How to find peace - 3 : Sri Swami Chidananda.

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Monday, January 31, 2022. 05:30.

3.Goals, Principles and a Background of Thought :

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I would like to suggest that in order to be a strong and determined person, you have to have a definite goal before you. If you have a clear-cut goal, then your entire life’s direction can be changed from the negative to the positive. You know what you are aiming at and exactly in what direction you should go to attain what you have set your heart upon. It makes a tremendous difference, so this particular approach found great favour with Gurudev. He always used to say, “Live for a definite goal. Have a definite ideal and work towards it.” Lacking aim or purpose, you are at the mercy of external or internal forces and the push and pull of any temptation or desire.

If however your course is set, no one can divert you. It is good to fortify yourself through this resolve. It is a defence and a safeguard from digressing into the wrong channels. Have a very clear-cut aim. That can save you from a great deal of trouble and can give your life a strong positive current. Back this up by having certain principles upon which you base your life. Never swerve from these principles, come what may. Have carefully selected noble principles that lift you above the common run of life and lead to greatness.

Life without principles or purpose is foolish and silly. Unprincipled living is determined by the sheep mentality—if everyone goes this way, I will also join the crowd and go with them. No, dare to be different! Have certain principles that will give you firm guidelines, and then you will never be at a loss when faced with alternatives. One resolves, “This is according to my principles, so this is my choice. These things are not in accordance with my principles, so out they go.” You have then a method of acceptance and rejection based upon a definite plan, so it saves you from a great deal of vexation and vacillation.

One should unswervingly adhere to these principles and not compromise. If these principles are there, they impart to your life a great deal of firmness and strength, and they create within your mind a permanent background of thought. You will never be at a loss. When the mind is occupied and engaged in something, it has a job to do, but when it is not occupied, it need not be at loose ends because it has a permanent background in which to repose. It is wise to create within your mind a certain background of thought—especially in times of weakness. All of us have these times, because troubles are unavoidable, but one can maintain the practice of immediately visualising the ideal at that moment. Whether it is the remembrance of the divine name, the thought of God, or the recalling of a great saint, it is a thought that immediately lifts you up from the ordinary level.

There are many great ones who have given us inspiring examples of sticking to their principles—come what may, never caring for the negative opinions of people, they stayed firm in their resolve. You must be able to visualise that person or thought in times of stress and agitation. Similarly, it goes without saying that the practice of the presence of God and the remembrance of God lead to the same uplifting background of thought. However, if the remembrance becomes merely mechanical, then it will not be so effective. Remembrance can become like that if it is taken for granted—but it should not be like this. Remembrance should be revived every day with deep feeling and veneration, knowing the sanctity and great exalted status of remembrance. Vital remembrance is a great sustainer of strength, power and goodness, and it brings with it the power to overcome adversity.

There are two other similar techniques advised by Patanjali in the science of yoga. If you are overcome by too much restlessness and trouble, he advocates a method of evoking one thought and determining to hold onto it. All the other things outside this concentrated thought will gradually pass away. Keeping yourself completely focused upon this one thought or pursuit, don’t lose hold. If you throw yourself into one thing exclusively and absorb yourself completely in it, it is good both in the short term and the long term. It is conducive to snapping out of an undesired inner mood, and it maintains a state of positive thought over a longer period.

The other method is that of substitution. To purposefully change from a state of restlessness to strength, you must change the thought that is bugging you by substituting and evoking the diametrically opposite thought. Hold it; let it fill the mind; repeat it; visualise it; affirm it. Think strongly of it and the other thing will be eliminated. By evoking a feeling for its opposite, the negative state will vanish. It cannot stand, as two opposite things cannot occupy the mind at the same time.

If you want to have peace, bear no ill will towards anyone. Bearing no ill will towards anyone should not depend on the other person’s attitude towards you. He may have ill will, but you should bear him no ill will. To feel nicely about people who feel nicely towards you, and to be upset by people who don’t feel nicely about you is simply the way of the world. If you want to be something exceptional, bear no ill will towards anyone—no matter what the occasion. You will have peace. If you have a feeling of enmity towards anyone, it destroys your peace of mind.

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Next - 4. The Four Relationships :

To be continued .....

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