A disciplined seeker incorporates the following practices into their life. Discipline begins with speech, then vision, then diet, then hearing, then eyes, and finally the mind. Now, we will discuss each of these aspects in detail.
Discipline of Speech
Speech should always be controlled and disciplined so that no inappropriate words are uttered. The discipline of speech means thinking before speaking, speaking less, speaking the truth, speaking sweetly, and only speaking words that are beneficial. No matter the situation, one should not speak harsh words.
Speaking less, speaking beneficially, speaking gently, speaking the truth, and maintaining silence—this is the discipline of speech. If one must speak, say only what is necessary and what brings happiness to others.
Discipline of Eyes
Vision should be maintained with great caution. Keep your eyes open in such a way that no inappropriate sight enters them. Do not cast unnecessary glances at a woman’s body. If animals or birds are mating on the way, do not look at them. Walk with your eyes lowered so that you can see everything clearly around you but avoid inappropriate sights. If by mistake an inappropriate sight is seen, do not look at it again.
The scriptures prohibit such things, so one can only imagine the miserable condition of those who watch obscene content on mobile or other media. The more restless the eyes, the weaker the power of vision becomes. While walking, do not look around unnecessarily—just focus ahead so that no living being is harmed underfoot.
The discipline of vision means seeing saints and the divine forms of God. It also means reading about the lives of devotees and saints but avoiding obscene magazines, images, or books that criticize great personalities. Read the words of saints and protect your vision from impure material.
Discipline Of Diet
Consume only as much food as is needed to satisfy hunger. Hunger will subside, but overeating due to taste cravings hinders devotion. The more one craves taste, the more restless the mind becomes. Therefore, avoid excessively tasty food. Eat simple food, drink pure water, and do not desire delicious food from others. The taste of food lasts only until it reaches the throat; once it goes down, it becomes meaningless. Hence, renounce the desire for taste and consume food as divine prasad.
Eat only as much as the body requires. If one can eat four chapatis, consume only two at a time—two in the morning and two in the evening. Nourishing the body is necessary, but overeating makes the life force sluggish and weak, while disciplined eating makes it strong. Eat sattvic, light, and economical food—food that digests quickly and benefits the body.
Do not eat excessive sweets. A small piece (not more than 50 grams) in 24 hours is sufficient. The body already gets the necessary sugar from other food sources, so extra sugar is not needed. Overconsumption of sweets increases rajas guna, whereas limited sweets enhance sattva guna.
If care is not taken, diseases like diabetes can destroy one’s health. Diabetes affects the liver and kidneys, weakening the entire body. Hence, limit sugar intake. Eat sattvic food and engage in devotion, only then is spiritual progress possible.
Balanced Diet And Lifestyle
Nowadays, people stay awake at night and sleep during the day, which is inappropriate. The best lifestyle is to wake up early at 4 A.M, chant the Lord’s name, exercise, and remain active during the day. The ideal sleeping time is from 10 P.M. to 3 A.M. Those who waste their nights in intoxication, adultery, and other immoral activities are ruining their lives. Human life is invaluable, and one should dedicate it to chanting the Lord’s name to improve both this life and the afterlife.
Food is meant to sustain the body, not for indulgence in taste. Even sattvic food, when eaten very hot, becomes tamasic. Overly hot and fried food is not suitable for a seeker. Eat food as prasad, without greed or attachment to taste. Avoid excessively oily, spicy, and stimulating foods. Stay away from red chilli, excessive sourness, excessive sweets, and stale food.
Practice self-control—sometimes, fast without food so that the mind can be free from food thoughts. Be particularly mindful while eating because the thoughts during meals influence the mind for the next 24 hours. Do not eat while harbouring anger, lust, or other negative emotions. Instead, remember God and chant His name while eating.
Regulate your food intake—neither overeat nor eat too slowly. 15 to 20 minutes is sufficient time for a meal. Eat each morsel slowly and mindfully; this way, even a small amount of food will satisfy the body and maintain energy.
Sleep And Balanced Diet
Both sleep and diet can be either excessively reduced or excessively increased. If one increases chanting the holy name by just half an hour daily, one can eventually engage in devotion for 24 hours. On the other hand, if one increases sleep by 5 to 10 minutes daily, they will eventually develop a habit of sleeping all the time.
For seekers, the rule of eating is twice or thrice a day. Frequent eating throughout the day is not suitable for a seeker. Always eat with pure thoughts and while chanting the holy name, only then will the food benefit both body and mind.
Only Consume Food Offered to Lord
Never eat food without offering it to the Lord. Only accept food that has been offered to God. Revered Pandit Gaya Prasad Ji Maharaj said:
“Never eat food without first offering it to the Lord. If food has been offered, consider it the Lord’s prasad. If there is no opportunity to perform Thakur Seva, at the very least, close your eyes, remember the Lord, mentally offer the food, and then partake of it as prasad.”
Do Not Criticize, Nor Listen to Criticism!
Do not listen to criticism of saints. Do not listen to criticism of God’s devotees. If someone is engaging in criticism, plug your ears and walk away.
Do Not Praise Yourself, Nor Listen to Your Own Praise
If someone praises you, humbly dismiss it. Otherwise, it will give rise to ego and obstruct your devotion.
Spiritual Progress is Achieved Through Purity. Only through pure food, pure speech, pure vision, and pure hearing can one attain spiritual progress.
Guidance By: Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj
