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Progress in any aspect of human
excellence would be healthful and can also be sustained only by weeding out
distractions and retarding influences - either of one's own making or otherwise.
Even on issues as dieting for losing weight, the benefits accrued through
discipline over many days, can be nullified by just one binge or indulgence.
Involvement with all worthwhile activities - arts, music, focused study,
science, etc-would presuppose the need to guard against even a single slip.
William James rightly compared such a slip up, which can undo in just a moment
the effect of the assiduous accumulation of all past and disciplined effort, to
rolling up a ball of string. A single slip can undo many turns of winding the
string!
Applied to the pursuit of
excellence in spiritual or moral discipline, the aspirant should be watchful
against even isolated instances of misdemeanour in conduct, habits or lifestyle.
Mahesh Yogi urges upon the need to integrate and harmonise all activities in
day-to day living in a manner that each is not in conflict with the other.
Relaxation, focus, joie de vivre and vitality, obtained through spiritual
exercises or right living, could easily give way to agitation, distraction,
dissipation and ennui, if the aspirant allows himself to be led toward unhealthy
or negative influences .
The needed approach of sustained
consistency and stability is attained through developing, through watchfulness
and application (sadhana) that virtue of equilibrium, termed by Bhagavad Gita
(2, 48) as samatvam. Such an evolved being is also described in another verse
(6,7) as one who is balanced in both "heat and cold" (figuratively referring to
"difficulties and ease"), "joy and grief" and "honour and dishonour,"
This process of eternal
vigilance, of not ever losing sight of the ultimate objective, is also conceived
of by the great Tamil Garnatic music composer, Papanasam Sivan in his
composition (raga Sriranjini), where he exclaims, in the joy of his
self-discovery, that he would never again forget, even for a moment, the glory
of God (ini oru kanam unnai maraven).
Right priorities and policies,
proper planning of all activities of the day and being always in control-these
would inevitably follow to protect the aspirant from the 'single slip'. At the
end of the day, he would be fulfilled, in the spirit of H W Longfellow's
immortal lines (The Village Blacksmith); "Something attempted, something
done,/Has earned a night's repose." |
