*How to Seek God* *Swami Yatiswarananda*

*How to Seek God*

*Swami Yatiswarananda*

Chapter # 7
BHAKTI YOGA: DIVINE GRACE
Page: 61

At times, with a little effort, we feel elevated; at other times any amount of japa and meditation has no elevating effect. The mind itself is the cause of this contradictory experience. The breeze of divine grace is always blowing --- we do not have to force it to blow. We complain that we have achieved nothing in spite of long years' struggles. But unless we unfurl the sail, i.e. turn our minds to the divine grace, we cannot get the benefit of the breeze. The mind has to be taught to immerse itself in that flow of grace by reducing the ego. Often we are not aware of the flow of grace at all. This is the biggest obstacle. One prayer taught by Swami Brahmananda was: 'Lord! I know that your grace is flowing on to me. Please bless me to become aware of it. ' The sun is always shunning; we do not have to force it to shine. But unless we clean the dust from the mirror,  the sun's reflection will not be clear in it. Here cleaning the mirror is similar to cleaning the mind. A great deal of effort is needed in this cleaning process.