Chapter 38Problems in Human Relations · Benefiting from Criticism

Even sometimes a malignant (not fair or well-intentioned) criticism can be helpful by some aspect of it, if one can look at it without being affected by the unfairness.

* Naturally, praise and blame may have that effect2 (the human 2 The correspondent remarked that praise may lead to pride and vanity, just as blame may lead to resentment and revolt. — Ed.

nature is more sensitive to these than to almost anything else, more even than to real benefit or injury), unless either equanimity has been established or else there is so entire a confidence and happy dependence upon someone that both praise and blame are helpful to the nature. There are some men who even without Yoga have so balanced a mind that they take and adjudge praise and blame calmly for what they are worth, but that is extremely rare.

Sadhana on the Physical,

Sadhana on the Level

of the Physical

Chapter One