The one who thinks against one’s own desire, is one’s own enemy.
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Related Material by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Compiled by Wahiduddin Richard Shelquist – wahiduddin.net
When one considers the psychology of failure and success, failure follows failure. And why is it? Because the consciousness reflecting success is full of success, and the activity which goes out from that consciousness is creating productive activity; so if the consciousness has success before its view, then the same reflection will work and bring success. Whereas if the consciousness is impressed with failure, then failure will work constantly, bringing failure after failure.
Very often pessimistic people speak against their own desire. They want to undertake some work, and they say, ‘I will do this, but I don’t think I shall succeed in it.’ Thus they hinder themselves in their path. People do not know that every thought makes an impression on the consciousness and on the rhythm with which the consciousness is working. According to that rhythm that reflection will come true and happen; and people prove to be their own enemy by their ignorance of these things.
One’s attitude is the secret of life, for it is upon the attitude that success and failure depend. Both rise and fall depend upon attitude. By attitude I mean that impulse which is like a battery behind the mechanism of thought. … There is hidden in our heart a wonderful power. It is a divine power, a sacred power, and it can be developed and cherished by keeping our attitude right.
( from the Sufi Message Series, Volume VI – The Alchemy of Happiness: The Secret of Life )
Commentary by Murshid S.A.M. (Sufi Ahmed Murad)
Samuel L. Lewis
Once a thought or wish is released, its effect is influenced most by the original thinker, who is always attuned to it. If such a one says or thinks something against it, it immediately reaches the mental plane on the breath and destroys all the concentration that has been set up there. No accommodation being made on the mental plane, there can be no success on the physical plane. This is a wonderful law which makes us the master of our own destiny, and gives us what is erroneously called freedom of will, but which is strictly speaking, continuous opportunity to do good, no matter how many the shortcomings or how often the repetition of serious mistakes. That is to say, the Mercy and Forgiveness of God are characterized by the Wisdom which enables us to *see*, not by any blind relief from mistakes. But neither are we punished other than in our failure to succeed until we understand and practice the Law — mental, moral or spiritual.