Spirituality: Transformation Within and Without by Swami Rama

Author:Swami Rama [Rama, Swami]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Himalayan Institute Press
Published: 2009-09-16T18:30:00+00:00

1. The wrong method of meditation.

2. Irregularity of food and exercise.

3. Irregularity in the practice itself.

If someone practices properly, there is no reason for not awakening that force. Once awakened, it leads one to the state of samadhi, the state of self-realization. The moment that force reaches the center of consciousness, the blessed aspirant attains all the siddhis, the supernatural powers. Such an aspirant is an adept who remains in perfect union with the supreme consciousness.

Sometimes people ask whether that practice is possible in our times, how much time is required to do such practices, and how one can practice such disciplines while living in the world. These are natural questions that arise in seekers’ minds. The wise ones reply to these questions clearly and succinctly: “No matter which practice one does, one has to discipline oneself. A human being is fully equipped with all the powers and capacities to gain the knowledge of the truth. He needs to organize himself and make the best use of his inherent resources.”

People have made themselves needlessly busy. They should learn to make better use of their time. Because of their hectic lifestyles, people are suffering from tension and stress. They create a need for worldly objects, then they busy themselves in meeting that need. A great part of their lives is consumed in collecting worldly objects, and very little time is left to enjoy them. Managing one’s time is the most important task on the path of spirituality.

Students need to discipline their four innate urges: food, sleep, sex, and self-preservation. These four urges are constantly subduing our inner strength. If not regulated, these primitive urges can create a great impediment to one’s practice. A large part of spiritual practice consists of the rules and disciplines that help regulate these four natural drives. In addition, one should be punctual in sleeping and arising, perform one’s daily duties lovingly and one-pointedly, enjoy objects moderately, and not allow feelings of fear or insecurity to occupy the mind.

People of the modern world want to enjoy material things, but are incapable of doing so. Due to lack of discipline, they have lost the capacity to enjoy the objects of the senses. Before they have attained these objects, while they have them at hand, and after they have lost them, they experience nothing but pain. A human being desires pleasure but receives pain. What a miserable life! Happiness does not reside in the objects of the senses, but rather in that eternal divine force that supports the mind and the senses. Through discipline and determination, one can awaken one’s inner strength or willpower. Through one’s willpower one can discipline the primitive urges: food, sleep, sex, and self-preservation. Once these are regulated, an aspirant does not have any resistance to practices. He enjoys a disciplined life; waking up on time, doing exercises, practicing pranayama, and meditating become a part of his being. He attains success in any task he undertakes.

An aspirant does not need to disrupt his worldly life to practice spirituality.

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