22,414,964 members doing good!
about our ads
share your passions, stories, inspirations, and more
Sant Mat Social Networking -- Daily Spiritual Quotes
Nov 29, 2011

Sant Mat Social Networking

Daily Spiritual Quotes -- Sant Mat at Google Plus+:
http://Plus.Google.com/109968225377532007254/posts

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Sant Mat at Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Sant Mat at Twitter: www.Twitter.com/SantMat

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Spiritual Awakening Radio at Tumblr: SantMat.Tumblr.com

Sant Mat Radio: Subscribe to Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts & Access Podcasts Here:
http://hosted.EarthChannel.com/HealthyLife/spa-od.html

The Essential Teachings of the Masters -- Learn More About the Wisdom of the Saints of India: SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/santmat.html

Sant Mat Radhasoami Blog -- Spiritual Texts of the Masters from India: SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Nov 29, 2011 1:22pm
Light and Sound on the Path -- Sant Mat Satsang E Newsletter/Digest/Blog
Oct 22, 2011



Light and Sound on the Path -- Sant Mat Satsang E Newsletter/Digest/Blog: a new Sant Mat Podcast; Bhajan (Hymn) at Youtube of Tulsi Sahib;
a Youtube video about Tulsi Sahib, Saint of
Hathras and certain guru-lineages;
online map of Hathras at the Gate;
Article: Who Was Tulsi Sahib's Guru?
PDF File of Tulsi Sahib writings in English;
Quotes from: Ravidas, Dalai Lama, Quran, Khalil Gibran, Kirpal Singh, Sant Sevi Ji;
passages from Param Sant Tulsi Sahib,
the great grandfather/modern-day founding father or Adi Guru of Sant Mat lineages;
Shyama, disciple of Tulsi Sahib; Maharshi Mehi, "God is Like a Black Hole or Gravitational Singularity",
and, "The Teachings of Sant Dariya of Bihar",
A Good Introduction to Sant Mat from the
Sant Dariya Mission Website -- GO TO:

http://santmatradhasoami.blogspot.com/2011/10/teachings-of-sant-tulsi-sahib-light-and.html
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Oct 22, 2011 4:10pm
All About the Sound -- Light and Sound on the Path -- The Spiritual Journey: Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter
Oct 10, 2011

All About the Sound -- Light and Sound on the Path -- The Spiritual Journey: Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter: http://SantMatRadhasoami.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-about-sound.html




(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Oct 10, 2011 9:58am
Essential Teachings of Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad
Sep 9, 2011


Essential Teachings of Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad






Some Rare Passages That Have, For the First Time, Appeared in English

Background/Introduction

Baba Sevi Sahab (1843 - 1919)

According to Veena Howard, Baba Devi Sahab's parents were followers of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India. As an infant he was blessed by Tulsi Sahib (indeed, even before birth according to the account from the SadGuruMehi website below), and grew to adulthood being part of the Hathras Sangat. 

Baba Devi Sahab eventually spent some time in nearby Agra and was friends with Huzur Maharaj (Rai Saligram) of the Agra Radhasoami Satsang. He regarded both Soami Ji and Saligram as true Sants. He eventually settled in Moradabad, where he established an ashram and spiritual mission.

"Baba Devi Sahab became a great Sant after Sant Tulsi Sahab. Sant Tulsi Sahab had predicted the incarnation of Baba Devi Sahab as a born yogi. Munshi Maheshwari Lal had utmost devotion for Sant Tulsi Sahab. So, due to that love Tulsi Sahab used to visit his home. Maheshwari Lal had no son and so he used to remain sad. Being pleased by his selfless service and love, Sant Tulsi Sahab once blessed Munshi Maheshwari Lal, saying that soon he would have a great sant-soul as his son who would change millions of lives by his spiritual power. Sants' sayings never become false. Thus Munshi Maheshwari became father of a boy that very year, March 1841.....Baba Devi Sahab started the propagation of Sant Mat widely from the year of 1887, visited many places in India and neighboring countries and spread the knowledge of Sant Mat. He delivered many discourses on different subjects such as Salvation, Devotion, the Universe, God, and Meditation." (SadGuruMehi.com)

Baba Devi Sahab used to travel widely to awaken the masses by propagating the precepts of Sant Mat. In this process, he had also traveled and delivered his discourses in a number of cities located in what is now Pakistan, such as Multan, Quetta, Karachi, etc. 

Baba Devi Sahab was in possession of a hand-written manuscript of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras printed at Hathras itself in the year of 1896, and had it published, sharing the teachings of the great Saint of Hathras with spiritual seekers everywhere: "The book Ghat Ramayan is said to be the work of Tulsi Saheb of Hathras. The first edition of this book was published by one Munshi Devi Prasad Saheb alias Devi Sahib. Subsequently, an edition was brought out in the year 1911 from Belvedere Press....." ("The Esoteric Meaning of the Ramayan", by S.D. Maheshwari, Agra)

Baba Devi Sahab was the Guru of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj (see the book, "Philosophy of Liberation"). 


Note: All translations below are by Pravesh K. Singh, except for the discourse titled, "God is the Creator of Yoga", rendered in English by Amit Jyoti.


Spiritual Teachings of Baba Devi Sahab


"Those persons who live and practice in accordance with this tradition and principle are called sadhus (sages), and those who have reached or raised themselves into that Realm, where the Truth alone exists, are called Sants [the English word 'Saint', though close and the nearest match, is not an exact translation of the Hindi or Sanskrit word 'Sant']."


"The pathway to the liberation of the 'jiva' (individual soul) already exists within each one of us. Unless one treads onto this Path himself/herself, it is not possible for him/her either to attain freedom (from the cycles of existence) which is the real fruit of any religion, or to know the true wisdom inherent in other religions, or to understand the right meaning of the scriptures belonging to his/her own religion or sect, regardless of however great a 'pundit', 'maulavi', or priest he/she might be."


"The common message that all the Sants have to give is that whatever – inside or outside -- can be seen (comes into sight -- gross or subtle), and as far as there is "roop" (form or shape), all is illusory and impermanent; beyond this (roop) is a Realm which has never been born and will never die or be destroyed. That alone is Truth. It is indestructible. It has no color, no shape or form, and no particular name [is Nameless, Soundless, Formless]; but it is something which can be perceived or understood and, therefore, is entitled to be described or explained with the help of a (symbolic) name. Jiva [the soul] is a part (inseparable part) of it, because jiva, too, is indestructible. Merging this (jiva) into God is known as internal Satsang and where (in the outside world) spiritual people gather together to discuss (these principles) is called external Satsang." 


"We should go to that place where the way to remove these veils is taught. In the terminology of Sants and noble people, such a place is called 'Satsang' (association of devotees to discuss God, meditation and the teachings of the Sants) where methods are taught to inculcate bhakti [love and devotion] and remove the veils that keep it under-cover."


"Only seeing great souls does not bring well-being to anyone. What's needed is to listen to their words, contemplate their teachings, and put them into practice. This means to listen to the words of great souls with veneration, ponder their meaning, and live accordingly. This is what works."


Guru is Indispensable for Self-Realization

Very little of what Baba Devi Sahab said is available in written form and the poems composed by him are still rarer to find. Given below is English translation of one such poem taken from the book, "Satsang Bhajanaavali," compiled and edited by Swami Achyutanand ji. Swami Achyutanand ji is a direct disciple of Maharshi Mehi, still very actively involved in propagation of Sant Mat even at his ripe age of about 80 years. He was the founder editor of the spiritual monthly, "Shanti Sandesh", founded by Maharshi Mehi. 

"Our Lord resides in all of us. 
He is so wonderful that though He pervades 
everything, (yet) He is separate from 
and transcends everything. 
It is not possible to see Him (in His true form) 
without meeting, and learning the secrets from 
an accomplished Guru. 
He is blessed and adorable within whose body 
He reveals Himself (i.e. who can see His true form 
within himself). 
He is without form, color and shape, (so that) 
the Vedas sing 'neti neti' (meaning, 'nothing in this 
creation is like, or resembles Him') in His praise. 
Baba Devi Sahab wonders as to how and in 
how many ways he should describe Him, as He 
(God) is indescribable, beyond the faculties of 
speaking and hearing."


Sayings of Baba Devi Sahib on Love (Bhakti)


"God and bhakti are otherwise one and the same thing".


"In short, bhakti is such a thing without which no worldly or heavenly acts can be accomplished. He alone is a human being (in the true sense) who knows the key to or secret of bhakti. He whose heart is devoid of the spirit of love is not even as good as an animal; he is rather much more inferior to that".


"Bhakti is that essential substance without which any work, either of this world or of the other world, can not be fulfilled; for all such tasks which a man performs with genuine zeal get accomplished well, and all other works in which we do not feel sincerely involved remain incomplete or are only half done."


"Bhakti makes a person immensely wise and of pure intellect. Virtues such as of honesty and truthfulness stand with folded hands in attendance of a devout being. Bhakti is the religion/duty of the whole world; no creed, faith or sect can remain steady and stable in absence of it".


"What is most significant about bhakti is that is opens up inside man the easy pathway to God, treading on which man reaches his centre or destination from where he never (needs to) return".


Sayings of Baba Devi Sahab On Meditation Practice


When Sadguru Baba Devi Sahib was nearing the time of his departure from this ephemeral world for his true destination, satsangis humbly requested him to bless with his parting words. To their request, Baba Devi Sahab had obliged by saying, "Duniyaa waham hai, abhyaas karo", meaning, "This world is an illusion -- practice meditation."


"Do not live even a single day without inner meditation."


"Such persons who are all the time busy in mundane worldly affairs and are not able to spare even one or two hours a day (for meditation), are not fit to be initiated into inner meditation, for even if these persons get to know about the way to the inner secrets, of what use it would be to them!"


"The loftiest or the highest outcome of adopting and following the ways of these (Sants) is that it takes one beyond 'aawaagaman' (the repetitive cycles of birth and death)."


From the Preface to, "Baal Kaa Aadi Aur Uttar Kaa Ant", of Sant Tulsi Sahib:

"Sages and Sants adopt the straight and simple way of living and teach us to meditate with surat (concentrated or focused, alert attention); this meditation can be practiced in any posture -- sitting or reclining, and by anyone whether a follower of Vedic Religion, Islam or Christianity whatever. What is important is not to live a single day in life without practicing meditation, all the experiences of pains and pleasures of the world, one has to go through, notwithstanding."


God is the Creator of Yoga, By Param Sant Baba Devi Sahib (Translated by Amit Jyoti)

"There are two types of dharma in the world. They are first, "udhaar", and second, "nakad". Udhaar dharma is that in which it is said, one attains salvation after death, and nakad dharma is that in which the state of salvation is believed to be experienced/attained during this lifetime. People keep thinking and living on-borrowed-dharma. Some are involved in rituals and outward devotions, while others are pretending to have become divine themselves. They are unaware of the natural screens or veils of Darkness, Lights and Sounds between jiva-souls and God. (God is veiled by five different bodies and subtle bodies, each one inside the other [physical, astral, causal, mental, and etheric]). These are veils which can't be transcended by merely reading some mantras or performing yagna or outward devotions/rituals. For them to be shed, you will surely have to be oriented towards going within, perform Dristi-sadhana [Yoga of Inner Light], and Shabd-sadhana
 [Yoga of Inner Sound], which will make it possible for your consciousness to travel along the solitary Inward Path, crossing the natural and supra-natural realms to reach to such an auspicious place from where your soul would never become detached again to return back in the outer world. But no one can really know of, and practice, these processes by simply reading authentic scriptures.

"First of all, the screen of Darkness can be accessed by closing your eyes. Secondly, the screen or veil of Light can be experienced by crossing the Darkness. Thirdly, the veil of Sounds can be known by listening to them. Fourthly, not so much a screen or veil, but there is a Mystery which can not be understood like the first, second and third. It can only be experienced by perfect practice. 

"According to Sant Mat, having crossed these realms or levels, we achieve the final goal called Mukti (i.e. salvation). To attain liberation/salvation, Sant Mat does not follow numerous complicated practices, but two essential methods: 

1) Drishti Marg (i.e. the Path of inner Light/Vision) and,

2) Shabd Marg (i.e. the Way of inner Sound/Transcendental Hearing). 

"Unlike other worship methods popular in religions and sects with different names, these two methods are not man-made. God himself is the founder and operator of these methods. Since the beginning God has kept these two methods inside human beings with full qualifications. The way of redemption of jivas (i.e. bounded souls) is available within all human beings. Unless the jiva walks along this way, it can't achieve salvation; the real and ultimate goal of religion."


Discourse on Bhakti By Baba Devi Sahab

Baba Devi Sahab departed from Multan and reached Karachi (now in Pakistan) through Queta and many intermediate places. In Karachi, He delivered a marvellous speech on Bhakti i.e. devotion.

Sayings of Baba Devi Sahib on Love (Bhakti) Excerpted From "Baba Devi Sahab: Jeewan Aur Updesh" (Baba Devi Sahab: Life and Teachings), authored by Baba Nandan, a main attendant and great disciple of Baba Devi Sahab:

"Friends! At this time I want to say something to you on a topic which is often talked about, which is often at the tongue of all the people of the earth, but alas! They pay no attention at all to it and regard it as a petty thing. In my view this is an extremely valuable thing that has been considered by the sages of all faiths and creeds to be absolutely essential for accomplishment of their goals. They treat this as the quintessential principle and reckon all other principles as secondary and subservient to this. Also, they believe that without its help, no (other) principle can be effective, nor can success be achieved in any activity - this worldly or the other-worldly. If we choose to call it a 'mystery', it undoubtedly deserves being called so, because that Supreme Soul (God) is the biggest of all mysteries; but, in fact, its rank is no lesser than His. There is a relationship of equality between it and God, and even between the two, it holds the
 higher rank God coming second after it. If God is considered as a lock, it is the key (to open that lock); because without its help neither has the secret of God, nor the secret of creation been revealed to anybody. Whoever comes to possess even a precious little of this wealth also comes to know of both the above secrets, or else there are millions of people who part this world without having realized the secrets of God and (His) creation.
 
"Now the question is: what is this entity called and where is it to be found? Well! Its name is 'Bhakti', 'Ishq', devotion and love. Seen superficially, these three words might appear to be different but in essence these are one and the same. Call it 'bhakti' (devotion), call it 'Ishq' (Urdu equivalent of intense love) or call it love. This (bhakti) has the quintessential and innate character to unite two things together and give birth to a new shape or form. These shapes may be of different kinds, small or large. Some of these shapes at this time are so large that we come to recognize that this is this. And, some shapes are so small that it is not possible to know them even with the help of a microscope. In such a situation how can such an intricate subject be easy of comprehension to common people!
 
"Thus it is evident that these extremely tiny entities or atoms are definitely acted upon by some such thing which has a natural propensity of uniting. Had there been no such thing in action, all these bodies and things would not have come into existence; such a vast world would not have been there for us to see. Beginning from the atom to the whole world, there is a common thread running through all of these so that they can not budge from their position in any way, and that (thread) is bhakti. If that part of indwelling bhakti leaves these the whole of world and its atoms would be disassembled and broken into pieces. 
 
"Therefore, we should understand that bhakti is the life or soul of the entire world; it is responsible for the existence of everything from the tiny atom to all the bodies and masses....." 
 
For the Rest of the Discourse on Bhakti, go to:


For Other Discourses of Baba Devi Sahab, See:

Sayings of Baba Devi Sahab – Part 1:

Sayings of Baba Devi Sahab – Part 2:

Sayings of Baba Devi Sahab – Part 3:

Sayings of Baba Devi Sahab – Part 4:

Sayings of Baba Devi Sahab – Part 5:
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Sep 9, 2011 7:46pm
Love Your Practice -- Close Your Eyes And See -- Light and Sound on the Path
Sep 3, 2011


Love Your Practice -- Close Your Eyes And See -- Light and Sound on the Path


"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.




Now Available On-Demand: The September Sant Mat Satsang PODcast via Blog Talk Radio: Program Theme: Spircon Revisited: On the historic Murar Declaration: Mutual affection and brotherly relations among the different branches of Sant Mat and Radhasoami. Human Unity begins at home. Program Length: 15 Minutes -- Click To Listen: http://bit.ly/pQSoNd


Sant Mat Radio: The Kabir Series: Kabir - the "Rumi" of India, Parts 1 Through 5 - Spiritual Awakening PODcasts: http://santmat.tumblr.com/post/9092841469/the-kabir-radio-series-the-poet-kabir-the


"Well I think the Good Book is missing some pages." -- Tori Amos
See the Article, Lost Books of the Bible, on Other Mystical Scriptures of the West (Gnostic Gospels, Dead Sea Scrolls):


"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle." (Thich Nhat Hanh)


Brain Cell, and, The Universe: Macrocosm Inside the Microcosm -- As Above, So Below. One is only micrometers wide. The other is billions of light years across. One shows neurons in a mouse brain. The other is a simulated image of the universe. Together they suggest the surprisingly similar patterns found in vastly different phenomena. This is a much larger image and the written information is easier to read: http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/pc/brain-universe.html


"If the doors of perception were cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is -- infinite." (William Blake)


"The word 'Consciousness' means conscious and aware. As per the Hindi dictionary, four different meanings of the word 'Consciousness' are: intelligence, tendency of the mind, awareness, and memory. It is clear that the word 'conscious' is used to denote intelligence, tendency related to knowledge, tendency related to memory, and awareness. Consciousness is that element in human beings which differentiates them from other inanimate objects. Consciousness basically refers to that power which helps one in understanding and evaluating one's surroundings and environment. By the terms 'Spiritual Consciousness' is meant the relationship between individual Spirit and God. The human body is endowed with the divine spark in the form of spirit. The aim of human life is to recognize that divine element present within and reach the heavenly abode." (Abstract of a Paper by Prem Kali Sharma, Professor Emeritus, Del, Agra, International Seminar on Religion of Saints -- Spircon 2010)


Within this body
shines the entire Universe,
so the saints say.
-- Param Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras


Rumi: "All is known in the sacredness of silence."


"Whatever little is possible, do meditation everyday. But never ever give up or discontinue meditation. You will definitely meet with success." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)


"The practitioners of Sant Mat should perform meditation daily with yearning, zeal and regularity." (Huzur Maharaj)


"Those who enshrine the Beloved in their hearts have both worlds at their command. Lovers remain completely intoxicated in the ecstasy of their love for the Beloved. They offer their souls to the Beloved while still living, and thus immortalize themselves in this life and in the hereafter." (Hazrat Sultan Bahu, Sufi Master)


Make Friends with the Sound (Surat Shabd Meditation): "O surat [soul], the darling of Sant Satguru! Turn around and prick up your ears to the resounding reverberations of the Unstruck Melody. Your stay in this phenomenal world is short-lived (literally four days [the four stages of life, namely, Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and finally Sanyasa]); why do you take on such a heavy load (of karmas, bhramas, attachments, greed, lust, anger, ego, hostilities, enmities, hated, revengefulness, jealousy and envy). The guru is repeatedly crying and calling you to come on and make friends with the Sound. (Swami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry)


It is the Primeval Sound which carries one to this Abode,
And it is the Satguru who makes it known.

Our path is through subtle regions,
There the inner sight illumines our way.

He, who carries on the practice of the true Sound,
Beholds the Truth from the beginning to the end
within his body.
By realizing the true Sound with rapt attention,
He attains the status of a pure swan.
Such a devotee reaches the Immortal Abode,
And there he sees mysterious and wondrous sights.
-- Sant Dariya Sahib


The Role of the Master/Sant Satguru In Traditional Sant Mat


"Hope is a lie
and desire a mere dream --
yet both are construed
as actual reality.
But when my guru
gave me his holy wisdom,
I awoke from my dream
and my heart yielded."
(Sant Namdev)


"The Satguru-given Gnosis [direct experience] is lit up in the heart, with whose Light is dispelled the darkness of spiritual ignorance." (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, English and Punjabi Translation, Manmohan Singh, Volume 3)


"The personal and private instruction in the art of this spiritual practice should be received from an accomplished spiritual master. Once the technique has been learned, one should practice it regularly and daily according to the instructions given by the master." (Maharshi Mehi, Philosophy of Liberation)


"The saints and true teachers are known to be impartial; their blessings fall like the rain. However, the rain, while falling on all, tends to collect in deep pools just as the grace of the saints while showering on all flows rapidly and collects in the deep pools of the aspirants who are devoted. It is not surprising that the aspirants through their devotion draw the grace of the master towards them." (Maharshi Mehi)


"By the Guru's instruction the mind of the disciple is rendered immaculate and she keeps God clasped to her heart. She keeps God enshrined in her mind, arranges her affairs, and by the Master's instruction knows her Lord."


"By the Master's instruction the name of God is contemplated. By the guru's grace, soul and body are saturated with the Lord and the Lord's name seems sweet to the mortal. The Lord's name seems sweet to them. He liberates all their families. With their mouths they utter the Lord's name. Their comings and goings cease. They obtain bliss, and their attention remains absorbed the Home of Celestial Music." (Adi Granth)


Remember Simran. "Keep on doing your work. Keep on reciting God's name, and you will live pleasantly in the world." (Guru Kabir)


"The technique of love is truly the root of spirituality. Follow this technique as imparted by the Master. When with his grace the inner lamp is lighted, the true Naam [inner Light & Sound], the support of all, comes to sight." (Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar)


"One may make any amount of endeavors to withdraw one's Surat [attention] and mind and to open the Third Eye, but all will be in vain without the manifestation of the Current of Grace within." (Maharaj Saheb/Brahma Shankar Misra)


Without love there can be no devotion and wisdom.
With love arisen, they can be experienced
with the Guru's grace.
With intensification of love, one comes in contact
with the True Sound,
And like a lotus in water, abides in its peace and bliss.
-- Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar


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, O Tulsi, 
is indeed a true Saint. 
-- Param Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras


Seeing, Hearing, Exploring the Light and Sound Within You


In the beginning was the Tao.
All things issue from it;
all things return to it.

There was something formless and perfect
before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.

It flows through all things,
inside and outside, and returns
to the origin of all things.
(Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu, Stephen Mitchell)


"When God came to have the playful mood ('mauj') to make this creation, a vibration was produced in the beginning along with its companion Sound. This sound itself was termed 'Adi Naam' ('adi' means the original, the first or the primeval, and 'nada' means Name, Word or Sound). This Word is present in each and every, even the minutest particle of the creation. That is why, it is also called the 'sarvavyapini dhvani' ('sarvavyapini' implies all pervading and 'dhvani' means Sound). This very Sound has been variously referred to by rishis (sages) as Om, Sfota, Udgeeth, etc... Subsequently, Sants called it Ram Naam (name of God), sat-naam or satya-naam (True Name), sar-shabda (Quintessential Sound or Word), sat-shabda (True Word) as well. This sound is perceived by the spiritual seeker in inner meditation to attain to the Supreme Sovereign God." (Swami Achyutanand Baba)


"It is essential to practice bindu dhyan, drishti-yoga or the Yoga of Inner Light before doing nada dhyan (Meditation on Inner Sound), because with continued practice of drishti yoga (Yoga of Inner Light) the ability to do nada dhyan is easily gained. The mind gets completely controlled with nada dhyan. .... In Nadavindu Upanishad it has been said about the Nada Dhyan that, 'Sidelining all worries and all efforts... one should mainly focus on the exploration of nada. By doing thus the mind gets dissolved in the nada. The mind thus absorbed in the nada does not crave anymore for the sensory objects.'" -- Swami Achyutanand Baba, "Yoga of Inner Light and Sound":


What is the Audible Life Stream and Why is it Important? Video: http://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=oj_cSvYfrJY


Inner Sound Meditation in Buddhism, Sant Mat and Sufism: This link is to download a Sant Mat Satsang PODcast. It lasts around 30 minutes. This program contains readings about inner Sound meditation, including from Buddhist, Sant Mat, and Sufi sources: http://bit.ly/p2EORu


"The Yoga of Inner Sound or (Nada dhyan [Nada meaning sound while dhyan means meditation] is also called nadanusandhan [exploration {anusandhan} of the Sound {nada}), surat shabd yoga (Yoga or Union of the Soul [surat] with the Sound [shabd]), or shabd dhyan (Meditation on Sound). 'Nada' or 'shabd', meaning sound or word, has great attractive power." (Swami Achyutanand Baba)


"The Sound heard internally is a current which has originally emanated from the Supreme Being and is the means not only of concentrating the will but also of raising the spirit to the Source from which it emanates." (Huzur Maharaj, Radhasoami Mat Prakash)


"My Master has taught me a lesson:
it repeats itself -- without my repeating it.
When I plug my ears with my fingers,
without hearing, I hear its melodies."
--Hazrat Sultan Bahu


"One Sound that is heard leads to another Sound, which, in turn, becomes yet another Sound. Thus, getting hold of several Sounds, one after the other, one finally gets hold of the most captivating Quintessential Primordial Sound.... And, as even this Unstruck Melody is transcended, the Highest State, the Nameless or the Soundless State (Pure or True State of God) is attained." (Maharshi Mehi)


The soul in Sunn will hear resounding peals of Sound,
She will uncover and know the essence of Shabd.
They alone, O Tulsi, will know that Perfect State,
Who have seen and experienced it themselves. 
-- Param Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras


"What Sants have said about Sant Mat is what they saw with their own eyes. They have sung of it in the form of couplets and hymns.....Sants have spoken of the secrets of Shabd and the path on which Surat has to proceed......" ("Param Sant Tulsi Sahib", S.D. Maheshwari, Agra)


My eyes got fixed at the central Point 

between the two eyebrows [third eye center],

They do not glance sideways, 

and are fixed at the Point in front;

The Light of God appears within, 

and darkness of the night vanishes,

The Sun, with its extraordinary rays, 

ascends with so many sparkles,

Consciousness finally gets immersed 

in the Quintessential Sound,

Baba Devi Sahib tells Mehi to remain 

absorbed day and night 

in such applications. 

(Padavali of Maharshi Mehi)


"The waves or vibrations of Sound permeate the whole of the body...... It exists in the body in the form of vitality or Life-Current. It exists in the mental sky in the form of Light, while it exists as Sound in the void.... It is the highest duty of every individual to acquire experiential knowledge of this Sound and to investigate or explore the Origin or Source from where this Sound flows out." (Baba Devi Sahab)


Entering the cave of the inner sky,
See the manifestation of the boundless Sound.

By dwelling upon the Unstruck Divine Music,
the inner experience opens up.
And with the realization of the Truth,
one reaches the other shore.

This realization is beyond the experience
of the three worlds.
It is the realization of the Primeval Lord,
the very goal of our love.
-- Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar


Online Book About the Classic Sants and Sufis of the East: "Sants, Sadhs, Mahatmas and Devotees of the Past": http://bit.ly/ruZrt1
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Sep 3, 2011 6:01pm
Philosophy of Liberation -- Light and Sound on the Path
Aug 18, 2011


Philosophy of Liberation -- Light and Sound on the Path




Happy 2011 Independence Day India (Night View of India From Space)


The Kabir Radio Series: The Poet Kabir - the "Rumi" of India, Parts One Through Five - Spiritual Awakening Radio PODCASTS:


Sant Mat Video: "The Light-Bearers


For Online Sant Mat Books (Yoga of Inner Light and Sound, Harmony of All Religions, the Writings of Swami Ji Maharaj/Sar Bachan Poetry, Radhasoami Mat Prakash, Light On Ananda Yoga, Two Radhasoami Libraries, Kirpal Singh Library, Classic Sants of India, Tulsi Sahib, Adi Granth, Kabir, Anurag Sagar), See:


Awakening, is a process of peeling away the many layers of illusion that we are in. Letting go of our judgements and need to define. Letting go of our ego and even our identity, until we no longer feel separate from God.

"If you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present."
-- Lao Tzu

"You wander from room to room hunting for the diamond necklace that is already around your neck." (Rumi)

Which is worth more, a crowd of thousands,
or your own genuine solitude?
Freedom, or power over and entire nation?
A little while alone in your room
will prove more valuable than anything else
that could ever be given you.
-- Rumi

"Feel yourself being quietly drawn by the deeper pull of what you truly love." (Rumi)

"Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much
as your own unguarded thoughts." (Buddha)

"With our thoughts we make the world." (Buddha)

"Whatever man thinketh, that he obtaineth. If he were to dwell on the Absolute........he would become immortal." (Sant Namdev quoted in the Adi Granth, Sikh Scriptures)

"Wherever one's thought dwells, there will that person rest. At his pleasure, he may go to the delusion of unreality or he may merge into the Lord of the self. Where thou keepest thy mind while living, to that abode shalt thou go after death. The soul finds lodging in a place wherein it has hitherto been immersed." (Dadu Dayal)

Accumulated thoughts of living beings cause births and deaths for them again and again

"The thoughts are of various types and each thought has its hidden import. The thoughts which are soaked in attachment and illusion, form the basis of transmigration. But the thoughts which are immersed in selfless service (seva), lead one to salvation. The flow of thoughts in the mind knows no end. Not a single moment passes without those, so much so, that during sleep even, they occur in the form of dreams. What are those thoughts? Desire for anything assumes the form of a thought. The moment a desire to attain something or the other, arises in the mind, that very moment, man is thrown into an ocean of thoughts. These very thoughts become the basis of resolutions and options which cause one to enter into different forms after death. Whatever the nature of thought at the time of death determines the next form or birth for that soul.

"All the doubts and desires should be made to merge with the Shabd or Word [the Divine Current of Light and Sound], to get rid of horrible consequences of innumerable births and transmigration. Except for the desire to recite Naam, no other desire should take hold of the mind......By remembering the Lord, one attains God-realization and when this stage is reached, then there is no need to resort to any other means of attain salvation [moksha]." (The Second Master, The Shri Paramhans Advait Mat Granth)


Meditate.
Live purely. Be quiet.
Do your work with mastery.
Like the moon, come out
from behind the clouds!
Shine.
-- Siddhartha Gautama

"Perform virtuous acts, you will receive happiness. Also do 'sumiran' (remembering God's name, or meditating on the Divine Sound) regularly." (Swami Harinandan Baba)

"The practice of meditation should be an essential part of the practitioner's daily routine." (Maharshi Mehi)

"In case of any trouble, one should always remember the Satguru, as He is always present with the disciple in His Nij Roop (Real Form)." (Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Prose)

"To accept His teachings and act in accordance with them is the external form of Satguru Bhakti [devotion to a living master]. To hear the Shabd within is the internal form of Satguru Bhakti." (Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Prose)

"To hear the Shabd that is ringing within us is devotion to Shabd [Shabd Bhakti]; to serve and love the heart (person) in which the Shabd is manifest is Satguru seva, and He alone is Satguru and the Shabd is His Nij Saroop (Real Form)". (Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Prose)

"In each heart the Divine resides hidden; each heart is permeated with divine Light. By intense focus one is able to break the door open and reach the Realm of the Divine. By the grace of God the door shatters, and the mind becomes immersed in the sweet drizzle of divine Sound. By focusing on the divine Sound (Shabda) the consciousness goes beyond the realm of death and rebirth." (Guru Nanak)

"The great Sage Maharishi Mehi compared the ascending of consciousness to a fish swimming upstream. The mind must go inward, which is the reverse of its usual and easy outward path. Just as the fish struggles against the current, so an equal effort must be made to go against the current of the mind. By going inward against the current of the mind, one experiences the divine joy. In the words of Sant Maharishi Mehi: 'The stream of celestial nectar is flowing from the subtle canal of the sushumna nerve. Like a fish the consciousness current is moving upstream. Like a fish making its way upstream, the mind travels with consciousness away from the senses (the current) with great difficulty. (This will seem to the mind a difficult and 'unnatural' course, as the mind is habituated to move toward the senses and the sensory objects.)'" (Swami Sant Sevi Ji, Harmony Of All Religions)


Excerpts from the Book: Moksha-Darsan (Philosophy of Liberation), a Primary Text for Understanding Sant Mat (The Path of the Masters)

Philosophy of Liberation
By Maharishi Mehi
All rights reserved ©2006 Santmat Society

1. Stillness or steadiness is the essence of Shanti.

(Shanti is a Sanskrit word with several English meanings: peace, tranquility, bliss, etc. The peace which results from some degree of communion with God is Shanti.)

2. He who has attained Shanti is a saint.

3. Sant Mat encompasses the thoughts and way of saints.

4. The desire for attaining Shanti is natural in human beings.

In the Upanishads the formula for the attainment of Shanti is expounded by the seers and saints of these ancient works. Similar views have been expressed by the saints of all times, including such saints as Guru Nanak Sahab and Kabir Sahab who expounded their views in the Punjabi and Hindi languages respectively. Such expressions are for the inspiration and edification of all people.

However, the Upanishads uniquely and fully describe the means for attaining Shanti and describe the means for attaining the Highest Wisdom. That is why the Upanishads are considered the foundation of Sant Mat. Further, a comprehensive exposition of the Divine Word-Sound is given in the Upanishads which leads to the Highest Wisdom. The Upanishads explain the yogic techniques and systematic views of transcending thought and attaining the Absolute through the use of sound (Yoga of Surat-shabda). Sant Mat follows the yogic path as prescribed in the Upanishads and specifically employs Surat-shabda-Yoga in its practices. The result of such practice is the attainment of the Highest Goal, the knowledge of the Supreme.

This is not to undermine the teachings of other saints, but rather to say that in the Upanishads are found the basis of the teachings of these saints. Often the teachings of various saints would, on the surface, seem contradictory to each other or even contradictory to the principles of the Upanishads. In fact, there is an unbreakable unity in the spiritual views of all saints. In different times and in different places saints appear, and their followers name their tradition in respect to the particular saint. The appearance of differences can be attributed to time, place and language, giving varied labels to views which are in reality the same. Likewise, due to excessively zealous followers these seeming differences are often accentuated. When all sectarianism and the forms of the particular time or place of the writings of a saint are removed, the basic principles of Sant Mat are in unity. The Ultimate, Unbounded, Infinite state (as described in section 11) is the unique possession of a saint. Further, the means to attain this state (as described in section 59 and 61) are found in the writings of the saints. Even though there are differences in the name and form of the Deity of worship, the underlying unity of the Unbounded dissolves these seeming differences (according to the idea expounded in section 86).

Surat-Shabda-Yoga as a means to attain the Unbounded state is an integral and indispensable aspect of the Sant Mat tradition. Any tradition devoid of this essential aspect is not true Sant Mat. Various saints describe the Yoga of Surat -Shabda, and from these descriptions we become aware of the significance of Surat-Shabda-Yoga. The following are some words of the great saints, concerning the importance of Surat-Shabda-Yoga:

Guru Nanak Sahab states:

"The invisible and supra-sensory name of God (Divine Word-Sound) is extremely sweet and lovely."

Tuls Das states:

"I offer homage to the Divine Name of the Universal Being, Ram, which is the cause of the sun, the moon and the fire. That Divine Universal Name is the form of the creator, maintainer and destroyer."

............One will not succeed in Yoga if purity of character is disregarded. Lying, stealing, smoking, taking of drugs (including alcohol), violence, and adultery are all obstructions to the successful practice meet the Supreme Sovereign).

53. Listening to and study of the discourses on this sacred knowledge is an important step in the Sant Mat tradition. Listening to satsanga (spiritual discourses) is prescribed as an essential activity.

54. The personal and private instruction in the art of this spiritual practice should be received from a Sadguru (an accomplished spiritual master). Once the technique has been learned, one should practice it regularly and daily according to the instructions given by the master.

70. Through constant practice of the Meditation of Sound, the practitioner also experiences the Divine Light. Just as upon attending a concert, one cannot help but notice the beautiful setting, of Upper Nature, the plurality of sounds ceases to exist, and only then can the Essential Divine sound be experienced. Other sounds of the various Realms are not experienced at this level of the State of Oneness because diversity does not exist in the state of Oneness.

75. The State beyond Sound is acknowledged in the writings of saints as the goal of their teachings. In addition, their writings accept repetition of a Divine name, concentration on a form of the Divine, fixing the mind on a point and concentrating on the inner sounds of the different spheres as a means to reach the Soundless State. These four techniques are therefore essential in Sant Mat.

76. Without achieving perfection in the Yoga of Sound, the realization of the Supreme Sovereign God or the Knowledge of the Self cannot be achieved.

77. Without resolute devotion to the guru (a spiritual master), even by means of the Yoga of Sound, the realization of the Supreme Sovereign God is not possible. Without the help of the master, it is not possible to attain the full devotion for the Divine and the highest good.

82. The recognition of a true spiritual master is the most difficult of tasks. However, the one who has purity of character (rectitude), who practices diligently the Yoga of Sound, and who can explain clearly Sant Mat (the path of saints) can be accepted and trusted and given devotion as a spiritual master. A person without rectitude or purity of character, regardless of the other qualities just mentioned, should not be regarded as a true master.

If one has accepted a spiritual teacher and later finds him or her lacking in rectitude, that teacher should be abandoned. In spite of the teacher’s exquisite knowledge, association with that teacher is not desirable if he or she is lacking in moral character. As the aspirant is particularly affected by the teacher's moral character, it is imperative to avoid teachers without moral virtues. Purity of character is the essential quality of a teacher and if purity is lacking that teacher is no better than an animal. A teacher lacking purity of character or other essential virtues is a false spiritual teacher. The fruits of accepting a true master are immense. Unfortunately, true teachers are few and difficult to find. A spiritual master who is wise, pure and a practitioner of the Yoga of Divine Sound gradually imparts his or her virtues to the student. The good will of the spiritual teacher cannot but help affecting the aspirant in a positive manner because one is affected by the power of a higher vibration. Section 77 describes the qualities of the teacher and how the aspirant benefits from his or her relationship with the teacher.

The master who practices the Yoga of Sound but is negligent in his moral character and in his spiritual knowledge is harmful to the seeker of spiritual knowledge. If one has accepted such a master, disregarding the importance of rectitude and knowledge, the aspirant would be deprived of the benefits of the association with a true preceptor, mentioned in the previous paragraph. In addition, in following an immoral teacher the aspirant would have the difficult task of not going astray, much less advancing on the spiritual path. However, without the aid of a true teacher this spiritual task can be undertaken by a few steadfast learned disciples. For most it is almost impossible to undertake this task. of gaining grace as described in the writings of the saints.

83. The aspiration to serve with love and behave humbly before the teacher arises naturally in the hearts of students. Therefore, devotion to the spiritual teacher is also natural. To say anything against devotion to the teacher is pointless. And also, the wise will not give devotion to an unworthy teacher and will influence other aspirants to do the same.

84. The four essential elements an aspirant of the spiritual path needs are the following: one, association of saints and hearing of things spiritual; two, moral rectitude; three, dedication to the teacher; and four practice of meditation. These essentials have previously been discussed; association is referenced in section 53; moral rectitude is addressed in section 60; meditation is referenced in sections 54 through 59. In Sant Mat an intense eagerness to acquire these essentials must be present. However, devotion to the teacher is paramount to the other three essentials and is the key to achieving the other three.

85. The desire of an individual to be free from sufferings and to attain the happiness of absolute peace is naturally present in the hearts of all. The purpose of Sant Mat is to provide a system which fulfills the desires of attaining absolute peace.

87. The practice of Nadanusandhana (the Yoga of Sound) is not mere child's play. Its full practice cannot be exercised by one who lacks Yama and Niyama (virtues and moral rectitude). See the following section 88 for more detail on Yama and Niyama.

There are sounds due to gross vibrations in the material body. To meditate on these gross sounds and believe it to be as the full practice of the Yoga of Sound shows a lack of knowledge of Yoga. According to the literature of the Sants (Saints), Yama and Niyama are essential for mastery in the practice of the Nadanusandhana (Yoga of Sound [Nada-nu-sandhana, the spiritual practice of inner Sound meditation, also called Surat Shabd Yoga]).

88. Yama consists of five disciplines: satya (truthfulness), ahimsa (non-violence), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacarya (continence), and aparigraha (control of greed or non-possessiveness).

Niyama also consists of five practices, which are the following: sauca (internal and external purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (penance), svadhyaya (study of spiritual matters) and lsvara pranidhana (meditation on God).

89. In following Yama and Niyama, one exercises aversion from the five sins, serves the spiritual master, attends satsang, and practices meditation as referred to in section 60.

90. A comfortable asana (a pose of sitting or posture) of keeping the head, neck and trunk straight and steady is a must for meditation. Without the ability to sit in such a steady posture for prolonged periods, meditation cannot be practiced.

91. Meditation should be practiced being alert, without being drowsy, shutting the eyes comfortably and without turning the eyeballs or pressing them in any way.

92. The practice of meditation should be an essential part of the practitioner's daily routine. The preferred time of meditation is Brahmamuhurta ([Hour of God: Brahma-mu-hurta, or Amrit Veela: Hour of Elixir]: very early in the morning: 3:00 A.M.). Likewise one should meditate at mid-morning and then again in the evening time. While falling asleep, one should also engage his mind in meditation. Further, it is good to practice Manas japa [Simran] or Manas dhyana [Dhyan] while working.

93. Before learning the Nadanusandhana (meditation on inner Sound) in practicing Manas japa (mantra repetition), Manas dhyana (focusing on the form of the master or deity) and Drshti Yoga ([inner Light meditation in the Third Eye Center or Eye-Focus] focusing on a Point that is practicing one-pointedness), one should meditate with eyes and mouth shut. Upon learning Nadanusandhana (Yoga of Sound [Inner Sound meditation]) from the Master, one should also close the ears.

94..........In the initial stages of dhyana (absolute concentration), pratyahara is practiced. [Note: Pratyahara means to bring back. Bringing back or refocusing one's attention during meditation, bringing the mind distracted by worldly thoughts back to the Focal Point during meditation.] Through the means of pratyahara, the mind is brought back repeatedly to the Focal Point. By this constant practice of pratyahara, one is eventually able to concentrate for a short period on the Focal Point. This state of concentration is called dharana (steadiness of concentration or absorption). When absorption is maintained for longer and longer periods of time, then it is dhyana (absolute concentration). Then in this state of dhyana, one is able to grasp the Streams of spiritual Sounds (described in section 60) and finally achieves samadhi (Unity [Union, Absorption, Oneness in deep meditation]). Drshti Yoga (seeing the inner Light---the Yoga of Vision) will greatly facilitate pratyahara and dharana......

............The saints and true teachers are known to be impartial; their blessings fall like the rain. However, the rain, while falling on all, tends to collect in deep pools just as the grace of the saints while showering on all flows rapidly and collects in the deep pools of the aspirants who are devoted. It is not surprising that the aspirants through their devotion draw the grace of the master towards them. Aspirants who give great attention to the ways of the teacher are worthy of the gift of knowledge. Obviously, not the careless one, but the one who honors the gift and cares for the receiving bowl receives the gift of the grace of the teacher. Making oneself worthy is the secret of devotion to the master, and will greatly facilitate meditation explained in detail in section 59.

105. The means to attain the direct knowledge of the Supreme Sovereign

God (Summary of the Philosophy of Liberation)

Before learning the technique to attain the direct knowledge of the Supreme Sovereign, intellectual understanding of the essential nature of the Supreme Sovereign God and one's own self is necessary. Through hearing and studying the discourses of spiritual teachers and contemplation, such knowledge can be acquired. Along with knowledge of the order of creation, the reason for not having the direct knowledge of both should be sought. Through intellectual understanding of the essential nature of the Supreme Sovereign, it is determined what needs to be attained. One should be able to discern whether it is the body which realizes the Supreme or the Self, Knower within the body.

Also, for this realization should the practices be of an external nature (outwardly devotional practices) or internal nature (Yoga of Vision and Yoga of Sound)? Having come to an understanding, these wanderings will be left behind. After gaining the intellectual knowledge of one’s Self, one will understand whether one is suited for attaining this Knowledge. Once, intellectual knowledge of the order of creation and the reasons for not having direct knowledge of God and one’s own Self are understood then the means will be brought to light. With this revelation one will be able to go be ultimately merging in Soundlessness or the Supreme Sovereign God. The internal practice of meditation ends here: the Supreme God is realized and the work is completed.

98. The practitioner should support himself in gainful employment, living on one’s own earnings. The aspirant is best content with a few things.

99. The aspirant should keep himself free of impulses such as lust, anger, greed, delusion, egotism, jealousy and fear. In his interest for spiritual progress, the practitioner should create pure mental habits: compassion, mercy, contentment, forgiveness and humbleness.

100. The following should be avoided because they cause unsteadiness of the mind: intake of intoxicants, including alcohol and various non-prescription drugs, and eating of meat and fish.

101. Through association of saints, the hearing of spiritual talks and study, wisdom can be acquired. Wisdom is essential in determining what is the right way to live your life. Without wisdom one can make poor decisions, which result in undesirable consequences.

...........In conclusion, as has been stated the microcosm and macrocosm are interconnected as they are completely permeated by the realms described above. Likewise, to go beyond all the realms is to go beyond all concealments. Further, in whatever realm the individual dwells, he dwells in that realm both in the microcosmic sense as well as the macrocosmic sense. In addition, if one ceases inhabiting one of the Realms, then he leaves behind both the microcosmic as well as the beyond the concealments of Causal Nature imposed on the creation and the Self and then will meet with the Supreme and experience direct knowledge of the Supreme Sovereign God.

(Philosophy of Liberation, By Maharishi Mehi)

The soul (Surat), seeking to glimpse the Absolute,
concentrates through its gaze at the tenth door,

Watching the luminous point, the pole star, the Moon and the Sun,

Surat hears many sweet sounds of the five
spheres;

Mehi says, this is the quintessence of Santmat;

And he has only repeated the words of the saints,

He has understood and tested them fully,

They are so very true and are of great benefit to all.

-- Maharishi Mehi
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 5:35pm
Starstuff Contemplating the Stars -- Light and Sound on the Path -- Sant Mat Satsang
Jul 10, 2011


Starstuff Contemplating the Stars -- Light and Sound on the Path -- Sant Mat Satsang






"We are the local embodiment of a Cosmos grown to self-awareness. We have begun to contemplate our origins: starstuff pondering the stars...." (Carl Sagan)


"O Soul (Surat)! Who are you and whence have you come? You are a ray from Purush (the Supreme Being) and an inhabitant of the purely Spiritual Region." (Swami Ji Maharaj/Sant Radhasoami Sahib)


"The teaching of the Saints is to raise the soul from the lower chakras to the higher chakras -- till it reaches the highest chakra, where it initially landed, and then reach the MASTER -- THE SUPREME SOUL, from where it initially parted. The path of upliftment is the same as that of descent, except that the movement is reverse, i.e., ascent in place of descent." (H.N. Saksena, The Secret of Realisation)


O Guru! May my consciousness ascend the sky.
Kindly help me catch the current of seven melodies and
the Quintessential One.
After allowing me to catch the support of your Radiant Being,
Let me have a glimpse of your highly resplendent Vision.
(Padavali of Maharshi Mehi)


"This world is perishable and so also is all that pertains to it. A wise man is he, who, having closely examined the nature of existence here, has realized that it is all transitory and illusory, and consecrated his human form by devoting himself to Bhajan and Simran (listening to inner sounds and repetition of the Holy Name of the Supreme Being) and who, taking the fullest advantage of the various faculties which the Supreme Father has graciously endowed him with, has translated the invaluable jewel within him, which is Surat (spirit) or the essence of his being, to its original abode." (Soami Ji Maharaj)


Day is Night - Night is Day

"Use all your power to free the senses from attachment and aversion alike, and live in the full wisdom of the Self. Such a sage awakes to Light in the night of all creatures. That which the world calls 'day' is the night of ignorance to the wise." (The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, verses 68 and 69, Eknath Easwaran translation)


"That, which is night to all beings (who are turned away from God), in that state the disciplined Yogi keeps awake. And that in which all beings are awake (enjoying the worldly pleasures and prosperity), is night to the enlightened seer." (Bhagavad Gita 2: 69 from the online translation at IndiaDivine[dot]org)


"Only a perfect Master and Shabd
(Quintessial Unstruck Sound)
Are your two true friends.
Dedicate your heart to them
And discard everything else."
-- Sant Radhaswami Sahib


"When we receive initiation from a Saint, practice Naam simran to retrace our consciousness from toes to a spot behind the eyes [Third Eye Center], only then something is accomplished." (Baba Kehar Singh)


Sant Mat Meditation: "Those practitioners who assiduously practice meditation will behold wonderful spectacles within." (Swami Achyutanand)


"The support of the soul is in the head, and now I will tell you of the
recognition of Shabda. One who gets connected with the Unrepeated Repetition to see gets the infinite-petaled lotus. When he reaches the astral door, he [ultimately] goes to Agam and Agochar [by way of] the True Path. His inner Self-where Adi Purush resides-gets enlightened. Recognizing Him, the soul goes to Him -- and He takes the soul to its origin. The soul is of the same essence as Sat Purush and is also called Jiva-Sohang." (Anurag Sagar)


Quality of Concentration in Meditation: "Single-pointedness results in absolute concentration, which causes ascension (vertical rise) enabling one to move onto a higher level or stage. This way it would be possible to transcend all illusory sheaths [subtle bodies, astral, causal, etc...]." (Maharshi Mehi, The Way of Liberation)




Subtle Bodies Associated With Inner Regions
From the Article, Visions of Allah

The process of gaining a vision of paradise and mystic transport has been described as "stripping off old garments" and replacing them with a new heavenly robe made of Light. In his Persian Sufi classic, Divine Flashes, Fakhruddin 'Iraqi describes the process:

"When the Beloved would exalt the lover, He strips from him the garments collected from all the worlds, and clothes him in the robe of His own attributes. Then the Beloved calls him by all his own attributes. Then the Beloved calls him by all his own names, and seats him in his own place. When the lover studies his new clothes he finds himself arrayed in different colors, and will wonder 'what is this beautiful tint, this garment so unique?'"

This quote from Divine Flashes reminds me of Saying 37 in the Gospel of Thomas, one of the earliest collections of the sayings of Jesus.

His disciples said, "When will you appear to us, and when will we see you?" Jesus said, "When you strip without being ashamed, and you will take your cloths and put them under your feet like little children and trample them, then you will see the Son of the Living One and you will not be afraid." (The Complete Gospels, Robert J. Miller, Polebridge Press)

Sufism is a form of Islamic Gnosticism which really does have many affinities with earlier Gnostic mystical traditions of the middle east. Like other movements of the past that embrace spiritual experience and mystic transport through the Seven Heavens, Sufis have found it useful to compare out-of-body or ascension journeys to the stripping or shedding of garments. The above quote illustrates their view that each soul on the earth-plane is wearing several garments. We are souls wearing subtle bodies or coverings; our physical body is made out of the material substance of the physical universe. We are, as the late Dr. Carl Sagan put it, "star stuff pondering star stuff." Our bodies are made out of atoms that once came from stars and other objects in the cosmos. When we enter into contemplation and mystical states, our awareness is elsewhere; we become "dead to the world," have risen above body-consciousness.

In that sense, we have, for the duration of our meditation period, "stripped" ourselves of the garment of the body for the purpose of exploring other levels of our existence. The mystic traveler enters into what has been called "the fourth state of consciousness." In addition to the waking state, the dream state, the unconsciousness state of deep sleep, the truly holistic explorer can also integrate into his or her experience the spiritual worlds.

Mysticism teaches that there are many layers or levels of reality, that there are other garments that will eventually be shed during journeys of ascension. These garments or subtle bodies have been given names in Hebrew, Greek, Coptic, Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Hindi, and other languages. In addition to the "garment" of the physical body, each soul is wearing several other garments or bodies, other sheaths that surround the soul (the True Self), allowing the soul to connect to the various regions of creation. Counting the physical plane as Level One, Level Two is called by many "the astral plane," made of astral stuff -- astral substance, existing at a slightly higher vibration in the astral region. Level Three is the causal body, made of causal or akashic substance, inhabiting the causal plane. Level Four is the mental body made of mind substance, and is part of the mental plane. The etheric body allows the soul to access that region. Above these worlds of mind and matter, the soul resides in the Timeless Spiritual Realm of Truth (Sat, Haq). Metaphysically speaking, we're already in heaven, we just don't know it! 'Iraqi says:

"By day I praised you but never knew it; by night slept with you without realizing; fancying myself to be myself; but no, I was you and never knew it!"


"From the Source of the Ocean opens a Window of Light. Awaken that resplendent Light within thee....Repeat the name of the Lord and secure Him." (Shabdavali of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras)


"Moment by moment gather thy soul and hold it at the Eye Center. Cleanse thou the mirror of thy mind, and catch the Divine Melody with thy soul. If thy longing is keen, thou shalt pierce the veil and attain the Quintessence." (Shabdavali of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras)


"Within thine own self, behold the splendor of thy Beloved. In the pupil of thine eye is a mole, wherein is hidden the entire mystery. Peep within and behold thou what lieth beyond this dark curtain. The secret of the fourteen realms will, for certain, be disclosed to thee. Let thy attention not slip, see that thou art ever vigilant." (Shabdavali of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras)


"I beheld in the firmament an inverted well, and was filled with resplendence of Light within." (Shabdavali of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras)


Tulsi Sahib: "The disciple sees within himself the Akash (sky) which is like an inverted well, and merges his Surat [soul's attention] in it."




Chart of the Inner Regions: The Top-most Region is Anami (Nameless), Soundless (Anadi), Nirguna (Formless), Radhasoami -- The Lord of the Soul.


Surat Shabd Yoga: Surat refers to spirit and Shabd to the Sound Current; hence, it is the union the soul with Shabd; the spiritual exercise by which the Current of Consciousness is applied to the hearing of the Sound within; joining the mind and the Attention to the Sound Current. Surat Shabd Yoga: Union (Yoga) of the Soul (Surat) with the Inner Light and Sound of God (Shabd).


The Satguru: "When all the thought waves merge into the Divine Sound, they become Sound. There are no more thoughts. Only Word remains. The surati and Shabda cannot then be differentiated. When the surati unites with Shabda, it is just as when water mixes with milk and become one. Surati gives up its own identity and merges into the Word. Although surati and Shabda appear different, they are not really separate. Once the union has occurred, and the thought waves are silenced, bliss is experienced. When the waters of two rivers such as the Ganges and the Yamuna unite at Prayag, one cannot differentiate the waters, just so, when surati and Shabda unite, they are indistinguishable. However, for this to occur one has to meditate before that Oneness can be realized." (Prakash Mani Naam)


"When the soul (surat) mergeth into the Sound (Shabd) and becometh one with it, then one obtaineth the supreme Bliss. The lamp burneth inside, O Ravidas, and Divine Bliss ariseth within. Steeped in meditation with one-pointed attention, practice devotion to God, O Ravidas. Let the automatic repetition be continued within, Reverberating the True Naam." (Sant Ravidas)


"The divine Melody resounds within,
Upon hearing it, the mind rejoices!
And at long last, attains self-realization,
Never again to stray,
From devotion to the Eternal Teacher.
All its sufferings dissipate.
The soul grasps the rope of divine Melody,
And climbs upon it to liberation."
(Kabir, Songs of the Divine," Dr. J. Das)


Tulsi Sahib said: "When the Surat-disciple meets the Shabd-guru, the path will be traversed."


"The Divine Melody is always resounding when one becomes attuned to it through diligent meditation practice." (Brahm Nirupan of Kabir)


"I now daily hear Shabd in this mansion (of the body, Pind). All the time, I am engaged in this practice." (Swami Ji Maharaj)


"As long as the soul remains in the body, O brother, practice the Path of Shabda." (Anurag Sagar)


"Get detached from the world by associating with Shabd. Shabd removes the barriers." (Swami Ji Maharaj)


"Shabd alone can eradicate Karmas. Without Shabd, we are wandering homeless." (Swami Ji Maharaj)


"Saint Kabir says that our movement is that of a bird (represented by the Shabd); and that the Satguru has given us the key. With the resounding of Shabd, the doors have been flung open, that this Desh [realm] beyond Pind and And [the physical and astral] is ours." (from a hymn of Kabir quoted in, The Secret of Realisation, H.N. Saksena)


I fly as a bird, my wings the Word,
Saith Kabir I'm free, my Satguru liberates me.
My consciousness awoke
Only the Word did resound,
And then beyond the Pind and And,
my true home I
found. (Kabir, another translation of the verse above)


"The body is divided into four regions. These are the Pind or Pinda, the physical or material body; the And or Anda, the lowest part of Brahmand, the spiritual-material region; Brahmand, the spiritual-material region, which is mostly spiritual but mixed with a certain amount of refined matter; and Sach Khand, which is absolutely pure Spirit, the highest and only perfectly pure region. Sach Khand is also the only permanent region." (Huzur Baba Sawan Singh)


Go to heaven --
why go back to the world?
In the house of the fearless One,
where music, unstruck, sounds,
you shall play trumpets.

Meditate upon Him in your heart.
Without meditation there is no salvation.

Unfettered meditation
brings salvation:
Your heavy load is taken off.
Welcome Him in your heart,
so you will not be born
again and again.

Blissful meditation
will light a lamp inside you
that does not need any oil.
This lamp will make you immortal;
this lamp will draw out the poison
of lust and anger.

Pierce this meditation
that gives you salvation,
and wear it around your neck.
Never take it off.
Meditate always:
Your guru's grace will get you across.

Meditation will free you
from dependence on others:
You will sleep on silken sheets at home.
Your heart will be at peace;
your life will blossom:
Deeply drink this meditation.

This meditation
will erase your blemishes;
you will be free from Maya's touch.
Meditate, meditate, and sing,
"Hari, Hari" [God, God]. You will obtain
this meditation from your true guru [Satguru].

Always, always meditate day and night:
When you rise, when you lie down,
when you breathe in, when you breathe out.
Waking or sleeping,
relish the taste of meditation --
meditation will bring union.

Meditation will remove all your burdens;
meditation upon Ram's name [God's name]
will become your support.
Kabir, says, "He is limitless."
(Songs of Kabir from the Adi Granth, Nirmal Das, SUNY Press, NY)
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Jul 10, 2011 2:33am
Sant Mat Satsang PODcast -- June 2011
Jun 19, 2011



Sant Mat Satsang PODcast -- June 2011






   Program Length: 30 Minutes:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/santmatfellowship/2011/06/19/sant-mat-satsang-podcast-june-2011

Readings are from:


* "Spiritual Consciousness Studies -- Spircon 2010", featuring an excerpt from the "Sar Bachan Poetry" of Soami Ji Maharaj, the great Saint of Agra, India, on the States Beyond -- the Inner Regions;


* Edmond Bordeaux Szekely on the Three Holy Streams (Life, Light, and Sound);


* another reading from the "Sar Bachan Poetry" of Swami Ji Maharaj on how Saints attempt to liberate their students from their limited thinking. Normally we human beings are bound by mind and maya, the "tomb" of illusion that keep most jiva-surat-souls from making spiritual progress;


* a reading from "The Biography of Huzur Maharaj" (quoting from the Letters of Huzur);


* instruction about meditation practice from the new book, "Yoga of Inner Light and Sound", by Swami Achyutanand, recently translated into English by Pravesh K. Singh;


* "Phelps Notes" about the God of All Consciousness, the Ocean of Love;


 * pondering about how Sant Mat is as much a path of Bhakti (love and devotion for God) as it is a mystical path of out-of-body exploration via Surat Shabd Yoga (Inner Light and Sound Meditation);


* a Mystic Verse of Sant Dariya Sahib;


* some thoughts about the essential key elements of successful Sant Mat practice;


* also, The Four Essentials of Sant Mat: "True Guru (Sat-Guru), True Name (Sat-Naam), True Association (Sat-sang) and True Love (Sat-Anurag)";


* and, The Principals of Sant Mat.


Email me for info about initiation, and satsang locations worldwide.


Jai Guru,
James
James@SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com


http://www.Facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami


http://www.Twitter.com/SantMat
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Jun 19, 2011 10:24am
Without the Beloved I Am Nothing
Jun 15, 2011


Without the Beloved 
I Am Nothing




"No matter how sweetly one talks, how elaborately one explains, how expertly one gives interpretation of the Vedas [scriptures], if that truth is unknown, salvation is not possible. The Vedas speak of the inner world which can not be perceived by mind, intellect and sense organs." (Adi Shankaracharya)


No amount of telling beads of a rosary, recitation of hymns in ambrosial hours, acts of charity, rites and rituals, etc.... can help us see God. Only the shelter of a perfect spiritual master can make it possible for us to see God. 


God is not a matter of assumption but a subject of actual perception and realization. He can be seen with the Divine Eye.


"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: Infinite." (William Blake)


"This world is an illusion -- practice meditation." (Baba Devi Sahab)


"The love of Maya is sweet to the world, but in the end, this delusion is dispelled." (Guru Nanak)


"Where there is blind belief,
There the Truth is not verified.
Only he will know the Truth, O Ravidas,
Who has the inner experience." 
-- Sant Ravidas


Not just any mystical light and sound. Sant Mat is a God-based path with a foundation of Prem Bhakti: love and devotion for the Supreme Being. Without God-Bhakti being central, a spiritual practice would be limited to lower regions of Kal. Genuine Sant Mat is about reuniting with God.


"You faltered through a million lives before you found this human form. Do not waste it this time - devote every moment to remembering God." (Swami Ji Maharaj)


"So perform devotional worship, link your consciousness to the Lord, and dispel anxiety from your mind." (Guru Nanak)


All sadness and woe turns to happiness and deep eloquence in the company of the Beloved.


"The miseries of the world
Flee away from the one
Who carries on repetition
of the True Name,
Fixing attention within, O Ravidas."


"My (inner) tongue is constantly preoccupied with repeating God's Name, and my hands are constantly engaged in doing my work. Thus have I become carefree. God will take care of me, says Ravidas."


"He who remembers God's Name,
Having sought the company of a Saint;
His miseries are averted,
Thus does Ravidas proclaim." (Sant Ravidas)


"Meditation will remove all your burdens; meditation upon Ram's [God's] name will become your support." (Kabir)


"So long as love is not obtained, fondness for the Beloved cannot arise. When nectar-like true love takes abode within oneself, only then can one contact the loving Sound." (Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar)


Param Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras, India is the Adi Guru, the grandfather or founding-father of modern-day Sant Mat, the Inner Light and Sound movement. 


Param Sant Tulsi Sahib is the connecting link between the classic Sants of India, including in the Kabir lineage, and contemporary Sant Mat. 


Any serious study of Sant Mat teachings must include the hymns and spiritual discourses of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras. 


The term "Sant Mat" was coined by Sant Tulsi Sahib during the 19th Century. 


Mystic Verses of Tulsi Sahib: Reaching the Beloved Lord of Love

"Very exalted is the status of the Sat Guru and very sublime is his religion. He has revealed the Inaccessible Region. Surat [the attention of the soul] ascends to the gateway of Sat Lok [True Eternal Realm], and witnesses a spectacle which is beyond the reach and comprehension of ascetics. Every day she [the soul] visits the region of Shyam Set, i.e. the Third Til [Third Eye]. She sees the path in the company of her friends (the senses of perception) and, ascending above, gets a close view of the region. She is dazed on seeing the refulgence of the Beloved. Her attention remains riveted on Him, and she is oblivious of her body and mind. All the barriers on the way to the Beloved are removed. She quickly ascends one mansion after another. She rids herself of all her troubles by being baptized at the Ghat [bathing place] of Triveni [confluence of the three sacred rivers]. Says Tulsi, from the time she became acquainted with the Beloved she, enjoying the bliss of mansions after mansions, reaches the Beloved Lord."

-- "Param Sant Tulsi Saheb of Hathras, His Short Biographical Sketch, The Inner Meaning of His Hymns, and, Portions of His Ghat Ramayana found at the End of Prem Patra Radhasoami, Volume Six", S.D. Maheshwari, Agra, India: Online Book -- PDF File: http://bit.ly/hgxOB4



(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Jun 15, 2011 12:05am

 
 
 
Content and comments expressed here are the opinions of Care2 users and not necessarily that of Care2.com or its affiliates.

Author

James A.
male, age 44, single
Portland, ME, USA
Shares by Type:
All (437) | Blog (436) | Poll (1)

Showing shares tagged with: and [show all]
ads keep care2 free
SHARES FROM JAMES'S NETWORK
Apr
28
by Mari s.
(6 comments  |  discussions )
America when America was Created they were Masons. America was Founded as an expression and an experiment in masonic philosophy.  The Ideals of domocracy, Freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and equality are all fundamental masonic ideal...
Mar
22
by Mari s.
(2 comments  |  discussions )
The city of Nazareth is sort of the opposite of the city of Troy. The city of Troy is a city that was once considered legendary but was eventually proven to have been real. The city of Nazareth has for a long time been considered to have always b...
Feb
25
(2 comments  |  discussions )
I think it has been about a year or so since I last logged into Care2.  I had even forgotten my login information.  I am going to try to remember to log on here more.  I think I just stopped because it seemed like everyone else was leav...
Nov
26
(1 comments  |  discussions )
    & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;   &nbs p;     ;         & nbsp;   &n bsp;   &nb sp;    www....
Aug
30
(0 comments  |  discussions )
          Although the ego is often the loudest voice speaking within oneself, vociferously arguing for its own viewpoint, and vehemently demanding limitless, immediate, sometimes inappropriate, recklessly impu...
Jul
21
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Our intensely passionate emotions and desires can be like riding a wild horse, or being inundated by a turbulent river, overflowing its banks, producing havoc for us, and for others arou...
Jul
4
(0 comments  |  discussions )
My advice for achieving true success in life is, do not worry about achieving apparent success and avoiding apparent failure. Worry is an expression of fear, which anticipates and attracts bad results. Worry is an attempt to control situations, which ...
Jun
11
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Source of this article: www.kurzweilai.net & nbsp; "Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence News" (email newsletter), June 11, 2012  URL Link: http://www.kurzweilai.net /study-predicts-imminent- irreversible-planetary-co llapse?utm_sourc...
Jun
3
(0 comments  |  discussions )
I have come up with ideas, which I believe are really coming to me as an inspired revelatory vision from God (or from a compassionate Force that seeks to preserve, care for, and honor the whole sacred web of life), to develop, or to encourage...
Feb
24
by Mari s.
(0 comments  |  0 discussions )
AFRICA@home is a website for volunteer computing projects which allow your computer to contribute to African humanitarian causes. There is a huge potential for volunteer computing to help solve pressing health and environmental problems facing the ...

Copyright © 2013 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved