Twenty Spiritual Instructions

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1. Get up at 4 a.m. daily. This is Brahma Muhurta which is extremely

favourable for meditation on God.

 

2. ASANA: Sit on Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana for Japa and Meditation

for half an hour, facing the east or the north. Increase the period

gradually to three hours. Do Sirshasana and Sarvangasana for keeping

up Brahmacharya and health. Take light physical exercises as walking,

etc., regularly. Do twenty Pranayamas.

 

3. JAPA: Repeat any Mantra as pure Om or Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Namah

Sivaya, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, Om Saravanabhavaya Namah, Sita

Ram, Sri Ram, Hari Om, or Gayatri, according to your taste or

inclination, from 108 to 21,600 times daily.

 

4. DIETETIC DISCIPLINE: Take Sattvic food, Suddha Ahara. Give up

chillies, tamarind, garlic, onion, sour articles, oil, mustard and

asafoetida. Observe moderation in diet (Mitahara). Do not overload

the stomach. Give up those things which the mind likes best for a

fortnight in a year. Eat simple food. Milk and fruits help

concentration. Take food as medicine, to keep life going. Eating for

enjoyment is sin. Give up salt and sugar for a month. You must be

able to live on rice, dhall and bread without any chutni. Do not ask

for extra salt for dhall and sugar for tea, coffee, or milk.

 

5. Have a separate meditation-room under lock and key.

 

6. Do charity regularly, every month, or even daily, according to

your means, say six paisa per rupee.

 

7. SVADHYAYA: Study systematically the Gita, Ramayana, Bhagavata,

Vishnu-Sahasranama, Lalita Sahasranama, Aditya Hridaya, Upanishads,

Yoga-Vasishtha, the Bible, Zend Avesta, the Koran, the Tripitakas,

the Granth Sahib, etc., from half an hour to one hour daily and have

Suddha-Vichara.

 

8. Preserve the vital force (Veerya) very very carefully. Veerya is

God in motion or manifestation, Vibhuti. Veerya is all power. Veerya

is money. Veerya is the essence of life, thought and intelligence.

 

9. Get by heart some prayer, Slokas, Stotras, and repeat them as soon

as you sit on the Asana before starting Japa or meditation. This will

elevate the mind quickly.

 

10. Have Satsanga. Give up bad company, smoking, meat and alcoholic

liquors entirely. Do not develop any evil habits.

 

11. Fast on Ekadasi day or live on milk and fruits only.

 

12. Have a Japa Mala (rosary) round your neck or in your pocket or

underneath your pillow at night.

 

13. Observe Mouna for a couple of hours daily.

 

14. Speak the truth at all cost. Speak a little. Speak sweetly.

 

15. Reduce your wants. If you have four shirts reduce the number to

three or two. Lead a happy contented life. Avoid unnecessary worry.

Have plain living and high thinking.

 

16. Never hurt anybody. Control anger by love, Kshama (forgiveness)

and Daya (compassion).

 

17. Do not depend upon servants. Self-reliance is the highest of all

virtues.

 

18. Think of the mistakes you have committed during the course of the

day, just before retiring to bed (self-analysis). Keep daily diary

and self-correction register. Do not brood over past mistakes.

 

19. Remember that death is awaiting you every moment. Never fail to

fulfil your duties. Have pure conduct (Sadachara).

 

20. Think of God as soon as you wake up and just before you go to

sleep. Surrender yourself completely to God (Saranagati).

 

This is the essence of all spiritual Sadhanas. This will lead you to

Moksha. All these Niyamas or spiritual canons must be rigidly

observed. You must not give leniency to the mind.

 

(Source: Essence of Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda)