Since the dawn of civilization, man has sought to better himself through the wisdom of his predecessors.
From the moment man could communicate using rudimentary pictures and symbols, he began to record his story. This was in the hopes that all that he knew would be passed down to the next generation, a gift of knowledge from father to son. And so it is with much of what we know today when it comes to personal growth and development.
Everything to do with self-help that you might know today, from the Law of Attraction to success principles that get you from where you are to where you want to be, all of it comes from the minds of our ancestors.
The ancient Romans, for example, valued the concept of personal responsibility. So much so that after each Roman arch was completed, the law stated that the engineer who constructed it would have to stand underneath it when the scaffolding was removed. It was their way of assuming accountability for the work they had done. Such a law made absolutely certain that every Roman understood just how crucial the quality of his work was. Plus, it made clear how it had a direct consequence on his very life.
This is the very basis of most self-help concepts that big-name modern day Gurus such as Jack Canfield and Tony Robbins base their teachings on, the need for you to have a personal responsibility before you even start thinking about setting goals for yourself.
Personal responsibility helps cultivate a strong mindset. This prevents you from wasting your time blaming other people or circumstance for what you lack in your life. You and only you are in charge of everything that happens in your life.
On the other hand, ancient Buddhist teachings state that if you want to reduce suffering in your life, you must accept the things that you cannot change. That wisdom proves true even today, and here’s why:
Researchers from Deakin University in Australia conducted a study comparing feelings of life satisfaction and perceived control of older adults living with assistance and those living in the community. They found that the seniors who were able to face the realities of living with assistance and losing a degree of independence helped them live longer and feel far happier than those who couldn’t accept their new reality of having to depend on others for day to day activities.
However, this ancient wisdom is not merely meant for seeking peace and happiness in one’s life.
They also provide enlightenment with regards to the building of one’s wealth.
The Bible tells the story of Joseph, who was given the gift of interpreting dreams. After having had dreams that predicted seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of severe famine, Joseph advised the Pharaoh to choose a wise man to oversee the storing of 20 percent of the grain during each of the years plenty to prepare for the coming years of famine.
This would go on to become the basic principle of practical living. Consequently, many financial self-help books today use the 20 percent rule that should be applied when planning for future financial needs.
The Law of Attraction that you know today has its roots in an ancient Egyptian philosophy called Ma’at.
It is the concept of order, truth, and balance in action. This is similar to the philosophies of Confucianism and Taoism of China, and the philosophy of Dharma of Buddhism.
It is a universal principle of cosmic order that all human beings need to observe in order to avoid strife and suffering and maintain personal balance, balance with society, and balance with the universe and the Supreme Being (God).
Ma’at states that you “do not run after riches or objects, but you do not run away from them either”. Plus, it suggests that the universe will provide the necessities of life and the opportunities that make the best of one’s life. According to the ancient wisdom of the Egyptians, true fulfillment does not come from attaining objects or wealth, but a certain amount of wealth is necessary so that a person can have a peaceful and sane capacity to discover the purpose of their life. Consequently, you have the means to find what one needs in order to discover abiding happiness and contentment.
In other words:
Decide on what your goals are, set your intentions and seize the opportunities that the universe presents to you. And trust in yourself that you can achieve your goals.
Recently, a man traveled the world in search of more of these ancient wisdom’s. His travels brought him to 3 breathtaking locations that turned out to be the source of this wisdom. Plus, what he discovered there was, in his words, incredibly life-changing.
(Just to let you know, clicking on the image will take you to a page to download the free report and then direct you to the video.)
