Life savers in sadhana: Part II

Q. How does one detect any progress in meditation?

A. Know that you are progressing in meditation when you become a centripetal force. When all “love you and confide in you and when you don’t snap back animal-like at others, when you smile at others insulting you and don’t feel like giving it back, you are progressing in meditation”.

After a pause he said, “Change yourself and the world around you will change.”

We all sat still. Do we fit the bill in any way?

Q. Swamiji,  who could be termed as a Yogi?

A. “Who doesn’t throw away life, who works as Narayana in the world. If you put your mind “where the hand is working—Maha yogi! Don’t move about with  a mindless body, an animal in the shape of a human being. Soak every material activity in spiritual endeavour. Play all your games spiritually, never forgetting who you are.  Do you ever forget who is the husband of your wife? You can’t say “I’m not sure. It might be my neighbour”. Remember always your spiritual height and dignity.

Q. But Swamiji it is not easy to reign in the mind. How ?

A. If the mind does not obey you again and again, then punish it like fasting or “giving yourself a cold water shower. The next time it will remember the punishment and not repeat the mistakes.

Every obsession is nothing else but torture.

You long to free yourself from it, to draw that immense power under your control.

When you have broken a certain habit or a vasana has dropped off, don’t look back and say “why cant I enjoy it now? I wish I could.” This is the time when you have to direct all your energies to push yourself forward towards the ultimate goal. Don’t look backwards.”

Prarthna Saran, President, Chinmaya Mission, Delhi.

Email: prarthnasaran@gmail.com