exertion. The principal thing is "STILLNESS" and you can, if you like,
practise it even sitting on a chair or anywhere else; the idea is one of
"relaxation" and physical and mental quietude. Let not the apparent
simplicity of this exercise deceive you. It is not so very easy after
all. You will find that by concentrating the mind upon a particular
train of thoughts or ideas or by joining the mind to the Larger Self,
you can easily lose all idea of the body and thus maintain this stillness
for a considerable length of time. Genius, inspiration and intuition
are more or less the scientific and psychological results of
self-forgetfulness. "When he sits down to meditate," it was said of
Vivekananda, "in 10 minutes he becomes quite unconscious of the body
although it may be black with mosquitoes." Do you understand now?
Absolute physical self-forgetfulness is essential to deep concentration.
Dr. Fahnestock called it the "STATUVOLIC" condition or that state in
which the Will-Power is really active and the 'outer-self' is totally in
abeyance and forgotten.

Exercise 2.

Cultivate a self-poised attitude and demeanour in your everyday life.
Avoid a tense, strained, nervous, fidgety manner and an over-anxious
appearance. Be easy, self-possessed and dignified in your bearing.
Be courteous, thoughtful and quiet. Mental exercise and Will-Culture
will enable you to acquire the proper carriage and demeanour. Stop
swinging your feet and moving your hands or rocking your self
backwards in your chair while talking or sitting. Stop biting your nails,
chewing your moustaches, rolling your tongue in your mouth or any
other unnecessary movement such as may have become "second nature"
with you while studying, reading or writing. Never twitch or jerk your
body. Never wink your eyes or look blank. Train yourself to stand
sudden and loud noises with equanimity and composure. Such things
betray lack of control. Do not let anything outside (or even within you)
disturb your composure. When engaged in conversation let your speech
be calm and measured and your voice well-controlled and even. A certain
degree of reserve should always be observed. In short, keep yourself
well under control on all occasions. You can acquire this poise by
always carrying the thoughts of "Firmness," "Self-Control", and
"Self-Respect" in your mind and letting these express themselves in your
outward bearing. Avoid bluster, self-assertion, gossip, levity or light
talk, to