Integrating the mind is the essence of life. Decide you will always say and do only what you feel is right. Then, you will come to tremendous clarity and conviction in the inner and outer worlds.

Vivekananda recounts in his life that his master, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, died leaving him the responsibility of the mission. At the same time, Vivekananda’s father died leaving behind a family of utter poverty. Vivekananda was the only hope for his family. He stood between saving his family and saving the world. No one recognized the mission he spoke of. He says beautifully, ‘Who will sympathize with the imaginations of a boy?’ He was, after all, a young boy!

He describes those few days as ‘unimaginable hell’. He was with a small group of boys, with no money, with only one thing: the integrity to live the life they believed in, the life taught by their master. Ten years later, he says, ‘Ten years ago, I could not get one hundred people to celebrate master’s birth anniversary. Today there are fifty thousand!’ Sannyas is taking a strong decision not to allow the unconscious to hinder the consciousness and to establish consciousness firmly on the master and his words.

Vivekananda was questioned as to how he could desert his family at that time. Vivekananda beautifully replied, ‘I believed that Ramakrishna’s teachings could rationalize India and many foreign races. With that belief came the realization that it is better that a few persons suffer than for such ideas to die out of the world. What if a mother or two brothers die? It is a sacrifice. Let it be done. No great thing can be done without sacrifice. The heart must be plucked and the bleeding heart placed upon the altar. Then, great things are done!’ Such was his integrity.

Not only that, those who spoke that Vivekananda deserted his family do not know the correct facts. He continued to fulfill his duty by giving them the bare minimum requirements. He also went to the court of Law to attend to some legal issues they faced.

A small story:

During the civil wars in Japan, an invading army entered a town and took control of the whole town. Before the army arrived in one particular village, everyone fled except a Zen master.

Curious about this master, the general went to the temple to see what kind of a man the master was. The master did not even acknowledge the general. The general became very angry when he was not treated in the usual respectful way to which he was accustomed.

He took out his sword and shouted, ‘You fool! Don’t you realize you are standing before a man who could run you through without blinking an eye?’

The master remained calm and asked, ‘And do you realize that you are standing before a man who can be run through without blinking an eye?’

With the strength of integrity comes utter freedom and bliss. With freedom and bliss there is no fear in the inner or outer world!

source: Living Enlightenment