The word transcendental may have diverse
meanings to different persons. Cambridge dictionary defines it as experience, event, object, or idea that is extremely special and unusual and cannot be understood in ordinary ways. But I would, in reference to this paper,
like to say that transcendence is just a different term for the awaked path. While spirituality is unconditional love and belief in
goodness. It is also about understanding, contentment, harmony, and
responsibility. Thus, transcendental spirituality is a
process to raise the frequency of vibration in a person which will give or
results in a strong feeling of bliss. When the frequency of vibration is high, a
person becomes a blessing for himself as well as the world. In the works of Og Mandino the character of Ragpicker-
Simon Potter is a blessing for the whole of humankind, a marvelous and
inspiring character who appears first in the novel The Greatest Miracle of
the World (1957) and again reappears in The Return of the Ragpicker
(1992).
Feel my hand upon thy head.
Attend to my wisdom.
Let me share with you, again,
the secret you heard at your birth and forgot.
You are my greatest miracle
You are the greatest miracle in the world.
(Memorandum from God, p 2,
The Greatest
Miracle in The World)
This is Augustine Og
Mandino II, (1923-1996) a great
writer and preacher, full of cheerfulness and positivity. He is no doubt, an
exceptional author who gives hope, confidence, and faith to humankind. He is one of the best New Age writers who artistically
incorporates spiritual themes into the frame of his literary work. His books continue to inspire countless people all over the
world, with the message of inspiration, love, and wisdom, and have sold a million
copies worldwide and have been translated into different languages.
So long as there is breath in me,
that long will I persist
For now I know one of the greatest
principles of success;
if I persist long enough, I will win…
I will persist. I will win.
–Og Mandino
No
doubt, Og Mandino is the most widely read inspirational and self-help author of
the New Age. The
principles that Og Mandino teaches were vexed and
verified in his own life. As such at the age of 35, Og was a hopeless
alcoholic who nearly spent his last few dollars on a suicide gun as he had no
wish to live. He describes his early life as never being more than a few
paces ahead of bill collectors. When he finally hit rock bottom, Og
credits books, both modern and classic, that rescued him. He read numerous
books that dealt with success, a pastime that helped him assuage his
alcoholism. It was in a library in Concord, New Hampshire, where he found W.
Clement Stone's classic, Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, a
book that changed his life. Eventually, he became an efficacious writer and
speaker. His works are enthused by writers like Napoleon Hill, W. Clement
Stone, and Emmet Fox. He was also welcomed into the National Speakers
Association Speaker Hall of Fame.
In 1968, he published The Greatest
Salesman in the World, a philosophical guide to salesmanship and success. This
book was an instant success, as it promotes and guides the readers towards repetition
of good habits in order to achieve success. In this book, he has suggested
several simple, yet powerful, truths in a clear and convincing style. This book
is a parable about a poor camel boy named Hafid, who lived in Jerusalem during
Biblical times. The poor young man seeks advice from a wealthy and successful
trader who is nearing the end of his life. The man decides to entrust the
secrets of his success to the young man. And thus in this way he comes to know
about the Ten scrolls that contain the secrets are filled with wisdom.
Well,
it was in 1976, at the age of 52, when Og Mandino surprised the publishing
industry by resigning his presidency of Success Unlimited magazine
to devote entirely to writing and lecturing. His writings and his philosophy have
brought hope in the lives of many people and he has given courage to them to
follow their dreams.
The
Greatest Miracle in the World was published in 1975 and is a self-help book based on the writer’s true
experiences of meeting a Ragpicker who transformed his life and made him realize
the true meaning of life. The story of
the novel revolves around Simon Potter, a Ragpicker, a man who spent his
retirement by helping people who have become part of the living dead, he
guides them back into the world of the living. As the story progresses, we see
that Og is desperately impressed by Simon, and increasingly he learns great
things from him and also shares his vision and experiences with the old man. In
fact, gradually the old man is becoming his adopted father, teacher,
business consultant, comrade, rabbi, priest, minister, guru …. Delphic oracle.
(p 72). Gradually Simon’s frugal quarter becomes an oasis of peace and
equanimity for the author. But all this comes to a sudden end when one fine day
in his office he finds a package on his desk. This package is left by Og and in
it, there is a farewell message. Distressed and stunned Og rushes to Simon's
apartment but to his utter shock, he comes to know that Simon never lived
there. The mystic Ragpicker had vanished in the thin air.
The novel The Greatest Miracle in the
World starts on a snowy morning as Og Mandino is struggling to enter the
parking lot near his office building. As Og tries to enter the gate he finds
that the portion is covered with snow and it is tough for him to keep the gate open,
at this juncture Simon comes and offers to hold the gate for him. He reminds
the author of Saint Francis - completely covered with snow with an amazing face,
enthralling smile, and brown eyes. He is nearly seven feet tall, old but
strong. Nonetheless, before Og could thank Simon, he is gone-
I turned towards the gate to thank the old
man. My parking lot savior was nowhere in sight (p 19)
Another time, it is late spring when Og meets
Simon, who is with his dog. At this time
Simon invited Og to his apartment and Og realizes that Simon has a spectacular
interest in literature. Numerous books on philosophy, science, and spirituality
are stacked in his apartment. These books had been accumulated from many years
of pleasant hours spent in second-hand book stores and all the books have a
common them, he says -
Each in its own way deals with and explains
some aspect of the greatest miracle in the world and so call them hand of God’s
books (p 25)
Simon strongly believes that each of these
books had been written in some form by the hand of God. He believes that God
has for infinite years send to every generation, special, brilliant, and
talented people to give the message that every human is capable of performing
the greatest miracle in the world.
Simon
also has a special message to give to all of us. Especially those who are
depressed, dejected, frustrated, lonely, and doomed. He admits that most humans, in varying
degrees, are already dead i.e., they have lost their dreams, their ambition,
and their mission on the planet. They are living a life that has no mission and
life without a mission or dream is as good as dead. He aims to attempt and bring back such humans
and motivate them to attain all that they want to. He believes that most of us
build prisons for ourselves and abandon hope. We do not give our dreams a
chance to be fulfilled and become puppets and begin to suffer the living
deaths. His work on this planet, he says is to rescue such humans and give
them hope.
In their
next meeting, Simon shares his life experiences with the author. He tells him
about his life before the war in Germany, he also shares the gloomy experience
of his wife and child's death and tells him about his immigration and successive
life in Chicago. Well, at this point Og finds all this information creepy
because as it turns out Simon’s life closely resembled the life of the main
character in the book, entitled The Greatest Salesman in the World. In
this book, Og had written about a man who wants to become the greatest salesman
in the world and swiftly learns that generosity is what made a man a success.
This man shares the same job that Simon held in Germany and also was the owner
of a large import-export business and the name of their spouses is also the same
and they live in the same town. The story is creepy, interesting, and mesmerizing.
Simon tells the author that, in the past
thirteen years of his life he has aided some hundred people, rescued them, and
given them hope. And from this experience, he has concluded that for success
and happiness humans should follow four rules. He further tells that, he had
written down these rules in a special document, typed and printed in the format
of a general office memorandum and he calls it Memorandum from God. Simon
wants to share his memorandum with the writer and wants him to include it in
one of his books. Nonetheless, before receiving the copy Og should agree that
he would employ it in his life. The four laws of happiness and success are -
Ø Count your blessings.
Ø Proclaim your rarity.
Ø Go another mile.
Ø Use wisely your power of choice.
(P-139)
Well as such, several months pass by before
either Og or Simon mentions the memorandum again. Then on Simon’s birthday, Og gifts
him a glass geranium, his favorite flower, and they lovingly plant it out in
Simon's window box so that he can have a geranium that blooms year-round. At
this junction on that night itself, before leaving, Og asked Simon about the Memorandum.
Simon assured him he would have it soon. Og then leaves on a promotional tour
for his book and on his return, he finds a package from Simon. He instantly realizes
that is maybe a goodbye gift. As he rushed out of his office to Simon's
apartment, he finds a strange woman there, she tells him that she does not know
about Simon and claims to have lived there for four years. This is very disturbing
and shocking for Og and thus with a heavy heart, he returns to his office. As
he inspects the package he finds a goodbye letter and The Memorandum from
God. At this junction, Og promises himself that he would write a book about
Simon and the Memorandum.
Og Mandino believed
that most unhappy people in the world were unhappy because they were
essentially part of what he and his friend, Simon Potter, called the living
dead. The book’s narrative power holds the readers
spellbound as it reveals exciting new secrets of personal happiness and
success. It offers a set of principles premeditated to point readers toward an auspicious
and prosperous future. As such Simon Potter is the mystic and inspiring figure,
who rescued doomed humans from life's dumping grounds with the help of his doctrine.
The main message of the book is -
Choose to love ...
rather than hate.
Choose to laugh ...
rather than cry.
Choose to create ...
rather than destroy.
Choose to persevere
... rather than quit.
Choose to praise ...
rather than gossip.
Choose to heal ...
rather than wound.
Choose to give ...
rather than steal.
Choose to act ...
rather than procrastinate.
Choose to grow ...
rather than rot.
Choose to pray ...
rather than curse.
Choose to live ...
rather than die.
(p 137)
The
novel no doubt is a heart-warming and incredible story of the cabalistic,
mystical Ragpicker, Simon Potter. Usually, a ragpicker is a person who picks up
rags and other waste material from the streets for a livelihood.
But here the Ragpicker is Saint-like - taking away the negativity in humans and
infusing the hearts with positive and motivating ideas and powers. He says –
I am not that sort of ragpicker. I seek more valuable material than old
newspaper and aluminium beer cans. I search out waste material of human kind,
people who have been discarded by others, or even themselves, people who still
have great potential but have los their self-esteem and desire for better life.
He
is a rescuer who helps those who need him. His mysticism is no doubt overwhelming.
With no money and no supplies, he is trying to help the deprived, ravenous, and
dying humans that live on the edge. He consequently spends all his time
rescuing humans who have ended up on life’s refuse pile. Despite others'
misgivings, he is confident that God is the provide. He gives the message that
as God’s children, we are spiritual beings, and every area of our life is to be
an expression of that divine relationship. In all roles of life and every
involvement in life connects us into God’s purpose for life and must please him
–
You
are more than human being, you are a human becoming. You are capable of great
wonders. Your potential is unlimited ……. This day you have been notified.
YOU
ARE THE GREATEST. MIRACLE IN THE WORLD. (p 139)
The
next novel The Return of the Ragpicker (1992) is equally interesting and
fascinating, it aims to explain how one can improve and expand the quality of one’s
life along with enhancing the world. The novel reads like a biography. We meet Mandino
in the autumn of his life. He's already a well-known author and self-help fanatic.
As the novel begins, we find Og with his wife Bette returning back to the
special part of New England where they had met, fallen in love, married, and
commenced their life together. He says
that it was –
a
unique journey with another dimension for both of us (p 13)
At
this juncture, they find that even after thirty years nothing had changed. The
flavor of New Hampshire as they observe is just as unspoiled and down-to-earth
as it was before thirty years. The building, the color, the sound all is
exactly as they had left it and consequently, their heart is filled with joy
and melancholy. On the way, they see a board For Sale and decided to buy
the property. After relocating to New Hampshire and rediscovering his roots one
fine day the writer unexpectedly meets his old friend, the heartening and cabalistic Ragpicker- Simon Potter.
When
asked about the secret of his long life, Simon very innocently tells Og that it
is a sort of mysterious bonus granted by God to all Ragpickers. He then informs
the writer about the very simple rules that one must follow in order to
increase the lifespan. The first is using of common sense in the amount and
type of food we consume. Well as such if we consider traditional diets from
around the world, we shall notice that they were developed to keep us healthy.
Eating was not and should not be a complicated affair. But as such today, food
marketing leads us to make bad food choices, along with obscure government
nutritional guidelines that inform us about how we are supposed to eat, as well
as the fact that it is common to have processed food as a part of our everyday
diet. Well, our environment also shapes the way we eat, and often we turn
towards quicker, easier options that are not necessarily the best.
The
second is to turn away from drugs and alcohol. As per WHO –
Harmful use of alcohol is accountable for 7.1% and 2.2% of the global
burden of disease for males and females respectively. Alcohol is the leading
risk factor for premature mortality and disability among those aged 15 to 49
years, accounting for 10 percent of all deaths in this age group. Disadvantaged
and especially vulnerable populations have higher rates of alcohol-related
death and hospitalization. (https://www.who.int/health- topics/alcohol#tab=tab
No
doubt the negative consequences of drug abuse affect not only individuals who
abuse drugs but also their families and friends, various businesses, and
government resources. Drug and alcohol abuse can be devastating to a
person's health as well as society at large.
The
third rule is put nothing in your mouth that is smoking at its other end.
Smoking is not only harmful to the lungs but affects mental health. Research
has indicated that smoking is the number one cause of preventable death
worldwide and we are quite aware of the fact that it leads to various diseases. As such, in
the last decade, there has been a rise in the number of teenagers indulging in
vaping1, which is seen as an alternative to smoking, even though it
has been effectively banned in several countries. Various research shows that in
recent years the ratio of teenagers engaging in vaping and smoking has
increased exponentially and as such the Covid-19 pandemic has brought a renewed
focus on public health issues like smoking, vaping, and substance abuse. In the present scenario, with a looming
pandemic that is threatening to wipe out wide strips of the global population,
it is important to heighten the campaign against smoking. Because the threat
stretches beyond immediate individuals and will affect the human community at
large.
And the
fourth rule is to exercise moderately, at least three times a week. It is a known fact that physical
activity keeps the body strong and healthy and can improve mental health by
decreasing symptoms of depression, anxiety, pain, and loneliness. Physical
activity can also improve focus, performance, sleep, and energy levels. Persons
who participate in regular physical activity enjoy improved relationships and a
more positive body image. It helps not only for physical health, but it
also helps improve their brain function and emotional wellbeing.
The
fifth rule and the most important rule he says is to practice Altruism. i.e.,
an unselfish or devotional act for the welfare of others. Altruism
is characterized by selflessness and concern for the well-being of others.
Those who have this quality naturally put others first and truly care about the
people around them, whether they have a personal tie to them or not. The
21st century has been full of clashes and uncertainties. Rape,
domestic abuse, violence, discrimination, elder abuse, etc. captured our
attention. In the face of all this terror, the frequent question that we should
ask ourselves is -how has our species been able to survive? Yet again, in this
century the pandemic has made us venerable. Under
the present scenario philosophers, writers, leaders and spiritual gurus
argue for an altruistic gene. A writer has rightly said –
Giving is more joyous than receiving, not because it is a deprivation,
but because
in the act of giving lies the expression of my aliveness
.Self-love
and self-care are certainly important, but keeping a healthy balance between
ego and selflessness is the prominent point of cultivating personal fulfillment.
In a synergetic world, personal fulfillment and social responsibility are
intimately connected. Well in this novel Og and Simon pair back again to bring
to the world a fresh perspective on how to truly live, rather than just exist,
hoping to raise us out of the despair and frustration that the modern world is
facing. Ninety-five years old and yet strong, the
Ragpicker knows his work and is not yet finished. The world as such, as he sees
is trapped in frustration and despair, plagued by drugs, crime, broken
families, and broken dreams. He says –
The world is in a terrible quandary and perhaps you and I can help as we
did before
(P-93)
Despite
the comforts that modern technology has provided us and also all-around
development in every sphere of human life, life is not and had never been a bed
of roses. In the curiously complex and complicated world of today, humans find
themselves to be alone and frustrated. Finding harmony between economic, social, and
environmental objectives - mind, body, and spirit, is key to personal and
community well-being and happiness. The most important thing in life, says
the author is the joy in being alive. The journey from frustration to fulfillment
is the main aim of life.
The
decay of values and the diverse problems of this century have caused modern
humans to create parentheses that detach them from each other, from society,
from nature, and even from themselves. And accordingly, Simon and Og vow to
deliver a precious new gift to humankind - a life guide to renewed strength,
courage, wisdom, and faith for all. Their most important mission is to attempt to
reach as much of humanity as they can, to renew the key that will enable anyone
to renew their faith and confidence in their own ability. The title of the
document is For the Rest of my Life – an elegant simple yet powerful, sensitive
yet resolute, wise yet very simple and direct. With the aim and mission to lift
humanity For the Rest of my Life is the last gift of Simon to Og.
This
book was published in the early '90s nonetheless, it is conceivably even more
relevant now than it was then. It certainly holds up to time and is an advisable
read for anyone. The book holds a wealth of information and history not just on
Mandino and his friend, but on New Hampshire, the U.S., and many important
historical figures who have shaped the world. The book is a quick read with a prevailing
and powerful message.
Every
human life has two realms, the internal and the external. The internal is that
realm of spirituality expressed in art, literature, ethics, and religion, while
the external is that complex of devices, techniques, apparatuses, and
instrumentalities by means of which we live. King Martin Luther King Jr says –
Our problem today is that we have allowed the internal to become lost in
the external. We have allowed the means by which we live to outdistance the
ends for which we live. So much of modern life can be summarized in that
arresting dictum of the poet Thoreau. “Improved means to an unimproved end”. This
is the serious predicament, the deep and haunting problem confronting modern
man. If we are to survive today, our moral and spiritual “lag” must be
eliminated. Enlarged material powers spell enlarged peril if there is not
proportionate growth of the soul. When the “without” of man’s nature subjugates
the “within”, dark storm clouds begin to form in the world. (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/lecture/)
In
this book, the author presents before us a new set of principles - the Golden
Rule plus added criticisms against destroying the earth - humanity's only
home. The author has used an elaborately overdramatic close and artificial
narrative device. But as Simon says –
I would like our finished product to be their
life guide, a beacon of hope perhaps, a set of directions that will guide them
through the darkness for the rest of their lives.
In both the books the author through the
character of the Ragpicker, tells us to remember the four laws of happiness and
success. They are, from The Greatest Miracle in the World-
Count your blessings.
Proclaim your rarity.
Go another mile.
Use wisely your power of choice.
And one
more, to fulfill the other four. Do all things with love …. love for yourself,
love for all others, and love for me.
Wipe away
your tears. Reach out, grasp my hand, and stand straight.
Let me
cut the grave cloths that have bound you.
This day
you have been notified.
(P-139)
And from The Return of The Ragpicker-
For the
rest of my life...
For the
rest of my life, there are two days that will never again trouble me.
The first
day is yesterday with all its blunders and tears, its follies and defeats.
Yesterday
has passed away beyond my control forever.
The other
day is tomorrow with its pitfalls and threats, its dangers and mystery.
Until the
sun rises again, I have no stake in tomorrow, for it is still unborn.
(p-178)
Transcendentalism was and still is a way of
living and not merely a 19th-century literary movement. In my view, the character of the Ragpicker carries a lasting
legacy, that is valid today will be valid for the days to come. Undoubtedly, he
carries a legacy that is committed to personal as well as social and
environmental transformation. He accordingly shares a form of wisdom that
can be applied to everyday life. Consequently, we can conclude that the
spiritual practice he propagates aims at humanizing awareness, transcending the
ego, identifying with nature, and quickening the conscience.
You were not created for a life of idleness.
You cannot eat from sunrise to sunset or drink or play or make love. Work is
not your enemy but your friend. If all manners of labor were forbidden to thee
you would fall to your knees and beg an early death.
(Mandino, Og (1 January 1984). "The
Greatest Success in the World". Amazon.com. Bantam.
Retrieved 11 December 2017.)
Bibliography
·
Og
Mandino. The Greatest Miracle of the World, A Bantam Book, New York
(1997)
·
Og
Mandino. The Return of the Ragpicker, A Bantam Book, New York (1993)
Reference
·
https://www.ogmandino.com/
· https://web.archive.org/web/20140315201930/http://www.amotivatedmind.com/the_og_mandino_story.html
·
https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2020/02/20/vapetricks-tiktok/amp/
Published in -
Rock Pebbles : A Peer-Reviewed Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies
UGC - CARE listed vide Sl. No. 168, Gr. D
March 2021 Vol. XXV No. I
ISSN 0975 - 0509 March 2021 / page 141
