(from Esoteric Encyclopedia of Eternal Knowledge by Vernon Howard)
A truth is understood only when it favourably influences what the individual does, what he is. He must not only know the truth with his mind, but must live it with his whole being. Everyone must guard against taking mental knowledge of the truth for living it out in daily behaviour. An honest glance at the actual inward condition is enough to prevent a mistake here. Speaking the phrases ‘kindly attitudes’ and ‘mental health’ is not the same as living with those qualities.
You want a way of life, not a pill to be taken when desperation dictates. You want a freely flowing day requiring no stops for pills. You don’t want just the words; you want the lasting inspiration of the music.
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Inner Life Exercise
Here is a great exercise for living the Truth our heart so desires ~ from Vernon Howard’s ‘NO‘ booklet:
Notice the dozens of small and distressing decisions you must make each day. You just don’t know which way to go. It is like coming to forks and more forks along an unfamiliar path. Take any one of these small frustrations. Perhaps you don’t know whether you should go shopping today or tomorrow. Or maybe you hesitate to speak to someone about a minor problem. Here is how to break the torment. Just think it thru the best you can and then select one of the two choices. Stick absolutely and finally with this decision. Once making your choice the opposite choice will start screaming for its rights. Ignore it. Don’t let it intimidate you. Firmly tell it NO a thousand times if necessary. Let it know your decision is final. Once the opposite choice sees it has no chance it will go away and leave you alone. Use this technique several times each day. Watch how it sets you free.
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It’s great news to know that you are living from fear and anxiety. Most people are so used to it as a way of life, they think it is normal and necessary. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are not meant to go through life afraid while acting like we know everything. That creates a divided mind that will always be at war with itself. The exercise of making a decision and sticking to it, will shed light on our divided mind and we can choose to ignore it. Only then, can we get a clear look at the problem. The seeing of the problem is the beginning of the end of the problem because no one would consciously hurt themselves. God, Truth, Reality will do the rest.
Vernon Howard once gave a talk about “come back to the Truth”. If you find yourself far away and you have given up your quest for self knowledge, come back. If you see your on the wrong inner highway and don’t like it, come back to the Truth. Etc, etc, etc. The Truth will always welcome a sincere seeker. So no matter where you find yourself “Come Back”.
Personally I am grateful for this ‘NO’ exercise. It is so practical. My mind will try and get out of doing it a thousand ways, but it can’t fight the facts of how helpful this simple exercise is.
Recently I had the opportunity to use this exercise at school with high school students and the way I was grading an assignment. I slowly and carefully explained how this important assignment would be graded in every detail, knowing the excuses that always come with a deadline and a major grade. I even typed and printed it for everyone so there would be no doubt. Then the hard part, sticking with decision to say “No” to every excuse offered. Even though it was not easy to stick with “No,” I did it consistently and although having to face some unhappy and surprised students, I felt at ease knowing I did the right thing for myself and those students. Also, I got to see how my failure to stick with “No” on other assignments was not caring, but weakness and was hurting students who needed to learn to follow directions and get work done on time.