If there are always forces around which are concerned to depress and discourage, there are always forces above and around us which we can draw upon,— draw into ourselves to restore, to fill up again with strength and faith and joy and the power that perseveres and conquers.
It is really a habit that one has to get of opening to these helpful forces and either passively receiving them or actively drawing upon them — for one can do either. It is easier if you have the conception of the above and around you and the faith and the will to receive them — for that brings the experience and concrete sense of them and the capacity to receive at need or at will.
It is a question of habituating your consciousness to get into touch and keep in touch with these helpful forces—and for that, you must accustom yourself to reject the impressions forced on you by others, depression, self-distrust, repining and all similar disturbance.
It is not a theory but a constant experience and very tangible when it comes that there is above us, above the consciousness in the physical body, a great supporting extension as it were of peace, light, power, joy—that we can become aware of it, and bring it down into the physical consciousness and that that, at first for a time, afterwards more frequently and for a longer time, in the end for good, can remain and change the whole basis of our daily consciousness.
Even before we are aware of it above, we can suddenly feel it coming down and entering into us. The need is to have an aspiration towards it, make the mind quiet so that what we call the opening is rendered possible. A quieted mind (not necessarily motionless or silent, though it is good if one can have that at will) and a persistent aspiration in the heart are the two main keys of Yoga. The activity of the mind is a much slower process and does not by itself lead to these decisive results. It is the difference between a straight road and an approach through constant circles, spirals or meanders.
