The most difficult thing in the world is to have a true and uncolored opinion and appreciation of oneself, one’s capacities, shortcomings, one’s desires and even the aspiration. There is always some motive of personal gain or fame or of grandeur or of being admired.
The first rule in yoga is to develop a true vision made up with the authentic light of intuition. It is there within us but we must have courage to disengage it from all mixture and with practice, this infallible Light will always be available as a strong torch in the darkest night. This is the first Light of the spirit. Its seat is in the heart in the occult center. If we remain quiet and develop the habit of becoming silent at will, this Light will shine at its best. This is not a moral or ethical or even logical light of intelligence or common sense. It tells you what is compatible and what is incompatible with the spiritual aspiration. It also gives premonitions, warnings or, and the message of the coming dawns, indications of what should be undertaken and developed, inspiration and this is a light of revelation. This light will reveal all the titanic, demoniac, even diabolical grandeurs, the kingdoms of violence, hatred, perversion, ugliness and everything considered as the hell. At the same time it will reveal to you more and more the Presence of the Divine, His interest in you, His help and guidance, His love and companionship, His power which will act in you and gradually transform all that is undivine. One has to be ruthlessly sincere to oneself. One should not nourish any falsehood, any act or project with an ulterior personal motive, there shouldn’t be any secret desire for personal satisfaction or egoistic fulfillment, one should be open like the sea and the sky, pure like the snow clad summits of the Himalayas. Our God is not a tyrant, not a judge, not even a strict father, He is not an inexorable, uncomprehending military dictator. He is above all our most intimate friend, the most reliable one, one who knows our aspirations our shortcomings, our strength, our weakness, our likes and dislikes. He does not condemn, He does not punish, He only holds out His hand to take us forward whenever we seek His help. Our God is a Being of beauty and harmony wanting us to materialize beauty and harmony in our thoughts, actions and speech, in our feelings, in our dealings with the world and others. Our God is very simple, very humble and always accessible under all circumstances. He is never offended by whatever we do or say against Him. We may insult Him and wish Him the worst, call Him by all unjust names, accuse Him as having great partiality for others and of being cruel to us but He does not mind. He always comes back with a smile the moment we turn to Him even with a loving anger.
The Divine life begins when we see the Divine is at the origin of all things and beings. He is the sustaining power. They are what they are because of his Presence. If there is any change or transformation it is because He wills it that way. There is only One Will, there is only One Existence, there is only One Consciousness and Being. In the mind, it is very difficult to imagine or even conceive it. So the mind must become quiet. The heart should learn to listen and then our soul will speak to us. There is no better security, no greater happiness, no fulfillment which can ever equal this awareness of the Divine. The path of yoga is long and difficult but a true and growing love for the Divine makes the journey pleasant and much shorter. A confident surrender to His supreme Wisdom is the beginning of true Divine Life.

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Niranjan Guha Roy