Determination is the second conglomerate in the triple conglomerate of Desire, Determination and Discipline or the '3Ds' that gives rise to that driving force towards achieving our goals that we know as willpower.

In the last seminar, our exploration of the first D, or desire, revealed that desire is the main energy generator of willpower. This energy is mainly felt as the buoyant and uplifting feeling of inspiration. Inspiration culminates with a vision of the goal to come in the future, and, with the vision we will also feel charged with energy to accomplish our goal.

As desire, willpower is still in its seed state. It has yet to emerge as a force that can be felt. It is determination that transforms the seed of willpower planted by desire into a tangible force that can move the other forces of the world to manifest our goals.

Determination basically concentrates the energy generated by desire into an executable plan of action. Though, this is just a basic function of determination since determination has a deeper function that is often missed out in its basic understanding. This deeper function is subconscious concentration. ( Subconscious concentration is explained in the first seminar of this series–Concentration: The Key to Success in Life's Endeavours. Click Here to read this seminar in a new window.)

Determination is defined in the dictionary as firmness of purpose or resoluteness. Determination is easiest to establish at the onset of an endeavour, which is right after or soon after we have the desire for it. Effort can be difficult to maintain over a period of time, especially if they are met with setbacks or challenges. Challenges can test any project especially if the energy of inspiration is stretched over a period of time. How an endeavour stands the test of time depends entirely on the preparations done at the onset of the effort, which is how determination is established.

If determination is established hastily and is shallow (which means only at the conscious level), the willpower that emerges will falter when challenges appear. However if the energy of inspirations is concentrated properly, patience and practicality will be necessary virtues for this to happen, determination can be used to draw up a highly effective plan of action which is deeply rooted in the subconcious, then the indomitable willpower emerges.

Unlilke desire which occurs naturally, determination has to be cultivated conciously and, to be truly effective subconsiously as well. For the sake of explaining the intricacies of determination I will classify determination as shallow or deep.

Shallow determination can be described as hasty plannng. One gets into shallow determination when one is not patient in wanting to achieve one's goals. The hastiness breeds two enemies of success which are impracticality and over-confidence. When impracticality and over-confidence shadows determination, much is overlooked in planning an endeavour and sloppiness will be the result.

Deep determination, which is also a sign of spiritual maturity, is effort that is tempered by patience, wisdom and practicality. These virtues create a sound plan of action that is not only well thought out, but also takes in consideration the practicality of the plan based on one's or one's team's strenghts and weaknesses. Deep determination incorporates contingency plans to overcome these short comings. Not only that, it also gives a place for accepting 'miracles' that may happen. In other words it forsters faith, though not blind faith.

Determination is about having a resolve and also sustaining resoluteness. If determination is understood as such, it is not as simple as just feeling a sense of 'I am definitely going to get this done.' Instead cultivating deeper and sustained determination involves the three elements as follows:

Desire is the 'this is what I want', determination is the 'this is how I am going to get what I want'. The natural first step of getting what we want involves creating a plan. A good plan, of course, makes all the difference in determining success or a botched effort. In my training as a monk in my guru's ashram in Hawaii I learned the criteria for making plans from an unique spiritual perspective.

Making plans was an important part of my spiritual training with my guru as it was part of developing willpower. Willpower is of course also the key to success in spiritual endeavour such as enlightenment same as with any other of goal. My guru was a master planner. He made and executed hundreds of plans with his monks and lay congregation, from building temples to conflict resolution to creating an entirely new language for meditation. A major portion of his monastic training method involved giving his disciples projects to be accomplished. For the most part he would give us the freedom to make the plans and execute them as we saw best and would not interfere unless we asked for his help. This way he let us learn organically about effective planning. Over time we picked up Gurudeva's skill of 'learning to move the forces of the world with our indomitable will'.

Planning effectively is about considering aspects of an endeavour. These considerations are gathering information, creating a timeline, understanding limits, considering strengths as well as weaknesses and anticipating miracles.

Before we embark on any effort we first need to know what we need to do. The best way to get all the information we need is to learn from the experience of people who have previously achieved (or even failed) the same or similar undertaking. However we get this information, whether by interviewing the person or reading a biography, it will help us understand what it takes and all the elements that need to be in place to succeed. The most valuable infromation to be gathered by learning from others' experience is the psychologcial or mental effort required as this cannot be garnered easily by therozing. For instance lets say this boy, Raj, wants to build his body. One way to find out what he needs to do is to read the biography of a successful body builder. The most important information he can gathered from this reading is the 'human' experience of the body builder or his trials and tribulations he had undergone. Options of methods that can be used can also be gathered and one that suits one's needs best should be used. Methods can also be modified or innovated from scratch after having sufficiently gathered all the necessary information. It is wise to spend time researching and organizing information for each project. The more comprehensive the information gathered for a project the more efficiently time and effort can be planned and the more reduced will the chance of encountering setbacks and challenges be.

Having gathered and organized information required for a project or undertaking methods can be chosen and a well-informed plan of action can be constructed. For the timeline to be decisive, it has to be set in a timeline. The timeline is a crucial element in any plan as it is builds around a deadline for the materialization of our goals. The deadline is important as it sets a target for our efforts. With a deadline date in mind, efforts can be quantified over a period of time and a positive sense of I-am-making-progress which is important for morale is felt. Open ended timelines without a deadline is almost never recommended for any endeavour. However in some cases such as fund raising or character building where time might not be as crucial, quantity or quality deadlines can be set. For instance in fund raising, the deadline can be an amount of funds raised, or in the instance of character building it may be reaching mastery over certain weakness in character.

Patience is an important virtue to have when it comes to creating a timeline. Patience in reaching ones goals affords the planner considerations of practicality in the plan of aciton. Lacking this, a timeline will be over ambitious and stifled by over-confidence and lack of forethought. In general it is better to set the timeline as long as possible. This will make it easy on the effort required on a daily basis and also allows for time compensations when challenges or setbacks are faced.

The other important aspect of the timeline is including minor deadlines or creating stages of accomplishment before the ultimate goal is reached. This allows for deserved break periods which is necessary especially for ambitious goals when inspiration can rejuvenated. I will get into more details about stages in a plan in the next seminar of this series which will be on discipline.

The amount of effort that can be put into an undertaking in any given day is limited by time and natural ability. These are limits that we cannot go beyond. For instance there are 24 hours in a day. There is nothing we can do about this time limitation. If we need more time, what we can do to is either to use time more efficiently or extend the timeline. There are also natural limitations within our ability. Some can be improved on while others must be maintained for health and efficiency reasons. For instance I often encounter students who ask me if there are any yogic techniques that they can learn so they could sleep less than 6 hours a day, so they would have more time to study. There are yoga techniques that can help us have a sound and deep sleep, so when we wake up we feel well rested and alert immediately without the grogyiness, but there are none that helps reduce the natural hours of sleep our body needs to remain healthy and efficient. These are limitations that we need to work with and not around in effective planning. In fact when it comes to sleep especially, in the long run there are more benefits to us in terms of efficiency and health if we had healthy sleep rather than curtail this important biological function so that we have more time. If we did curtail important natural limitations such as sleep or diet, in the long run we will waste time and effort because of the inefficiencies of a restless mind or ill health. There are however, some limitations that we can improve. For instance, efficiency in concentration, memory, talents or skills which can be learned or augmented.

In relation to understanding limits, when planning any endeavour we must consider our personal strenghts that will lend itself to the undertaking and also consider weaknesses that may detract from our effort. As part of effective planning, time and effort should also be expended in improving areas in our character or habit that needs to be improved in order to efficiently reach our goals. If we do not consider both the weaknesses and strenghts, we may lose out on the spiritual opportunity of character building that a project can bring us or in the case of our strength we may lose out in not exploiting our natural abilities that can lend creativity and give our endeavours that 'extra edge' of refinement. If we are working in a group as team to achieve a target, then it is up to the designated leader or planner to assess the ability of every individual and have them play the appropriate part in a the team. Of course in such a situation it will be difficult to point out the weaknesses of individual members, so leaders will have to choose team members with unique character and skill sets that will complement each other and the goal at hand.

You might think that perhaps I am making this planning guideline somewhat complicated with the addition of such a personal matter (that is working with our individual weaknesses) as part of achieving our goals. However, I did state earlier that we are looking at this subject from an unique spiritual perspective. This spiritual perspective behooves us to use whatever opportunity available to us to initiate and gain spiritual progress. Spiritual progress in this context is not necessarily being more devoted to God, though this can also be included, but more about character building. It is especially optimum to work on character building while working towards our goals as this is a psychological time when we are utilizing as much of our capalities as we can muster, plus we have the added benefit of having stimulated willpower. The willpower can be channeled towards overcoming our shortcomings that will be glaringly visible when challenges have to be overcome. Thus this opportunity can be used to polish ourselves spiritually even if the goal we are working towards is materialsitic by nature.

As a basic guide of figuring what shortcomings of one's nature that can be worked on as part of our plan, here is a traditional list of morals taken from the yamas. The yamas are moral restraints that are important to incorporate into one's life as part of maintaining and progressing in spiritual growth. The list of yamas are as follows:

Isn't it rather impracticle or even weak to be anticipating miracles or the 'Hand of God' as part of effective planning? You would be right if you thought that after all, aren't miracles unpredicatble, even wishful thinking. Indeed this may be true but consider this, in our planning as part of understanding limits and considering weaknesses, we try to anticipate the challenges. However, we also must be prepared for unpredicted challenges. In any endeavour we must brace for such things, and accept them as part and parcel of working towards a goal.

If we can accept unpredicted challenges, we can equally accept unpredicted miracles (or assistance, help, or whatever you wish to call it). Again this is from the spiritual perspective. If you have faith in God, this would be easy to accept, however if one is not inclined toward faith in a Supreme Entity such as God, there must still be place in one's mind in the amazing intricacies of nature. Surely there is an intelligence behind all the forces that keep this universe in equilibrium. This same force or intelligence can also provide us with assistance when we need it. Call it what you want, coincidence, luck, being in tune with the universe, it is all the same thing I am getting at.

Anticipating miracles is something we should be open to, though we cannot predict how and when they appear we should have some space in our mind that if assistance comes to us as we work to our goals, we should recognize these instances and graciously accept it, that is if the help coming to us is spontaneous and without strings attached or ulterior motives. If you read biographies of accomplished people, you will realize that many of them have encountered miraculous coincidences that have helped them, and they have come to appreciate this aspect of life.

When we get into the the next part of sustaining determination which is subconsicous concentration, we will see how exploiting power of the subconscious can make us magnets to amazing even unbelievable circumstances of life that will bring us further toward achieving our goals.

Concentration is focusing the needed faculties of our mind while performing a task so that we are efficient by not being extraneously distracted and ultimately more productive. In most normal context, this is what the word concentration would mean. According to yoga concentration has degrees of mastery. In yoga the deepest possible level of deliberate concentration is called dharana. Dharana is a highly focused state of the mind that will eventually culminate into the true state of meditation or dhyana. One level below dharana is pratyahara. Pratyahara means 'sense withdrawal' and in the context of meditation, it is about shutting out all the distractions that may be offered by the five basic sense of sight, hearing, feeling, tasting and smelling. These five senses constitute what my guru terms the conscious mind. In Pratyahara, with the conscious mind quietened, its energies can be focused into the subconscious mind, and thus the effort of concentrating the subconscious ensues.

The subconscious is commonly understood as the place we store our memory, very much like a how a computer disc stores digital data. However, unlike the hardrive that merely stores data, the subconcious mind is a powerhouse of unconscious abilities, though these abilities can swing to both ends of the spectrum where one person can be a genius because of it while creating phobias in another or even both within the same person. According to yoga mysticism the subconscious mind is where our seed karmas sprout and eventually manifests in the material world. Thus the content within our subconscious effects our life profoundly.

The subconscious mind is an integral part of us. Thus we have full power over it where we can modify, alter and add content into it–content that have the potential to effect our future. This is why subconscious concentration is also an important element insustaining willpower through determination. 'Subconscious concentration' are techniques through which we deliberately embed impressions into the subconscious so that they eventually manifest materially at some point in our future.

The first seminar of this Yogic Personal Development series is on subconscious concentration. If you have yet to read this seminar you can Click Here to read the contents of Concentration: The Key to Success in Life's Endeavours (in a new window).

Earlier we went through effective planning as the first element of determination in the evolution of willpower. Planning is the initial stage of any undertaking. After that the work begins in putting the plan into action. Generally at this point withou willpower, the feeling of mundaneness alone can become an obstacle to the manifestation of our goals.

This sustaining energy for willpower is provided by subconscious concentration through an affirmation. (Please read the seminar on concentration to learn more about affirmations, Click Here and in the content index click 1.3.3 Step Three: Pratyahara [Affirmations - Dridhavaak]). An affirmation is a terse summary of the object or goal of your endeavour. The affirmation should contain the vision of the future when the goal is realized and important elements of planning, written in the language you think in and using words that effect you deeply.

It is recommended that affirmations be recited daily, at least once a day if possible. The affirmation can also be a group affirmation if you are working with a team on a project. In this case the affirmations may still be repeated by each individual daily, but definitely as the first agenda every time the group meets in formal meetings.

This affirmation keeps the desire or rather the inspiration behind our efforts alive, thus stimulating the spiritual energies that is necessary for willpower to emerge. It keeps the beat up even during tribulations or challenges that may be faced in the course of the endeavour. The affirmation also has the added advantage of creating an impression in the subconcious strong enough that we can exploit the power of the subconscious of manifesting a future we desire. Thus the affirmation is a crucial element of generating willpower. Basically it keeps our initial inspiration constantly rejuvenated and also gets our powerful subconscious involved in the process by supporting our efforts through moulding our future through spiritual means.

Affirmations is part of determination because the affirmation is our resolve packed in a statement. One of the signs that our affirmation is working for us is when we feel a strong confidence that we will be able to accomplish our plans. We know that we are going to succeed even if we are only at the initial stages of our progress. This is a confidence that one is usually not inclined to talk about or tell others. However others will be able sense the confidence through ones demeanor, as it comes from deep within the subconscious. The other sign is that we begin to feel automatically inspired and filled with energy even if when are doing the most mundane work related to our goal or even if we are facing challenges. The english phrase 'dogged determination' lends itself very well to this condition.

Affirmations might be new to you, and you might wonder if everybody who is successful use affirmations. The answer is yes. Everyone uses affirmations though it may not be recognized as such. For some their affirmation is part of their daily prayer, for some it is keeping a journal of their progress (the journal acts subconsciously as a symbol of the goal and writing in it also continuously etches our inspiration into the subconscious), for some it is about a cause that they believe in so strongly that they will not allow themselves to fail, for others it is about maintaining the dignity that they always achieve their goals. These are all various ways of how subconscious concentration can be achieved. Affirmations is the most basic and direct-to-the-point subconscious concentration technique.

The idea of subconscious concentration is basically to impregnate the subconscious with our vision of the future strong enough, that the subconscious which is intimately connected to spiritual energies of our soul, works paranormally in moving the forces of the world so that the vision is fulfilled. Whether it is a prayer, even reciting mantras repeatedly, journalling, working for a cause or affirmation statements, the packages that go into the subconscious may vary, but the process they instigate is the same.

Subconscious concentration can make us meet the right person at the right time, have everything come together perfectly, bring resources that may be obscure to us and even give us the impetus and will to overcome our weaknesses and enhance our strenghts. So you may choose any form of subconscious concentration that suits you best. While doing any technique of subconscious concentration follow the guidelines of 'say it, see it, feel it'. (explained in the Concentrations Seminar - Click Here, then in the content index click 1.3.3 Step Three: Pratyahara and scroll down to How To Use Affirmations).

The final, though, not the least attribute of determination to consider is the opportunity for spiritual progress. We touched on it briefly as part of effective planning, where we evaluate our weaknesses that may effect our efforts and compensate accordingly. The spiritual development attribute of determination is about the compensation and how we look at it.

From the yogic perspective life is about finding peace, contentment and the perfect state of equilibrium within oneself. This state is reached by getting in touch and in tune with God or the Creator of the Universe, to whom we are essentially connected. According to yogic philosophy this is the path to achieving lasting peace and contentment on earth. All other 'gettings' will only bring temporary contentment, which will fade once the enthrallment of what is gotten has been achieved and enjoyed. Then, naturally, desire will resurface for another getting and the cycle continues, until one day we focus on and eventually achieve the 'supreme getting'–which is union in consciousness with God (or the Cosmic Intelligence, The Force, The Light however you choose to call the Originator of the universe).

However, this process of 'going after desires' in life is not the anti-thesis of yoga philosophy. Rather, yoga looks at this process of desiring and fulfilling and desiring again as natural and part of spiritual evolution. Without getting into the intricacies of spiritual evolution, suffice to say that this cycle culminates in the ultimate desire of desiring God. Along the way, our cravings become the fuel of spiritual evolution. This is because every time we achieve what we desire, we learn to master parts of our nature. As yoga philosophy teaches reincarnation, this process happens over many lifetimes to the point where we finally gain mastery over the impulses and urges of our body, mind and emotions. This mastery is necessary to achieve the ultimate realization of Oneness with God that ushers the state of ultimate contentment.

Thus from the yogic point of view every endeavour we undertake is an opportunity to work with ourselves to further our spiriutal progress. This is of course if what we are trying to acquire follows the principles of love and kindness.

From this point of view, we expect (though not necessarily look forward to) to encounter trials and challenges. These events can expose our weaknesses and short comings and if we are humble enough to accept them, we can better ourselves in many aspects. This way we can benefit from even difficult times.

In seminars that follow we will look at ways and methods of being the master of ourselves. For this seminar on willpower, maintaining the perspective that every undertaking affords opportunities of progressing ourselves in many ways, including getting closer to God is part of being determined that nothing will get us down. It is a perspective that sustains the indomitable will. It maintains that even challenges or setbacks we may go thorough are ultimately worth the effort, thus keeping us moving forward even if we have to make drastic changes within ourselves that might sometimes be painful. The spiritual development angle requires that we be humble, admit that we make mistakes and learn to make ammends for misplaced deeds or words. It is about reigning in a selfish ego and developing a more considerate one as we live our life.

If we choose not to bother with spiritual development as we work to achieve our success, we will then risk being coarse and selfish, inconsiderate and even hurtful as we push towards our goals. Eventually though, the spiritual forces in the form of karma will catch up to us and destroy whatever we had created, if it was created by the destructive forces in our nature in the first place.

As we have explored, determination is crucial in sustaining willpower. While it does provide some energy to willpower, especially through subconscious concentration techniques, it mainly consists in holding on to perspectives that come to play in planning, affirmations and spiritual development. Without these perspectives, the initial boost of energy that we got from the onset of desire as inspiration can easily fizzle out, especially when we realize the extent of effort that we have to put in or when challenges surfaces.

Thus part of working to our goals should include time for careful planning and then consistency in subconscious concentration routines. This is why determination uses the most time for maintaining the the three aspects of the 3Ds which are Desire, Determination and Discipline. Taken from the previous seminar these are how the 3Ds partner to generate willpower.

Determination, as is desire are the foundations of willpower. Willpower comes into action as the drive to progress when the effort begins. In the effective planning of determination we would have devised a strategy of implementation of this effort. Generally this implemantation will include time and resource management. To put this plan into action and, in a sense manage, the powerful willpower that is generated by desire and determination discipline is required. In the next seminar we will explore the discipline aspect of willpower.