He understands that the mechanics of the spiritual path are not at odds with the rational principles.

Although he may be still convinced that the success

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in the spiritual search lies also in a particular inborn tendency, from that moment onwards he will work seriously, writing down his progress in a spiritual diary. 3. In this example, the commitment to the mystical path comes into existence when a person discovers the value of the Prayer; I mean the repeated Prayer, which in India is called Japa. The matchless value of this simple practice can be experienced in particular occasions such as, for example, a group pilgrimage. Let us imagine that during such a circumstance, someone begins to recite the so-called rosary - a set number of repetitions of the same Prayer. New to this practice, our individual, even if tired and almost gasping for breath, doesn't withdraw himself from this pious action. While walking and praying in an undertone, he begins to enter a state of unknown calmness. He looks with different eyes at the show of continuously changing landscape and has the impression of living a paradisiacal situation. When the group rests for an intermediate pause or when reaches the destination, let us assume that our fellow has the grace to be left alone - "unmolested". Likely, he slips in an introspective state and recognizes that a state of happiness lies underneath his thoughts and pervades his perceptions. During his life, he may have not known the meditative-ecstatic condition but now he is pervaded by something very real vibrating in his own heart, which he identifies, definitely, with the Spiritual Reality. In different occasions of his past, while trying to increase his devotion by remaining calm, he used to drift off to sleep or was seduced by the whirlpool of his mad thoughts, which elaborated, in endless variations, his own fancies and fears. Now the ecstatic state assumes the consistence of reality, becomes almost unbearable; overcomes him. Similar situations, inner unforgettable events, often recur; sometimes, they the mark an act of sudden, sincere and wholehearted conversion. Yet, a similar state is natural: it is the outcome of a mind which is appeased - in this situation by the Prayer but it may be from other reason as for example by many deep breathings - and of a body which is relaxed and therefore doesn't disturb in any way. This state is pure, "clean", since it happens unexpected. Obviously nothing can be said about how, in the following days, our person will elaborate the experience. Let us leave out those who consider
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the experience as a divine indication to mark how exceptional they are. Let us consider the normal, common devotee, who comprehends that the experience came out of the particular psycho-physical conditions characterizing the pilgrimage and, chiefly, by means of the unceasing repetition of the Prayer. He has no doubts that the experience cannot be reproduced by the sheer use of the will. He does not attempt at recalling it through mental acrobatics or by magnifying ones emotions. He possesses self-esteem, he has the confidence he is able to draw the experience down in the prosaic reality of the daily life - again through Prayer, of course. By undertaking this practice, some problems may arise. Which is the best Prayer, what is the best time to use it and how? Then it is not automatic that one will feel its benefits in as a strong a way as during that memorable day. Rather he may feel to be like a convalescent with a feeling of desolation in his heart. The noise coming from the external