I find myself suffering often from "backsliding," that is, I make some progress and then I fall back into my old, negative habits. Could Swamiji give some advice?

Ans : What one ardently aspires after, what one has one's heart and mind set upon-if thus one's entire life means a calm but firm movement towards the supreme goal, if the attainment of that goal is the paramount virtue in life, if day and night one's mind is ever engaged in finding ways to draw nearer to the goal-then nothing in this world can stop us from moving towards that goal and ultimately reaching it. There is a very descriptive expression in English: "moving back to square one." It means that after having made a lot of effort, if you suddenly make a wrong move, then you find yourself right back at the beginning-back to square one. You must have a clear idea of what you must do. Not only should you strive to move towards the goal, but simultaneously, you must also have a mechanism within your own psyche, a sort of device wisely formulated through your own wisdom, so that you ensure that there is no possibility of sliding back. This 'mechanism' consists of your common sense and intelligence, by drawing guidance form all sources of wisdom, such as svadhyaya, satsang, and reflection, discrimination and enquiry. It is then impossible to slide back to square one. On the contrary, you ensure yourself against even a little reversal, a little backsliding.

It should all be onward, upward, towards God, with no possibility of deviation, no possibility of slipping down even one little bit. That is why the Lord said that together with practice you must keep on developing and increasing dispassion. Practice should get valiant, effective and powerful support from dispassion. It seems like a great task, but you can make it simpler. God in His wisdom, love and compassion has so made it that your life is rationed out to you only in tiny sections of little, individual days. Each section is a very limited time period relieved by periods of restfulness. You are only required to attend to one section at a time, not all of life at once. Therefore, you only contend with one day at a time. You make up your mind, "Today is going to be a divine day. This day-it is sufficient. I will attend to making this day a perfect day. I will attempt this with all sincerity, with all my honesty and with all the powers of my being. It will bring out all that is auspicious, blessed, bright, beautiful and divine." That's what you are required to do.

It is not to think of spiritual life in terms of whole years or long periods, of a great struggle or a big journey. You are only expected to attend to the day that has dawned and that is in your hands. Look to it; make it perfectly spiritual, sublime and noble! Then you have a golden key to success in a simple, easy and effective way. This is the secret. This is within the possibility of everyone. Strive with all your might just for this one day-the gift of God, today. God bless you in this effort!