The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A guide to using ancient practices to improve your quality of life and achieve your goals

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What’s in it for me? Change your view of life by reading a mystic fable.

Now imagine you were told a fable so powerful that it made you sell your most prized possessions and leave behind the life you’ve accustomed yourself to. What kind of fable could be so persuasive? Well, these blinks unfold a fable with the power to change the way you look at life. It concerns the life of a fictional lawyer who ends up selling his Ferrari and becoming a monk.

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You’ll also learn why your mind is like a garden; how the image of a lighthouse will help guide you to a better life; and what a sumo wrestler can help you remember.

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While working as a wealthy, high-power lawyer, Julian Mantle had a spiritual awakening.

However, underneath it all, he was struggling. His workload was far too heavy for him to handle. Each day there was a new, important case for Mantle to take on and he approached every proceeding diligently. Eventually, the stress became too much for him, and one day Mantle suffered a severe heart attack and collapsed in the courtroom.

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In fact, no one at his firm heard from him after his heart attack. Rumor had it that he’d moved to India in search of some answers and a simpler life – and, indeed, that’s exactly what he had done. Before moving, Mantle sold his mansion and his Ferrari; he was sure that his quest for meaning was more important.

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Mantle had been traveling from village to village in India by foot. On his journey, he had learned about yogis who seemed to defy aging. In Kashmir, he had heard about the Great Sages of Sivana. And these new discoveries inspired him to venture to the Himalayan Mountains, where he came across the monks that lived there.

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A mystical fable teaches the seven principles of the Sivana System.

He was taught all of this on one condition – that he’d return to where he came from and spread the word. And this is why he went back to his law practice: to teach the life-changing Sivana System.

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In the middle of the garden is an enormous red lighthouse. But the tranquility is suddenly disturbed by a sumo wrestler who comes striding out of the lighthouse door. Nine-feet tall and weighing 900 pounds, the wrestler is clad in nothing but a pink wire cable to cover his modesty. While wandering around the garden, he stumbles upon a golden stopwatch. Out of curiosity, he puts it on – and immediately loses consciousness and crashes to the ground. Eventually, he awakens and is filled with energy thanks to the fragrance of the surrounding yellow roses. He quickly leaps up and looks to his left; to his amazement, he sees a path covered with diamonds. Entranced, he walks along it. And this path leads him to everlasting bliss and joy.

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Finding fulfillment is a matter of mastering your mind.

The garden from Yogi Raman’s fable represents the mind. A lot of people end up littering their mental gardens with waste – that is, negative thoughts or fears. The first virtue of the Sivana System, then, is to control your mind. You have to tend to your mental garden, and the best way to take care of it is to stand guard at its gates. Only let pleasant, positive thoughts in and ban the detrimental ones.

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But how do we get our minds to focus solely on fulfilling thoughts? Well, we all have the ability to choose what we think about, so it all comes down to exercising our minds like a muscle. The first step is to boost your concentration. There’s a technique for improving your ability to focus that the Sages of Sivana call The Heart of the Rose.

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Try to perform this on a daily basis, each day spending a longer period of time enjoying the rose. Eventually, you’ll find it easier to command your thoughts. You’ll stop worrying and instead be filled with a sense of calm and joy.

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To lead a fulfilling life, you need a purpose to guide you.

The Sages of Sivana have a clear sense of purpose, and therefore never waste time. They know that they have a duty to fulfill this purpose. When referring to their purpose, the monks use the Sanskrit word dharma – which means "life’s purpose." Dharma comes from the ancient belief that, while on earth, we each have a mission to complete. By honoring dharma, you can achieve lasting satisfaction and inner harmony.

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Here’s the five-step method developed by the Sages to achieve personal purpose: First, you must create a mental image of the outcome. If your goal is to lose weight, you’d envision a leaner, fitter version of yourself. The second stage is to place pressure on yourself, but in a good way. Pressure can be a wonderful source of inspiration as it can often push a person to realize their full potential. A great way to generate pressure is to tell others about your plan. The third step is constructing a timeline. To get your goal under way, you have to have a deadline in sight. The fourth step is what Yogi Raman dubbed the Magic Rule of 21. This is the idea that a new behavior becomes a habit after you’ve done it for 21 days in a row. The last step? Just enjoy the process!

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Constant self-improvement is key to a radiant life.

Remember the sumo wrestler? Well, he represents a virtue in the Sivana System, too. This virtue is called kaizen, a Japanese word that means constant, never-ending improvement. It’s all about unlocking your potential.

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Let the sumo wrestler serve as a hefty reminder of kaizen!

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For this virtue, the Sages created ten steps known as the Ten Rituals of Radiant Living. The first is the Ritual of Solitude, and it stipulates that your daily routine must feature a moment of silence. This is so that you can calm your mind and access your creativity. Second is the Ritual of Physicality. The aim of this stage is to get your body moving. By caring for your body, you ultimately care for your mind. Next is the Ritual of Live Nourishment. You should only eat live foods, so it’s best to follow a vegetarian diet. Fourth is the Ritual of Abundant Knowledge. Throughout your life you should keep learning – so find a way to keep your mind stimulated by reading or studying. The fifth is the Ritual of Personal Reflection. This is about looking at the way you behave on a daily basis. Could you have done anything better today? Sixth is the Ritual of Early Awakening. This one’s tough for those who enjoy sleeping in, because the idea is to sleep for around six hours and to rise with the sun. Next up is the Ritual of Music. It’s wonderful to listen to music as much as you can because it lifts your mood. Number eight is the Ritual of the Spoken Word. This is about creating a personal mantra to inspire you. Ninth is the Ritual of a Congruent Character. The point of this step is to make sure that you always follow your principles. Last is the Ritual of Simplicity. Conduct a simple life and focus on your priorities and meaningful activities.

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About the book:

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari (1997) offers a remedy to the problems of modern life. A fable, it tells the story of the enlightenment of ex-lawyer Julian Mantle and gives advice on how to live a happier, more rewarding and enlightened existence.

About the author:

Robin S. Sharma, a former lawyer, is widely recognized professional speaker in the field of life improvement and leadership. His other books include Megaliving: 30 Days to a Perfect Life and The Saint, the Surfer, and the CEO.