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(Copyright) M. P. OMOLEYE (1974)

First impression: January, 1974 Second impression: January, 2013

2013 Cover design by Caye (abdulojukwu@gmail.com)

Originally Printed By The Sketch Pub. Co. Ltd., Ibadan

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The Holy Bible says God created the world out of nothingness But man he fashioned after His own image. Many are born to mould their worlds out of nothingness. To such people, young or old, who recognise their bondage, I present this book. Mike Omoleye

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DEDICATION
I shall forever be grateful to my Father, late Mr. Joseph Osanyingbe Omoleye and my mother, Madam Victoria Jolade Omoleye for making it possible for me to have my elementary education in the Primary School. I wont forget also Mr. Charles U. Uwanaka, (himself author and journalist) being the only man who concurred with me that I could be a good and successful journalist without the full secondary school or university education provided I pursued my objective with unshakeable determination. He assisted to make me realise my dream. To these three prominent people in my life, I dedicate this book.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I acknowledge with thanks the immeasurable enlightenment got by reading the books mentioned below and most of the quotations in my book emanate from them. They are: Prayer Changes Things by Charles L. Allen (1965 ed.); Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe; Introduction to yoga principles and practices by Sachindra Kumar Majumdar (1966 ed.); The Society of Inner Light, Study course Part 1 (1967 ed.); Dale Carnegies Biographical Roundup (1955 ed.); The Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune (1966 ed.); Idylls of the King by Lord Alfred Tennyson; The Master Key by L. W. de Laurence (1941 ed.); Plato: The Symposium (Penguin Classics 1966 ed.); A Dictionary of Psychology by James Drever (1968 ed.); SelfHelp by Samuel Smiles (1958 ed.); Epistle to the Disciple; Blessed are Those Who Suffer by L. W. de Laurence (De Laurences Catalog of books for Mystics 1960 ed.); The Tempest by William Shakespeare; The Invisible World by Adewale Thompson; the Philosophy of Right, The Philosophy of History by George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel; The Holy Bible; Advanced course in Yoga Philosophy and Oriental Occultism by Yogi Ramacharaka; As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, and John Ploughmans Pictures More of his Talk by C. H. Spurgeon. I am highly indebted to these authors for the abundance of knowledge imparted in their books.

INTRODUCTION
This book is meant for those who have to struggle to establish themselves in life in the face of tidal odds. It is one thing for one to rise high in life; its another to be able to remain at that high level. Life demands every courage from all. The writings in this book were inspired in meditation and by personal encounter with life. I have selected them out of my several published articles for compilation into a book after very careful estimation of their importance to me. I hope they would be useful to others who might come across this book. The articles had appeared in the SUNDAY POST and DAILY SKETCH respectively. Some portions have been modified from the original publications but not to the extent of losing their value. The topics are different literarily but looked at from a higher level they are in harmonious unity. There is an added advantage in that the book can be read by mere picking a topic at random and reading it. Subjects treated deal with elementary psychology, morality, occultism and some everyday problems that beset man. The book will be useful to adults as well as students or such people of any age who can squeeze a little time out of the fast moving modern life to reflect on the invisible forces of reality that gyrate around humanity. Many renowned world leaders, dead or alive, were known to have studied these forces and after subjugating them under their control had employed them for the benefit of mankind. Now, this book beckons you to enquire within it. MIKE OMOLEYE Ago Taylor, Ibadan. November, 1973
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CONTENTS
DEDICATION.IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...V INTRODUCTION..VI CONTENTS 1 Man and his destiny.1 2 Fear can be avoided.12 3 Dont cry if opportunity misses you....15 4 How not to achieve greatness.19 5 Make friends with good books23 6 Anger is enemy of man25 7 8 9 Analysis of occultism27 Limitations of human free will...39 Dont associate with bad groups42

10 Lessons of Oyenusis life...45 11 Suffering is part of life48 12 Accept criticism in good faith50 13 How valuable is time to you? ...53 14 Your mind and how it works..56 15 16 Watch life in silence58 The Epilogue......60

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CHAPTER I MAN AND HIS DESTINY

No condition is permanent. Destiny can never be changed. Among most Nigerians these two sentences are commonly heard, especially, when the going is rough. One may regard them as consolation sighs. There is no deep interpretation which people who, at times, utter them can offer these age-long sayings except likening them to facial judgment of incidents or events in their lives which are either favourable or otherwise. As hours lengthen into days and days into weeks and so on, the condition of every individual alters from time to time on earth. The channel through which each person realises the daily experiences of life is often referred to as DESTINY. Lack of proper knowledge of the future combined with fatalism often compel most people to say Destiny can never be changed. By the way what is DESTINY? The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English says, Destiny is the power that is supposed to control events; fate; what happens to a person or thing in the end especially what is thought to be determined in advance. Giving a broader meaning to the word in his book The Invisible World, Adewale Thompson explains: Destiny is of two types: individual and cosmic.

He goes further to say that individual destiny refers to the action of mans will or that freedom of action granted to him by nature to shape his life according to his own desire. Cosmic destiny, he adds is that part of a mans life which has been fixed by immutable laws; for example it is part of cosmic destiny that a person is born into a particular family and in a particular town and country at a particular time. The implication of this is that the life of the person is governed by the action of certain stars and planets at the time of birth. Since these stars are in themselves emissaries of the supreme intelligence it has been proved that the action of prayer or the exercise of the human WILL can change their effect on the life of the individual, explains Adewale Thompson. Somehow the definitions agree on the fact that destiny deals with the past, present and future of man. So let us look into the individual destiny first. Humanity is made up of different species of people with infinitely various characters. It is a marvelous secret of cosmic regulations that even twins born of the same mother differ greatly in behaviour, showing of emotions or in reaction to an event and their ways of living. It is believed that man is composed of incarnationary experiences built up in his former lives coupled with the present life encounter. Environment too plays much important role in shaping mans behaviour. A boy who grows up among ever quarrelling parents or in a rowdy surrounding may always lose his temper with the slightest provocation.

A person behaving ethically can distinguish between right and wrong, good or evil in relations to actions, volitions or character of himself or another person. Individuals determine these things by conscience which is an inward knowledge or conviction interwoven with human Nature. We group these under the individual destiny together with how a man exercises his will power to improve or wreck His own life. Of all the make-ups of man, the Will is the most formidable. Even conscience is a subsidiary to will since it only works by pricking one for an act of guilt and making one to rejoice on the achievement of success in an undertaking. But obviously behind conscience is the Will which propels man to do good or bad. Heaven helps those who help themselves, is a wise saying emphasizing that mans lot in life can be shaped through his Will aided by the laws of nature. The laws are fixed and unchangeable yet the irony of it is that they exist to assist anyone willing either to achieve success or do havoc to other people. It is the same laws that allow the former to go scot free a prominent and happy man while the latter is severely punished or condemned through retributive justice before or after executing his bad intentions. The Will is at work for example when a person pursues in an honest manner a vigorous study to obtain a university degree or position of eminence in life. Also it is the Will that is at work when a person sets out to commit murder or any wrong deed. Therefore Will is part of the vast freedom granted man by God which he (man) can utilize or misuse. In which case the individual destiny or WILL is controlled by us and we can mould it for any intention in life.

But what seems to be out of mans power is the cosmic destiny which is controlled by planetary and Zodiacal immutable forces. In the explanation of cosmic destiny the reader has been made to understand that it is that part of a mans life fixed by immutable laws but governed by the influence of stars and the zodiacal elements, although which prayers or the human WILL can change their effect onthe individual life. The question is: Are we meant to know our future? Many people do not believe in prediction no matter from what quarters it may come; a few not only have sound belief in it but can foresee the future with uncanny accuracy. There are many ways which people employ to know the future and there is no sin in it since it is regarded by the practitioners as an art. The systems however depend mostly on tradition, culture and religious background which one might have inherited from ones ancestors. Apart from personal dreams and visions that one can easily interpret to understand the past, present or future phenomena, a modern method for predictions is astrology. Astrology has never and will never change a persons destiny. But it helps to forewarn of coming fortunes or misfortunes so that we can prepare to cushion the effects of a future incident or turn an approaching disastrous event to personal advantage. An astrologer once expatiated on it this way: Life is like a road that leads over a hill. We stand on one side with the past stretching behind us. The future lies on the other side. Because of his gift the seer knows what lies in store. The explorer who penetrates into the jungles of Brazil knows not what perils lie ahead but if warned of animals and reptiles in his path he can avoid them and if this is impossible take measures

for his safety. The dangers, pitfalls and risks that lie in the path of life cannot be avoided. They have been placed there by fate. But if we know of their existence we can do a great deal to minimize their impact and sometimes even turn them to our advantage explained the astrologer. The vision and enchantment in Shakespeares poetry are a triurnph of his spirit even after his death. In his play THE TEMPEST Shakespeare reveals his bold belief in destiny and how it works when he puts into the mouth of Ariel to tell Alonso, Sebastian and Antonia that: You are three men of sin whom Destiny that hath to instrument this lower world And what is int the never surfeited sea hath caused to belch up you; and on this island Where man doth not inhabit; you mongst men being most unfit to live The speech of Ariel clearly shows what destiny has in store for the three men of sin. But the three men destined to die on the island never did so. Their sorrows were overcome through repentance and all sailed home happily afterwards. Also in the same book Shakespeare makes Prospero to tell his life history to his daughter (Miranda) about their banishment from Milan and through his knowledge of astrology predicts: By accident most strange bountiful Fortune (Now my dear lady) hath mine enemies Brought to this shore; and by me prescience I find my zenith doth depend upon A most suspicious STAR whose influence
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If I court not but omit my fortunes Will ever after droop Prospero seized the chance he saw through his star, utilized it in his dealings with his enemies whom bountiful Fortune had brought to meet him on the strange island and he later became the king of Milan. The late Adolf Heichmann was told by his astrologer a year before his trial and final execution in Israel that he (Heichmann) would not live to celebrate his next birthday anniversary and so it occurred as was later discovered in the diary of the deceased where he had recorded it. For those who believe only in predestiny, I shall have to borrow a leaf from Socrates logical argument of reciprocal processes which says that It is a necessary law that everything which has an opposite is generated from that opposite. I am not dealing with opposites here but with direct reciprocity. How can pre-destiny exist if there is no destiny? The prefix shows that something is already substantial and the mere adding of pre only takes us back to its early state. We therefore adduce that since there is pre-destiny there is destiny and postdestiny. A simple cycle of mans life yonder and here may be said to consist of: Causation- formation- birth- life- death- regeneration- Causation (incarnation) et cetera.. . . until after goings and comings one finds himself in UNITY WITH GOD. But why on earth is man blind to his future one would ask? From all indications it is upheld that the First Sin committed by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden as

recorded in theHoly Bible marked the Prime deviation or fall of man from the true path. This deviation is said to have turned mans back to his destiny. We have all deviated and this is the origin of our wanton ignorance and the darkness obscuring our view into our future. Destiny and man are interwoven. Without destiny we cannot live, while destiny without us will be vague. Destiny knows us and what it has in store for each of us we know it not. Hence the saying in the Holy Bible St. John chapter 1 verse five: And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it. Our prime deviation also caused humanity to look at the ONE GOD from different angles: the result of our various Religious denominations. This is often referred to as polytheism. Fortunately, each religion if pursued with sincerity directs one to the Supreme Intelligence. From the time of the deviation a black veil had been drawn over mans face, obscuring it against the future. Anyone who can through prayers or mastering of his mind remove the veil can see his past, present and future. The most early races on earth said to have practised the art were the Lemurians and Atlanteans. At a period during their existence, they were said to have foreseen immense clouds of danger ahead of them. To avoid it, their leaders had to lead the people in groups to as far as their legs could carry them until they were entirely out of the dangerous zone. The Atlanteans formerly lived where we now have the South Atlantic Ocean while the Lemurians lived in Lemuria now the Mediterranean. It was the emigrants of these races who were reported to have started the cultures in countries such as Egypt, Arabia, Asia Minor and Greece as far back as 200 BC to about 700AD. There they laid the foundation of the Western form of esoteric philosophy. Jesus Christ too was good in the art for he foretold on many occasions what would become of Him in the end. In St. Mark, Jesus knew he was to die and prayed: Abba, Father all things are possible to thee: remove this chalice from me; but not
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what Twill but what thou wilt. He went to the jungle to fast for forty days and nights praying to God to enable him accomplish his mission on earth. The glory of it all being HIS RESURRECTION. Up till today the spirit of Jesus Christ stands erect even where nations fall and monarchies collapse. It has been said earlier that stars have much powers on human affairs. Adepts in astrology can read the positions of the stars at the time of ones birth and analyse them to produce horoscopes. The mere analysis of these symbols is enough for an astrologer to tell off-hand the future and characteristic make-up of a person born under any of the signs. The ups and downs of life are said to be originating from the movements and reflections of the stars. An astrologer said that if we study the progressed aspects of our lives and note the years and months of crisis we shall know when to expect the peaks and troughs again. Stars apart! The issue of co-existence in the shaping of individuals destiny is vital and must not be overlooked. When a group of people organize themselves into an association to promote their welfare or a business enterprise they are helping one another in the shaping of each others destiny. Fortune or misfortune can come on all of them through their activities in the body they set up. The same thing applies to people working in the same office. The fortune or misfortune of one of them can spread to A dying man who got a helping hand from a passer-by has got his destiny linked with that of the samaritan. And the samaritan would have failed his own destiny if he had not rendered the help at that particular time. Assuming that that there is only one man on earth- going it all alone harmlessly destiny will be meaningless altogether. This illustrates that apart from the influence of stars, Peoples activities have much affect on their fellows. Yorubas have a general belief that if God wants to punish or help a person He will do it through mans fellow human being. When Jesus Christ assembled his twelve disciples it was at last hour that it occurred to Him that one of them, Judas
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Iscariot, would betray Him to His enemies. A certain religious circle under this sun holds that Judas was a hero having helped Jesus Christ to fulfill his destiny and mission on earth. The circle maintained that without Judas Iscariot, Jesus would have failed humanity. The actual betrayal of Jesus by Judas is also held by the circle be a complete realisation of Judas destiny otherwise he himself could have been an utter failure before God. [he religious group no doubt worships Iscariot till today. The reader should please bear in mind that I do not say that betraying ones friend, nation, neighbor, or master is creditable thing. I only use this as an analogy of how a mans destiny inter-mixes with that of another. After all, Judas committed suicide on realising the folly of his deed. King Arthurs story is another legendary example of mans inter-dependence of his destiny on his fellows. King Arthur had assembled 150 world renowned Knights called the ROUND TABLE and which was an image of a mighty world. Little did he (Arthur) know that he would have to withstand some of the knights in sword battles. Ultimately he lamented: I perish by this people which I made. He died through the sword of one of his knights during a combat for his (Arthurs) throne. In any event one must not forget that one can plan ones life the way one wishes it to be. A person should be able to know which route he plans to take in life and this he must tread with determination. But there is no way which is not prone to its own difficulties arising either through ones faults, the hand-work of enemies or disharmony among ruling stars. This is where, like Jesus Christ, one is expected to carry ones cross alone. The essential point to note is that that one should be able to undergo successfully the stresses of life which are believed to be limited to certain periods in our lives. No person on earth can alter the destiny of another man. This is a naked truth. All he can do is to help in the realisation or shaping of the destiny in a god or bad way. And only a person who lacks faith and confidence in himself with weak mind and blind ambition can never make a head-way or pursue his or her task in life because of difficulties.
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Even it has been proved that misfortunes of life and delays in ones dreams becoming a reality are temporary feature and can be overcome with patience, prayers, fasting and sensible pursuance of ones objectives since according to that old adage: no condition is permanent. The late Sir Winston Churchill gave a sound advice on the need for steadfastness when members of the Assassination Society in America were after his blood during his visit to America in 1921Said Churchill: one ought never to turn ones back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never, he said. Difficulties if met with full vigour and endurance will come and go leaving us behind as heroes. But a spiritually weak fellow may be wiped off his feet even at the initial stage of lifes crisis. Ii a man wants to be taken as being wise or as an intellectual as they refer to it in Nigeria of nowadays he should, like Solomon, aspire to understand and interpret the forces that rule his nature. A philosopher once said: If one does not make an honest attempt to seek and search out the truth and obtain divine wisdom, one is only a self assumed inspired interpreter. Man should be able also to learn lessons from the mistakes and events that might have brought him into a face-to face tussle with life in order to prevent future repetition. However, the world, sincerely speaking, is a battle field where only the fittest survive and leave behind imperishable marks after their death. Rabindranath Tagore knew of this when he prayed to God (and I end this chapter with his prayer): Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain but for the heart to conquer it.

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Let me not look for allies in lifes battle field but to my own strength. Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved but hope for the patience to win my freedom. Grant me that I may not be a coward, feeling your mercy in my success alone; but let me find the grasp of your hand in my failure.

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CHAPTER II FEAR CAN BE AVOIDED

Fear is described as one of the primitive, violent, and usually crippling emotions marked by extensive bodily changes It tends to suppress all mental activity other than that which the exciting object calls forth. It is said that when fear grips a person blood rushes to the head. This is very pronounced when fear is aroused. The heart works at terrible pressure, the breathing becomes labored while the throat goes dry, says a psychologist. Of all human instincts, when sex is removed, fear takes a good lead. To me fear is a disease of the heart. It is so deep rooted in our hearts that one finds it a difficult subject to tackle. There are those whose fears centre on what they regard as their problems. Some have fear for their health, debt, business, children, property, profession, and a host of others. Nobody can convince such people that their fears are not genuine. Or take the case of a person who wakes up in the morning and does not know where to find his breakfast not to talk of lunch or supper? Or the man who roams the streets daily for employment? They all have their own fears. But one factor, unfortunate though, is that when one gets rid of one fear another tends to replace it. We might classify fear into immediate and remote. And there are fears resulting from greed, ignorance, laziness, thoughtlessness and weak mind. But in all, fears are the offspring of our thoughts. Often you hear someone grumble: How do I get out of this problem? At such a time, the person has carried the whole world on his or her head. Fears have made people to think of the future to the neglect of the duties of the day. In the end it

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becomes a double loss. I am yet to come across a man or woman who hasnt got problems and who hasnt overcome them provided he or she lives. I am not talking of criminals who create problems for themselves and their society. A greedy man who has enough for himself but still wants more may be creating problems which will later become fears in his mind. However, greed should not be mistaken for ambition. The lazy man who sits idly bemoaning his fate and blaming God for not dropping huge sums of money from heavens to enable him live the life of a rich man is also worrying his mind in vain. We should not forget another type of fear which forces the body to tremble, shudder or makes -us see strange sights. This is natural. Such as when a man suddenly encounters a lion or big snake in the forest. Natural fear is different from self-created fear, although both originate from the heart. To sit down in a place and fear away our problems is useless. This simply dissipates our energy and renders us wearisome. Generally speaking, the fear of the future grips many people more than anything else. So also is the fear of death. Do we need to kill ourselves because of the fears we entertain for tomorrow or the future? One sage supplies the answer. He says: God never stores for the morrow. He never Creates more than what is strictly needed for the moment. If, therefore, we repose faith in His providence, we should rest assured that He will give us everything that we require. Saints and devotees, who have lived in such faith, have always derived a justification for it from their experience. Our ignorance or negligence of the Divine Law, which Gives to man from day to day his daily bread and no more Has given rise to inequalities with all the miseries attendant Upon them. Again what is the solution to our fears? Charles L. Allen clears this for us and he says:
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Believing is a process of mental picturing. So often, instead of picturing the answer we want, we continue to look at the troubles we have. We concentrate on our fears instead of our faith, our problems instead of our powers, our sins instead of our saviour. Prayer, it has also been suggested, helps in surmounting our fears. A religionist discloses: Prayer is a means whereby our human frailties can find strength, whereby our trials and tribulations can be lessened by the Creators mighty intercession, whereby our doubts and fears fade into a cloud of unimportance. Many psychologists have stressed the need to limit our fears to each day. For only then can we be able to cope with them. An American poet once wrote about his friend who adopted this system: Toiling, rejoicing, sorrowing; Onward through life he goes. Each morning sees some task begun Each evening sees its close. Something attempted, something done; Has earnd a nights repose. But our best adviser on this matter is an old man who called his son to his bed side as he was about to die. With a piercing look and his last strength he whispered to him: My son, I have worried all my life, and nine-tenths of the things I worried about never came to pass. Then he gave up!

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CHAPTER III DONT CRY IF OPPORTUNITY MISSES YOU

When considered very carefully, opportunity can be likened to the chance before a thirsty traveler who comes across an oasis in the desert. But what has made the Word opportunity a bit abstract to treat is that its meanings, or, rather, approaches to it are varied. One school of thought says that opportunity is not that which comes once or twice in a mans lifetime, but something which may be created at pleasure. Among some Nigerians, it is held that an opportunity once lost can never be regained; then another group believes, That if ever it is regained it isnt the first opportunity but another one. Never mind what our views are about opportunity. Fact is that it exists. And as the Thordike English Dictionary states: Opportunity means good chance, favourable time; convenient occasions. Surely, it is impossible for us to have everything favourable to us all the time. The case of the thirsty traveller in the desert is a point. Although he might have equipped himself with what he considered sufficient water for the journey, circumstances are that it could finish earlier than planned. When the water is gone, he is left with the desire to come across another water, but his surrounding is a barrier- the desert. Should he continue with his journey, stop where the water finishes or return home? He stands the risk of dying of thirst if he goes on; the same principle applies if he stays put on the spot and the motive behind the journey will be defeated if he returns home. Then lets assume he goes ahead with the travelling, but itching every second to have a glance of an oasis. After days of enduring the tour without water, he sights an oasis. Tell me is this an opportunity? Another question is: Can one have an opportunity without planning for it? And again why have people wasted many an opportunity that came their way? Is it owing to their unpreparedness?
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One man once said that no success is the result of chance, though people point to a single incident which served to raise an individual from poverty to affluence. Again is that single incident the opportunity we are talking about? The single incident seems to give credence to that saying which states: There is a time in affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Opportunities are bound to come our way whether we plan for it consciously or unconsciously. However, we might ponder why some people waste their opportunities. I met a man at Ibadan. He was very bitter with himself and the world at large. While drinking in a hotel he had a quarrel with a young man. After much rattling, the elderly man told the little audience which stood between him and his young opponent: It is not the fault of the young man. He meets me when life has changed, otherwise he would have regretted ever crossing my way. When he left, those who knew him in his hey-days described him as one of those who would go all length to spend on any issue until the end comes out in their favour. The man was once in money and people kept quiet when he talked, said one person. We were told he had wasted his money and he now goes about nursing the pride of his former self. Occasionally he lands himself in the native liquor bar to gulp down the home-made gin to forget his glorious past Haunting him. There are those who have lost good chances by one way or the other through their own faults. In Nigeria many have thwarted their opportunities by indulging in gambling, womanizing drinking, abuse of office and uncontrolled, reckless living. So that whether an opportunity is self-created or comes on its own, our usage of it might turn it into a curse or a blessing. A writer says that the root of our problems lies in our mentality. So that people make themselves what they are. The mental outlook determines the physical one. Thus all actions are the outcome of what we think or what we want to become.
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An opportunity once wasted is a manifestation of failure. But can that be the end of a man?

Two opinions by OPPORTUNITY himself have significance here. Opportunity first opinion of himself runs thus: Master of human destinies am I, fame, love, and fortune on my footsteps wait cities and fields I walk; penetrate Deserts and seas remote and passing by Hovel, and mart, and palace soon or late I knock unbidden once at every gate If sleeping, wake if feasting, rise before I turn away. It is the hour of fate. And they who follow me reach every state Mortals desire, and conquer every foe Save death: but those who doubt or hesitate, Condemned to failure, penury and woe; Seek me in vain and uselessly implore I answer not, and I return no more. Here is what opportunity says of himself in the second instance: They do me wrong who say I come no more when once I knock and fail to find you in. For every day I stand outside your door, And bid you wake, and rise to fight and win Wail not for precious chances passed away, Weep not for golden ages on the wane. Each night I burn the records of the day, At sunrise every soul is born again.

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That is OPPORTUNITY speaking of himself. Which of his opinions seems to speak to you? Find out.

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CHAPTER IV HOW NOT TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS

Ask any person whether or not he wants to be great and his quick will definitely be YES. Ask another what is his interpretation of greatness and also he may talk of wealth, affluence, political success, educational attainment and popularity. Because most of us have a wrong idea of what true greatness is , many have spent their lives pursuing greatness in the negative way or to put it in a better form, pursuing the shadow of greatness. There is no sin whatsoever in striving to be great. Invariably in Nigeria, the greatness of a man is measured In terms of his flamboyant appearance and splendour. And this idea, no doubt, hangs on the presumption that he who displays to the public that he has a considerable amount of money is quickly regarded as the greatest. Even from the way many Nigerians acquire wealth through most dubious circumstances, one is content to say that instead of achieving the real greatness, they sink to a state of artificial greatness, making them to lead a pigs life which C.H. Spurgeon says is sweet and short. Before one aims at becoming great, ambition which will be the propeller would first be developed. The greatness we have in mind might be in business, politics, education or leading the people. Honest and genuine ambition again is not a sin. But the ambition of many is to be great at all costs never mind if souls are lost or people pushed down in the attempt to practicalise the dream ambition. Gradually, the ambitious man becomes insane for success because his instinct has become perverted and abnormal. Unawares, he ties himself to the things he creates and becomes their slave rather than their master. Of this type of ambition, Yogi Ramacharaka contends that: It is but the counterfeit of real ambition and is as abnormal as are the morbid appetites, which assume the guise of hunger and thirst. The ridiculous customs of
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decorating the person with barbarous ornamentations which counterfeits the natural instinct of putting on slight covering (clothes) as protection from the weather. The absurd customs of burdening oneself and others with the maintenance of palatial mansions which counterfeits mans natural desire for a home spot and shelter. The licentious and erotic practices of many men and women which are but counterfeits of the natural sexual instincts of normal man and womanthe object of which is primarily, the preservation of the race, said the Yogi. After the January, 1966 coup dtat, honest Nigerians shrank with fear and dismay when the manner in which fellow Nigerians accumulated wealth was exposed at tribunals set up by the governments to probe them. Nigerians being what they are soon forgot those revelations and did worse things during the war. Our post-war era witnessed the worst. The few who formerly tried to be straight forward have lately discovered that honesty in Nigeria yields no profit except suffering and victimization. Even when not victimized, the tendency is that perseverance cannot be maintained with honesty in the face of suffering thus the honest few often retrace their steps, sell their conscience and fall into associations which the psalmist says would not see the light of God. To be great in Nigeria, people deliberately choose to be Another Dr. Faustus. They, with their souls, buy the services of the chief lord and regent of perpetual darkness in order to be happy and great. But de Laurence, in his EPISTLE TO THE DISCIPLE pleads: Thou shalt say every man and woman wishes to be happy. But my answer, says de Laurence ismost people prevent their own happiness. They destroy it by suffering themselves to be governed by the outward principle of the Flesh thinking the GREATEST GOOD to be in the satisfying of their carnal appetites, or in the amassing together heaps of wealth, whereby they thrust down the meek and poor, raising up the standards of pride, envy and oppression.... He who possesses treasure without mercy, liberality, bounty, charity. . . .et cetera, robs the Eternal Author of all good, of the honour due unto Him, and is working destructively to his own soul. His riches, instead of
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benefitting himself and others eventually and finally terminate as a curse. While he lives here, he is a scourge to society, and after he leaves this world, it is plain enough pointed out... what will be his situation and condition The scourge of the Nigerian society today is the belief by many that money is a symbol of Satan and that which is evil, and as such it can only be acquired through satanic, devilish and violently bloody avenues. But the reverse is the truth. Dion Fortune, in her Mystical Kabala reveals that money is life and life is money, for without money we can have no fullness of life. To her, the source of money is explained thus: The sun is above all things, the symbol of manifesting energy....; it is gold, as the basis of money, which is the objective representative of externalized life-force. Until we realise that God Himself is the source of money and until we seek to have money through Him, our problems in this country will continue to stare us bloodily in the face. That which we get through the devil will go back to the devil, but that which we receive through God will remain behind even after we die. The policeman who perverted the cause of justice through bribery does not help the nation. The ten percenters and bribe givers should search their minds. The few on top who think they have achieved GREATNESS in the Nigerian context should repent and change for the better. Nigeria, by surviving a war of rebellion is a great country by any standard. The mineral resources and natural wealth are not to be underrated. But those who can see farther than their noses might observe that the Sword of Damocles is swinging gently again. Let the nation be warned! It is only when we are in difficulty that we remember God in the mosques and churches to pray for lasting peace. By our actions and inadequacies, we pollute our country and make it sick.

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What we badly need among those who think they have achieved greatness and those who aspire to be great is reformation. As Socrates rightly put it: Let him that would move the world move first himself. Or as the old rhyme tells us: If everyone would see to his own reformation how very easily you might reform a nation.

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CHAPTER V MAKE FRIENDS WITH GOOD BOOKS

From the time of Moses, and later, the invention of hieroglyphics and cuneiform, the beginning of writing books had been established. Books play important role in providing us with wisdom. From books we are able to know what happened thousands of years ago. Books record for us the systematic evolution of man and the revolutions attendant to it. When printing was founded, books which were hitherto rare to obtain were produced in large quantities and interested people had the chance of possessing books of their choice. One regrettable thing, however, is that at one time, clever people without morals took advantage of printing and played on the lower instincts of human beings by gradually introducing bad books. Such books are either meant to poison minds, mislead readers or pipe up emotions for the purpose of making quick financial gains. The monetary gains having been achieved, the ideas propagated in such books germinated into chaos and bloodshed eventually. Responsible governments had been forced to clamp down on such books when discovered, but often this served to inflame peoples craving for them. Freedom of everything has now guaranteed all sorts of publications like magazines and books depicting modern people in unashamed nakedness similar to what prevailed in the Stone Age. We are more exposed to the influence of books now than caution in buying books. Bad books play on the imagination and this generates bad thoughts which, if unabated, produce bad acts which again bring about destructive consequences. Before setting out to buy books, one should have mapped out what one intends to achieve by reading them. This calls for an objective appraisal of what one, in earnest, wants to become in life. In major cases, youths tend to feel contented with reading of books dealing with bloody crimes, orgies, modern orientalism, novels making heroes of violent
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characters, eroticism and nudism. Many people have sold their souls unawares to bad books so much so that vandalistic eruptions reign throughout the world today. There is a solution to this since booksellers display both good and bad books on their shelves. All the reader should do is to discriminate and avoid those that are opposed to his or her educational aspirations. It is more profitable for people, especially the youths to have companionship with biographies or autobiographies of great lives: books which elevate us to intellectual greatness; books that explain or teach something about Nature and humanity in relation to the Creator. We should read books that will propel us to add an edifice each to the beauty of the world and comfort of humanity; not books which instigate people to destroy that which others have created through their labour, time and brains for the benefit of mankind.

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CHAPTER VI ANGER IS ENEMY OF MAN

Sometime ago, I was a witness to a fight between two youths in a Street at Ibadan. I am one of those who dont believe in jumping in the midst of fighters to separate them since by so doing one may become a target of villainous pugilism. One man did so in my presence in Lagos and had taught me a lesson. The fighters he wanted to pacify concentrated their jabs on him, and by the time people came to rescue the three fighters, the mediator was seen holding his head with his two hands. Not until he raised an alarm before I knew why he held his head so firmly. One of the fighters had knocked out three of his front teeth during the encounter leaving a wide hole in the mouth. The two wayside pugilists had no scratch on them. Then, we heard the weeping of the wounded Samaritan: Yeh. . . . Help me o. See my life o. . . I was just helping o. . . etc. Typical of Lagosians, they surrounded the youths and led them with their victim to the nearby police station to face the law. From what we were told the fight could have been avoided if the youths had been able to control their anger. Would it not have been a disaster if one of the youths or the mediator had died in the fight? But then isnt it possible for one to control ones fury? Instinct and emotion when let loose generate fury. Instinct by itself is described in its original sense as animal impulse, while it is said that if emotion is intense it produces some disturbance of the intellectual functions, a measure of dissociation of the personality, and a tendency towards action of an upgraded character. Emotions have two main features: the tendency not to subside once stimulated, and the inclination of the angry person to attack any object which presents itself. The more reason why unchecked emotion is associated with animalistic constitution. Next time you find two rams undoing each other in a duel watch them
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keenly. The same observation can be made of cocks in a fit of temper. But a glaring case is that of dogs. Someone who witnessed dogs duel writes: A number of dogs attracted by and failing to understand the cause of another dogs howling rush there and commence to fight with each other. Their emotions having been aroused, the dogs seized on the first thing that presents itself ANOTHER DOG. Edward Jenks in his A history of Politics writes about Marriage by Capture depicting the animal nature of early human beings: Primitive man was dominated by his instincts. If he was angry he let go without considering the result; if he was afraid he took to his heels at once; if he wanted a wife, he did not wait to get her parents consent; he took her by force, if need be. There are many people who are worse than the Primitive Man in this Moon Age because they never attempt to curtail their emotional impulses when getting out of hand. Undoubtedly, emotions can be properly used to success much as it can be applied towards cruelty, crime and thence failure in life. Every manner below human dignity belongs to the Stone Age and we should do all in our power to suppress violent emotion if it wants to surface in us. When next you are gripped by anger or emotion, remind yourself that unless you are able to check it immediately you would be living the life of the Primitive Man. There is virtue in stamping out anger in our daily life before it leads us to regrettable goals.

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CHAPTER VII ANALYSIS OF OCCULTISM

Occultism! Mysticism! These words sound mysterious and weird. To an average person with no knowledge of esoteric science, anything that goes by the name occultism or mysticism means either a secret society where evil can be carried out secretly with impunity or the art of conjuring bad spirits or the spirits of the dead in order to do havoc. As far as sane occultism is concerned, the contrary is the truth.

Occultism, in all its ramifications, deals with the unseen powers that rule the universe, and there can be no double saying to contend that occult science begins where natural science ends. Physically, natural science begins from the observation of facts together with the accurate measurement of ingredients for the realisation of certain conceived objective, whereas, esoteric science or occultism works with principles and looks only to expect results to come through laws of nature. In the first science, experiment precedes knowledge, but in the latter, knowledge precedes experiment.

Herein, I shall try to explain the meaning, usefulness, dangers and branches of occultism and mysticism and how they mingle with religion.

Firstly, the deepest mysticism has been traced to have originated in Egypt, while India stands the highest in metaphysics. There are two distinct branches of occultism although the distinction dissolves when viewed on the higher planes; namely, magical and spiritual. The magical side has further a sub-division into two: WHITE and BLACK.

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Explaining the difference between the two, an occultist stated: despite the bigoted denials that there can be such a thing as good magic, white magic aims at reinforcing and concentrating the process of evolution and redemption, and black magic seeks to employ the same powers to manipulate causation for selfish ends regardless of cosmic law. The difference between the two is the difference between the art of the doctor and the art of the maker of intoxicating drinks and poisons. The method employed by magical occultists to achieve their spiritual objective differs from that of the spiritual occultist. Before the magician can perform works, he has to observe certain ritual formulae, recite unearthly incantations with which to invoke spiritual forces to aid him. It is this invocation that lies behind the powers of mystics or magicians. Early training for this which is very essential is often ignored by careless people who dabble into occultism with the effect that when they conjure it results in insanity, obsessions hallucination or instant death of the operator if hes unfortunate to make a sudden contact with the spirit plane. Another factor that makes magical invocation very dangerous is the mundane wishes that may prompt the performers to undertake it. Instead of utilising mystical powers for the benefit of mankind, some choose to employ it for selfish and monetary aims, bringing about their ruin and total abandonment of spiritual upliftment. Neither the black nor the white magic very much differ one from the other by way of manipulation. What matters more is from where each draws its powers. While White Magic rituals if well performed go straight upwards to draw power from above, the Black Magic seeks to reach backwards into outgrown evolution to release forces for action. A mystic, in describing black magic, declares:

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In black magic, a breaking down of organised form into lower types of forces takes place and the two elements employed for this purpose are sex and blood. He goes further: In addition to the utilisation of these two physical sources of subtle force, the black magician makes use of the evocation of spirits and pacts therewith. The spirits may be the innocent natural forces of the elements, or Nature spirits which he may elect to use for either idle or evil purposes. They may be those evil imaginings of mens hearts which are the evil spirits of the earth-sphere, or they may be drawn from that overplus of unbalanced force emanated during the earlier processes of evolution that formed the raw material. Finally, the black magician avails himself of the powers of certain drugs to produce clairvoyance

The effects of performing ritual or ceremonial magic without prior training, knowledge or what adepts call initiation into the mysteries are as dangerous as plunging into a bottomless pit, for the magical operation when carried out in that way is plain disruption of cosmic laws.

When I speak of magicians, the reader should never call to mind the ugly spectacle of fake magicians who parade our streets or town halls wearing fanciful robes and displaying colourful boxes to deceive the public. Theirs is the greatest imitation of either white or black magic, for true magic can never be practised just any time of the day in the open streets so as to draw pennies from a crowd.

Magical books stipulate where, how, when and what to do to perform magical rituals and the immediate results to expect. Leaving this at this stage, I go back to the second type of occultism in the nonmagical way. Spiritual occultism, also in all its branches, can be called the science and art of telementology. It teaches one how to develop ones latent forces and
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inner spiritual nature. It helps one to solve the daily problems of life; enlivens ones religious belief (any denomination at all), and trains one in the higher scientific art of thought control and possibly spiritual healing. India, as already stated, stands out clearly as a country with the greatest metaphysics. The Essenes (fore-runners of Christianity) were said to bear clear influences of Indian spiritual thought and culture. And the history of India also records the existence of the Vedas and Upanishads in the early days (from C.3000 BC to C.800 BC) whose powerful, healthy, spiritual and cultural influence had been preserved from generation to generation in that country. The literature (called Gita) left behind in India by the Vedas and Upanishads is still a thing of joy when one comes across it today. The Vedas and Upanishads believed there are two kinds of knowledge, viz: the LOWER and the HIGHER. The lower concerns the knowledge of our material world, while the higher deals with the unseen world. The possession of both is essential in any individual who is interested in controlling his life. But the peril of man lies in the acquisition of the lower knowledge and presuming it to be all in all to the utter neglect of the higher knowledge. In the Gita one reads spiritually inspired sayings such as: The world is not without meaning but the meaning is not wholly contained therein. A true life is a life in which action and contemplation blend. A life of contemplation without action is empty. We need power and vision, strength and wisdom to make life meaningful. We need the experiences of the world in order to grow. There is nothing wrong with the world except our attitude toward it. Our individuality requires expression. It is better to die following ones own nature than to imitate anothers virtue. The man who has insight into the cosmic purpose, and expresses himself in harmony with it lives a true life.

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An Upanishad literature further teaches that the first quarter of the normal life of an individual (25 years) should be devoted to mystical study during which celibacy should be observed. Good values, habits of self-control and self-discipline, it emphasises, should be instilled in youths at this period by parents and teachers, otherwise they may not be fit to make proper judgments in life. A mind undisciplined is like a body untrained; it will not stand up to the stresses and strains of living the literature deposes. I have endeavoured to lay stress on these Indian races because from them came metaphysical thoughts and religions from which not only the Indians themselves but also their great leaders had all drawn inspiration for their work. Hinduism, Buddhism and Yoga are the left-overs of those early Indian races and these religions are still being held in high esteem in India till the present time. Buddhism is part of Hinduism because Buddha (founder of Buddhism) was born a Hindu, lived a Hindu and died a Hindu. And Yoga too is a substance of Hinduism. In this section, I shall treat Yoga occultism and leave Buddhism and Hinduism to the reader to look into them personally at ones leisure. Doubtless to say, however, that all three lead to the philosophy of spiritual occultism. The reader may marvel at the word YOGA. Yoga is an Indian word almost synonymous with the English words yoke or harness. Yoga, apart from being knowledge and power, is the perception of the true Higher Self together with the disciplines leading to the realisation. So that literally, Yoga is joining the mind with the DIVINE BEING within each and every one of us. Of yoga, the Gita says: Gaining which man does not consider any other gain superior. And established in which he is not shaken by the greatest pain. Know that state above suffering to be Yoga . . .

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A yogi is a spiritualist who practises the philosophy of yoga. We have the BHAKTI yoga, dealing with devotion: the JUANA yoga, dealing with philosophical analysis or knowledge; the KARMA yoga, dealing with action; the DHYANA yoga dealing with MEDITATION and GNANI yoga dealing with wisdom. The RAJA yoga tops all because it deals with concentration. Raja yoga in literary translation means Royal Yoga or yoga per excellence. The sub-divisions of these branches of yoga include HATHA yoga, LAYA yoga and the MANSTRA. Hatha yoga aims at making the body and all the senses become still by violence or forceful exercises to enable one get to a state of superconsciousness. Laya yoga teaches one how to concentrate on something until the merging of ones mind with the SELF. The mantra yoga is one whereby one chants inaudibly some mystical words made up of scientifically arranged system of root-words, accents and syllables during meditation. Again it must be made clear that every branch and sub-division of yoga if studied and practised leads to what yogis term as SAMADHI or the reaching of the height of awareness or having contact with the INNER SELF. All these methods belong to Eastern occultism. Although the up-bringing of the Western man may make it difficult to adapt to the ordeal of the Eastern system, the inter-play and exchange of knowledge between the East and West have produced a refined yet simple spiritual occult training in the West that does not involve the vigorous exercises of Eastern occultism. But which leads the westerner to the same spiritual goals. The way to achieve success in spiritual occultism is mountainous: having achieved it, the ways to preserve it and also guide against the misuse of it in the face of provocations and temptations are not easy things. How does an occultist develop himself and what are the dangers and benefits to expect? In contrast to magical occultism, a spiritual occultist will first have personal development through learning and practising elementary and then advanced psychology before entering the occult field. By this he will be able to control his own world rather than the world dictating the tune. Such learning will include training of oneself to possess mental equilibrium;
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logical thinking and ethical order; avoidance of the habit of doubtfulness in life; combating the hurry habit; abolition of worry; the acquisition of serenity of mind power and so on. Briefly, these can be grouped under thought control; mental discipline; scientific concentration; will-culture; cultivation of good memory and how to possess personal magnetism. The developments of these virtues are necessary for a spiritual occultist for many reasons. How many times have we seen closest friends fight bitterly over a trifle matter when surely the issue could have been resolved amicably with patience and endurance. Man by his early primitive nature is dominated by his instincts. Please, call these animal instincts because man, in the early days, was no better off than an animal. The animal instincts in us have been passing down from generation to generation up till now. An occultist will always be able to bring under control his instincts and emotion so as to guide against misbehavior a thing strictly abhorred by Providence and which is entirely outside spiritual ethics. Some people think and believe that taking of bribes is part and parcel of man. An occultist will never encourage giving or receiving of bribes or amassing wealth by indecent forms. He knows well that this act, apart from being unspiritual, has evil repercussion that comes to man through retributive justice of the laws of nature. At first, those who swim in these habits may flourish in earthly abundance, but there is no guarantee that all their possessions acquired in such manner will not be wiped out or taken away from their hands to other people in their life time or from the hands of their families after their death. The same thing applies to the wicked people who have no other ambition in life than to wreck, cause chaos and disruption. Such people often die like animals when retributive justice takes its turn on them. This drags in the Yoruba adage when after a Yoruba man has been offended he mutters: Olorun yio da, (meaning God will judge). Indirectly, he is referring to the retributive justice which must put right what has been wronged.

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An occultist has all these information at his finger-tips and will try as much as possible to avoid sin. On the other way round, some people are tied to certain habits such as excess of sex, drinking and smoking, etc. They really hate doing them right in their hearts but they complain: I don t like smoking, drinking or so and so but I cant just help doing it. I dont know why. Spiritual occultism is the best answer. History has shown that great occultists had earlier at one time or the other indulged in bad habits and they had been out of them effortlessly just like from darkness to light -by pursuing spiritual occultism. An occultist will never be selfish, pompous, greedy, and egotic and he will run away swiftly from the vices of life. He will never in the least regard himself as holy among non-occultists How do we come about getting to such a stage in our life time? An occultist supplies the answer when he declares: Let those who aspire to initiation (into occultism) bear ever in mind what reward it is that will crown their efforts with a crown of thorns (Remember Christ s crown on the Cross) He adds: Unless we have so great a love for humanity, so great a sympathy for suffering that we are not only willing but anxious to avail ourselves, of the opportunity., in. some measures to offer ourselves as a sacrifice for the sins of the people, there is no point setting out to explore the science of occultism. For its goal will be dust and ashes to the man who explores it for selfish ambitions. On the other hand, there is the occult maxim which says that whenever the student is ready the teacher will emerge. As soon as the spiritual power has been given to an occultist, events are bound to occur often and often to tempt him to misuse or abuse it. Just as our Lord Jesus Christ was tempted by Satan after his
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40 days fasting in the jungle. Our Lord Christ can be regarded as a great mystic and occultist, first by his miraculous healing of the sick, turning of water into wine and the fact that believers in Him still invoke Him to perform miracles till today. His resurrection is an occult secret which proves Him to be a great Master in the field. Moses, Solomon and so many others spoken of in the Bible were magical occultists as depicted by their acts and works. Numerous great men of ages were noted to be occultists of one sort or the other, and it always appeared in the works they left behind or through their activities in their life time. For example, in Platos THE SYMPOSIUM, the behaviour of Socrates before the debate began at the house of Agathon showed him to be an occultist. Reporting the incident that portrayed Socrates to be an occultist, Apollodorus stated on reaching Agathons house: I turned round, but couldnt see Socrates anywhere. So I said that I had, as a matter of fact come with Socrates and that he had invited me to dinner! Splendid, said Agathon, But where is Socrates. Apollodorus: He was following me just now; I cant think what has become of him. Go and look, Agathon said to a servant, and fetch Socrates in. No, I (Apollodorus) said, let him alone. Its a way he has. HE GOES APART SOMETIMES AND STANDS STILL WHEREVER HE HAPPENS TO BE. (capitals mine). The last sentence reveals Socrates true colour because the secret of going apart sometimes and standing still wherever one happens to be is what adepts or occultists keep and employ to contact the other world for inspiration. A good occultist can easily go apart even in the busiest railway station on earth. The late Mahatma Gandhi of India was a great yoga occultist. The day he succeeded in contacting his true self, Gandhi came back to consciousness refreshed, took up his pen and wrote:

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I do dimly perceive that whilst everything around me is ever changing, ever dying, there is underlying all that change a Living Power that is changeless, that holds all together, that creates, dissolves and recreates. That informing Power of spirit is God; and since nothing else that I see merely through the senses can or will persist, He alone is All else is illusion- Maya. We are not, He alone is. The great Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore at the age of 18, was lucky to have the contact and he left a note behind about his experience: When I was eighteen he said, a sudden spring of breeze of religious experience for the first time came to my life and passed away leaving in my memory a direct message of spiritual healing. Suddenly, I became conscious of a stirring soul within me. My world of experience in a moment seemed to become lighted, and facts that were detached and dim found a great unity of meaning. The feeling which I had was like that which man groping through a fog without knowing his destination might feel when he suddenly discovers that he stands before his own house In the past, religion was a thing of experience by members of the creed. There was a spiritual link between the priests and their followers that convinced church members they were treading on the right path. Jesus Christ, founder of Christianity, led the true path by giving spiritual assistance to his disciples as well as healing and, exorcising any of his obsessed followers. The disciples too practised what they inherited from Jesus Christ with the result that Christianity was spread to all parts of the globe. Unfortunately, the religions of today- apart from being too conflicting- are sharply different from what they used to be in the time of the founders. Today, our religions offer to the Christians only hope, but with artificial divisions between life here and life beyond, between nature and supernature. The religions have always instilled feelings of irrational fear and guilt into the innocent hearts of men, condemning the natural life and obstructing the truth and justified ideals of
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practicable self-expression. For this reason, many sensible people, dissatisfied with the system are turning away from Christianity almost every year. The exodus is greater in this our time with the advance of Science because the picture of God as portrayed in present religions appears ridiculous to thoughtful individuals. Definitely, the failure of the churches has made some intellectuals seek to deny or ridicule spiritual existence. Out of sheer lack of understanding of what religion actually stands for as handed over to us by the founder, spiritual reality is meaningless to them. As things proceed in religions now, the elements which were discarded from Christianity would have to be replaced before it can become a true wisdom religion; only then can it answer properly to the needs of the intellects as well as men of the heart. This, put simply, is reviving the missing link between occultism, mysticism and religion. It is essential that I end this piece by quoting from the dialogue between Nachiketas and Yama (Death) as contained in the Upanishad (c. 1000 BC). Nachiketas: O Death, there is the doubt among men about the departed: some say that he exists and others that he does not. This I would like to know under your instruction . Yama (Death): Even the gods had doubt about this ancient mystery at times. dwelling in the midst of ignorance, and learned in their own esteem, the fools wander about aimlessly like the blind led by the blind. The SELF, the knower, is never born, nor does he ever die. He springs from nothing; nothing springs from him. He is unborn, everlasting, eternal and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.. The self cannot be attained by instruction, nor by intellectual power, nor by much learning.... He who has not ceased from evil
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doing, he who is not tranquil, he who is not meditative, and he whose mind is not peaceful, can never attain the SELF through intuition This last portion is for those who do not believe in life after death.

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CHAPTER VIII LIMITATION OF HUMAN FREE WILL

To many people, free will mean freedom to do anything, not knowing that free will has its own limitations. Unless we attempt to examine such limitations many of us may continue to find life burdensome and difficult. The earth rotates on its axis round the sun, so geography teaches us. Yet the earth as an entity has kept to this path from ages thus moving within the laws of limitation. The seas, oceans and large waters which surround the world have their own restrictions. Whenever one of them exceeds its boundary humanity records catastrophic events. The sun, moon, stars and planets move within their limitations, but when there is an off-set movement yonder it is on humanity that the effect is felt somehow. Considering the manner in which man has conquered the elements, earth and recently the moon, one may assume that mans free will is limitless. The Bible has told us that after the creation of the earth and everything contained in it, God empowered man to rule over them. Invariably, God must have been very wise not to have authorised man to rule over the earth and the high heavens. Our free will ends on earth but can penetrate the heavens only when and if the will is clothed with heavenly ideals. The condition in which we are born testifies to it that we should grow up to have experience of life by trials. The trials may be varied as circumstances and our limitations dictate. We refer, perhaps, erroneously too, to the acquisition of our experiences in life as TRIALS. When in most cases we merely hit the limitation of our free will and then discover to our dismay that things are not the same again. Gods judgment comes not as a result of His anger but because life simply will not work on any basis other than Gods way, observes Charles L. Allen. Once we get off the track of Gods own will, the limitation to our free will steps in

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and effects a balance. It is when an individual resists the limitation that his existence on earth is fraught with dangers. Limitation to free will is not restricted to human beings alone. All other living creatures are involved too. Take, as an example, the snake which leaves its position under the green bushes to play on the road where people pass to and fro. The laws of limitation empowers any bold man to squeeze life out of such snake if it does not find its way back quickly into its area of free will. A fish that decides to live outside the waters is surely inviting the laws of limitation to take effect on it. A young man who smokes Indian hemp and tops this with several shots of alcohol may be asking for an uncontrollable insanity. If a man who cannot swim jumps into a deep pool of water out of free will, he has thus invoked the laws of limitation and this is what English people term as suicide. Without limitation, mankind would have gone astray through abuse of free will. On the other hand, if we merely wished and they became a reality, the word success would be largely vague. For limitations when properly scrutinized are instruments which push us to good goals. To us, limitations mean hardship, but what is hardship other than what coaches us to become masters of our own lives? Unless our plans, actions and deeds do not endanger lives or conflict with Gods wishes can we say we are operating within the laws of limitation. George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel believed that The idea which people most commonly have of freedom is that of arbitrariness the mean chosen by abstract reflection between the will wholly determined by natural impulses and the will free absolutely. if we hear it said, he went on, that the definition of freedom is ability to do what we please, such an idea can only be taken to reveal an utter immaturity of thought, for it contains not even an inkling of the absolutely free will of right, ethical life and so forth To me, we should aspire to ensure that whatever we think, do or plan for the future out of free will should be in the framework of the laws of limitation. And what is
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this limitation? It is God who sees even up to the most secret parts of our minds. He is the God of judgment at all time!

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CHAPTER IX DONT ASSOCIATE WITH BAD GROUPS

Few may disregard the influence which association with a bad group can have on a human being. The neglect of this truth goes a long way in affecting the destiny of our young ones. It is not enough that parents give their children the so- called home training. Particular warning should be given them on the dangers of associating with bad groups. The essence of channeling the youths life to the right path than ever before because of the beauties of the century which are capable of enticing the weak-minded ones. The showmanship of dubious and materialistic elders who display their ill-gotten wealth in flamboyant exhibition in the presence of youths tends to send youths dreaming of how they could become like the exhibitors not realising that such elders are a gang of ignoramuses of this era and slaves of the world. Whenever a young person comes across a group of his fellows whose main concern is to scheme to get rich quickly by dishonest means and whose heroes are the elders who paste bundles of naira on womens fore-heads at a blow in parties, common sense should advise that the youth cuts off his link with the group immediately. Any youth who is captured by the bright promises of the elderly crooks or bad groups is like the fish which swallows the bait. When the fisherman flings out the bait the fish accompanies it to an unusual environment and that means suffering to death with humiliation. On the other hand, a youth must have respect for his parents and comply with their advices. It is one thing to have good parents, it is another to listen to and carry out their directives and advices. A child who disobeys his parents will not be able to resist the temptation to join the membership of bad a company and end up in disaster.

It is not among the bandits alone that bad groups are to be found.
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One finds them in the primary and secondary schools, the universities, offices and in all walks of life. Youths who believe that only by violence can they achieve their aims do not deserve a young persons support. Boys who use their brains to seduce girls are laying the foundation for a hopeless and care-free future. Girls who go about mainly to dupe men in order to be rich will end up as prostitutes for no decent home will accommodate them when they need shelter or the comfort of sympathetic husbands. People who have identical ambition always travel in the same boat to prove correct the adage that birds of the same feathers flock together. Having found himself in a company of bad people a youth should be bold enough to realise the implications and he must withdraw. But here again if he has been prone to disobeying his parents he would not listen to the dictates of the mind. He is like youths who cannot curb themselves of bad habits like abnormal drinking, smoking, pools betting, gambling, lust for women and other social vices of modern time. Often you hear them complain: I dont like drinking, smoking and gambling, but I cant do without them. Is there any salvation for such people if they find themselves in the organisations of armed robbers or seducers? Youths should plan for the future in honest ways. No amount of poverty, dejection and lack of help should blur our views towards honest living and prosecution of our duties. An hour a day devoted to one sort of study or pursuit can make a genius of an ordinary man. Our leisure should not be spent in the midst of idlers. As Jackson of Exeter observed: In the dissipation of worldly treasure the frugality of the future may balance the extravagance of the past; but who can say: I will take from minutes of tomorrow to compensate for those I have lost today?

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And Samuel Smiles adds: Time is the only little fragment of Eternity that belongs to man; and like life it can never be recalled. Robert Dick in his early days was a bread baker but trained himself to become a world known geologist and first-rate botanist. Winston Churchill used to score the lowest marks in mathematics in his school days yet he trained himself and became Britains Exchequer and later, Prime Minister. Mark Wayne Clark was so dull in the American Military Academy that he came out in a poor grade. Yet 28 years later by dint of self-training rose to the rank of Lieutenant-General in the US Army. His brilliant military career showed he once conquered Rome. Alfred E. Smith was opportuned to attend school for only seven years owing to abject poverty in his family. He too trained himself and obtained degrees from six universities. Which makes me to agree with Smiles that : it is not those who have enjoyed the advantages of colleges, museums and public galleries that have accomplished the most for science and art nor have the greatest mechanics and inventors have been trained in mechanics institutes. According to Smiles: necessity oftener than facility has been the mother of invention and the most prolific school of all has been the SCHOOL OF DIFFICULTY.

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CHAPTER X LESSONS OF OYENUSIS LIFE

DOCTOR Ishola Oyenusi the notorious armed robber is dead. As we all could remember, he was killed with seven others at the Bar Beach, Lagos, on September 8, 1971 by the Nigerian Army firing squad for armed robbery. The case of the late doctor should serve as a lesson to all youths. Although, he admitted before his death that circumstances led him to making robbery his profession, it is a pity he did not disclose what the circumstances were. One could only suppose that such circumstances were nothing but the beauty which lifes vanity presented to him and which he too believed to be real. He mistook falsehood for beauty and pursued vain glory and self-gratification like-a clever footballer aiming to score a goal in a tough match. Dr. Oyenusi admitted killing people at will when on duty and escaped from prison at random. His undetected criminal operations had led to the arrest and prosecution of innocent people. The doctor got the immediate reward of his profession. And he himself confessed: I have ridden in the best cars during my life and moved with the best women. . . . When the ultimate reward came, he discovered himself and confirmed: ..... robbery does not pay or let me put it this way, robbery is a hopeless profession. Leaving a message behind for other members of his gang who have not been caught, Oyenusi, with his long experience in the trade, stressed: Every day a robber lives he lives on borrowed time . . . As a thief you cant be free in society. You might be forced to kill, which I have done. . . Speaking of himself, he regretted: ... I might have got out if I did not kill, who knows I have always been ashamed of myself .I cant come out openly because I am a robber. I suspect everyone. It is good that I am going to die.

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One would think Oyenusi remembered his youth when he warned: Tell the youths that robbery is not a profession to take to. Considering the way Oyenusi confessed his operations and his deep conviction, it would require historians and sociologists or psychologists to dig out why he had to go to such an extreme in his life. But one point is indisputable! If 0yenusi had chosen a better and more honourable profession and followed it in the manner in which he carried out his robberies, he would have been a huge success in life. He might have been a victim of bad association, of delusions, of youthful truancy, of illusion, of ignorance, of stupidityetc. Publicly admitting his crimes before he died, he said: I am not innocent I am dying for the offences I have committed. He even encouraged his colleagues not to be cowards and urged them to accept their death in good faith. While others were trembling on the stakes, Oyenusi stood unmoved and smiled at death standing before him. A careful analysis of the life of this robber would reveal that he had misused and misdirected his bouncing energy in an unworthy profession. Being a man of an unshaken conviction, who knows in his own words what he might have become if he had not been a robber? The revelations at his trial are enough for youths to realize the evil end that awaits anyone who wants to become rich overnight in a way that the laws forbid. It is also obvious that the spilling of human blood to achieve an aim in life is most detestable, by law and God. Unfortunately for Oyenusi, he was never balanced financially despite all the thousands of pounds (naira) he grabbed during his robbery operations. The quicker he got the money, the quicker it disappeared from his pockets. Eventually, be died of bullets - a wretched man- in the presence of thousands of curious spectators. He died without glory, unsung and was buried like a dog without an
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owner. Oyenusi lived a hot life and died a hot death. If only he knew that man comes to the world with folded palms and would surrender at the time of departure everything he possessed. Now he is no more. The records of his life are not a secret to the world. It is left for any youth who does not want to end up like Oyenusi and his colleagues to learn great lessons from their mistakes.

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CHAPTER XI SUFFERING IS PART OF LIFE

In the face of suffering, many have wondered why they were ever born into this wicked world. In some cases, many often concluded that there is no God because they have tasted bitter sufferings. And to them, if ever there is God, He must be deaf and unsympathetic. Such people ponder in their hearts if it was not foolish after all to continue to believe in the God who after genuine prayers had been sent to Him, never bothered to intervene in their behalf. When the mind of a person has marveled up to this point about his or her existence on earth, life then becomes meaningless. What is the identity of suffering? The real identity is that it is the opposite of pleasure. This brings us to what is known as the Laws of Polarity otherwise known as Positive and Negative existence. What do we mean by polarity? Let us take bitter-leaf as an example: When we eat bitter-leaf, at first it tastes bitter, later the bitterness alters to sweetness. Also we have day and night; fire and water; rain and dry seasons et cetera. But bitter-leaf is a typical thing that embraces its positive and negative aspects as far as taste is concerned. Others, in events, happen alternately. We now come to our topic, SUFFERING, which is the opposite of pleasure as I have said earlier. Not many people regard suffering as part of life even though it holds an adjacent position to pleasure. Whoever wants pleasure in life should also take into, accept and recognize the actuality of suffering. Unfortunately, we all were born and brought up in a society which utterly dislikes suffering. Thus, you have people dodging it whenever they foresee or come in contact with it. I was once reminded that suffering is lame and that it eventually catches up no matter how fast one can run away from it. So, I am yet to be told who can avoid or postpone it. Suffering, in fact, is experience, and without it no person can cope with life successfully.
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But when pleasure does come at its time, only the experience of suffering can make us enjoy it for a long period without burning our fingers or perishing in it. As for me, I will always judge the greatness of a man by the amount of suffering he can withstand and overcome. We must enjoy suffering. The only way to do this is by meeting it with bulldog courage and perseverance which are its antidote. The late Sir Winston Churchill, in his youthful days, made suffering his close companion. He even had a message when he counseled: Never submit to failure. Do not be fobbed off with mere personal success of acceptance. You will make all kinds of mistakes; but as long as you are generous and true, and also fierce, you cannot hurt the world or even seriously distress her. She was made to be wooed and won by youth. She has lived and thrived only by repeated subjugations. A sage who knows the worth of suffering speaks of it thus: Sufferings test and awaken generous sentiments. Pleasures promote and fortify base instincts. Sufferings arm against pleasure, Enjoyment begets weakness in suffering. Pleasure squanders; pain ingarners. Pleasure is mans rock of peril. The pain of motherhood is womans triumph; Pleasure fertilises and conceives, but pain brings forth, Woe to him who cannot and will not suffer; He shall be overcome by pain. Nature drives unmercifully those who will not walk. We are cast into life as into an open sea; WE MUST EITHER SWIM OR DROWN.

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CHAPTER Xll ACCEPT CRITICISM IN GOOD FAITH

The newspaper office can be a place of fun at times. Being a public office, all sorts of people throng there with different stories and complaints. I remember some time ago when a public figure stormed a newspaper office per his flowing native garment. He was really fuming as high as his heavily built stature could generate anger. Why was he there? He was criticised in the newspaper and there was no other way of showing his resentment than to visit the newspaper office so that he could smash the head of the writer. I have been ruined, he groaned as he broke down before the Editor, adding: that article has made people who know me to telephone to ask what offence I have committed against the reporter who wrote it. But this is going to be the last time he will ever write such a nasty stuff about another person,. The man had to be convinced by the Editor who took the trouble upon himself to explain the Virtuous advices Contained in the article before he was satisfied he had not been ruined after all. Again, take the case of a Lagos School Proprietor who thought that what a journalist wrote about him in an article was not in good taste. He invaded the Editors office and when he could not meet the journalist left a message behind with his Editor. Tell him anytime he comes back that I have a way to repay him for his misdeed, boasted the Principal. What do you intend to do. Do you want to sue him to court? asked the Editor who felt sorry for the man over the way he looked at the issue. The proprietor/principal snapped back: Sue him to court? No, No. I wont do that; I shall fight him with charms. The Editor got up from his chair and cheered the principal with a warm hand-shake. However, weeks later, the learned secondary school principal/proprietor saw reason and became reconciled with his enemy.
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Surely this type of event, that is, opposition to criticism, happens not only in the newspaper offices but in other endeavors of human life. Which brings us to what our approach is towards criticism. Criticism is said to be a careful analysis of merits and de-merits of a given situation or thing. It must be noted in passing that criticism can, at times, be damaging. But the laws of every land make abundant provision for redress to those whose names or personalities are derogated, by criticism, verbal or written. In separating this aspect of it, we can now look at criticism literarily. It demands a lot of courage and matured mind before any person can look at criticism directed at him with broad perspective. The tendency, especially among Nigerians, is to consider criticism as nothing short of attempts to defame or ruin. There are occasions when this idea spreads to ignorant to government officials who take up such matter at government level for the purpose of inflicting unholy justice on the person who has made the criticism. Intolerance to criticism, which amounts to hatred to see truth in its nakedness, is a bane of many Nigerians. In sorne countries, this is often responsible for press censorship and restriction on freedom of speech. Criticism ought to be viewed from two angles. It should be considered whether it was realistic and constructive or it was mere effusions emanating from emotional minds. If it was realistic, no matter in what bitter way it might be presented, remarks in the criticism ought to be listed out for deeper reflections and actions on them. But were it to be ordinary thoughtless make-up, I see no reason why anyone should waste a second pondering on it. Should criticism convey wrong information, then the man who knows better should correct and clarify the wrong impressions created therein. One thing is true. A person who cannot analyse criticism will be hard put when the need arises for self-criticism. If circumstances force this on him hes bound to find himself in self-pity and condemnation which will worsen the issue at stake. On a number of occasions, I have come across people who easily let loose their temperament when criticised or corrected. This notion, if allowed to grow up with
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one will lead to a stage where corrections or criticism in form of advice from others would be regarded as irrelevant and wrongly motivated. In the end, such a person will become a dictator in any position he may rise to in his community. To all I say it pays to take criticism in good faith.

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CHAPTER XIII HOW VALUABLE IS TIME TO YOU?

Very few Nigerians know the value of time. Owing to this, our society functions by disorderliness. Wrist watches are meant to be part of our dresses so that most Nigerians who tie them on do so not to use them to keep appointments but to show off.

Buses dont move to schedule. The way Europeans keep to time must have proved burdensome to us and the result is that we have invented our own African time. By African time, 6 a.m. could be taken to be 6 p.m. Visit the cities in Nigeria with public tower clocks. They are either dead or working behind or fast ahead of the normal time.

Have you ever observed a habit in the Yorubas? When you see a Yoruba man going in a hurry ask him where hes heading for and he would snap back: I am coming. Press him further and he would yell back: Just now. Mark you that just now may be a year to come.

What is the definition of time? James Drever says it is a fundamental directional aspect of experience, based on direct experience of the duration of sensation, and on experience of change from one sensory event, idea, or train of thought to another. He distinguishes experience in beginning, middle, and end, as well as past, present and future.

Alan F. Leveton believes that Time is best tolerated when it is used in the pursuit of meaningful goals by people who feel capable of reaching them. Because we are not prone to making the best use of time, Nigerians find it a task to do certain things at given periods.
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Take a friend who celebrated his birthday. He told friends that celebrations would begin at 3 p.m. In fact, he did this so that invitees might turn up earliest 5 p.m. To fix 5 p.m. would mean 7 or 8p.m. he told me. Commercial motor drivers are the worst type of people who dont work with time. When the telephone operator assures you of one hour delay for your call, be sure the telephone call would not be through that day.

Shortly on assumption of office in April 1971, the West Military Governor Brigadier Oluwole Rotimi ordered troops to check late corners to the Secretariat, Ibadan. This order yielded a dividend of a long row of civil servants who lined up before soldiers. Almost all of them had wrist watches on but still, they came late to their offices.

There are people who prefer to while away the time because it means nothing to them. Some girls and women in particular take much delight in doing this by gossiping. Lack of appreciation of time wrecked the planning of the leaders of the First Republic that there was no scheme for road improvement. This is responsible for the chaotic traffic system in the Federal Capital of Nigeria causing the nation huge losses in time and money through traffic go-slows. An hour of pain is as long as a day of pleasure, said an adage. Time slows down in our eyes when one is in trouble, in restriction or experiencing some pain. Shortly after his release from Calabar Prison in August 1966, Chief Obafemi Awolowo expressed his gratitude to all those in Nigeria and abroad who, in the past four years, have in various ways assisted in lightening the burdens which I have had to bear and in otherwise speeding the passage of time. Enjoyment of life speeds away time.

The Nigerian youths have inherited a society where time is meaningless to most
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people; a society where the rising and setting of the sun were once used to calculate the progression of the day not necessarily because the people were so particular about keeping to time. Isnt it time we shelve this inheritance and adhere to keeping to and making the best use of time?

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CHAPTER XIV YOUR MIND AND HOW IT WORKS

Once upon a time, a wise man observed that the mind of a man could raise him to the level of an angel; the same mind, he went on, could also reduce him below the level of an animal. This simply means that there are two types of people. Those who can use their minds to raise them to the level of angels; and those who allow their minds to render them to the animal level. Let us take, as an example, a motorcycle and liken it to a mans mind. If a man does not know the technical ways of riding a motor-cycle and he jumps on it for a journey, anybody can guess that the motorcycle will ride him. In the quick end, the traveller will be knocked down by the motorcycle and he may die on the spot or sustain severe wounds. In which case he would not reach his destination. But if a man has taken the trouble to master the motorcycle before attempting to ride it, he will not only enjoy the journey, but will finish up safely. May I ask then, how many people take the trouble to understand and master the working of their minds? The other day two youths were strolling in a Lagos Street in the evening. They heard people dancing nearby at a street gathering. The first youth asked his friend to let them go and see them. The other paused and replied: My mind doesnt go there. The first pressed him to go, but the second remained adamant, repeating, My mind doesnt go there. They parted ways and the first youth journeyed thither. Not quite some minutes after his arrival at the, gathering, trouble broke out. In the stampede that followed, a beer bottle aimed at another person landed on a foot of the youth and he was seriously wounded. From there he landed in the General Hospital. When the second youth heard of the incident, he said confidently: My mind doesnt deceive me. It did not go to that gathering and so I refused to go too.

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How many of us ever bother to listen to our minds for advice before we do anything everyday of our lives? Perhaps one in a hundred? What majority of us do is loose thinking which tie us like slaves to our minds. I have a friend who believes in his mind that he has the greatest problems under the sun. Daily, he allows his mind to do his thinking for him until he became haggard like someone who has never taken his meal for weeks, although my friend used to eat three to four times daily. My advice to readers is this. Whether we like it or not, the mind is such a gigantic machine that will continue to function by thinking every second on many topics that come its way through the five senses of the human being. Thus if we fail to provide the mind with work to do, it will find work for itself. To combat this, make it a habit to give a problem a day to your mind to solve. Let your mind consider it deeply from the advantageous point of view and not from the bad sides of life. Listen in a quiet place to its conclusion on the problem. Write it down on a piece of paper and please act on it. It works wonders.

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CHAPTER XV WATCH LIFE IN SILENCE

Watching life in silence can be profitable a hobby. In that like the Israelites of old, you may find yourself faced with the Red Sea placed on your path so that despite all you are capable of doing you discover that there is no way ahead. And to turn back means nothing but suicide. Before you lies a frightfully stretched sea clapping its crooked wide arms in fury. Behind you is a horde of soldiers pursuing you and headed by a monster Pharaoh. The one in front is a natural barrier; the one behind is the creation of the created. You look round and find no Moses with his magic wand. But from within sprang a Moses who is enraged at the chaos of life constantly surrounding the life of the just. Fear ye not, STAND STILL and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will showeth to you today . . . . he consoled. Coupled with this is your remembrance of that FIAT of creation by which the Almighty commanded Let there be light and there was light. The light which overcame darkness and rolled it to a side named the night. You are emboldened and become fully aware that wherever and whenever there is darkness, the Eternal Light is ready at hand for the just to manipulate for its clearance. So that, to your delight, the fierce Red Sea obeys your fiat and humbles itself to a division. There opens a path for you to tread- a dry land separation two giant seas. Confidently, you dive through with joy. On getting to the other side, you look back and still find the wanderers pursuing and stampeding on the holy road created by God for the just. Again, the Moses from within intervenes. And from the agents of darkness the God of Hosts withdraws His mercy and power separating the two seas. The result? The seas integrate with a deafening roar, and the foes perish in the sea tumult. As you continue with your lifes journey, you ponder what could have been
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your fate if Providence had not intervened. You consider the arduous difficulties you overcame to be able to get to your present position in life. You regret that no one can escape the barrage of lifes problems. But you are consoled because it is all what the Oriental people term as the Karmic debt. By examining the debt itself, you marvel at its variety during manifestation based on individual existence. In paying for this debt you see a lot of things. It enable you to study fellow human beings at long and close ranges You are opportuned to see those who carry the world on their heads even though they swear they dont. You discern the few who circumstances make you to understand their level of human development by their genuine and simple approach to life. To highly evolved beings, everything on earth is illusion except God; but to the other beings, it is the world first and God second. Difficulties in life are meant to train the wise. But the fool who fails to observe human behavior and study life adds more weight to his problems. He will perish in confusion in his trial. It is good to watch life in silence.

THE EPILOGUE
Below are few important additions to and sum total of the contents of the book: 1. Your destiny is in your own hands. Never attempt to destroy. Once you set in motion a force to destroy and it fails to hit the target be prepared to perish when it turns round on you. If it hits the target you stand condemned to perdition. 2. Do not hate. If you hate you are weaving around yourself a force that will get rid of you. Avoid jealousy. It is the sister of hate.

3. In whatever position you are, never attempt to obstruct the progress of another person. If you do so you too will be stagnant. If per chance you make an advancement, be sure of a disastrous collapse. 4. Dont pull down people in order to get up in life. If you do so, when your period of trial comes sympathisers and helpers will be far away from you. Work steadily and honestly to get money or fame. 5. Rise up from slumber and exercise your spiritual authority by arming yourself against the eventualities of life. 6. Ensure you do everything with moderation for any excess could be dangerous. 7. Dont regard poverty as an incurable disease. Instead learn the lessons of poverty and use these to find your way to prosperity.

8. It is wrong for anybody to regard God as a killer of human beings whom He created. He was and is and will continue to be the Creator. Since man rules
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the world, it is the duty of every individual to ensure that he does not die an unnatural and untimely death on earth. 9. Live an organised life by planning your activities IN WRITING early in the morning for the day. In the evening, review the progress and set-back in the day. Then clear your mind and open it to your Creator. Before going to bed, forget the world and its problems and have a sound sleep.

10. Lastly, in the words of Ramacharaka: By development of his spirit consciousness, Man may bring himself into a high relationship and contact with this higher part of his nature, and may thus become possessed of a knowledge of which his intellect has not dared dream. When we learn to trust the spirit, it responds by sending us more frequent flashes of illumination and enlightenment. As one unfolds in spiritual consciousness, he relies more upon the Inner Voice, and is more readily able to distinguish it from the impulses from the lower planes of the mind. To be led by the spirit is a living and real fact in the lives of all who have reached a certain age of spiritual development . And with this, the author of this book says: PEACE BE WITH YOU.

This e- book was created for free. Arguably, a lot of determination, strength, tears and bull-headed courage had to be applied. The author and creator (who strangely, are two generations apart and are complete strangers!) wish their fellow men know, see and understand the ways by which we can re-shape our consciousness and subsequently control our destiny to the realisation of our desired goals and visions in life. - Caye
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