous or irritable. I intend to be calm, and, no difference what may be the circumstances, I will control myself. Henceforth I resolve to be free from all signs that show lack of self-control." At night quickly review your actions during the day and see how fully you realized your aim. At first you will, of course, have to plead guilty of violation a few times, but keep on, and you will soon find that you can live up to your ideal. After you have once gained self-control, however, don't relinquish it. For some time it will still be necessary to repeat the affirmation in the morning and square your conduct with it in the evening. Keep up the good work until, at last, the habit of self-control is so firmly fixed that you could not break it even though you tried.

I have had many persons tell me that this affirmation and daily review made a wonderful difference in their lives. You, too, will notice the difference if you live up to these instructions.

Exercise 12.

Practice Talking Before a Glass. Make two marks on your mirror on a level with your eyes, and think of them as two human eyes looking into yours. Your eyes will probably blink a little at first. Do not move your head, but stand erect. Concentrate all your thoughts on keeping your head perfectly still. Do not let another thought come into your mind. Then, still keeping the head, eyes and body still, think that you look like a reliable man or woman should; like a person that anyone would have confidence in. Do not let your appearance be such as to justify the remark, "I don't like his appearance. I don't believe he can be trusted." While standing before the mirror practice deep breathing. See that there is plenty of fresh air in the room, and that you are literally feasting on it. You will find that, as it permeates every cell, your timidity will disappear. It has been replaced by a sense of peace and power.

The one that stands up like a man and has control over the muscles of his face and eyes always commands attention. In his conversation, he can better impress those with whom he comes in contact. He acquires a feeling of calmness and strength that causes opposition to melt away before it.

Three minutes a day is long enough for the practice of this exercise.

Look at the clock before you commence the exercise, and if you find you can prolong the exercise for more than five minutes do so. The next day sit in a chair and, without looking at the picture, concentrate on it and see if you cannot think of additional details concerning it. The chances are you will be able to think of many more. It might be well for you to write down all you thought of the first day, and then add to the list each new discovery. You will find that this is a very excellent exercise in concentration.

Exercise 13

The Control of Sensations. Think how you would feel if you were cool; then how you would feel if you were cold; again, how you would feel if it were freezing. In this state you would be shivering all over. Now think of just the opposite conditions; construct such a vivid image of heat that you are able to experience the sensation of heat even in the coldest atmosphere. It is possible to train your imagination until you do this, and it can then be turned to practical account in making undesirable conditions bearable.

You can think of many very good exercises like this. For instance, if you feel yourself getting hungry or thirsty and for any reason you do not wish to eat, do not think of how hungry or thirsty you are, but just visualize yourself as finishing a hearty meal. Again, when you experience pain, do not increase it by thinking about it, but do something to divert your attention, and the pain will seem to decrease. If you will start practicing along this line systematically you will soon gain a wonderful control over the things that affect your physical comfort.

Exercise 14

The Eastern Way of Concentrating. Sit in a chair with a high back in upright position. Press one finger against the right nostril. Now take a long, deep breath, drawing the breath in gently as you count ten; then expel the breath through the right nostril as you count ten. Repeat this exercise with the opposite nostril. This exercise should be done at least twenty times at each sitting.

Exercise 15

Controlling Desires. Desire, which is one of the hardest forces to control, will furnish you with excellent exercises in concentration. It seems natural to want to tell others what you know; but, by learning to control these desires, you can wonderfully strengthen your powers of concentration. Remember, you have all you can do to attend to your own business. Do not waste your time in thinking of others or in gossiping about them.

If, from your own observation, you learn something about another person that is detrimental, keep it to yourself. Your opinion may afterwards turn out to be wrong anyway, but whether right or wrong, you have strengthened your will by controlling your desire to communicate your views.

If you hear good news resist the desire to tell it to the first person you meet and you will be benefited thereby. It will require the concentration of all your powers of resistance to prohibit the desire to tell. After you feel that you have complete control over your desires you can then tell your news. But you must be able to suppress the desire to communicate the news until you are fully ready to tell it. Persons that do not possess this power of control over desires are apt to tell things that they should not, thereby often involving both themselves and others in needless trouble.

If you are in the habit of getting excited when you hear unpleasant news, just control yourself and receive it without any exclamation of surprise. Say to yourself, "Nothing is going to cause me to lose my self-control. You will find from experience that this self-control will be worth much to you in business. You will be looked upon as a cool-headed business man, and this in time becomes a valuable business asset. Of course, circumstances alter cases. At times it is necessary to become enthused. But be ever on the lookout for opportunities for the practice of self-control. "He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that ruleth a city." Exercise 16

When You Read. No one can think without first concentrating his thoughts on the subject in hand. Every man and woman should train himself to think clearly. An excellent exercise is to read some short story and then write just an abridged statement. Read an article in a newspaper, and see in how few words you can express it. Reading an article to get only the essentials requires the closest concentration. If you are unable to write out what you read, you will know you are weak in concentration. Instead of writing it out you can express it orally if you wish. Go to your room and deliver it as if you were talking to some one. You will find exercises like this of the greatest value in developing concentration and learning to think.

After you have practiced a number of these simple exercises read a book for twenty minutes and then write down what you have read. The chances are that at first you will not remember very many details, but with a little practice you will be able to write a very good account of what you have read. The closer the concentration the more accurate the account will be.

It is a good idea when time is limited to read only a short sentence and then try to write it down word for word. When you are able to do this, read two or more sentences and treat similarly. The practice will produce very good results if you keep it up until the habit is fixed.

If you will just utilize your spare time in practicing exercises like those suggested you can gain wonderful powers of concentration. You will find that in order to remember every word in a sentence you must keep out every thought but that which you wish to remember, and this power of inhibition alone will more than compensate for the trouble of the exercise. Of course, success in all of the above depends largely upon cultivating, through the closest concentration, the power to image or picture what you read; upon the power, as one writer expresses it, of letting the mountains of which we hear loom before us and the rivers of which we read roll at our feet.

Exercise 17

Concentration Overcomes Bad Habits. If you have a habit that you want to get rid of, shut your eyes and imagine that your real self is standing before you. Now try the power of affirmation; say to yourself, "You are not a weakling; you can stop this habit if you want to. This habit is bad and you want to break it." Just imagine that you are some one else giving this advice. This is very valuable practice. You, in time, see yourself as others see you. The habit loses its power over you and you are free.

If you will just form the mental image of controlling yourself as another person might, you will take a delight in breaking bad habits. I have known a number of men to break themselves of drinking in this way.

Exercise 18

Watch Concentration. Sit in a chair and place a clock with a second hand on the table. Follow the second hand with your eyes as it goes around. Keep this up for five minutes, thinking of nothing else but the second hand, This is a very good exercise when you only have a few minutes to spare, if you are able to keep every other thought in the stream of consciousness subordinate to it. As there is little that is particularly interesting about the second hand, it is hard to do this, but in the extra effort of will power required to make it successful lies its value. Always try to keep as still as possible during these exercises.

In this way you can gain control over nerves and this quieting effect is very good for them.

Exercise 19

Faith Concentration. A belief in the power to concentrate is of course very important. I purposely did not put this exercise in the beginning where it naturally belongs because I wanted you to know that you could learn to concentrate. If you have practiced the above exercises you have now developed this concentration power to a considerable extent and therefore you have faith in the power of concentration, but you can still become a much stronger believer in it.

We will say that you have some desire or wish you want fulfilled, or that you need some special advice. You first clearly picture what is wanted and then you concentrate on getting it. Have absolute faith that your desires will be realized. Believe that it will according to your belief be fulfilled. Never, at this time, attempt to analyze the belief. You don't care anything about the whys and wherefores. You want to gain the thing you desire, and if you concentrate on it in the right way you will get it.

A Caution. Never think you will not succeed, but picture what is wanted as already yours, and yours it surely will be.

Self-Distrust. Do you ever feel distrust in yourself? If You do, just ask yourself, which self do I mistrust? Then say: my higher self cannot be affected. Then think of the wonderful powers of the higher self. There is a way to overcome all difficulties, and it is a delight for the human soul to do so. Instead of wasting precious thought-force by dreading or fearing a disagreeable interview or event, instead devote the time and concentrated thought in how to make the best of the interview or event and you will find that it will not be as unpleasant as you thought it would be. Most of our troubles are but imaginary, and it is the mental habit of so dreading them that really acts as a magnet in attracting those that really do come. Your evil circumstances are created or attracted by your own negative, fears and wrong thoughts, and are a means of teaching you to triumph over all evils, by discovering that which is inherent within yourself.

You will find it helpful in overcoming self-distrust, to stop and think, why you are, concentrating your forces, and by so doing you become more closely attached to the higher self, which never distrusts.

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LESSON XIV. THE ART OF CONCENTRATING BY MEANS OF PRACTICAL EXERCISES (2) LEKTION XIV. DIE KUNST DER KONZENTRATION DURCH PRAKTISCHE ÜBUNGEN (2) LECCIÓN XIV. EL ARTE DE CONCENTRARSE MEDIANTE EJERCICIOS PRÁCTICOS (2) 第十四課 実践的練習による集中の技術 (2) LESONDERDEEL XIV. DE KUNST VAN HET CONCENTREREN DOOR MIDDEL VAN PRAKTISCHE OEFENINGEN (2) LEKCJA XIV. SZTUKA KONCENTRACJI POPRZEZ ĆWICZENIA PRAKTYCZNE (2) LIÇÃO XIV. A ARTE DE SE CONCENTRAR POR MEIO DE EXERCÍCIOS PRÁTICOS (2) УРОК XIV. ИСКУССТВО КОНЦЕНТРАЦИИ ВНИМАНИЯ С ПОМОЩЬЮ ПРАКТИЧЕСКИХ УПРАЖНЕНИЙ (2) DERS XIV. UYGULAMALI ALIŞTIRMALAR YOLUYLA KONSANTRE OLMA SANATI (2) 第十四课。通过实践练习集中注意力的艺术(二)

Exercise 7

Concentration Increases the Sense of Smell. When you take a walk, or drive in the country, or pass a flower garden, concentrate on the odor of flowers and plants. ||||||||||||||||||Geruch|||| See how many different kinds you can detect. Then choose one particular kind and try to sense only this. You will find that this strongly intensifies the sense of smell. ||||||intensifica|||| This differentiation requires, however, a peculiarly attentive attitude. ||||||aufmerksame| |distinction||||particularly|| |||||particolarmente|| Diese Differenzierung erfordert jedoch eine besonders aufmerksame Haltung. Questa differenziazione richiede, tuttavia, un atteggiamento particolarmente attento. When sense of smell is being developed, you should not only shut out from the mind every thought but that of odor, but you should also shut out cognizance of every odor save that upon which your mind, for the time, is concentrated. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Wahrnehmung|||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||認識|||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||conocimiento|||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||cognizione|||||||||||||| Wenn der Geruchssinn entwickelt wird, sollte man nicht nur jeden Gedanken außer dem an den Geruch aus dem Geist ausschließen, sondern auch die Wahrnehmung jedes Geruchs, außer dem, auf den sich der Geist gerade konzentriert, ausschließen. Lorsque l'odorat se développe, vous ne devez pas seulement exclure de l'esprit toute pensée autre que celle de l'odeur, mais vous devez également exclure la connaissance de toute odeur, sauf celle sur laquelle votre esprit, pour le moment, est concentré. Quando si sviluppa l'olfatto, non solo si deve escludere dalla mente ogni pensiero tranne quello dell'odore, ma si deve anche escludere la cognizione di ogni odore tranne quello su cui la mente, per il momento, è concentrata.

You call find plenty of opportunity for exercises for developing the sense of smell. When you are out in the air, be on the alert for the different odors. ||||||||||||||odori Wenn Sie draußen in der Luft sind, achten Sie auf die verschiedenen Gerüche. You will find the air laden with all kinds, but let your concentration upon the one selected be such that a scent of its fragrance in after years will vividly recall the circumstances of this exercise. |||||beladen|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||scent||||||||||| |||||carico|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||cargada|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Vous trouverez l'air chargé de toutes sortes, mais laissez votre concentration sur celui que vous avez choisi être telle qu'un parfum de son parfum dans les années à venir rappellera vivement les circonstances de cet exercice. Troverete l'aria carica di tutti i tipi, ma fate in modo che la vostra concentrazione su quello scelto sia tale che il profumo della sua fragranza, negli anni successivi, ricorderà vividamente le circostanze di questo esercizio.

The object of these exercises is to develop concentrated attention, and you will find that you can, through their practice, control your mind and direct your thoughts just the same as you can your arm. L'objet de ces exercices est de développer une attention concentrée, et vous découvrirez que vous pouvez, grâce à leur pratique, contrôler votre esprit et diriger vos pensées de la même manière que vous le pouvez avec votre bras. L'obiettivo di questi esercizi è sviluppare l'attenzione concentrata e scoprirete che, attraverso la loro pratica, potrete controllare la vostra mente e dirigere i vostri pensieri proprio come fate con il vostro braccio.

Exercise 8

Concentration on the Within. Konzentration auf das Innere. Concentration sur l'intérieur. Concentrazione sull'interno. Lie down and thoroughly relax your muscles. Allongez-vous et détendez complètement vos muscles. Sdraiatevi e rilassate completamente i muscoli. Concentrate on the beating of your heart. Do not pay any attention to anything else. Think how this great organ is pumping the blood to every part of the body; try to actually picture the blood leaving the great reservoir and going in one stream right down to the toes. ||||||||||||||||||||||||storage area|||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||serbatoio|||||||||| Pensez à la façon dont ce grand organe pompe le sang dans toutes les parties du corps ; essayez d'imaginer réellement le sang quittant le grand réservoir et allant en un seul flux jusqu'aux orteils. Pensate a come questo grande organo pompa il sangue in ogni parte del corpo; provate a immaginare il sangue che lascia il grande serbatoio e va in un unico flusso fino alle dita dei piedi. Picture another going down the arms to the tips of the fingers. After a little practice you can actually feel the blood passing through your system.

If, at any time, you feel weak in any part of the body, will that an extra supply of blood shall go there. Wenn Sie sich zu irgendeinem Zeitpunkt in irgendeinem Teil des Körpers schwach fühlen, soll eine zusätzliche Blutzufuhr dorthin geleitet werden. Si, à n'importe quel moment, vous vous sentez faible dans n'importe quelle partie du corps, voulez qu'un apport supplémentaire de sang y aille. Se, in qualsiasi momento, vi sentite deboli in una parte del corpo, fate in modo che vi arrivi un apporto supplementare di sangue. For instance, if your eyes feel tired, picture the blood coming from the heart, passing up through the head and out to the eyes. Par exemple, si vos yeux sont fatigués, imaginez le sang provenant du cœur, passant par la tête et vers les yeux. Per esempio, se gli occhi si sentono stanchi, immaginate il sangue che proviene dal cuore, passa attraverso la testa e arriva agli occhi. You can wonderfully increase your strength by this exercise. Men have been able to gain such control over the heart that they have actually stopped it from beating for five minutes. Männer waren in der Lage, eine solche Kontrolle über das Herz zu erlangen, dass sie es tatsächlich für fünf Minuten vom Schlagen abhielten. Les hommes ont pu acquérir un tel contrôle sur le cœur qu'ils l'ont en fait arrêté de battre pendant cinq minutes. Gli uomini sono riusciti a ottenere un tale controllo sul cuore da impedirgli di battere per cinque minuti. This, however, is not without danger, and is not to be practiced by the novice. ||||||||||||||principiante Dies ist jedoch nicht ungefährlich und sollte vom Anfänger nicht geübt werden. Questo, tuttavia, non è privo di pericoli e non deve essere praticato dai principianti.

I have found the following a very helpful exercise to take just before going to bed and on rising in the morning: Say to yourself, "Every cell in my body thrills with life; every part of my body is strong and healthy." ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||excites||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||vibra||||||||||| Ho trovato molto utile il seguente esercizio da fare appena prima di andare a letto e quando ci si alza al mattino: dire a se stessi: "Ogni cellula del mio corpo freme di vita; ogni parte del mio corpo è forte e sana". I have known a number of people to greatly improve their health in this way. You become what you picture yourself to be. Vous devenez ce que vous vous imaginez être. If your mind thinks of sickness in connection with self you will be sick. Se la vostra mente pensa alla malattia in relazione a voi stessi, sarete malati. If you imagine yourself in strong, vigorous health, the image will be realized. ||||||充沛的|||||| ||||||kräftig|||||| ||||||vigorosa|||||| Se vi immaginate in salute, forti e vigorosi, l'immagine si realizzerà. You will be healthy.

Exercise 9

Concentrating on Sleep. What is known as the water method is, although very simple, very effective in inducing sleep. ||||||||||||||Herbeiführen von| Ce qu'on appelle la méthode de l'eau est, bien que très simple, très efficace pour induire le sommeil. Il cosiddetto metodo dell'acqua, pur essendo molto semplice, è molto efficace per indurre il sonno.

Put a full glass of clear water on a table in your sleeping room. Mettete un bicchiere pieno di acqua limpida su un tavolo nella stanza da letto. Sit in a chair beside the table and gaze into the glass of water and think how calm it is. Asseyez-vous sur une chaise à côté de la table et regardez dans le verre d'eau et pensez à quel point il est calme. Sedetevi su una sedia accanto al tavolo, guardate nel bicchiere d'acqua e pensate a quanto sia calma. Then picture yourself , getting into just as calm a state. Dann stellen Sie sich selbst vor, wie Sie in einen ebenso ruhigen Zustand kommen. In a short time you will find the nerves becoming quiet and you will be able to go to sleep. Sometimes it is good to picture yourself becoming drowsy to induce sleep, and, again, the most persistent insomnia has been overcome by one thinking of himself as some inanimate object—for instance, a hollow log in the depths of the cool, quiet forest. |||||||||||||||||失眠||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||schläfrig||verursachen|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||sleeplessness||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||indurre||||||||||||||||||inanimato|||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||inanimado|||||||en|la|||||| Manchmal ist es gut, sich vorzustellen, dass man schläfrig wird, um den Schlaf herbeizuführen, und wiederum wurde die hartnäckigste Schlaflosigkeit dadurch überwunden, dass man sich selbst als ein lebloses Objekt betrachtet – zum Beispiel als einen hohlen Baumstamm in den Tiefen des kühlen, stillen Waldes. Parfois, il est bon de s'imaginer devenir somnolent pour induire le sommeil, et, encore une fois, l'insomnie la plus persistante a été surmontée en se considérant comme un objet inanimé - par exemple, une bûche creuse dans les profondeurs de la forêt fraîche et tranquille. A volte è bene immaginarsi assonnati per indurre il sonno e, ancora, l'insonnia più persistente è stata superata pensando a se stessi come a un oggetto inanimato, ad esempio un tronco cavo nelle profondità di una foresta fresca e silenziosa.

Those who are troubled with insomnia will find these sleep exercises that quiet the nerves very effective. |||||Schlaflosigkeit||||||||||| Chi soffre di insonnia troverà molto efficaci questi esercizi per calmare i nervi. Just keep the idea in your mind that there is no difficulty in going to sleep; banish all fear of insomnia. ||||||||||||||||deshazte de|||| Behalten Sie einfach den Gedanken im Kopf, dass es keine Schwierigkeiten beim Einschlafen gibt; verbannen Sie alle Angst vor Schlaflosigkeit. Mantenete l'idea che non ci sia alcuna difficoltà ad addormentarsi; bandite ogni paura dell'insonnia. Practice these exercises and you will sleep.

By this time you should have awakened to the possibilities of concentration and have become aware of the important part it plays in your life. À ce moment-là, vous devriez vous être éveillé aux possibilités de concentration et avoir pris conscience du rôle important qu'elle joue dans votre vie. A questo punto dovreste aver risvegliato le possibilità della concentrazione e aver preso coscienza dell'importanza del suo ruolo nella vostra vita.

Exercise 10

Concentration Will Save Energy and Appearance. La concentration économisera de l'énergie et de l'apparence. Watch yourself and see if you are not in the habit of moving your hands, thumping something with your fingers or twirling your mustache. |||||||||||||||||||||den Schnurrbart drehen|| |||||||||||||||||||||||baffo Beobachten Sie sich selbst und sehen Sie, ob Sie nicht die Gewohnheit haben, Ihre Hände zu bewegen, etwas mit Ihren Fingern zu klopfen oder Ihren Schnurrbart zu zwirbeln. Observez-vous et voyez si vous n'avez pas l'habitude de bouger vos mains, de cogner quelque chose avec vos doigts ou de tortiller votre moustache. Osservatevi e verificate se non avete l'abitudine di muovere le mani, di battere qualcosa con le dita o di far roteare i baffi. Some have the habit of keeping their feet going, as, for instance, tapping them on the floor. ||||||||||||battere|||| Einige haben die Angewohnheit, ihre Füße in Bewegung zu halten, indem sie sie zum Beispiel auf den Boden klopfen. Certains ont l'habitude de garder leurs pieds en place, comme, par exemple, en les tapant sur le sol. Alcuni hanno l'abitudine di tenere i piedi in movimento, ad esempio battendoli sul pavimento. Practice standing before a mirror and see if you are in the habit of frowning or causing wrinkles to appear in the forehead. |||||||||||||||||lines||||| |||||||||||||||||rughe||||| Üben Sie vor einem Spiegel, ob Sie die Stirn runzeln oder Falten auf der Stirn haben. Esercitatevi davanti a uno specchio e verificate se avete l'abitudine di aggrottare le sopracciglia o di far comparire le rughe sulla fronte. Watch others and see how they needlessly twist their faces in talking. ||||||inutilmente||||| Osservate gli altri e vedete come storcono inutilmente la faccia nel parlare. Any movement of the face that causes the skin to wrinkle will eventually cause a permanent wrinkle. ||||||||||Falten|||||| ||||||||||||||||ruga Jede Bewegung des Gesichts, die Falten auf der Haut verursacht, führt schließlich zu einer dauerhaften Falte. Tout mouvement du visage qui fait plisser la peau finira par provoquer une ride permanente. Qualsiasi movimento del viso che provochi la formazione di rughe, finirà per provocare una ruga permanente. As the face is like a piece of silk, you can make a fold in it a number of times and it will straighten out of itself, but, if you continue to make a fold in it, it will in time be impossible to remove it. Da das Gesicht wie ein Stück Seide ist, können Sie es mehrmals falten, und es wird sich von selbst glätten, aber wenn Sie es weiterhin falten, wird es mit der Zeit unmöglich sein, es zu entfernen . Comme le visage est comme un morceau de soie, vous pouvez y faire un pli plusieurs fois et il se redressera de lui-même, mais si vous continuez à y faire un pli, il sera avec le temps impossible de l'enlever. . Poiché il viso è come un pezzo di seta, si può fare una piega più volte e si raddrizzerà da sola, ma se si continua a fare una piega, col tempo sarà impossibile rimuoverla.

By Concentration You Can Stop the Worry Habit. Con la concentrazione si può fermare l'abitudine alla preoccupazione. If you are in the habit of worrying over the merest trifles, just concentrate on this a few minutes and see bow needless it is; if you are also in the habit of becoming irritable or nervous at the least little thing, check yourself instantly when you feel yourself becoming so; start to breathe deeply; say, "I will not be so weak; I am master of myself," and you will quickly overcome your condition. |||||||||||futilità|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||más mínimo|cosas triviales|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Si vous avez l'habitude de vous soucier des moindres bagatelles, concentrez-vous simplement sur cela quelques minutes et voyez que c'est inutile; si vous avez aussi l'habitude de devenir irritable ou nerveux à la moindre petite chose, contrôlez-vous instantanément lorsque vous vous sentez le devenir ; commencez à respirer profondément; dites : « Je ne serai pas si faible, je suis maître de moi-même », et vous surmonterez rapidement votre condition. Se avete l'abitudine di preoccuparvi per le più piccole inezie, concentratevi per qualche minuto su questo aspetto e vedrete quanto sia inutile; se avete anche l'abitudine di diventare irritabili o nervosi per la minima cosa, controllatevi immediatamente quando sentite che lo state diventando; iniziate a respirare profondamente; dite: "Non sarò così debole, sono padrone di me stesso" e supererete rapidamente la vostra condizione. Exercise 11

By Concentration You Can Control Your Temper. If you are one of those that flare up at the slightest "provocation" and never try to control yourself, just think this over a minute. |||||||si infiamma|||||provocazione|||||||||||| Wenn Sie einer von denen sind, die bei der kleinsten „Provokation“ aufflammen und nie versuchen, sich zu beherrschen, denken Sie einfach eine Minute lang darüber nach. Se siete tra quelli che si scatenano alla minima "provocazione" e non cercano mai di controllarsi, riflettete un attimo. Does it do you any good? Do you gain anything by it? Ci guadagna qualcosa? Doesn't it put you out of poise for some time? Wird man dadurch nicht für einige Zeit aus dem Gleichgewicht gebracht? Cela ne vous perturbe-t-il pas pendant un certain temps ? Non ti fa perdere il controllo per un po' di tempo? Don't you know that this grows on you and will eventually make you despised by all that have any dealings with you? Weißt du nicht, dass das an dir wächst und dich schließlich von allen verachten wird, die mit dir zu tun haben? Ne savez-vous pas que cela grandit en vous et finira par vous rendre méprisé par tous ceux qui ont affaire à vous ? Non sapete che questo vi fa crescere e che alla fine vi farà disprezzare da tutti coloro che hanno a che fare con voi? Everyone makes mistakes and, instead of becoming angry at their perpetrators, just say to them, "Be more careful next time." Tutti commettono errori e, invece di arrabbiarsi con gli autori, basta dire loro: "La prossima volta fate più attenzione". This thought will be impressed on them and they will be more careful. Cette pensée sera imprimée sur eux et ils seront plus prudents. Questo pensiero rimarrà impresso in loro e saranno più attenti. But, if you continually complain about their making a mistake, the thought of a mistake is impressed on them and they will be more likely to make mistakes in the future. |||||||||||||||||sobre||||||||||||| Ma se vi lamentate continuamente degli errori che commettono, il pensiero dell'errore si imprime in loro e saranno più propensi a sbagliare in futuro. All lack of self-control can be conquered if you will but learn to concentrate. Ogni mancanza di autocontrollo può essere vinta se si impara a concentrarsi.

Many of you that read this may think you are not guilty of either of these faults, but if you will carefully watch yourself you will probably find that you are, and, if so, you will be greatly helped by repeating this affirmation each morning: |||||||||||culpables||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Viele von Ihnen, die dies lesen, denken vielleicht, dass Sie sich keiner dieser Fehler schuldig gemacht haben, aber wenn Sie sich genau beobachten, werden Sie wahrscheinlich feststellen, dass Sie es sind, und wenn ja, wird es Ihnen sehr helfen, wenn Sie diese Bestätigung jeden Morgen wiederholen: Molti di voi che leggono queste righe potrebbero pensare di non essere colpevoli di nessuno di questi difetti, ma se vi osservate attentamente probabilmente scoprirete di esserlo e, in tal caso, vi sarà di grande aiuto ripetere questa affermazione ogni mattina:

"I am going to try today not to make a useless gesture or to worry over trifles, or become nervous or irritable. |||||||||||||||||||||easily annoyed "Oggi cercherò di non fare gesti inutili, di non preoccuparmi di inezie, di non diventare nervoso o irritabile. I intend to be calm, and, no difference what may be the circumstances, I will control myself. Intendo essere calmo e, indipendentemente dalle circostanze, mi controllerò. Henceforth I resolve to be free from all signs that show lack of self-control." from now on|||||||||||||| Von nun an beschließe ich, frei von allen Zeichen zu sein, die einen Mangel an Selbstbeherrschung zeigen." D'ora in poi decido di essere libero da tutti i segni che dimostrano la mancanza di autocontrollo". At night quickly review your actions during the day and see how fully you realized your aim. La sera rivedete rapidamente le azioni compiute durante il giorno e verificate quanto avete realizzato il vostro obiettivo. At first you will, of course, have to plead guilty of violation a few times, but keep on, and you will soon find that you can live up to your ideal. |||||||||||violazione||||||||||||||||||| Zunächst müssen Sie sich natürlich einige Male des Verstoßes bekennen, aber machen Sie weiter und Sie werden bald feststellen, dass Sie Ihrem Ideal gerecht werden können. All'inizio, naturalmente, dovrete dichiararvi colpevoli di qualche violazione, ma continuate e presto scoprirete che potete essere all'altezza del vostro ideale. After you have once gained self-control, however, don't relinquish it. |||||||||rinunciare| Nachdem Sie die Selbstbeherrschung einmal erlangt haben, geben Sie sie jedoch nicht auf. Una volta acquisito l'autocontrollo, però, non abbandonatelo. For some time it will still be necessary to repeat the affirmation in the morning and square your conduct with it in the evening. Noch einige Zeit wird es notwendig sein, morgens die Affirmation zu wiederholen und sich abends darauf einzustellen. Per qualche tempo sarà ancora necessario ripetere l'affermazione al mattino e far quadrare il proprio comportamento con essa alla sera. Keep up the good work until, at last, the habit of self-control is so firmly fixed that you could not break it even though you tried. Machen Sie mit der guten Arbeit weiter, bis die Gewohnheit der Selbstbeherrschung endlich so fest verankert ist, dass Sie sie nicht brechen konnten, obwohl Sie es versucht haben. Continuate a lavorare bene fino a quando, alla fine, l'abitudine all'autocontrollo sarà così saldamente fissata che non potrete interromperla nemmeno se ci provate.

I have had many persons tell me that this affirmation and daily review made a wonderful difference in their lives. Beaucoup de personnes m'ont dit que cette affirmation et cette révision quotidienne avaient fait une merveilleuse différence dans leur vie. You, too, will notice the difference if you live up to these instructions. |||||||||de acuerdo|||

Exercise 12.

Practice Talking Before a Glass. Esercitarsi a parlare davanti a un bicchiere. Make two marks on your mirror on a level with your eyes, and think of them as two human eyes looking into yours. Fate due segni sullo specchio all'altezza degli occhi e pensate che siano due occhi umani che guardano i vostri. Your eyes will probably blink a little at first. ||||parpadearán|||| Vos yeux clignoteront probablement un peu au début. Probabilmente all'inizio i vostri occhi sbatteranno un po' le palpebre. Do not move your head, but stand erect. |||||||aufrecht |||||||dritto Non muovete la testa, ma rimanete eretti. Concentrate all your thoughts on keeping your head perfectly still. Concentrate tutti i vostri pensieri nel mantenere la testa perfettamente immobile. Do not let another thought come into your mind. Then, still keeping the head, eyes and body still, think that you look like a reliable man or woman should; like a person that anyone would have confidence in. |||||||||||||||verlässlich||||||||||||| Halten Sie dann Kopf, Augen und Körper ruhig und denken Sie, dass Sie wie ein zuverlässiger Mann oder eine zuverlässige Frau aussehen sollten; wie eine Person, der jeder vertrauen würde. Ensuite, en gardant toujours la tête, les yeux et le corps immobiles, pensez que vous ressemblez à un homme ou à une femme fiable; comme une personne en qui tout le monde aurait confiance. Poi, sempre mantenendo la testa, gli occhi e il corpo fermi, pensate di avere l'aspetto di un uomo o di una donna affidabile, di una persona di cui chiunque avrebbe fiducia. Do not let your appearance be such as to justify the remark, "I don't like his appearance. ||||Erscheinung|||||||Bemerkung||||| |||||||||||osservazione||||| Lass dein Aussehen nicht so sein, dass es die Bemerkung rechtfertigt: „Ich mag sein Aussehen nicht. Non lasciate che il vostro aspetto sia tale da giustificare l'osservazione: "Non mi piace il suo aspetto". I don't believe he can be trusted." Je ne crois pas qu'on puisse lui faire confiance." While standing before the mirror practice deep breathing. In piedi davanti allo specchio, praticate una respirazione profonda. See that there is plenty of fresh air in the room, and that you are literally feasting on it. ||||||||||||||||schlemmen|| ||||||||||||||||godevi|| Achten Sie darauf, dass viel frische Luft im Raum ist und dass Sie sich buchstäblich daran ergötzen. Assurez-vous qu'il y a beaucoup d'air frais dans la pièce et que vous vous en régalez littéralement. Assicuratevi che nella stanza ci sia molta aria fresca e che ne facciate letteralmente incetta. You will find that, as it permeates every cell, your timidity will disappear. ||||||durchdringt||||Scheu|| ||||||permeando|||||| Vi accorgerete che, quando permeerà ogni cellula, la vostra timidezza scomparirà. It has been replaced by a sense of peace and power.

The one that stands up like a man and has control over the muscles of his face and eyes always commands attention. Derjenige, der sich wie ein Mann aufrichtet und die Kontrolle über die Muskeln seines Gesichts und seiner Augen hat, erregt immer Aufmerksamkeit. Chi sta in piedi come un uomo e ha il controllo dei muscoli del viso e degli occhi attira sempre l'attenzione. In his conversation, he can better impress those with whom he comes in contact. Nella sua conversazione, può impressionare meglio coloro con cui entra in contatto. He acquires a feeling of calmness and strength that causes opposition to melt away before it. |||||calma|||||||||| Il acquiert un sentiment de calme et de force qui fait fondre l'opposition devant lui. Acquisisce una sensazione di calma e forza che fa sì che l'opposizione si sciolga davanti a lui.

Three minutes a day is long enough for the practice of this exercise. Tre minuti al giorno sono sufficienti per praticare questo esercizio.

Look at the clock before you commence the exercise, and if you find you can prolong the exercise for more than five minutes do so. |||||||||||||||prolungare||||||||| Regardez l'horloge avant de commencer l'exercice, et si vous trouvez que vous pouvez prolonger l'exercice pendant plus de cinq minutes, faites-le. Guardate l'orologio prima di iniziare l'esercizio e, se vi accorgete di poterlo prolungare per più di cinque minuti, fatelo. The next day sit in a chair and, without looking at the picture, concentrate on it and see if you cannot think of additional details concerning it. Setze dich am nächsten Tag auf einen Stuhl und konzentriere dich, ohne das Bild anzusehen, darauf und schaue, ob dir keine weiteren Details dazu einfallen. Le lendemain, asseyez-vous sur une chaise et, sans regarder l'image, concentrez-vous dessus et voyez si vous ne pouvez pas penser à des détails supplémentaires la concernant. Il giorno dopo sedetevi su una sedia e, senza guardare l'immagine, concentratevi su di essa e vedete se non riuscite a pensare ad altri dettagli che la riguardano. The chances are you will be able to think of many more. Die Chancen stehen gut, dass Ihnen noch viele weitere einfallen werden. È probabile che ve ne vengano in mente molti altri. It might be well for you to write down all you thought of the first day, and then add to the list each new discovery. Il serait peut-être bon pour vous d'écrire tout ce que vous avez pensé le premier jour, puis d'ajouter à la liste chaque nouvelle découverte. Sarebbe opportuno che scriveste tutto ciò che avete pensato il primo giorno e poi aggiungeste all'elenco ogni nuova scoperta. You will find that this is a very excellent exercise in concentration.

Exercise 13

The Control of Sensations. |||sensazioni Think how you would feel if you were cool; then how you would feel if you were cold; again, how you would feel if it were freezing. Denken Sie darüber nach, wie Sie sich fühlen würden, wenn Sie cool wären; dann, wie du dich fühlen würdest, wenn dir kalt wäre; wieder, wie Sie sich fühlen würden, wenn es eiskalt wäre. Pensez à ce que vous ressentiriez si vous étiez cool ; puis comment vous vous sentiriez si vous aviez froid; encore une fois, comment vous vous sentiriez s'il faisait très froid. Pensate a come vi sentireste se foste freschi; poi a come vi sentireste se foste freddi; ancora, a come vi sentireste se si congelasse. In this state you would be shivering all over. In questo stato si rabbrividisce dappertutto. Now think of just the opposite conditions; construct such a vivid image of heat that you are able to experience the sensation of heat even in the coldest atmosphere. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||più fredda| Ora pensate alle condizioni opposte: costruite un'immagine così vivida del calore da essere in grado di sperimentare la sensazione di calore anche nell'atmosfera più fredda. It is possible to train your imagination until you do this, and it can then be turned to practical account in making undesirable conditions bearable. ||||||||||||||||||||||||tolerable ||||||||||||||||||||||||sopportabili Il est possible d'entraîner votre imagination jusqu'à ce que vous fassiez cela, et cela peut ensuite être mis à profit dans la pratique pour rendre supportables des conditions indésirables. È possibile allenare l'immaginazione fino a raggiungere questo obiettivo, che può poi essere sfruttato in modo pratico per rendere sopportabili condizioni indesiderate.

You can think of many very good exercises like this. Si possono pensare molti esercizi molto validi come questo. For instance, if you feel yourself getting hungry or thirsty and for any reason you do not wish to eat, do not think of how hungry or thirsty you are, but just visualize yourself as finishing a hearty meal. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||sostanzioso| Par exemple, si vous sentez que vous avez faim ou soif et que pour une raison quelconque vous ne souhaitez pas manger, ne pensez pas à quel point vous avez faim ou soif, mais visualisez-vous simplement en train de terminer un repas copieux. Per esempio, se sentite che vi viene fame o sete e per qualche motivo non volete mangiare, non pensate a quanta fame o sete avete, ma visualizzatevi mentre state finendo un pasto abbondante. Again, when you experience pain, do not increase it by thinking about it, but do something to divert your attention, and the pain will seem to decrease. |||||||||||||||||redirect||||||||| |||||||||||||||||divertire||||||||| Encore une fois, lorsque vous ressentez de la douleur, ne l'augmentez pas en y pensant, mais faites quelque chose pour détourner votre attention, et la douleur semblera diminuer. Ancora una volta, quando provate dolore, non aumentatelo pensandoci, ma fate qualcosa per distogliere la vostra attenzione e il dolore sembrerà diminuire. If you will start practicing along this line systematically you will soon gain a wonderful control over the things that affect your physical comfort. Se comincerete a esercitarvi sistematicamente su questa linea, otterrete presto un meraviglioso controllo su ciò che influisce sul vostro benessere fisico.

Exercise 14

The Eastern Way of Concentrating. Der östliche Weg der Konzentration. La manière orientale de se concentrer. Sit in a chair with a high back in upright position. Sedetevi su una sedia con lo schienale alto in posizione verticale. Press one finger against the right nostril. ||||||nostril ||||||fosa nasal Premere un dito contro la narice destra. Now take a long, deep breath, drawing the breath in gently as you count ten; then expel the breath through the right nostril as you count ten. ||||||||||||||||espelli|||||||||| Atme jetzt lang und tief ein und atme sanft ein, während du bis zehn zählst; dann atme durch das rechte Nasenloch aus, während du bis zehn zählst. Ora fate un respiro lungo e profondo, inspirando dolcemente mentre contate dieci; poi espirate il respiro attraverso la narice destra mentre contate dieci. Repeat this exercise with the opposite nostril. Ripetere l'esercizio con la narice opposta. This exercise should be done at least twenty times at each sitting. Cet exercice doit être fait au moins vingt fois à chaque séance. Questo esercizio deve essere eseguito almeno venti volte per ogni seduta.

Exercise 15

Controlling Desires. Desire, which is one of the hardest forces to control, will furnish you with excellent exercises in concentration. Verlangen, das eine der am schwersten zu kontrollierenden Kräfte ist, wird Sie mit hervorragenden Konzentrationsübungen versorgen. Le désir, qui est une des forces les plus difficiles à maîtriser, vous fournira d'excellents exercices de concentration. Il desiderio, che è una delle forze più difficili da controllare, vi fornirà eccellenti esercizi di concentrazione. It seems natural to want to tell others what you know; but, by learning to control these desires, you can wonderfully strengthen your powers of concentration. Es scheint natürlich, anderen sagen zu wollen, was man weiß; aber wenn Sie lernen, diese Wünsche zu kontrollieren, können Sie Ihre Konzentrationsfähigkeit wunderbar stärken. Il semble naturel de vouloir dire aux autres ce que vous savez ; mais, en apprenant à contrôler ces désirs, vous pouvez merveilleusement renforcer vos pouvoirs de concentration. Sembra naturale voler dire agli altri ciò che si sa; ma, imparando a controllare questi desideri, si può rafforzare meravigliosamente il proprio potere di concentrazione. Remember, you have all you can do to attend to your own business. Denken Sie daran, Sie haben alles, was Sie tun können, um sich um Ihr eigenes Geschäft zu kümmern. N'oubliez pas que vous avez tout ce que vous pouvez faire pour vous occuper de votre propre entreprise. Ricordate che potete occuparvi solo dei vostri affari. Do not waste your time in thinking of others or in gossiping about them. |||||||||||talking about others|| Verschwende deine Zeit nicht damit, an andere zu denken oder über sie zu lästern. Ne perdez pas votre temps à penser aux autres ou à bavarder à leur sujet. Non perdete tempo a pensare agli altri o a spettegolare su di loro.

If, from your own observation, you learn something about another person that is detrimental, keep it to yourself. ||||观察|||||||||有害的|||| |||||||||||||dannoso|||| Wenn Sie aus eigener Beobachtung etwas Negatives über eine andere Person erfahren, behalten Sie es für sich. Si, de votre propre observation, vous apprenez quelque chose sur une autre personne qui est préjudiciable, gardez-le pour vous. Se dalla vostra osservazione apprendete qualcosa di negativo su un'altra persona, tenetelo per voi. Your opinion may afterwards turn out to be wrong anyway, but whether right or wrong, you have strengthened your will by controlling your desire to communicate your views. La vostra opinione potrebbe poi rivelarsi comunque sbagliata, ma che sia giusta o sbagliata, avete rafforzato la vostra volontà controllando il desiderio di comunicare le vostre opinioni.

If you hear good news resist the desire to tell it to the first person you meet and you will be benefited thereby. Wenn Sie gute Nachrichten hören, widerstehen Sie dem Wunsch, sie der ersten Person zu sagen, die Sie treffen, und Sie werden davon profitieren. Se sentite una buona notizia, resistete al desiderio di raccontarla alla prima persona che incontrate e ne trarrete beneficio. It will require the concentration of all your powers of resistance to prohibit the desire to tell. Sarà necessaria la concentrazione di tutti i vostri poteri di resistenza per proibire il desiderio di raccontare. After you feel that you have complete control over your desires you can then tell your news. Quando sentirete di avere il pieno controllo sui vostri desideri, potrete comunicare la notizia. But you must be able to suppress the desire to communicate the news until you are fully ready to tell it. ||||||control|||||||||||||| Ma dovete essere in grado di reprimere il desiderio di comunicare la notizia fino a quando non sarete pienamente pronti a farlo. Persons that do not possess this power of control over desires are apt to tell things that they should not, thereby often involving both themselves and others in needless trouble. ||||||||||||propensi||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||propensos a||||||||||||||||| Les personnes qui ne possèdent pas ce pouvoir de contrôle sur les désirs sont susceptibles de dire des choses qu'elles ne devraient pas, ce qui implique souvent à la fois eux-mêmes et les autres dans des ennuis inutiles. Le persone che non possiedono questo potere di controllo sui desideri sono inclini a dire cose che non dovrebbero, coinvolgendo spesso se stesse e gli altri in inutili problemi.

If you are in the habit of getting excited when you hear unpleasant news, just control yourself and receive it without any exclamation of surprise. Wenn Sie die Angewohnheit haben, aufgeregt zu werden, wenn Sie unangenehme Nachrichten hören, kontrollieren Sie sich einfach und nehmen Sie sie ohne Überraschungsausruf entgegen. Se avete l'abitudine di emozionarvi quando sentite una notizia sgradevole, controllatevi e ricevetela senza esclamazioni di sorpresa. Say to yourself, "Nothing is going to cause me to lose my self-control. Sagen Sie sich: „Nichts wird mich dazu bringen, meine Selbstbeherrschung zu verlieren. Dite a voi stessi: "Niente mi farà perdere l'autocontrollo. You will find from experience that this self-control will be worth much to you in business. Vous constaterez par expérience que cette maîtrise de soi vous sera très utile en affaires. L'esperienza vi insegna che questo autocontrollo vi sarà molto utile negli affari. You will be looked upon as a cool-headed business man, and this in time becomes a valuable business asset. Sarete visti come un uomo d'affari dalla testa fredda e questo, col tempo, diventerà una preziosa risorsa commerciale. Of course, circumstances alter cases. Natürlich ändern die Umstände Fälle. Bien sûr, les circonstances changent les cas. At times it is necessary to become enthused. |||||||entusiasti Il faut parfois s'enthousiasmer. A volte è necessario entusiasmarsi. But be ever on the lookout for opportunities for the practice of self-control. Mais soyez toujours à l'affût des occasions de pratiquer la maîtrise de soi. Ma siate sempre alla ricerca di opportunità per la pratica dell'autocontrollo. "He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that ruleth a city." ||支配する|||||||||| ||||||||||governa|| "Celui qui gouverne son esprit est plus grand que celui qui gouverne une ville." "Chi governa il proprio spirito è più grande di chi governa una città". Exercise 16

When You Read. No one can think without first concentrating his thoughts on the subject in hand. Personne ne peut penser sans d'abord concentrer ses pensées sur le sujet en question. Nessuno può pensare senza prima concentrare i propri pensieri sull'argomento in questione. Every man and woman should train himself to think clearly. Ogni uomo e ogni donna dovrebbe allenarsi a pensare con chiarezza. An excellent exercise is to read some short story and then write just an abridged statement. ||||||||||||||riassunta| ||||||||||||||abreviado| Un excellent exercice consiste à lire une courte histoire, puis à rédiger une déclaration abrégée. Un ottimo esercizio è quello di leggere un racconto breve e poi scriverne solo una sintesi. Read an article in a newspaper, and see in how few words you can express it. Leggete un articolo di giornale e vedete in quante poche parole riuscite a esprimerlo. Reading an article to get only the essentials requires the closest concentration. |||||||essenziali|||| Einen Artikel zu lesen, um nur das Wesentliche zu erfahren, erfordert höchste Konzentration. Leggere un articolo per ricavarne solo l'essenziale richiede la massima concentrazione. If you are unable to write out what you read, you will know you are weak in concentration. Si vous êtes incapable d'écrire ce que vous lisez, vous saurez que vous êtes faible en concentration. Se non riuscite a scrivere ciò che leggete, saprete che la vostra concentrazione è scarsa. Instead of writing it out you can express it orally if you wish. |||||||||oralmente||| Au lieu de l'écrire, vous pouvez l'exprimer oralement si vous le souhaitez. Invece di scriverlo, potete esprimerlo oralmente, se lo desiderate. Go to your room and deliver it as if you were talking to some one. Va dans ta chambre et livre-le comme si tu parlais à quelqu'un. Andate nella vostra stanza e consegnatelo come se steste parlando con qualcuno. You will find exercises like this of the greatest value in developing concentration and learning to think. Esercizi come questo sono di grande utilità per sviluppare la concentrazione e imparare a pensare.

After you have practiced a number of these simple exercises read a book for twenty minutes and then write down what you have read. Dopo aver praticato alcuni di questi semplici esercizi, leggete un libro per venti minuti e poi scrivete ciò che avete letto. The chances are that at first you will not remember very many details, but with a little practice you will be able to write a very good account of what you have read. È probabile che all'inizio non si ricordino molti dettagli, ma con un po' di pratica si riuscirà a scrivere un ottimo resoconto di ciò che si è letto. The closer the concentration the more accurate the account will be. Plus la concentration est proche, plus le compte sera précis. Più la concentrazione è vicina, più il resoconto sarà accurato.

It is a good idea when time is limited to read only a short sentence and then try to write it down word for word. È una buona idea, quando il tempo è limitato, leggere solo una breve frase e poi provare a scriverla parola per parola. When you are able to do this, read two or more sentences and treat similarly. Quando siete in grado di farlo, leggete due o più frasi e trattatele in modo simile. The practice will produce very good results if you keep it up until the habit is fixed. Questa pratica produrrà ottimi risultati se la si manterrà fino a quando l'abitudine sarà consolidata.

If you will just utilize your spare time in practicing exercises like those suggested you can gain wonderful powers of concentration. Wenn Sie nur Ihre Freizeit nutzen, um Übungen wie die vorgeschlagenen zu praktizieren, können Sie wunderbare Konzentrationskräfte erlangen. Se utilizzerete il vostro tempo libero per praticare esercizi come quelli suggeriti, potrete acquisire una straordinaria capacità di concentrazione. You will find that in order to remember every word in a sentence you must keep out every thought but that which you wish to remember, and this power of inhibition alone will more than compensate for the trouble of the exercise. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||inibizione||||||||||| Sie werden feststellen, dass Sie, um sich an jedes Wort in einem Satz erinnern zu können, jeden Gedanken außer dem, an den Sie sich erinnern möchten, ausschließen müssen, und diese Kraft der Hemmung allein wird die Mühe der Übung mehr als ausgleichen. Vous constaterez que pour vous souvenir de chaque mot d'une phrase, vous devez exclure toute pensée autre que celle dont vous souhaitez vous souvenir, et ce seul pouvoir d'inhibition compensera largement la difficulté de l'exercice. Vi accorgerete che per ricordare ogni parola di una frase dovete tenere fuori tutti i pensieri tranne quello che volete ricordare, e questo potere di inibizione da solo compenserà più che bene la fatica dell'esercizio. Of course, success in all of the above depends largely upon cultivating, through the closest concentration, the power to image or picture what you read; upon the power, as one writer expresses it, of letting the mountains of which we hear loom before us and the rivers of which we read roll at our feet. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||immaginare||||||||||||| Natürlich hängt der Erfolg bei all dem Obengenannten weitgehend davon ab, durch größtmögliche Konzentration die Fähigkeit zu kultivieren, sich das Gelesene vorzustellen oder sich vorzustellen; auf der Macht, wie ein Schriftsteller es ausdrückt, die Berge, von denen wir hören, vor uns aufragen zu lassen und die Flüsse, von denen wir lesen, zu unseren Füßen rollen zu lassen. Bien sûr, le succès dans tout ce qui précède dépend en grande partie de la culture, à travers la concentration la plus étroite, du pouvoir d'imager ou d'imaginer ce que vous lisez ; sur le pouvoir, comme l'exprime un écrivain, de laisser les montagnes dont nous entendons parler devant nous et les rivières dont nous lisons rouler à nos pieds. Naturalmente, il successo in tutto ciò dipende in larga misura dal coltivare, attraverso la massima concentrazione, il potere di immaginare o raffigurare ciò che si legge; dal potere, come dice uno scrittore, di lasciare che le montagne di cui sentiamo parlare si profilino davanti a noi e che i fiumi di cui leggiamo scorrano ai nostri piedi. Oczywiście sukces we wszystkich powyższych kwestiach zależy w dużej mierze od kultywowania, poprzez najściślejszą koncentrację, mocy wyobrażania sobie lub obrazowania tego, co czytasz; od mocy, jak wyraził to jeden z pisarzy, pozwalania, by góry, o których słyszymy, wyłaniały się przed nami, a rzeki, o których czytamy, toczyły się u naszych stóp.

Exercise 17

Concentration Overcomes Bad Habits. If you have a habit that you want to get rid of, shut your eyes and imagine that your real self is standing before you. Se avete un'abitudine di cui volete liberarvi, chiudete gli occhi e immaginate che il vostro vero io sia davanti a voi. Now try the power of affirmation; say to yourself, "You are not a weakling; you can stop this habit if you want to. Ora provate il potere dell'affermazione: dite a voi stessi: "Non siete un debole; potete smettere di avere questa abitudine se lo volete. This habit is bad and you want to break it." Questa abitudine è cattiva e tu vuoi interromperla". Just imagine that you are some one else giving this advice. Imaginez simplement que vous êtes quelqu'un d'autre qui donne ce conseil. Immaginate di essere qualcun altro che vi dà questo consiglio. This is very valuable practice. C'est une pratique très précieuse. You, in time, see yourself as others see you. Vous, avec le temps, vous voyez comme les autres vous voient. The habit loses its power over you and you are free. L'habitude perd son pouvoir sur vous et vous êtes libre.

If you will just form the mental image of controlling yourself as another person might, you will take a delight in breaking bad habits. Si vous formez simplement l'image mentale de vous contrôler comme une autre personne pourrait le faire, vous prendrez plaisir à briser les mauvaises habitudes. Se vi formate l'immagine mentale di controllarvi come farebbe un'altra persona, vi divertirete a rompere le cattive abitudini. I have known a number of men to break themselves of drinking in this way. Ho conosciuto diversi uomini che si sono disintossicati dal bere in questo modo.

Exercise 18

Watch Concentration. observa| Sit in a chair and place a clock with a second hand on the table. Setzen Sie sich auf einen Stuhl und legen Sie eine Uhr mit Sekundenzeiger auf den Tisch. Sedetevi su una sedia e mettete sul tavolo un orologio con la lancetta dei secondi. Follow the second hand with your eyes as it goes around. Keep this up for five minutes, thinking of nothing else but the second hand, This is a very good exercise when you only have a few minutes to spare, if you are able to keep every other thought in the stream of consciousness subordinate to it. Continuez ainsi pendant cinq minutes, en ne pensant à rien d'autre qu'à la trotteuse. C'est un très bon exercice quand vous n'avez que quelques minutes à perdre, si vous êtes capable de garder toute autre pensée dans le courant de la conscience qui lui est subordonnée. Continuate così per cinque minuti, non pensando ad altro che alla seconda mano. Questo è un ottimo esercizio quando si hanno pochi minuti a disposizione, se si riesce a subordinare ad esso ogni altro pensiero nel flusso di coscienza. As there is little that is particularly interesting about the second hand, it is hard to do this, but in the extra effort of will power required to make it successful lies its value. Comme il y a peu de choses particulièrement intéressantes dans la seconde main, il est difficile de le faire, mais c'est dans l'effort supplémentaire de volonté nécessaire pour réussir que réside sa valeur. Poiché c'è poco di particolarmente interessante nell'usato, è difficile farlo, ma il suo valore risiede nello sforzo supplementare di forza di volontà che è necessario per ottenere il successo. Always try to keep as still as possible during these exercises.

In this way you can gain control over nerves and this quieting effect is very good for them.

Exercise 19

Faith Concentration. Concentration de Foi. A belief in the power to concentrate is of course very important. Der Glaube an die Konzentrationsfähigkeit ist natürlich sehr wichtig. La fiducia nel potere di concentrazione è ovviamente molto importante. I purposely did not put this exercise in the beginning where it naturally belongs because I wanted you to know that you could learn to concentrate. |appositamente|||||||||||||||||||||||| Je n'ai volontairement pas mis cet exercice au début là où il appartient naturellement parce que je voulais que vous sachiez que vous pouviez apprendre à vous concentrer. Non ho volutamente inserito questo esercizio all'inizio, dove è naturale che sia, perché volevo che sapeste che potete imparare a concentrarvi. If you have practiced the above exercises you have now developed this concentration power to a considerable extent and therefore you have faith in the power of concentration, but you can still become a much stronger believer in it. Wenn Sie die oben genannten Übungen gemacht haben, haben Sie diese Konzentrationskraft jetzt in erheblichem Maße entwickelt und haben daher Vertrauen in die Kraft der Konzentration, aber Sie können noch viel stärker daran glauben. Se avete praticato gli esercizi sopra descritti, avete ormai sviluppato in misura considerevole questo potere di concentrazione e quindi avete fede nel potere della concentrazione, ma potete ancora diventare molto più convinti.

We will say that you have some desire or wish you want fulfilled, or that you need some special advice. Nous dirons que vous avez un désir ou un souhait à réaliser, ou que vous avez besoin de conseils particuliers. Diremo che avete un desiderio o un'aspirazione da realizzare, o che avete bisogno di un consiglio speciale. You first clearly picture what is wanted and then you concentrate on getting it. Prima si immagina chiaramente ciò che si desidera e poi ci si concentra per ottenerlo. Have absolute faith that your desires will be realized. Believe that it will according to your belief be fulfilled. Croyez qu'il s'accomplira selon votre croyance. Credete che si realizzerà secondo le vostre convinzioni. Never, at this time, attempt to analyze the belief. Non cercate mai di analizzare la convinzione. You don't care anything about the whys and wherefores. ||||||motivi||ragioni Non vi interessa nulla del perché e del percome. You want to gain the thing you desire, and if you concentrate on it in the right way you will get it. Volete ottenere ciò che desiderate e, se vi concentrate su di esso nel modo giusto, lo otterrete.

A Caution. Une mise en garde. Never think you will not succeed, but picture what is wanted as already yours, and yours it surely will be. Non pensate mai che non ci riuscirete, ma immaginate che ciò che desiderate sia già vostro, e sicuramente lo sarà.

Self-Distrust. |Selbstmisstrauen Selbstmisstrauen. Méfiance à soi. Do you ever feel distrust in yourself? Avete mai provato sfiducia in voi stessi? If You do, just ask yourself, which self do I mistrust? Se lo fa, si chieda solo: di quale io diffido? Then say: my higher self cannot be affected. Allora dite: il mio sé superiore non può essere influenzato. Then think of the wonderful powers of the higher self. Poi pensate ai meravigliosi poteri dell'Io superiore. There is a way to overcome all difficulties, and it is a delight for the human soul to do so. C'è un modo per superare tutte le difficoltà ed è una gioia per l'anima umana farlo. Instead of wasting precious thought-force by dreading or fearing a disagreeable interview or event, instead devote the time and concentrated thought in how to make the best of the interview or event and you will find that it will not be as unpleasant as you thought it would be. |||||||temere|||||||||dedica||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Invece di sprecare preziosa forza di pensiero temendo un colloquio o un evento sgradevole, dedicate il vostro tempo e la vostra concentrazione a come trarre il meglio dal colloquio o dall'evento e scoprirete che non sarà così sgradevole come pensavate. Most of our troubles are but imaginary, and it is the mental habit of so dreading them that really acts as a magnet in attracting those that really do come. La maggior parte dei nostri problemi sono solo immaginari, ed è l'abitudine mentale di temerli che agisce come una calamita per attirare quelli che arrivano davvero. Your evil circumstances are created or attracted by your own negative, fears and wrong thoughts, and are a means of teaching you to triumph over all evils, by discovering that which is inherent within yourself. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||males adversidades|||||||| Vos mauvaises circonstances sont créées ou attirées par vos propres pensées négatives, peurs et mauvaises, et sont un moyen de vous apprendre à triompher de tous les maux, en découvrant ce qui est inhérent à vous-même. Le circostanze negative sono create o attratte dai vostri pensieri negativi, dalle vostre paure e dai vostri pensieri sbagliati, e sono un mezzo per insegnarvi a trionfare su tutti i mali, scoprendo ciò che è insito in voi stessi.

You will find it helpful in overcoming self-distrust, to stop and think, why you are, concentrating your forces, and by so doing you become more closely attached to the higher self, which never distrusts. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||distrugge ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||desconfía Troverete utile, per superare la sfiducia in voi stessi, fermarvi a pensare perché state concentrando le vostre forze, e così facendo diventerete più strettamente legati al Sé superiore, che non diffida mai.