1. Was not feeling much
progress, so didn't send the report.
Many times many changes that occur in us are not
visible even as we do not see the growth of the
plant every day. But always there is progress
in our condition. We should maintain our diary
and note the apparently insignificant changes
also.
2. How to know the condition?
The thoughts after the meditation generally give
us a clue of the condition of the aspirant. DONOT
TRY TO NOTE THE THOUGHTS, AS THEY OCCUR IN YOU,
- BE UNMINDFUL OF THEM.
3. Can I judge my progress?
(I am feeling calmness all through out but is
that all, I don't have any expectations.)
The linkage between the commandments
and the progress in the path is suggested in the
book Practice and Efficacy of Rajayoga. You can
evaluate yourself by studying the book Path of
Grace also. Your trainer also can help you by
examining your diary and giving sittings. Taking
the help of another brother is the essence of
this system of PAM.
4. How do I ensure that
I am not doing the sadhana ritualistically?
How do we know we are sincere? We know
it in our hearts. This should answer whether you
are practicing sincerely or ritualistically. Ritualistic
practice is for the sake of others. We should
evaluate ourselves in our sadhana regularly and
that is done by seeing for ourselves how well
we are practicing the Ten Commandments.
More on Self Evaluation
Assessment of an abhyasi cannot
be considered as condemning him to that condition
only. We should asses and then work for the betterment.
I think the idea that we can know the spiritual
condition of the other person just like that is
wrong, Every one has his karma and is bound by
it and unless they reveal or open up themselves
by trusting the other person, their condition
no one I presume can read others condition. Rev.
Babuji stressed the need for the regular writing
of the diaries.
In evaluation you must not be too critical about
yourself and your efforts. Be fair to yourself
and you will find that in fact you are doing better
than you think. The commandments enable us to
develop proper attitudes in life leading to a
balanced living. So keep a vigil about your following
the commandments. Of course these follow as we
progress in spirituality.
Diary writing increases our sensitivity to the
various feelings. Feelings are the language of
Divinity. It is necessary that we develop proficiency
in the language.
Writing diary I found recently enhances our vocabulary
of feelings.
Practice should lead to progress and this can
be evaluated with reference to the Ten Commandments.
I am of course disappointed sadhakas tend to evaluate
with reference to abstract notions of Vedanta
and what they consider as Vedanta and Yoga and
not in practical terms. That way the Masters'
desire cannot be fulfilled.
The condition experienced in meditation and dreams
is not what we feel in our day-to-day life. This
most of the time we ignore saying that they belong
to different realms and continue to be satisfied
or try to be satisfied by such rationalisations.
But the fact is that unless the external and internal
are the same to most extent we cannot claim to
have reached any high spiritual condition, Though
we are fully aware of this we try to fool ourselves
with all sorts of explanations and logic's that
seem to satisfy us for the moment.
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