Practice makes perfect

[Chandran, Nanda (NBC)]

I think sometime back Jaladhar mentioned that Yoga literally means
'practice'. In my personal life, on quite a few occasions, I have been
amazed at what can be achived by practice - seemingly impossible tasks
made possible just by sheer practice.

Ramana says that the aspirant has to be extremely vigilant about his
everyday activities, concentrate his mind on the good, reject negative
impulses and over a period of time it would be second nature. Even for
sexual impulses, Ramana says the reason is that we identify with the
mind where the desire is formed and then with the body which enjoys the
pleasure. If we identify ourselves with the Soul or the conciousness and
be vigilant, over a period of time we should be able to overcome the
impulse.

In the Dhammapada, the Buddha states that the life of a sinner is very
easy as he does what he pleases. But the life of the virtuous man is
very hard indeed, as he's has to forever battle against his base
impulses every moment of his life. But then it'll only be the latter
who'll escape the cycle of rebirths.

And in another instance he states : Like the fletcher who straightens
his arrow, so must we straighten our mind (by constant practice).

Practice makes perfect.

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