"Resolves for Quick Spiritual Progress" By Sri Swami Sivananda

1. Maintain a daily spiritual diary, and at the end of every month send a copy of it to your spiritual guide who will give you further lessons for your progress.

2. Keep a daily Mantra note-book and regularly write a page or two of your Ishta Mantra or Guru Mantra in ink.

3. Chalk out a daily routine for daily practice and stick to it at any cost. Distractions and obstacles are many. Be ever careful and vigilant.

4. Make a few resolves for practice during the New year as shown below. Any of the resolves may be crossed out, added to or altered, to suit the individual temperament, convenience or stage of development.

5. Do not abruptly change the mode of living. You can grow and evolve quickly in the spiritual path, and develop your will power and control the mind and the senses by sticking to the resolves. Do not try the impossible at first. Take your resolves very cautiously and ascend step by step on the ladder of Yoga.

6. If you fail in any of the resolves through lack of self-control, unknowingly or by force of circumstances, you should perform some extra Malas of Japa or give up one meal to remind yourself of the resolve and to impress the mind of the importance of these resolves (self-punishment).

7. The resolves form should be prepared in duplicate and one copy duly signed should be sent to your Guru so that you may not be tempted to relax your efforts or ignore the resolves of break any other under the slightest pretext or lame excuse.

8. Request all your spiritually inclined friends to maintain such resolves, daily spiritual diary and Mantra note-book. Thus you can elevate many from the quagmire of Samsara (worldliness).

IMPORTANT RESOLVES

1. I will perform Asanas and Pranayamas for __________ minutes daily.
2. I will take milk and fruits only in lieu of night meals once a week/fortnight/month.
3. I will observe a fast on Ekadasi days or once a fortnight/month.
4. I will give up __________ (one of my cherished objects of enjoyment) once every __________ days/month or for __________ days/months.
5. I will not indulge in any of the following more than once every __________ days/weeks or for __________ months.
   (A) Smoking, (B) Cards, (C) Cinemas, (D) Novels.
6. I will observe Mouna (complete silence) for __________ minutes/hours daily and __________ minutes/hours on Sundays/holidays, and utilize the time in concentration, meditation, Japa, and introspection.
7. I will observe Brahmacharya (celibacy) for weeks/months at a time.
8. I will not utter angry, harsh or vulgar words towards any one during this year.
9. I will speak the truth at all costs during this year.
10. I will not entertain hatred or evil thoughts towards any one.
11. I will give away __________cents per dollar of my income in charity.
12. I will perform selfless service (Nishkamya Karma Yoga) for __________ hours daily/weekly.
13. I will do __________Malas of Japa daily (Mala of 108 beads).
14. I will write my Ishta Mantra/Guru Mantra in a note-book daily for __________minutes or __________pages.
15. I will study __________ Slokas of Gita daily with commentary.
16. I will maintain a daily spiritual diary and send a copy of it every month to my Guruji for getting further lessons.
17. I will get up at __________a.m. daily and spend __________hours in Japa, concentration, meditation, prayer, etc.
18. I will conduct Sankirtan with family members and friends daily for __________minutes/hours at night.