Teachings of Holy Mother

The effect of Karma can be counteracted to a great extent by Japa and austerities.
C111 & TN321 In the Company of the Holy Mother. By Her Direct Disciples. Calcutta : Advaita Ashrama, 1980 & Swami Tapasyananda and Swami Nikhilananda. Sri Sarada Devi, the Holy Mother; Life and Conversations. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1977.

Teachings of Swami Vivekananda

Good and evil have an equal share in molding character, and in some instances misery is a greater teacher than happiness.
Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume I p.27

Teachings of Holy Mother

Do you know the significance of Japa and other spiritual practices?
By these, the power of the sense-organs is subdued.

TN290 Swami Tapasyananda and Swami Nikhilananda. Sri Sarada Devi, the Holy Mother; Life and Conversations. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1977

Excerpts from Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

Volume 5/Notes from Lectures and Discourses/Evolution

Patanjali says that these struggles remain only through our ignorance, and are not necessary, and are not part of the evolution of man. It is just our impatience which creates them. We have not the patience to go and work our way out. For instance, there is a fire in a theatre, and only a few escape. The rest in trying to rush out crush one another down. That crush was not necessary for the salvation of the building nor of the two or three who escaped. If all had gone out slowly, not one would have been hurt. That is the case in life. The doors are open for us, and we can all get out without the competition and struggle; and yet we struggle. The struggle we create through our own ignorance, through impatience; we are in too great a hurry. The highest manifestation of strength is to keep ourselves calm and on our own feet.

Teachings of Holy Mother Sarada Devi

You make some progress in this life, a little more in the next, and so on.
It is the body alone that changes ; the Atman remains the same.

TN330 Swami Tapasyananda and Swami Nikhilananda. Sri Sarada Devi, the Holy Mother; Life and Conversations. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1977.

Teachings of Swami Vivekananda

It is good to love God for hope of reward in this or the next world, but it is better to love God for love's sake.
Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume I p.12