The Ancient Secret to Self-Improvement - Manly P. Hall

Summary

The video script delves into the concept of self-governance and the search for a higher reality within oneself. It emphasizes the need for personal introspection to discover and connect with one's higher nature, suggesting that true understanding comes from stillness and quieting the mind, emotions, and physical desires. The script also touches on the importance of ethics and morality in this journey, advocating for a disciplined approach to life that aligns with natural laws and the pursuit of a sacred purpose.

Takeaways

• 🧘 Personal Search: The script emphasizes the importance of a personal search for the 'higher nature' within oneself, suggesting that external communication cannot fully convey this reality.
• 🌟 Inner Leadership: It posits that the best part of a person can lead the mind, emotions, and body, implying that there is a superior aspect of the self that should govern.
• 📚 Ancient Teachings: The transcript references ancient doctrines aimed at helping individuals connect with their higher selves, suggesting that these teachings can offer guidance today.
• 🤫 Be Still: A central theme is to 'be still', interpreted as being free from mental, emotional, and physical distractions to allow the true self to emerge.
• 🚪 Gates of Heaven: It metaphorically describes seeking the 'mysteries of the inner self' as entering through the proper gate, indicating a need for the correct approach to spiritual understanding.
• 🧘‍♂️ Mystical Stillness: The concept of stillness in mysticism is explained as being receptive to the 'still voice' or higher self, which comes when one ceases their own mental noise.
• 🔄 Overcoming Mistakes: The script discusses the need to stop perpetuating one's mistakes and to allow for natural growth and understanding of the self.
• 💡 Inner Light: It suggests that by ceasing to feed negative attitudes, the true self can shine through, much like a light that appears when darkness is removed.
• 🌱 Natural Growth: The importance of aligning with natural laws and the body's inherent functions is highlighted, warning against the misuse of the body for personal gain.
• 🤝 Mind and Emotion: The transcript points out the need for the mind and emotions to work in harmony for the common good, rather than being driven by self-interest.
• 🛡️ Self-Correction: It implies that each level of the self—physical, emotional, mental—has its rights and needs, and that self-correction is necessary for a balanced life.
• 🚫 Conflict and Decay: The dangers of conflict within oneself are underscored, with the script suggesting that internal strife leads to decay of values and disintegration.
• 🌿 Rebirth and Renewal: The concept of being 'born again' is presented not as a theological concept but as a practical one, meaning to start anew without the burdens of past mistakes.

Q & A

What does Plato suggest about the best way to govern a country?

Plato suggests that a country is best ruled when the best persons are in charge, and a human being is best governed when the best part of themselves leads.

What does the script imply about the leadership of the inner self?

The script implies that the leadership of the inner self comes from that which dwells within the body, behind the emotions and the mind, suggesting a higher aspect of self.

What is the significance of the phrase 'be still and know that I am God' in the context of the script?

The phrase 'be still and know that I am God' is significant as it represents an ancient teaching that encourages individuals to seek stillness in order to experience a deeper, more intimate connection with their higher nature or reality.

How does the script define 'stillness' in relation to the mystical experience?

In the context of the script, 'stillness' for a mystic means being free from the involvements of mind, emotion, and physical symptomologies, allowing the true over-self to be heard.

What is the importance of personal search in the script's discussion on reality?

The personal search is important because it is the only way to communicate the reality necessary to solve the individual's problem, suggesting that each person must undertake this search for themselves.

What does the script suggest about the relationship between conduct and consciousness?

The script suggests that there is a direct relationship between conduct and consciousness, implying that one's actions and attitudes can either support or hinder the growth and understanding of one's consciousness.

How does the script address the issue of accumulated mistakes and their impact on personal growth?

The script addresses the issue by suggesting that individuals need to 'iron out' themselves, getting rid of things that interfere with the natural growth of consciousness, and that accumulated mistakes can stifle personal growth.

What is the role of the body according to the script's perspective on natural laws?

According to the script, the body, with all its natural functions, is a cooperative and essential part of our being. It has laws and rules that, if followed, will keep us healthy, but breaking these rules can lead to trouble.

How does the script view the misuse of the mind and its consequences?

The script views the misuse of the mind as a source of mental breakdown, senility, and a general deterioration of life quality. It suggests that using the mind for the common good and advancement of real and valuable aspects of life is crucial.

What is the script's stance on the role of religion in personal enlightenment?

The script implies that while religion can provide a framework for allegiance and moral guidance, true personal enlightenment requires more than just religious adherence—it requires an active and introspective approach to understanding and correcting one's own mistakes.

What does the script mean by 'being born again' in a theological sense?

In the script, 'being born again' means starting with a fresh, clean, and honest mind, free from the mistakes and burdens of the past, signifying a new beginning in one's spiritual journey.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Personal Quest for Inner Truth

The first paragraph discusses the philosophical idea of self-governance, where the best part of oneself should lead. It delves into the search for the 'basis of reality' and emphasizes the need for a personal journey to discover this. The concept of 'being still' is introduced as a means to access one's higher nature and achieve a state of worship, free from the distractions of mind and emotion. The paragraph also touches on the importance of ethics and morality in this quest, suggesting that the individual must face their own problems and strive for a state of inner peace and understanding.

05:00

🛠️ Refining the Self for Spiritual Growth

The second paragraph continues the theme of self-improvement, focusing on the need to let go of destructive thoughts and behaviors. It suggests that by addressing and correcting our mistakes, we can achieve a more peaceful state of mind. The speaker discusses the challenges of breaking the cycle of negative attitudes and the importance of quieting the mind to allow for growth and introspection. The paragraph also highlights the interconnectedness of our physical, emotional, and mental states, and the necessity of maintaining a balanced approach to life for overall well-being.

10:03

🧘‍♂️ Embracing Stillness for Inner Healing

The third paragraph emphasizes the importance of stillness in achieving spiritual and mental clarity. It discusses the concept of 'being quiet' as a means to dissolve negative emotions and attitudes, allowing for the emergence of a more authentic and peaceful self. The speaker touches on the misuse of the mind and emotions, and how this can lead to mental breakdown and other issues. The paragraph concludes by stressing the need for individuals to take responsibility for their own spiritual growth, suggesting that true transformation comes from within and cannot be achieved through external means.

Keywords

💡Inner Life

Inner life refers to the personal and subjective experiences of an individual's consciousness, including thoughts, emotions, and spiritual experiences. In the video, the concept is central to the theme of self-discovery and personal growth. It is mentioned in the context of accessing a 'superior' part of oneself that can guide the mind, emotions, and body towards a sacred purpose, as in the phrase 'how to reach the opening of the inner life.'

💡Consciousness

Consciousness is the state of being aware of and able to think and perceive one's surroundings, thoughts, and emotions. The video discusses the importance of aligning consciousness with higher values and principles to avoid destructive behaviors. It is used in the context of 'recovering from all of those intemperance of Attitudes by means of which the normal growth of the Consciousness is delayed,' emphasizing the need for self-reflection and improvement.

💡Intuition

Intuition is the ability to understand or know something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. The script mentions 'breaking into that mysterious realm that has been called Intuition or the extra sensory band,' suggesting that accessing this intuitive level can provide insights beyond the rational mind, contributing to personal growth and understanding.

💡Ethics

Ethics are moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity. In the video, ethics are highlighted as essential in the pursuit of inner growth. The phrase 'the ethics the morality the integrities involved have to be kept in mind at all times' underscores the importance of maintaining ethical conduct throughout the journey of self-discovery.

💡Mysticism

Mysticism refers to the pursuit of personal experience of the divine or the transcendent through direct, intuitive, and often contemplative experience. The script alludes to mysticism with the line 'to be free from the involvements of mind and emotion,' indicating a desire to transcend ordinary consciousness to access a deeper spiritual reality.

💡Stillness

Stillness is a state of being calm, quiet, and free from movement or activity. The video emphasizes stillness as a method to access the inner self, as in 'to be still to the Mystic means to be free from the involvements of mind and emotion.' It is portrayed as a necessary state for hearing the 'still voice' or inner wisdom.

💡Self-Interest

Self-interest is the concern for one's own personal profit or advantage. The script discusses the need to move beyond self-interest, especially in the context of the mind's use, suggesting that 'if the mind could be released from the terrific pressure of self-interest... all things would be much better in the mental World.'

💡Misuse of Powers

Misuse of powers refers to the improper or harmful application of one's abilities or faculties. The video warns against this, stating that 'the problem becomes... to get rid of the sickness arising from the misuse of powers faculties and principles within ourselves.' It implies that proper use of one's abilities is crucial for personal and spiritual health.

💡Rebirth

Rebirth, in a theological sense, refers to being born again spiritually, often associated with a new beginning free from past mistakes. The script mentions 'to be born again in the theological sense of the word it isn't that he simply accepts your religion to be born again means to not make the same mistakes again,' indicating a transformation in one's approach to life.

💡Intemperance

Intemperance is the lack of self-control or moderation, often in the context of emotions or actions. The video discusses the need to 'get rid of those things, which interfere with the natural... such as... intemperance,' suggesting that unchecked emotions or behaviors can hinder spiritual and personal development.

💡Sin

Sin is a term used to describe an act considered to be a transgression against divine law or moral standards. The script touches on the idea of 'washing away sins,' indicating the need for personal responsibility in addressing and overcoming one's wrongdoings, as in 'they have got to wash their own sins away all too often with their own tears.'

Highlights

Plato's view on the best governance of a country and an individual's best part leading itself.

The necessity of personal search for reality and the challenge to make it available to the individual.

Ancient doctrines aimed at connecting individuals with their higher nature.

The importance of being still in religious life and its connection to knowing one's inner self.

The concept of 'be still and know that I am God' as a key statement in man's religious life.

The meaning of being still for a mystic and its significance in hearing the 'still voice'.

The problem of individuals trying to solve their problems through their own mental, emotional, and physical levels.

The relationship between conduct and consciousness and its impact on accessing the 'over self'.

The need to cease unnecessary actions and attitudes to allow natural growth of consciousness.

The idea that the individual must face the fact that they cannot be right by continuing to act wrongly.

The process of 'ironing out' oneself to eliminate interferences with life's natural mistakes.

The importance of quieting the mind to avoid destructive or detrimental thinking.

The challenge of breaking the continuity of compound attitudes and the need for a fresh start.

The role of the body's natural functions and the importance of respecting its laws for personal growth.

The misuse of the mind and its consequences on mental health and the need for its proper use.

The necessity of quieting emotions to protect the emotional nature and prevent internal organ issues.

The concept that all levels of self have their rights, privileges, and necessary corrections.

The importance of discipline in physical life for the mind and emotions to fulfill their duties perfectly.

The idea that religion should demand more than just allegiance and contribute to personal enlightenment.

The concept of being born again as not repeating past mistakes and starting with a clean slate.

The need to be quiet to eliminate negative attitudes and their impact on the inner life.

Transcripts

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Plato said that a country is best ruled

when the best persons

rule the uh human being is best governed

when the best part of himself

leads now some think the mind is the

best part others the emotion some the

physical body itself with its resources

but all of these finally come under the

leadership of that which dwells within

the body within the emotions behind the

mind what is this basis of reality how

are we going to reach it how are we

going to challenge it to come out of its

strange aless so that it can become

available to the person one thing we

find out immediately is that this search

has to be personal there is no

possibility of communicating this

reality in ways necessary to solve the

problem of the individual except that it

be given to the individual with his

particular problem so we have to try to

find out how to reach the opening of the

inner life so that something Superior to

mind can become the ruler of mind and

use the mind the emotions and the body

as an instrument for for the Fulfillment

of a sacred purpose this we have to try

to discover in one way or another in

ancient times there were various

doctrines that were developed very

largely for the purpose of bringing the

individual into contact with his own

higher nature that there were teachings

that taught him to rise above the even

the highest aspects of his own mind into

an immediate and intimate experience of

reality one of the first things that we

are told in ancient scriptures is the

simple line be still and know that I am

God now I think perhaps this is one of

the most important statements in

connection with man's religious life the

problem of trying to be

still now when we think of still if we

are bound to material things we will

simply say that the individual does

nothing that is not the answer that is

not what is intended intended only to

become part of worship when the

individual ual seeks the ordinary he can

read a school book or attend a class

when he seeks to know the mystery of his

own inner self he cannot storm the Gates

of Heaven if he tries to get into this

Sheepfold which was the old name for

religion it by any way except the proper

gate he is then a thief and a robber

therefore the ethics the morality the

integrities involved have to be kept in

mind at all times to be still to the

Mystic means to be free from the

involvements of mind and emotion and

free also from various physical

symptomologies that may arise in order

that he will be permit that which is

truly the over self to be heard the

still voice the small voice comes to the

individual who stops talking long enough

to hear it and that is very rare even in

religion problem always is that we are

trying desperately to decide for

ourselves on mental emotional and

physical levels those problems decisions

which can come only from something

Superior to what we now use we have to

some way break into that mysterious

realm that has been called Intuition or

the extra sensory band to be still now

for us in this particular World in which

we now live is seems to me is to cease

doing that which is not necessary not

right and not good the individual must

choose sometime to clearly face the fact

that he cannot be right if he continues

to act wrong that there is a a

relationship between conduct and

Consciousness there is a relationship

between our material personality and

that mysterious locked over self which

we are seeking to understand therefore

it is very necessary to be still in the

sense of recovering from all of those

intemperance of Attitudes by means of

which the normal growth of the

Consciousness is delayed or disposed of

entirely therefore if we want to really

understand this we have to begin the

process of ironing out

ourselves to get rid of those things

which interfere with the natural

mistakes of life I mentioned that one

day to a man who came to see me that if

he stopped all these various attitudes

that he had he'd be better off you

seemed quite unhappy and a little

indignant well he said if I stop

thinking about all these mistakes I'll

have nothing at all to think

about well that probably is true but it

is possible to imagine that there might

be some things to think about that are

not mistakes if we give any ground for

such thinking if we are willing to

gradually iron out the impulses and

intemperance is with which we have

burdened ourselves for thousands of

years and brought with us in any

sequence and rebirths that happens to us

supposing we say that the individual who

wants to get better is trying to grow

because the present condition has become

intolerable the person is not satisfied

as he is he is not satisfied in what he

has been but he does does not know how

to carry himself into the future without

dragging the shubble with him he's

tomorrow is just another day in which to

worry about the problems of

yesterday this whole problem of the

continuity of a compound

attitude has to be broken up in some way

the person has to be able to be quiet

without unhappy thoughts coming he must

be able to be relaxed and think without

thinking destructively critically

or in some way detrimental of all

concern and if his thinking is so bad he

can't stand it he has got to learn to

get over the instinct to take a drink or

something and forget

himself the individual trying to forget

himself is really telling us he's trying

to forget a personality that is

impossible and there's no way of getting

away with it except by outgrowing it now

some who undoubtedly have been able to

drink themselves to death and hope by

this means that they have accomplished

everything that was necessary while

these people these people belong in the

believe in the s in the kind of life

that we are generally living they will

feel they have got released but to the

deeper thinker they have solved nothing

and have escaped nothing so that the

problem becomes again cure it now rather

than face it later so in the problem of

getting started on this inner search we

have to tr to find out that nature in

its own way our natural compound is

essential

Cooperative the body with all its

natural functions is really a pretty

good creature considering everything it

has laws and rules which if we keep them

it will keep us as long as possible it

also has rules that we cannot break and

the moment we begin to reject our

responsibility to the body we're in

trouble we get so interested in what

we're doing mentally and emotionally

that we wreck the body and because we

have wrecked the body in accomplishing a

large personal Fortune we then feel that

the wreckage was worthwhile but it isn't

actually therefore the first laws that

man faces are obvious to himself he

faces them in his daily living but he

has learned to carefully ignore the

findings he also has developed a new

Escape which our ancestors really didn't

have namely that if he couldn't get out

of the trouble himself he get hire

someone else to get out of it for

him but it's just as difficult to have

another person solve your problems as to

have another person eat your food and

you'll be nourished by it you can't do

these things so we have now the complex

situation of people who want to grow but

have already stunted their own growth

badly they want to be better but they do

not know what to do with the mistakes

that have

accumulated I think the old mystics had

the perfect answer for it they simply

said be quiet and know that I am God now

this wasn't a theological type of

definition it is a definition based upon

the concept that when we cease to build

our own mistakes when we cease to

Fashion a giant monster out of our own

intemperance is and

relax all of these evil things simply

fade away for lack of nutrition but they

will not fade as long as one drop of

nutrient is available to them as long as

we continue to have unhappy attitudes we

are not going to solve the mystery of

our own inner Consciousness actually the

way of life physically that gives us the

maximum probability for years is the

same type of discipline as that which is

necessary to the mind and the emotions

so that they will fulfill their duties

as perfectly as possible when the

emotions are quieted down to simple

gentle real values the emotional nature

is protected we have no likelihood of

trouble with some of the internal organs

of the the endocrine system which have

particular control over our emotional

content we will not kill ourselves by

false feelings anymore then we will kill

ourselves with bad food when we go up

again to the third one we have the mind

if the mind is used as it was intended

to be used and that is for the common

good for the advancement of everything

that is real and valuable in life if the

mind could be released from the terrific

pressure of self-interest if it could

get away from all its scheming on how to

defeat a brother and rather simply

quietly work out how to help him all

things would be much better in the

mental World there would be much less

mental breakdown and we would not be

suffering from too many cases of

senility it is the misuse of the mind

that gradually changes life into a

dismal uh dwelling for the individual so

in each of these levels there is a

natural law each of these creatures has

its rights and privileges each level of

ourselves has its inalienable needs and

Corrections they're all here if we want

to use

them now a lot of people have been

perfectly willing to support religions

industriously they have been willing to

make pilgrimage they have been willing

to do all kinds of penances uh to remove

some guilt mechanisms within themselves

and at the same time even though they

live a pretty fair life this great

experience of projection into something

higher has not occurred to them it

largely it's a result of not being able

to quiet the separate levels of our

Consciousness on their own levels and

then quiet the relationships of them to

each other in other words if the mind

and emotions are locked in Conflict

they're in trouble wherever there is

conflict

there is a kind of Destruction there is

a false motion wherever there is an

obstruction there is a decay of values a

disintegration an infection in which

something becomes sick all selfishness

is sickness no matter what you want to

call it all jealousy is sickness these

things are just exactly as serious as

sicknesses as are the ordinary physical

ailments which we may or may not be able

to cure this problem therefore is to get

rid of the sickness arising from the

misuse of powers faculties and

principles within ourselves unless we're

able to do this we're going to stay

right in trouble just the way we are but

the worst part of it is we may be a good

church member while we're in this

problem it has never occurred to us that

religion demanded anything more of us

than Allegiance it was like a parent who

demanded that the child obey but did not

necessarily contribute to any

Enlightenment in the purposes of

obedience the uh the religious

Association which washes away sins with

baptismal water has not gotten to the

point where it realizes or where people

realize that they have got to wash their

own sins away all too often with their

own tears so there is time to get at

some of these values

directly if the person wants to be born

again in the theological sense of the

word it isn't that he simply accepts

your religion to be born again means to

not make the same mistakes again it

means to clear the Slate a new birth

means to start out with a fresh clean

honest mind without carrying anything

from the past everything that is

detrimental must be left aside now th of

this is something more though than just

keeping the morality straight it is part

of this business of being quiet every

agitation every intensity of negative

attitude

is dangerous to the inner life of the

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person

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