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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Basic Ethical Foundation of Sant Mat


The Basic Ethical Foundation of Sant Mat

Genuine Masters (Sant Satgurus) from the beginning to time to the living present, East and West, have articulated the following basic ethical principals below. All or any authentic branches of Sant Mat or Radhasoami Faith (founded by Kabir, Dharam Das, Tulsi Sahib, Soami Ji Maharaj, Huzur Maharaj/Rai Saligram, Shiv Brat Lal, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Kirpal Singh, Maharshi Mehi, etc... and their successors) have always adhered to these and continue to do so. These same precepts are also to be found in forms of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. I also know of expressions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity that advocate them as well.

I mention this, as there are always a few new age or metaphysical-type voices in the West arguing to minimize the moral component of spirituality, suggesting for instance that strict adherence to a compassionate vegetarian diet is somehow merely "cultural", based only upon geography. Yet there is no longitude and latitude of Shabd. There is no "East and West" within you, or with the laws of physics, or quantum physics on the material plane. The law of gravity applies East or West, compassion and peaceful ways of living also are the universal values of the soul. To be sure, there is a moral compass within. 

Rather than limiting or restricting, these values help to protect us, and others, from harm, promote mentality clarity, a peaceful way of living conducive to serious meditation practice, and, if followed, reduce suffering in the world. The Path of the Masters, and it's spiritual practice known as Surat Shabd Yoga, is a timeless universal path of mysticism. 

Of course, the Sant Satgurus articulate many other helpful principals of ahimsa in thought, word, and deed (see the Sakhi Granth of Kabir, the Bijak, Sar Bachan Radhasoami, writings of Sawan Singh, etc...), but these below make for a great beginning! a healthy foundation for one's spiritual journey following Sant Mat.

And, last but not least. Quite often in the West when it comes to the question of the vegetarian diet, colored by a "Greco-Roman" or European version of Jesus, people exclaim, "What about the fishes with the loaves and Passover Lamb?" Therefore, further below, is a passage from one of the Ebionite gospels used, not by Paul or later religious institutions, but by Aramaic-speaking disciples of the original Jesus Movement of Palestine, who were vegetarians and preserve a fascinating account of events and teachings. Its author also had very complementary and respectful things to say about kindred souls from India he recognized as following the same ethical and spiritual principals.

May the Blessings Be,
James Bean
http://SantMat.Tumblr.com
http://www.Twitter.com/Radhasoami


Moral Requirements for Initiation into Sant Mat


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 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 same Precepts


1) Refrain from taking the life of sentient beings. This precept also requires strict adherence to a 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.


An Amazing Passage from One of the Ebionite Vegetarian Gospels

"There are likewise amongst the Bactrians,
in the Indian countries,
immense multitudes of Brahmans,
who also themselves,
from the tradition of their ancestors,
and peaceful customs and laws,
neither commit murder nor adultery,
nor worship idols,
nor have the practice of eating animal food,
are never drunk,
never do anything maliciously,
but always fear God."

-- Recognitions of Clement

Thursday, March 17, 2011

In Your Eyes


In Your Eyes - the Resolution of all the Fruitless Searches
 
In some Eastern spiritual paths there is a 
technique of looking into the eyes of the 
Master when he (or she) is giving “darshan” 
to a crowd. I think of darshan, this mutual 
gazing between teacher and students, 
when listening to this song by 
Peter Gabriel, “In Your Eyes”.
 

Youtube: 
 
love I get so lost, sometimes
days pass and this emptiness fills my heart
when I want to run away
I drive off in my car
but whichever way I go
I come back to the place you are
 
all my instincts, they return
and the grand facade, so soon will burn
without a noise, without my pride
I reach out from the inside
 
in your eyes
the light the heat
in your eyes
I am complete
in your eyes
I see the doorway to a thousand churches
in your eyes
the resolution of all the fruitless searches
in your eyes
I see the light and the heat
in your eyes
oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light
the heat I see in your eyes
 
love, I don’t like to see so much pain
so much wasted and this moment keeps slipping away
I get so tired of working so hard for our survival
I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive
 
and all my instincts, they return
and the grand facade, so soon will burn
without a noise, without my pride
I reach out from the inside
 
in your eyes
the light the heat
in your eyes
I am complete
in your eyes
I see the doorway to a thousand churches
in your eyes
the resolution of all the fruitless searches
in your eyes
I see the light and the heat
in your eyes
oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light,
the heat I see in your eyes
in your eyes in your eyes
in your eyes in your eyes
in your eyes in your eyes


Initiation is the divine birth, meaning birth to a spiritual life


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)

The first Initiation is the divine birth, meaning birth to a spiritual life. (Illumination, Dionysius the Areopagite)




"When we see darkness with our eyes closed, we are in the realm of death and re-birth [we are unaware of our True Nature]. When we come out of the realm of darkness and enter into the realm of Light, we will at the same time transcend the web of death. It is not possible that we can remain in darkness and be free from the net of birth and death. Having achieved inner Light we can be liberated from the cycle of birth and death." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)

There are living spiritual Masters who are competent, qualified teachers (as well as representatives of those Masters), and they can initiate people into this form of meditation practice. If this is a possibility you're interested in exploring, email me at:

SantMatMysticism@GMail.com  
[SantMatMysticism (at) GMail (dot) com]

Namaste’, 
James



Taggs: inner light, light of God, True Nature, visions, mysticism, sant mat, radhasoami, surat shabd yoga, meditation, out of body experiences, oobes, ndes, near death experience, soul travel, 


Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Anurag Sagar and Sakhis of Kabir - Sant Mat Quote of the Day


Anurag Sagar and Sakhis of Kabir - Sant Mat Quote of the Day




From a Traditional Satsang Template of Sant Mat, a Passage from the Anurag Sagar, and two from the Sakhi Section of the Bijak of Guru Kabir


Sat Purush Happy To See Us

All are from the One - Sat Purush [the True Supreme Being], the Parent of All Souls: “When Sat Purush lived in latent form, He had not created the body and matter. As oil is hidden in the lotus, in the same way Sat Purush used to live, hidden. In His Will, He created the souls, and looking at them He felt very happy.” (Anurag Sagar, By Sant Dharam Das)


Supernatural, Not Superficial


Sakhi 48 of the Bijak of Guru Kabir:
        malyagir ki bas me, briksh raha sab goy;
          kahabe ko chandan bhaya, malyagir na hoy.
 
Meaning
 
Living in the fragrance of the Malyagir, all the trees look like the sandal tree.
For name-sake they are called sandal, but they cannot be the real sandal wood trees.
 
Commentary, by Dr. Das
 
The Malyagir is a mountain made famous by its sandal wood trees.  People passing by the mountain get the fragrance of the sandal wood and would think that all the trees on the mountain are sandal wood trees.  Thus even the trees which are not sandal wood would, in a manner of speaking, be called sandal wood trees.  Although they have the fragrance of the sandal wood, they are not sandal wood themselves. 
           
Guru Kabir is pointing out in this sakhi that people may associate with, or live among, saintly people or true devotees of God.  That does not, however, make them true devotees of God.  Although other people may deem them worthy of worship and may, in fact, do so, they still remain what they are unless they develop the true characteristics of a devotee of God.  The trees on the Malyagir will often take on the fragrance of the sandal wood tree, but they are not themselves sandal wood.  Their inner core continues to be that of the particular species of trees.  Just so the inner core of people who associate with devotees need not be purified, nor reach an exalted state of spiritual realization.  Their association with real devotees is only superficial.
 

Wholeness, Not Hollowness

Sakhi 49 of the Bijak of Guru Kabir: 
          malyagir ki bas men, bedha dhak palas,
            bena kabahu na bedhiya, jug jug rahiya pas.
 
Meaning
 
All the common trees like dhak and palas growing on the Maliyagir mountain become impregnated with the fragrance of sandalwood;
But the bamboo, though it grows among the sandal wood for ages, cannot be impregnated with the fragrance.
 
Commentary by Dr. Das
 
The Maliyagir is the famous mountain perfumed by the fragrance of sandal wood.  All the common trees which have woody stems absorb the fragrance and, in turn, become like sandal wood themselves because of that fragrance.  The bamboo, however, has a hollow stem and cannot take on the fragrance of the sandal wood.  The lesson Guru Kabir wishes to impart in this sakhi is that we must be like the trees which can absorb the fragrance.  In other words, we must be able to absorb spiritual teachings and grow in spiritual consciousness in order to purify our lives and attain liberation.  If, however, we are hollow like the bamboo, then we will not be able to absorb the true spiritual teachings imparted to us by the guru and thus, we will not evolve in spiritual consciousness.  We will remain entangled through karmas and maya, and will be subject to rebirths until we begin to absorb the Truth in spiritual life and obtain liberation.
 

For More on the Teachings of Guru Kabir, See:

The Center For Anurag Sagar Studies: 

and:

The Bijak of Kabir Online: http://www.members.shaw.ca/kabirweb



Monday, March 07, 2011

Kirpal Singh: "Not Organisation of Power Which Imprisons"


Kirpal Singh: "Not Organisation of Power Which Imprisons"

"Learn to offer all your work unto God and grow in humility. Such bands of worshippers are needed for the service of mankind. What is needed is not numbers but 'quality' and 'character'of the workers.

"I want group Satsangs of individuals who become centers of life, the new life of the Spirit and not organisation of power which imprisions the fundamental values and stifles the living inspiration."

(Kirpal Singh, Spiritual Elixir, Volume Two, 1967)


Sant Mat Quote of the Day:
 
 

Vegans Are Cool: Spiritual Awakening Radio Online


Vegans Are Cool: Spiritual Awakening Radio Online


Kathy Divine, author of the new vegan book, Forever 21 - The Empowering Guide to Reclaiming Your Youth, Beauty, Health, Happiness and Spirituality. Program Length: 60 Minutes. Click to Download MP3 and Hear This Edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio [via HealthyLife.Net -- The Positive Talk Radio Network]: 

My guest has two websites:

All for the love of wisdom and radio,
James
http://www.HealthyLife.net Positive Talk Radio