PRABHAVANANDA ON SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

In his teaching on Shankara’s Crest Jewel of Discrimination, Swami Prabhavananda underscored the necessity of consistent spiritual practice.

Just saying we are one with the Atman does not help, he pointed out.  We must maintain recollectedness throughout the day, and dedicate all we do to God.   

Chanting the name of God brings his sweetness, while just talking about him or reading about him does not.  The name of God in a chant and God himself are inseparable, he noted. 
 
We must take our mind from sense objects and place it at the feet of God.  Even if we do it for only half an hour a day, blessed is that half an hour.  To get results from spiritual practice we must continue doing it.  Chant to God, think of God, feel his presence all day long.

We talk of a spiritual “dry period.”  It is a dry period because we are not doing what we are supposed to do.  How much time do we spend to make a few dollars, have a few sense pleasures? 

The Buddha spent 12 long years in meditation before he attained illumination, and we complain when we put in an hour or two in a day.  We do an hour, half an hour, fifteen minutes and we wonder why God is not coming to us.

He concluded with, “Do something about it.”