What is the best daily routine for a neophyte in spiritual sadhana?

Ans : Gurudev insists that from the very commencement of our sadhana we should hold before the mind the ideal of integral and harmonious development of all aspects of the personality. As man is not a one-sided being, the development should not be lop-sided. Man has a head, heart, a hand-a body, mind and soul-he has the intellect, emotion and the will. Gurudev says that every sadhaka should realise this truth and strive to develop his entire personality in a harmonious manner. One should have the heart of Buddha, the head of Sankara, and the hand of Janaka.

Therefore, the sadhak's daily routine must contain elements of all the four yogic paths. The mainstay of the daily routine should be the spiritualization of the entire life of the sadhak. The goal of life should be ever remembered. This goal is the attainment of God-realisation. Whatever be the external form of the sadhak's life, the aim of his life should be God-realisation. A little japa, a little kirtan should invariable find place in the daily routine. Gurdev has the greatest faith in the Lord's name. If you are of a devotional temperament, a little worship should also be there: have a small altar, light a candle, offer a small flower and do a brief puja. This is important. Then comes asana and pranayama; a few minutes practice of these two keep the body healthy. Study of religious books should not be neglected. Mediation is no doubt an advanced yogic practice, but it is never too early to begin meditation, and however imperfect the practice may be at first, one should be regular in the effort.

Another important item of the daily routine is self-analysis. The sadhak should take practical and effective steps to eradicate his vicious qualities and grow in virtue. He should aim at attaining perfection in the ethical practices of yama and niyama. The aspirant must daily search within himself for the traces of lurking evil and eradicate them. A very big slice of the time of the sadhak should be devoted to selfless service. The essential thing in this is the attitude and devotion. If you can selflessly serve the sick and the poor it is very good. But if that level of service is not available to you, you can keep up that attitude of devoting all your duties to God throughout the day. This is the 'easy sadhana" of Gurudev: think your house is a temple; feel the world is a manifestation of the Lord. Feel that your office is a shrine of the Lord; see God in all. This way, you can dedicate yourself to the work completely; you may plunge into the work, and yet you may be doing the highest sadhana. Start the day with prayer, during the day whenever you get a little leisure say, "Lord, it is all an offering unto You." Never miss an opportunity to serve humanity.

This completely covers the field of the sadhak's daily routine: some items of the devotional type to develop the heart, some items of selfless service to purify the heart, some items of raja yoga and then some of jnana yoga to lead to ultimate Self-realisation. The sadhak should always feel that his real "home" is elsewhere-in God-and this world is a wayside inn, where he is staying for a short period. He should cultivate dispassion, and also he should discriminate and choose the path of the good in preference to the path of the pleasant.