Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this
divinity within by controlling nature: external and internal. Do this either by
work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy – by one or more, or all of
these – and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogma, or
rituals or books, or temples or forms, are but secondary details.
Swami Vivekananda.
We discuss the eternal transcendental nature of the Soul
To remember are the 2 phases of the inner battle in meditation.
i)
First, the mind is bound up with sense consciousness, material
sounds and restless thoughts,
ii)
Second, is the metaphysical battle when consciousness and life
energy become centralized in the spinal centers – here we find ourselves in a
battle between the pull toward the outgoing sense tendencies and the inwardly
turned spiritual forces of the soul. It is at this point where we should
prayerfully ask the divine to guide us from restlessness to inner peace.
iii)
To be mindful that all consciousness of “good and evil” are part
of the same Absolute Consciousness. Absence of light is darkness, absence of
darkness is light. Similarly, lack of self-control is weakness; lack of
weakness is self-control.
iv)
In this sense we can understand how duality, or good and evil are
the contrasted (positive and negative) expressions of the soul unity – God, Yin
–Yang. Two faces of the same coin. Our individual characteristics of behavior
are in large part the sum total of our habits.
v)
Consciousness when identified with the soul is called Krishna or
Christ consciousness (in control of the Senses or Savior), the pure
reflection of the spirit.
vi)
Consciousness identified with Ego flows outward and seeks gratification
in pleasure of the senses, creating samskaras of sense pleasure.
Worldly man reasons not
according to truth, but according to habits. The danger is in wanting to
preserve both good and bad habits. It is the bad habits that rob us from our
peace.
We are to be aware that of the impurities of thought that try to
turn us aware from our goal – the goal of liberation of consciousness and
freedom.
In his sadhana, the true devotee of God, trusts in God; and
worships Him through understanding and wisdom.
The Righteous Battle is Man’s Religious Duty.
Yogananda on business success:
“Anyone who seeks material fulfillment should keep his mind
unruffled during success and failure. A business man who is not over elated by
achievements finds that his concentration is ready for the path of greater
success.”
Spiritual success:
Roy Eugene Davis –“Our quest for Self knowledge and its
actualization of our inner potential ought to be without anxiety for results.
We must take our steps with focused attention and know that with God’s Grace,
we will succeed. We must trust in the process in our endeavor”.
The seers tell us that self revealed knowledge lights the way
Yoga Remedy of Doubt, Confusion and Intellectual Dissatisfaction
The conditioned mind is attracted to the glamour of the world, which
does not lead to spiritual growth.
The Gita also makes a distinction between worthwhile spiritual and
ritualistic piety or self serving religious practices.
Some people pray, fast, and outwardly observe rules and rituals
suggested by scriptures in order to obtain favors from God or to build up good
Karma, obtain health or prosperity.
Devotees that are on the path of Self knowledge and God
realization should know that enlightenment (soul knowledge) is all that we need
to be spiritually fulfilled; it results in the highest soul joy.
Yogananda:
External rites may bestow power, but not liberation. Nothing but
the cleansing of a man’s inward being has the power to free him.
The Gita advises calm desirelessness to free man from
bondage.
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