Baba says, “In order to make yourself perfect, check yourself with honesty: What defects do I still have in me?”

The aim is to become perfect and to be perfect means, not to have any defects. When something is without defects, it has value; if it has even one defect, its value declines significantly. Take for example, a diamond. It is said that one cannot place a value on a perfect diamond, it is priceless. But with even one defect, it becomes just another expensive stone, another gem. “You have to make yourself into a valuable diamond.“, Baba teaches me. With those diamonds, when there is a flaw, it has to be cut to take the flaw out. But I, Baba reminds me, am a living diamond and saw, I have the ability to take out my flaws completely. “You have to become flawless, else your value will be reduced.“, He says.

I hear this and immediately think I should never make another mistake again, that I have to become ‘perfect.’ But that is not what Baba means when He talks about being perfect at all. To never make a mistake, to be able to do everything right and well and on time- that is an artificial, unattainable goal. That is ‘perfectionism’ which is an illness. Baba is talking about being a valuable diamond; perfect. So what does His definition of perfect entail? If it isn’t mistakes He’s talking about, then what does He mean by defects?

The biggest defect I have, He points out, is body consciousness. It harasses me a great deal and doesn’t allow my stage to grow. So I need to protect myself against the effects of body consciousness. This is just as when there is a climate change, if I know it is to be hot or rainy, I take appropriate precautions- I carry an umbrella or put on some sun screen etc. This, Baba explains, is being sensible; I take steps in advance to protect myself against the effects of the climate change. If I don’t take steps to protect or shield myself, I will fall ill. Same with body consciousness or Maya. If I don’t take steps, I will be affected by Maya in my thoughts or in my connections and relationships.

In what ways does body consciousness manifest itself? Praise or defamation, success or failure, appreciation or criticism etc. Perfection means I protect myself against the effects of either sides because neither is the truth about who I am. For example, praise or success flings me off to one side while defamation or failure flings me to the other side; neither is who I am. Who I am is a pure soul, a child of God. That’s all. If I can remain stable in this truth of who I am, that is perfect. Similarly, when I make a mistake, which I will because this is a school and I am learning, if I can protect myself from feeling disheartened, from falling into the pits of self-pity and guilt and instead simply learn from the mistake and move forward, that is perfect. “So“, says Baba, “like a lotus flower, you have to constantly remain beyond being affected, and remain loved by the Father.”  

Just as it is essential to look after the body, it is just as essential to continue to have total understanding of the soul as I move along, explains Baba. Only then will I quickly be able to remain being affected and become perfect. “Constantly check yourself to see what main things affect you“, says Baba. “You must constantly protect yourself from being affected by them, only then will you easily become perfect.” This, He explains, is the main effort. This is my new life and so I am unlearning all that I have learnt in the past and learning the new way of living. And so along this path, as I learn the new, Maya constantly tries to pull me back to old patterns of thinking, speaking and doing. The way to protect myself from her is to stay within the guardrails of knowledge – that includes the disciplines and the codes of conduct. “If you constantly remain within the knowledge, that is, if you constantly have sense, then those who are sensible are never affected by anyone.“, explains Baba. That is what the disciplines are for- my protection. Maybe I have the urge to do something but despite how I feel, I know Baba has told me to do the opposite. At that moment, it may make no sense, the way I feel may seem like the absolute right thing but, if I can still go with what I know Baba has told me, then I stay protected. Despite how I think or feel, if I can stay within the line of the codes of conduct, I will be safe. This was the mistake Sita made in the Ramayan- she went with how she felt and it turned out to be false; there was no golden deer and she ended up in the cottage of sorrow.

“Maya always tries to make you weak in your understanding“, explains Baba. Then, there is an effect on my thoughts, words and actions. This effect is what then becomes a defect. Defects then don’t allow me to become perfect. “Remember your aim“, says Baba. “It is to become perfect, that is, 16 celestial degrees complete. If there is the slightest defect, you become 14 celestial degrees. So check what your aim is?“, He says. “Those who are sensible will definitely be successful.“