Swami Shivapadananda on faith and meditation

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY

READINGS

Taken from Mother Radha’s
notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

Day 277

Of a good man, shout at the top of your voice. Of a bad man speak not,
be silent always. No matter how much it hurts inside, be like the ocean, swallow
it. If the guru says, ‘Jump in the fire’ and you jump, this is adamant [diamond-hard, solid] faith.
For example Jesus says, ‘If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can
move mountains.’

If I offer all the food to Krishna and then eat – this is fasting.

Be happy no matter what happens, for the Lord thy God sitteth [sits, is seated] on thy
right hand.

Treat everyone as your own.

When meditating think: As I sit here, the guru sits with me. As I walk
he walks with me. Only my thought separates us.

In meditation you can disconnect from everything. Be inside with the
Lord. Do this before meditation. Put the whole temporary world at the Lord’s
feet. You can do it. Christ, Buddha, Krishna did it. You only need to practise to have discrimination.

Fill the well of meditation each day, drop by drop. Do it for four hours
and you will be yogis. Start at five a.m. How many times did you miss meditation?
How many spiritual rules did you break? What punishment did you give yourself?
We are lazy. We cannot face the truth of ourselves. Stand naked in front of
God, judge yourself justly, then others will do the same. No one can do it
better than you yourself.

If a man praises you, say, ‘It is yours Ma [Divine Mother].’