Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
When a person allows himself to be disturbed, that shows that his concentration is not good. And if his concentration is not good, that shows that his will power fails him. The best way, therefore, to protect oneself from disturbance is to develop the power of concentration, so that the will power develops naturally and one is able to withstand all the disturbances which arise when one has to live in the midst of the crowd.
from
https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/IV/IV_29.htmIndependence is achieved by indifference. It does not mean that one should take no heed of what anyone does or says; it only means one should discriminate between important and unimportant things of everyday life; that every necessary and unnecessary thing should not demand so much of one's attention, thought, and feeling. Political economy has become a subject of education, but spiritual economy is the main thing in religion. All one says and does and all that one thinks and feels puts a certain strain upon one's spirit. It is wise to avoid every risk of losing one's equilibrium. One must stand peacefully but firmly before all influences that disturb one's life. The natural inclination is to answer in defense to every offense that comes from outside, but in that way one loses one's equilibrium. Self-control, therefore, is the key to all success and happiness.
from
https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/III/III_III_1.htm
