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Swamiji: Human life is unlike that of animals. All the others have a fixed nature. None of them is expected to change it. As against this, human beings have to choose and follow what they want and what would be the best. Every one has to exercise his will and effort to gain the necessary wisdom for making his choice and implementing it. His worth consists in how much he is able to do this. Understand this first.
As against the pleasurable objects before the senses, the human has access to the joyful thrills and ecstasy hidden in his own within. By developing the right wish and will discreetly, he will be able to access this inner reservoir, by which alone he can feel contented and fulfilled.
To begin with, every one has his or her habits, tendencies. As an adult, examine these and decide what all are bad and should be dispensed with. Generally such knowledge comes from exposure, through others or books. Once this exposure is had, you have to reflect on it and assimilate it well. When assimilated, like food becoming blood, the knowledge will become yours.
Knowledge is such that it always has its operative influence. Let it be in you. Your very enquiry indicates that you feel some habits and tendencies are bad. Bad means to be dispensed with, outlived. The more you gain this knowledge and make it effective, the weaker will grow your bad habits and tendencies. Be sure.
Meanwhile, every time you yield to these habits, the mind and intelligence should effectively admit that it is bad and should be dispensed with. This constant negation by the mind about what you do, will weaken the habit and make it fall. The time it takes to leave you completely will vary, depending upon the strength of the habit as well as your inner personality.
You can sit in a place and reflect upon what is to be eschewed and why it does not leave you. This reflection, involving time, is actually the effort to get rid of the habit. I have one formula: The 'mind hours' you spend on any effort, will determine its success.
To pray is good, in general. But nothing is so effective as the effort to generate one's own wish and will. Strengthen your knowledge and discrimination. It is like this: You are about to sip some milk. The cup is already close to your lips. Someone close by suddenly tells you: "Don't drink! There is poison in it." Will you not instantly keep the cup away?
If this is natural, it should be true of anything bad or deleterious to your mind and heart. Your discrimination should be sharper and the mind more and more loyal to heed it.
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