Steady perseverance alone will tame your mind; and it is only through a tamed mind that you can experience God. In this case, you must become your own tutor; train yourself by using the spark of wisdom that has been implanted in you. Once you try with all your might, the Lord s Grace will be there to help you forward. The first step in the spiritual discipline is the cleansing of the speech. Talk sweet without anger. Do not boast of your scholarship or attainments. Be humble, eager to serve; conserve your speech. Practise silence. That will save you from squabbles, idle thoughts and factions.
Again, practise the attitude of joy when others are joyful and of grief when others around you are grieved. Let your heart move in sympathy. But the joy and grief have to be translated into service; they should not be mere emotions. (SSS Vol.2, p.38)
Start the first step with Namasmarana
Turn the key in the lock to the right, it opens; turn the same key to the left, it is locked. So too, turn your mind towards the objective world, it is locked, caught, entangled. Turn it to the right, away from the objects of the senses, the lock is loosened, you are free, deliverance is at hand. How to turn it right? Well, begin with remembering the Lord’s holy name (Namasmarana), as the first step. All journeys start with the first step. That will itself take you through the second and the third, to the very goal. (SSS Vol.4)