One of the best ways when you think you are getting over taken by Mara, or Mara's getting too strong, is to picture yourself (Steve has his arms raised) in a triumphant posture. A lot of our assistants will tell you that I often do that in interviews with them. If they are getting overwhelmed, I want them to think stronger, I want them to think that they can defeat Mara. If you don't think you can, forget it, you're lost, you're done.
There's no champion in the Olympics, who thinks there're going to lose. Forget it. They just don't. The most fantastic race I ever saw in swimming, was in the Olympics years ago. Some of the Europeans might remember, I think he was German. He was called the Albatross, he was so big, he was huge. He had an arm span of two metres long, he was huge. He was a great butterflier, he beat everybody, held the world record. The Olympics comes up, and he's going to win easy. But there's this shorter guy from Australia, named Jon Sieben, over in lane one or eight, seeded last. He was known as "The Shrimp". He had never come close to this guy's time. Incredible! Guess what happens? Jon Sieben swims super fast and wins. He went out with the thought he could win. His coach told him he could win. His time was incredible, he took about four seconds off his best time. Incredible, but he thought he could win.
You have to build more confidence. That's a lot of it. Mara's just Mara, and yes, Mara's been in control for a long time. Okay. Buddhism would say Mara has been in control for lots of lifetimes, but it is now time to turn the tables. It's time to get smart, it's time to get trickier than Mara. We have to really think that way and then work towards developing that wisdom. There's no ten year old kid who thinks they're going to win the Olympics today. But there are a lot of ten year old kids who are dreaming that they will win the Olympics and some of them are going to do it because their mind is starting to think that way.
"What can I learn, how can I do it, how can I actually learn?" So this is something that you have to motivate yourself. You're all getting good advice, and you've got teachers who can help you to defeat Mara. Follow their advice. When you beat Mara once, remember it! Remember when you have defeated Mara. Remember when you have stopped doing anything that has caused you harm before. So, the first time it happens, remember it, and that gives you the encouragement that you can do it again. Then you do it a second time, remember it, and you can do it a third time. If you have defeated Mara over here, and have been successful in this area, then why can't you do it over here too. That gives you the encouragement. Yes, of course it's just practice. It's just all conditioning. When you think of Buddhism think of the Law of Conditioning. That's all it is. It's as simple as that. If you condition yourself properly, you will find peace and happiness. If you condition yourself improperly, all you're going to get is Dukkha. So you have to keep practicing, and putting forth that effort.