Thought of the Month
Why is steady and concentrated effort most essential in our journey toward God? Here’s what Swami says:
The hero is the steady person who is not agitated to the slightest extent by ups and downs caused by roaring waves on the sea of life; who does not lose the poise which has become part of his nature; who keeps to his schedule of spiritual discipline whatever the attraction or distraction, the wise man is he who is unaffected by the ever-present dualism of the objective world. He is the person referred to as ‘dheera.’
‘Dhee’ means ‘buddhi,’ [intelligence] it is the quality that makes a person a ‘purusha’ or perfect man. Manhood comes with the rejection of the dual. To deserve the status, he ought to earn victory over internal foes, rather than the external. His exploit is to conquer the twin foes of joy and grief.
Gita Vahini, p. 32
Be steady in sadhana and never hesitate once you have decided on it. When the bus is moving on, the dust will be floating behind as a cloud. It is only when it stops with a jerk that the dust will envelop the faces of the passengers. So keep moving, keep steadily engaged in sadhana, then the cloudy dust of the objective world will not cover your face.
Digest 2, p. 313
Avoid all thoughts of the untrue, the sad, and the depressing. The optimists keep their eyes always on the higher values; the pessimists slide down into the dispiritedness and despair. At night, optimists look up at the starlight; the pessimists look down and grumble at the darkness around them. The optimists have their eyes only on the flower on the rose plant. The pessimists see only the thorns under the flower and fear of thorns results in rough handling so the petals of the lovely rose fall off… seeing a glass half filled with water, the optimist is glad that it is half full, while the pessimist is sad that it is half empty. Though both statements are correct, the optimist hopes to fill the other half too, while the pessimist gives up in despair. The one has faith; the other has no faith. We must develop faith by steady effort.
Digest, p. 211
Steady perseverance alone will tame your mind; and it is only through a tamed mind that you can experience God.
Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. II, p. 38
