HELPERS ON THE SPIRITUAL PATH
The spiritual path may in the beginning appear to be very hard, thorny, precipitous and slippery. Renunciation of objects gives pain at the outset. If you struggle hard to tread the path, if you once make a strong determination and firm resolve, then it becomes very easy. You get interest and a new joy. Your heart expands and you have a broad outlook on life; you have a new wide vision. You feel the help from the invisible hands of the indweller of your heart. Your doubts are cleared by themselves, by getting the answer from within - you hear the still, sweet voice of God. There is an indescribable thrill of divine ecstasy from within. There is ineffable, unabating, undiminishing, undecaying spiritual bliss. This gives new strength and the footing on the path becomes firmer and firmer. The jivanmuktas (liberated sages), yogis, nityasiddhas (eternally perfect ones), amara-purusas (immortal souls) and ciranjivas (deathless souls) lend their helping hands to the struggling aspirants. The aspirants feel this actually - the feeling of loneliness and of being neglected and forsaken vanishes entirely.
Doubt or uncertainty is a great obstacle in the path of Self-realisation. It must be removed by study of religious books, satsanga (holy company), vicara (enquiry) and reasoning. Again and again it will raise its head to mislead the aspirant. It should be killed beyond resurrection by certainty of conviction and firm unshakeable faith based on reasoning.
An aspirant should always watch whether the sight of an unpleasant object or any unpleasant sound causes irritation or agitation in his mind. He should try to eradicate this irritation - he should have perfect control of temper. A weak aspirant, though strong in concentration, is overcome by idleness; and a strong aspirant, if weak in concentration, is overcome by tossing of the mind. Concentration and energy should therefore be well balanced.
Stick to your ideas, convictions and principles - whether you become popular or unpopular, even if the whole world opposes you. Dig a deep pit in one place. Centralise all your efforts. Even so try to imbibe the spiritual teachings of one spiritual preceptor alone. Drink deeply from one man - sit at his feet for some years. For the preliminary practices of japa (repetition of God's name), ahimsa (non-violence), truth and to develop mercy, devotion, love, tolerance etc., you do not need a guru. You have to do all these things yourself. When you are ready, the guru will appear before you of his own accord.
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