CWTVKS Volume 2

3) Effort

Sadhana should be natural. There should be such an utter surrender, giving up of oneself that the downpour from above or the outflow from within should be incessant. Of the two, the latter is more lasting and concrete in its results. It means a greater degree of personal effort and that implies a vigilance and endeavour on the part of the sadhak without which things stagnate.

12 February 1951

Cultivate assiduously the habit of referring to the guiding Centre within before doing anything. In the beginning you may find no light within but only the darkness of the mind; gradually, however, you will become conscious of a steady unfoldment, a gentle movement within that stirs to guide. By persistent reference, it grows and becomes automatic in operation. To this end, the habit of faithfulness to truth in all one's movements is very useful. For the system gets acclimatised to movements towards and in the truth and movements of untruth find no support, no room in the person and the guidance from within can reach out without interference or mixture of untruth. Of course it takes time but if persisted in as a discipline, the fruit is sure. Seven to eight times out of ten, the guidance turns out to be the right one. If it fails to be so in the remaining cases it is because in the present state of things, the time-consciousness cannot be complete.

The location of the point of reference—whether it is to be in the heart or at the back of the mind—depends on the nature and temperament of the individual.

18 February 1949

To keep up one's promise, to stick to the word once given is a virtue of great value in spiritual life. Thereby, speech gets in the long run a self-effectuating power, what is called vak-siddhi. If words of such persons do not come true on occasions, it is to be accounted for some weakness in some part of him that gave room to a wrong movement and expression of it.

Not to keep one's word implies weak will; and in spiritual life ‘weak will’ means the worst i.e. such a man cannot be relied upon for anything.

16 January 1949

Stick to the truth and you will be able to stand any amount of cross-examination.

26 March 1950

If our movements are trained to proceed from a consciousness to which Truth and Right are natural, even the mind receives only the right and the true thoughts.

26 November 1948

Each one is full of his own ideas and standards. It is from such a mind he judges others, commends or condemns. Even those who speak of their ‘open mind’ have their own mental cobwebs and standards. To judge others it is necessary to get rid of these, to get out of one's mental frame. It is particularly difficult for those whose mental being is definitely formed and taken shape. From that point of view those who have no mental personality to speak of are in a better position. It is only from an opening into the spiritual wideness that release can be got from this prison of mind.

“Extricate from the illusory consciousness of the mind, from its world of fantasies...”reads the Mother's Prayer.

15 December 1949

When you are confronted with a situation, it will not do to be simply equal to it; you must rise above it, deal with it standing higher.

13 November 1950

Amidst all the excitement and hurry do not lose rectitude. Have a centre of reference and do not do anything without looking into it.

20 April 1950

When thoughts or movements try to overwhelm you, step back, draw behind and you will find yourself standing above them.

10 June 1948

If one carries the right atmosphere things get miraculously favourable to oneself. This can be most observed in travel.

19 February 1950

The characteristic approach to Shiva is through Tapas; to Vishnu it is through Bhakti.

8 October 1948