Developing Personal Mastery on the Run
Personal mastery is achievable by everyone, even those who are busy.
Written with Kittirat Yothangrong
We see on television and in the media so many outwardly beautiful people. They have perfect bodies, with perfect shape, matched with perfect smiles. However if we have the opportunity to get up close and personal to some of these people, we may realize that beauty is only skin deep. Everybody seems to be concerned about outer beauty, and ignore inner beauty.
There are two types of beauty: the body beautiful or handsome that we have been indoctrinated to believe in and judge ourselves and others by, and the inner beauty which is the essence of our true self, largely ignored in the stereotypes we have come to worship and aspire to be. Nobody talks about achieving personal mastery as being one of the key elements of beauty.
This is a great loss to our personal potential in being who we really could be.
Do you remember the last time that you met up with someone who made you laugh, feel good, feel freedom of the moment and totally comfortable? The aura that radiates from that person you met is inner beauty. Inside this person is a true love for life, compassion for people, and empathy for the world. It's very easy for them to smile and radiate their inner feelings out into the world around them, something like an aura that can actually change the atmosphere in the room. This comes from an innate sense of personal mastery the person has developed.
How can we develop our personal mastery and generate this aura?
You can start doing some simple breathing anywhere at any time during the day or night. You don't have to get into the lotus position. It's quite alright to do this on the run.
Find an open relaxing place where there is good air circulation, stand up or sit down with a good posture and take three deep long breaths. Take in the breath until you feel full of air and stop Then slowly let the air back out. Stop for a second or so once all the air is out, and then take another long slow deep breath in. Do this three times.
When you are taking these breaths it's very important that you forget everything outside of you and concentrate only on the breaths you are taking. Mind you this is not easy to do and you may find this a challenge at first.
You can do this any time. However its best to do this in the morning and different times during the day when you feel tired and stressed out.
If you can master this simple practice, you will notice peaceful you start becoming and how you connect with the environment around you with a new sense of awareness. You will feel fresh, invigorated and ready to take on everything. And most importantly you will find a new empathy with people.
If you don't believe me, have a look at yourself in the mirror before you try breathing and then again afterwards. If you have done this properly, you will see the difference.
If you practice this breathing every day, overtime you will notice some new qualities in yourself. These are the eight personal qualities that will develop a sense personal mastery within you;
1. You will start to feel more peaceful in your everyday life,
2. You will develop a renewed sense of motivation for things,
3. You will develop a new sense of self confidence in life,
4. You will discover a new empathy with the world around you and appreciate the simple things nature has to offer you,
5. You will become a very contented person.,
6. You will develop a general enjoyment and passion for life,
7. Your body and mind will come into balance and you will feel much healthier, and
8. You will become much more aware about how others feel.
These eight attributes create an aura that accentuates beauty. Beauty and personal mastery are more closely related than you think. The body beautiful one day starts deteriorating, but inner beauty only grows.
This simple breathing routine is great for those who have no time. You don't have to do a formal meditation session, you can just do it on the run. Please note, this practice may take some time to master, so please persist until you start getting a good feeling about it.
Anybody can improve their personal mastery. It takes only a few minutes a day. Through simple breathing you can have a much more peaceful life, withdraw from the stress, and reinvigorate yourself. People will see you in a completely different light and you will find that your relationships with others will change for the better and become much more fulfilling.
Personal mastery is achievable by everyone, even those who are busy.
Originally published in Emigem Magazine 3rd March 2013
Click on subscribe so articles can be directly emailed to your inbox:
KITTIRAT YOTNANGRONG or Akoi as she is known, is one of the very few people who have been a Buddhist nun and a runner-up in the Miss Southern Thailand Beauty Quest as a “mature” contestant. She is a ‘practical’ vegetarian who believes in herbs, healthy living, and meditation. An avid yoga fanatic, Kittirat is also an organic farmer. She regularly speaks to community groups in Malaysia and Thailand on empowerment, health through herbs, and spirituality.