Paramahansa Yogananda on Introspection

India's Rishis from time immemorial have carefully analyzed the whole of human existence and advised people how to realize life's highest potentials. Psychology teaches you what you are; ethics tells you what you should be. The sages emphasized both as part of true religious training for spiritual unfoldment in body, mind, and soul.

Every day we look into a mirror to observe our face and body, because we want to look our best before others. Is it not even more important to look daily into the inner mirror of introspection, self-analysis, to insure the proper visage of that which is behind the superficial appearance?

All outer attractiveness is derives from the divinity of the indwelling soul. And as even a little pimple or scar on the face spoils its beauty, so are there psychological disfigurements of anger, fear, hatred, jealousy, and worry from the uncertainties of mortal existence, which mar the reflection of the soul. If every day we strive to free ourselves from these defacements, the beauty of our inner being will shine forth.

By analysis we see that human troubles are threefold: those that afflict the physical body, those that attack the mind, and those that obstruct the soul.

Disease, old age, and death are the difficulties of the body. Psychological ills invade the mind through sorrow, fear, anger, unfulfilled desires, discontentment, hate, nervous excitation or emotional obsession. And the soul sickness of ignorance, which is the underlying cause of all our other troubles possible.

True freedom lies in the consciousness of the soul. We need to analyze ourselves and determine to what extent our soul consciousness is bound by the roots of ignorance. Real freedom is only possible when those roots are severed.

We need to plan our lives, and see how we will change through constantly improving yourselves. We need to seek out good company, company that reminds us of the noble things in life. We need to be conscious of our habits; of how we schedule our day; of how we can hold on to our inner calmness. And every so often inwardly ask, “Lord, am I wasting my time? How can I get some free time every day, just to be with You.

We need to start the day with meditation and pray deeply to God and ask for guidance. We need to be determined to do the best we can and when night comes we will go to sleep knowing that you we have put the day to good use.