Exposition:

As long as you are angry or upset over an event, you will be unable to perceive its beneficial aspects, and you may wear yourself out with unnecessary resistance; the event may have been to your complete advantage from the first moment. Even happy turns of fortune sometimes come to us in a form that seems strange or unlucky. The event itself is simply an event; the way you respond to the event determines its final outcome in your life. Once an event has taken place, since you cannot alter the past, all that is left to you is your response. Why not respond as though the event occurred for your benefit? You will then immediately experience good feelingsa about the event, and by acting in accord with your feelings, you will help to bring about that end. Anyone who understands this concept and acts accordingly will mount through the skies as though on the wings of six dragons.

Exposition: Hatred is a product of evil. To the extent you allow yourself to feel hatred, to that extent you become an instrument of evil. When you hate someone you draw that person to you. Is that what you want? To eliminate the connection, dismiss the person from your thoughts. To combat evil, respond with goodness.

Exposition: When anger, lust, hatred or love consumes you, clear, rational thinking is impossible. It is only when you are able calmly to step back from yourself and "look in on yourself" that true detachment is achieved, which then permits rational thinking.

Exposition: When the time for action has come conflict within an individual will cause him to hesitate. Conflict within a group will prevent the members of the group from acting as a unit. In either case, conflict weakens. Great or dangerous undertakings are to be avoided in times of conflict because achieving success requires a concerted unity of force.

Exposition: What the heart desires, we run after without a moment's hesitation, but there are three restraints that ought to be given consideration: first, we should not run precipitately after all persons we would like to influence, but should hold back if it is unseemly for us to make an approach; second, we should not yield to every whim of those in whose service we are; third, where the moods of the heart are concerned, we should not ignore the possibility of inhibition, for this is the basis of human freedom. Develop the strength to choose a wise course of action even in the face of desires that pull you in a different direction. This is very difficult but essential if you are to be in charge of your fate, and leads to great success and good fortune.

Exposition: To end a conflict with evil-minded people, we are sometimes tempted to compromise what we know to be right. Such compromising is an error, for evil must be completely eradicated if it is not to spring up again. The best way to overcome evil is to hold completely what is good. To digress even slightly from the path of the superior person is to start on the path of the inferior person. To continue on that path can only lead to unfortunate results.

Exposition: All relationships run the danger that misunderstandings and disagreements will arise that can cause a parting of the ways. If you permit yourself to drift along without having in mind the fixed goal of the continuation of the relationship, you may find that your relationships continue or not, as the day may determine. By making a commitment to permanently maintain the relationship, you will set a standard against with all of your actions and decisions affecting the relationship are measured. Having done this, you will avoid the pitfalls and reefs that confront the closer relationships of people, and your relationships will therefore endure.

Exposition: It is an eternal law of the universe that everything, when it reaches its maximum potential, turns towards its opposite. Knowing this law, the superior person provides for a time of decrease in times of prosperity. He builds himself up during times of good health and so prepares against a time of illness. He takes precautions in times of safety that protect him in times of danger. He thinks ahead and, in so doing, is prepared. He thereby enjoys a lifetime of good fortune and success.

Exposition: Even the longest journey started by the first step. No matter how poor your circumstances are, no matter how poor your personal condition is, the path of the superior person, which leads only to supreme good fortune and great success, is always directly in front of you. You may take the first step upon it at any time and magically transform your circumstances. These benefits are available to anyone, withheld from no one. The path of the inferior person is also always directly in front of you, bringing its lessons of hardship, misery and despair, but only so that you will ultimately come to know the truth. At each step of your way, you must always choose between these two paths. The ending of one path always means the beginning of the other. Choose well; your future is entirely within your own hands.