Talks Excerpt 410. Swamiji says: Irregular breathing is a tremendous waste of time and makes the mind restless.

From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

[Discussion around a reading from a book by Swami Yatiswarananda – Meditation and Spiritual Life]:

Pranayama is dangerous if you do not follow a regulated life [including brahmacharya] under the constant guidance of a qualified teacher. But there is no harm in practising regulated breathing, without holding the breath [kumbhaka]. First, practise it at definite times. Later, you can do it at other times too.

Try to practise rhythmic breathing always, until it becomes a habit. Irregular breathing is a tremendous waste of time and makes the mind restless. The senses must be subdued; the mind must be made rhythmic. All of the body machine must come under your control – then you can enjoy operating the body machine, otherwise not.

There is need for constant alertness [awareness, mindfulness, vigilance]. Most of us are dream walking, we just walk in a dream. We do not know how our life went on Earth. Become fully conscious under all circumstances, in all situations in life, and learn to recognise your own true motive.

Criticise yourself severely. There must be constant, but not destructive criticism, if it is to help you in your spiritual striving and evolution.

‘I am a sinner.’ Say this and it makes you a sinner all the more, and takes away all your spiritual initiative. Remind yourself that you are divine and capable of doing good.

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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.