Baba says, ‘make intense effort‘. This confluence age is precious little time to transform because it is the only time when we have the companionship of God Himself. It is the only time when we have the knowledge of the beginning, middle and end of the Drama. It is when I can see the contrast of the old and new and understand the difference.

Baba says, you have to remember that you are in the middle. One one side is the old world and at the other, is the new world. The Boatman has come to take me to the new, do I trust Him? As The Gardener, He comes to transform the jungle of thorns into a garden of flowers, am I helping Him?

A gardener cultivates his garden. That means he cares for the garden by regularly checking the soil, watering the plants, ensuring there are no worms or insects, making sure he prunes when needed and that there is adequate sunlight and nutrients for the plants. A professional in the world is in the service business- they care for their customers, they serve them with love, with kindness.

Intense effort means to care because it is what I believe in. The gardener does not dig harder or longer. He is not performing a ritual, he is caring, cultivating the garden with love.

Sometimes, we think intense effort means to work longer and harder. For example, to become soul conscious, we repeat to ourselves ‘I am a soul, I am a soul, I am a soul….’. That does not work. Or we look at someone and say, ‘you are a good person, I have to like you…’ in the name of ‘giving good wishes’. Then we wonder why I don’t exactly feel ‘soul conscious’ or why my relationship with the other person has not changed.

Intensity means to realize the importance of something to me. I want to become elevated because I see the value in it. I want to become like my Father, I want to change the world, I believe the vision that God has for me and for this world. And when I believe deeply and make that a determined thought inside, not to show others, but internally…then with His help, I make the changes I need to. I care for myself and others genuinely by giving attention. I do actually believe that God is my Father and that every soul here is my brother. My attention is different, what I say matches what I am thinking and my thinking is elevated because I match it with that of my Father.

Intensity and accuracy comes from that belief deep inside of myself. I become the master of myself. I take back control of my mind and intellect. I check my thoughts. When I have that first thought of negativity or criticism or jealousy, I check it, don’t dwell on it or feel shame or regret or rejection but instead I move to change it. I don’t create the second thought in that direction, I instead re-direct. That is how I develop self-respect, I honor the relationship with the self, I don’t continue to sabotage myself by allowing the worms of weak thoughts to take me down or subject myself to the whipping of regret and shame. I learn and let go. And this happens not once but over and over again – I do it continuously.

I cultivate the garden of my mind. Most of us want to and we even start by creating the thought but we cannot sustain the thought. Why? The thought loses determination or power when it comes to action. Power comes from remembrance. I have to remember who I am and Whom I’m with. When I forget, I think I am someone other than who I am – I think I am this person, this role, this position etc. It is important to remember and yes, I might start with a thought to help me remember, then I have to move into awareness – ‘I am that’, ‘I am a child of God’, ‘I am the master gardener’, ‘I am the world transformer’…I have to move from ‘I have to’…to….’I am’. Then I am able to sustain myself to nurture and take care of the garden…else, I give up.

Intensity comes from intention. Let me check my intention today.