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Unwholesome Thoughts and Self-watchfulness

Fully realize for yourself the grave and ruinous consequences of evil thoughts. This will
set you on your guard when the evil thoughts would come. The moment they come, exert
yourself or divert the mind to some other object of divine thoughts, prayer or Japa. A real
earnestness to drive away the evil thoughts will keep you on the alert so much so that even if they
appear in dream you will at once wake up. Should the enemy appear when you are awake, it will
not be very difficult for you to cope with him, if only you are sufficiently watchful.
You must be saved from the malformation and the miscarriage of your mind. Mind is like
a playful child. The clement energies of the mind must be bent to become the passive channels
for the transmission of truth. The mind must be filled with Sattva (purity). It should be trained to
think of Truth or God, constantly.
If you want rapid progress in the spiritual path, watch every thought. A vacant mind is
ever distressed. It is the devil’s workshop. Be thoughtful. Keep guard over your mind. Watch
every impulse and thought.
Spiritualize or sublimate your instincts. Evil thought is the most dangerous thief. Slay this
thief with the sword of wisdom. Generate daily new divine vibrations or thought-waves in your
mind. Make your thought pure, strong, sublime and definite. You will gain immense spiritual
strength and peace.
Every thought must be constructive and noble. Thoughts are only refractions. Slay all
thoughts. Go thou within to the Light of lights. If you wish to attain Self-realization, imagination
and speculation must stop. Purify and control the emotions. Beneath your conscious life, there is
a very wide region of subconscious life.
All habits originate from the subconscious plane. Subconscious life is more powerful than
your ordinary life of objective consciousness. Through the practice of Yoga you can modify,
control and influence the subconscious depths. Take one evil trait. Meditate on its opposite virtue
every morning. Practice it during the day. The evil quality will vanish soon. Meditate on mercy in
the morning and practice it during the day. You will soon develop mercy.
If evil thoughts enter your mind once in a month instead of thrice weekly (remember that
evil thinking is the beginning of adultery), if you become angry once in a month instead of once
weekly, that is a sign of progress, that is a sign of your increased will-power; that is a sign of
growing spiritual strength. Be of good cheer. Keep a diary of spiritual progress.