1.      Get up early morning preferably at 4 AM.  During the early morning hours the environment is calm and quiet and ideal for meditation, Japa and other yogic disciplines.   Saints and Yogis meditate at that time and send favorable vibrations.    It is also the time of sunrise, sunrise and sunset these junction hours are considered very favorable and auspicious for meditation and Japa.       

2.      Be punctual, set a routine for your self and adhere to it.   Do not allow the mind to take liberties unless one has to go out of station or on an important job.   If it is not feasible to get up at 4 AM you may get up late and start your practices.    If one cannot do it in the morning or some reasons fix a time in the evening. Nighttime meditation is not recommended for beginners. 

3.      One should have a light meal at night; this facilitates getting up early morning and prevents one from falling asleep during meditation.   

4.      One should totally avoid alcohol, and all types of psychopathic drugs.    Tobacco chewing or smoking is equally bad.    One must avoid chilies, pickles, sour and bitter foods.  One must avoid tinned food as far as possible.    Fruits, milk and milk products are highly recommended.    Fresh vegetables and cereals are ideal.    People, who do not adhere to dietary restrictions, make very slow progress in this field.

5.      Keep good company, mind follows law of association, if you keep bad company, it will disturb the mind and will be tempted to do wrong things.    One must try and avoid too much talking.    Do not solicit views of others regarding your spiritual practices or your intentions regarding any spiritual activity.    Just remember other than your Guru no one can help you in your spiritual quest.   No one can understand a mind of a spiritual aspirant be it father, mother sister, brother or friends none.  Only like-minded people may discuss such aspects and may be of assistance.  Every one will have their own views and most of them will not be very encouraging due to their own ignorance and prejudices.    If one is an adult one should be able to take ones own decisions.   Children below 15 years of age must consult their parents.

6.      Do not discuss your spiritual experiences with anyone except your Guru and that too in private.  Do not show off or brag, all that you will gather with great effort and sacrifice will just vanish if you do not check your impulses regarding speech.    Remember always no one gets spiritual knowledge by allowing the senses to run riot.    A spring has its power in contraction not in elongation.

7.      One must cultivate the habit of reading holy books like The Gita, The Bible, The Holy Koran, Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Zend Avasta etc.    Reading makes one keep good company, it opens many vistas and widens ones horizons of thought and action.    Read some books other than your own religion it makes you realize that God is one.    Do not begin your studies with Vedas if you are not exposed to it earlier.    Vedas and Vedanta texts are very difficult to understand.    It is observed that some authors of commentaries on Vedas and Vedanta texts have grossly misinterpreted them because they could not comprehend the real purport.   Only people who have advanced in the field of spirituality may read Vedanta and Vedas.    Just remember it is not possible to understand the scriptures in detail all great sages and seers have virtually coded all religious scriptures.   There is an apparent meaning and a hidden meaning.    It is experienced that hidden meanings may be more than one. 

8.      One must become fearless; fear is an abrasion of character.   One has to advance in this field without any prejudices or fear.    Fear of loss of face, criticism and censure should be faced with a balanced mind.    One should not even fear death.   One must certainly not become foolhardy and overstretch the dimension of fear.

9.      One must give charity and share ones wealth with everyone. A little percentage of income as felt convenient should be given in charity.  One must be liberal in this aspect.   Not only humans one must feed the birds and animals.    See God in all beings, learn to love and respect all beings.    This is a very great virtue.

10.  Do not criticize others or do back biting.  It is a serious lapse.   The less you speak the more energy you would be able to conserve for spiritual purposes.  Learn to accept each and every human as an entity manifested by The Lord.  Eradicate your own weaknesses rather than becoming a critique and finding fault with others.   

11.  Do introspection; find out your weaknesses and build a sterling character.

·        Ask yourself how many lies you speak in a day?  

·        How many times you abused or used slang language?   

·        How many times you felt jealous?   

·        How many times you hurt the feelings of others? 

·        How much time you spent in gossip and idle talk?  

·        How many times you criticized others and could not stand criticism?   

·        How many times you got angry or violent?

·        How much charity did you give in a month?    

·        Did you serve sick or poor and attend to the needs of downtrodden?  

·        How many times you missed your daily prayers and meditation etc?  

·        How many times you consumed non prescribed foods? 

·        Did you attend to sick animals and birds? 

·        Make a note of this daily and at the end of the month check the contents it will tell you about your progress and change in you.   This is a very important aspect of yogic disciplines.   Note this in a serial on a notebook and keep a record of this.

12.  .   One must never be arrogant in any aspect of life.    Power, money and possessions all belong to the God.    Consider yourself to be caretaker of the Lord’s wealth and power a great change will take place in you if you adhere to this.   Nothing here belongs to you this is a transit camp.   House, cars, aircraft, riches and power are bestowed by the pleasure of the Good Lord; one must never get it to the head.     Become humble, humility will not only relieve pressure from ones mind but makes one very acceptable to the others.    Modesty removes vain ideas about ones self and helps in spiritual advancement.

13.  If one is an aspirant and serious about this business stop accepting gifts from others.   One must learn to live within ones own means.    Do not unnecessarily take obligations by accepting presents.    Cut down your needs regarding your clothes, food etc.   Live as simple being with limited needs.   Simple living subdues the ego, tames the monkey mind and gives more time for devotion and prayers.

14.  Acquire wisdom and learn to bear pleasure and pain in a balanced way.    Remember when there is desire for pleasure and enjoyment it will be followed up with pain and frustration.   If we enjoy pleasures and are troubled by pain we may get heaven or hell but cant be eligible for salvation because deliverance is for those who remain alike in both pleasure and pain.

15.  Try and cultivate knowledge about herbs and Ayurveda.   Ayurvedic science was the most potent way to cure ailments of all kinds.    Due to some reasons certain types of herbs and plants cannot be identified currently despite availability of the formulas of cure.   However certain plants roots and herbs are invaluable in maintenance of sound health and positive frame of mind.    There are many books available on cure of diseases through herbs and Ayurveda one may like to go through these books.    Homeopathy is very effective in cure of chronic ailments.    

16.  Never complain or crib about anything in life.   Patiently bear the heat and the cold, the storm and the floods.   Be satisfied in the bracket the Lord has placed you.   Just put in the best effort in any of those slots you have been placed in, keep acquiring wisdom and spiritual knowledge.   In nature no two beings think and act alike, there will always be differences of opinion and clash of ideas it is natural.   Life gives limited freedoms, Ups and downs, coolly accept it and remain satiated.

17.  Perform yoga asana and pranayama daily.   Do not practice weight lifting if you are serious about yoga. Avoid-consuming steroids, they do more harm than good.  Do not use Pan Masala (Betel Masala) it is bad for lungs and lining of the stomach.   Do not fast often; fasting on the 11^th day of the waning and waxing moon is very good.   Have a good balanced diet.

18.  Do not gossip and avoid shoptalk with any one it does not help in any way but wastes precious energy.    Develop your own techniques to save energy.   

19.  Do not become an escapist and avoid work.    One has to work harder and perform ones duty if one is serious about yoga.     Never avoid duty or responsibility.

20.  Never violate the instructions given by your Guru.

21.  Be at peace; cultivate an aura of peace in and around you.   Never get perturbed how so ever irritating or unsavory the circumstance may appear to be.

22.  Become a good human and advance towards becoming Divine.