Text of the meditation
There is but one religion, the religion of Truth. You can easily know whether you are a child of Truth or a worshipper of self, if you silently examine your mind, heart and conduct. Do you harbour thoughts of suspicion, enmity, envy, lust and pride, or do you strenuously fight against these?
If the former, you are chained to self, no matter what religion you may profess; if the latter, you are a candidate for Truth, even though outwardly you may profess no religion. Are you passionate, self-willed, ever seeking to gain your own ends, self-indulgent and self-centred, or are you gentle, mild, unselfish, free of every form of self-indulgence, and ever ready to give up your own?
If the former, self is your master; if the latter, Truth is the object of your affection. The signs by which the Truth-lover is known are unmistakable.
James Allen (1864–1912), Book of Meditations for Every Day in the Year (1913) – public-domain text, gently modernised.
The original 1913 text is in the public domain.
