Sant Mat Radhasoami

Sant Mat As It Is -- Light and Sound on the Path, January 2012

2012-01-01T10:34:00.000-05:00

Sant Mat As It Is -- Light and Sound on the Path, January 2012

(Pictured Above: Soami Ji Maharaj)

Below in this first Sant Mat Satsang Society digest/newsletter of 2012:

*Links to Podcasts and Sant Mat Websites;

*The Ascension of the Soul;

*Spirituality Part of Daily Life;

*Meditation Improves With Practice -- Never Give Up;

*Do Simran -- Do the Meditation;

*About the Practices and the Ahimsa/Ethical Foundation of Sant Mat: Five Precepts, and Eight Limbs of Yoga;

*The Four Essentials of Sant Mat;

*Bhajan of Huzur Maharaj: The Secret of Life: Contained Within This Human Form Are All the Portals and Inner Regions of the Cosmos;

*How Karma Operates (Essays on the Bijak of Kabir, A Genuine Satsang Template of Sant Mat)

and....

*Happy New Year 2012! -- Five New Year Messages;

Jai Sat Naam -- Jai Guru -- Radhasoami!

Social Networking in India: New Sant Mat Page (and Blog) at SpeakingTree:

http://www.SpeakingTree.in/public/6lhpifd3dj81kde6euberrxo7/blog

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts and Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts:

http://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/archive.html

Sant Mat Fellowship at Yahoo Groups:

http://groups.Yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship

Sant Mat Library of Online Books:

http://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/library.html

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Sant Mat at Facebook:

http://www.Facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami

Sant Mat Radhasoami Blog - Number One Sant Mat Blog on the Web:

http://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Sant Mat at Twitter:

http://Twitter.com/SantMat

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Sant Mat at Tumblr:

http://SantMat.Tumblr.com

"Better than a thousand useless words

is one useful word,

hearing which one attains peace.

Better than a thousand useless verses

is one useful verse,

hearing which one attains peace."

-- Buddha, Dhammapada

"This mysterious path is described in the holy books, but it cannot be found simply by the study of sacred texts. It is found by the grace and guidance of an Accomplished Teacher." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)

"Those that say that individuals are not capable of changing anything are only looking for excuses" (Vaclav Havel)

"The eyes only see what the mind is prepared to comprehend." (Henri Bergson)

Starve the ego,

Feed the soul.

"To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself." (Thich Nhat Hanh)

"I think it's very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person." (Oscar Wilde)

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." (Oscar Wilde)

Souls are God-Particles: "The soul is a particle or wave (ansa) of the Supreme Being just as the ray of the Sun is an emanation of the Sun."(Huzur Maharaj, Prem Patra Radhasoami)

"The pathway to the liberation of the 'jiva' (individual soul) already exists within each one of us." (Baba Devi Sahab)

"God and Love (Bhakti) are one and the same thing". (Baba Devi Sahab)

"Look within yourself with the inner eye. The whole expanse inside is replete with the refulgence of the Divine Light." (Sant Dadu Dayal, the Compassionate Mystic)

"Remember, I can only show you the door, you must walk through it". (Morpheus, in, The Matrix)

The Ascension of the Soul, By Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj

The individual Soul has descended from the higher worlds [realms of the Divine] to this city of illusion [bodily existence]. It has descended from the Soundless State to the essence of Sound, from that Sound to Light, and finally from the realm of Light to the realm of Darkness. The qualities (natural tendencies) of the sense organs draw us upward (by withdrawing consciousness) from the darkness to the realms of Light and Sound. In other words, to go inward from the external sense organs to the depth of the inner Self. The natural tendencies of the Soul (Atman) are to move from outward to inward. The Current of consciousness which is dispersed in the nine gates of the body and the nine senses must be collected at the tenth gate (the sixth chakra, the Third Eye Bindu, Center between the eyebrows). Therein lies the path for our return. This is the act of leaving the gates of the sense organs and becoming established in the soul. .... We travel back from the realm of Darkness to the realm of Light, from the Light to divine Sound, and from the realm of Sound to the Soundless State [the Ocean of Love and All-consciousness]. This is turning back. This is what dharma or religion really intends to teach us and it is the essence of dharma. (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, Harmony Of All Religions)

The Word, and, OM, by The Moody Blues ('The Fountain' film motif continues!) -- Youtube: http://youtu.be/IfkUfarjVO8

Swami Harinandan Baba

Spirituality Part of Daily Life, By Swami Harinandan Baba, Living One and Current Acharya (Teacher) of Sant Mat at Maharshi Mehi Ashram -- in Guru Kabir/Sant Dharamdas/Sant Dariya Sahib/Sant Tulsi Sahib Lineage -- Translation from Hindi into English Provided by Pravesh K. Singh Ji

This faith, loyalty and dedication precisely are the proof of one's honesty. We should forsake neither three times meditation a day nor satsang (company of noble people). Those who develop the habit of attending satsang daily, feel as if they have committed some crime if they somehow miss satsang, even for a single day. Similar is the state of those who practice meditation regularly. If they don't sit in meditation as scheduled, they feel restless as if something really important has gone amiss, feel bereft of mental peace. Another thing is that only they who meditate regularly find concentration and genuine pleasure in it. Which is why, our Guru Maharaj (Maharshi Mehi Paramhans Ji Maharaj) would say, "Attend satsang daily, and meditate daily as well". If you could fix and strictly observe a particular routine for meditation, that would be even better. Get up at 3 AM, also known as 'Brahma Muhurta'. There is no disturbance at this hour. Ambiance, also is perfectly calm. This is the best time for meditation.

Meditation Improves With Practice -- Never Give Up, By Swami Harinandan Baba

Initially when we sit in meditation, 'dhyAn' [true meditation, all encompassing concentration] does not take place; it is as if we are pretending to meditate. But as we tenaciously persist sincerely with our practice, one day dhyAn does happen in its true sense. Otherwise those are extremely rare to find who can do dhyAn perfectly. DhyAn has been described as "dhyAnam shUnyagatam manah" (Dhyan means the mind getting completely void of any thoughts or agitations). He who can accomplish perfect dhyAn finds that his mind has become empty. Thus Sants exhort us not to sit in the lap of disappointment (if we don't succeed in meditation) but to persevere whether dhyAn is effected or not.

Do Simran -- Do the Meditation, By Swami Harinandan Baba

Perform virtuous acts, you will receive happiness. Also do 'sumiran' (remembering God's name, or meditating on the Divine Sound) regularly. The biggest advantage of 'sumiran' is that we do not have to pass through the painful cycle of 8.4 million species again. Those who perform true worship of God, meditate on His name, are rid of the cycle of transmigration. The condition is that meditation be done with utmost regularity. Get initiation from an adept Guru, meditate thrice daily. Whether you see anything (during meditation) or not, never ever discontinue meditation. Initially, it might appear to be a mere show, a 'useless' exercise. People often say that they are going to do 'dhyan', but dhyan does not happen in the very beginning. Dhyan is in fact the seventh limb of eight-fold Yoga* (as enunciated by Patanjali). We have to start with 'yam'**, 'niyam', 'Asan', 'prANAyAm', 'pratyAhAr'; then comes 'dhyAn'. Dhyan is followed by 'samAdhi' (the highest state of meditation) which is the eighth limb of yoga. So dhyan does not happen initially. First we make an attempt to do dhyan, and this process is called 'dhyAn AbhyAs' (practice of dhyan [meditation]).

About the Practices and the Ahimsa/Ethical Foundation of Sant Mat

* The Eight Limbs of Yoga -- Stairway to Heaven -- these steps and stages of ascension are used to varying degrees fairly universally by Eastern spiritual paths:

See: http://yoga.about.com/od/theyogasutras/p/eightlimbs.htm

** Ethical Foundation - The Five Precepts: Two and a half/three hours of meditation per day, and ethcial precepts of Ahisma (non-violence in thought, word, and deed):

THE ETHICAL FOUNDATON OF SANT MAT -- AHIMSA VALUES -- THE FIVE PRECEPTS (Includes Vegan Version)

Moral requirements for Initiation

1. Abstinence from alcohol and drugs (intoxicants);

2. Ahimsa (Non-Violence in thought, word, and deed) including in the area of diet, as in following a vegan (abstinence from animal products) or vegetarian diet (abstinence from meat, fish, and eggs);

3. Leading a truthful life;

4. Practicing non-stealing: an honest, ethical source of income;

5. Loyalty to ones spouse;

Another Version of the Five Precepts

1) Refrain from taking the life of sentient beings. This precept also requires strict adherence to a vegan (no animal products) or lacto-vegetarian diet (no meat, fish, poultry nor eggs, fertilized or non-fertilized).

2) Refrain from speaking what is not true.

3) Refrain from taking what is not yours.

4) Refrain from sexual misconduct.

5) Refrain from using intoxicants.

* Below is on Daily Meditation, Ethical Precepts, and Eight Limbs of Yoga in the book, Philosophy of Liberation, by Sant Maharshi Mehi:

88. Yama consists of five disciplines: satya (truthfulness), ahimsa (non-violence), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacarya (continence), and aparigraha (control of greed or non-possessiveness).

Niyama also consists of five practices, which are the following: sauca (internal and external purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (penance), svadhyaya (study of spiritual matters) and lsvara pranidhana (meditation on God).

89. In following Yama and Niyama, one exercises aversion from the five sins, serves the spiritual master, attends satsang, and practices meditation as referred to in section 60.

90. A comfortable asana (a pose of sitting or posture) of keeping the head, neck and trunk straight and steady is a must for meditation. Without the ability to sit in such a steady posture for prolonged periods, meditation cannot be practiced.

91. Meditation should be practiced being alert, without being drowsy, shutting the eyes comfortably and without turning the eyeballs or pressing them in any way.

92. The practice of meditation should be an essential part of the practitioner's daily routine. The preferred time of meditation is Brahmamuhurta ([Hour of God: Brahma-mu-hurta, or Amrit Veela: Hours of Elixir]: very early in the morning: 3:00/4:00 A.M.). Likewise one should meditate at mid-morning and then again in the evening time. While falling asleep, one should also engage his mind in meditation. Further, it is good to practice Manas japa [Simran] or Manas dhyana [Dhyan] while working.

93. Before learning the Nadanusandhana (meditation on inner Sound) in practicing Manas japa (mantra repetition), Manas dhyana (focusing on the form of the master or deity) and Drshti Yoga ([inner Light meditation in the Third Eye Center or Eye-Focus] focusing on a Point that is practicing one-pointedness), one should meditate with eyes and mouth shut. Upon learning Nadanusandhana (Yoga of Sound [Inner Sound meditation]) from the Master, one should also close the ears.

94..........In the initial stages of dhyana (absolute concentration), pratyahara is practiced. [Note: Pratyahara means to bring back. Bringing back or refocusing one's attention during meditation, bringing the mind distracted by worldly thoughts back to the Focal Point during meditation.] Through the means of pratyahara, the mind is brought back repeatedly to the Focal Point. By this constant practice of pratyahara, one is eventually able to concentrate for a short period on the Focal Point. This state of concentration is called dharana (steadiness of concentration or absorption). When absorption is maintained for longer and longer periods of time, then it is dhyana (absolute concentration). Then in this state of dhyana, one is able to grasp the Streams of spiritual Sounds (described in section 60) and finally achieves samadhi (Unity [Union, Absorption, Oneness in deep meditation]). Drshti Yoga (seeing the inner Light -- the Yoga of Vision) will greatly facilitate pratyahara and dharana. ////////

"Whoever sincerely practices the inner meditation comes to experience Light within. First he sees the Light and then he hears Sound also. Sound has a natural, inherent property of attracting the listener towards its Source or Origin. One who is capable of grasping the Sound springing straight from the God Himself gets naturally drawn to Him." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)

In Sant Mat [the Teachings of the Saints],

great importance has been attached to Bhakti;

it is the sine qua non of Sant Mat.

If there are all other attributes but no Bhakti,

then there is nothing. And he, who has no virtues

but is endowed with Bhakti, is possessed of all.

He alone is a devotee and he alone is dear to

Bhagwant (Lord). Even if one performs

Surat-Shabd Abhyas,

[spiritual exercises, inner Light & Sound Meditation]

but is devoid of this attribute,

then one is empty and hollow.

-- Maharaj Saheb, "Discourses of Maharaj Saheb"

The Four Essentials of Sant Mat are: True Guru (Sat-Guru), True Name (Sat-Naam), True Association (Sat-sang) and True Love (Sat-Anurag).

Bhajan of Huzur Maharaj: The Secret of Life: Contained Within This Human Form Are All the Portals and Inner Regions of the Cosmos

Having heard the plight of the devotee, the All-Merciful Supreme Lord spoke, thus showering torrents of Grace and draining away all pains and sufferings. Human life, with its unknown Secrets, is invaluable. Without knowing its Secrets, how may one realize its value?

Like an ignorant oil miller who did not know the value of the Philosopher's stone, he keeps on weighing oil with the precious stone that he has in his possession. Similarly, without knowing the Secret, you have not valued the human form. You have remained entangled with flesh and bones and not understood the inner Reality. Just as the All (the Reservoir of Spirituality), brought the creation into existence, in a similar measure, the Spirit-Entity has created the human body.

Saints have explained for your benefit the Secret of the creation. There is the Pinda [physical planes/universes] and Brahmanda [Universal Mind Plane], and beyond is the Region of Saints. Each of these has six subdivisions. These are explained in detail by Saints. Chakras, Kamals and Padams [Centers, Lotuses, Ganglions of various regions] are the names given to these only. This human body has within itself the images of all the regions or levels of creation. Contact with these inner regions is established when the corresponding portals are opened.

As the good fortune awakens, all these Secret Gateways get opened. The Spirit-Entity gets released naturally and rejoins its Original Source. Besides the human form, no other body provides this opportunity, (for the Spirit-Entity). It is after aimless wandering for crores of births that you have got it [sentient being, the human form]. The invaluable seeds of Bhakti [spiritual love and devotion] are sown by the Saint Incarnations. Apart from this 'soil' of the human frame, it cannot 'sprout' anywhere else. The path of traversing to the Original Abode that the Saints have revealed, cannot be traversed without residing in this human frame.

Therefore, you should be alert and know the great value of this human body. You must realize the immense value of each breath of life that you take.

Now I tell the Secret of the mind that you have been given. This provides a connection between the Spirit and the body.

The burden of the Adi Karma (original propensity to associate with physical matter) that you carry on your head -- the currents of that burden would be falling on this mind now and then.

Call mind a gateway or comprehend it as a pipeline, through which the impurity of Adi Karma would flow out and get emptied.

Without associating with the mind, one cannot reside in the body. Without associating these with the Spirit, the Karmas would not get annihilated.

Without the Karmas being annihilated, one cannot reach the Original Abode. Being sold away in the 'Bazaar of God of Death', you would have to suffer misery everyday.

Radhasoami Dayal [the Compassionate Lord of the Soul] reveals, opening up the essential Secret to you, surrender to the Holy Feet to annihilate all the ailments of your body and soul. (Prem Bani Radhasoami)

New Year Messages

Greetings for the New Year!

Hope always springs in the human heart. With this in mind, let us hope that the year 2012 will bring greater harmony, understanding, love and acceptance of one another. May the violence and other atrocities prevalent in the world come to an end, so that people can begin to live according to human ideals.

Throughout history there has been great teachings by our Saints and Satgurus to enshrine Divine Love in our hearts, to live a spiritual life, and strive to realize unity with God and with all in the world. Unfortunately, there has been violence throughout history, and the peace that most people would like to have in their lives, has not been experienced.

With the modern means of communication, good and spiritual ideas can be transmitted worldwide very quickly. However, what is most often transmitted throughout the world are the crimes, misdeeds, violence, immorality and quite often useless information. How wonderful it would be if everyone could see the reflection of Divinity in everyone else's heart. And for those who do not believe in God, they could see the reflection goodness that is inherent in the heart of everyone. We all need to raise our consciousness from the mundane to the Divine, and let go of trivialities, prejudices, hate, and a myriad of negativities that occupy our lives.

May this New Year bring blessings, brotherhood, understanding and acceptance of one another. Let the innate love that is often dormant in our heart be transmitted to all beings.

Satguru Kabir stated, "Love does not grow in a garden or sold in the

marketplace. Whether you are a king or a poor subject, you need to surrender your ego to manifest love."

BLESSINGS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Dr. J. Das

Kabir Association of Canada (pictured below)

Message from His Holiness Panth Shri Hajur 1008 Ardhnam Saheb

Satyanaam

Dear Kabir Saheb's blessed,

My heartiest well wishes to all of you for the New Year and Poornima. I wish and pray that it brings happiness and success to all of you in your endeavours. May the new year bring with it strength and devotion to bring you close to Satguru.

As each new day gives you fresh and new opportunities similarly does the beginning of a new year, glance back and see what was achieved and achievable.

May Satguru help you all in achieving your goals and bringing happiness and health in life of your dear ones.

My best wishes to all of you.

Panth Shri 1008 Hajur Ardhanam Saheb

Sadguru Kabir Prakatyadham Lahartara

Varanasi, INDIA 0091-9415304040

"In the enveloping darkness of these days, I say to all to whom my voice may reach: Turn back to God! He is not afar. He is not in temples and churches: They are no longer centres of spiritual forces. He is not in scriptures which men recite but do not make effort to translate the teaching in deeds of daily living. He is not in places of pilgrimage. He is within you!" (Dada J. P. Vaswani, Sadhu Vaswani Mission, from his New Year's Message)

"The knowledge of the soul and Supreme Soul is the highest level of knowledge for human beings. It uplifts us from earthly suffering, births and deaths to the State of Salvation (i.e. Moksha, Nirvana)." (Swami Ashutosh Baba)

A New Year's Message by Sant Kirpal Singh

All scriptures handed down the ages are conclusive that 'God is Spirit' -- moreover 'God made man in His own image.' The image cannot be but spirit.

As God is infinite, i.e. not subject to death, then man in his own essence can also be not subject to death -- he is conscious entity, a drop of the ocean of all consciousness, and indweller in the body, and on account of that the body is working. God is a living Presence within our being -- controlling us in the body. Both soul and God reside in our bodies, but we are identified with the body so much so that we have forgotten our own self. We are under a grand delusion and cannot see the world in its right perspective. Unless we know ourselves by rising above body-consciousness, how can we know God who is residing with us in the body? Truly speaking, manbody is the temple of God. We should therefore be conscious of our Divine Nature, and try to regain our God-head. For that, you turn away completely from outside and outgoing faculties for a while, and close yourself in the closet of your body. The Ringing Radiance of God will become effulgent. God is eternal, all wisdom, all happiness, so you are the same. Mind that you and God are one, you can never be separated. He is ever with you, enlivening you. His life is your life, and you cannot live without Him -- so you have nothing to fear.

Man is what he thinks about all day long. One can only live one moment at a time. Emerson said: "There is no moment in eternity more important than this moment." All real good or evil that may befall him is from himself. If a man lives in a good or bad way in the real present, he will ensure the same in the future. If you have bad thoughts for others, you will harm not them only but yourself as well, as thoughts are very potent. So try to live in the living present, forgetting the past and the future -- and fill every moment of your life with simple trust in Him in all loving devotion. He will manifest in you when you choose and turn your face to Him. As loving advice I give you, from this moment let love be your constant companion and trust Him in all things. God is love and love is God, and the way back to God is also through love. Guru Gobind Singh says "Hear ye all, I tell the truth; God is attained through love." Rest assured that He is With you always, and be of good cheer.

With all best wishes,

Yours affectionately,

Kirpal Singh

1970 Christmas and New Year's Message

RuhaniSatsangUSA Website

How Karma Operates (Essays on the Bijak of Kabir, A Genuine Satsang Template of Sant Mat), By Dr. Jagessar Das

"If we wish good things to happen, we have to do good things. We cannot have anger, hate, greed, violence, egoism, lust, jealousy and evil intentions and expect good results. Yet all people expect good things to happen to them, even when they display all the bad and negative behaviour. It simply will not happen. So the violence occurring in the world simply feeds itself in a self-perpetuating manner, as does all negative activities. Good and positive activities will also perpetuate themselves. Bad things in the world will cease only when they are replaced with good, and sufficient time is allowed for the negative karmas to work themselves out in peoples’ lives. This may take several lifetimes, but the start has to be made, otherwise there will be no progress in the positive direction. The good must be in thoughts, words and deeds. It all boils down to the fact that good will not produce bad, and bad will not produce good.

"Considering the above, how do we decide what is good and what is bad? Different people can have different interpretations of good and bad. We give 'value', whether negative of positive, to everything in life. Whatever brings happiness, comfort, self-esteem, respect, enjoyment and good health we say is good. Whatever brings suffering, stress, depression, anxiety and illness we say is bad. We mold our behaviour according to the 'value' we give to things, and according to our behaviour, we reap the fitting results, good or bad.

"How do we change our behaviour? First, we need to assess our actions in thoughts, words and deeds and decide if they are good or bad, and make the changes. This will require diligence and perseverance. Second, we need to seek the company of those who can guide us in the 'good' direction. Third, we need to get in touch with the 'Source' of our being. That Source is indescribably good, and has given the gift of life. That source is with us and within us." ////////

"Be not imprisoned in the jail of ' I ' and 'me'. He who hath transcended self, he verily hath attained to the Highest. He hath become Perfect. Such a one knows no difference between the Hindu, the Muslim, the Sikh, the Christian, the Jew, the Buddhist or the Zoroastrian, for God is the Lord of all and in all shines the one picture Divine; we are worshippers of the same Lord. The One is within thee, outside thee, in me, in him and in every place. That One alone doeth speak in all." (Kirpal Singh)

"In different times and different places saints appear and their followers name their religion according to the sage or saint who propounded that tradition. The appearance of differences can be attributed to time, place, and language. This gives rise to various labels for the common views held by all religions. Likewise, due to excessively zealous followers, these seeming differences are often amplified. When all sectarianism and the temporal and linguistic aspects are removed, the basic principles of all the saints are in accord and the voices of the saints are in harmony." (Maharishi Mehi, "Harmony of All Religions")

Let them try to imprison Him in temple, mosque and church!

The seeing eye finds the Beloved's signs in every mote.

Very near your heart are seekers of your vision;

Those who look at the surface are exiled from the Beloved's Light.

What can I say of the grace he showers on me within?

Darshan, the moment I close my eyes, the Beloved's Light begins.

"How wondrous is the instrument of love!

Two hearts join and sing as one.

Indefinable, inscrutable its ultimate design:

Life is forever a constant beginning."

(Sant Darshan Singh)

-- Darshan Singh, New Poetry Website: http://LovesLastMadness.com

Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter/Blog: Light and Sound on the Path: More Light

2011-12-13T02:00:00.000-05:00

Light and Sound on the Path: More Light! ("Mehr Licht") -(Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe)

These Solstice-related holidays have the theme of the return of Light or miracles associated with the Renewal or Incarnation of the Light in the physical plane. Happy Holidays of Light and May the New Year Bring Much Wisdom.

Jai Guru, Radhasoami,

Jai Sat Naam, In the Light and Sound of the Beloved,

James

Sant Mat Fellowship

Spiritual Awakening Radio

Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts

http://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/santmat.html

http://Plus.Google.com/109968225377532007254/about

http://www.Facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami?sk=info

http://SantMatRadhasoami.Wordpress.com

http://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com

http://SantMat.Tumblr.com/archive

The universe within is infinitely larger than the universe without. And if the universe without is over 40 billion light-years and expanding, and yet is merely a tiny drop in a Divine Ocean, this implies much about the Heavens or Dimensions that are waiting for us within.

Rumi: "Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray."

"On this path effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear." (Bhagavad Gita)

The December 2011 Sant Mat Satsang Podcast at Blog Talk Radio: The Dharamdasi-Tulsi Sahib Connection: The Five Names and Anurag Sagar

To stream, click this link: http://bit.ly/tAWWmi or to download: http://bit.ly/va43hB

Sant Mat History is the focus of this edition of the Sant Mat Podcast. What is the family tree of Sant Mat? Where does this spiritual path come from? Who used the Five Names (Panch Naam) before the time of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras? Who was Tulsi Sahib's Guru (one of the successors of Sant Dariya Sahib in Bihar)? Who are the People of the Anurag Sagar? Who used the Anurag Sagar (Kabir's "Ocean of Love"), a sacred text of Sant Mat, before the time of Tulsi Sahib and Radhasoami? I make the case that the lineage of Masters begins with Guru Kabir, goes to Sant Dharam Das (the Dharamdasis), then perhaps to one of Dharam Das's successors, such as Churamani Naam, to Dariya Sahib's Guru, to Dariya Sahib of Bihar, then to one of the successors of Dariya (Guna Das or Teka Das), to Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, and branched out from there.

Other Recent Podcasts Available Online: The Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Darshan Singh -- Love's Last Madness, Parts One and Two; Buddhism and Inner Sound Meditation; A History of Mystics, East and West: Charts of the Heavens -- Maps of Inner Space; The Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India: Poetry Musically Accompanied With Sitar, Flute, Tambura and Tablas -- GO TO the Podcast Page of Spiritual Awakening Radio:

http://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/archive.html

Let them try to imprison Him in temple, mosque and church!

The Seeing Eye finds the Beloved's signs in every mote.

Very near your heart are seekers of your Vision;

Those who look at the surface are exiled from the Beloved's Light.

What can I say of the grace He showers on me within?

Darshan, the moment I close my eyes, the Beloved's Light begins.

(Love's Last Madness, Darshan Singh, Hohm Press)

I Hear Your Wordless Song

Light that shines from inner skies,

we watch together.

I hear your wordless song,

of bliss and peace.

Skies illumine with you,

hearts burst with joy,

at your wordless song

of Truth.

No longer tied with earthly ropes

of illusion,

Now free .....freed by your song

of silence! (Jennifer Latham)

The more we meditate,

the more we communicate with our inner selves,

the more we contemplate the Light and the Sound,

the more lighthearted and energetic we will be to help others.

If your Eye becomes Single, your whole body shall be full of Light: "The meditator sees a dark void ahead when he closes his eyes. Light is seen when attention is focused in the center of that darkness. Sant Tulsi Sahib articulates this thus: 'Attention is stilled in the inner sky and remains seated day and night at the portal of the til (Point).' That is, the spiritual practitioner who focuses his [or her] attention in the inner void enters into the Gate of Bindu or the Tenth Door." (Swami Achyutanand, Yoga of Inner Light and Sound)

Seeing the Inner Light of God, by Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, translated into English by Pravesh K. Singh

Although the "Drishti Yoga" (Yoga of Inner Light or Vision) is more difficult to accomplish than the "Shabda Yoga" (Inner Sound Meditation), it is important to practice first the Yoga of Light to attain Single-pointedness....

Having attained Single-pointedness, the attention should be focused on the inner Sounds. The consciousness will, naturally, be drawn towards the inner Sounds, leaving the bindu (the Radiant Infinitesimal Point) behind. The extreme bliss experienced when hearing the inner Sounds completely absorbs the consciousness....

While meditating on the inner Sound it is possible for the practitioner to also see the Divine Light. Just as while attending a concert, one cannot help but see (the stage, artists etc.), so also the spectacular scenes of the various Non-Conscious Realms also are seen inevitably when engaged in the practice of the Yoga of Sound. Hence, it has been remarked that 'the Light is within the Sound'. Not surprisingly, the practice of the meditation upon the inner Sound may transport its practitioner into the Domain of Divine Light. The Sound, nonetheless, is of utmost importance, is the essence of the practice, and not grasping the Sound, therefore, would be the greatest loss."

"If one is whole, one will be filled with Light, but if one is divided, one will be filled with darkness." (Yeshua, Gospel of Thomas) "If your Eye be Single, your whole body shall be full of Light." (Gospel of Matthew) "There is Light within a Person of Light, and it illuminates the entire cosmos." (Yeshua, Gospel of Saint Thomas) "The Light of one soul is equal to that of sixteen suns."(Anurag Sagar) "Thus as a result of recollecting all these things the impulses of the mind are extended from the sphere of material things towards those impulses which are without limit, that is to say, wonder at the New World, and the faculty of vision which belongs to contemplation [of God]. For when the vision of the mind is mingled with the Light...., all its impulses become infinite. For none of the Visionaries or 'Gnostics' is able to distinguish the identity of the mind as a result of the vision of that glorious Light that is seen ..... for all the innermost chambers of the heart are filled by that blessed Light....". (Joseph the Visionary, Syriac Mystic quoted in, The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life, translated from the Aramaic by Sebastian Brock) "Blessed are those who have approached the divine Light, who have entered it and been absorbed by it, mingled in its brightness." (Saint Symeon)

The Nameless God (Anami): "Come, that I may teach you about secrets no person has ever seen. For there exists a Great and Boundless Realm, whose extent no generation of angels has seen, in which there is a Great Invisible Spirit, which no eye of an angel has ever seen, no thought of the heart has ever comprehended, and it was never called by any name."(Yeshua, Gospel of Judas)

"It is impossible to confine love to the temporal and transient levels of life, and it is impossible to confine the grandeur and majesty of God to the dimensions of the mind. When I had come to a partial realization of this fact, wise adepts of the inner realms provided me with guidance through the fragrant mystic universe, the spirito-mental region. They showed me their many magnificent planets of light and wonder. It was they who ultimately persuaded me to roam and explore untold realms of gold within myself. I had no fixed starting place in time and space, for I dwelt in a multi-verse that was co-extensive with all the ages. But my inner world was still limited by the boundaries of creation; I needed the guidance of a spiritual adept, within the physical world itself, to give me new birth into the freedom of eternity." (George Arnsby Jones)

He has awaited me for countless ages. Yet I did not know the bliss that was so near to me, for my love was not yet awake. But now, my Lover has made known to me the meaning of the note that struck my ear: Now, my good fortune is come. Kabir says: "Behold! how great is my good fortune! I have received the unending caress of my Beloved!" -- Guru Kabir

The moral code appertaining to Radhaswami Faith is comprised in two sentences:

All acts including spiritual practice which tend to free the spirit from matter and raise it towards its source are good work.

All acts which tend to degrade the spirit be weighing it downwards deeper and deeper into matter are bad work. Again any action done with a view to help the needy from unselfish motives is good work; and the contrary, bad work in this world.

Radhasoami Dayal says that the highest aim and object of every spirit should be to gradually throw off the coating of matter with a view to return to the Supreme Source. This is what He defines as "Good". To seek worldly objects, to set the heart entirely on worldly affairs, is a retrograde movement; and this is "bad". The next aim of every human being should be to do good to his fellow creatures by thought, word and deed as far as practicable, and to avoid injuring them except in the interests of society or for the good of many. (Huzur Maharaj, Radhasoami Mat Prakash)

"This world is perishable and so also is all that pertains to it. A wise person is he, who, having closely examined the nature of existence here, has realized that it is all transitory and illusory, and consecrated his human form by devoting himself to Bhajan and Sumiran (listening to inner Sounds and repetition of the Holy Name of the Supreme Being) and who, taking the fullest advantage of the various faculties which the Supreme Father has graciously endowed him with, has translated the invaluable jewel within him, which is Surat (spirit, the soul) or the essence of his being, to its Original Abode." (Opening Paragraph of Sar Bachan Radhasoami Prose)

"Who am I; what is the reality of my existence; what is the Truth are some of the questions that agitate a spiritual seeker's mind. None of these questions can be answered fully, since these questions as well as their answers arise at the level of mind, whereas the truth thereof can only be realized, not by the mind but at a level beyond the mind, at the level of the Self. All the scriptures attempt to provide answers to these questions in their own way, but no explanation or description can be fully satisfactory, as the Truth cannot be comprehended completely in words....."

"To realize the Truth, one has to first realise the Self, because the essence of the Truth is the same as the essence of the Self....." (R.K.Gupta, The Science and Philosophy of Spirituality)

"The great philosopher Socrates was asked by Crito 'in what manner should he be buried?' It is said that Socrates had replied: 'In any manner you like, but first you must catch me, the real me. You can bury only my body and not the real me.' Being the irradiation of the all-shining luminous Sat Purush, the soul is also luminous." (R.K. Gupta, The Science and Philosophy of Spirituality)

Always, always meditate day and night: When you rise, when you lie down, when you breathe in, when you breathe out. Waking or sleeping, relish the taste of meditation -- meditation will bring union. Meditation will remove all your burdens; meditation upon Ram's name [God's name] will become your support. Kabir, says, "He is limitless." (Songs of Kabir from the Adi Granth, Nirmal Das, SUNY Press, NY)

Truth Always Wins: Light and Sound on the Path

2011-11-26T21:28:00.000-05:00

Truth Always Wins: Light and Sound on the Path -- Sant Mat Satsang

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{[Contents Below: 1) Links to Three New Podcasts; 2) Buddhism and the Sound Current -- Inner Sound Meditation; 3) Brief Summary of the Teachings of Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters; 4) Video: 8000 Chinese Sky Lanterns Launched In Poznan, Poland -- a Reflection about Outer Light and Sound Rituals in the World Religions; 5) Baba Faqir Chand and the Radiant Form of the Inner Master; 6) A Letter from Soami Ji Maharaj; 7) Reducing or Eliminating Karma Through the Divine Current of Shabd; and, 8) Link to an Online Sant Mat Book by a Living Master: Yoga Of Inner Light and Sound.]}

New Sant Mat Radio Podcasts Available For Streaming and Downloading (Use Firefox, Opera, or Internet Explorer)

The Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Darshan Singh -- Love's Last Madness, Part ONE: My Guests are Barry Lerner and Harbans Singh Bedi -- Poetry Readings in Urdu with English Translation -- Program Length: 60 Minutes. Click to Stream or Download:

http://bit.ly/uvTlR8

The Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Dariya Sahib of Bihar. I also make the case that the guru of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras was either Dariya Sahib or one of the gurus that Dariya appointed to succeed him in Bihar: http://bit.ly/unIBCy

The Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India: Poetry Musically Accompanied With Sitar, Flute, Tambura and Tablas: http://bit.ly/vTy4qD

Subscribe to Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts & Access More Podcasts Here:

http://hosted.EarthChannel.com/HealthyLife/spa-od.html

"The human body is like a radio receiver for listening to the Sound Current [the inner Sound]. When we tune in the radio, we begin to hear the sound. Similarly, when the Master (Sant Satguru) guides us within, we are able to hear the Divine Music. By adjusting the 'dial', we hear various kinds of Sound." (Huzur Baba Sawan Singh)

Buddhism and the Sound Current -- Inner Sound Meditation

"Ananda and all you who listen here

Should inward turn your faculty

Of hearing to hear your own nature

Which alone achieves Supreme Bodhi.

That is how enlightenment is won.

Buddhas as many as the Ganges' sand

Entered this one gateway to Nirvana.

All past Tathagathatas

Have achieved this method."

(The Surangama Sutra: Selections from the

Upasaka Lu K'uan Yu Translation,

Published by Rider and Company, London)

"It is easiest to hear this Sound when it is quiet, particularly at nighttime. Once you have identified this Sound, then you place your awareness on it without wavering. Resting your mind in the Sound, you continue to listen, going further and further into the Sound itself." (Mind Beyond Death, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Snow Lion Publications)

"Listening to the inner Sound brings the heart into a position of acute inner awareness. It is not that the inner Sound has some magical property. Rather, it is that bringing of the alert mind, bringing openness and receptivity to Sound, is symbolic of the presence of Ultimate Truth. The Sound is always there. We don't have to create it. It is featureless. It is ever present. So it is a good symbol for Ultimate Reality itself." (Ajahn Amaro)

Brief Summary of the Teachings of Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters

* All souls (jivas) are in essence drops of love from the Sea of God.

* The attachment and association with mind and body makes the soul lose sight of the real Self.

* God assumes the form of a Saint to lead the soul back to its Original Home.

* One must surrender one's entire being to the Ocean of Love of which we are a part, instead of limiting ourselves to sensual pleasures which leave us unhappy and discontented.

* This can be done by the practice of Surat Shabd Yoga [Inner Light and Sound Meditation].

* By attuning oneself to the Life Current which proceeds from the Heart of Anami Purush [God, The Nameless One/Radhasoami] in the form of Light and Sound, one can finally achieve union with the True Self, finding the joy one is seeking. (R.S. White Paper on Religion of Sants and Radhasoami Faith, Dayalbagh, Agra, 2011)

* Consider the following as the requirements to attain liberation:

1) Trust and belief in God; 2) commitment to seek the Divine within; 3) devotion to a spiritual master; 4) listening to the teaching of the spiritual discourse including study of the teachings of the saints and the scriptures; and, 5) diligent meditation practice. (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)

A Reflection about Outer Light and Sound Rituals: 8000 Chinese "Sky Lanterns" Launched in Poznan, Poland

http://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=O0LiJmSX2fs

http://www.Youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=GSdPBM7GRwU

What a beautiful ceremony this is.

Souls yearn for heavenly experiences

and sometimes create rituals

around the lighting of lamps, fireworks,

the ringing of bells in temples, gongs, drumming, etc….

A preview of mystical experience,

a taste of things to come.

As without, so within.

As above, so below.

Types and shadows

till the day the wisdom eye opens,

the lamps light themselves,

the third ear hears,

and unstruck bells ever reverberate

on their own

in other realms beyond.

Truth Always Wins: "Truth should be the guideline in the performance of all activities, spiritual or temporal, for a satsangi. Nothing that falls short of truth should be acceptable to him [or her]." (Agam Prasad Mathur, Petals of Love)

Baba Faqir Chand and the Radiant Form of the Inner Master

"Maharaj Faqir Chand ji Sahab established his Ashram after his retirement from Railway service [station master] in 1962. The Ashram is located on the outskirts of Hoshiarpur in the foothills of Himalayas. It is called 'Manavata Mandir' -- 'Be Man Ashram'.

"Although the lineage is the same, this Satsang sees every religious tradition from Radhasoami to Advait Vedanta as being parts of the total reality. Baba Faqir Chand was a devotee of Shiv Brat Lai ji Sahab and had a large and devoted following.

"Faqir Chand ji Sahab was the first guru in the Sant Mat tradition to speak about the 'unknowing' aspects of visionary manifestations, which were called the 'Chandian Effect' after him. However, other Sant Mat gurus like Baba Jaimal Singh Ji went beyond this hypothesis and spoke of manifestation and knowledge of manifestations. Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji, for whom both Faqir Chand ji and his master Shiv Brat Lai ji had high regard, wrote and explained that the outward guru can and does know about the inner condition of his disciples. This knowledge is conveyed to the physical master via the inner Shabd, though only in extreme cases where the outer master's attention is needed. The Perfect Master is one with the Supreme Lord and when He initiates a devotee He creates an Astral Image of Himself in the disciple and, then on, never leaves the disciple, remaining therein as the Inner Master. When the life of the disciple needs the personal attention of the

Master, this Inner Master reports to the Conscious Master." (R.S. White Paper on Religion of Sants and Radhasoami Faith, Dayalbagh, Agra, 2011)

Param Purusha Puran Dhani Huzur Soami Ji Maharaj

A Letter from Swami Ji Maharaj

My Dear Saligram,

"Always remember the Lord, and, knowing that He is always with you, imbue yourself with His love. I have come to know the state of your restlessness and uneasiness all these days owing to separation and overflow of love. But the Lord is with you all the time. Why are you so restless? This, too, is a sort of joy, which is particularly bestowed on lovers only, and its relish is experienced only during the state of separation. Its bitterness, in fact, is also very sweet indeed. Of course outward darshan you get only occasionally, but the Lord is watchful in Shabd Form and is always with you.

"Lord in Shabd form is always with you and is never far. Have patience, and you will get a glimpse of True Light.

"Sat Naam, the Name of Sat Purush, is resounding in Sat Lok. Raise your Surat with Shabd, and you will have darshan of the refulgent form of the Lord.

"Be saturated with His love and yearning. Keep away from evil tendencies and leanings. Combating with mind and its forces, remain absorbed in Shabd.

"Further, your letter of yearning was read out in the assembly of all the Satsangis. All were pleased to hear it, and, in a way, it served as an example to them all, to emulate and learn what true love means. The Lord will, out of His own Grace and Mercy, bestow upon you the blessings of true love in its entirety. Further the Lord is all powerful.

"Radhaji sends Her blessings for your welfare and is pleased with you and says that She will intercede on your behalf for your early return."

Reducing or Eliminating Karma Through the Divine Current of Shabd, by Huzur Maharaj, Prem Patra Radhasoami ("Love Discourses of the Lord of the Soul")

Worldly Thoughts and Impulses Should Be Converted into Zeal For Securing Internal Bliss and Happiness -- Spiritual Experience

Man's actions are the manifestations of his thoughts. The mind, by projecting thoughts to sense-organs, enjoys pleasures. It, more or less, identifies itself with these thoughts and pleasures. At that time, it does not think of any thing else.

The Effect of Karmas can be Effaced by Performing the Meditation Practice of Surat Shabd Yoga: Union of the Soul With the Divine Light and Sound.

The meditation practice consists in reverting and raising internally the Current of the Surat (spirit, soul) along the Shabd (Divine Sound Stream) and the Light within. The seat of that Current is behind the eyes [at the Third Eye Center].

When such a condition begins to supervene to some extent, as a result of performing the meditation practices, the working of Karmas, both internally and externally, is automatically enfeebled. On getting some bliss and joy internally, and on witnessing the Refulgence, grace and mercy of the Supreme Being, the satsangi's mind is, of itself, detached from the world and its pleasures. The pleasures of the world become insipid. The longing for progress in meditation, and higher and higher bliss, goes on increasing. Worldly desires are curtailed. The practitioner of Shabd Yoga always gives priority to the will, grace and mercy of the Supreme Being in whatever he does. He subordinates his desires to the will of the Supreme Being. Thus the devotee is entangled in Kriyaman Karmas very little or not at all. This cuts short the chain of his Karmas.

Prarabdh Karmas are those, which unfold in this very life. The effect of such Karmas will be very much mitigated by the grace and mercy of the Supreme Father Radhasoami Dayal [The Merciful Lord of the Soul]. To the extent to which a practitioner of Shabd Yoga is able to withdraw from the eyes, he goes on getting detached from the body and the world. In the wakeful state, the seat of the spirit is behind the eyes. It is here that desires, pains and pleasures are felt and the seeds of Karmas or actions are created. Therefore, as the Current of Spirit is withdrawn from here with the help of spiritual exercises, pains and pleasures cease to be felt. In this way, the effect of Prarabdh Karmas is lightened.

As to Sanchit Karmas, they are stored in Manakash (mind-sky) in the form of seed-impressions. They will fructify in a future life. As the practitioner's Surat penetrates Manakash in its ascent to higher regions, the Sanchit Karmas appear in the form of thoughts and impulses. They come into play for a short while only and are obliterated. That is to say, if the spiritual exercises are performed correctly and methodically, the Surat Shabd Meditation practitioner's soul crosses over the region of Manakash in a short time, and the store of his Sanchit Karams is cleared off.

In this way, all the Karams of a practitioner can be exhausted and eradicated in one or two lives. If he is slack in meditation and desires for the pleasures of the world remain embedded in his mind to some extent, purification will take three lives. When the Surat [the attention-faculty of the soul] experiences bliss and joy of Shabd and inner visions in higher regions, pure love and longing for Surat Shabd Yoga goes on increasing day by day. (Huzur Maharaj)

Huzur Maharaj (Rai Saligram)

Online Sant Mat Book: Yoga Of Inner Light and Sound, by Swami Achyutanand Baba – Audio/Talking Book and Several E Book Options: http://bit.ly/tYLcq0

"Obeisance to the Worthy souls. Obeisance to the Liberated souls. Obeisance to the Preceptors (Spiritual Guides). Obeisance to the Spiritual Teachers. Obeisance to all the Saints in the world." (Lord Mahavira, Saman Suttam, Scripture of Jainism)

A Spiritual Life: Light and Sound on the Path

2011-11-09T23:09:00.001-05:00

A Spiritual Life: Light and Sound on the Path -- Sant Mat Satsang

http://hosted.EarthChannel.com/HealthyLife/spa-od.html

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New Podcast: Satsang Edition: The Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India: Poetry Musically Accompanied With Sitar, Flute, Tambura and Tablas -- Program Length: 60 Minutes. To Stream or Download, GO TO: http://bit.ly/vTy4qD

In the collection of links above is "Earth Channel". Go there to access more podcasts: A Vegan Diet of Kindness; Buddhism and Inner Sound Meditation; Ode to the Unknown God - Mystic Poetry & Teachings of Ravidas; Exploring The Path of the Masters; History of Mystics, Parts 1, 2, and 3; Kabir -- the "Rumi" of India Parts 1-5.

AND, at the same Earth Channel page there are also instructions on how you can subscribe to podcasts using the 'RSS' url or 'podcasts' url they provide, pasting one of those addresses into a site like Google Reader, great to use for subscribing to blogs and podcasts.

Mystic/Gnostic Christianity and Sant Mat: In the July 1976 edition of Sat Sandesh magazine is a nice article by Michael Raysson about the life and teachings of Jacob Boehme, the German Mystic: http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/pdf/ss76/ss197607.pdf

The Purpose of Life: "With Swamiji there is no such thing as idle chatter; he talks of the impermanence of the body and the purpose of life -- attaining spiritual enlightenment to avoid samsara (endless rebirth). He reminds me that when I die nothing will go with me; I will have to leave everything behind, except the accumulated spiritual wealth of my personal sadhana [meditation practice]." (from the article, Meeting an Enlightened Master, Rishikesh, Sanctuary of Sadhus, Sages and the Occasional Enlightened Master)

"O Lord! How will I be able to see you?

You are beyond all illusions,

But lingering in body and guided by my senses,

I always stay deluded;

My intelligence, mind and other senses catch only illusions,

And thus I remain totally immersed in them,

I can't step-forward, forsaking these illusions,

Kindly shower your grace and deliver me from their captivating influences,

So that I may go beyond non-living nature;

Mehi prays that the Lord will share His grace,

So that he may behold Him and get a surfeit or abundance of happiness." (Padavali of Maharshi Mehi)

"The reason that they attend Satsang is a fervent desire for meeting the Lord and for the welfare of their soul." (Huzur Maharaj)

"Human beings are multifaceted jewels. We have many important dimensions to our being. These include the physical, emotional, mental, intellectual and the spiritual. Seek your perfection in all of these together, and neglect none. Seek balance and harmony in all aspects of yourself." (Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya)

"The desire of an individual to be free from sufferings and to attain the happiness of absolute peace is naturally present in the hearts of all. The purpose of Sant Mat is to provide a system which fulfills the desires of attaining absolute peace." (Maharishi Mehi)

Masters say: "An intense longing to meet the Lord during one's lifetime is the first and foremost qualification for Initiation. 'Seek, and ye shall find', is the principle."

"The love which comes in one moment and goes away in next is not a true love. The Love, which is not lessened anytime, remains always filled in the body (and heart) -- is the true Love." (Kabir)

"Those who believe the Lord abides in some far away place remain distant from Him, but those who are afire with His love, they are never away from Him. God is neither far nor near. Whichever way you seek Him, He too reveals Himself accordingly. Those who think Him to be far off, He appears to be so to them, while those who feel His presence at hand, for them He is quite close and near." (Bhakti Sagar)

"Only love of the absolute, eternal Truth is the greatest; this love, indeed is the greatest." (Narada Bhakti Sutras)

"The soul as well as it's Creator, both are within the physical body. The soul is not required to search for his Creator anywhere else. Ages have passed since the soul has been here in this world. His attention having been diverted by the objects of illusion, he has lost all Knowledge of his Creator. If he now gets the company of the Sant Satguru, hears His spiritual discourses attentively, ruminates upon them, and performs the meditation practices taught by Him, then, of course, he can have a Vision of the Creator within himself." (Huzur Maharaj, "Prem Updesh Radhaswami")

"Go on regularly with your [meditation] practice, keeping your mind and senses undisturbed as far as possible; and trust in the mercy of the Supreme Father to grant you strength gradually as you advance. You will progress inward daily. The morning time will be the best for you to practice Bhajan [listening to the Sound Current in meditation]." (Huzur Maharaj)

"The practice of Surat Shabd Yoga is dependent on the love generated in the devotee's heart for the Supreme Being Radhasoami Dayal [Merciful Lord of the Soul, Anami, Anadi Purush]. The Radhasoami Faith [Sant Mat] therefore advocates the blending of Yoga with Bhakti [devotion]." (Agam Prasad Mathur)

"Look at God within yourself, how 'God is Light.' For his Nature is a glorious, many-splendored Light. He manifests the Light of his Nature to those who love Him in all the worlds." (John of Dalyatha, Syriac Mystic)

"The path leading to God is within your heart. Enter into the ajna-chakra (Third Eye) and you will find your Beloved." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)

Visions of the Beloved

I lovingly apply myself to the Sound Current. I hear

many sounds.

I collect my Surat [the Attention-faculty of the soul] at the Third

Eye and turn inwards and upwards.

I kindle the flame within.

The pangs of separation from the Beloved

consumes me all day and night.

If Radhasoami [the Lord of the Soul] changes my fate, I can eradicate

and burn all karmas.

On getting the Vision of the Beloved, I became enriched. What can I say of this exalted position?

I turn Kal [the lord of time] out of the way. The world appears to

me like a dream.

The Heavenly Sound becomes audible to me within. The

heat and burning of worldly existence

disappears.

The soul gets to a cool pond of bliss.

I rise to the sky within.

O Radhasoami! My honor is now in Your

hands. I am under Your protection and

shelter.

-- Swami Ji Maharaj, "Sar Bachan Radhaswami Poetry," Volume Two, Agra

Satsang Discourse by Swami Sant Sevi ji Maharaj

(Below is from an English rendering of a Satsang Discourse by Maharshi Santsevi ji Maharaj delivered on the auspicious occasion of his 82nd Birth Anniversary (20.12.2002) at the Satsang Hall of Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppaghat, Bhagalpur in the State of Bihar, India. This was translated by Pravesh K. Singh.)

Our life is like a coin. We see one face of the coin at a time while the other face is hidden from us. We don't call a coin genuine if its only one face is genuine. We check the other side, too, and only after we find this also to be genuine, we accept it as a legal tender. Similarly, there are two halves of our lives, too. The life with this body is manifest, explicit, and, hence, visible to all. The other life is that which will remain, even when this body of ours will be no more. We make herculean efforts, try to earn happiness for the life with this body; but we must ponder over what we are doing for the sake of the long life that is to follow after this body will be left or shed here? If we are making no efforts for the after-life, then the (coin of) our life is not genuine, it is not complete. How will we remain happy there (in the after-life)? Just as all of us surely do something for this life, do some trade and commerce, jobs, etc..., exactly in the same manner we must do some meditation and prayers for our next life, too, so that both this worldly and the other-worldly life may be blissful! In the other world, meditation alone is our companion; but who will teach us (the art or the right way of) this (meditation)? Sant Kabir Sahab has uttered,

"Bin Satguru nar rahat bhulaanaa.

Khojat firat raah nahi jaanaa."

[In the absence of a True Guru, man keeps on wandering aimlessly here and there without knowing or finding the right path (leading us unto the desired destination).]

Without seeking the refuge of the Guru, man keeps on wandering in search of God, gets 'pareshaan' (worried, stressed, annoyed or vexed) in search of true well-being, but without any success. Who becomes 'pareshaan' ('pare' + 'shaan')? He who forgets 'pare' (He who is beyond everyone and everything) and remains falsely mesmerized in his own 'shaan' (glory or attainments) remains 'pareshaan'. Where is the true happiness, peace, well-being? Whatever we may get here is temporary, passing happiness, evanescent peace. If we place all our joys and sorrows (experienced by us in our lives) separately on the two pans of a weighing balance, we will find the pan with miseries on it to be the heavier of the two. How can we get happiness after all? You have earned everything in this world -- a lot of wealth, a lot of respect, a beautiful spouse -- even then your life is ultimately dominated by sorrows or miseries only. Explaining the right way to get the truly blissful peace, our Gurudev (Maharshi Mehi Paramhans) says that when you are in 'jaagrataavasthaa' (physically awakened state), you are with fourteen 'indriyas' or organs (five organs of action, five organs of senses, 'mana' (the mind), 'buddhi' (the intellect), 'chit' (that which renders the feeling of consciousness in us) and 'ahankaar' (ego), so that a large variety of anxieties or worries keep on haunting your mind. When you transit from the awakened state to 'swapnaavasthaa' (the state of dream), only four organs (the mind, the intellect, the chit and the ego) are there with you and naturally, therefore, there are significantly less worries in that state. However, when you move further from the 'swapnaavasthaa' to the 'sushuptaavasthaa' (the state of deep dreamless sleep), only one organ ('chit') remains. Going into this state, you forget even your pains and pleasures that existed in the state of dream. You experience deep sleep and upon waking up you feel calm and happy and say, "Last night I had a good, uninterrupted sleep". That means that we get pleasure, relief and peace on detaching ourselves from our 'indriyas' (organs). Even in the state of deep sleep, there is still one 'indriya' left. However, Sants tell us that when you move even beyond these three states (awakened, dream and deep sleep) into the fourth state, 'turiyaavasthaa' (the state of pure consciousness), all the 'indriyas' are left behind. Tulsidas ji says,

"Teen awasthaa tajahu bhajahu bhagwant. Man kram vachan agochar, vyaapak vyaapya anant."

[Meditate upon God (who is beyond the reach of mind, worldly actions and faculty of speech, and is infinitely pervading as well as pervaded) by rising beyond the three states.]

God, being all-pervading, is there within you, too, and you yourself are also within you. If you (for instance) want to meet someone who is present in this very Satsang (spiritual gathering) Hall, you don't have to go out of this hall to do so. You can meet him while remaining in this hall. Similarly, the Absolute Lord resides within us (our bodies) and we too live within us (our bodies). Then why all this wandering in the outside world to search for Him? Learn the right way or technique from a Satguru or a true teacher, travel within yourself, and rid yourself of all the worries, all the stresses and strains, all the sorrows by meeting and merging with the Supreme Soul. In accordance with the Mundak Upanishad, we can say,

"Ek vriksha par do pakshee, ati sakhya bhaav se the rahate. Khaate ek falon ko the, aur ek binaa khaaye hansate."

(The meaning of the above couplet is that) two birds, named 'Jeevaatmaa' (individual unliberated soul) and 'Paramaatmaa' (The Supreme Soul or God), live together in a tree (called 'shareer' or 'kaayaa' or our body). God is like an onlooker who does not eat the fruits (of the tree) himself and keeps smiling at the 'Jeevaatmaa'. The 'jeevaatmaa', on the other hand, eats (reaps) the fruits and suffers from the (alternating) pains and pleasures. If you want to save yourself from this agonizing state of affairs, you will have to purify your mind by keeping it detached or removed from the sensory objects. Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji:

"Guru jaap maanas dhyaan maanas, keejiye dridha saadhakar. Inakaa pratham abhyaas kar, shrut shuddha karanaa chaahiye."

[The right way to meditate first consists of purifying our surat (meaning our individual soul here) by rigorously or firmly practicing the 'maanas jap' (mentally reciting or chanting – without using or moving the lips or the tongue [simran] -- the sacred mantra given by the Guru repeatedly with the fullest attention), and the 'maanas dhyaan' (fixedly gazing at the visualized form of the Guru within us, keeping our eyes closed)]

At another place Maharshi Mehi says:

"Prathamahi dhaaro Guru ko dhyaan.

Ho shruti nirmal, ho Vindu jnaan."

[Focus your attention, in the first place, on your Guru's image. This purifies the 'surat' and takes us to experience the 'Bindu' (the primeval perfect Refulgent Point from which all the grossly and subtly visible creation has come to be formed.]

So, firmly practice attentively chanting of the holy name or mantra of the Guru and meditating upon the Guru's form. Thus the 'surat' will be pure and you will get prepared for practicing 'Bindu Dhyaan' (Yoga of Divine Light [inner seeing]). Maturing in or becoming adept at 'Bindu Dhyaan', you would move from Darkness into Light, from the Gross (Realm) into the Astral (Realm). There are three layers, namely the layers of Darkness, Light and Sound, which keep shrouding our soul. Therefore, our Gurudev said further,

"Ghat tam prakash va shabd pat traya, jeev par hain chhaa rahe. Kar drishti aru dhvani yoga saadhan, ye hataanaa chaahiye."

[The 'jiva' (the individual soul) is enveloped by three layers: Darkness, Light and Sound. To remove these shells/veils hiding the soul, we should practice 'Drishti Yoga' (Yoga of Divine Light) and 'Dhvani Yoga or Shabda Yoga or Naad Yoga' (The Yoga of Divine Sound).]

Practice 'Drishti Yoga' (Yoga of Light) and 'Naadaa-nusandhaan' (Yoga of Sound). This will remove the layers of Darkness, Light and Sound (that conceal your Soul from the Supreme Sovereign Soul, i.e. God). You will, thus, get to know "Who You Are". And, when you know yourself, you will also know God. Therefore travel within yourself, not without.

And for this, there is no need to quit your household, family or job. Living in your house with your family members and earning an honest, truthful living, you can attain to Him via meditation. This meditation can be done by everyone alike -- rich or poor, learned or illiterate, male or female, kid or aged. Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji:

"Jitane manush tan dhaari hain, prabhu bhakti kar sakate sabhee. Antar va baahar bhakti kar, ghat -- pat hataanaa chaahiye."

[All human beings are capable of performing devotion to God. One should do inner or internal meditation (by practicing the 'Maanas Jap', 'Maanas Dhyaan', 'Drishti Saadhan', and 'Naadaa-nusandhaan' as discussed earlier) as well as outer or external meditation (seek the company of Sants and reading and/or listening to Sacred Scriptures).]

Believe in One God. Have firm, unwavering, indefatigable faith in that He shall be found within (us). Do some honest earning for meeting your and your family's needs. Donate some portion out of your earnings to some righteous, noble cause. This will do well to this world as well as the other world (of yours). Thus, I explained to you the gist of my Gurudev's teachings. I thank you all. (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)

From, The Night is a Jungle, By Kirpal Singh, RuhaniSatsangUSA Website

"The Vedas say: Awake, arise and stop not till the goal is reached. We are sleeping, as it were. Our superficial life is nothing less than sleep. We are identified with the bodies. We have been receiving impressions from the outside, through the organs of sense, so much so that when we close our eyes we see the same impressions reproduced. When we go to sleep, those very impressions are again reproduced within us in the form of dreams. We live a sort of superficial life, blind to Reality.

"We are in physical bodies. We are conscious entities. We are so much tied up with mind and matter that we cannot differentiate ourselves. We have to leave the physical, transcend the astral, go further beyond the causal, supercausal, and reach the true home of our Father. That is the true destination for each one of us.

"What have we done for it? We have simply devoted ourselves to the physical bodies and its relationships. This is what the Masters are always telling us. They do not say we should leave the world altogether and sit in the wilderness and follow the life of a recluse. Not the least. They say: "You have physical bodies. Maintain them. These are the temples of God. Keep them clean and tidy from outside and inside." Again, they say: "All right, you have an intellect. Develop intellectually as well. But, remember, you are souls, the in-dwellers of the bodies. Just know yourself so that you may know the Overself. You will know yourself only when you rise above body consciousness." We are now, as it were, identified with the body. We cannot differentiate ourselves.

"So there are different values of life. The physical body has its own value, the intellect has its own, but the spiritual life has the highest of all. Out of the 24 hours of the day, we pay so much attention and spend so much time for the development of the physical side and its environments and intellectual attainments. We should also devote some time to our development in the way of knowing our own Selves. This is what all Masters have stressed.

"What is God? In truth, He is not Light, He is not Sound; but when He expressed Himself these two principles emanated from Him and came into being. Our soul being a drop of the wave of that God-into-Expression Power, a direct connection with It will take us back to the source from which It emanated -- which is Anami or Absolute God. This is the message extended by all true Masters who have come, in different mode or language, according to the time. Everything has a natural inclination to return to its original state and source." (Kirpal Singh)

"Let silence take you to the core of Life. All your talk is worthless when compared with one whisper of the Beloved." (Rumi)

Kabir says: "For millions of years you have slept. This morning, will you not wake?".

In conversation with Swamiji, he suddenly bursts out enthusiastically with "Brahmamuhurta!" This, I learn, is the time between 3.00 AM and 6.00 AM known as the most favorable time for Sadhana (one's spiritual practices). During Brahmamuhurta, so called as it is considered the most auspicious time for meditating on Brahman (God), the mind is calm and less engaged with worldly thoughts, worries and anxieties. Also the atmospheric energy during this time is more charged with sattva (purity), increasing the likelihood one's practice will go deeper, with the corresponding health and well-being benefits. (from the article, Meeting an Enlightened Master -- Rishikesh, Sanctuary of Sadhus, Sages and the Occasional Enlightened Master)

Everything in the universe has come out of the One -- the branches, the leaves, the fruits and the flowers (from the One -- the root). Kabir says what is left behind when I have grabbed the root of all -- the One?

Happy Diwali!

2011-10-25T23:57:00.000-04:00

Happy Diwali!

The Festival of Lights

"Until the last moments of his life, Mahavira [of Jainism] inspired many to seek world peace through the establishment in inner peace, and he encouraged people to realize their Divine Nature. For 30 years he traveled throughout India to spread his message. At the age of 72, on the day of Diwali (the Festival of Lights) in the town of Pawa Puri, Mahavira ended his journey in the world while in the state of deep meditation and attained Nirvana." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, Harmony Of All Religions)

"While Divali is popularly known as the "Festival of Lights", the most significant spiritual meaning is "the awareness of the Inner Light".

"Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Deepavali is the celebration of this inner Light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the individual to one's True Nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent Reality. With the realization of the Atman comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings Ananda (inner joy or peace).

"The gunas are the underlying forces or tendencies which one needs to have unaffected, direct relation with in order to find effectiveness and righteousness in life: they are lines of potential and illuminate thought and action, thus the inner meaning of Diwali being the Festival of Lights.

"Deepavali celebrates this through festive fireworks, lights, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship. While the story behind Dipavali varies from region to region, the essence is the same - to rejoice in the inner Light (Atman) or the underlying Reality of all things." (Wikipedia)