Self-control

Seek every occasion to put it into action

November 27th 2018
Try not to shy away from an opportunity to show self-control. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn to resist hunger, thirst, heat, cold or tiredness. I am not saying you must live a life of privation or become a yogi. No, of course not. But if you look at what happens when someone is hungry or thirsty, they rush to find something to satisfy their hunger or thirst straight away. And if they do not find it immediately, they complain, they grouch, they become angry. Observe yourself and you will find that in all kinds of situations you do not tolerate being unable to satisfy immediately your needs, your desires and even your whims. So how then do you expect to be able to control anger, jealousy, hatred or sexual desire which manifest so more violently? You may well know it is best to control yourself and you may well try to control yourself, but if you have not yet learnt to strengthen your willpower with easier exercises first, you will never succeed.