If the bud is not ready to end its present state, how can it grow and unfold itself to become flower?

1.

If alertness is related to the level of agitations in one’s mind,

how is it that some people who are highly materialistic and who must necessarily be having a high level of agitations are very alert,

while some who are spiritually inclined are not alert?

It is important to define the word ‘alert’ correctly.

Our alertness is related to our mind’s interests.

A materialistic person is alert to material things as they are in consonance with his interests.

A spiritual person on the other hand may not be very alert with respect to material things but is alert in spiritual matters.

2.

Things happening around us are interpreted by our mind, and we label them and come to experience them as great tragedies or wonderful blessings....

The stream of happenings comes and goes, irresistibly around and above you, and that which gives the balance to face them steadily is prayer.

Prayer is not to change the pattern around you, but to give you protection from it.

We do not travel in a boat to stop the waves, but the sides of the boat do protect us from the raw, direct hits of the waves.

3.

No growth is possible unless there is a willingness to drop out of our previous conditions and accept the ampler status of the new conditions.

If the bud is not ready to end its present state, how can it grow and unfold itself to become flower?

Swami Chinmayananda