Healing Guru

Here are some more gems from Vivekachoodamani written by Adi Shankracharya, one of the greatest saints India has produced.

The Major part of the work depends upon our own effort to rehabilitate ourselves. Thus, it is said that the individual should try to live the deep significances of the precept of the Master.
- Vivekachoodamani – 5-8

Practices such as these may somewhat help the individual, but he can lift himself from the mire of his inner weakness only by dint of sustained self-effort.
- Vivekachoodamani – 5-9

Any attempt of the mind to rise from the low values of its present existence to a healthier and diviner scheme of living is yoga. To get established in yoga is to make it a habit to strive sincerely to rise above one’s known weakness in order to attain the ideal.
- Vivekachoodamani – 5-10

In its subtler implication mumuksutva indicates an immediate benefit, which is directly proportional to the amount of effort invested.
- Vivekachoodamani – 5-18

All sense-thoughts are to be weeded out and spiritual ideals must be planted. When the sense-thoughts rise up, immediately pluck them out. This attention to the ‘garden of thought’ must be a continuous job. There should not be any break in it until you realize the infinitude. Destroy this ego completely. There is no time for any slackening anywhere during this limited span of life.
- Vivekachoodamani – 57-313