Swamiji talks about conditions for spiritual evolution. Talk excerpt 179.
From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.
[To those serious about spiritual life, Swamiji advised:] Brahmacharya must be observed at all times.
If a householder practices mind and sense control once a week, and during fasts and festivals, then he is practicing brahmacharya.
Conscious suppression of sex, with a spiritual aim, is absolutely necessary. Through love of God and meditation a true spiritual aspirant overcomes all natural difficulties.
In the West they stress Vedanta but not brahmacharya. Brahmacharya must be in thought, word and deed.
In thought you cannot help it, but turn it to higher passions like wanting God – it is beautiful. In word, turn the thoughts to higher spiritual things. In deed, do not do any of those things that will bring the mind down. You must totally control the sex instinct.
We follow the rules of yama and niyama – but if that leaves out chastity, it will be partial truth, but not perfect Truth.
Keep the senses pure, immaculate, for God alone. Without chastity you cannot stay on higher levels of spirituality.
Householders must do their duty as worship and live controlled, moderate lives. Do not live like animals.
Sri Ramakrishna said, ‘As long as I live, so long do I learn.‘ Can you imagine what will happen to us?
God is on all sides – above, below, before, behind. Think about it. God is everywhere, God is everything. Including you; where you are standing and what you are. Everything.
The free-to-read, 396 page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography is available by clicking HERE.
These recordings were made from the 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to an individual or a group of people with him, at the time.
The visual in today’s post is borrowed with gratitude from Ramakrishna Vivekananda Divinity School Facebook page, HERE.