The Art of Spiritual Progress by Swami Veda Bharati We are here for a purpose; it is an ongoing spiritual process. We are all here for spiritual liberation, and serving the mission is part of that. This becomes the higher mission that all of us are serving, and for this purpose alone we are purifying ourselves of our pride and ego. For these reasons we train ourselves in constant self-observation: to see oneself, to hear oneself, to develop this internal dialogue. I have used one criterion for all my thoughts, my words and my actions: “Is this conducive to spiritual liberation.” We are still learning to walk on this path and have not yet fully learned to observe the effects of our attitudes and actions on others. For this reason, please allow me to offer some of the ways I have personally used in my own life to guide my attitudes and responses. They have been my experiments in life, and I pass them on for you to experiment with. 1. Say the unpleasant in a ple...