Consistency means maintaining one’s level of performance. I develop it by completing all tasks to the best of my ability and never neglecting my spiritual practices. The opposite is erraticism.§
Comparing the behavior of one who is consistent to one who is erratic§ |
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|---|---|---|
Situation§ |
Consistency§ |
Erraticism§ |
In feeding the family pets, you…§ |
perform the duty daily without fail.§ |
sometimes forget and hope someone else will fill in.§ |
When faced with homework, you…§ |
complete all reading and assignments day after day.§ |
skip some days, suffering bad test results and low grades.§ |
In working with moods and emotions, you…§ |
keep yourself cheerful at all times, no matter what happens.§ |
are cheerful one day and moody the next.§ |
Gurudeva explained: “Basic principles for a good foundation in our lives can be established through consistency. The consistency in approach to what we are doing—a good habit pattern in living our life, as we approach our inner life, the understanding of our inner life, the study of it and the experience of it—has to be on a day-to-day basis.”§
“It is only through consistency that you can avoid many of the boulders that lie in your way on the classical yoga path to enlightenment. Practice the art of being constant, and you will unfold your destiny, discover what you were born to do and learn how to accomplish it in this life.… Consistency is the key to the conquest of karma. If you go to extremes or are sporadic in your sadhana, you can easily slide backwards.”§
ASSIGNMENT: Watch the patterns in your life during these two weeks, identifying habits that are inconsistent. Pick one and work to make your approach to it more disciplined.§
Date you began this assignment ____________________§
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BENEFITS OF CONSISTENCY: 
§
