Talks Excerpt 217. Indecision is a no-no.
From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.
[Excerpts from a book by Swami Yatiswarananda]
We must have firm faith and persevere. Faith is important because there are various kinds of obstacles [on the spiritual path] – and great tenacity is also needed. Persistence leads to great strength of mind, to the power of discrimination, the ability to take decisions. We sadly lack these.
Indecision is a sign of mental weakness, of conflict within you. If you are indecisive for a long time it leads to weakness. We must be decisive in small things. Even the smallest thing must be done with decision.
If you have a strict routine then many small details will not worry you. This leads to more energy etc. Do not remain indecisive – either get up immediately or sleep for another half hour. If you are inclined or not, do it.
We must have mastery over our feelings. Good sentiments must be retained within.
Until the character is transformed a great spiritual aspirant retains great feelings within, not outside.
At one time Swami Vivekananda told Swami Abhedananda to meditate, and by Swami Vivekananda’s influence Swami Abhedananda went into samadhi – after a while he came down.
Sri Ramakrishna was very angry about this and said to Swami Vivekananda, ‘Shame on you. You have not accumulated spiritual power and you are already spending it. You do not know what harm you have done him.’
Some people come here and say, ‘Why haven’t I had spiritual experiences after so long?’But they do not know how inner transformation takes place gradually.
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These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 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.