Are you lacking Self-Discipline ? - Part 2Written by Carl Cholette
As a man practises self-control he approximates more and more to this inward reality, and is less and less swayed by passion and grief, pleasure and pain, and lives a steadfast and virtuous life, manifesting manly strength and fortitude. The restraining of passions, however, is merely initial stage in self-discipline, and is immediately followed by process of Purification. By this a man so purifies himself as to take passion out of heart and mind altogether; not merely restraining it when it rises within him, but preventing it from rising altogether. By merely restraining his passions a man can never arrive at peace, can never actualise his ideal; he must purify those passions. It is in purification of his lower nature that a man becomes strong and god-like, standing firmly upon ideal centre within, and rendering all temptations powerless and ineffectual. This purification is effected by thoughtful care, earnest meditation, and holy aspiration; and as success is achieved confusion of mind and life pass away, and calmness of mind and spiritualized conduct ensure. True strength and power and usefulness are born of self- purification, for lower animal forces are not lost, but are transmuted into intellectual and spiritual energy. The pure life (Pure in thought and deed) is a life of conservation of energy; impure life (even should impurity not extent beyond thought) is a life of dissipation of energy. The pure man is more capable, and therefore more fit to succeed in his plans and to accomplish his purposes than impure. Where impure man fails, pure man will step in and be victorious, because he directs his energies with a calmer mind and a greater definiteness and strength of purpose. With growth in purity; all elements which constitute a strong and virtuous manhood are developed in an increasing degree of power, and as a man brings his lower nature into subjection, and makes his passions do his bidding, just so much will he mould outer circumstances of his life, and influence thers for good. The third stage of self-discipline, that of Relinquishment, is a process of letting lower desires and all impure and unworthy thoughts drop out of mind, and also refusing to give them any admittance, leaving them to perish. As a man grows purer, he perceives that all evil is powerless, unless it receives his encouragement, and so he ignores it, and lets it pass out of his life. It is by pursuing this aspect of self-discipline that a man enters into and realises divine life, and manifests those qualities which are distinctly divine, such as wisdom, patience, non-resistance, compassion, and love. It is here, also, where a man becomes consciously immortal, rising above all fluctuations and uncertainties of life, and living in and intelligent and unchangeable peace.
| | A Matter of Sight and InsightWritten by John Harricharan
I want to tell you a little story. It happened during my first year in college. I was sitting in my room, late one night, studying for a chemistry test. Tests seemed to be a major part of my life in those days. I longed for time when I would never have to take another quiz, study for one more test or await results of final exams. I took a break from chemistry book to reflect on injustices of life. The food in cafeteria seemed designed for nutrition and not enjoyment. The professors were unfair, so many projects, too much homework, too little time, too much this and too little that. Shaking my head, I reached for a book a frien*d had dropped off day before, leaned back in my chair, and switched my attention away from studying, at least for a short while. I looked at title of book. It was "The Night They Burned Mountain," by Dr. Thomas Anthony Dooley. I casually flipped it open and thought I'd skim a few pages. My eyes settled on a sentence that was to determine, to a great extent, path my life would take. The words read, "It's better to light one candle than to curse darkness." I looked once more at words. They seemed to burn into my mind. I closed book, went back to studying for another hour or so and then went to bed. Before falling asleep, I looked at my professors in a different light. Instead of seeing them as demons intent on making my life miserable, I now saw them as dedicated teachers trying to impart their knowledge and wisdom to me. Perhaps cafeteria food was not so bad after all. Tests were there so that we could measure ourselves of today against ourselves of yesterday. What Dr. Dooley said to me on that night long ago was this: Bring light into situation, don't berate darkness; be grateful for what you have, don't be angry at what you don't have; change way you look at events and events will change way they appear to you.
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