Light and Sound on the Path For The Week of Jan. 2nd:
Satsang Instruction by Competent, Qualified Teachers: "Listening to and study of the discourses on this sacred knowledge is an important step in the Sant Mat tradition. Listening to satsang (spiritual discourses) is prescribed as an essential activity." (Maharshi Mehi)
"Sant Mat" means: "The Way of the Saints" or "Path of the Masters". The term "Sant Mat" was coined by Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, during the 19th Century, but the Sant tradition, with its many guru-lineages or branches, is a spiritual movement that dates back many centuries to ancient India. Sant Tulsi Sahib was of the opinion that the Sant movement goes back to the time of Krishna thousands of years ago, that Krishna knew of Sants during his day, the age of the Bhagavad Gita.
To a Happy New Year of broadcasting, and education for a more enlightened world.
A Collection of Sant Mat Satsang PODcasts, which can be streamed or downloaded:
Sahjo Bai: "Even one moment of this life is priceless, not to speak of one day. Do not waste such a life without singing the Lord's praise."
Says Daya Bai: "Repeat the Name of the Lord which alone is the True Essence in this world. By repeating the Lord's Name, you become the Lord Himself and come to know of the supreme secret."
Sant Dadu Dayal: "Love is Allah's nature. Love is His body. Love alone is His existence, and His color, also, is love."
Without Bhakti the Spiritual Path is Empty and Hollow
In Sant Mat [the Teachings of the Saints],
great importance has been attached to Bhakti [love and devotion];
it is the sine qua non of Sant Mat.
If there are all other attributes but no Bhakti,
then there is nothing. And he, who has no virtues
but is endowed with Bhakti, is possessed of all.
He alone is a devotee and he alone is dear to
Bhagwant (Lord). Even if one performs
Surat-Shabd Abhyas,
[spiritual exercises, inner Light & Sound Meditation]
but is devoid of this attribute,
then one is empty and hollow.
-- From the, "Discourses of Maharaj Saheb"
(Without prem and bhakti, any inner Light and Sound would merely be psychic/new age clairaudience and clairvoyance limited to the astral level or lower levels of creation. The Path of the Masters however, is a God-centered Path of the lover and the Beloved, and therein lies the difference.)
The Tejabind Upanishad: "The seeker must therefore be one determined to make that which is Inaccessible accessible, and one whose sole aim is to serve the Guru and His Cause only - the worship of the Supreme Spirit."
Kabir in the Adi Granth: "Creation is a huge painting -- forget this painting; think of the Painter: This painting is beautiful -- that's the problem: Forget the painting; think of the Painter."
Kabir: "It is a bliss remembering God even for a moment. But only those, who practice it, know it."
Kabir Quoted in the Adi Granth: "This spiritual wisdom of God, the Supreme Soul, has illuminated my being. Says Kabeer, I am attuned to His Love. All the rest of the world is deluded by doubt, while my mind is intoxicated with the Sublime Essence of the Lord."
Sukhmani - Adi Granth: "Joyous love has sprung forth from my heart; For I have found the object of my life. As I share His Vision, I find peace; And my mind blossoms as I wash the feet of His Saints. The body and mind of the devotees are filled with the Lord's Love, but few are they who find themselves in their company."
Anurag Sagar: Explaining 'Word' or Sound Current, Kabir says that for practical purposes the Sound Current assumes the form of Guru in this world and reforms the souls. The Satguru carries a message from God and connects us to the thread of Naam Simran (i.e. concentration on the Word).
The Guru is the Power of God (Shabad) Which Uses A Particular Body as a Medium
"Maharajji always tells us that the Guru is not the body. It is the power of God (Shabad) which uses a particular body as a medium. God, in order to take back the chosen souls to their eternal home, works through a human body known as the Guru. Maharajji says that she herself is nothing but it is her Guru's (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji) grace which works for the benefit of her disciples."("Towards Eternity", on the life and teachings of Sant Chander Prabhaj Ji Maharaj, New Delhi)
"One who crosses this layer of darkness through a special kind of meditation sees the inner Light within oneself. This inner Light is called Aatma-Aalok (Light of the Self) or Brahma-Prakash (Divine Light). On achieving this, the Third Eye opens completely. While gazing into the darkness that one sees with eyes closed, one should mentally repeat the Guru-instructed mantra [simran, manas jap]." (Swami Bhagirath Baba)
It is essential for the aspirant to understand this and clearly see the importance and value for his spiritual search of this Nada [Inner Sound], this mystical Sound that can be mysteriously heard inside the ears and head. For this Nada is an inestimable sacred intermediary between that which is higher and divine in him and his ordinary self. It is his prodigious hope, his ever-present and trustworthy friend, his necessary guide and benign support in his various spiritual exercises and meditations. In it lies the possibility for his redemption and the fulfillment of himself. (Edward Salim Michael, The Law of Attention - Nada Yoga and the Way of Inner Vigilance)
The Sound and Light of Freedom -- The Audible Life Stream
The great mystics have long since told us that realizing our immortal selves is achievable within a single lifetime by practicing the art of dying while living. This ancient art is based upon the concept of a universal Soundless Sound. In the West, this spiritual vibration is known as the Primordial Sound Current, or, more aptly, as the Audible Life Stream because it is the essence of all life, and although inaudible to the physical ears (hence it's often referred to as soundless) it resounds ceaselessly. Resounding within each and every one of us, the Audible Life Stream is quite simply the Universal Principle, God-power, Allah, Brahma, call it whatever you like.
Inevitably, however, using mere words to describe what is ineffable will always prove inadequate. To only see this universal principle as a one-way flowing stream or river is misleading because, as Dr Julian Johnson explains, there is a two-way current in each wave of the Audible Life Stream, one moving out from the creative source of the universe and the other that returns:
"This wave has two aspects, a centrifugal flow and a centripetal flow. It moves outward from the central dynamo of all creation, and it flows back toward that dynamo. Moving upon that Current, all power and all life...flow outward to the outermost bounds of creation, and again upon it all life [returns] toward its source."
Mystics contend that dying while remaining very much alive is the beginning of this return journey.
While all major religious traditions -- both East and West -- are founded on the concept of a supreme God or God-like concept the spiritual vibratory principle of this universal force is largely unknown because over the centuries, for various reasons, this quintessential spiritual tenet has been grossly misunderstood. Consequently, the original message of the ancient mystics has been in the main lost, and so today most people are completely unaware of the Audible Life Stream and its spiritual significance, believing that at the time of death one needs only to go to the light. This belief is understandable given the emphasis on the light in spiritual literature. But nevertheless, mystics say this is a tragic mistake. For the light, in fact, emanates from the Audible Life Stream. Being vibratory in nature, the Audible Life Stream, thus, encompasses both light and sound, since both are vibratory in nature too. Explained Sawan Singh:
"Both Light and Sound are within us. The Sound and Light are related to the two faculties of the soul namely Surat (hearing) and Nirat (seeing)."
Once these two soul powers of hearing and seeing are fully developed, the soul can rise up to the highest spiritual regions beyond the illusion of death.
Certainly, the light is necessary for illuminating the spiritual path but, say the mystics, the sound is equally necessary to pull the soul in the correct 'upward' direction. They believe that without the magnetic force of the sound we cannot ascend through the higher spiritual levels.
The Book of Genesis tells us that '..God said, "Let there be light"... (the italics are added) meaning that the voice of God -- the sound of God -- preceded the light. This is why mystics place emphasis on the Audible aspect of the God-power -- the spiritual Life Stream of consciousness.
Believed to be the most fundamental way that the God-power manifests itself to human consciousness, the Audible Life Stream is considered by mystics to be like a spiritual highway along which all souls will have to travel in order to reach the source of this power. But a far more poetic analogy used by Sawan Singh to sum up the importance of the Audible Life Stream, is to view the universe as an ocean of spirituality:
"The Sound Current is a wave of the ocean of spirituality of which the soul is a drop. The ocean, wave, and the drop are alike in nature. All three are one. If the soul catches the Current and follows it, it can reach its destination, the ocean -- and, by merging itself in the ocean, can itself become the ocean."
So the Audible Life Stream is believed to be a universal and inherently non-material vibratory force manifesting as countless sounds and even music, that is said to be infinitely more enchanting than the very best music composed here in the physical world. The type of sound perceived, whether music or not, depends upon the level of vibrational frequency of one's consciousness.
In a very real sense the Audible Life Stream is a cosmic symphony to which all things, seen and unseen, unknowingly dance. Underpinning all physical and spiritual levels of creation; this symphony is endlessly being performed at the very essence of our being, since we are a microcosm of the entire universe. Yet, so few of us are aware of this. Even fewer understand that this sweetest of music can be perceived if we are prepared to truly listen for it. (Alistair Conwell, The Audible Life Stream - Ancient Secret of Dying While Living)
Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj: When we study the different religions of the world, we find that at the root and dissemination of each, there was some true saint, prophet or sage who undertook intense meditation and profound spiritual effort. The great beings -- saints, prophets, sages -- first realize within themselves the true nature of the Divine through meditation in solitude. Then they bring forth this knowledge and teach other people the path of peace and well being. When their followers increase, these teachings often take the form of a new religion or sect. Due to geographical, cultural and temporal variations it is predictable that these religions will appear to differ considerably. These contextual differences are the reason that each religion has its distinct deities, rituals and practices. People encounter the outward symbols and convictions of a religion, at first, and are attracted to a religion according to their own personal preferences.
This is a natural human response.However, a true seeker of Truth will pursue truth to the deepest core of these religions, and there, the seeker will find that the center of all religious paths is essentially the same. Every one of these religions is erected upon the foundation of the Infinite Supreme Being (Reality) whose nature is Truth and Peace. [Even in the traditions where the founder of the system does not directly speak of "God" as was the case with the Buddha, the path that he taught reflects the human search for eternal Wisdom, Truth (Satya), inner peace, and a State of Transcendence (Nirvana)].
Generally speaking, all religions contain prayers, invocations, meditations, and moral injunctions. They each elaborate on the nature of the Divine, the soul, liberation from suffering, heaven and hell, and other basics. Each religion presents the core truth in local language and familiar symbols.
The Rig Veda, the ancient text of Hindu dharma, says: "The Truth is one, but the Wise [sages] speak of it in various ways." ...
There is a well-known image of the Tibetan poet and mystic Milarepa, sitting in his familiar listening posture, with his right hand cupped over his right ear. In this passage the mystic beckons:
Enter the garden of sacred sounds with a concentrated mind.
Sit still in a comfortable position.
Let the sounds float around and into the body, effortlessly.
Join in and chant the sound OM or HUM, whichever is more
pleasing.
Listen to the resonance of the sound.
Close the ears with index fingers, chant hum and experience the
resonance within.
In moments of silence stretch the ears to hear the farthest star.
Experience the Stillness of Sound.
When leaving the space retain the inner resonance to experience the world anew.
-- Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, from the chapter titled "Sant Mat", in, "The Harmony of All Religions", Published by Maharshi Mehi Ashram
Above: Milarepa Sitting in his Familiar Listening Posture
Sant Tulsi Sahib - Meditation: "Reverse thy gait from the court of this world and attain thy True Home. The drop will merge in the Ocean, and thou thyself will know the wonder. The lost treasure will be found and thy true Self will be revealed. He who has solved this riddle, 0 Tulsi, is indeed a true Saint."
Swami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Poetry, Volume One: Open the Door
"Open the Door. Come to the balcony. Let not your Surat [attention of the soul] get dissipated. Let it enjoy the company of Shabd [the Positive Power, inner Light and Sound]. Learn the secrets and mysteries. Be free from death. Make your life fruitful. Awaken Nirat [inner seeing]. Peep into the path of the Master. Let your Surat rush forward. Adopt Saran [refuge, resting in God]. Be delighted in the bliss of Naam."
"Look for and search for God within yourself, within your own body. God resides inside - look for him there. The white point shines straight ahead and twinkles. You must concentrate in sushumna [inner passage or tunnel, central channel, middle path] by leaving the restlessness of the mind behind. Where the subtle sounds vibrate in the ajna chakra [third eye center, point between the eyebrows], stay and make your dwelling. The Door is subtle and sushumna is the Point or Window. With great effort, you can go through." (Maharishi Mehi)
