To inspire to awaken and to guide the seekers after Truth and God-realization,has been the unique life- work of the great sage,Swami sivananda.He has given certain working methods,in practical ways,rather than just theory.The spiritual life is to be built upon and sustained by these important supports,i.e.,a well conceived ideal,a definite programme of life and a background of thought. For one to proceed on spirtual life the following are the requisites. 1.One should have an ideal 2.A well laid and well regulated programme. 3.A concrete background of thought to sustain one in the struggle to work out and achieve the aforementioned requisites. This book will be of great help to the seeker. The popularity of the book like every other book by Swami Sivananda is so great that it has gone into ten editions within a period of over fifty years.