SHRADDHA - Faith
We must cultivate faith. We feed ourselves doubts when we lose faith. Some folks have no faith at all. Most people suffer greatly because they lack faith. People who have faith in challenging conditions have a higher quality of life, but those who do not have faith believe that reasoning can explain everything. When their logic fails to explain something, they believe the world is falling around them. In some ways, the fact that everything is collapsing is a positive thing. This teaches you that the intellect is incapable of understanding the big picture.
How do we foster faith? When we don't know what to do and say, "God knows," you might also say, "I yield to the wisdom of the cosmos; there must be a reason why things are the way they are." You may also say, "I have trust that everything will all work out."
3 Types of Faith
- Faith in one’s own Self
Self-reliance, or faith in one's Self, implies that we rely on our own inner strength, which resides inside us, rather than on an ego-self. Fear exists when we do not understand the Truth about ourselves (the Atman). Until we gain such an understanding of the Self by direct experience, we must rely on faith to move forward in life. Ultimately, actual experience of the Self replaces faith. Even if we don't have a word for it, we can sense truth or knowledge intuitively. So take a deep breath and trust yourself.
The Truth that liberates us from all fears dwells inside us. It's a long, difficult path to get there. That path must begin with humility and sincerity. We lack experience at first because we don't know where to look when we try to search within. Faith is what keeps us going on this road. Until we gain such an understanding of the Self by direct experience, we must rely on faith to move forward in life.
- Faith in Nature and the Supreme Intelligence
Meditate and bring your awareness from the past to the present. Try to see the broad picture and channel your emotions into dedication; be brave enough to confront your delusions. Faith in the Supreme is born of an inner conviction that there is someone bigger than you, a Supreme being who inhabits one's basic spirit. When one is blessed with enduring faith, one recognizes Grace at work in all things. We are on a journey of self-discovery, guided by faith, to find the truth of who we are. We can think of faith as the bridge that connects one Grace experience to the next.
- Faith in the teachings and the practices
According to the sacred teachings, you are like the Shining Sun, unaffected by fear and disease. There are days when the sky is cloudy and we can't see the sun. You're aware that the sun is present. To reclaim that glimpse of the inner sun, we must learn to purify our minds by following the Niyamas (purity, contentment, austerity, Self-study, Self-surrender). Accepting what is implies letting go and allowing the Divine will to prevail. Allow it to be. Carry the repercussions of past deeds that have arisen in the present. Have trust that everything will be fine in the end. We must also cultivate endurance and recognize that the path will not be completed overnight.
To qualify, you must meet the following three requirements: 1) trust in your actual Self to help you to wisdom; 2) trust in Nature and the Supreme Intelligence, and 3) trust in the teachings and practices. Then continue to practice. If you don't have complete trust in the teacher, that's fine; just keep practicing and you'll get there. Because it is difficult to understand who the teacher is, you can apply what you have learned from the instructor, and you will finally understand the relationship.
If you have any doubts, there are several things you may do to dispel them. Of course, you should continue to practice, but the easiest thing to do is to stay company (satsanga) with those who are certain.
