Gaining Control of the Passions

You need not take to such awful measures to get control over your passions. Such drastic and cruel means are for the tamasic—mudha. Mother will not put you to such violent methods in order to gain mastery over carnal desires. They will go away of themselves when your desire for realizing the Mother would increase, as a man would not care to have treacle after he has tasted candy. So when you get real taste for divine pleasure all craving for sense pleasure will cease to trouble you anymore. One thing that is needful for you just now is to think of Mother and Mother alone and to look to nothing [else] for help or guidance. Have absolute faith in Mother that she will protect you and lead you aright, and you will be saved for certain. …
For you is the path of love and not torture. Love for Mother will take away the love for the flesh from your mind.
(Written from Almora on 3 November 1916 to Dr D'Mello)
From: Spiritual Treasures: Letters of Swami Turiyananda, trans. and ed. Swami Chetanananda (St Louis: Vedanta Society, 1992), 255.