VI: 45

Chapter 6, Verse 45

"Treading the path of Yoga
And moving gradually
Towards wholeness
Through many lifetimes,
Yogis reach the End Supreme
At the last.

Sri Eknath Easwaran:

Yesterday at the swimming pool, I played the role of instructor with my niece Geetha.  First, I asked her to jump into the water, which naturally frightened her.  She loves me very much, so I had only to tell her to jump into my arms.  She jumped.  Then, holding on to me tightly, she kicked her way across the pool.  In future lessons, she will gradually learn to let go of me, until one day she will find that she is swimming on her own, with me at her side just in case.

In a similar way, when we become completely self-reliant in the outer world by depending on the Lord of Love within, we will find that he is there for us all the time.  We cannot drown.

Around the pool there were lifeguards walking about with long poles to rescue anyone in trouble.  Life today is often like being in a swimming pool without knowing how to swim.  When we hate those who hate us, when we burst out in anger against those who are angry towards us, it is because we have not learned how to swim; but when we try to swim, by returning love for hatred and compassion for anger, even if we sink a little and gasp for air, Ramana Maharshi or St. Francis or any number of others are there holding out a long pole to aid us.  There is no need to be afraid, for there is always some illumined being at the ready to help us negotiate the sea of life called Samsara.

Paramahansa Yogananda:

As Yogis proceed on the path, they find that their minds are passing through various stages of concentration.  In the earlier stages, once in a while their minds are calm and most of the time restless; later, roughly half the time calm and half the time restless; later, nearly all of the time calm and once in a while restless; and finally, all of the time calm without ever being restless.  When they reach the fourth, unchanging state, they find that their feelings are free from likes and dislikes.  The limiting effects of past actions have been removed by Yoga practice.

Patanjali says in the Yoga Sutras:  "Yogis who make keen efforts without being impatient and who possess faith and devotion, vital energy, recollection of the Self, discernment and calm persistence in deep meditation achieve Emancipation in a short time."

Pedestrians on the path of Yoga may take many lives to reach the goal, whilst fast spiritual travelers may arrive in one life.

Ramana Maharshi:

Gunpowder catches fire in an instant, while it takes a long time to set fire to coal.