At some point in your life, something will happen that will turn your world around and make you think. Only then will you realise that by continually ignoring the thought process, you have walked into a potentially damaging situation, not only with your eyes wide open but, far worse, with a closed mind. Very few people escape this process, and it can happen when we least expect it. At this point, many of you will be telling yourselves that this could never happen to you. But please read on.

If you become ill, what is the first thing you do? Do you take an alternative remedy that you have in the home? Do you visit your doctor and hope that he can shed some light on your problem? Perhaps you decide to read a medical dictionary and make your own diagnosis, or seek advice from a friend? Depending on the kind of ailment that you have one or all of these remedies could be the correct action. But there is something missing from the equation, something that is so obvious that you have probably never given it a thought. Your lifestyle.

I am only addressing minor complaints in this chapter, because if you can stop this process at the outset, many of the major medical problems simply will not happen. However, I believe you can take a number of steps towards better physical and mental health. Study the following exercises carefully. They will help you change  your life.

First step

The first step in reclaiming your life is to arm  yourself with an exercise book and pen. Don't use a pencil, you may be tempted to rub something out. When you have acquired these items, begin the analytical process by underlining the heading, which will be MATERIALISM.

List everything you have bought in the past twelve months, apart from the usual day-to-day goods that we all have to buy, on the left-hand side of the page. If you wish to take your time and be specific, this may take several days. When you have finished, return to the top of the page and, on the right-hand side, write against each item how many hours you or your partner have had to work to acquire it.

Second step

When you have finished both lists, start a new page and write down the heading LOST TIME, LOST LIFE and underline it. Then put down everything you would have liked to have done, either with your partner or with friends and family, if you had not been working so hard for your acquisitions. 

At this point I will remind you why I asked you not to use a pencil. This is because pencil can be erased, and the words you may wish to erase could, if studied carefully, be the turning point in your life. Look at them and ask yourself how and why they have appeared on the page. Why do you want to erase them? Do they disturb you? If so, then you must look at why they are creating a disturbance. After all, the words are only there because you put them there. They could be the something that you have been deliberately ignoring because you could not face up to the consequences, or they could be meaningless at present but a warning sign for the future. They may even be positive words that foretell a happy, healthy future. Whatever they are, ignore them at your peril, because they are a form of clairvoyance, of 'clear sight'.

Third step

Now turn to a new page, write down the heading AILMENTS, and underline it. Then list all the ailments you have suffered during the past twelve months. Ask your family and friends how they would sum up your general health during those months. It is quite normal for us to try to block out the unpleasant things in our lives, especially illnesses, and others may help give you a clearer picture.

Fourth step

Study all the exercises over a period of a week or more. Do not rush this stage. Take your time. Only when you have made an honest assessment of everything you have written down can you turn a new page.

Fifth step

On your new page draw several horizontal lines across the paper, leaving at least two inches below each line. It is important to note that what you put underneath these lines will affect your future life. Write STRESS on the top line - it represents how much stress and ill health you are prepared to suffer for the type of lifestyle you have at the moment. Ask yourself whether you can honestly sustain it, knowing the full facts, because if you cannot, you know that your immune system and your mental health will suffer. Put down YES or NO on the line. If the answer is YES, you will know that you have given a lot of thought to the answer and that you are in control of  your life. However, it would still be in your best interest to read on, to find out what your future may hold.

If the answer is NO, then decide which material possessions you could do without so that you can enjoy more stress-free hours with your family and friends. Write them down in the space below the line.

Sixth step

Go down to the second line and decide what INITIATIVE you are going to take so that you will have more control over your life. For example, if you have suffered more colds, coughs, and flu than those around you, you will realise that your immune system needs a boost. Go to your local health store and look at the numerous books that they have on sale. Choose one and read it. When you have done this, write the title of the book underneath the second line. I guarantee that you will be determined to find out as much as you can about preventative medicine and that you will end up adding more titles to your paper

You may of course suffer from a number of allergies, in which case the above advice will be the same. Remember, allergies are also a sign of a weakened immune system, and any kind of stress will set them off.

Seventh step

Acquire as much knowledge as possible about MIND ENERGY, for this will be the heading on the third line. Read how, with positive thought, you can prevent the build-up of blockages in the energy system which, above all, protects our minds and physical bodies from rapid deterioration.

Further steps

If you have been able to go through all the steps and make decisions that will change your life for the better, then you are on the road to reclaiming your life.

If you wrote YES on the top line at the beginning of the fifth step, be sure to re-evaluate your life from time to time. It could be that this practice may help prevent unexpected ill health or disasters in the future.

Those of you who want to live a more simple life should carry on with the process, moving further down the page as and when you have achieved the knowledge and self confidence to do so. You could use the following headings to explore yourself.

Emotions

Emotions are difficult to control. But if you want a healthy life you must put the brake on extreme reactions. If you are faced with this problem in others, you must simply keep out of their way. There is no greater enemy to our mental and physical health than the negative forces that are released when the atmosphere is charged in this way.

Expectations

Do not blame others when your expectations of them fail. The only true expectations you can have are those you have for yourself. If they fail, then you can only blame yourself and try to do better next time.

There is no way that you can always succeed, but it is extremely rewarding when you do.

Do not lie down

Throughout your life you will have to take many knocks. When this happens, get up. If you are knocked down again, get up again. Others will weary of the game before you do, and it will show them how much resilience you have when you believe in yourself.

However, if it becomes obvious that someone is out to destroy you, you may have to leave a job, a partnership, or a new project. Whatever it is, leave the scene with dignity and put your faith in Universal Law. No matter how long it takes, the perpetrator will eventually receive their punishment from this source - one cannot make deals with Universal Law.

Possessions

Do not be taken in by other people's lifestyles. They many have bigger house, servants, better paid jobs, expensive cars and so on, but these do not necessarily make for a happy life. If you are a decent, caring individual you will probably have more love in your life, even if you live in a bedsit. Of course there are decent people living in those big houses but, on the whole, one cannot have fame and money without having to give up one's privacy. There is always a price that has to be paid.

Do not let jealousy mar your life. Use your intuition when meeting someone for the first time. If you have a distinctly uneasy feeling, then no matter what they have got, or where they live, you should not have them as a friend. Trust your own judgment.

We are all unique, and we all work best at different levels. Somewhere in this chart you will find your level for a stress-free life. Unfortunately we all have failings, so you should re-evaluate your life every six months or so. In the meantime, the following proverbs and calming thoughts might help you deal with everyday problems.

Proverbs

Calming thoughts

Add something to this list every day and analyse it. Eventually you will have a clear picture of what you really want to do with your life.