GENERAL HINTS FOR THE ABHYASIS PERTAINING TO SADHANA

1. One should aspire for the highest. Peace and other things should be secondary.

2. One must be regular in the abhyas. If interest in meditation is created, half the work is done.

3. After finishing puja one must look to, or brood over his condition. This helps him develop sensitivity.

4. One should not worry about the thoughts that rise during meditation or at other times. They rise for the sake of evaporation. It is not possible to become completely thoughtless.

5. One should develop craving for realisation.

6. Abhyasis should imitate with wisdom the good things or good actions of the trainers.

7. It is not possible to eradicate anger completely, as it is a thing bestowed by God. One should make right use of it.

8. Greed is our own creation. It should be eradicated completely. One should not have greed even for spirituality. It is seen that some abhyasis are very greedy of taking sittings.

9. Change/transformation can be brought about in two ways firstly by desiring for it and secondly by force. But in the latter case there is no lasting effect. So, every abhyasi should intensely desire for his transformation.

10. One should control one's freedom of action. The Ten Commandments are meant for this purpose only.

11. Abhyasi should have control over little things (Habits etc) of the daily routine. If not, how can they expect to have control / command over big things?

12. Chaste life should be preferred at all costs. There should be moderation in all matters. Chastity and moderation bespeak the character of a person.

13. One should be able to discriminate between good and bad. Having no discrimination is the characteristic of an inferior man.

15. It is not possible to attain a perfect balanced state, because perfect balance brings about death. But one can reach near to it where one becomes almost balanced.

16. Liking something means egoism. So, one should rise above likes and dislikes.

***

SPIRITUAL TRAINING - INITIATION

Initiation signifies that the disciple's link has been connected with the Supreme Power.

***

PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL TRAINING

The main purpose of spiritual training is that a man should begin to imbibe within him as much of Godly Attributes as possible.

TRAINING – THE RESULTS THEREOF

You must be sure that unless internal peace, calmness of mind, simplicity and lightness follow, as the natural result of your practices you are proceeding on the wrong lines and that your training is defective.

GOAL CLARITY – SELECTION OF PATH

The very first thing to be looked to, seriously, is that the path we select is the right one, leading directly to our goal. It is therefore, quite essential to have in our mind a clear and definite conception of the final goal. Do not follow a path because it is oldest, for the oldest one may be most ill suited to the changed conditions of the world and the society. Do not follow a path because it has been followed by the majority of men, for the majority may not always be right and is more often led by only a chosen few, who in all possibility, might have been misled. It is consequently very essential for everyone to fix his eyes on Absolute Reality with faith and confidence and to adopt ways helpful and conducive to Self-realization. We then march on up to the final point where we assume the same pure form we had at the time of creation. Raja Yoga is the old system of science followed by the great Rishis and saints to help them in realizing Self or God. It was first introduced by a great Rishi who lived seventy-two generations prior to Raja Dashrath of the Surya Vamsh (Surya dynasty). After pondering long over the subject, the great sage, at last, discovered that it is the outcome of the Power which is similar to or identical with the thought Power of man. The kingly thing in us is thought which ultimately develops steering us to our Goal.

ORIENTATION TO THE GOAL

While describing the events of your life you have requested me not to read further if I have no leisure. In reply I may say that I do have enough leisure since I have attained leisure from my own self-creation. As such it is now wholly yours. The events you relate do normally happen in life, but when one arrives at the concluding phase all the past worries disappear in a moment. It is therefore advisable under all circumstances to have our attention directed towards the end or the goal. By God's grace you now seem to be inclined towards it. This must be strengthened further. The kicks of the past should be considered to be like the thrashing by a teacher to bring the pupil round to the right path, and for which we should be grateful. Now if I say that I am to bring you in to a spiritual life, it may not be quite correct since there is no question of bringing in. We have only to establish ourselves in Reality, and thank God your thought is already helping you in the pursuit. Definitely you have now gathered material to keep you up on the path. In other words, I may say that you have taken the object into your view. Now only the arrow is to be shot at the mark, the thought being the arrow and the heart the bow. But at the same time it needs the application of force which is there in the form of the master's support. you are now aware of the destination and of the guide too. Nothing remains to be done now except to attach your thought firmly with That. When the attachment grows strong it becomes indiscernible who is attached, and with what. The Consciousness of body drops off and the very thing remains which we may call Elan Vital, the life force. The method for this would be the same as referred to above, and the Master's help would be indispensable to ensure the sure hit on the target. For this it is also necessary to avoid taking in the impressions of bodily effects. This having been done, the formation of further samskaras will stop, bringing their progressive growth to a close. The only solution would be to break off from this and to connect yourself with that. For this the only method is meditation as already prescribed to you. I hope you will now be regular in your practice. As for my services to you I am ever ready for what I am capable of. I request you in all earnestness to accept my services, nay, rather compel me to render the greatest service, so as to enable you to take away all that I have with me as my master's trust for you all, and which I am ever eager to distribute amongst you. So long as you do not find an opportunity to see me in person think that I am already there with you. This will help you in promoting absorbency in yourself.