Message #29330

[guest88]

Thanks Steve. I am touched by all of this reinforcement happening in my Life lately. I can not say I am *there yet* I can say now is the time to pray and sit in introspection, these gentle nudges have brought much revelation and are really the cure to my Ego and this psychological malady. These nudges are actually not new, God is always present, but so often I have disregarded them and have been unaware as to the reason for my loss of friends, embarrassing behavior or even poor reputation because I'd have rather indulged the senses unwittingly to the point of perversion. Sometimes my ignorance is intentional, like a child throwing a fit, my senses beg for attention. After enough suffering I am trying to undo the damage, I know it's going to take a while... but the commentary provided by Yogananda in GTWA is like my best friend and safe haven. I won't stop fighting, even if I am to lose a couple more battles.

I was going to share a little inspiration from Yogananda on self-control, surprised by your thread here, I figure this is a good place to put it.
Chapter 1 Verse 36 Page 151
 It's a reply to Arjuna's concern and argument that to go against the senses which are a divine creation of Nature is a Sin. He argues spirituality is about Love so he should instead accept and befriend his family born from the blind-sense mind because he is somehow appeasing Nature and the call to Love by doing so.

"The scriptures and Masters do instruct the devotee not to destroy the actual senses, but to slay their bad habits. The devotee is not asked to blind his eyes, deafen his ears, nor to paralyze his sense of smell, taste and touch. He is directed only to dislodge the enemies of optical, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactual attachments, which keep the soul imprisoned, forgetful of its omnipresent kingdom."

On Self-Control... Repeat to yourself,

"By the repetition of my ignorance-born evil actions and bad habits initiated by me, I have been compelled to love sense pleasures. Now I will undo all the evil by substituting good actions through the exercise of self-control, until good habits are firmly formed. I will substitute for the evil habit of sensory restlessness the good habit of calmness in meditation. My good habits will so convert my senses that I may truly see, smell, taste, touch, hear, think and feel only that which is good."

***Some important notes by Yogananda, he cautions devotee's to be mindful of false reasoning as they spring up and to recognize that good habits can take anywhere from 8-12 years to be formed.