The Inner Journey of the Soul
back to its Origin, by George Arnsby Jones
THE PATH THROUGH THE ASTRAL REALMS
by
George Arnsby Jones, Litt. D., Ph. D.
This is part one of a four-part essay which
appeared in Sat Sandesh magazine in 1975-76, on
the Inner Journey of the Soul back to its Origin.
Dr. Jones was initiated by Sant Kirpal Singh Ji
in 1955 into the Path of Surat Shabd Yoga. He
had a distinguished academic career and published
seven books; he was chosen by Kirpal Singh to tell
the story of His Second World Tour in 1963-64,
which he did in the book "The Harvest is Rich."
He just recently passed on, to the Inner Realms.
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According to the teachings of the mystic adepts, there are
seven cosmic islands and nine immense divisions in our universe of
universes. These divisions, "Mansions in the Father's House," may
be conveniently divided into four Grand Divisions of the cosmic
scheme of creation: 1. The purely spiritual region; 2. The spirito-
material region; 3. The materio-spiritual region; 4. The material
region.
The mystic adepts inform us that the exploration of the inner
realms (consisting of the first three Grand Divisions) is the heritage
of each soul, and if we do not go within and traverse these regions the
fault is ours.
Kabir, the poet-saint of India, probably described these regions
most completely in his writings, but they have also been described by
Guru Nanak, the first guru of the Sikh religion, Swami Ji and Baba
Jaimal Singh Ji, two supreme mystic adepts of the nineteenth century,
and, in the present century, by Baba Sawan Singh Ji and his spiritual
successor, Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj.
The third and lowest inner region, the materio-spiritual region,
is the nearest Grand Division to that of the physical universe. The
central power-source of this materio-spiritual region is known in the
oriental terminology as Sahans dal Kanwal (Lotus of a Thousand Petals),
and it is from this power-source that the entire physical universe
derives its motor energies. This third materio-spiritual region is
also known as the "astral plane" in western occult literature and in
theosophical writings. The time-scale in the astral region is shorter
than that in the second spirito-material region, but it is in the
Astral realms still much longer than that in the physical universe.
The astral realm, up to and including the region of "universal mind,"
goes into dissolution at the end of a lesser cosmic life-cycle, which
lasts for many millions of years. The "heavens" of most of the world
religions are located in this region. Here can be found the Heaven of
Christianity, the Paradise of Islam, and the Swargas of Hinduism.
These "heavens" are very beautiful, but they themselves are subject
to eventual dissolution.
The commencement of the mystical Path of Love, the way of return to
our true home, takes place in the fourth and lowest division of creation,
which comprises the entirety of our physical universe: all the planets,
suns, stars, solar systems, galaxies and cosmic schemes known and
unknown to modern astronomy. Matter in our physical universe is in its
most coarse, most dense form, with a very limited admixture of spirit
substance, just enough to vivify matter and maintain life. The physical
structure of our universe is the lowest projection of a cosmic idea
channeled through the medium of "universal mind." The entire physical
universe, with its millions of galaxies, separated by immeasurable
numbers of light-years, is as a speck of dust in comparison with the
inner realms beyond it.
The beginning of the mystical Path of Love takes place within the
human consciousness, when the aspirant has focused his attention at
the third-eye center, between and behind the two eye-brows. The third
eye possesses its own illumination, being vivified by the light of the
soul, and thus is not dependent upon external forms of light as our
physical eyes are. Through the grace of a mystic adept the aspirant
has been given a simple technique to transcend body-consciousness and
to rise into the inner realms. First, he closes his outer eyes and
sees with the inner third eye. He also closes his outer ears and hears
with the inner spiritual ear. When these things are achieved, the
current of consciousness throughout the body will withdraw and become
concentrated at the third-eye center. The body itself will become
senseless, but the aspirant's awareness of his soul, his true self,
will thereby be heightened. This is the initial stage of what the
mystic adepts call turiya pad, the fourth state of existence, which
is the state of transcendental or super consciousness.
The disciple of the mystic adept has previously been given a
Simran (repetition practice) of five charged words as the first step
for rising into the spiritual realms. He collects the entire current
of consciousness - mind and soul - at the third-eye center, and the
repetition of the five holy words mentally helps him to achieve the
required result, and he finds his consciousness withdrawing from the
physical world. His first view of the astral region may differ on
occasions. He may behold a magnificent blue eye, a brilliantly
lighted window, or a blaze of radiance before him. He passes through
this way of light and sees a colored symmetry, with a bright astral
point of light within its center. The initiate then meditates upon
this glorious light and soon finds himself impelled into an azure
blue sky that appears to his inner vision as a circular disc or a
chakra.
Through the loving grace and protection of the mystic adept, the
devotee may bypass the lower astral levels; although sometimes these
are revealed to him for his own instruction. The lowest astral level
is a place of unbridled desires, a true infernal region, where
unregenerate and bestial people gravitate to after death. In these
dark and terrible surroundings, evil entities reap the harvest of
their wicked deeds on earth.
This is not the "eternal hell" of the scriptures [no "hell" is
ever eternal, according to the Masters], but a place of correction
and eventual release. There are other levels, gradually improving in
environment, on this lower astral plane; some are extremely pleasant,
with wonderful scenery and "inns of rest" for ordinary people who are
awaiting reincarnation upon earth.
The aspirant, having quickly transcended these lower levels, finds
himself travelling through a truly "astral" region, studded with stars
and glowing suns. He hears the Sound Current as an unending melody and,
ascending through the stellar sky, he passes through a Sun and Moon,
which appear to dissolve or shatter as he passes through them. These
stellar bodies are not like the physical stars, planets and satellites
with which we are familiar in our physical universe, but spheres that
are far more luminous and refulgent than our physical luminaries.
The aspirant now hears the melody of a celestial bell and becomes
absorbed in its sonorous tones; then he hears the melody of a conch
and becomes saturated with its music.
As he progresses onwards and upwards the aspiring soul becomes
increasingly aware of the Sound Current, or Audible Life Stream, the
unstruck and unfathomable Word that underpins all creation from the
realm of pure spirit to the plane of matter. As the river of life
this "God-in-expression" power exists in a fluid state, altering its
tonal nature from level to level, yet always remaining the same in
its primal essence. The practice of linking with this ineffable Word
is a prerequisite of ascending the mystical Path of Love, as Guru
Nanak has stated:
By practice of the Word, one speeds
on to the Higher Spiritual Planes
unhindered;
By practice of the Word, one gets
into the spiritual planes openly
and honorably;
By practice of the Ward, one escapes
the bypaths of Yama, the king of Death;
By practice of the Word, one gets in
close touch with the Truth.
O, great is the Power of the Word,
But few there be that know it.
THE JAP JI
As the aspirant ascends further into the astral realms he is
confronted by three paths. The path on the left hand side is a dark
forbidding region, where strange rishis, yogis and adepts of a lower
order abound. This left-hand path is the abode of Kal, the Negative
Power, lord of the realms of mind and matter. Kal is also known as
Brahm in some of the oriental teachings, and he is the ruler of the
Fourth Division and lower levels of the Third Division of creation.
However, while Kal has dominion over the lower levels of creation,
he still works under the divine laws of the Supreme Lord Himself.
Modern theosophy and other mystical schools of the present day affirm
that there is an "inner government" of the world, and that its primary
task is to control the stream of evolutionary influence among all
races and nations, while also serving the cause of world betterment.
This occult government comes under the jurisdiction of Kal.
The term Kal literally means "time " and Kal thus comprises within
his being the past, the present and future, as commonly understood by
human beings. However, it is impossible to fix a cosmic date for the
origin of Kal, or to predict when he will come to an end. Beginnings
and endings are unreal concepts, created by man's outgoing senses,
which see an apparent commencement and an apparent termination to
everything that transpires in his environment. From a viewpoint of
higher awareness, that which can be seen as the beginning of an event
in the physical world has previously been occurring invisibly as an
idea in the mental-astral realms; and beyond these realms are regions
which transcend time (or Kal) itself. Nevertheless, it may be said
that the "duration" of Kal extends from one major cycle to another,
during which the composite universe of mind and matter remains in its
manifest form until its dissolution.
It is the primary duty of Kal, as the Negative Power of creation,
to bind humanity to the Wheel of Birth and Death, and mankind's long
upward struggle against the force of the Negative Power is designed by
the Supreme Lord to purge us of our sins and impurities and to make us
ready for our journey to our True Home, the Abode of all love and all
bliss. Once man's evolution through the Wheel of Rebirth is achieved,
his work in the physical universe should be completed; but the
downward flowing pull of the Negative holds the soul of man in material
thraldom.
Kal is the author of the laws of nature, which all must obey while
living in physical incarnation. As the creator of the lower worlds, he
is known as "God" to most of the social religions. He is served
faithfully by the hierarchical agents of the lower mental, the astral
and the physical levels of life. Only the mystic adepts and their
disciples know of a higher God than Kal, and yet the Negative Power is
worshiped by millions as the supreme Lord of creation. In comparison
with the perfection of the true Supreme Lord of Love (known as Sat
Purusha in the oriental terminology) Kal is only a subordinate in the
hierarchy of the cosmic universe, and as such a subordinate he is not
entirely free from imperfections. However, compared with the majority
of mankind, Kal is an exalted being, an embodiment of light, wisdom
and power.
The hierarchical representatives of Kal, known in the East as
"incarnations of Brahm," are the avatars and prophets, whose mission it
is to incarnate themselves in every age in order to root out
unrighteousness and evil, to protect the good and punish the evil doers,
and to establish righteousness in the world. These incarnations thus
bring the promise of redemption to the righteous; but such redemption
is still bound by the time-scale of the lower worlds and thus is not
lasting. The current of Kal, or "time," is endless in its course for
humanity, but souls with the help of a mystic adept of the highest
order may transcend time and space and ascend into the timeless realm
of the Supreme Lord of Love. Such a mystic adept is not part of Kal's
inner government, although he has a deference for all who play their
roles in the ordering of creation. But the mystic adept is an emissary
from the Supreme Lord, and is commissioned to save souls and escort
them to their True Home.
The inner domain of Kal, then, is the left-hand path of three paths
that the aspirant beholds on his upward journey through the astral
realms. In this domain, thousands upon thousands of holy men, enthralled
by the wiles and blandishments of the Negative Power, are to be found
absorbed in deep meditation. Embodiments of lower spiritual powers,
known in the oriental terminology as riddhis and siddhis (miraculous
powers), are the guardians of this left-hand region. These embodiments
are concrete and visible and are endowed with advanced consciousness.
Standing as implacable sentinels of these regions, in order to obstruct
the further ascent of the soul, they will offer the aspirant great
knowledge and psychic power; but they cannot stand before the Simran of
the five holy names, given by the mystic adept, and they will dissolve
before the uttering of these names.
People who have wandered into these astral regions without the
guidance of a competent mystic adept have often been grossly misled by
these supernatural powers; and many of the occult cults that have
mushroomed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries derive their
inspiration from the riddhis and siddhis. There are also millions of
prophets, of greater and lesser degrees, together with incarnations of
minor deities and spiritual hermits, who are stranded in these regions.
Until they are released from the bondage of Kal by a mystic adept of
the highest order, they will be unable to proceed to the regions of
pure spirituality. No soul who has traveled this way without the
assistance of a mystic adept has ever reached the spiritual planes of
pure love, which are far beyond the materio-spiritual planes. However,
for the aspirant who has been initiated by a competent mystic adept,
the way of ascent lies free of any obstruction.
The path on the right, facing the aspirant, provides ingress to far
higher universes; but the true high road of the mystic adepts is the
central path, an immeasurable luminous way which leads ultimately to
the realm of the Supreme Lord. The aspirant ascends this bright way
until he eventually arrives at the region of the Bankanal, which is
the vestibule of the mental or causal regions. It is at the high level
of Sahans dal Kanwal, in the upper regions of the astral realm, that
the aspirant beholds the radiant spiritual form of the mystic adept,
and this is his first inner revelation as to the true nature of his
spiritual guide, whom he has hitherto only seen in the covering of a
physical body.
Tulsi Sahib, a mystic adept of the highest degree, declared that in
the inner realms: "Blinding light flashed forth from the nails of the
Master's feet and illumines the very soul of the devotee." Maulana
Rumi spoke of the experience of seeing the luminous form of the mystic
adept thus: "As the light of the Master dawns in the soul, one gets to
know the secrets of both worlds." Guru Arjan stated: "The Blessed Form
of the Master is in my forehead. Whenever I peep within I see Him
there." And Khawaja Moeen-ud-Din Chisti spoke of this inner contact
with the mystic adept in these poetic words: "O Master! the sun cannot
stand the resplendence of Thy face. The moon also has covered herself
with cloud to escape Thy dazzling light.... In the very Person of the
Nabi (Prophet), the Light of God has taken up a material form, just as
the light of the sun does in the body of the moon." The Christian
scriptures have also described the experience of seeing the luminous
form of the mystic adept in graphic detail:
And I turned to see the Voice that
spake with me and found One like
unto the Son of Man, clothed with
a garment down to the feet and girt
about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and hairs were white like
wool, as white as snow, and his
eyes were a flame of fire. And his
feet like unto fine brass, as if they
burned in a furnace, and his Voice
as the sound of many waters.
REVELATION I: I2-I5
The luminous form of the mystic adept now reveals the highest
levels of the astral plane to the gaze of the aspirant; and, in the
company of the mystic adept, the aspirant finds himself in the region
of Sahans dal Kanwal, the thousand-petaled lotus of cosmic energy,
powerhouse of both the astral and physical universes. Sahans dal
Kanwal is a glorious pulsating cosmos in itself, and this radiant
region is illuminated by a central flame of the most intense radiance
in all the astral realms. Countless melodies and harmonies of ravishing
beauty proceed from this great flame, and those who dwell in this
region truly believe that they are in the highest heaven. And yet they
are only on the first step of the great ascending highway of the mystic
adepts of the holy Shabd, for it is from this plane that the real
journey of the soul, in the company of the mystic adept, truly
commences.
On arriving at the region of Sahans dal Kanwal, the human mind
awakens to the awareness that it has truly slumbered for countless
incarnations, and it is now consciously awakened to the reality of
the higher realms of the inner cosmos. Sahans dal Kanwal is the final
and highest plane reached by even the most advanced yogis, for the
life-currents, termed pranas by eastern mystics, which are necessary
in yogic practice, cannot reach beyond here. This high astral level
is incredibly vast and awe-inspiring, and the holy ones who dwell
here cannot comprehend that countless more beautiful and far higher
spiritual realms lie beyond Sahans dal Kanwal. But the disciple of
a mystic adept must ascend much higher in order to gain true
spiritual liberation.
THE PATH THROUGH THE CAUSAL REALMS
by
George Arnsby Jones, Litt.D., Ph.D.
This is Part 2 of a four-part essay which
appeared in Sat Sandesh magazine in 1975-76, on
the Inner Journey of the Soul back to its Origin.
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When the aspirant ascends beyond Sahansdal Kanwal, the negative
powers working under the lordship of Kal are at their worst. Kal can
neither create nor destroy a soul, but he can keep souls trapped in
the causal, astral and physical realms. He imprisons the souls of men
with the chains of worldly pleasures, and when a soul aspires to return
to its True Home, Kal brings his forces to bear in order to prevent the
soul from ascending. But the Supreme Lord of Love, Sat Purusha, is the
highest deity of all, and He is the creator of all the universes. The
perfect mystic adept is His incarnation and can escort the soul safely
through the regions of Kal.
In the higher astral planes, immediately before he reaches the
vestibule of the causal planes, the aspirant meets indescribably
beautiful men and women, and these offer incredible allurements in order
to prevent the soul from further ascent. However, the protecting Shabd-
power of the mystic adept will render these seductive astral beings
invisible to the aspirant. No negative power of any kind whatsoever can
approach the Shabd-radiation given out by a perfect mystic adept.
Maulana Rumi has spoken of the protecting grace of the mystic adept: "O
brave Soul! take hold of the garment of One who knows well the various
planes - physical, mental, supra-mental and beyond - and who is able to
remain with thee as a true friend, whether in life or in death, in this
world or in the next."
The aspirant now prepares to take the second stage of the upward
journey; but before it can enter the causal regions he has to pass
through an incredibly narrow pathway, a crooked tunnel or curved pipe,
known as the Bankanal to the oriental mystic adepts. Kabir has described
this tunnel to the mental worlds as one-tenth the size of a mustard seed,
and he likens the mind to the size of an elephant in its striving to
effect an entrance into this tunnel. Guru Nanak has also described this
tunnel, comparing it to a passage that is one-tenth the width of a hair.
Other mystic adepts have compared it to the eye of the finest needle. It
is impossible for the aspirant to pass through this tunnel without the
help of a competent mystic adept, but with the help of such a master of
spirituality the pathway is widened, and the aspirant may then ascend and
descend without further difficulty.
Thus the initiate enters the causal realms through the U-shaped tunnel
of the Bankanal. The way of progress extends straight and level for some
distance, and then descends suddenly. After a descending curve the way
again ascends and the initiate traverses a level pathway which leads to
a region that has been termed the "seventh heaven" in Sufi literature.
When the initiate has journeyed to the higher end of the Bankanal
tunnel, his vision and perspective appear to be reversed, and he sees
everything as if from the opposite side of a veil or mirror that he has
penetrated. He is now in the second great Division of creation, known as
Brahmanda (the Egg of Brahm) in the oriental mystical teachings.
Brahmanda is so called because of its apparently eliptical shape. It
embraces within its totality both the materio-spiritual and the physical
universes, but it is far more vast than the combination of both of these.
In point of fact, the three lower Divisions of the entire cosmic creation
may be conceived as a totality, with the summit of this region as
Brahmanda, the spirito-material Division, and the middle section as the
astral realms, the materio-spiritual Division, and the lowest section as
the physical universe itself.
The inhabitants of the causal regions are unutterably happy, but they
are still subject to eventual rebirth into the physical universe after a
long sojourn in Brahmanda. They are thus not immortal as are the
liberated souls in the purely spiritual realms, but they do live in an
infinitely vaster time-scale than do the beings in the astral and physical
universes. Brahmanda is ruled by Maha-Kal, also known as Par-Brahm in the
oriental teachings. Maha-Kal is the higher aspect of Kal and resides in
the upper and more spiritual regions of Brahmanda, as Kal himself resides
in the lower and more material regions. In the lower regions of Brahmanda,
mental matter is supreme, for it is the plane of mind, and mind itself
is composed of a subtlized form of matter with a certain admixture of
spirit.
The aspirant ascends into the lower planes of Brahmanda and finds
himself in the realm of Universal Mind, known as Trikuti in the oriental
teachings. This realm of Universal Mind has been erroneously conceived of
as "God" by many metaphysicians and mystical theologians, but it is still
only the beginning stage of the second step of the upward journey of the
mystic adepts and their disciples. As he ascends through this region of
Trikuti, the aspirant hears an exalted melody, which resembles a tonal
enunciation of the word "Om." It is a resonant and rumbling sound,
reminiscent of the thunder of the storm clouds on earth, but with an
unearthly sweetness and harmony. In my book, "The Journey of Sounding
Fire," published in 1956, I referred to the soul's descent into
incarnation, through the planes of Universal Mind, in the following
words:
"Thus I returned to Myalba (earth), through the rumbling planetary
pathway, regained the numbing cloak of sentient self's desire, to
take once more my Journey of Sounding Fire."
Trikuti is a plane where the soul can journey through a "rumbling
planetary pathway," quite literally a pathway through pulsating planets.
As the soul of the initiate gazes upwards, in the direction of the
"rumbling planetary pathway," he passes into a region of fortress-like
buildings, with high towers and turrets. He lingers for a period of time
in this region, and filled with the attributes of devotion and faith, he
sees himself as the lord of the mental planes. The fortress region is
the storehouse of human karmas, the record of the actions and reactions
of the past and present. The Law of Karma, the immutable law of cause and
effect, governs the entire three-fold creation of the causal, astral
and physical universes. Each person's individual karmic pattern has
determined his destiny. The way in which a man has acted during his
present life, and during past cycles of life, ordains what he is at the
present time. The karmic law works constantly, for "as a man thinketh in
his heart, so is he."
How can man's karmic debts be completed or rendered ineffective, other
than by the long and apparently endless cycle of birth and rebirth? Part
of the answer to this question lies in the fortress region of the causal
worlds; but no one can get there without a competent spiritual guide.
On the physical levels it seems that as soon as man has atoned for past
mistakes, he creates new karma for himself, and the just law of action
and reaction must take its toll. Kal holds the supreme court of judgment
in the causal, astral and physical universes; he is the Lord of Karma,
and only one embodiment can be empowered to change certain decrees of Kal,
for the purpose of liberating a soul from the Wheel of Birth and Death.
Such an embodiment is the mystic adept of the highest order, known in the
oriental terminology as a Sant Satguru. Once such a mystic adept has taken
an aspirant under his protection, that aspirant is freed from bondage to
Kal, the negative power, and his karmic debts-part of which are dissolved
at the time of initiation - are subsequently dissolved through the grace
of the mystic adept.
When, through the grace of the mystic adept, the disciple reaches the
fortress region of Trikuti, the seeds of his past karmas are eventually
seared to nothingness, although the soul still retains the stain of much
impurity garnered through many incarnations. During his stay in the
fortress-realm, the disciple gazes above the high turrets and sees dark
clouds of great vastness, from which peals of cosmic thunder constantly
resound. Then, when the purpose of his stay in the fortress-realm has
been fulfilled, the initiate ascends beyond the black clouds and beholds
that the entire sphere is a sublime cosmos of vibrant red color, with a
glorious red sun in the center of the sky, imparting its crimson tones to
the entire region.
Trikuti, in addition to being the grand storehouse of human karma (a
vast reserve which has been accumulating for millions of lives), is also
the region of knowledge. It is within this sphere that the three cosmic
attributes - harmony, action and inertia - have their origin, and the
creation of the astral and physical universes was made possible by their
interplay. These three attributes are personified in the Hindu scriptures
as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, which are collectively termed Mahadev (Great
God). Under the glowing red skies of Trikuti, reminiscent of the most
beautiful dawn that can be seen on earth, the radiant form of the
mystic adept is seen in an even greater glory, and the initiate
experiences higher impulses of the heavenly Shabd in a manner that
overshadows all his previous experiences in the astral and physical
regions.
The initiate sees the cosmic form of a resplendent four-petaled
lotus, and its predominating red color evolves into exquisite details
and manifold radiant tones, becoming more and more pronounced as he
approaches it. He now hears the magnificent sound of a collossal drum,
beaten incessantly, and its deep tones accompany him on this stage of
his upward journey. As the initiate progresses onwards, he wheels
through the profound space of the causal regions, with the melody of
the drum sounding all about. He now consciously grasps the import of
the celestial Shabd, the audible life stream, from which primal power
all creation has come into being. The initiate ascends through a pulsating
stellar pathway, speeding onwards and upwards, with innumerable suns,
moons and stars appearing and disappearing. Words are completely
inadequate to describe this experience, for the disciple now fully
realizes his complete separation from the universe of materiality and
from the languages of the physical world.
Rising to the upper regions of the causal realm, the initiate becomes
intoxicated with the joy and bliss of his newly found freedom. He speeds
across glowing cosmic mountains and glorious plains. Below him, he sees
wondrous gardens where vibrant flowers are arranged in symmetrical
patterns everywhere, in a symphony of color and sound. Radiant rivers
and canals of ethereal "nectar of Brahm" flow abundantly through this
region, and ultimately the initiate approaches a great ocean of radiance
and crosses this ocean on a mighty bridge of light. He now sees before
him the awe-inspiring prominences of Mer, Sumer and Kailash, the
incredible cosmic mountains from which the region of Trikuti derives its
name. This level of consciousness is the ultimate end of spiritual
attainment, according to the Vedantic teachings of the old rishis (holy
men), who meditated upon the nature of the cosmic universe from their
snow-capped mountains in the Himalayas. But it is yet only the second
stage on the mystical Path of Love.
Guru Nanak has described the realm of Brahmanda in the following way:
Countless the Fields of Action,
countless the golden mountains,
And countless the Dhrus (saints) meditating therein.
Countless the Indras, countless the suns and moons,
and countless the earthly and stellar regions;
Countless the Siddhas, the Buddhas, the Naths,
and countless the gods and goddesses.
Countless the Danus (demigods) and the Sages,
and countless the bejeweled oceans.
Countless the sources of creation,
countless the harmonies, countless
those that listen unto them,
And countless the devotees of the Word,
Endless and unending, O Nanak! this realm.
THE JAP JI
This glorious realm, then, is the plane of Universal Mind, through
which the Supreme Lord has created the cosmic universes. However, the
Supreme Lord is not that Universal Mind, in spite of statements to the
contrary made by many modern metaphysicians and mystics. Universal Mind
is a projection of the Will of the Supreme Lord to manifest part of
Himself in His creation. Man himself, made in "the image of his Creator,"
also creates through the medium of his own mind, but he is not that mind.
Man is a living soul, a spiritual entity who is the essence of God, and
on his upward journey the aspiring initiate sees that the human mind is
still far lower on the ladder of the inner universes than the spiritual
aspects of the human being, in spite of the mind's wonderful functions
and creativeness. Beyond that realm of Universal Mind is that region of
which Christ spoke: "There is nothing covered, that shall not be
revealed, and hid that shall not be known." (Matt. 9:26).
The aspirant must remain in this causal region, a realm of unalloyed
delight, for a period of time, during which his entire karmic burden is
liquidated in the fortress-like dominion. He is instructed by the mystic
adept to meditate for a long time in this causal realm, so that his soul
may be further cleansed of impurities. When this purification is
achieved, the mystic adept urges the initiate on to the higher regions
beyond Brahmanda, The ascent now must be made to the supercausal realm,
known as Par-Brahm (beyond Brahm) or Daswan Dwar (the Tenth Gate) to
the oriental mystics.
THE PATH THROUGH THE SUPER-CAUSAL REALMS
by
George Arnsby Jones, Litt.D., Ph.D.
This is part three of a four-part essay which
appeared in Sat Sandesh magazine in 1975-76, on
the Inner Journey of the Soul back to its Origin.
Dr. Jones was initiated by Sant Kirpal Singh Ji
in 1955, into the Path of Surat Shabd Yoga. He
had a distinguished academic career and published
seven books; he was chosen by Kirpal Singh to tell
the story of His Second World Tour in 1963-64,
which he did in the book "The Harvest is Rich."
He just recently passed on to the inner realms.
------------------------------------------------
When the initiate leaves the region of Brahmanda, he traverses a
great stretch of inner space in order to reach the super-causal realm
of Daswan Dwar, where the final purification of the aspiring soul must
take place. In Daswan Dwar all the veils and coverings are lifted from
the soul, which then shines forth in its pristine splendor. It is in
this immense region that the soul bathes in the cosmic lake of
immortality, known in the oriental terminology as Mansarover or
Amritsar. Once cleansed of its last impurities, the soul yearns for
blissful union with the Supreme Lord of Love. Of this wonderful
realm, Guru Nanak has written:
Next, the Realm of Ecstasy, where
the Word is enrapturing;
Everything created here is marvelously strange
and beyond description;
Whosoever tries to describe the same
must repent his folly.
Herein the mind, reason and understanding
are etherealized,
the Self comes to its own, and develops
the penetration of the gods and the sages.
THE JAP JI
Guru Nanak stated that the spiritual lake of Amritsar was the only
true place of holy pilgrimage, lying within Hindu, Christian, Muslim,
Sikh, believer and unbeliever alike. It is a cosmic center of
spirituality, where the questing soul can be shrived of its sins. A
few world religions have had their inception in the super-causal realm,
but these are exceptions to the general rule, for most of the social
faiths have emanated from the causal realm, with Kal or Brahm (under
various names) as their supreme deity.
Mystics and disciples who ascend to this rarified plane, where spirit
is blended with subtlized matter in varying degrees, are very rare
indeed. The entire cosmic region of Daswan Dwar has the configuration
of an eight-petaled lotus, which is permeated with divine melodies that
are reminiscent of stringed musical instruments on earth. However, here
again any comparison or analogy is totally inadequate, for the sounds of
our physical plane music cannot in any way compare in grandeur to the
Unstruck Music, the Anahad Shabd, that plays endlessly in this exalted
realm.
The spiritual lake of Amritsar is also known as Tribeni, the union of
three rivers of spiritual energy. These three cosmic streams of love,
light and power descend from the Supreme Lord to support and sustain the
universe of universes. This is the true shrine of holiness, where the
aspiring soul becomes immaculate or immortal after its bath of
purification. It has now transcended its causal, astral and physical
coverings, and has none of the qualities of the three lower regions of
mind and matter. The immaculate soul, radiant and refulgent, now shines
with the light of twelve suns.
It does not have to reincarnate into the lower planes again, unless
commissioned to do so by the Supreme Lord Himself. It has tasted the
nectar of the Unstruck Music and it has a complete insight into the
true nature of creation.
In the realm of Daswan Dwar, the liberated soul now fully realizes
that it is of the essence of love, the essence of the Supreme Lord of
Love Himself. The soul now truly knows where the Supreme Lord resides,
and its most sublime desire is for complete union with the Supreme Lord.
Of this state of consciousness the mystic adepts have stated that no
one is a true theist unless he has realized this God-essence within
himself. Until that great realization takes place, the aspirant relies
on the testimony of saints and sages. Such testimony has been
recorded in most of the world scriptures, but the reading of holy
books - however desirable in many ways - can never give the individual
a conscious experience and awareness of the Supreme Lord within.
Referring to outer spiritual practices, and comparing them to inner
seeking, Guru Nanak has said:
Pilgrimages, austerities, mercy, charity
and almsgiving cease to be
of any consequence, when one gets
an ingress into the Til - the Inner Eye;
Communion with and practice of the Holy Word,
with heart full of devotion, procures
admittance into the Inner Spiritual Realms,
washing away the dirt of sins at the Sacred
Fount within.
THE JAP JI
When the soul has been bathed in "the Sacred Fount within," the
lake of Amritsar, it joins the company of other pure souls, known as
hansas (swans) in esoteric literature, and enjoys the wondrous and
enchanting beauties of this realm. Then the soul ascends to the
higher levels of Daswan Dwar and, at a certain stage, beholds on its
right the Inconceivable Island Kingdom (the Achint Dip), with its
glowing configuration of a twelve-petaled lotus; and on its left it
sees the Blissful Region (Sehaj Dip), with its Magnificent
configuration of a ten-petaled lotus. Then the soul reaches the first
vestibule of the terrifying Tibar Khand or the Maha Sunna, the region
of darkness.
At the vestibule of the Maha Sunna, the soul is given the most
esoteric knowledge of creation. This knowledge may only be imparted
at this high spiritual level, and it may never be revealed in spoken
or written words on the lower planes of creation. When the soul has
imbued this knowledge it starts across the great Maha Sunna, which is
a vast void of unutterable darkness. In this somber region Maha-Kal,
the highest form of the Negative Power, has placed a myriad of
frightening obstacles in the path of the aspiring soul. Only the soul
who has crossed this black void once, with the help of a mystic adept,
is free to traverse the Maha Sunna at will, from that time onward.
Countless souls, each shining with the radiance of twelve suns,
dwell within this region, but they are unable to extricate themselves
from this bondage; for even though the soul has such a great radiance,
it finds itself overwhelmed by the stygian darkness, and it cannot pass
through the black void without the benign grace and protection of a
mystic adept of the highest degree.
Before the soul starts its journey across the Maha Sunna, it is
apprised of the existence of four secret spiritual regions, which are
not mentioned in the outer teachings of the mystic adepts. These secret
regions are the planes of the highest spiritual prisoners, known as the
bandivan in the oriental terminology. These prisoners are under no
duress in their own realms, but they cannot travel beyond them. Some of
them will sometimes see a soul which is ascending in the company of a
mystic adept, and they will implore that soul to plead their cause, so
that they too can ascend to the higher spiritual realms. Only the mystic
adept may accede to such a request if he sees fit to do so, for he is an
indispensable guide to the soul who would make a safe journey through
the expansive dark void of Maha Sunna and the other secret regions.
Beyond the region of Maha Sunna there are five immense spiritual
realms, each one of increasing importance as the soul ascends. The
lowest of these is Bhanwar Gupha (Whirling Cave), the final region
before the soul arrives at the realm of the Supreme Lord, the True Home
of the spirit. As the soul approaches this ineffable region of Bhanwar
Gupha, it hears the melodies of four sound currents, each emanating
from invisible sources. One of these cosmic melodies predominates
above all others, and the soul finds its melody ineffable and
indescribably beautiful. The soul also beholds five egg-shaped
universes, all of which are macrocosms of other cosmic creations. Each
one of these cosmic systems has a predominating color, like yellow or
green, and each one is permeated and governed by a great Brahm-like
spirit. In comparison with these regions, the entire universe beneath
the realm of causality appears as insignificant as a speck of dust.
THE FINAL PATH
by
George Arnsby Jones, Litt.D., Ph.D.
This is part four of a four-part essay which
appeared in Sat Sandesh magazine in 1975-76, on
the Inner Journey of the Soul back to its Origin.
Dr. Jones was initiated by Sant Kirpal Singh Ji
in 1955, into the Path of Surat Shabd Yoga. He
had a distinguished academic career and published
seven books; he was chosen by Kirpal Singh to tell
the story of His Second World Tour in 1963-64,
which he did in the book "The Harvest is Rich."
He just recently passed on to the inner realms.
------------------------------------------------
After emerging from the dark void, the Maha Sunna, the soul reaches
that inner level known as Bhanwar Gupha (Whirling Cave) in the
terminology of the eastern mystic adepts. This is the fourth inner realm
above the physical plane, and it is a region of spiritual substance with
the admixture of very little matter. As the soul progresses onwards, it
crosses a high luminous pass above a vortex of spiritual power known as
the Hansni tunnel; then it enters the massive entrance of the glorious
Rukmini tunnel, and there it beholds an incredibly beautiful structure.
The radiation from this structure impinges upon the sight of the soul,
and thereby causes the soul's nirat (power to see) and its surat
(power to hear) to attain complete consummation and true peace.
The soul then transcends to a higher level of this spiritual realm,
seeing on its right side bright cosmic islands of unfathomable beauty,
and on the left side many continents with radiant palaces, which appear
to be constructed of pearls, with their top stories fashioned with
rubies and studded with emeralds and diamonds. The beauty of all these
cosmic scenes fills the soul with a wonderous intoxication. Bhanwar
Gupha is ruled by a great spiritual Lord, whose name is translated as
"That am I!" in the terminologies used by the mystic adepts of the
Middle East and Far East alike. In fact, the Sufi adepts know the
entire region as Anahu, which again has the meaning of "That am I!"
It is within the region of Bhanwar Gupha that the soul comes into its
fullest realization of its kinship with the Creator, consciously knowing
itself as a drop of that divine Essence in the Ocean of all-Spirit.
Maulana Rumi has written about the plaintive strains of a flute, played
upon a mountain top, which tells of the separation of the soul from its
true Source. The music pervading this realm is that of a supernal flute,
and it was this music that sounded in the consciousness of the great
Rumi. Nevertheless, here again there is nothing in the physical world
that can compare with the beautiful strains of the melody of Bhanwar
Gupha.
This enchanting sound emanates from the glorious cosmic mountain
which rises majestically above this region, and above which the soul
beholds an immense sun that shines with a dazzling white light,
thousands and thousands of times more brilliant than the physical sun
of our solar system. Of this region Guru Nanak has sung:
Higher still stands Karm Khand,
the Realm of Grace,
Here the Word is all in all, and
nothing else prevails.
Here dwell the bravest of the brave,
the conquerors of the mind,
filled with love Divine,
Here dwell devotees with devotion,
incomparable as Sita's
illumined with beauty ineffable,
All hearts filled with God,
they live beyond the reach of
death and delusion.
THE JAP JI
Bhanwar Gupha is truly a realm of beauty and light, and the souls
who dwell there imbibe the elixir of the Sound Current as we on the
physical plane take in our daily food and drink. However, Bhanwar Gupha
and all the regions below it - supercausal, causal, astral and physical -
must eventually go into dissolution, according to the mystic adepts.
Dissolutions of relatively short durations extend to the top of the
causal region, whilst the immeasurably long Grand Dissolutions extend
through the supercausal realm of Daswan Dwar into the realm of Bhanwar
Gupha. And so the aspiring soul must journey further upwards in order
to attain true spiritual liberation, for only Sach Khand, the fifth
inner region above the physical plane, is unaffected by any cosmic
dissolutions, great or small. And Sach Khand is the True Home of the
soul.
This purely spiritual region is termed Sat Lok in Hinduism,
Muqam-i-Haq (realm of Truth) in the teachings of the Sufi sages of Islam,
and Sach Khand (the name used by the Indian mystic adepts or Satgurus)
in Sikhism. Sach Khand is entirely devoid of physical, mental and
spiritualized matter. In the words of the mystic adepts it is
"unchanging and eternal; all joy and all bliss; all wisdom and all love;
the Abode of God. Here, in ineffable wonder, dwell the perfected
spiritual beings and the supreme saints of all time." Guru Nanak has
said: "Here dwell the Bhagats or Sages drawn from all regions, who
rejoice in the True One and live in eternal bliss."
In Bhanwar Gupha, the realm below Sach Khand, there are eighty
thousand universes, and the inhabitants of these universes are all
followers of spiritual adepts who have themselves attained access to
that region. But in Sach Khand itself, tens of millions of spheres come
under the benign rule of the True Lord, and cosmic Isles of the Blessed
revolve around this realm, as our tiny earth circles its own sun.
These spheres are the abodes of hansas, pure souls who have never
descended to lower planes. In Guru Nanak's words:
Sach Khand or the Realm of Truth
is the seat of the Formless One.
Here He creates all creations,
rejoicing in creating.
Here are many regions, heavenly
systems and universes,
To count which were to count the
countless;
Here, out of the Formless,
The heavenly plateaux and all else
come into form,
All destined to move according to
His Will.
He who is blessed with this vision,
rejoices in its contemplation.
But, O Nanak, such is its beauty
that to try to describe it is to
attempt the impossible.
THE JAP JI
The Lord of Sach Khand is known in the oriental terminology as Sat
Purusha, the True Being. The esoteric scriptures state that this Lord
of Love radiates a light that is equivalent to the light of billions
of suns, although this is still a poor description of Him, for He is
beyond the capacity of human language or intellect to describe. Sat
Purusha directs and controls the creation and dissolution of the
entire cosmic system of universes beneath Him, but His own realm is
immune from any such change. This True Being ultimately draws His
power from the highest Lord of all, known to the mystic adepts as
Anami Purusha, the Nameless One.
Sach Khand can only be inadequately described in the language of
poetic imagery and symbolism, for the mystic adepts state that there
are no possible comparisons that can be made with even the most
beautiful things in this world. Sach Khand is the Father's House,
and the Father is Sat Purusha, and the soul is an emanation from Sat
Purusha, from Whom it descended eons ago. According to the mystic
adepts, the soul has the light of sixteen suns and moons combined
when it reaches this realm.
Guru Nanak has sung of the region of Sat Purusha in his inspired
hymn:
How wonderful Thy gates:
how wonderful Thy mansion,
From whence Thou watchest Thy
great Creation.
Countless the instruments and harmonies
that play therein,
Countless the measures, countless
the singers that sing Thy praises.
THE JAP JI
Swami Ji has also described the palace of Sat Purusha as a
fortress-like structure of ineffable beauty. In Swami Ji's description,
the pilgrim soul must locate the supreme Lord of Love upon His throne
when he arrives at that region, and must know the Lord of Love as the
True Lord of the entire universe of universes. Swami Ji has described
the wonderful fields and parks of the forecourts of the palace of Sat
Purusha, but again repeats that the scenery thereof is utterly
indescribable in earthly terms. Reservoirs of spiritual nectar abound
on this plane, from below which f(ow abundant rivers of light to supply
distant regions with spiritual sustenance. Golden palaces appear to
hover above cosmic gardens of silvery light, and the beauty of the
hansas, the pure souls who dwell there, is incomprehensible.
The pilgrim soul advances to the vestibule of the palace of the Lord
of Love, Sat Purusha, and a guardian hansa enquires of the newcomer how
he managed to reach this lofty region. The soul replies that it came to
the holy feet of a mystic adept or Satguru, when it was dwelling on
earth, and the mystic adept bestowed upon him the inner knowledge of
that high realm. The soul is then led into the palace, where he confronts
a shining lotus of ineffable beauty. A voice sounds from the central
light of the lotus and asks the soul its identity and for what purpose
or object it has ascended to that region. Swami Ji describes the soul's
reply as: "I met a Satguru and he gave me full instructions. Through his
kindness I now have the privilege of your darshan (blessed sight)."
It is now revealed to the soul that he is truly in the presence of Sat
Purusha, Whom he now recognizes as the spiritual power that ensouled
the mystic adept on earth and in the lower spiritual realms. The soul
now rejoices at his supreme good fortune and derives great pleasure
from the spiritual sight, or darshan, of the Lord of Love.
Then the Supreme Lord informs the soul of the mysteries of the
higher regions, and with His own spiritual power of love He aids the
soul on its further ascent through these regions. The mystic adepts have
said that the music of Sach Khand may be compared to that of a vina; all
the spiritual masters who have spoken of Sach Khand have testified to
the enrapturing wonder of its music. Like its heavenly music, the light
of Sach Khand is inexpressible in worldly language, even in terms of
billions of suns.
The mystic adept who initiated the aspiring soul into the mysteries
of the beyond thus has the duty of accompanying the soul safely to its
True Home, Sach Khand. Thereafter, it is Sat Purusha Who infuses His
own divine energy into the soul and sends it into the higher spiritual
regions of Alakh Lok (Invisible Region), Agam Lok (Inaccessible Region),
and Anami Lok (Nameless Region, which is the highest spiritual realm
of all.) To all intents and purposes the spiritual aspirant can only
grasp the concept of Sach Khand as being the highest spiritual realm,
and it is certainly a region of pure spirit and the True Home of the
soul. Nonetheless, the mystic adepts speak of the three higher realms
beyond Sach Khand, although they deem it completely pointless to
endeavor descriptions or explanations of these realms of spirituality.
Sufficient to say that, through the grace of Sat Purusha, the soul
is impelled into the next spiritual region of Alakh Lok, and then
proceeds to the cosmic palace of Alakh Purusha, Lord of that realm. When
the soul has received the darshan of Alakh Purusha, it goes higher to
Agam Lok, where it beholds the Lord of that region, Agam Purusha, and
receives His darshan, Again the mystic adepts endeavor to describe the
radiance of these regions in terms of billions and billions of suns.
Concerning the final region of Anami Lok, the mystic adepts keep silent.
In a few words Swami Ji has said: "From one step to another, the soul
beholds strange things which cannot be described in human language.
Every region and everything is utterly beyond words. What beauty and
glory! How can I describe them? There is nothing here to convey the
idea. I am helpless!"
The soul has now beheld the ruling Lord of each of the spiritual
realms beyond Sach Khand, and it has united its own being with them.
This is the summum bonum of the Mystical Path of Love, for the mystic
adepts have said that love is the supreme power in these holy regions.
When asked about Anami Lok, Swami Ji said simply: "It is All Love!"
Thus, on the Mystical Path of Love, the combination of the mystic
adept and the Shabd lead to jivan mukti, or spiritual liberation, and
the ascension of the soul to its True Home. If the spiritual aspirant
faithfully fulfills the mystic adept's commandments, if he lives
completely the way of love, this spiritual liberation may be completed
in one lifetime. The aspirant will hear the continuous symphony of
love, the supernal Music of the Spheres, and he will realize that
his true Self and the divine Word is of one and the same essence.
The music is so glorious that the chattering of the unregenerate mind
is stilled and the focus of the soul is absorbed completely within the
audible life stream, and is thereby drawn upwards beyond the planes
of mind and matter.
As the aspirant rises into the higher realms of life, he discovers
that this is indeed the only true freedom to which a human being can
aspire. It is the freedom from bondage to his lower self, the fears,
fantasies, hatreds, preferences and dreams which haunt him as he walks
the long road of recurring births and deaths. Man, individually and
collectively, can never be truly free on this physical plane of
existence; only the individual who has attained higher spiritual
consciousness, fulfilling his true birthright, has attained freedom
in the most complete sense of the word. The liberated soul may never
again be enslaved by the false appetites of the lower self or by
the machinations of those who believe that they control the transient
world of man by virtue of their own temporal power.
Spiritual consciousness is both the reason and the summit of man's
evolution, and its nature is beyond words, which are merely invented
symbols of human ideation, for it is a truly wordless and timeless
state of beatitude. He who has attained this spiritual consciousness
knows at the very center of his being that he is a free spirit, living
in the eternal realms of spiritual liberation. He has risen on that
celestial symphony of the spirit, as Guru Nanak has reiterated:
By practice of the Word, one rises
to universal consciousness and
develops right understanding;
By practice of the Word, one develops
clairvoyance and transvision
of the whole creation;
By practice of the Word, one is
freed from sorrow and suffering.
THE JAP JI
Once he has transcended physical consciousness, the spiritual
aspirant becomes fully aware of this tonal power of the universe.
In the inner realms its radiant tones are experienced as a miraculous
mosaic of subtle energies, sounding lights and luminous tones. As
Kabir has said: "The natural inner music is continuously flowing of
itself, but only a rare soul knows of this communion; the true simran
consists in the perpetual attunement of the soul with the inner music
without any outer aid. He who contacts this hidden crest-jewel is our
true friend."
Through contact with this inner music the aspirant loses his lesser
identity and eventually becomes "at One with God." Though he continues
to live out his allotted span in this world, he is "in the world but
not of it," being a jivan mukti, a liberated being. He is no longer an
impotent slave of the mind and the senses, but is established in true
Godhead. He lives perpetually in the divine light of the spirit and
listens constantly to the divine music in his soul. Eventually he
returns to Sach Khand, the Abode of Bliss or Muqam-i-Haq, the home and
source of the sounding light and of the soul itself. The spiritual
aspirant is now a conscious and liberated soul. This is the true
Salvation, Moksha or Nirvana, in the ultimate and most complete sense
of all.
