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time. From morning till evening, a considerable part of his activity is reactionary. He who lives in reaction, loses spontaneity. He cannot even remember why he is doing a particular work. One man abuses another. Whether that abuse has any meaning or not, the victim finds it difficult not to react. Somebody benefits or harms another, both these activities evoke immediate reaction-goodwill for the benefactor and aversion for the enemy. It is a great weakness to succumb to reaction. A man finds it difficult to act independently. The occasion for independent thinking and action outside the conditioning of circumstances does not arise. In such a situation, to strive to lead a life of non-reaction is a great discipline. However hard that discipline may be, until it is successfully practised, one cannot expect desired results from preksha dhyana. Everyday, the sadhak should try to act and live in such a way as to be totally free from reaction. If one constantly examines oneself from the very beginning, one gradually comes to know whither one's sadhana is tending. Also, it is necessary that this examination be conducted by the sadhak himself. One who learns not to act in reaction, is a deserving sadhak in the true sense of the word.
The fifth rule of initiation is mindfulness. Mindfulness is related to every activity of life. No action, however big or small, should be performed without the sadhak knowing it fully. Mindfulness means to give oneself totally to the thing one is doing, without the least separation between the door and the doing. Phrases like 'with full consciousness', 'total. engrossmenť, 'adequate response', etc., symbolise mindfulness. It happens many a time that a person is engaged in some work but his mind is elsewhere. Such a situation arises for want of training in mindfulness, i.e. the mind, speech and action
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