self-mastery

If we have an inkling of what is worth pursuing in life, can we actually do it? Can we claimb the mountain of our dreams and not just dream about it? Are there too many obstacles?

We need to see that the principal obstacle to pursuing our vision is ourselves. It is not circumstances, or other people that make the journey hard. We are our worst enemies. We have the potential to transform our lives into our highest ideals. However, we often get trapped in the fundamental mistake of blaming outer circumstances for our failure. The failure always comes from within.

Slef-mastery is a crucial key in the self-transformation process. It's the most important step that leads to change. With it, we can gain insights about our own nature and the itnernal dynamics of our psyche and body. At the root of self-mastery are two important ideas:

• self-awareness
• freedom from unwholesome conditioning

The first one is the key to the second. The second one is the key to liberation.

To attain self-mastery, we have to look at certain aspects of the personality, such as:

• anger
• fear
• resentment and hatred
• automatic reactions
• moods, depression, loneliness
• needs
• self-centeredness

one are that needs special attention in our discussion of self-mastery is effectiveness in relationships. Aside from dealing with our conditions, it is essential for us to learn fundamental approaches to effective relationships.