Swami Shivapadananda on spiritual progress

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

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

Day 281

Only a man who is united in thought, word and deed can keep a vow to
God. There is nothing he cannot do. Body, mind and spirit must be One to
re-enter the Source, God.

Every action has a reaction. Have a guru and love him, even if you hate
someone else. It is so necessary to have a guru. Without a guru you may cross
the sea of worldliness but you will encounter many difficulties. Rather have a
guru to row you across. How do I know my guru is worthy? You only need to know
if you are worthy. You can even worship a stone. Thinking of God will
take you there.

You wash the murthi [statue, image, picture, representation] to cleanse
and purify yourself. You are only impure by thought. So purify yourself with
the thought of God. Control the mind through breathing.

Meditation makes the mind calm. This controls anger and this controls
the sex organs. Practise deep rhythmic breathing. A blissful attitude constitutes
pranayama [yoga breathing]. Offer the breath to God by using the guru mantra
[sacred name of God or sound syllable]. Usually life lives on other life, but
he is a God-man who gives all willingly for God.

Meditate on this: there is One inside and many outside.

We are like the conch [a shell, pictured] which makes no sound when it is blocked,
that is to say, full of evil. We must cleanse it first and then blow it.

If you find a spirit visiting you, repeat the guru mantra and order the
entity to leave. You do not want it around even if it is not harmful.