Transcendental Spirituality as depicted by the Cabalistic Ragpicker in the Selected Works of Og Mandino.

 

Transcendental Spirituality as depicted by the Cabalistic Ragpicker
 in the Selected Works of Og Mandino.

 

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 21^st 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 19^th-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