Persistence of Vision -- Light and Sound on the Path
This Sant Mat Radhasoami E-Newsletter explores the poetry, prose, spiritual discourses, books, scriptures, letters, prayers, ahimsa ethics, podcasts, videos, philosophy, cosmology, and history of the Masters from a traditional Indian perspective, and might also include quotes from various world religions in harmony with the Way of the Saints, the Path of the Masters and Mystics.
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Sparks of the Divine, Drops from the Divine Ocean: All Souls are Incarnations of God: "All the men and women of the world are His living forms." (Kabir)
Although alone,
The Lover is never lonely.
Forever hidden
With the Beloved.
-- Rumi
"Love has inspired me to explore the heavens. From earth it has raised me to the worlds of Spirit." (Sultan BaHU)
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"O Master! You are in the form of inner experience, and you are immutable. You are in the form of knowledge and the giver of liberation. You are in the form of wisdom and you are imperishable. You are the ocean of bliss, and you are free of the limitations of time. You are immortal. Heartfelt salutations to you!" (prayer in the "Brahm Nirupan" of Kabir)
The ardent devotee who is seeking liberation, has cultivated the four virtues, and realizes that the pure nature of the Absolute is his own nature, and continuously contemplates it, will definitely realize the Absolute. The four virtues:
1. Discernment of the Reality from the unreality.
2. Detachment from worldly things.
3. The six assets:
i. Control of the mind/thoughts;
ii. Control of the senses and body;
iii. Faith in the guru and scriptures;
iv. Endurance in face of hardship;
v. Indifference to religious rituals;
vi. Proper concentration and meditation;
4. Intense longing for liberation.
-- Brahm Nirupan of Guru Kabir
"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." (George Arnsby Jones)
"The Compassionate Lord of the Soul is pleased to declare that whenever anyone is initiated into Surat Shabd Marg [the Path of Inner Light and Sound Meditation], their contact is immediately established with Sat Purush Radhasoami [the Supreme Being]. Hence, Sat Purush Merciful Radhasoami will continue to shower His Grace upon everyone who sincerely performs the (meditation) practices to some extent with feelings of love [Bhakti] and as far as possible does not indulge in the negative tendencies of the mind, i.e. He will gradually make the mind and spirit of such a devotee [Bhakta, Premie] ascend higher and higher internally, and will protect them from the obstacles placed by Maya [illusion] and Kal [the negative power]." (Huzur Maharaj, "Radhasoami Mat Updesh")
"Practice Drishti Yoga (Inner Light Meditation) and Nadanusadhna (Inner Sound Meditation). These will remove the layers of darkness, Light and Sound which conceal your Soul from the Supreme Soul (God). You will know who you are. And, when you know yourself, you will also know God." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)
"Therefore I say that if one is unified, one will be filled with Light, but if one is divided, one will be filled with darkness." (YesHUa, Gospel of Thomas)
"The Tenth Gate is the Gathering Point of consciousness. Therein lies the path for our return. The Tenth Gate is also known as the Sixth Chakra, the Third Eye, bindu, the Center located between the two eyebrows. This is the gateway through which we leave the gates of the sense organs and enter in the divine realms and finally 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 called turning back to the Source." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)
Persistence of Vision
"Be fully devoted to meditation and constant remembrance of God only. Please take care that your mind does not drift anywhere else. If it does, bring it back, as Maharshi Mehi says:
"Janh janh man bhagi jaay, tahi tanh-tanh se tatkshan.
Feri-feri le ai, lagaiya dhyeya meapan."
(When the mind flies away or strays, then bring it back and apply or focus it onto its desired object.)
To succeed in meditation, diligence and patience are also essentially needed. Just consider, we have to break a boulder or stone into pieces. We have been hammering it, but it is not breaking. Suppose a hundred blows are required to break it. We have given two, four, ten ... twenty impacts. It does not break. We continue. Eighty -- even ninety blows have been given. It is still not breaking. Now we start thinking negatively or pessimistically, "It appears this stone will not break." Ninety-nine blows have been delivered. It still refuses to break. Now we become dejected; despondency sets in ...that 'perhaps I do not posses the potential or power to break it.' However, what is the reality? It is calling for just one more blow. The moment we deal one more strike, it immediately breaks into pieces. Now this does not mean or should not be interpreted that all the ninety-nine blows that were delivered previously went in vain. Just think, had you not given those ninety-nine hits, would the hundredth one have been possible? Therefore, those ninety-nine blows also are very much in place. So, keep on practising meditation without losing hope -- the Til Dwar or the Tenth Gate [Third Eye] will certainly break open and we will surely go into the Domain of Light. Our Gurudev says:
"Til darwaja tutai, nazar ke jor se.
Are han re 'Mehi', lage taktaki khub jor barjor se."
(The Til Dwar breaks open with the continued force of concentrated and intent gazing. Yes! says Mehi, this will happen guaranteed. Only keep concentrating or focusing at the prescribed Point with all your concentration.)
Unless and until you try, try and try with your fullest power of concentration, the Til Dwar will not break open. Lord Christ said, "Knock at the door, it shall open. Ask, and you shall receive." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)
Those Practitioners Who Assiduously Practice Meditation Will Behold Wonderful Visions Within
Maharshi Mehi Paramhans Ji Paramhans has said, "Sit on a pure 'Asana' (small piece of mat, carpet, cloth or woolen sheet, etc.) with your back, neck and head held in a straight (vertical) line. Then keeping your mouth and eyes closed, internally chant the name of the deity you worship (or master) [simran], and internally visualize the form of your (Guru or) desired deity [dhyan]. By doing so regularly, with loving devotion and perseverance, the mind gradually gets purified."
That is, the practitioner should sit in a comfortable posture holding his body, neck and head motionless in a straight line, close his mouth and eyes, and first practice manas japa (mentally reciting or chanting -- without using or moving the lips or the tongue -- the sacred mantra, given by the Guru, repeatedly with the fullest attention and alertness). This should be followed by manas dhyan (fixedly gazing at the imagined form of the Guru within us, keeping our eyes closed). Practicing thus regularly and with sincere love, the mind gets purified. The mind is, by its very nature, fickle and prone to frequently straying from manas japa and manas dhyan. If that happens while meditating, it should be immediately brought back to focus on its due target. Thus perseveringly practising pratyahara (the process of applying the mind back, again and again, every time it drifts away, to the selected target), the mind slowly gains in strength and is able to hold or stick to its goal. With the mind getting focused thus, the inner Current, the current of Light, is subsequently easy to grasp, facilitating the journey ahead. This is why, Gurudev (Maharshi Mehi Paramhans Ji Maharaj) has said:
"The mind (while trying to focus it on a fixed target) often strays to numerous other thoughts. In all such cases when the mind wanders away from the target (as soon as its flight to objects or subjects other than the target is realized), immediately ... Bring it back, again and again, and focus it on your target. Thus practising the 'pratyahara' (the process or practice of repeatedly bringing the mind back to focus on its target every time it strays), acquire the state of 'dharana' (the state of mind staying focused on the target for a short duration)."
Move ahead and ascend yourself, counsels Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, holding on to the Current in the Inner Sky, then move further ahead." We will have to merge into the Current of Light that is always there, within our own body. Those practitioners who assiduously practice meditation will behold wonderful spectacles within their own house (body).
-- Swami Achyutanand Baba, "Yoga of Inner Light and Sound"
Shanti: Inner Peace, Tranquillity, Bliss: Shanti is a Sanskrit word with several English meanings: peace, tranquillity, bliss, etc... The peace which results from some degree of Divine communion is Shanti. "Stillness or steadiness is the essence of Shanti." "The desire for attaining Shanti is natural in human beings." (Maharshi Mehi, Philosophy of Liberation)
Forget in Order to Remember, by Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj
All worries and happiness of the day must be forgotten at the time of repose, otherwise one cannot sleep. Similarly, during the hour of meditation all thoughts are to be cast aside. Prayer does not penetrate amidst earthly contemplations.
When one sleeps with a carefree mind, he enjoys deep sleep unaware of what time he will get up again. Likewise, when one sits for meditation with his mind free of complexities, he enjoys unison with God so intensely that he becomes unaware of the thought of returning to his senses again.
It is only after waking do we realize the duration of our deep sleep. Similarly, only after having done meditation does one realize the amount of time that has passed.
May the Supreme worship-able Paramadhya [God] bless you and may you succeed in your spiritual practice. Give your full efforts in practising meditation and Divine Grace will surely shower upon you.
(Letter of Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj, Sadhnatmak Patra, a book of letters to various initiates about spiritual practice, published by Maharshi Mehi Ashram)
Recent Message from Shri Hajur 1008 Ardhanam Saheb
Greetings to all of you on the occasion of Bhado poornima. On every Poornima we have the special occasion to remember Sadguru Kabir Saheb. Dhani Dharmdas Saheb, disciple of Kabir Saheb, has shown the importance of poornima. In his prayer, Barahmaasi, Dharmdas Saheb has highlighted worldly relationships:
"Bhado waqt kiye Pahichane,
Jaise rayen Sapna,
Maat pita sut Bandhu Kabila, Koi nahi Apna,
Koi nahi kisi ke kam aaye,
Duniya Daulat Maal-Khajana Sabhi chhut jaye.
Guru-Guru kehna sabko sahna tan ko jan Kancha
Naam ek Saheb ka sancha."
Our life goes on, gradually passing off as a dream. Every human relation services until youth and fades away with time. We tend to pin immense hope upon friends and relations, parents and community, but as Saheb says, at the end none prove to be of much help. All the wealth and resources slip through our hands. The soul leaves the mortal body.
"Kahe Kabir Suno Nar Muniya,
Aap Vinas Gaye, Vinas gayee Duniya."
Saheb Kabir says to the common man and Saints alike, your end translates into end of this world. So its imperative that in our life we have empathy for others, do charity, and remember the words of Sadguru Kabir Saheb. May each poornima prove to be our advancement in spirituality. May your heart be filled with light, is my wish.
With well wishes,
Panth Shri Hajur 1008 Ardhanam Saheb
(Acharya Kabir Panth)
Sadguru Prakatya Dham
Kabir Bagh
Lahartara,
Varanasi,
INDIA
Kabir -- On Opportunity
kal kare so aj kar, aj kare so ab;
palme parlay hoyagi, bahuri karega kab.
Meaning:
"What you have to do tomorrow, do today; what you have to do today, do now. Death can strike at the next moment; then what can you do?"
Commentary:
The person who puts off till tomorrow what he should do today, will never really be successful in life. Laziness and procrastination cause loss of opportunities and failures. They destroy valuable life, and cause regrets instead. Promptness is a great virtue.
aj kahe hari kal bhajunga, kal kahe phir kal;
aj kal ke karat hi, awasar jasi chal.
Meaning:
"Today you say that you will do devotion to God tomorrow, and tomorrow you will again say tomorrow. Saying 'tomorrow and tomorrow', you lose the opportunity in this life."
Commentary:
We must do devotion to God now. It is not good to think of doing it when we get older. We may not reach old age, and if we did, we may not be able to do devotion due to disabilities. We will then have regrets.
(Kabir, "Spiritual Gems of Kabir", translated by Mahant Jagdish Das Shastri, edited by Dr. J. Das)
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