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178 SPIRIT AND THE MIND
with some of Baba’s college students and older devotees. Baba picked two or three students from the crowd to give impromptu talks. I’ve always shuddered at the prospect of being selected. Since meeting Baba I’ve become acutely aware of my ignorance. I wonder, “What in the world would I say?”—and marveled at these young students giving moving spiritual discourses without preparation or forewarning — simply speaking from the heart about their experiences with Baba.
Following the talks there was a period of delightful bhajan singing and then Baba spoke.
It is important for man to have confidence. A child without confidence in his mother, a husband without confidence in his wife, a pupil without confidence in his teacher, will lead a miserable life. In India there are many people who go on pilgrimages. They visit sacred centers and temples, but the question is, with how much dedication and confidence do they set out on their pilgrimage?
The result of any action is dependent upon the amount of confidence with which it is done. We might not have confidence or faith in what we’re undertaking, yet at the time, asking God for great gifts. If a person wants to benefit in what he’s doing, he must have a steady mind and a vision that is not so easily shaken.
Today, man has developed a disease in his hearing. Many people give their ears to all types of spiritual discourses, but that doesn’t mean they’re seeking the maximum benefit from listening. Many satisfy themselves by saying that it is enough to merely listen. This sort of confidence, this kind of approach is not proper. We listen to Swami’s discourses for a long time and derive a great deal of happiness by merely listening. But the real question is—are we able to put into practice anything that we have heard? If not, then we can conclude that the sense of hearing is becoming diseased. In addition to hearing we have to develop the faculty of thinking of what we have heard, and consider what is good and useful about it— and then putting into practice the good things that we have heard. Nothing will be achieved if we merely listen and don’t think about or do.
A small example. Let’s compare this to the preparation of food in the kitchen. Is our hunger satisfied by the preparation we do in