“Success isn’t measured by money or power or social rank. Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace.”
THE CARPENTER’S TOOLS
A Zen parable about a carpenter and his tools tells us about a man who regularly cleaned and sharpened his equipment. Meticulously, he took care of his items, ensuring they were always in good condition, naturally following the Law of Discipline.
One day, his apprentice approaches him and asks why he takes such good care of his tools. The master replied, “If I take good care of my tools, they take good care of me.”
This parable teaches us the importance of discipline for taking care of our tools. These can be physical or inner tools. With discipline, we must keep them sharp to support us in our endeavors in the best way possible.
THE LAW OF DISCIPLINE LEADS TO FREEDOM
Initially, this might sound counterintuitive. However, let’s give it a second thought. Without discipline, life tosses us around. Contrarily, through discipline, we can gain whatever skill we want. Moreover, we acquire a depth of knowledge, ultimately leading to inner peace and freedom. Discipline is an order to set us free.
On the path of self-development, purging negative thinking, unhealthy habits and patterns, false beliefs, deceptions, impure thoughts, and other obstacles separates us from what we are not. This purification eventually leads us to who we are, bringing immense inner freedom. However, the price is discipline to keep doing our inner work no matter the hurdles. Therefore, consciously walking the Alchemical Transformation journey and applying its 7-step system tremendously supports our process of inner evolution.
Inner freedom inevitably leads to outer freedom. Breaking the chains of the mind shatters our outside chains. This process relates to the universal Law of Mentalism, which describes that we create everything in our minds. Events happen; the key is how we react and what story or drama we make in our minds. Through discipline and practice, we can gain an in-depth perspective on the world, allowing us a holistic approach to life. Focus and commitment to our life purpose, which is inevitably spiritual since we are spiritual beings, leads to an alignment resulting in inner peace and freedom
