Talks Excerpt 424. Swamiji says: The secret of all mantras, all sadhanas is imagination.
From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.
The secret of all mantras, all sadhanas is imagination, or image-making. Do that slowly and you will overcome the image itself. But no one wants to do this. [A reminder: Swamiji consistently said that imagination is the greatest gift. Not ‘a’ gift but the greatest gift. Swamiji also used to tell us that ‘What starts out as imagination turns into reality.’]
If you get depressed think of apples, oranges, bees – think of the sun, of the colour of the flowers. During the day do it for 3 minutes, or 15 minutes. Think of happy times in church for example – and you will find happiness and be transformed. That is how to be happy, and hale and hearty. Offer all you do to Him [God, the Divine]. You are blaming the key but you are putting it in the wrong lock. Put the key in its rightful place.
Swami Yatiswarananda [pictured] says: Do all for Him. The central thought must be about God. This leads to great results if you stick to it. There is no miracle, no magic, in spiritual life.
They say spiritual pride and arrogance are sparked off by miracles. Spiritual life is very simple, but it is difficult.
I would like to change that to ‘It is very simple and therefore so difficult.’
Sri Ramakrishna said: A true devotee of God must have absolute calmness – never be disturbed by the opinions of others. Be like the blacksmith’s anvil, endure all the blows and persecutions, and yet remain firm in your faith, and always be the same.
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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.