Page 186 - Mystic Pathways through the Bible

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agitation in icted upon the unenlightened mind due to restless, distracted, and externalized thought waves and desires. Such subtle impurities, referred to in Yogic terminology as vikshepa, are reduced and then eliminated by the patient practice of devotion and meditation.
The nal obstacle to seeing your face in the mirror would be a veiling effect caused by your hair streaming down across your face. If you simply brush your hair away, with an easy movement, your face will clearly show itself. That veiling effect is like avidya, or ignorance of your true spiritual nature. By the practice of profound enquiry into “Who am I?” leading to the blossoming of intuitive intellect, you discover that the Divine Self shining in the mirror of your puri ed mind is your very Self.
Thus, throughout the course of sadhana, you must become increasingly aware of the crippling effect of the impure ego—that false “I” that asserts the feeling of ahamta (I-ness) and mamata (mine- ness). The ego gradually relaxes and is robbed of its power when you succeed in bringing God into every aspect of your life—performing your duties conscientiously, cultivating the treasure of Divine virtues, enjoying love of God, and succeeding in meditation and inquiry. As a result, your intellect ascertains the illusory nature of the ego, your heart opens completely to the majesty of the Divine Self