New Year's Message from the Kabir Association

New Years Message from the Kabir Association

[Forwarded Message Below.]

To all family, friends, devotees and supporters

The year 2009 has now gone. It saw great turmoil still besieging the world.
 

May 2010 give the peacemakers of the world greater influence, and weaken the resolve of those who are violent, so that the world may progress towards peace, love, harmony and goodwill for all. May all the human and material resources being squandered for negative and destructive purposes, be redirected towards the betterment of humanity, especially those who are materially disadvantaged.

God has given us enough wisdom that, when properly used, will make our lives sublime. Let us all re-connect with our spiritual nature, make our karmas pure, and develop a life of gratitude, love, compassion, sharing and understanding. We all owe it to God and ourselves and family to make the world a better place.

Blessings to all.

J. Das
Kabir Association

Delightful Paradoxical Poem of Sant Radhasoami Sahib (Soami Ji Maharaj)

Delightful Paradoxical Poem of Sant Radhasoami Sahib (Soami Ji Maharaj)

 

(Saw this poem posted at the [radhasoamisatsangi] group, which I'm a member of. It's very special. Had to forward it, plus I have included another translation of the same poem from the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry [as four .jpg images, S.D. Maheshwari translation, Agra, India], which also provides commentary.)

Soami Ji Maharaj, from the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, Volume Two, Chapter 41 Shabad 21:

 

 

[radhasoamisatsangi]

Everything the Master has taught me is paradoxical.

He has taught me things unwisely.

Sleep and you shall build up treasure

Stay alert and you will loose your savings

Sit still and you will reach your destination

Walk fast and you will go nowhere

The earth rises above the sky

The sky sinks into underworld

Thieves are rewarded by the owner of the house

The honest are punished

Fire shivers because of cold

The rain withers the tree branches

The food gets pangs of hunger

Water is dying of thirst

The cot is laid on the sleeper

The awake are in deep sleep

The barren women are tired of giving birth

The fertile are now called barren

The earth is galloping on horse

Then riding the camel it blasts into the sky

Radhaswami by his grace

United the soul with Shabad

Jainism and Surat Shabd Yoga - Inner Sound Meditation

Namo arahantanam Namo siddhanam Nomo ayariyanam. Namo uvajjhayanam Namo loe savvashunam. 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, Jainist Scripture)

Jainisim and Surat Shabda Yoga (Yoga of Divine Sound)
By Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj
The Harmony of All Religions,
Excerpted from the chapter on Jainism


Sant Mat Mysticism Blog:
http://santmat.gaia.com/blog


In the Yoga of Sound (Surat Shabda Yoga), the gross material sound manifests initially, and thereafter the Essential Inner Divine Sound (Anahad), also know as OM or Pranava. It is the Cosmic Sound of the beginning.

There are several references to the essential Cosmic Sound in the context of Lord Mahavira’s teachings:

"Taking hold of this essential Anahat element (the Sound of OM) or Shivanam, the ascetics have gone across [beyond] this world of delusion and pain."

In this way meditation upon the mantra and the Essential Sound are described. Also the technique of meditation on the OM Sound is elaborated:

"O Ascetic! Meditate on the Cosmic Sound of OM because it is like rain for extinguishing the fire of suffering. And it is also like a lamp which illuminates the subtle essence of the sacred teachings. It is the governance of good deeds." (Jnanarnva, sarga: 38)

Acharya Tulsi says:

"From the infinitesimal point and the Divine Sound the subtlest waves (vibrations) reverberate."

In his book, The Method of Using Preksha Dhyāna, Acharya Mahapragya writes:

"Close both ears with your hands and listen to the Inner Sounds."

The Jnanarnva (sarga 36) says:

"The mendicant with purified mind should meditate on the sky with rainbow, lightning, and the sound of thunder, and full of clouds."

Swami Jnananada says in the Pandita Puja:

"In the Divine Sound of God (Bhagawan) all the mysteries are revealed."

Shri Jinendravarni states:

"What does one hear with these ears? It is a sweet Sound. . . Closing my eyes, as if I were united with God, I was away from this world. Only my Peace incarnate and dispassionate Lord (Mahavira) and I existed [ego and worldly concerns had vanished in the state of complete tranquility]."

Non-Attachment, Even to One's Own Spiritual Path

Non-Attachment, Even to One's Own Spiritual Path

Non-attachment is liberating, and to the ears it might sound strange to say this perhaps but, one of the greatest gifts is to be non-attached even to one's "own" spiritual path in order to truly be a devotee of it. It's essentially like saying, give up Christianity in order to follow Christ. There is wisdom in remaining aloof from organizational politics, intrigue in the palace court and institutions, in order to be a sincere lover of the Beloved. Good to be on guard about overbearing mental impulses and attachments. No putting on airs -- in simplicity there is genuineness. When he first arrived in Hathras, Tulsi Sahib at night slept in the hollow of a banyan tree that was located about a mile out of town. In that spot he also spent much time in meditation.

The Buddha was once asked: "To what extent can a person be a speaker of the Way?" He answered: "If a person teaches the Way in order to transcend the tyranny of material things and to teach how to transcend feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness -- teaching non-attachment with regard to these -- then that person can be called a speaker of the Way. If he is himself trying to transcend the pull of the material world and to feel non-attachment toward it, then it is fitting to say he is living in accordance with the Way. If he is liberated by this transcendence and non-attachment, then you can say he has found Nirvana here and now. (Samyutta Nikaya)

"Effortlessly" by John Astin, Youtube Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGLCprEizRE

The truth is that happiness
already exists right here,
in all things appearing
each thought and every feeling,
that blow like the wind inside
the vastness that's looking
from no place and everywhere
the vastness is loving each moment
appearing and resolving effortlessly.

Awareness shines, so effortlessly.
No beginning, no end, unceasingly.

Magnificence of Inner Sound Meditation, By Achyutanand Baba

The Magnificence of Inner Sound Meditation (Nada Dhyan), By Swami Achyutanand Ji Maharaj



Sant Mat Mysticism Blog:
http://santmat.gaia.com/blog




Below are translated excerpts from the book, "Vindu – Nada Dhyan", authored by the octogenarian Sant Revd. Swami Achyutanand Ji Maharaj, one of the eldest living disciples of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, as well as an eminent scholar in the tradition of Santmat founded by Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras. Swami Ji has had the rare fortune of very prolonged close serving association of more than three decades with Maharshi Mehi who appointed him as the founder editor of the spiritual monthly "Shanti Sandesh" (Message of Peace) published by Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppaghat, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India. Swami Achyutanand Ji even at this ripe age has dedicated his life to propagating the ideals of Santmat by widely travelling across the length and breadth of India, his mother country. He has a number of books to his credit like, "Vindu – Nada Dhyan", "Santmate Ki Baten", "Navadha Bhakti", "Bandaun Guru Pad Kanj", "Maharshi Mehi Ke Ashirwachan Aur Upadesh", "Sukti Sudha Sagar", etc. He also is the current editor of the quarterly "Adhyatma Prakash" (Light of Spirituality) published by Maharshi Santsewi Dhyan Yogashram, Agarpara, Kolkata, India.

- Translated into English by Pravesh K. Singh

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sant_santati
http://profiles.yahoo.com/praveshksingh)



The Magnificence of Nada Dhyan (Inner Sound Meditation)

It is essential to practice bindu-dhyan, Drishti Yoga -- the Yoga of Inner Light -- before doing Nada–Dhyan [Yoga of Inner Sound], because with continued practice of Drishti Yoga (meditation on the Inner Light), the ability to practice Nada meditation is truly gained. The mind gets completely controlled with Nada–dhyan. The mind does not merely become controlled, it actually dies down. Sant Charandas Ji has depicted it exquisitely:

"jabase anahad ghora sunI |
indri thakit galit mana hUA, AshA sakal bhunI||"

[Since when I perceived the Divine Sound echoing within, all the organs became completely quiet, the mind got dissolved, and all longings ceased. ]

How did this happen? Charandas Ji further elaborates,

"ghUmat naina shithil bhayi kAyA, amal jo surat sanI |
roma roma Ananda upaj kari, Alas sahaj bhanI ||"

This means, on turning the Drishti (vision or gaze) inward (i.e. practicing Drishti Yoga), and on perceiving the Inner Sound, the body turned motionless, every pore of it got soaked in Divine bliss, and all lethargy, quite naturally, fled away.

It is why Kabir Sahab taught,

"shabda khoji mana basa karai, sahaja yoga hai yehi |
satta shabda nija sAra hai, yaha to jhUThI dehi ||"

[Subjugate the mind by finding the Inner Sound; this is the sahaja (natural) yoga.] |
The True or Unstruck Word is our essence; this body of ours is otherwise illusory or impermanent. ||]

Sant Charandas Ji further says,

"karate anahad dhyAn ke, Brahma rUpa hoi jAya |
Charandas yon kahata hai, bAdhA saba miT jAya ||"

[By meditating on the Word, the practitioner becomes the same as God or Brahman. |
Practicing this way, says Charandas Ji, all obstacles are removed. ||]

In the Nadabind Upanishad it has been said about the Inner Sound (Nada) meditation that,

"sarvachintAm samutsrijya sarvachesTA vivarjitah |
nAdamevAnusandAdhyAnnAde chittam vilIyate ||
nAdAsaktam sadA chittam vishayam na hi kAnkshati |"

That is, sidelining all worries and all efforts, one should mainly focus on the exploration of Nada; by doing thus the mind gets dissolved in the Nada, and the mind thus absorbed in the Nada does not crave anymore for the sensory objects.

Nada itself is Brahma. We should absorb our mind in this very Nada. Shrimadadya Shankaracharya has stated in Yogataravali:

"sadA shivoktAni sapAdalakshyalayAvadhAnAni vasanti loke |
nAdAnusandhAna samAdhimekam manyAmahe mAnyatamam layAnAm ||
nAdAnusandhan namostu tubhyam tvam manmahe tattvapadam layAnAm |
bhavatprAsAdAt pavanena sAkam vilIyate VishNupade mano me ||
sarva chintAm parityajya sAvadhAnena chetasA |
nAda evAnusandheyo yoga sAmrAjyamichchhatA ||"

[Lord Shiva, the propounder of the Yoga Shastra, has listed 1,25,000 ways of dissolution of mind. |
Amongst these Nadanu-sandhana (meditation on the Inner Sound) is the best, as well as the easiest way. ||
I bow to thee, O Nada! You lift me on to the Highest Throne. |
It is only with your grace that my prANa-vAyu (vital life-air) and my mind get dissolved in the Highest echelon of the Supreme Lord. ||
(Therefore,) renouncing all sorts of worries and with an alert and focussed mind...|
Those who yearn for the union with the Highest should meditate on the Divine Sound within. ||]

Balayogi Shri Bala Swami Ji Maharaj has beautifully expressed his views regarding Nada-dhyana, "This is such a means that enables us easily experience that supreme bliss that is our very own. Nada has a unique power. All of us know of the joy we experience while listening to melodious music in the outer world, but so unique and unparalleled is the bliss of this Inner Melody that the mind gets completely dissolved, and all its cravings get annihilated."

`indriyANAm manonAtho manonAthastu mArutah |
mArutasya layo nAthah sa layo nAdamAshritah ||'

[Mind is the master of all the organs; prANavAyu (vital life-air) is the lord of the mind. |
`Manolaya' (dissolution or absorption of mind) is the boss of prANavAyu, and this dissolution is accomplished with the help of Nada, the Inner Sound.||]

"Perseverance in the practice of Nadanu-sandhana leads to the dissolution of the mind. By sitting in a proper posture and consistently practicing looking within, with the eyes closed, one gets to listen to the Nada." (Kalyana Yoganka, p 325)

Sant Kabir sings prolific praise of Shabda-sadhana or Nada-dhyana:

"Kabir shabda sarIr mein, bin gun bAjai tAnt |
bAhar bhItar rami rahA, tAtein chhoTI bhrAnti ||
shabda shabda bahu antarA, shabda sAra kA sIr |
shabda shabda kA khojanA, shabda shabda kA pIr ||
shabda shabda bahu antarA, sAra shabda chita deya |
jA shabdai sAhaba milai, soi shabda gahi leya ||
shabda shabda sab koi kahai, wo to shabda videha |
jibhyA par Awai nahIn, nirakhi parakhi kari deh ||
shabda hamArA Adi ka, pala pala kariye yAda |
anta falaigI mAnhi kI, bAhar kI sab bAda ||
yahi baDAi shabda kI, jaise chumbak bhAya |
binA shabda nahin ubarai, ketA karai upAya ||
shabda binA sruti AndharI, kaho kahAn ko jAya |
dvAra na pAvai shabda kA, firi firi bhaTakA khAya ||"

[The Word, says Kabir Sahab, keeps ringing in the body |
It is pervading within and without; this alone can destroy all confusion. ||
There are many Words, each different from the other, the Quintessential Word is the crown of all. |
One Word is explored through the other, as one Word is the Guru of (or leads to) the other. ||
Words are much different from each other; focus yourself on to the Quintessential Word. |
Grasp that Word that would take you to the Supreme Lord. ||
Though everyone talks of the Word, that Word is without form. |
The tongue can't pronounce it; it has to be perceived within the body. ||
The Word has been there before we came into being, remember (meditate on it) constantly.|
This Word alone that is found within will prevail in the end, rest all being of least significance. ||
The beauty of the Word is that it acts like a magnet. |
One can't be liberated without the Word however hard one might try. ||
The soul is blind without the Word, knowing not which way to go. |
Not finding the Word, the soul keeps wandering again and again. ||]