The Basis for Faith in God - Prerequisite to Achie
The early explorers, who left Europe to sail west in search of new
lands, were filled with confidence. They had faith that they would not fall off
the "edge"of the world. They were confident of their destination and of their
ability to reach that destination. As a result, they discovered a new world of
wonder and wealth.
Self confidence is also an indispensable attribute of the successful
spiritual explorer. Little, if anything, is accomplished without
confidence in oneself. We must have confidence that we will accomplish the
task, that we will travel the path to our destination. Without hope for a
successful conclusion, there can be little enthusiasm for the journey. We must
be convinced of our own innate divinity. There is no place for self
condemnation, which causes us to question our worthiness to succeed.
"Without self confidence, no achievement is possible. If you have
confidence in your strength and skill, you can draw upon the inner springs of
courage and raise yourselves to a higher level of joy and peace. For confidence
in yourselves arises through the atma, which is your inner reality. The atma is
peace, it is joy, it is strength, it is wisdom. So it is from the atma that you
draw all these equipments for spiritual progress" Baba
Without self confidence, we are tossed on the stormy seas of
confusion and doubt. Without that deep faith in yourselves, we are driven from
port to port, never finding the rest we seek. The fulfillment of our search in
the world is found within ourselves. Whatever satisfaction we find around us is
a reflection of our inner contentment.
"The fisrt thing you have to do is develop self confidence. It is
people who have no confidence in their own self who begin to wander about and
to waver and to take to various different paths" Baba
Even material progress is based on faith in ourselves, in our own
ability to accomplish a task. We achieve little if we are swayed by the
criticisms of the crowd. We must chart a course and then hold to it,
undisturbed by the inevitable ups and downs along the way. Like the early
explorers, we may not find exactly what we expect, but we are sure to expand
our horizons. We must value our own inner vision and our ability to manifest
that vision in our lives.
"Don't deny the validity of your own experience. Stand on your
strength, be unmoved either by adulation or denigration. Follow my lead; I am
unaffected by either, I march on alone, undeterred and my own accord. I am my
own guide and witness; have full faith in this" Baba
Continued..Self Confidence - The Basis for Faith in God - Faith in
Self, Faith in God Part 02
