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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

In the forms I beheld the Formless... Mystic Poems of Kabir

In the forms I beheld the Formless... Mystic Poems of Kabir

In the forms I beheld the Formless..... Mystic Poems of Kabir


SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic

KABIR:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KABIR





What a music of the flute!
It fills me with bliss.

No wick yet
a lamp lights up,
no roots yet
a lotus blossoms,
and myriad flowers
nod their heads.

As moon-bird
cries for the moon,
and rain-bird
pines for the rain-drop,
so longing for God,
I live forever with saints.


The restless mind
is put at rest, and
the heart is illumined.

In the forms I beheld
the Formless,
along with the Friend.

Breaking the shackles,
You set me free
from all the bondage.

Now Inaccessible
is accessible,
and soaked in love is Kabir.

-- Kabir

translated by Sushila Mahajan, in,
Says Kabir.....A Collection of
One Hundred and Ten Poems of Kabir
Deep & Deep Publications, New Delhi

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The most powerful divine force in your life

The most powerful divine force in your life

The most powerful divine force in your life

Spiritual Awakening:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualAwakening
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualAwakening
{"Exploring the World of Spirituality, Comparative Religion, Gnostic Gospels, Hidden or Lost Scriptures, Mysticism, Books, and Music"}

SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic





Sree Sree Mentu Maharaj, from,
"The Truth Absolute",
published by www.United-Satsang.org

The more you compare your unadjusted life with that ideal life and reorient yourself, the easier it is for you to maintain your balance, your divine personality and good relations with others. Through self introspection, self adjustment and the spontaneous reorientation of your self, you begin to maintain the ideal conditions of your life.

The most powerful divine force in your life is the intensity of your devotion to your living Ideal or Master with all understanding and wisdom. Your untottering faith in your Master or God helps you to absorb the right ideal qualities from Him to energise and shape your life. This devotion comes from your dedication, love and service and from following his wishes and all his guidance to point your life in the right direction at every crossroad and every moment of life.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Be so devoted to ones Lord that nothing can stand in the Way

Be so devoted to ones Lord that nothing can stand in the Way

Radhasoami Reality:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Radhasoami-Reality
{Radhaswami Dayal ki Daya Radhaswami Sahai:
"Grant Merciful Radhasoami Thy Grace and Protection"}

My Most Favorite Spiritual Quote of All-time, from Yogani Mata Ji: The Power of Love



Mataji exuded a sense of joy and happiness. We talked for more than three hours about a variety of subjects, but I was most intrigued with Mataji's experiences on the inner spiritual planes. I asked her what it was like to leave the body. Mataji responded with a beautiful description of how consciousness can be released from the mortal frame by attaching itself to the stream of celestial music radiating from the top of the head and beyond. To do this, she said, one first must be initiated by a genuine mystic who has gained access to the higher realms. The practice itself, although it may take years to master, sounds relatively simple. The body should be kept perfectly still with one particular posture held for at least three hours. One may choose a cross-legged position (like the yogis in the lotus pose) or a more comfortable, relaxed position in a chair. Keeping the back erect and the mind alert, one continuously repeats God's name as given by his/her guru. This simran, as Mataji termed it, should be done with one's attention centered behind closed eyes.

Coupled with this physical stillness and ceaseless repetition of God's name [simran practice], the next step is to contemplate the Light within. At first, Mataji pointed out, there will be only darkness but eventually Light will appear in the form of either small flashes or small star-like points. In any case, one should focus on the radiance, keeping one's simran intact and allowing the Light to draw the soul inward. The third and most important step, Mataji said, is to listen to the Sound that issues forth from the Light. It is this Internal Music which will numb the body and allow the consciousness to leave its ordinary dwelling. By riding this Current of Light and Sound, like a fish going upstream, the soul will be able to go back to its original home. On the journey within, however, the soul must be guided by a true master so as not to be detained in any of the lower illusory regions. According to Mataji, what near-death patients experience is only the beginning of a vast sojourn into great universes of Light, love and beauty.

Personally I was overcome with the profundity of Mataji's account. Although it seemed plausible, especially given the findings of near-death patients who have been resuscitated, the soul's journey in the beginning stages appeared too difficult. How can one sit so still, repeat only holy names and think of God constantly? "By falling in love," Mataji answered serenely. "Because when one is truly in love nothing but the Beloved can enter one's mind. So the secret of Surat Shabd Yoga and of mysticism," she goaded, "is not necessarily practice and more practice, but love. To be so devoted to one's Lord that nothing can stand in the way---this and nothing else is the truth of Sant Mat," Mataji stressed.... (Enchanted Land)






Spiritual Principles of Sant Mat Mysticism

Spiritual Principles of Sant Mat Mysticism

Spiritual Principles of Sant Mat Mysticism
SantMat_Mystic_(James) http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic Spiritual Principles of Sant Mat Mysticism Meditation Sangat:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MeditationSangat
{"Do not live even a single day without inner
meditation." -- Baba Devi Sahab}
1. Ultimate Reality is beyond any beginning or end, infinite, beyond birth, beyond the senses, all-pervading yet beyond pervasiveness. It must therefore be understood as the Supreme Being. This Essential Element is known as the Lord of All and is the foundation of all things. This Being is beyond both the inanimate and animate aspects of nature. It is without qualities and beyond qualities. Its nature is infinite, imperishable, all-powerful. It is beyond time and space, beyond sound and beyond form. It is the One without a second. The Supreme Being is beyond the scope of mind, the intellect and the senses. This entire universe is powered by the energy of this Being. This Being is not human. It is not manifested in physical form. It has existence beyond the illusion of maya, and there is nothing that exists outside of it. It is the Being which is eternal, existing from the beginning. Santmat considers this Being as the Divine Reality and this [knowing or merging with] Being is the goal of all spirituality. 2. The individual soul is an inseparable part of the Supreme Being. 3. The physical world of nature was created. It has an origin and an end. 4. The soul bound by illusion (maya) remains in the cycle of death and birth. This is the cause of all suffering. In order to escape from this cycle of death and birth we must experience realization of this Supreme Being. 5. By practicing devotion through these four techniques: Manas Japa (recitation of the divine name [Simran]), Manas Dhyana (focus on the divine form [Dhyan]), Dristi Sadhana (focus on the infinitesimal point [Third Eye Center -- contemplating the inner Light]), and Nada-nu-sandhana Yoga (concentration on the inner divine sounds [Surat Shabda Yoga] -- the practitioner consecutively transcends the realms of darkness, light, and sound which cloak the Truth -- the Divine. Only through a human body is a person able to achieve unity with the Divine. 6. Lying, stealing, intake of intoxicating substances, adultery, and violence (including harming other beings) are the five sins to be avoided. Eating meat or fish is also considered to be a form of violence and should be avoided. The aspirants of Santmat must abstain from these vices. 7. Consider the following as the requirements to attain liberation: Trust and belief in the Divine; commitment to seek the Divine within; devotion to a spiritual master; listening to the teaching of the spiritual discourse [satsang] including study of the teaching of the saints and the scriptures; and diligent meditation practice. -- Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, "The Harmony of All Religions" The individual soul has descended from the higher worlds [the Realm 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 (dharmas, natural tendencies) of the sense organs draw us downward and away from our true nature. The nature of the soul (atman) draws us upwards and inwards and establishes us in our own true nature. To go back to our origins means returning: withdrawal from the sense organs in order to go 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. (Both of these expressions are exact special metaphors that describe the same movement.) 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 tenth gate is the gathering point of consciousness; therein lies the path for our return. It is also known as the sixth chakra, the third eye, bindu, the center located between the two eyebrows. This is the act by which we leave the gates of the sense organs and become established in the soul. We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, from the Light to the Divine Sound, and from the Realm of Sound to the Soundless state. This is returning back -- the return. This is what dharma or religion really intends to teach us. This is the essence of dharma. -- Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj
1. Ultimate Reality is beyond any beginning or end, infinite, beyond birth, beyond the senses, all-pervading yet beyond pervasiveness. It must therefore be understood as the Supreme Being. This Essential Element is known as the Lord of All and is the foundation of all things. This Being is beyond both the inanimate and animate aspects of nature. It is without qualities and beyond qualities. Its nature is infinite, imperishable, all-powerful. It is beyond time and space, beyond sound and beyond form. It is the One without a second. The Supreme Being is beyond the scope of mind, the intellect and the senses. This entire universe is powered by the energy of this Being. This Being is not human. It is not manifested in physical form. It has existence beyond the illusion of maya, and there is nothing that exists outside of it. It is the Being which is eternal, existing from the beginning. Santmat considers this Being as the Divine Reality and this [knowing or merging with] Being is the goal of all spirituality. 2. The individual soul is an inseparable part of the Supreme Being. 3. The physical world of nature was created. It has an origin and an end. 4. The soul bound by illusion (maya) remains in the cycle of death and birth. This is the cause of all suffering. In order to escape from this cycle of death and birth we must experience realization of this Supreme Being. 5. By practicing devotion through these four techniques: Manas Japa (recitation of the divine name [Simran]), Manas Dhyana (focus on the divine form [Dhyan]), Dristi Sadhana (focus on the infinitesimal point [Third Eye Center -- contemplating the inner Light]), and Nada-nu-sandhana Yoga (concentration on the inner divine sounds [Surat Shabda Yoga] -- the practitioner consecutively transcends the realms of darkness, light, and sound which cloak the Truth -- the Divine. Only through a human body is a person able to achieve unity with the Divine. 6. Lying, stealing, intake of intoxicating substances, adultery, and violence (including harming other beings) are the five sins to be avoided. Eating meat or fish is also considered to be a form of violence and should be avoided. The aspirants of Santmat must abstain from these vices. 7. Consider the following as the requirements to attain liberation: Trust and belief in the Divine; commitment to seek the Divine within; devotion to a spiritual master; listening to the teaching of the spiritual discourse [satsang] including study of the teaching of the saints and the scriptures; and diligent meditation practice. -- Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, "The Harmony of All Religions" The individual soul has descended from the higher worlds [the Realm 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 (dharmas, natural tendencies) of the sense organs draw us downward and away from our true nature. The nature of the soul (atman) draws us upwards and inwards and establishes us in our own true nature. To go back to our origins means returning: withdrawal from the sense organs in order to go 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. (Both of these expressions are exact special metaphors that describe the same movement.) 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 tenth gate is the gathering point of consciousness; therein lies the path for our return. It is also known as the sixth chakra, the third eye, bindu, the center located between the two eyebrows. This is the act by which we leave the gates of the sense organs and become established in the soul. We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, from the Light to the Divine Sound, and from the Realm of Sound to the Soundless state. This is returning back -- the return. This is what dharma or religion really intends to teach us. This is the essence of dharma. -- Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj




santmat, surat shabd yoga, nada yoga, inner sound, inner light, meditation radhasoami, sant mat, radha soami, santmat_mystic, santmatfellowship,

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Guru Nanak's Material Body Disappeared -- Passages from Jap Ji and Adi Granth

Guru Nanak's Material Body Disappeared -- Passages from Jap Ji and Adi Granth

Guru Nanak's Material Body Disappeared -- Passages from Jap Ji and Adi Granth

By clicking the image of Guru Nanak below you'll be taken to the online book, Jap Ji, the Morning Prayer of Guru Nanak.





On the 22nd of September in the year 1539 Guru Nanak was sitting under a tree in Kartarpur in his ashram. His face was radiant and peaceful and all his disciples were chanting spiritual hymns in devotion and great ecstasy. The sound of a special Sikh hymn called Japaji infused the whole ashram. At that time Guru Nanak drew a sheet over his body and began chanting. Reciting the glory of Guru he left this body and merged into the Divine forever.

After the shock of realizing what had transpired his followers began to consider the funeral arrangements. There was a considerable and heated debate between his disciples as to whether the rites should be Hindu or Muslim because all considered him to be their guru and master. It is said that after some time spent in this heated debate, the sheet covering Guru Nanak's body was lifted. To everyone's amazement Guru Nanak's material body had disappeared. The disciples were humbled, and they divided the sheet, giving one piece to the Muslim followers and one piece to the Hindu followers. The funeral rites were duly performed for the respective traditions using the sheet in place of the missing body of the great sage. According to one legend, flowers were found under the sheet instead of his physical body.

-- Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, from the Sikh chapter of, The Harmony of All Religions

From the Jap Ji, the Morning Prayer of Guru Nanak

ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD.

THE NAME IS TRUTH.

CREATIVE BEING PERSONIFIED. NO FEAR. NO HATRED.

IMAGE OF THE UNDYING, BEYOND BIRTH, SELF-EXISTENT.

BY GURU'S GRACE ~

CHANT AND MEDITATE:

TRUE IN THE PRIMAL BEGINNING. TRUE THROUGHOUT THE AGES.

TRUE HERE AND NOW. O NANAK, FOREVER AND EVER TRUE.

By the Grace of the One Supreme Being,
the Eternal, the Enlightener
Jap Ji Sahib

Ek Ong Kar: The Creator of all is One.

Sat Naam: Truth is His Name.

Karta Purkh: He is the doer of everything.

Nir Bhao, Nir Ver: He is fearless, without anger.

Akal Moort, Ajuni Sai Bhang: He is undying, unborn and self-
illumined.

Gur Prasad: This is revealed through the Satguru's grace.

Jap: Meditate.

Some verses from the "Peace Lagoon" translation of the Sikh scriptures (Adi Granth, Guru Granth Sahib) adapted for the Mender of Hearts album: "The Crimson Collection, Volume 5," Singh Kaur and Kim Robertson, Invincible Productions: INV 309:


Waahay Guroo Waahay Guroo
Waahay Guroo Waahay Jeeo

You are the mender, the mender of of hearts.
You are the sustainer of all.
You are the mender of the wounds of life.
You are the sustainer of all.
In your heart You care for everyone.
Within all hearts, in everyone.
In Your heart You care for everyone.
Within all hearts, within all hearts You're there.
O my mind, meditate forever on the Holy One.

You are the mender of the wounds of life.
You are the sustainer of all.
So remember Him who alone will carry you,
Who alone will carry you to your destination.
Meditate forever on the One.
O my mind, meditate forever on the One.







Jap Ji, Morning Prayer, Guru Nanak, Adi Granth, Sikh, Sikhism, Kirpal Singh, Harmony of All Religions, Sant SeviJi,

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Kabir – The Mystic Master, By J. Das

Kabir – The Mystic Master, By J. Das

Kabir – The Mystic Master, By J. Das





SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic

Kabir:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KABIR

http://www.members.shaw.ca/kabirweb/poems/poem1.htm


A poor weaver was he,
Whose name was Kabir,
Found abandoned among lotus flowers,
By young Muslim weavers of tender heart;
Trained to ply his humble trade,
Heart piercing poems did he compose.
To comply with prevailing custom,
A Hindu saint he took as guru;
Grown in mature spiritual wisdom,
Hypocrisies in religions he decried;
Ritualism of little value he taught,
Was not the way to salvation.
Reaching the true depth of his being,
And tasting the nectar of immortality,
He fearlessly taught the true doctrine:
"Meditate and find Divinity within,
With pure heart, realize His omnipresence;
And dedicate yourself day and night,
In uttering His Name with feeling";
Fearlessly he preached to all humanity,
Heeding not their caste or breeding.
Fearless before kings and priests,
Not bowing to their temporal power.
Only to God did he pay obeisance,
And taught his disciples the pure path;
Depending on no one for his needs,
He taught selfless service to all alike.
Many devotees heeding his teaching,
In equality, they found true meaning;
For life's a journey quite unpredictable,
But the Divine hand gives true guidance
To all those filled with love unending.
Humility he taught was pre-requisite,
To scale the ladder to the Eternal Abode.
Ego robs your heart of true devotion,
And greed brings grief in abundance.
Anger robs you of logical reasoning,
And lust drives you to perdition.
Such passions must be subdued,
By a mind disciplined and steady.
The rewards will be great serenity,
To be enjoyed as your true destiny.
Be not fooled by presumed piety,
Of those who deceive the gullible.
Be wise your intellect to use,
And see the straight path to Divinity.
Let your heart be your trusted guide,
Free from illusion and religious strife.
God dwells in you and you in God,
For this is the Divine Union,
Of which enlightened masters speak.
Sell yourself not short ignorantly,
But see the Divine Spark inwardly.
Attune yourself to this Pure Light,
Which shines as your eternal soul.
Life has no greater undertaking,
Than to be masters of your destiny.
Entangled in the web of mundane life,
Will keep you in bondage unending.
Look to the farther beckoning shore,
Where the nectar of bliss is flowing.
Let God be the expert boatman,
Plying deftly the oars to salvation.
So did Guru Kabir teach years ago -
A teaching resonant to this day.
Hearken to his divine instruction,
If your spiritual welfare you cherish.
You alone have the magic power,
To bid Heaven's Gate open for you.
Taste the nectar of divine bliss,
And your life will be truly blessed.
Having perfected yourself in this life,
Bid farewell with flowers of love.


Bhajan of Kabir: pyare prapanch men toh din rat tum gujara

http://www.members.shaw.ca/kabirweb/bhajans/bhajans.htm

O dear one! You are spending the day and night in delusion,

You have obtained the human form and you should be very thoughtful.

You come here to dwell for two days and you say: "Mine, Mine";

Thousands have left everything here and went empty handed.

You are seething with desires and you run after greed;

Why do you wander unfortunately? Bring contentment in your heart.

He who gives will receive; nothing else will be of real benefit;

Only your righteous duties will go with you; do not forget this instruction.

Kabir speaks with knowledge that this world is in delusion;

Give up all your ignorance and destroy your ego and pride.






Monday, March 05, 2007

Bliss in the Company of the Beloved

Bliss in the Company of the Beloved

Bliss in the Company of the Beloved

Radhasoami Reality:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Radhasoami-Reality
{Radhaswami Dayal ki Daya Radhaswami Sahai:
"Grant Merciful Radhasoami Thy Grace and Protection"}

SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic

Jivas are being roasted in the fire of Virah (separation from the Beloved Lord). How can they feel cool and contented? Without the shower of the discourses of the Beloved Lord, all freshness has gone.

The faces of those who are blessed with the company of their Beloved Lord, are radiant with smile. They are cool and happy at heart and hear Anhad Shabds [unstruck or uncreated melodies] resounding within themselves.

-- Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, Volume II)




Thursday, March 01, 2007

Satsang Discourse: Ode to the Unknown God

Satsang Discourse: Ode to the Unknown God





The JPG is an icon of Guru Ravidas -- a bit Christ-like, isn't it?

Vani of Sant Ravidas from the book, The Life and Works of Raidas, by Winand M. Callewaert, Manohar Publications, New Delhi

Brother, how can you tell me where God [Ram (1)] is, when you have not come close to Him who is the true God [Ram]? All the world is misled, speaking of a 'Ram', who is not this Ram. Karma and Akarma (2), Compassionate, Keshav: these are only names of the Creator.

Through the 'Ram' which all the world knows, one is lost in delusion, brother.
Of their own accord none understands -- with whom can one go and speak?

He who is never touched by greed in spirit, body or soul, he who is untouched by the material world, whose Name is the Complete, who has no place anywhere -- why do you not teach about Him?

Raidas says, through this I am udas (3) -- Brother, who is the Creator? Treat intuitive wisdom and the Creator as if one -- that is the abode of the True Ram.

Notes and Commentary by James Bean

SantMat_Mystic_(James)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/santmat_mystic
Copyright February 2007 All Rights Reserved

(1) "Ram" is a name of God often used by the classic Sants of India to refer to the Formless true God (Sat Ram, Sat Naam). Ram is a sacred name to be chanted and sung, as well as to be repeated silently within one's self "with the tongue of thought" (ajapa japa or simran) during meditation practice.

There are however several different usages of the word Ram in Indian religion and mythology. Sant Dariya Sahib once said: "Consider the four meanings of Ram. The first Ram is our inner self. Parashu-ram is said to be the second one. The third one lived in Dasharath's home. The fourth Ram is the Primeval Sat Purush. Call Him (Sat Purush), Ram or call Him Naam, Ram and Naam are one. Both are mutually indistinguishable; Satguru's Sound Current reveals this wisdom."

Ravidas: "All the world is misled, speaking of a 'Ram', who is not this Ram." How "Gnostic" of Ravidas to have said this. For Ravidas and the Sants, the True God is a God of All-Love and Compassion, Formless, Pure Spirit, not a "smaller" god of war "created in our image", an angry tribal god or demiurge (kal) involved in the drama of "the world". For Ravidas and the classic Sants of India, the True God (Ram) is a God of Grace and Spirit beyond "Law" or karma.

The God of Grace
busts into worlds
of time and space
to give moksha,
to liberate souls.

(2) "Akarma": the one whose nature is non-action, the opposite of karma (action) on the physical plane;

(3) "Udas": one who follows the path of renunciation. Guru Nanak's definition of 'udas' was "to make use of all things in this world and not deem them one's own, but only God's property, and ever to possess a desire to meet Him is udas".

Ravidas said, "Through the 'Ram' which all the world knows, one is lost in delusion, brother. Of their own accord none understands -- with whom can one go and speak?" This reminds me of a verse from the Gospel of Thomas: "I shall choose you, one from a thousand and two from ten thousand, and they will stand as a single one." That also reminds of lyrics from the Black Sabbath song "It's Alright": "Told you once about your friends and neighbours, they were always seeking but they'll never find it, it's alright, yes it's alright." Perhaps for many it's alright living a life that does not include the spiritual dimension and they hopefully will reincarnate again and progress someday, will meet again in another dream, but for the one who is awake, life is about experiencing something more, right now. They are not waiting for reincarnations, raptures or the afterlife. They seek to know Ultimate Reality here and now.

Ravidas said: "He who is never touched by greed in spirit, body or soul, he who is untouched by the material world, whose Name is the Complete, who has no place anywhere -- why do you not teach about Him?" Even as the Hubble Space Telescope had to be above the turbulence and distortion of earth's atmosphere in order to see clearly into the cosmos, so too the mystic needs to rise above body-consciousness and mind to know that other realm we also are part of as spiritual beings. The German mystic Meister Eckhart put it this way: "If the soul is to see God, then it must see no temporal thing, for as long as the soul is conscious of time or space, or of an idea, it cannot know God." The awareness or attention of the soul (surat) must become untethered and free from the temporal world of the five senses, mental images and memories during meditation practice in order to experience that other realm of spirit that we inhabit. Not many are willing to take the time to do this and enter into the silence and stillness beyond the physical, dream, and mental states. It's easier for most to attempt to physicalize or materialize god on the physical plane, build temple-idols made of wood and stone, or build mental creations, theological abstractions, trying in vain to squeeze eternity into the realms of mind and matter we are more familiar with and quite attached to. These little dolls and temporal boxes aren't really big enough to contain the Formless, Timeless, Infinite God, the Ocean of Spirit. Mystic souls like Ravidas want to focus on the Missing Reality that hardly anyone notices or talks about, saying:

"Treat Intuitive Wisdom and the Creator as if one -- that is the Abode of the True Ram." This is the Abode of the True God (Sat Raam). According to the footnote by the translator Winand M. Callewaert, the term for "Intuitive Wisdom" is "KEVAL", a Sanskrit word also meaning a pure, whole, absolute state free from limitation. This state of Intuitive Wisdom which is free from error is attained in samadhi (deep meditation). The usage here by Sant Ravidas of the term Keval for the Supreme State whereby the Self and Supreme Being may truly be known reminds me of another mystic word used by the Masters, and one directly related to keval: Kaivalya (Kai-val-ya) meaning "Oneness" and "Pure Consciousness". Kaivalya is also another term for Sat Lok or Sach Khand, the True Eternal Realm of Spirit beyond space and time, the True Abode of the soul, our true home, though concealed to physical eyes and ears made of "star-stuff" of this material universe.

Maharishi Mehi in his spiritual discourse, The Philosophy of Liberation, states that "the individual self, the part of God which dwells in the body, is concealed. Direct knowledge ....is not experienced because of the concealments of the four Realms of Qualified Lower Nature: Gross [physical], Subtle [astral], Causal [akashic] and Supra-Causal [universal mind]."

"The realm of creation in which we live is the Gross Realm. Above the Gross is the Subtle Realm; above the Subtle is the Causal; above the Causal is the Supra-Causal, and above the Supra-Causal is Kaivalya, the realm of Oneness (Pure Conscious Realm). The existence of these four realms is as fixed as the Pole star. Thus, there are five spheres of creation including the Gross Realm. Kaivalya is of Pure Consciousness and the other four realms are Non-Conscious, but coexisting with the conscious." (Philosophy of Liberation) Note: the top part of Kaivalya in some systems of Sant Mat cosmology is called "Radhaswami", "Anami" or "Anadi". Maharishi Mehi called it "The Soundless State", a State beyond Light and Sound.

The Spiritual Journey and Meditation Practice According to Sant Ravidas

From the Book, Guru Ravidas -- Life and Teachings

Regarding the Holy Name or Names, one may wonder what they are, how they are obtained, when and how they are repeated, and with what result.

The Holy Names are the sacred utterable words, imparted by the Satguru. These Names are so surcharged with power by the Satguru that through the practice of repeating these spoken Holy Names one can come in contact with the true Naam (the Unutterable Word, Logos, or the Unstruck Divine Music).

This repetition of the Holy Names must be carried on at all times. Apart from one's normal sitting hours (for meditation), even when one is walking or doing odd jobs with one's hands and feet, one must continue the repetition by the inner tongue, namely, the mind. With some maturity in this practice of repetition, it becomes so much ingrained in the practitioner that it automatically goes on all the time.

The repetition is to be carried on internally by the mind with one-pointed attention. It is the most potent means to cleanse the mind of its impurities, and with the mind being cleansed, the lustrous Internal Light and the Unstruck Divine Music appear, which ultimately lead the aspirant to God, the Almighty, the Light of all lights and the Source of all bliss.

Verses of Sant Ravidas from the Adi Granth and the Vanis of Ravidas

Non-duality

Jap Raam Naam kahi gavaiga

After repetition, when thou shalt sing the Lord's Name,
Then thou shalt enter from duality into non-duality.
The Bliss that lies in contacting this Nectar,
In what words shalt thou sing its praise?
Only by the grace of the Guru
is this inner experience attained.

Simran, Remembering God's Name

He who remembereth God's Name,
Having sought the company of a Saint;
His miseries are averted,
Thus doth Ravidas proclaim.

My (inner) tongue is constantly preoccupied with repeating God's
Name,
And my hands are constantly engaged in doing my work.
Thus have I become carefree,
God will take care of me, sayeth Ravidas.

The threefold miseries of the world
Fleeth away from him
Who carries on repetition of the True Name,
Fixing his attention within, 0 Ravidas.



Steeped in meditation with one-pointed attention,
Practice devotion to God, 0 Ravidas.
Let the automatic repetition be continued within,
Reverberating the True Naam.

When the soul (surat)
mergeth into the Sound (Shabd)
and becometh one with it,
Then one obtaineth the supreme Bliss.
The lamp burneth inside, 0 Ravidas,
And Divine Bliss ariseth within.

Have mercy on me, 0 Lord.
With every breath I repeat Thy Name,
My mind will be delighted only on meeting Thee.
Thou art merciful, gracious
and the Ocean of Compassion,
Thou art the Lord and the companion of the poor.
Grant me Thy shelter night and day,
Let me not wander about anywhere else,
0 my Lord.
Only by Thy grace can vanity and pride be removed,
And the Nectar of the alchemy of God's Name
be obtained.
Such an intellect I beg of Thee, 0 Merciful One,
That it may not go anywhere else leaving Thy Holy Feet.
Ravidas hath taken refuge in Thy Holy Feet,
Take him to Thy heart considering him Thine own.

Seeing the Beloved,
Brightness prevaileth within the temple
of my mind.
From a humble hut, I have now acquired the ninefold treasures,
Lord, the Creator, hath showered His grace.
I have obtained my Beloved,
separated for myriads of births,
The entanglement of life after life is over.