TODAY MOVE ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

34. TODAY MOVE ONWARDS AND UPWARDS
What one ardently aspires after, what one has one’s heart and mind set upon, and for
achieving which one lives, breathes, strives, thinks and feels—if thus one’s entire life means a calm
but a firm and determined movement towards the supreme goal that one wants to achieve; if the
attainment of that goal is the paramount value in life; if, more than anything else, the entire love of
one’s heart is set upon that goal; if day and night one’s mind is ever engaged in finding ways and
means of drawing nearer and nearer to that goal—then nothing in this world can stop us from
moving towards that goal and ultimately reaching it, provided that while we are moving in that
direction, we are always vigilant and careful to see that no part of us moves in a contrary direction.
There is a very descriptive expression in the English language: “back to square one.” It
comes from a game, and means that after having made a lot of effort and progress, if you suddenly
make a wrong move, then you find yourself right back at the beginning—back to square one.
In several mountain areas of India, the means of transportation is by a very narrow gauge
railway. And the interesting feature about this railway is that on the steep inclines there is a third rail
between the normal ones which is notched with a series of teeth—cogs. Each car also has a third
wheel with similar cogs. On steep inclines, where the train might slip backwards, the third wheel is
let down in order to catch hold of and grip the central rail. It is designed to prevent any possibility of
the train backsliding.
Now you have a clear idea of what you must do. Not only should you strive to move towards
the Goal, but, simultaneously, you must also have a mechanism within your own psyche. It should
be a device wisely formulated by you through your own wisdom, common sense and intelligence,

by drawing guidance from all sources of wisdom such as svadhyaya, satsanga and listening to
elders, through reflection, discrimination and enquiry. You make a device so that as you are
progressing and moving towards the Goal, you ensure that there is no possibility of sliding back,
what to say of back to square one. Back to square one is eliminated altogether. It is impossible. On
the contrary, you ensure yourself against even a little reversal, a little backsliding.
It should all be onward, upward, goalward, Godward, with no possibility of deviation, no
possibility of derailment, no possibility of slipping down even one little bit. That is why the Lord
said that together with abhyasa (practice) you must keep on developing and increasing vairagya
(dispassion). Abhyasa should get valiant, effective and powerful support from vairagya: “I will see
to it that I amon guard, awake, alert, vigilant and dynamically engaged in seeing that the movement
is ever in one direction only and not in a contrary direction.”
This is the fruit of effort. This is the fruit of ardent yearning, strong longing and a very great
sustained enthusiasm and determination that thus my life shall be and not otherwise. It seems to be a
great task. It is a great task, yet it is not a great task. You can reduce it to a simple, possible and not
very difficult task. How?
God in His great wisdom, love and compassion has so made it that your life, this long
journey towards immortality and divine perfection, is rationed out to you only in tiny sections of
little, individual days. Each section is a very limited time period relieved by periods of restfulness,
recuperation and renewal. You are only required to attend to one section at a time, not all of life at
once.
Therefore, you only contend with one day at a time. You make up your mind: “Today is
going to be a divine day. Today is going to be a God-oriented movement. Today is going to be a day
in which I’m going to be a perfect replica of God who is my Father, in whose image I am made. He
is divine, and so am I. Divinity will infill every moment of this day. This day—that is sufficient. I
will attend to making this day a perfect day. I’ll attempt, by every means possible, to make this day a
grand symphony.
“I will attempt this with all my sincerity, with all my honesty, with all my earnestness and
with all the powers of my being. I will revel in it. I will rejoice in it, I will exult in trying to make this
day a thing of beauty and joy for all—within a joy for me, without a joy for others—for it will bring
out all that is auspicious, blessed, bright, beautiful, divine.” Thus bring to bear your entire powers,
all your sincerity, all your earnestness and all your enthusiasm. That’s all you’re required to do.
It is not to think of spiritual life in terms of whole years or long periods, of a great struggle or
a big journey. Nothing, nothing, nothing! You are only expected to attend to the day that has
dawned and that is in your hands. Look to it, make it perfectly spiritual, sublime, noble! Then you
have a golden key to success in a simple, easy, nevertheless, unfailing, effective way.
This is the secret. This is within the possibility of everyone. Strive with all your might just
for this one day—the gift of God, today. God bless you in this effort!