The Need for the Persistence of Faith to Succeed in the Yogic Endeavour

We often do not recognise that there are different parts of our being that may be at different stages in terms of the spiritual focus, the dedication, the faith and the commitment. Thus, when our mind gets distracted or concerned, or when our vital nature goes off in another direction, we may tend to feel like we are failing in the spiritual practice and we entertain considerations of giving up.

The great Tibetan Yogi, Milarepa reached a point in his spiritual focus that made him believe that he had no chance at acquiring the teaching and obtaining liberation in his lifetime, after some period of years when he was made to undertake backbreaking work while his Guru gave the teachings to other disciples who came to learn. He actually reached the point of considering suicide when he felt like he was a complete failure. It was only after that, that his Guru Marpa gave him the teachings and instruction needed to succeed. He eventually attained success. What carried him through, despite his doubts, fears and insecurities, was his ultimate spiritual faith. The main thing is to persevere and not let any of the external aspects of the being interfere with the soul’s faith in its spiritual destiny. As Sri Aurobindo has pointed out, “He who chooses the Infinite, has been chosen by the Infinite.” From the divine standpoint, the success is assured, as long as the seeker persists, even if along the way the seeker needs to confront and overcome numerous issues, obstacles and distractions.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna assures Arjuna that no efforts of faith, no efforts of dedicated effort are ever lost. Even if the seeker does not realise fully in one lifetime, the progress continues to carry him forward. Apropos of this point, there is a famous story of the Divine Singer Narad who met a yogi who was practicing severe austerities to achieve liberation. The yogi asked Narad when he would achieve the sought after liberation. Narad indicated that it would be within 4 more lifetimes. The process, from the side of the Divine, is continuous beyond birth, death and rebirth. There is thus, from that viewpoint, no cause for anxiety, despair or depression. These are all reactions of the ego-personality that wants to see the progress and have “instant” success, as defined by the ego. But if the issue is the change of human nature, clearly we have to redefine what constitutes success, and what constitutes a realistic time frame.

Sri Aurobindo writes: “Even a faltering faith and a slow and partial surrender have their force and their result, otherwise only the rare few could do sadhana at all. What I mean by the central faith is a faith in the soul or the central being behind, a faith which is there even when the mind doubts and the vital despairs and the physical wants to collapse, and after the attack is over reappears and pushes on the path again. It may be strong and bright, it may be pale and in appearance weak, but if it persists each time in going on, it is the real thing.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 129