How can we measure our spiritual progress

April 4, 2010

Dear brothers/sisters Sai Ram

On the subject I wish to share with you the following few lines:

1. Swami told about this. I just put those in my words as i do not rember the exact words.

The wet ground all around is the symbol of rain. like wise the control of sences are

the symbol of sadhana or the progress you have made in the spiritual feild.

2. How can we know that the patato we put inside a cooker to be boiled? we will press it little and see whether it is boiled or not. If it is boiled it can be easily pressed otherwise it will be found hard as before.

The ego in common man is very hard. but in sadhakas it is soft, it is more accomodative, it is more loving, more fogiving , it will try to give than to get, it will try to expand than to contract.

3. Swami once gave the example of Pandavas . He said they were the real Devotees as they were very calm even at difficult times. So we can say calmness of mind is a symbol of progress in the path of sadhana.

4. Exmple: once there was a complain - O king do not send any more help to the Ashram nearby. The Guru and the disciples have become the easy goers, they have become lazy , wasting the provisions supplied by you , they are not in spritual pracice.

The king called the Guru and made him aware about the Complain. On listening about the complain the guru invited the king for a test. He remained with the king till night and they started to the Ashram in the night in guise. on the way they saw people sleeping outside their houses as it was hot summer; and in village areas people sleep like that. The guru had a pot of water with him he sprinled a little water on the face a man, the man got up roaring " abe sala koun hai"; they came near another person and did the same way , the man got up saerched for the lathi to bit them : but all the times the king and the Guru escaped as per their plan. At last they reached the Ashram and did tha same way they done on the way: the sadhakas wake up saing Hai om, Supravatam etc.

Then Guru said - my desciples are not lazy fellows , they do not keep to easy way of living, they are in the path of sadhana. Did you see the difference between common man and my disciples? We do not bother if you give us add or not . We have accepted the path of hard life - Sadhana . God will take care of us . O king do you undersatnd what I say.

King begged his pardon knowing that the allegation was a false one and continued providing for the need of the Ashramites.

At the time of difficulty the sadhakas do not forget the Righteous conduct.

5. Sadhana is journey in the inward path. You have to enter inside your own being. No other man can see how far you have proceeded. Only God and Guru - the indweller can Know. And you also can know what is the change if you compare about your present and past. The past should be a long past, because spiritual changes are not a overnight business. It takes a lot of time to progress in the spiritual field. It is because the impresson of our past births are very stong and we do not accept the changes our Guru try to induce in us and we keep on going in our own way, the old and worldly way.

6. Once a sadhak aked Mother Sarada Devi - O maa I do not see any change in me even if I am following your instrctions since long. The Mother replied - how can a sleeping baby know how far his mother has carried him?

It indicates that we are in sleeping stage. while sleeping we see dreames. The dreams are nothing but our desires about the so called happinss of the world. Even though we seem to be in a awakned state we are in dream state - carring our desires althrogh . If we drop our desires we are elivated to the spiritual domain. Life is heavy with desires and so our life is worldly. When there is no desire we are heavenly.

I have written a long reply . However, I summarise: Control of senses, Giving and forgiving , Calmnes of mind at the time of difficulty, less desires, faith on the God and Guru, faith on oneself are some of the symbols/ yardsticks you can measure the progress in sadhana.

To make a rapid progress always be with good company and undertake good activities. Service is (-) ive current and sadhana is (+) current . If both flow the light of wisdfom shall glow.

With loving sai Ram to all - Saroj