PUT ON ALL POWERS, PHILOSOPHY, WORK, PRAYER, MEDITATION - CROWD ALL SAIL, PUT ON ALL HEAD OF STEAM - REACH THE GOAL. THE SOONER, THE BETTER.....

The will is the "still small voice", the real Ruler who says "do" and "do not". It has done all that binds us. The ignorant will leads to bondage, the knowing will can free us. The will can be made strong in thousands of ways; every way is a kind of Yoga, but the systematised Yoga accomplishes the work more quickly. Bhakti, Karma, Raja, and Jnana-Yoga get over the ground more effectively. Put on all powers, philosophy, work, prayer, meditation — crowd all sail, put on all head of steam — reach the goal. The sooner, the better. . . .

- Swami Vivekananda
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 7/Inspired Talks/Saturday, July 27, 1895. (Kathopanishad)

IT IS A LONG, [ HARD STRUGGLE ]

Slowly and gradually you get into the chambers of the mind and gradually get control of the mind. It is a long, [hard struggle]. It must not be taken up as something curious. When one wants to do something, he has a plan. [Raja-Yoga] proposes no faith, no belief, no God. If you believe in two thousand gods, you can try that. Why not? ... [But in Raja-Yoga] it is impersonal principles.

- Swami Vivekananda
(Delivered in San Francisco, March 28, 1900) (Delivered in San Francisco, March 28, 1900)