1. What is love?
When you do not know why you love and
what for you love, it is love.
2. Love is that a feeling
of reality?
Love? No, it is not the feeling of reality,
it is the way to reality!
3. How universal love
can be achieved?
The real thing is to transfer all love
to God. Remembrance of one brings remembrance
of all. If I love you, I love your children also.
4. Does love develop
attachments?
We should love all but without feeling
attached towards individuals as such.
Study of books and hearing of the tapes
help you in developing firm determination to reach
the goal and that is what we generally call as
orientation.
It is good that you are engaging yourself in the
study of Masters work. This is one of the ways
of remaining in the thought of the Master and
develop Constant remembrance.
Single pointed orientation to Master and absolute
goal clarity enables us to move further.
As for persons coming for Satsangh it depends
upon their wisdom and also how they evaluate us.
I have nothing to say on that. To say that you
are working on them again is beyond my capacity
to understand. When they are not oriented how
can any work be done?
1. I find the problem
in the form of sleep embracing me whenever I start
to read any of Master's books.
It is a matter of common experience that
persons who read Masters work get into a state
similar to sleep. It is nothing but the effect
of the words and thereby the thoughts of the Master
being received by our real self. Do not bother,
but continue to hear Master or read his books.
That will clear lot of mala, klesha and avarana.
2. I am also spending
fair amount of time in reading and contemplating
the works of Rev.KCV and the Master in an attempt
to enter the consciousness of the Masters and
try living in that as far as possible.
Any amount of reading and searching for
consciousness in the books will not help you in
getting at them. Not that you should not read
them but that is not enough. We may read about
Sacrifice and will never do it, unless there is
something that is more dear than our life that
is felt in the core of our being. The love of
self is far superior to any of the other loves
we have. I think sage Yajnavalkya is least understood
here thanks to the Vedantic blue glasses.
3. During Basanth predominant
thought was every one is developing true love
and devotion towards Master and all are taking
benefit of His grace.
During Basanth our approach should be
to be totally oriented to Master instead of thinking
that others should benefit etc., If we do not
have the condition required to help others what
help can we do?
We should be restless but at the same
time not expectant. Please cultivate this habit
which will help you in sadhana always. Yielding
to the Divine starts with a simple Namaskar but
finally it ends up in total surrender where neither
the devotee nor the Divine is in consciousness.
We are all rishis and we are doing tapas: with
a small difference that we seek only the Ultimate
and are not prepared to accept any penultimate
goals.
Yielding you are to develop in such a way that
you do not mention it at all. Unless you know
your smallness yielding never arises and when
you demand a type of experience where is submissiveness
leave alone yielding.
Restlessness to achieve the goal is different
from impatience that is exhibited to claim for
oneself higher conditions. But this happens and
yielding to the Master alone is the way and that
everyone has to learn for himself.
1. Thoughts that were
noticed were on the Goal and yielding to the Master.
That we have feelings of yielding means,
there is some resistance. Please find out the
thoughts that are hindering such a submission
to his will and try to avoid them. The thought
of yielding is only a phase, we should move on
to the stage where we do not feel the need for
yielding and should have a state of mind of submissiveness.
2. I did not fully understand
yielding
Yielding so far as I understand is accepting
the version of our good nature and rejecting our
lower nature. Do you know in great religions both
in the west and the east, in the early days Good
is the word for God.
3. Spent days thinking
of how can I make my yielding complete.
This is done easily by thinking that
you have already yielded and go on strengthening
the same thought.
4. I need to do More
and More yielding. Feel Gentle vibrations at Sikhar.
Felt expansion through out.
Yielding means that there is something
to yield and so far as there is something to yield
the statement of Nothingness etc., has no reality
content. Expanded awareness is possible in Brahmand
but who is expanded and who sees it? The locus
is self and so long it is there rings of Egoism
are not even touched.
Determination in achieving the desired
result goes a long way. But please note that it
is your effort assisted by the Master. Without
effort feeling empty disappointment and guilt
achieves nothing. As a matter of fact guilt repentance
etc., are qualities of the sick soul.
As I was meditating this morning on the message
of the Master given at the top of the Diary 2001
for today, I was deeply moved by the message which
assures that the Centre itself is moving towards
us. What a compassion and Love of the Divine?
How we have all been indoctrinated that we cannot
reach perfection because we are sinners, hopeless
individuals etc., What is great about any Religion
except telling us that we are worth nothing. How
much relieved is the mind when it is assured that
the Centre is moving( yawning) towards us. How
much more reassuring it is when the Master says
that everything is tending towards the Centre.
We feel many times out of brain washing that we
have had in the schools of learning of all sorts
that we are incapable of having a determination
to seek the Ultimate good because we are all men/women
of flesh and weak willed persons to seek higher
values in life. In another context the Master
says "..you will surely come to the conclusion
that you are sailing towards your own home..."
These two features of our system namely 1. Our
moving towards Him definitely and 2. That He is
moving towards us steadily should enable us to
gird up our loins and start with firm steps towards
our Goal of Life.
Help from Master is essential but to seek help
from Master on matters of practice is not correct
because that is our duty. We should gird up our
loins ourselves and seeking help of Master in
this regard is not proper.
More on Determination
1. I feel that the task seems to be a big one
and I hope that I can do it properly throughout
my life because at the age of 50 or 60 years I
do not want to have the feeling that I did not
do my sadhana properly.
I am happy to find that you are determining
yourself to reach the goal and that is half the
task. You can and you will attain the desired
goal within this life time only, by following
the meditational practices as advised with love
and devotion to the Master. Following the commandments
is a matter of time and with the Imperience you
have, it will not be difficult.
2. Started feeling that
miseries are not in my control & thinking
of them as Divine blessings.
Quite a brave attempt. Masters blessings
may be remembered to maintain this attitude.
3. I pray that I develop
the 'Yearning' to be with Him all the time.
Prayer does not help much in this regard.
It is our determination and girding up the loins
as Master puts alone helps.
4. How to generate the
craving for internal transformation in abhyasies.
Can a trainer really do something in this direction
or Karmic matters play their own role and one
has to be patient with those.
If there is a little inclination towards
the goal and the aspirants are serious the method
we have of diverting the flow to the upper portion
of the heart and also to the Atma chakra will
have better effect. Even in the case of X the
work we have done is not lost and will return
to the path either in this life or later. True
it is that Karmic influence will be there and
one has to clear off the debts before any movement
in the real sense towards the homeland happens.
I think you feel that despite working on a person
there is a slip. As I always say that disinterestedness
in sadhana develops even after a good start because
of the necessity to go through Bhog. If a person
is wise he clings on even if he does not practice
as prescribed and picks up later; otherwise the
great Master helps him in the way he should be.
We should never feel attached so much to abhyasis
as we are only trustees and Master knows how to
help them.
5. I am realizing my
own defects and shortcomings. From the bottom
of the heart feeling repentance for the lapses
committed. I am willing to change.
It is not enough to realize our lapses.
We should have firm determination to get rid off
them and for that we should gird up our loins
as Master puts it. We can always find excuses
and explanations for not doing our best and also
feel satisfied with what we do. Also certain times
we simply accept our mistakes and expect the Master
to rectify them.
6. There was predominant
feeling of helplessness, which I am unable to
describe. I feel that only Master’s instructions
and his ideas are to be done through me and all
my own thoughts, which obstruct to follow his
commands to be removed from me. I am unable to
put in words.
Until and unless our wishes die down
thoughts relating to other than the Master will
not go. Any amount of lamentation is of no use.
We should clean ourselves well and also give up
notions very consciously that are detrimental
to the implementation of his commandments and
attainment of the goal. Asking some one to remove
will not work and that is not the system.
Faith, in true sense, is a lively link
connecting the mortal with the immortal.
2. How does it come?
It is no doubt effected through the medium
of the Master who is Himself connected with the
immortal.
3. Speaking of faith,
is it a gift or is it an act of will?
Both things are right.
4. How to have faith,
or develop it in oneself?
Master says “Really speaking, faith
is not necessary. What we have to do is to trust
in someone and begin. And then if you find you
are progressing, Faith will automatically develop.
Now I will tell you, people speak so much of conscience.
Conscience should guide us but we guide our conscience
as we choose. Now what is conscience? It is really
of four levels, the manas, the buddhi, chit and
ego. Where these are balanced and merge into the
one original thought, then that is the real conscience.”
5. Is faith necessary
for meditation?
Faith is really the foundation of entire
structure of spirituality. Faith in reality, faith
in the right course you have adopted for realisation.
Faith in the worthy Master whom you have submitted
to, this is the rock upon which you must build
your edifice of spirituality if you really aim
at success.
6. Not being able to
discharge duties in complete thought of Master
with strong faith in God and justice
I have a definition for faith. ‘Faith
is belief under circumstances that are impossible.’
7. I have had the problem
of expecting from the Divine knowing that this
is incorrect. Sometimes I have the feeling of
expecting the same feeling that I had experienced
before. I find it difficult to come out of this
feeling. To certain extent, I have succeeded to
come out of it.
Faith in God when it is properly understood
would teach you also the knowledge that He is
Samavarthi and therefore whatever we deserve we
always will get. When this matures you will be
in a position to come out of expectancy. Wait,
watch and progress with practice.
8. Confidence in self
seems to be lost at times and there is utter helplessness.
This is a tight rope walking that needs
to be done. We can never lose Confidence and faith
in ourselves and at the same time we should know
we cannot reach the goal without the help of the
Master. Please catch the spirit of what is said
in this regard.
More on Faith
Life is a complex game. Play it with
confidence in yourself, and the Master and adopt
the ways of the Master. One thing in life we should
note is fear is not justified in any circumstance.
We are God in expression what fear have we got?
Fear arises out of lack of confidence in God.
The goal of life is happiness only and we can
get it in full measure when we are totally in
tune with the Master/God. Goal clarity would develop
as you practice and exposures to Pranahuti would
remind you of the Homeland. Do not worry too much
about anger, but try to see whether your habitual
reaction is necessary at all and whether alternative
methods of action are not available.
The point we should remember is that though we
now and then find that our tuning to our beloved
friend is not all that fine, His tuning to our
situations is excellent. When things become tough
it is not time to stop is a proverb that applies
to the spiritual field more than others.
More than anything else it is the confidence in
the Master and ourselves that weaves our destiny.
Regarding Faith in the Master as a precedent to
practicing our system of sadhana, it is not necessary.
Meditation on the Divine light without luminosity
coupled with the meditation on points A and B
should give ample evidence for seekers to know
the effectiveness of our system. Ofcourse diligence
in practice is a must. Also the assiduous practice
of cleaning in the evening is very essential.
For practicing yoga there is no necessity to have
faith in the Master or God. As a matter of fact
Faith and Surrender are states of consciousness
gained in sadhana. But one faith is a must: that
is faith in oneself that he/she can achieve the
task.
Losing confidence in oneself is almost saying
I am committing suicide.
When we think of the Master and the yielding
attitude is there it is a common experience that
we feel the vibrations or other wise a peaceful
condition descending to us. So that is what is
your experience. Now that you have had enough
experience of the assurance from the Master by
way of His presence. A few thoughts on the awareness
of the presence of the Master and the practical
way that I have adopted with unfailing success
are furnished hereunder.
1. When we concentrate on any
thing we can also get it before us as a vision
either during waking state or during meditation.
This happens in cases where one concentrates on
the Master or Gods and Goddesses.
2. The visions seen in the dreams are of a different
category and do not fall under concentration.
3. But it is a fact that Masters and Gods and
Goddesses also bless the aspirants by their presence.
4. How to differentiate between the items 1 and
3 and be sure of the actual presence of the Master
and that it is not due to one’s concentration?
The following are very important points to note.
In the case of (3) actual arrival of the Master,
the mind will feel that the connection to the
Master will acquire force. In the case of (1),
which is due to mental construction of the form
etc., due to concentration the connection to the
Master will not have the force associated with
it. These two states can be understood if one
is blessed with the Master’s actual presence
and observed carefully through feelings in the
heart. When the Master is really before us, pure
sincerity in the heart will be observed and this
will have nothing to do one’s spiritual
aspirations etc., No expectancy will be there.
We will just be waiting on Him with sincerity.
There will also be lightness felt in the heart
automatically due to the flow. One will feel nothing
of this sort in the case of mental structuring
(artificial).
1. I am not making any
specific efforts because by default almost always
my mind goes to some thoughts on Master.
Please do try consciously to feel the
presence of the Master in the heart and you always
get necessary guidance.
