Instant or Gradual Self Improvement and Spiritual Growth?

Nowadays, it seems that people expect immediateTechniques that promise quick results might work for
results from positive thinking, self-improvement andthe one who invented them, but not necessarily for
spiritual growth methods. Just think or visualize for aother people. Everyone begins from a different starting
few minutes a day, or just listen to a CD and your lifepoint and at a different level of development. What
will change. It is like making instant coffee, opening ahelped the author might not help everyone else. This is
can of beans or heating and eating some ready-madewhy there are so many books and so many teachers.
food.Different people need different approaches.
Let me ask you something.If you wish to use hypnosis or listen to subliminal CDs,
- Can you become a medical doctor, just by listeningdo so. These are passive methods, but to reach high
to a CD a few days?and far, become a more conscious human being, be in
- Can you become an airplane pilot, just by saying so acharge of your life and understand what you are doing,
few times a day, without studying and practicing?you need to use the active methods of doing, working
- Can you develop a muscular and athletic body in justand studying.
a few weeks?Laziness, lack of faith and belief, and too much
To all of these questions the answer is NO!negative thinking prevent people from pursuing positive
So why do you think that it is different with innerthinking methods, creative visualization or meditation. If
development methods?results do not manifest immediately, one becomes
Developing the power of concentration, developingdisappointed and lose faith. It is like the story about the
inner strength, overcoming negative habits, developingman who was digging for oil and couldn't find anything
psychic powers or making progress in spiritual growthand so he gave up and went away. Then someone
and meditation are gradual process and requires workelse came and continued digging, just to find oil a few
and time, just like any other subject.feet further deep.
In all my articles I speak about the necessity of innerYou can buy ready made food, but you can work
work and perseverance. You need to devote timemore at the kitchen and cook something really
and energy to gain results. You may not like hearingdelicious. You can pick a few words in a foreign
this, but any sort of success requires more than justlanguage from a movie that you watch or you can
listening to a CD or visualizing for 2-3 minutes a day.learn the language at a school. You can gain some
Reading books motivates, but you also need toinner peace or feel better by certain methods that
practice what they teach. Listening to CDs and usingproduce quick results, and you can work a little more
hypnosis might be of some help, but you stay passiveand gain greater results.
with these methods. You just let these methodsReal results in self improvement, spiritual growth or
program your mind, without awakening the "Inner You",meditation need more time and effort, but when you
which should be beyond the steering wheel of your life.understand their importance and benefits, the work will
You are dependent on external methods and tools,not be regarded as drudgery or a task to perform, but
instead of being the one who controls your life.will turn into a habit that you love and enjoy.