SADHANA : TPPTSP | SEL0202 | SWAMI SIVANANDA

|| 1ST PRINCIPLES OF SADHANA & THEIR PERVERSIONS ||

The path of the spiritual aspirant verily lies through a bewildering jungle of difficulties and dilemmas of problems and paradoxes .

One of such vexing paradoxes is that your mind is both your best friend as also your bitter enemy .

SADHANA : TPPTSP | SEL0203 | SWAMI SIVANANDA

|| 1ST PRINCIPLES OF SADHANA & THEIR PERVERSIONS ||

Mind becomes a true friend only after being gradually trained to be so .

Mind begins to be really helpful after the aspirant has progressed sufficiently in spiritual Sadhana .

Until then it should be regarded as a troublesome and treacherous enemy inside us .

It is extremely diplomatic , cunning and crooked . It is an arch-deceiver .

SADHANA : TPPTSP | SEL0204 | SWAMI SIVANANDA

|| 1ST PRINCIPLES OF SADHANA & THEIR PERVERSIONS ||

One of the master-strokes of the mind's artfulness is to make the aspirant feel and smugly imagine that one knows one's mind perfectly well and cannot be led away by it and at the same time to delude one totally .

The mind has the knack of making the unwary aspirant confidently think oneself its master , while it makes a hopeless fool of one . Its deceptions are subtle .

SADHANA : TPPTSP | SEL0205 | SWAMI SIVANANDA

|| 1ST PRINCIPLES OF SADHANA & THEIR PERVERSIONS ||

You have heard the saying " The devil can quote scriptures for its purpose " .

Similarly the mind can use a virtue to indulge in a vice . It has an inborn inclination to perversion .

It can even take the support of a perfectly good principle seemingly to justify the most unprincipled sort of action .

Unless it is scrutinized dispassionately its tricks are never fully discovered .

SADHANA : TPPTSP | SEL0206 | SWAMI SIVANANDA

|| 1ST PRINCIPLES OF SADHANA & THEIR PERVERSIONS ||

The most extraordinary part of all this is that the mind will not allow you to take lessons seriously .

It will still say , " O you are all right . This is not meant for you . Dont mind all this . Carry on as you are " .

O aspirant , do not listen to it . Non-cooperate with the rogue . Take the lessons to heart .

SADHANA : TPPTSP | SEL0207 | SWAMI SIVANANDA

|| 1ST PRINCIPLES OF SADHANA & THEIR PERVERSIONS ||

To know where exactly one stands on the path is very difficult . The tricks of the mind are most subtle .

Only constant Vichara will keep you alert and safe .

Deep introspection alone can reveal a little of the mysterious workings .

SADHANA : TPPTSP | SEL0208 | SWAMI SIVANANDA

|| 1ST PRINCIPLES OF SADHANA & THEIR PERVERSIONS ||

Probe and probe into the mind . Do not be lenient to the mind . The mind will try to compromise with you . Relentlessly hunt out its hidden motives .

Subject yourself to keen self-analysis every day without fail .

Carry on a ceaseless search and a vigorous enquiry inwardly . Put your mind on the dissecting table of Vichara .

SADHANA : TPPTSP | SEL0209 | SWAMI SIVANANDA

|| 1ST PRINCIPLES OF SADHANA & THEIR PERVERSIONS ||

Pray to GOD < : YOURSELF : > to illumine your intellect with the light of knowledge . Watch the mind . Watch and pray .

Thus alone , through introspection , analysis , discrimination , vigilance and prayer can you understand the subtle jugglery of this wonderful thing called " mind " and transcend its deceptions and tricks .