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What we discussed yesterday was discipline in life. We know we are disciplined, yet we also know we are not—we have our weaknesses, and sometimes we cannot maintain it. Discipline requires significant energy. Let me offer an example. It is said that for discipline, you should rise early to practice yoga—āsanas, prāṇāyāma, and meditation. But suppose your body is exhausted; perhaps you went to bed late, or you were awakened repeatedly by a small child. In such a case, should you force yourself to get up and practice, or should you sleep? I would advise you to sleep. There are times when sleep provides more genuine rest and relaxation than practice would. If you practice while utterly fatigued, you may spend the entire day tired, lacking concentration and ease. So, in this instance, it is permissible to break your discipline. We must learn to listen to our body. However, if the body is merely lazy and the mind resists with thoughts like, "I'll do it tomorrow," then, as Swāmījī said, you may sleep—but that is laziness. It is said that your best friend is knowledge, and your great enemy is laziness. We must overcome laziness. If in the morning you feel very tired and suspect it is laziness, then brush your body, get up, go to the bathroom, and brush it again; this can awaken you. Alternatively, take a shower alternating between warm and cold water—this will dispel laziness. We should listen to our body, our mind, and our soul, and then decide. Nothing should feel unpleasant or disturbing. We practice yoga to cultivate pleasantness, and that is essential. If you are unhappy and feel you "must" do something, then do not do it. Consider this: if you do not wish to study a particular subject, but your parents insist you must, it creates pressure. I know of a man, nearly 35 or 40 years old, who has been trying to pass an examination for about ten years. He says, "I feel so much pressure. I can't study, but my parents expect it." I told him, "If you cannot do it and it makes you unhappy and stressed, then do not do it. Go and sell potatoes. Why not?" You do not have to become a doctor, engineer, or any specific profession. There was a time when people would proudly say, "My child is a doctor," but why not? That, too, is a profession. You should do what makes you feel happy and relaxed, for that is what your nature requires. The same applies to yoga: practice if it brings you happiness and relaxation; if not, do not do it. The first principle is that you have human rights. You are a human being with free will. We must not allow ourselves to be pressured by anything or anyone. Therefore, we must decide for ourselves and discern: Am I disciplined due to external pressure, or am I undisciplined due to my own laziness and carelessness? We should avoid both laziness and carelessness. On the other hand, certain responsibilities demand strict discipline. If you have a small child, you must be disciplined—to feed and care for the child, even when you are tired. That is non-negotiable. We each must assess our life situation, determine what is absolutely necessary, and decide what we should and should not do. In this way, discipline is indeed important, but it must be applied with wisdom and self-awareness. --- Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Weekend seminar