Ask God for grace so that all of your thoughts and deeds will be directed purely.
Visualise a place, be it a mountain a stream or a temple, where God is found. Dwell on this place for a time.
Now, ask for great sorrow for your sins.
Remember all of your sins through life, each year and each period of your life. Think about the place and the house where you lived. Think about your relationships with others. Think about your work.
Weigh the sins, even though they were not forbidden. Think about how bad each was. Think about any malice you had.
Look at who you are, lessening yourself by comparison. Who are you compared to all other men? Who are they compared to the angels and saints? What is all of creation compared to God. Then you alone, what can you be?
Compare Gods wisdom with your ignorance. Compare His strength with your weakness. Compare his justice with your iniquity. Compare his goodness with your malice.
Think now in wonder, understanding all this, how you have been protected. Endured. Guarded. Prayed for.
Give thanks to God that he has given you life. Ask for His grace that in the future you will amend your ways.
Ask:
for knowledge and hatred of your sins.
to feel the disorder so that you may correct it.
for knowledge of the world so as to avoid worldly and vain things
© The White Swami 2009