"What was the Secret of the Lake?" I asked impatiently.
Julian explained that the sages would look into the waters of
the still lake and envision their dreams becoming reality. If it was
the virtue of discipline they wished to cultivate within their lives
they would picture themselves getting up at dawn, performing
their rigorous physical regimen without fail and spending days in
silence to enhance their willpower. If it was more joy they were
seeking, they would look into the lake and envision themselves
laughing uncontrollably or smiling each time they met one of their
brothers or sisters. If it was courage they desired, they would
picture themselves acting with strength in the moment of crisis
and challenge.
"Yogi Raman once told me that as a boy, he lacked confidence
as he was smaller than the other boys his age. While they were
kind and gentle to him given their environmental influences, he
grew insecure and shy. To cure this weakness, Yogi Raman would
travel to this heavenly spot and use the lake as a picture screen for
images of the person he hoped to be. Some days he would visualize
himself as a strong leader, standing tall and speaking with a
powerful, commanding voice. Other days he would see himself as
he wished to be when he grew older: a wise sage filled with
tremendous inner strength and character. All the virtues he
wished to have in his life, he saw first on the surface of the lake.
"Within a matter of months, Yogi Raman became the person
whom he mentally saw himself becoming. You see, John, the mind
works through pictures. Pictures affect your self-image and your
self-image affects the way you feel, act and achieve. If your self-
image tells you that you are too young to be a successful lawyer or
too old to change your habits for the better, you never will achieve
these goals. If your self-image tells you that lives rich with