FASTING OF THE HEART

SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI

Form the habit of deep introspection. Good aspirants who enter into deep meditation also march forward in sleep. Taking food immoderately or at the wrong time will affect your system and render meditation difficult.

Lead a life of self restraint and back it up with meditation, japa (repetition of God's name), pranayama (yoga breathing) and asanas (postures). Fasting is beneficial. You can meditate well and seriously while fasting. The most significant fast is the fast of the heart - that is, renunciation of desires.

The mind may fall into a state of inactivity and the aspirant thinks he has reached the goal. This is a sad mistake. Divest yourself of anger, greed and attachment to sensual objects and their enjoyments. Be free from `love' and `hate' of others. Divest yourself from all affinities for objects. Follow proper diet, easy posture, purity of mind and body.

If the steps are not steady on the path, do more japa, intensify your vairagya (dispassion), sit in one place and meditate. Serve. Have unshakable faith in the Lord. Cling to the Lord's divine name.Surrender to the divine Lord. Pray to him sincerely. The mind will be powerless. Hand over charge of your body to the Lord and cease to think of it. The Lord is everywhere. He controls everything. He will protect you from all danger.

Rely on the Lord alone. If you put into practise one hundredth of what I say to you, you will surely attain God-realisation now and here.

A great emperor purchased a horse for ten thousand rupees. The horse was restless and no one was able to ride it. Then his son Sikandar said, "Beloved father, I can ride this horse." He sat on the horse and rode it in the direction of the sun. The horse galloped. The emperor was quite astonished. He said, "O Sikandar: How did you manage to ride this horse?" Sikandar replied, "The horse was afraid of his own shadow so I made him run towards the sun." Such is the restless horse mind also. If you turn it towards atman (self) it will be peaceful. If you turn it towards maya (delusion) it will jump and dance.

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