Our mind is the most powerful tool we will ever work with.
Stop and think for a moment about that statement. Does it ring true to you? Does it have a deeper meaning? Or have you perhaps heard it before and not given it any practical thought or application?
I have recently come across a short video clip from Napoleon Hill, famous author of the book “Think and Grow Rich“. In the video he focuses on several pieces of immense wisdom, but the one that greatly caught my attention was the idea of the two envelopes we are all born with.
If we, as human beings could simply come to understand the idea of the two envelopes, apply it and live it, then life would take on a whole new meaning on both a singular and global level. So new and so different that some people may in fact feel as if they were living in Heaven. So different too that the world we know today, may completely disappear as we know it – only to reveal the human being’s true and full potential of being and living.
Thus, imagine that as you and every other human being on this Earth are born, packed safely with you, for life are two envelopes. They are sealed, both for you to open. They are your guidance, they are your maps, they are your clues, they are your aids to make sure you have something with you as you venture into the new world of the physical, from the spiritual. They are the gift of the creator, the greatest gift that we have received and they are in fact the only thing that a physical being has complete power over.
Evelope one is labelled “The riches you may enjoy IF you take possession of your own mind and direct it to ends of your own choice.”
Envelope two is labelled “The penalties you must pay IF you neglect to take possession of your own mind and direct it.”
The contents of the envelopes are not a secret and in fact they are the same for everyone. There are no chosen few, no favorites, no preferred ones – we all come here with the same 2 envelopes, inside which is a guidance system for all of us to live out the same potentials, same opportunities, in the most equal and justly balanced system. Also, the penalties you” must pay” are not cast upon you by “god” or anyone else. They are simply we can say “the rules of the game”.
So are you ready to find out the contents of the envelopes…
The contents of the first envelope, labelled “riches” includes the following list of blessings:
- Sound health
- Peace of mind
- Labor of love of your own choice
- Freedom from fear and worry
- A positive mental attitude
- Material riches of your own choice and quantity
The contents of the second envelope, labelled “penalties” includes the following list of prices one must pay for neglecting to take possession of one’s own mind:
- Ill health
- Fear and worry
- Indecision and doubt
- Frustration and discouragement throughout life
- Poverty and want
- A whole flock of evil consisting of: envy, greed, jealousy, anger, hatred and superstition.
And that is it as simple as that. So what can we as beings learn today from these two envelopes?
First we need to recognize that we have them and the guidance system of their contents that we were blessed with.
Secondly, we need to understand and accept that everything in our life comes from and down to how we use our minds. There are those of us who do have complete power over their mind, in the way that they have decided to be accountable for it. You can easily tell who these people are, as their lives consistently exemplify a blissful state. There are no “villains” in their life, no bad days, no hardships. Some in the past have even referred to these as the “chosen ones” or given them similar titles.
Then there are those of us who make the choice over and over to not take control and possession of our own minds, and instead let it control us. We choose not to be accountable to and for ourselves and always and easily find external sources that we blame for the situations we are in. It is as you can imagine easy to spot these people too. They are never fully satisfied, there always seems to be something “wrong”, some “drama” or “tragedy” in their life.
Of course many of us fall into the in-between group, where we are just beginning to realize and thus take control of our minds, and slowly or quickly, depending on your comprehension walk away from the illusions of pain and suffering.
Look at the first price for example, as it is a popular and big example in our society today. We have heart disease, cancers and diabetes that are running rampant over North America. Many of us fall “victim” to a disease and usually start by blaming God, their genetics, the government, society or some other source. And yet when we feed ourselves daily, so few of us actually “think consciously” what am I putting into my body and what possible consequence will this action bring. We are quick to use the excuses of “no time”, “no money”, “no help” or whatever the case may be, but as we do this, we are simply choosing to neglect taking possession of our mind to see and connect the consequence with the action.
I have heard many times of Napoleon Hill before this video and his famous book that has changed the lives of many. In this little 7 minute video, that I share with you below, it was great to actually see him and hear him speak, as he is no longer alive today. He explains how he wants to help others to have better lives. He explains that he learned these so called “secrets” from Andrew Carnegie, and now I explain to you, how I learned them from him.
We are all put here in each other’s lives to serve as the markers, the beacons of light, the teachers. Everyone is a teacher to someone.
I feel that up to this point in my life, I have fully understood and realized that indeed we are in full control of our lives. I know this is still a tough one for many people to swallow and accept. But when we really put into practice the simple idea of “take control of your mind” – our lives change, literally overnight. I know that is how it has felt to me ever since.
I went from the person who had the typical “bad” day, the typical trial and tribulation, the typical person who had a person in their life who “made their life hard,” to the person who can’t decide if yesterday was better than today, because all days and all moments are that good. And all because I decided to do one thing – take conscious control of my mind. So that is why I tell people, life really can be that good! Every day, every moment can be the most precious experience and give you the opportunity to reveal your highest self. But it all comes down to what you choose out of your free will – to take possession of your mind or to let it take possession of you.
That is why as soon as I saw this video and heard this message, something inside of me exclaimed “YES! That is it!” I may not have been able to word it as well as I learned thanks to Napoleon Hill, but now the picture has become clear and complete.
Hence I love this analogy of the two envelopes, because it is easy to understand and if we all only realized and accepted that much, as I told you earlier, most of us would no longer be yearning for some “imaginary heaven”. It is as many prophets and teachers have said throughout the ages, within us – the Kingdom of God is within us all. All of us CAN live out calm and beautiful lives, without the fears, the worries, the stresses, the lacks – no matter what comes our way. It just comes down to taking charge of our mind and directing it, according to your preferred experiences.
So if you like what is in envelope one – you know what to do…
*Photograph provided by zappowbang
About the author:Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN - is the founder and editor of EvolvingBeings.com – an online publication featuring various topics on spirituality and metaphysics. Evita teaches consciousness expansion and heart-centered living to help people attain deep meaning, peace and happiness in their life. She is also a nutritional science and holistic health expert for optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow her on Twitter.
22 Comments to “The Two Envelopes We Are All Born With”
Hi Evita,
A completely wonderful message today! In fact, I am about half-way through the “Think and Grow Rich” book – for the second time – as we speak. After it being a few years since I first read the book – this is a great refresher – and especially since my life is not the same as it was a few years back. I am finding it all to be very enlightening, once again. And I recently saw this video too, a couple of months back – it’s what triggered reading the book again. I’d never heard Mr. Hill speak before – so very interesting.
Evita, isn’t it great to be at a place within – where you no longer have the “woe is me” days. Do I? Rarely. (so, I guess that means I’m not fully there – but I’m getting close!). And do you know what? I’ve never felt better about who I am, or what I’m doing. And I think a large part of that is related to the envelope I’m looking in today. I choose the envelope of “riches”.
When you look at our economy, and there’s a lot of worry out there today – it makes me wonder if a whole lot more people should be reading this book – and applying it’s principles. And maybe…just maybe…our economy wouldn’t be as bad off as it is…
And, the other thing – this isn’t a book to read just when you’re having troubles in your life – it’s a book that applies to anyone, at any point in their life. And that’s what makes this book a real classic.
Evita, thank you for spreading the word on this book, and really a way of looking at life.
Great post Evita! I read that book – wonderful and powerful. If people would pay attention to their thinking – cut out the negativity they project – this world wouldn’t be in the shape its in today. Have you read any of Eckhart Tolle?
suZen
@ LANCE – Hi Lance
I am so delighted to hear you say that Lance! As I told you before, by the vibrant energy of your site, and uplifting posts, I had no doubt that you are greatly enjoying your life. And really Lance when we get there, that is an awesome place to be, and the way it was intended! I truly believe that!
And yes Lance it does feel really great to be in that place, and for one main and huge reason – for the first time in my life I feel really FREE! Stresses, anxieties and fears do not rule me, or control me. And that is what I wish for everyone to taste and live with.
As for your thoughts on the economy – priceless! Yes, yes and yes to all of the above. But as we know we cannot control the economy, we can only control ourselves and hence it does not matter what is happening out there, we can all make the choice to rise above a situation or immerse ourselves in it.
Finally I completely agree with the timing of the reading. It is the same as when religious people or even non-religious pray and run to church when something happens. Live the right thoughts and gratitudes and seek the education of growth each day, not just when there are problems. I think if we did that too, perhaps we wouldn’t get to the problems. Thank you Lance!
@ SUZEN – Thank you for your input and yes absolutely, if we could just focus more internally, rather than externally things would be very different.
As for Eckhart Tolle, I love his books, especially A New Earth. It is one of my prized books and I even got the special edition that just came out of the excerpts from A New Earth.
Hi Evita!
What a simple and effective message to us. However the term ‘possession of mind’,
“The riches you may enjoy IF you take possession of your own mind and direct it to ends of your own choice”, seems to fight between we and our mind. I rather love to put ‘be watchful of your own mind’.
Cheers!
I wasn’t aware that Think and Grow Rich had so much to do with our minds. I knew it wasn’t about finances but I’m nicely suprised.
It’s near the front of a HUGE ‘to read’ list so it shouldn’t be long till I get through it :)
Cheers,
Glen
@ THE JOURNEY WITHIN – Thanks for the input! That is a good way of looking at it. I was thinking kind of along the same lines of the word “possession” and wondering if people might take that the wrong way or so.
Another way I like to say it or look at it, is simply “take accountability of our mind”
For me that is where a lot of our woes originate, we are just not accountable for our thoughts, actions, decisions, etc and then claim “all these things are happening to us and why and so on…”
@ GLEN – Hi Glen, oh yes I would have to say it has everything to do with our minds. We can set our minds up to think this way or that way, to perceive information a certain way, to problem solve a certain way, etc…
There is so much wisdom in it and really, it may seem so logical to so many once they read it, and yet we don’t do it until it is brought out into plain light by something else.
I like the analogy of having two envelopes to choose from. It is so easy to relate to. Think and Grow Rich is one of my favorite books. The principles in there are timeless and worth considering! Not many people may realize it but to a great extent, Napolean Hill was talking about the law of attraction, creative visualization for manifestations and power of intention.
It’s a great tools, these envelopes. I think I am going to get two to use at work so that when people complain about some task, I can give them to options to do, in two envelopes, each with the same result. One will be based on success, enjoyment and likely appreciation for a job well done and the other will be about pain, hating the work, adjusting feedback and being unhappy or dissapointed in the result.
I’ll see what kind of message that sends to people complaining about tasks.
Hi Evita
Question: do you think that it is easier for some people to take control of their minds? Do you think that, to some extent, it can depend on personality?
I’m interested to hear your thoughts.
Juliet
This is truly a great analogy and a valuable lesson to us all. We are so amazing and yet we often choose to live within self imposed limitations and beliefs. May we all have the courage to be our authentic self and reap the wonderful rewards of our being.
This post is truly amazing. It drew my attention at first because when my fiancé proposed, he used envelopes with wax seals that looked just like the picture. I can’t wait to get home, and really do some deep thinking about this subject.
~ Kristi
@ EVELYN – Yes, you are so right Napoleon Hill’s so called “secret” to success is just that the LOA and similar philosophies.
It works whether we know it or believe it – but works so much better when we understand it!
@ MIKE – LOL that is an AWESOME idea! You are so right too, when there is a task we KNOW it needs to be done, the question then becomes, how are you going to experience yourself in the doing of it.
I think you will have great success with that – of course there will be some whom I would imagine would get irritated and only because you are pointing out the obvious.
Fantastic idea though nonetheless :)
@ JULIET – Hi Juliet, excellent questions….
In the first question I am assuming you mean is it easier for some than others?
My first and quick answer would be yes. And that is how I am sure it will appear to others too. People with stronger personality types, higher self-confidence, etc, will generally have a much easier time with this.
But from a deeper angle, to tell you the truth I cannot say yes fully, because I have seen not one, but many people change their lives literally overnight. So more than personality type, it all depends much more on the level of motivation.
I know many people who when given an easier way to think, live and look at life, say stuff like “Oh I wish I could see things that way, that easy, etc…)
But the truth is we can, we all can change at the drop of a pin and take control of our minds, but again inner motivation is key.
The reason why I am pretty sure about this theory, is that there are many people that I personally have come across that complain and complain about life and their situations and when not one, but various solutions are given to them – they reject them all. To me that means that on a deeper level, they are not suffering THAT much, and although they may not consciously admit it, they may even “like” their “bad”, “sad” or “negative” situation.
Who knows perhaps the soul has something greater to learn there, perhaps their comfort is at a bigger stake, or perhaps there is some other reason we will never know about.
That is why I have learned that if we have something to share, something that makes life easier then by all means, share it, proclaim it and teach others. BUT do not take it personally if they don’t want to hear, or step into their “negative”, “feel sorry for me state” with them.
All of us are here to learn many different lessons, and thus as we go through life we can learn to discern who really needs our help and who needs to learn a bigger lesson by staying in the situation that they are in.
So while personality type can seem to ease things, on a deeper level we all have the same chance to “control our mind” given the right motivation (which may come in many various ways).
Thank you so much Juliet for asking :)
@ MARK – Indeed Mark, personal limits I think, especially when it comes to thought are our greatest and perhaps only real enemies. We really CAN do and have anything, but only if we allow ourselves that experience.
@ KRISTI – Thanks Kristi! That is a neat way to be proposed to…I’d love to hear the whole story one day.
As to this subject, those who have heard it before, either live it already or like the odd reminder. For someone who has never heard it before, it may seem a bit overwhelming at first to do this thing called “take control of our mind”
But it really isn’t, we do it many times unconsciously. So now if we can learn to make it conscious, we would see marvellous results in our life and see perspectives shift to ways we would have never imagined before. That is the power of the mind.
Hi there Evita
That’s a wonderful story about the 2 envelopes. I believe that everything comes from our minds, and the feelings that hold our thoughts in place, too. I do think that heaven is right here for us to enjoy! Cheers, Robin
I can’t believe I still haven’t read “Think and Grow Rich”.
I heard this a while back, but I think Napoleon Hill would agree that we are today exactly what we want to be. We have the jobs, friends, and stuff we want. I think a lot of people like to look at external factors as to why they are not as successful as they’d like to be, but in truth, they control their own destiny.
Great post!
@ ROBIN – Great to hear from you Robin! Oh Robin your words warm my heart. If more people realized what you hold true, so many people’s lives would be transformed and I have no doubt for the much better.
@ HAPPINESS IS BETTER – I think I can relate as there are still a few books that I can’t believe I have not read, but there are always new and exciting things coming up and sometimes too many at once… but I love them all, as they all allow us to grow.
We are in charge of our own destiny, but as you say as long as we look at external problems and sources…we will never be satisfied or realize our life is in our hands.
As you recognize ego as it is, then you dissolve its hold over you and experience existence on different levels. Rather than seek to control your mind and ego personality, you could alternatively choose decide it does not matter. In sodoing, you transcend it. This innate ability is something you always have the capacity to do. You take initiatives when ready.
@ LIARA – Thanks Liara for your input.
Indeed the ego can play a big role in this, especially if one is not aware yet of their own ego. That is why I do like and at the same time, do not completely like the idea of “taking control of our mind”. To me as I said above to “The Journey Within”, I like the idea of accountability of the mind, rather than the control of the mind.
Because even though, those of us who are in tune with their inner being and ego and know how to recognize it may find this task of “controlling the mind” an easy one, others who are not may simply use this unconsciously as another outlet for their ego and thus identify with this for reasons that really do not serve their inner being and thus their life.
Hi, Evita! I’m soooo behind on my reading… ;) Including “Think and Grow Rich,” which Lance and Jennifer turned me on to last Fall. Like Lance, I’m about halfway through. I find it to be VERY much like “As a Man Thinketh,” the first book along this line that I read.
I’ve read the others’ comments and your replies, and I’ve nothing to add to the conversation, other than a warm thank-you for letting me see and hear Napoleon Hill. This experience will make reading his words even more powerful and motivational. THANK you! :)
In the Hill video he talks about choosing what you are willing to give up in order to get what you chose to manifest. Would you please share your thoughts about how and what to chose? Is it what you see is in the way, or the price you feel you would have to pay? Or is it less linear than that – I assume it’s not random, or like giving up chocolate for lent. Thanks
@ CHRISTOPHER – Hi and thank you for your comment and questions.
If I understand your main question correctly, you are referring to when Hill talks about the 2 statements of what you desire and what you intend to give in return for it (not necessarily give up).
In terms of your choices, that is usually the easy part. Most of us have no problem saying I want good health, a loving spouse, a big house, etc, etc…
But what many of us don’t do is figure out why we want those things, are they for our deeper spiritual being and evolution or are they simply the desires of the ego (i.e. to fit in with others)?
Hence the second statement when Hill says “what are you willing to give for it?” can also be taken from this perspective. There is nothing to give up, there is simply the need to find out why do you want something. Usually when we find out why we want something, we will see the contribution that we can give through having this something.
For example: I want good health.
Why? Because then I can always be happy with my family. Hence the giving contribution here can be seen as loving and quality family time that one gives.
Another way of seeing the giving part is as a full fledged contribution. It is not that we are obligated to do something. But if we want something for the purpose of the spirit and not the ego, than very automatically, we switch into the giving rather than receiving mode. The ego often grows by getting, where as the spirit grows by giving.
The easiest way to see this is with wanting money. So many people want money. But why? Money that comes from nothing is never deeply fulfilling. Rather when we start with the question “how can I contribute my talents?” and then should the money also follow this, we can feel truly successful.
Ultimately there is no price to pay. You do not have to give up one happiness in order to get another. That is not how the universe or God works (I am sure of that by now)
Funny that you mention the chocolate for Lent thing, as it is completely not like that. When I was young I was brought up in just that way and today I understand that unless one understands on a deeper level why they are giving something up, it is at the essence a useless act (but I won’t start on this because it can be a whole article altogether) Bottom line many humans find it noble to give up something that leads to suffering, however on a spiritual level how is this serving the spirit? The spirit does not suffer from not eating chocolate, drinking alcohol or going out to party. The spirit only suffers when it is limited or suppressed for the wrong reasons.
So ultimately the only thing we ever need to give up is unconsciousness and being directed by the ego.
And the only thing we need to be guided by in what to choose is love, compassion and spiritual growth.
Hope that answers your query. I appreciate the discussion and do let me know if you have further comments or questions.
Hi Evita ~ Thanks for a great post. I greatly enjoyed the video also.
xhenry
@ SOULMERLIN – Hello Henry, very glad to hear that and it is always such a treat to hear from you or visit your sites and read your moving and deep pieces. Thank you :)