Way of The Seekers — Page 105
105 THE lies with the will or the intervening obstacles between the ego and the will, the following treatment would be appropriate: 1. Let external conduct be put in accord, even artificially, with what is desired internally, thus inducing a corres- ponding inner reaction. The Promised Messiah (peace be on him) has laid great stress on this. 2. Concentrating attention on God. This is essential for success. All thinking should flow in one direction only and every conception beside that of God should be obliterated from the mind. The Holy Quran says We cite in evidence those who pursue their efforts vigorously. (79:2). This means that those who seek success in an enterprise, become wholly immersed in it. They direct their thinking in such manner that the particular enterprise becomes their goal, and they cease to be aware of anything else. When a project occupies the whole expanse of the mind, then alone can success be achieved in it. When a person who is a habitual liar makes up his mind to give up lying, he will succeed only if he concentrates every moment on the idea that he must not tell a lie and must give up lying altogether. Repeated and constant thinking on a particular subject generates an inner strength. But such strength is subject to a risk; it can go berserk and run out of the control of the will. Many people complain that their thoughts wander during prayer and they seek a remedy. This means that their faculty of thinking has run amok. They concentrate on something other than God. They seek to direct their attention on God, but their attention runs away after something else. It is wrong to think that such people cannot concentrate. They can concentrate, but their trouble is that their attention is not under the control of their will. It has broken loose and become independent. It strays and wanders. In such a situation, effort should be made to bring it under the control of the will. How can this be done? I will discuss this point later. I