IV: 39

Chapter 4, Verse 39

"Resolute, mastering the senses,
Those with strong faith become wise;
Once they realize true wisdom,
Supreme peace is sure to follow."

Sri Eknath Easwaran

"Shraddha is not blind faith, but rather a deep conviction based on personal experience. As you progress on your path, you will begin to see an inner power guiding and protecting you in even the most difficult circumstances. The teacher will point the way, but you have to do your own traveling. The personal experiences of others may inspire you to tread your path and plant the seed of Shraddha, but faith can only develop fully when you experience these truths for yourself."

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

"There are three fields of faith: faith in yourself, faith in the teacher, and faith in God. Faith in yourself is necessary so that you do not begin to doubt your own experience. Faith in the teacher enables you to accept the fundamentals of the teaching; if, in the absence of faith the basic principles of the teaching are rejected, you will neither be able to benefit from them nor verify their truths, since the truths of the teaching can be verified only by personal experience arising from the practice given by the teacher. Faith in God will protect your heart and mind, ensuring steady progress which is so important in the life of the student.

The regular practice of meditation brings the great blessings of harmony and joy in life, helping the heart and mind grow in faith and keeping you resolute on the path towards Self-realization. Thus, stability is gained."

A friend:

"This passage speaks directly to my heart. Faith is something that I need to develop and practice in meditation and my daily life. Faith in myself is sometimes difficult if I don't take time to look at myself."

[When I take the time to look at myself, I don't always like what I see. That's when it becomes important to have compassion for myself. I can't have compassion for others if I don't have it for myself. At the same time, too much compassion for myself, what can be called idiot compassion, is so accepting of everything I do that no brakes are applied when an unskillful course of action is about to be embarked upon. If I can find that elusive balance between idiot compassion and being overly self-criticial, faith in myself and my path will blossom.]