For Body, Mind and Spirit

Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

What is the meaning of spiritual awakening? You are mesmerized by the material world and thus think of material life as the basis of existence. When materialism becomes the basis of life, the spirit becomes weak. Note this carefully. The body becomes weak when it does not receive food and nutrition. The mind becomes weak when it does not receive joy. When it undergoes suffering continuously and cannot see a way out, the mind becomes negative, weak and narrow.

Similarly, the spirit becomes weak when there is lack of restraint, sanyam, in life. Unchecked indulgence and involvement in the material world diminishes the strength of the spirit. Just as the body needs nutrition from food to remain strong, the mind needs joy and the spirit needs sanyam. Sanyam means following disciplines in life.