EFFORT LINKED WITH FAITH

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

38. EFFORT LINKED WITH FAITH
Spiritual life, spiritual striving, spiritual practice, Yoga, Vedanta and sadhana all constitute
a science, an exact science as much as any physical science upon the outer field of this material
universe. Just as the outer field of the material universe follows certain precise patterns which
invariably follow exact laws, so upon the inner field of the spiritual universe all things move in a
predictable manner according to precise laws.
All attainment, all achievement is the result of effort put forth in a suitable manner in a
direction where the object desired is attainable, not in any other direction. If a water diviner tells a
farmer to dig for water in a certain spot, then the procedure is always to dig vertically, straight
down. They do not dig in any other direction. It is done precisely, geometrically, correctly. And it is
such digging that yields water. If, instead, one digs at an angle one may go down hundreds of feet
but one will miss the water indicated by the water diviner.
This is the importance of direction. Misdirected energy, misdirected effort would achieve
certain results, but not the desired result. It will not get you what you are looking for, what you want.
You will get a lot of excavated earth and it will get you to some depth, but you will not gain the
desired fruit. Something else might be had, but not what you are seeking for.
Even so, spiritual science is a precise science where effort has to be put forth in the right
direction. It is an exact scientific process, but only it is a divine science. It is a science that
transcends time, space, here, there, now, then, and name and form, because it is the quest after the
timeless, the eternal. It is the quest after the spaceless, infinite, boundless, limitless, immeasurable;
but, nevertheless, it is an exact science, a transcendental science.
The Upanishads call it para vidya, a science of that which transcends all the known norms,
all relativity. Nevertheless, it is a science where when certain conditions are fulfilled, where effort
is in the right direction and where one never loses sight of what one wants, the results are as precise
and predictable as in any field of the outer, material universe.
And, one should also recognise well that one must persevere. No scientific discovery was
made with a single attempt. A harvest of grain is not produced in a single day. No fruit appears on a

tree before its time. So, with patience one has to persevere in putting forth the needed effort. This is
wisdom. Impatience is a lack of understanding that in a science things work in a precise manner.
Therefore, in this science no effort is ever wasted, no effort is in vain, no effort is futile. Every bit of
effort put forth adds on to all the effort that has gone before.
Therefore the saying: “Pray and also work.” Go on working, go on praying patiently. Your
work will guarantee and ensure that your prayer comes true. And your prayer assures and
guarantees that you will not stop midway in your work. It infills you with a force, a feeling, an urge,
a drive. Because prayer believes and work achieves.
It is the force of this faith, this belief, that makes the work authentic, genuine, effective and
fruitful. They cannot be divorced. They mutually supplement and support each other. It is an art and
a science.
Faith, trust and devotion are an art, an inner state, a state that is a manifestation of that within
you which is already divine. And effort, sadhana, is a science that may seemingly be undivine. It is
through the body, the mind, the intellect, the emotions, through certain techniques and processes. It
seems to be very much on this relative plane. But when linked together with this inner divine force,
the principle of faith, sraddha, knowledge is obtained. Sraddhavan labhate jnanam (The man who
is full of faith obtains knowledge).
What a person believes in, that verily that person is, that verily constitutes the personality of
the person. This is a declaration in the Gita regarding this faith, the inner state of calmly and firmly
believing in the objective of your life. Thus linked together—prayer with faith, and effort with
resolution and calm, patient perseverance—they bring about seeming miracles. Perseverance and
patience are required because as in any other science, things take their own time.
Thus, the wise sadhaka, the earnest seeker, understanding that the divine science is also a
science governed by precise laws and conditions which if fulfilled yield results, is never perturbed
and never gives up. Calmly, patiently, perseveringly and continuously one keeps up the effort that
leads to realisation. Thus, one should relate oneself to this divine science as a person of faith and a
person who is a yogi. Because, the hallmark of yoga is abhyasa; repeated, continuous effort is the
inner svarupa of yoga.
Let us reflect well upon these facts and truths about our spiritual life and become the
fortunate few who reach the Goal. It is those that keep on struggling upwards that reach the peak of
the mountain, not those who keep on looking back at the distance already climbed. That is
irrelevant. Those who keep looking ahead at the ever-shortening distance between themselves and
the peak climb and attain the Goal. They say: “I am drawing nearer. The peak is closer to me now.”
This is the vision that grants fulfilment.