فصل چهاردهم

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

In which the young man discovers

the secrets of the rose garden

THE TWO MEN WALKED THROUGH THE GARDEN in silence until the millionaire stopped in front of a rose bush laden with magnificent flowers.

“I must have smelled these roses thousands of times, and yet each time it’s a different experience. Do you know why? Because I’ve learned to live in the here and now, and not dwell on the past or the future. It’s a matter of mental concentration — focusing, contemplation, meditation — a great many words have been used to describe it. The more you concentrate on what you are doing, absorbed in the task or object or person in front of you, the more you live in the present. This focus, this concentration, is a key to success in all facets of life. The better your concentration, the more quickly and efficiently you’re able to work. You’ll spot details that others overlook.” “Have all rich and successful people learned to pay attention to details?”

“They have indeed. By increasing your own powers of concentration, you will be able to make wise observations. You will learn to judge accurately the people you meet. Your powers of concentration will enable you to discover at a glance who they really are. And you will become realistic in the truest sense of the word: You will see things as they are.

“Most people go through life constantly distracted, like sleepwalkers. They don’t really see things or see the people they meet. They live as if in a dream. They are never in the present. Their mistakes and failures haunt them. Their minds are filled with fears of the future.” “I have a feeling that concentration, as you’re de-scribing it, is quite a difficult thing to achieve.” “It takes practice, and not everyone who tries it succeeds. But when your mind reaches a proper level of concentration, your ability to solve problems becomes formidable. You can leap over problems most people dwell on. Instead of wasting your nervous energy biting your nails over your worries, you apply yourself to resolving them. Being overanxious never solved anything — it simply provoked many a stomach ulcer and heart attack.

“As you develop your forces of concentration, the image you have of yourself will change. Each human being is an enigma; unfortunately, many of us are enigmas not only to others, but to ourselves as well. This comes from a lack of concentration.” The young man was listening intently.

“Given concentration, you will understand why you’ve been placed where you are in the world, in this exact spot. This will appear clearer and clearer to you, more and more obvious. Your mind will be penetrated by very calming, reassuring thoughts, and you’ll find yourself realizing, as if waking up after a long, deep sleep, ‘Ah! That’s who I am. That’s why I’m here at this moment. That’s why I’m with this person. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing.’ You’ll experience what could be called a feeling of destiny. You’ll understand your destiny. And a feeling of acceptance will come into play. That doesn’t mean you resign yourself to fate; it means you will see with clear-sighted vision the position you’re in right now, you’ll accept it, and you’ll recognize it as your personal starting point. This will guide your career and allow you to take the reins of your destiny firmly in your hands.” The millionaire took a moment to bend down and inhale the perfume of the rose.

“The rose is a symbol of life. The thorns represent the road of experience: the trials and tribulations each one of us must undergo to understand the true beauty of existence.” He pulled a pair of pruning shears out of his pocket, snipped a rose, and offered it to his young companion.

“Keep this rose with you,” he said. “It will act as a talisman and bring you good luck. Lady Luck exists. Trust in her. Caress her with your thoughts. Ask her for what you want and she will respond. All successful people believe in luck, in one form or another.

“With this simple rose, you are an initiate. You belong to the Order of the Rose. Each time you feel the need, find this rose. It will give you strength. And each time you have doubts about yourself, each time life seems too difficult to bear, come back to this symbolic rose and remember what it represents. Each ordeal, each problem, each mistake will one day be transformed into a magnificent petal.

“Each day, set aside some time to concentrate on the heart of the rose. Repeat calmly to yourself: Be still, and know that I am God. Contemplate the rose for longer and longer periods of time while repeating this. When you are able to do it for twenty minutes, your concentration will be much improved.

“When your heart becomes like the rose, your life will be transformed.”

The young man breathed in the delicate scent of the rose.

“Let me repeat what I have said, so you are sure to remember. When your mind has become strong and self-assured through concentration exercises, you will come to realize that life’s problems no longer have any hold over you. You will understand that things are only as important as the mind believes them to be. A problem is a problem only if you make it a problem.

“The stronger your mind is, the more insignificant your problems appear. This is the source of inner peace, so concentrate. This is one of the greatest keys to success.

“All of life is an exercise in strengthening the mind. The soul is immortal. We pass from life to life, and the mind slowly discovers itself and develops. This apprenticeship is generally a long one. And people who have no more than modest success in reach-ing their goals have yet to achieve high levels of concentration. Perhaps not all successful people have made it a point to practice specific concentration exercises. But over the course of many lives on earth they have achieved a level of concentration that al-lowed them to succeed more easily than others. When your mind reaches its highest level of concentration, you will enter that extraordinary state where dreams and reality coincide.” The millionaire and the young man began walking back to the house. The sky became dark and cloudy, casting shadows over the mansion. When they entered the dining room, the old man lit a candelabra. Then he went to the window, pulled the curtain back, and glanced up toward the sky.

“Always remember that at a certain height there are no clouds. If there are clouds in your life, it’s because your soul hasn’t soared high enough.

“Many people make the mistake of fighting against their problems. What you must do is raise yourself above those problems once and for all. The heart of the rose will lead you above the clouds, where the sky is forever clear. Don’t waste your time chasing the clouds; they will unceasingly reappear. . . .” The millionaire and the young man sat down at the dinner table. The butler arrived, bringing bread and wine.

“I’ve been wondering about something for quite a while,” said the young man. “I do think everything you’ve been saying is true. And I now believe that if I apply the formulas you’ve given me, I can become a millionaire quickly and even attain peace of mind. But I still wonder about the field in which I’ll be able to make a fortune.” His concern apparently amused the millionaire.

“You must put your trust in life and in the power of your mind,” he said. “Don’t worry. First set your goal, then ask your deep unconscious to steer you toward the path that will lead to riches. Start by asking; then wait. The answer won’t be long in coming.” The young man was disappointed. He wanted something a little more specific.

The millionaire winced in sympathy and quickly added: “You must find work that is satisfying to your heart. Think about it. All the elements of the occupation that will please you are already within you. You simply don’t recognize them because you aren’t yet in tune with your true nature. As you continue to concentrate, to meditate more and more, you will connect with your true essence, and every answer you need will be revealed to you. And best of all, you will discover what most people desperately seek all their lives and never find: the mysterious purpose of your existence on earth. And you will understand it not only with your head but with your heart as well.

“You have everything to gain from concentrating on the heart of the rose. There you will find the be-all and end-all of your existence. In time, you will realize this.” He stopped for a moment and took a tiny sip of wine, delicately savoring it. His eyes were closed in a kind of religious reverence.

“I know I would like to start a business of some kind,” said the young man, “but where would I get the money to start? I haven’t got a dime.” “How much would you need?”

“I don’t know — at least $25,000. That’s how much you needed to start.”

“You should be able to find it. Look around a little. What possibilities can you think of?”

“I can’t think of any. I don’t know of any bank that would give me a loan. I have no collateral. I have very little left over from my salary at the end of the month, and I don’t own anything except my car, which isn’t worth anything. . . .” “Can’t you at least think of something to try? Somewhere to begin?”

“Not really. . . .”

“That’s a mistake you should never repeat. Don’t be like so many people, who give up before they even try. That’s the best way of never doing anything and never succeeding at anything. And don’t fall into the same trap as those who take action but are inwardly convinced that they won’t succeed. Bring your thoughts and actions into harmony. Be in harmony with yourself.” “I’m willing all right, but I just don’t see any possibilities.”

“You must start out firmly convinced that the solution exists — the ideal solution to your problem. The power of your mind and the magic of your objective will invariably attract the solution to you in ways you don’t even suspect exist. Be inwardly convinced that you will succeed, and you will. Don’t leave room for doubt. Banish it with all the strength your mind can muster. Doubt and optimism are in constant conflict. Struggle staunchly against doubt, for doubt, like all thoughts, tends to materialize in your life. If you are firmly convinced that you will get your loan, you will.

“In your present circumstances, what would you do to reach your goal — that is, to get a loan?”

“I don’t really know.”

“If you only had a short time — let’s say an hour — to get $25,000 to set up your own business, what would you do?” “I…I have no idea….”

“Standing before you is a millionaire who has just encouraged you, given you the secrets of his success, and you don’t know what to do? Not one thing comes to mind to get this money?” It suddenly dawned on the young man. Perhaps all he needed to do was ask the millionaire for the money. He hesitated a moment, then took a deep breath.

“Would you lend me the $25,000 I need?”

“There you go. Now, wasn’t that easy? All you had to do was ask. People seldom dare to ask. You must dare to make a request.” The millionaire pulled out the $25,000 he kept as pocket money. He cast a nostalgic glance at the thick pile of cash and then handed it over to the young man, who accepted it, tremulous with emotion. He had never held such a vast sum of money in his life.

“There’s absolutely no reason why acquiring money in the future should be any more difficult for you than it has been for me,” said the old man. “It’s unfortunate that it’s so commonly believed that money is hard to come by and that you have to work hard to get it. In fact, the value of work is to strengthen the fiber of your mind. When you have earned a lot of money — and I assure you it won’t be long in coming if you apply the secrets I’ve taught you — you will realize that what counts is your mental attitude, the power of your desire, and being able to channel that power by means of a specific monetary objective. Don’t forget that outside circumstances always end up reflecting the state of your mind and the nature of your innermost convictions.” The young man was so overcome with joy at having $25,000 in his hands that he wasn’t fully listening to the millionaire’s words of advice.

“Remember, young man, when you need money, if you are positive you can get it easily and quickly, you will. And as soon as doubt begins to invade your mind, think back to the $25,000 you’ve just obtained. All you need to do is ask. If you are convinced that you will get what you ask for at the very moment you ask, if you act as if it is already yours, you will get it.

“When you do have doubts, apply some self-suggestion. Turn your words into commands. When your mind has become powerful enough, each suggestion will become a royal decree. Your words and reality will become one. And the time it takes for your commands to materialize will become briefer and briefer, and finally instantaneous.

“And you must never forget to consider the good of others at all times, so that the power of your words doesn’t turn against you.” He paused again.

“This money,” he went on, pointing to the thick wad of bills, “well, I’m not lending it to you. . . .” He hesitated a second, and seemed amused by the young man’s startled reaction.

“I’m not lending it to you. I’m giving it to you. By my doing so, everything will have come full circle. It was given to me by my mentor to start me out in business. Don’t use it for any other reason. And don’t imitate the man in the Bible who buried his coins instead of letting them work for him. Don’t let fear be your guide. Fear is your worst enemy, the brother of doubt, and you must conquer it. Be fearless and bold. Anyone who, under the pretext of caution or rationality, buries the money he has received is not worthy of it, and it’s highly unlikely that he will get more. Money must flow freely to be able to multiply.

“The money I’m giving you is, however, at heart a loan,” the millionaire continued. “One day you, in turn, must give it to someone else. Many years from now you will meet someone in the same situation you are in now. You’ll recognize him intuitively. You must give him the equivalent of what this amount represents today. Then he, too, may start out with a substantial amount. Make sure that by then it represents an insignificant amount to you: pocket money and no more.” The young man was filled with gratitude. He agreed to the terms, and thanked the old man warmly.

“There’s one more thing you must know….”

As he said this, it began to pour. The millionaire watched the rain with a somber expression. “All the signs are coming to pass,” he muttered to himself. Then he addressed the young man again.

“As I said, there’s one more thing you need to know: The secrets I have passed on to you are effective for reaching all of the goals you will set for yourself. The reason I amassed such a colossal fortune is not that money interested me so much. It was a way to show men and women of little faith the power of the mind.

“Our greatest possession is freedom, and wealth can give you freedom. It’ll be good for you to know this freedom. With it, you will see many an illusion vanish. You’ll also understand that true freedom is found in detachment. Only he who leaves with empty hands will be able to tend the eternal roses. Achieving this freedom was the goal of my entire existence. Despite what others thought, I have never been anything other than a humble gardener.” “Why have you told me all these things?” the young man asked. “Why have you given me this money? You certainly didn’t owe me anything. It could easily have been somebody else who came to see you… .” “But that’s just it — no one else came. Your desire led you to me. This is what happens in life. Hasn’t it been said that once the disciple is ready, the master appears?” The millionaire smiled. His somber and distant expression disappeared; he looked at the young man affectionately.

“The soul is eternal. And each soul travels from one life to another surrounded by companions, each helping another to fulfill his destiny. The encounters we have during our lifetime are never the result of coincidence.” The millionaire approached him regally. His face almost seemed to glow with a light of its own. He lightly touched the young man on the forehead with his right index finger and said, “Discover who you really are. The truth will forever set you free.” Outside, the storm subsided as quickly as it had begun, and the sun burst forth brightly again. The old man picked up the candelabra and carried it away without saying another word.

The young man found himself alone, his head teeming with thoughts, holding the money the millionaire had given him.