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For so many of us, we wait for absolute breaking point in order to change our ways. 

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We delay taking care of our health, living our life’s purpose, or ridding ourselves of behaviours that we clearly do not desire.

Many reach a point where it is indeed too late. 

Crisis may drive a person to seek deeper meaning in life, for in living a life centred in weakness, self-satisfaction, materialism, and superficiality, one eventually sees how meaningless such a life is. 

It is within our lowest moments that we become most sincere. Seeking to find a deeper meaning in life, often leading to personal growth and acts of worship (obedience to a set of rules and principles).

The proximity of death makes us sincere. It removes that which is not important and rearranges our hierarchy of priorities.

There are three main cases where a person may be brought to sincerity through the closeness of death. 

• The death of a dear loved one
• The development of a disease after neglecting one’s well-being for too long 
• The plaguing of mental and emotional suffering, or uncontrollable negative, existential thoughts. 

I have experienced all three, yet I would say in honesty it is the last two that have driven me to make better choices, sacrifice quick pleasures, embrace voluntary suffering and let go of the desire for an easy life. 

Believe it or not but at my lowest point, I truly did not want to live, and would think such thoughts continually, all day, for a period of months.

Here is the bottom line of what I’m trying to share here. 

Deep suffering is the result of avoiding suffering. 

A life dedicated to pleasure will become incredibly distasteful.

This leads to a point of crisis where you must change, for the pain of remaining the same outweighs the pain of making change. 

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It is often through hitting all time lows in life that we unlock The Sword of Sincerity.

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With this comes the desire to be good, a heart that is compassionate, and an authentic thirst for seeking deeper meaning in life.

Finding Peace In The Battle: Suffer Now or Suffer Later?

The sacrifice of pleasure now, for fulfilment later. 

The willingness to suffer now, and celebrate later. 

This is the most potent of preventative measures one can take in avoiding an unnecessary crisis.

These are where I find peace in life and perhaps you do too. 

The same has applied since the beginning of man, you need only read holy scripture to see this. 

Human beings have been at war with their Lower Nature for aeons. 

That war is fought through voluntarily suffering, resisting temptation, disciplining oneself and embracing the difficulty of life. 

Suffering is peculiar, there are various types we should come to understand. 

There is what we can refer to as inevitable suffering, that being the pain that comes with life’s unfortunate events such as the death of loved ones, sickness, emotional and physical pain. This is normal and sometimes unavoidable. 

We then have unnecessary suffering, that which is the product of poor perception and the ability to see a bigger picture. It is totally avoidable, yet we subject ourselves to it continually. This is often the product of a scattered mind, weak, victim-like character and poor choices.

Then there is voluntary suffering. That which we face, embrace and even put ourselves through willingly. This comes with sacrificing the short term pleasure and comfort desired by The Lower Nature. It comes through purposely putting oneself through the fire of discomfort and difficulty in the name of growth and transformation.

Voluntary suffering is what we’re going to hone in on today. 

This is where peace is waiting for each and every one of us. 

The ability to face and embrace the physical, mental and emotional suffering that teaches us just how strong we really are, how cunningly the mind lies, and how we are never, ever alone. 

There will always come a time where you wish not to do that which you know will benefit you, and/or your loved ones.

• Fasting
• Solitude
• Hard work
• Getting up earlier
• Going to bed earlier
• Telling the hard truth
• Saying no to cravings
• The Willingness to Fail
• Healthful consumption
• Feeling emotional pain
• The exercise of social courage
• Intense physical training, sauna or cold exposure

Tell me… what brings fulfilment to you in a moment like this? 

Is it to give in to the desires of your Lower Nature which says, avoid, delay, tomorrow, I can’t be bothered…

Or is it to feel into the resistance, remembering who you came here to be, the goal you’re moving towards and to go and to do the hard thing, even if you don’t feel like it right now?

Of course, it is the second. 

99.9% of excuses are complete lies.

A great feeling is experienced when we do the hard work, especially when we don’t feel like it. 

When we give up an addiction, even though we have had a love affair with that substance. 

When we show up and train, despite feeling sluggish and unmotivated.

When we sit down and work deeply with focus on our goals, even when it feels intimidating and uncertain.

Sacrificing pleasure and comfort now, for growth, peace and character. 

Too often do we let The Lower Nature lead the way. 

Knowing exactly that which we must do, yet distracting ourselves with things that are easier.

What are you avoiding? 

What do you know you must do, that you’re distracting yourself from and procrastinating?

You either suffer now by sacrificing what The Lower Nature wants, or suffer later when your weaknesses have dominated your life. 

Choose to suffer.

Stop avoiding pain. 

Seek voluntary suffering, the kind that forges strong character and yields progress. 

Pick up your second sword - The Sword of Suffering

You Are Not Suffering: Be Still And Know

All this talk about suffering, you could potentially misunderstand and assume that I am encouraging you to harm yourself. 

That is not what I am getting at here. 

What I’m referring to is the act of purposefully putting your ego through things that it does not like, and experiencing the growth, freedom and self mastery that come with that. 

You are not your ego. 

You are the observer, the shepherd, the steward of your ego. 

Meditation allows for the clear experience of this, the realisation of who and what you really are, realisation meaning, to make real that which once was only a concept. 

The experience of observing your ego and being somewhat separate from it is invaluable and far different to any intellectual idea around spirituality, psychology or human philosophy. 

One can only truly know the heat of the flame by getting close to it, not by hearing stories told by others. 

You have to see it in order to truly get the point. 

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When you crave, a struggle ensues between you and the ego. If you were to resist that craving or urge, it would not be you who suffers, but the ego, The Lower Nature, the one who is addicted, the addiction in and of itself, as a separate entity who’s survival is being threatened. 

Our false self seeks to survival and therefore in a sense we must slay The Lower Nature. 

Do not be mistaken, one can not live without an ego. The Lower Nature has its purpose in our lives, without it there would be no free will. Without the war within there would be no virtue and the development of courage, patience, honour and so on. 

In the case of raging anger the same applies. A strong impulse to attack others might arise, or to inflict harm upon yourself, this is referred to as self sabotage. 

Taming one’s emotions and resisting the urge to react to them, slowing down, breathing presently and coming back to centre is painful for the ego. Using the REINS method to master that emotion (as discussed in a previous Mastery Letter) 

The ego suffers through impatience, so subject it to that which takes time, move even slower so that it may cringe. 

This is how you show the ego who is in charge. You are the boss, not the ego, not the mind, not the lower self. 

The ego feels an urge to grab the smart-phone and seek stimulation or gratification through social media, or wishes to escape from silence with music (this may not always be your intention).

Choose not to be lead by the ego, it will suffer and you will regain personal power in the form of Peace and Will-Power. 

Again, you are not your ego. 

Yet the default mode of consciousness for most of us is to be identified with the ego, the mind, the internal chatter or the inner impulse. 

Therefore when the ego suffers, we feel it, for we are under the illusion that we are indeed it. Ego identification is the root to so much of our unnecessary suffering. 

It is the ego that makes excuses, that fears failure, that fears success, it is ashamed of the authentic you, it is fearful of telling the truth and it feels inadequate and jealous towards the success of others. 

The key to ceasing the identification with your ego is The Sword of Stillness. 

Be still and know… Know what and who you really are. Stillness does not ensue simply by sitting and not moving. For if the mind is moving rapidly, and you believe yourself to be it, then you are not still. 

Create space within through mindfulness meditation and mindful acts, or any other practice that will edge you into stillness. The will strengthen your skill in using The Sword of Stillness. 

Learn to concentrate and observe yourself, your mind, your thoughts and impulses so much so that your awareness recedes behind them. You no longer need engage with inner conflicts. 

Do not think. Do. 

This is one fool-proof way of making clear the truth, that you are not your ego, you are the witness within. 

Take action from this place, that of the still pool within as opposed to acting from The Lower Nature. 

Witness your life transform as your choices become rooted in virtue and self mastery instead of fear, guilt, shame, anger and insecurity. 

Becoming Sharp

The minds of the masses are scattered. 

Attention is chaotic, never still, seldom centred and often focused on the outer world.

Pointing, blaming, shaming and in judgement.

When in reality, there is and always will be only One judge. 

We refer to those who are quick witted, intelligent and focused as sharp. 

This is literal, not figurative. 

The mind of such people is indeed sharp. Attention has been trained to the point where it can be focused like rays of light into a narrow beam that cuts. 

One can sharpen the mind through first noticing its scattered-like state. 

Then, the game of mental fitness can be played. 

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With open or closed eyes, focusing ones attention on a single point, be it a visual point closely ahead, the flame of a candle, the passing flow of breath, or a point of sensation on the body (the heart is a good place to focus ones attention) 

Each time the attention wishes to divert from the chosen central point, notice the impulse, and do not act upon it. 

Remain centred, remain aware, remain still. 

With every impulse overcome, it is as though a whetstone has stroked against the sword of the mind. Sharpness ensues, one stroke at a time. 

These are mental repetitions, just as one would lift a weight for repetitions in the attempt to build strength and muscle. 

So must the mind be exercised and trained in order to cultivate sharpness in attention, awareness and concentration. Untangling the knots of impulsive habit and making way for the development of new, better patterns.

Practice this during a set period of time intensely, and continue to practice during active life with less intensity.

Continually drawing attention back to a central point, ever-returning to the present. 

Such a practice grants protection from undesirable actions, emotions spurts and wasteful thinking.

The garden of the mind is kept tidy, and all aspects of life are increased in quality, while simultaneously improving all output. 

Stay sharp, this must be practiced diligently, frequently, persistently and consistently. 

Overstimulation & Impulsivity: Be Silent

Constantly being plugged into the grid of media and technology will drain you of will-power, inner peace and freedom.

For how free is a person if one is riddled with impulse, and addicted to the pacification of screens, food and sense-overstimulation?

Silence does not simply mean to be quiet 

If you’re sitting there quietly, scrolling on your phone or watching some form of entertainment, this is not considered silence. 

Even if you sit without technology, yet you are fidgeting impulsively and unconsciously, you are not silent. 

Adversely, if you’re writing, exercising, walking or partaking in some focused activity without distraction and full mindfulness, you are indeed in active silence.

Silence means to be without distraction, to be mindful and present, whether you’re sitting in meditation or reading a book. 

It is similar to stillness yet it differs slightly in it’s emphasis towards the withdrawal from sense-overstimulation. 

Overstimulation leads to impulsive behaviour. 

This destroys will-power and therefore diminishes our available free-will that is necessary for skilful choice making.

Here are some ways in which we tend to destroy our will and lower our consciousness. 

• Screen entertainment (TV, YouTube, video games, social media, instant messaging, browsing)
• Misuse of food (snacking, overeating, eating when not hungry as an emotional crutch)
• Sleeping in later than desired
• Pornography & Masturbation
• Chemical Substance use and abuse (smoking, drugs, alcohol, weed and such) 

Consider these for a moment and how available they are to us in modern society.

Is this just chance? 

For me it is undeniable that this is indeed by design. 

Create an impulsive, zombie-like nation where available will-power and freedom of choice are minimal. This is a well planned strategy designed by the opposition, in my opinion.

Question: What are the top 1-3 ways you’re currently destroying your will-power? Write them down, it is crucial that you reduce and in time eliminate these from your life. 

I mean it, take a small action right now and write them down.

Add more silence into your life. 

Sacrifice that which is dulling your mind and veiling the soul.

Let go of that which is feeding the urges of the ego and placing it above you on the hierarchy within.

Master the ego or the ego will master you. This of course is a life long journey which I am sometimes winning and sometimes struggling with… The ego is most deceptive.

Remember, it is not you who suffers, it is the ego, the false self that cries out for an escape from deeper experience.

Sacrifice takes both courage and awareness. The courage to experience fear, loss, boredom, irritation, and the awareness to observe such distressing waves upon the ocean of being. 

But you are not the wave, you are the ocean. 

Withdraw your attention within, pick up The Swords of Stillness & Silence and notice yourself noticing. 

Notice the one who thinks, the one who craves, and the one who witnesses all this drama taking place. 

Every sacrifice is an exchange. In return for your courage, you will be rewarded with both a greater sense of peace, a stronger sense of will to fuel decisive and focused action that moves you into a greater, more meaningful, impactful life experience. 

Unplugging yourself from sources of overstimulation will reduce your tendency to be impulsive. It will centre your once scattered and erratic attention. In this you regain your freedom to think, to choose, to speak when you wish (not as an impulse), and to listen intently without your mind wandering.

Drive or walk without the distraction of stimulation through music, podcasts, YouTube videos or use of technology. 

You need not be neurotic about this, treat it like a practice that you can do for reps and sets, just like lifting weights. 

Focus on one task at a time, without distraction or the use of emotional crutches like snacking.

Exercise without checking your phone, lock it away during this time or use it only for note taking.

Invite periods of intentional silence into your life, stop attempting to escape the void by filling silence with noise. 

Meditate and draw your attention inward or onto your 5 sense channels. 

Spend time in nature, with like minded people or alone. 

Such strategies will increase your will and in turn, bring more peace into your life. 

The more you practice with The Sword of Silence, the more of a liking you will cultivate towards it. 

In time this makes your soul sensitive and in doing so, that which is overly stimulating will soon be distasteful.

The Art of Surrender

Life will bring unavoidable suffering, how will you deal with that? 

We only make things worse by resisting and imposing shoulds, coulds and woulds onto reality. 

There is no other outcome than the one you find yourself in right now, at this very moment. 

If you wish for change, you can take action towards that, but it will take time. 

Surrender is acceptance on steroids. 

This is a superpower that few ever have the pleasure of experiencing. Learning to let go of all internal resistance. 

Once again, it is the ego that resists, not you in your essence. I apologise if that is starting to sound repetitive. Repetition however cements ideas.

The habit of resistance is default to most of us, when I began meditating over a decade ago I realised just how much unnecessary suffering I was causing for myself through resistance. 

You may find yourself feeling anger in one moment, only making things worse by trying not to feel angry.

The same applies for sadness, and fear. 

The fear of fear, the anger of anger, the frustration with frustration and the sadness towards sadness. 

I once came across a peculiar definition for the emotion of anger. 

Anger is the expression of ones resistance to inability. 

Let that sink in for a moment. 

When you try but can not, there are two outcomes. 

Either you become angry and frustrated with yourself for you witness your own inability and wish things were otherwise (resistance). 

Or you witness your inability and smile innocently as you enjoy the process of learning, accepting failures and mistakes as inescapable in all learning. 

Examine your life for examples similar to this. 

Here is an equation I share with my students when I teach Meditation. 

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The reduction of suffering Is not done through eliminating pain. Life will always bring pain. There will be loss, disappointment, and inconveniences always. 

The solution here is to reduce resistance down to the absolute minimum, if not completely. This is surrender. 

When resistance is zero, suffering is zero, even if there is pain. 

Any number multiplied by zero gives zero in return. 

The first step to moving through and beyond any difficult emotion or experience in life that is out  of your control is to accept as best as we can. 

Here’s a trick that absolutely changed my life for the better, and made me a skilled practitioner in 

The Sword of Surrender.

If you find yourself unable to accept, draw your awareness inward, notice the part of you that is resisting and pushing against life, then accept that this part of you is indeed unable to accept right now. 

It is not you, it is a part of you. Just like your hand is not you, it is a part of you. 

This is paradoxical, but it has worked so much for me in finding peace during difficulty. 

If you can not accept, accept that you can not accept… 

You only perpetuate resistance by resisting resistance. 

Accept even resistance. This is water that controls the fire.

The experience of this confirms that one can be at peace, even in the presence of painful emotions and inconvenient occurrences. 

When we let go of resistance we allow ourselves to see life as it is, not how we think it should be.

The Sword of Surrender specialises in paying more attention to that which is in one’s immediate control, and letting go of that which is not. 

The absence of surrender keeps us stuck in the past, unable to accept or let go of what once was, resisting the process of life, the plan of all plans. This breeds resentment.

Surrender is not weak, it is easy to resist life, even though this creates more suffering.

God’s plan is too perfect for human comprehension. Such is the reason why surrender and spiritual pursuit are so intimately connected. 

It takes great courage and faith to surrender, especially when in the depths of uncertainty and pain. All things come to an end, whether pleasant or unpleasant, faith is required for you know not how long a process will last.

During a storm it is better to maintain peace and presence of mind, allowing the process to unfold, avoiding the trap of preferred realities, making one resourceful in the here and now.

The ego creates attachment to that of the world.

It does not accept that all things inevitably end. 

The soul however lives forever and knows that all forms must end and that The Most High, the best planner, that which is beyond all conception and form is the only thing that is eternal. 

An attached life is a fearful one that is starved of beauty, surprise and novelty. 

Death is inevitable for all of us, it is our choice to make that transition as smooth as possible.

Embrace the passing of life and the world of form. Let ends be ends and beginnings be beginnings. Equip The Sword of Surrender and cut away attachments, only then can one live fully. 

for as Yoda once said: 

“The fear of loss is a path to the dark side. Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed that is. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”

The Way of Being Alone 

You can be in a room full of people, yet still feel lonely. 

You can be completely by yourself but feel deeply connected to all of life. The opposite of lonely.

Why is this? 

There is a great difference between feeling lonely and being alone. 

It comes down to the relationship you have with your inner being. 

If your inner-world is unpleasant, you will seek to avoid it through overstimulation and impulse as shared above. 

Your mind is like a garden, tend to it well and it provide a pleasant aroma, perhaps even more-so than the outer world. Neglect it and you will never find peace within. 

Just like Marcus Aurelius put it: 

“Nowhere can a man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul”

Perhaps you have never experienced such a sensation before in your life. 

If that is so, then you have truly been starved of that which may be most prized to you. 

Peace, serenity, and the ability to be alone with no need for vice or escape. 

Watching TV by yourself is not to be in solitude, it is in fact another case where one is seeking distraction from the inner-world, while in isolation, immersed in the illusion of company with others presented through digital means.

Solitude requires silence, true silence, the absence of external distractions, vices and overstimulation. 

It requires one to withdraw from gratifying the senses for their own sake, and to be as presently alone as you can be.

As you can most likely begin to see through reading this Mastery Letter, The Swords of Self Mastery sharpen one another.

The Swords of Silence & Stillness sharpen The Sword of Solitude. 

This leads to the befriending of yourself, nurturing and nourishing yourself with love. 

Self love is not self-worship. The love is for that which you truly are, not for The Lower Nature. 

The company you share with yourself will become more pleasant and therefore, your company will be more pleasant to others. 

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron. 

It is difficult to enjoy time with one who struggles to be with themselves. 

Such a person avoids silence, defends when there is no attack, is quick to judge, makes assumptions and takes you away from the truth. 

Withdraw from those who dull your blades, it is better to be alone than to be in bad company. 

Like The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said: 

“It is better to sit alone than in company with the bad; and it is better still to sit with the good than alone. It is better to speak to a seeker of knowledge than to remain silent; but silence is better than idle words”

Waging The War Within 

Implementation of what you have read thus far is essential in order to truly understand the meaning of what is being shared here. 

Knowledge is fickle without application. Too many of us hoard information and ideas, seeking the euphoria of epiphany yet struggle and refuse to take action when it really matters. 

Life is not about accumulating knowledge, nor is learning. 

Learning is the process of integrating knowledge through application. 

Intelligence is the measure of how rapidly one can digest information and embody that information through visible changes to behaviour. 

Many of us claim falsely to have high levels of intelligence, mistaking its definition for how much information one can hold and recall. 

This is not the full picture. 

When you come across useful information, such as that in this letter, and you refuse, forget or struggle to apply it, then consider how intelligent you really are.

Intelligence requires change, and change requires Strategy.

I’m not trying to say that you are unintelligent here, or that I am more intelligent than others. For I myself struggle to apply useful information that I know would benefit me. 

I realise in observing this that perhaps I am not as intelligent as I believed myself to be. 

Strategy is key. Play the game, wage the war. 

We seldom consider what we are really up against. The inner and outer opponents, particularly the inner. 

Without a strategy we are shooting in the dark, guessing the next move, and taken by surprise when the opponent strikes and executes a cunning tactic. 

In knowing this, we must devise our own strategy. One that helps us:

• See how society is organised in many ways against our thriving
• Make clear how The Lower Nature attempts to sway us off the right path
• Structure our day in a way that increases the odds of gaining one small victory at a time

One of my favourite quotes by Sun Tzu is: 

“Know the enemy and know yourself in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.”

The Sword of Strategy help to know ourselves deeply, to understand the forces both for and against us and increase our odds of victory. 

I dive much deeper into strategic and consequential thinking in The Mastery Letter entitled Productivity: How To Make Better Choices. Make sure to check it out and study thoroughly.

Raising Your Standards

It’s easy to settle in life for low standards. 

Be it in relationship, how you treat your body, how you present yourself, how you order your environment and home, your work, your finances, your education, your quality of life, the experiences you expose yourself to, the company you keep and the arrangement of your mental space. 

Standards…

We must raise them, or suffer a dull life of mediocrity which inevitably leads to great despair and regret. 

Once again, it is often through crisis that we raise our standards, yet it need not be this way. 

Consider the standards you are currently settling for. 

Would you rather raise the bar? 

If the answer is yes, be sure to do so, using what you have learned here so far, with a clear strategy.

If the answer is no, this Mastery Letter is most likely not for you. 

We can always do better and be better. 

You will know this by recognising the frustrations in your life. 

Where are you falling short? What is frustrating you daily, that you’re perhaps pretending not to see, avoiding change due to intimidation? 

Perhaps you say with your words that health is the most important thing to you, yet your choices around health are far lower in standards than you would like them to be. 

This is what we can call incongruence. A misalignment between thoughts, words and actions. 

Sometimes we must grow utterly frustrated with our current life circumstances in order to make a change. 

Let frustration propel you forwards and upwards into a higher quality life across all domains. 

Grow tired of your own lies, your own bull-sh!t, your own excuses. 

Get bored of being bored, of avoiding that which you know requires your attention, of breaking promises to yourself and others, of living a lesser life to that which you know you deserve deep down. 

Raise your standards so you can be the example to yourself and others. The example you wish you once had. 

The role model, the steward of goodness, the uncommon one… 

The test here that most of us find difficult is the call to authenticity. The fear of being rejected as a by-product of being sincere and honest.

Deep down you know how you would like to live and make choices. 

Yet you settle, out of fear of what others might think of you, or fear of upsetting them and feeling a sense of guilt or being seen as somewhat of a bad person.

In the end, remember this…

It is only you that you will blame for having settled for a mediocre existence. For relationships that do not bring the value you are looking for into your life.

You deserve better and you know it. 

In raising your standards, you increase the value you can then share with others. 

Everybody benefits, although there will undoubtedly be loss, discomfort and suffering in the process. Suffer willingly…

Grieve that which you sacrifice, remembering that when one door closes, one hundred doors open. 

Prepare yourself for better, wielding The Sword of Standards and taking up the weight of responsibility that comes with maintaining a better, more fulfilling life.

The Way of Simplicity

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The world is always selling us the notion that more is better. 

This is not true. 

If it were the case, then those with more would find their bliss, yet they often are lead away from it through the accumulation, pursuit, obsession and worship of things. 

A simple life may not mean retreating to the caves or mountains. It can be lived within modern society, yet as these two differ greatly in nature, expect tests when living simply within the city.

This leads us back to The Sword of Sacrifice, a compliment to The Sword of Simplicity.

Cut away that which is not necessary, de-clutter your life from distraction and litter. 

Contracting the social circle, optimising the schedule, focusing only on priority tasks regarding work, simplifying the diet, how one finds enjoyment and one’s spiritual practice. 

The truth is always simple. 

The Sword of Simplicity also yields great benefit when applied to any pursuit or action. 

Focus on one goal, one mission and one task at a time. 

Splitting focus destroys efficiency, multi-tasking is a myth.

Ten holes dug all at once are ten times less in depth than a single hole focused on.

We need not complicate our lives. 

What we want is seldom what we need. 

When what we need is aligned with what we want, peace ensues. 

When what we need is neglected and wants are prioritised, misery is inbound. 

Drink water.

Walk.

Do what you can with what you have. 

Maximise that which is available to you. 

You may find that you are already abundant, already rich, already wealthy and prosperous. 

Consider the following question closely. 

Would you trade an eye for millions in cash? 

The answer is probably a sharp no. 

If this is so, then you already possess millions and more in wealth. 

The issue is that this is often overlooked and forgotten. 

Remember what you have, consider how that which is so simple and available to you would not be worth a trade for millions. 

A finger, a toe, an eye, an ear, a single heartbeat, the breath…

It is only when any of these suffer that we come to feel their true value and importance in our every day living. 

Be thankful and appreciative now for the small things, rather than later when they are leaving, damaged or gone. 

The Sword of Simplicity keeps the spirits high. 

Sensitivity is Strong 

A hardened heart is a burden. 

A veiled soul is a misfortune. 

A rigid mind is an obstacle. 

A body that is numb is a tragedy. 

To be sensitive does not mean to be unstable. 

It means to be tuned in to that which is true. To see, hear, and feel more clearly.

Without sensitivity, one loses the capacity to guide oneself from wrong to right. 

It is through purification of the heart that sensitivity is restored. 

Sinful acts, those that damage us in mind, body and soul disorient the inner compass. 

When the heart is insensitive, there is no shame or humility, no guilt for mistreating the self or others. 

Guilt and shame are not always good, in excess they are indeed a block to better living and spiritual fulfilment. Unresolved guilt and shame breed secretive, addictive behaviours.

However when one can intentionally deny right action and not feel such regret, hope grows thin. 

It is through sensitivity that we can steer back onto the right path when we fall off, that we can hear the signals from the body when there is an imbalance. 

Overstimulation kills sensitivity, and therefore the faculties from which we maintain health, well-being and balance. 

Abstinence is what sharpens The Sword of Sensitivity. 

Have you ever refrained from refined sugar for one week continuously, to find that when you taste it again, it is overwhelming and even unpleasant? 

The same applies for drugs, alcohol and anything else that dampens the spirit, mind and body. 

We tend to fall comfortable in unpleasantness. 

It is only when we experience the sweetness of vitality, peace and a disciplined life that what was once pleasant no longer is experienced as such. 

Get to a point where you feel so good that you wish not to sacrifice such goodness for that to which you once were clung. 

Fast, not just with the mouth but with the entire body. You hands, ears, mouth, mind, and whatever other faculties you possess that tend to be lead astray. 

This will cultivate sharpness with The Sword of Sensitivity. An overly-full stomach will repulse you and overstimulation through the mouth, ears or other sense organs will feel all the more distasteful. 

To Conclude 

The Swords of Self Mastery are possessed by all. One must keep these sharp in order to cultivate inner peace and strong will. 

Will-power is necessary in taking right action. Right action maintains peace, and in peace there is freedom.

Here are The Swords of Self Mastery in review:

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Overstimulation is what kills our will and scatters the mind into one that is chaotic and seldom present. 

We either choose to suffer now, or suffer later. Voluntary suffering must be embraced. Do the hard work, especially when you don’t feel like it, and you will always be pleased. 

Surrender and sensitivity are not weaknesses but rather strengths. The ego (The Lower Nature) resists that which is good for the soul and clings to that which takes us away from true goodness. 

Through stillness, silence, and solitude one can sharpen the mind and soul. 

Sharpness cuts through the illusions of the world, granting access to peace and fulfilment through productive days, while increasing the quality of life across all domains. 

Approach life strategically, as a general of war would approach a battle of life and death. Keep  death close and you will indeed be sincere.

Know your opponents, both inner and outer. Wage the war within, study yourself closely and commit to the iterative process of Self Mastery. 

Iron sharpens iron, so seek and remain close to those who sharpen their own swords. Simplify your life into one that is needs-appreciative, not wants-dominated.

I thank you for taking the time to read this Mastery Letter all the way to the end. 

Honestly, I truly enjoyed writing all of this. 

It sharpened my swords. 

I must say, what is written here was applied in this writing. 

I chose to suffer daily, the uncertainty of not knowing what to say or what to write, but now you read the finished product, the first writing on this topic. 

Ideally I would have liked more time to clarify my words. Surely there will be more to share on The Swords of Self Mastery. 

I wish you peace, will and freedom. 

Have a great week. 

Stay sharp. 

Usman.