1st October 2022- Asana (posture) must be steady and pleasant; and constant practice, identifying the mind with the Infinite, will bring this about.
2nd October 2022- God is with me, the Beloved. He was with me when I was in America, in England, and in India, when I was roaming about unknown from place to place. What do I care about what people talk– the babies, they do not know any better. What! I, who have realized the Spirit and the vanity of all earthly nonsense, to be swerved from my path by babies’ prattle! Do I look like that?
4th October 2022- We may study books all our lives, we may become very intellectual, but in the end, we find we have not developed at all spiritually. It does not follow that a high order of intellectual development always shows an equivalent development of the spiritual side of man.
5th October 2022- The practice of meditation has to first proceed with an object before the mind. In the early days, I used to concentrate my mind on a black point. Ultimately I could not see the point anymore, nor notice that the point was before me at all– the mind used to be no more– no wave of functioning would rise– as if it were all an ocean without any breath of air. In that state, I used to experience glimpses of transcendent truth. So I think that the practice of meditation even with some trifling external object leads to mental concentration.
6th October 2022- The mind attains calmness very easily when one practices meditation with anything on which one’s mind is most apt to settle down. This is the reason why we have in India so much worship of the images of gods and goddesses. And what wonderful art developed from such worship!
7th October 2022- Work unto death– I am with you, and when I am gone, my spirit will work with you. This life comes and goes– wealth, fame, enjoyments are only of a few days. It is better, far better to die on the field of duty, preaching the truth, than to die like a worldly worm. Advance!
10th October 2022- I feel my task is done– at most three or four years more of life are left. I have lost all wish for my salvation. I never wanted earthly enjoyments. I must see my machine [Ramakrishna Order] in strong working order, and then knowing sure that I have put in a lever for the good of humanity, in India at least, which no power can drive back, I will sleep, without caring what will be next.
11th October 2022- The yogis claim that of all the energies that are in the humna body the highest is what they called “Ojas.” Now this Ojas is stored in the brain, and the more Ojas is in our head, the more powerful we are, the more intellectual, the more spiritually strong. Some may speak beautiful language and beautiful thoughts, but they do not impress people; some others speak neither beautiful thoughts, yet their words charm. Every movement of theirs is powerful. That is the power of Ojas. Now in every person there is more or less of this Ojas stored up.
14th October 2022- This is the history of humanity. Finer and finer becomes the veil, more and more of the light behind shines forth, for it is its mature to shine. It cannot be known; in vain we try to know it. Were it knowable, it would not be what it is, for it is the eternal subject. Knowledge is a limitation, knowledge is objectifying. He is the eternal subject of everything, the eternal witness in this universe, your own self.
15th October 2022- May I be born again and again, and suffer thousands of miseries so that I may worship the only God that exists, the only God I believe in, the sum total of all souls– and above all, my God the wicked, my God the miserable, my God the poor of all races, of all species, is the special object of my worship.
18th October 2022- All the forces that are working in the body in their highest become Ojas. You must remember that it is only a question of transformation. The same force which is working outside as electricity or magnetism will be changed into Ojas. The yogis say that that part of the human energy which is expressed as sex energy, in sexual thought, when checked and controlled, easily becomes changed into Ojas. They try to take up all their sexual energy and convert it into Ojas. It is only the chaste man or woman who can make the Ojas rise and store it in the brain; that is why chastity has always been considered the highest virtue.
19th October 2022- Feel nothing, know nothing, do nothing, have nothing, give up all to God, and say, “Thy will be done.”We only dream this bondage. Wake up and let it go. Take refuge in God, only so can we cross the desert of Māyā. “Let go thy hold, Sannyāsin bold, say, Om tat sat, Om!”
20th October 2022- Duty is good to the extent that it checks brutality. To the lowest kind of people, who cannot have any ideal, duty does some good. But those who want to be karma yogis must throw this idea of duty overboard. There is no duty for you and me. Whatever you have to give to the world, do give by all means, but not as a duty.
21st October 2022- What you see as this world does not exist outside. It is all a mental projection. When the mind becomes functionless, it reflects Brahman-consciousness. Then the vision of all spheres of existence may supervene. Yam Yam manasā samvibhāti, “Whatsoever sphere one may call up in mind” (Mundaka, 3.1.10). Whatsoever is resolved is resolved on becomes realized at once.
24th October 2022- Where is the explanation of all ethics? Once idea stands out as the center of all ethical systems, expressed in various forms, namely, doing good to others. The guiding motive of mankind should be charity towards all beings, charity towards all animals.
But these are all various expressions of that eternal truth that, “I am the universe; this universe is one.” Or else, where is the reason? Why should I do good to my fellowmen? Why should I do good to others? What compels me? It is sympathy, the feeling of sameness everywhere.
25th October 2022- Whatever you have to give to the world, do give by all means, but not as a duty. Be not compelled. Why should you be compelled? Everything that you do under compulsion goes to build up attachment.
26th October 2022- The flaw is we focus on whatever and our thoughts working that direction and we attract the same. Gradually it becomes our habit and we differ. Try to focus on one good thing today and see the magic.
My time is short. I have got to unbreast whatever I have to say, without caring if it smarts some or irritates others. Therefore, my dear Mary, do not be frightened at whatever drops from my lips, for the power behind me is not Vivekananda but He the Lord, and He knows best. If I have to please the world, that will be injuring the world; the voice of the majority is wrong, seeing that they govern and make the sad state of the world. Every new thought must create opposition– in the civilised, a polite sneer; in the vulgar savage, howls and filthy scandals.
28th October 2022- It is our privilege to be allowed to be charitable, for only so can we grow. The poor man suffers that we may be helped; let the giver kneel down and give thanks, let the receiver stand up and permit. See the Lord back of every being and give to Him.
31st October 2022- All truths reveal themselves to them who have got real devotion to the Guru. They have hardly any need of studies. But such devotion and faith are very rare in this world.