Self-Analysis
Daily self-analysis or
self-examination is an indispensable requisite. Then alone can you remove your
defects and can grow rapidly in spirituality. A gardener watches the young
plants very carefully. He removes the weeds daily. He puts a strong fence around
them. He waters them at the proper time. Then alone they grow beautifully and
yield fruits quickly. Even so, you should find out your defects through daily
introspection and self-analysis and then eradicate them through suitable
methods. If one method fails, you must adopt a combined method. If prayer
fails, you should take recourse to Satsanga or association with the wise,
Pranayama, meditation, dietetic regulation, enquiry, etc. You should destroy
not only big waves of pride, hypocrisy, lust, anger, etc., that manifest on the
surface of the conscious mind, but also their subtle impressions which lurk in
the corners of the subconscious mind. Then only are you perfectly safe.
These subtle impressions are
very dangerous. They lurk like thieves and attack you when you are napping,
when you are not vigilant, when your dispassion wanes, when you slacken a bit
your daily spiritual practice, and when you are provoked. If these defects do
not manifest even under extreme provocation on several occasions, even when you
are not practising daily introspection and self-analysis, you can be rest
assured that the subtle impressions also are obliterated. Now you are safe. The
practice of introspection and self-analysis demands patience, perseverance,
leech-like tenacity, application, iron will, iron determination, subtle
intellect, courage, etc. But you will gain a fruit of incalculable value. The
precious fruit is immortality, Supreme Peace and Infinite Bliss. You will have
to pay a heavy price for this. Therefore you should not murmur when you do
daily practice. You should apply your full mind, heart, intellect and soul to
spiritual practice. Then only rapid success is possible.
Keep daily spiritual diary and
practise self-analysis (self-examination) at night. Note down how many good
actions you have done, what mistakes you have committed during the course of
the day. In the morning resolve: "I will not yield to anger today. I will
practise celibacy today. I will speak truth today."
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