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Satsang: Gather to Speak about Truth
Find others who share your aim to reach God-consciousness and gather together. I know this sounds daunting; it goes far beyond anything one could call an exercise. To commune with others involves commitment and a willingness to expose your deepest aspirations. It requires stepping out of conformity with society and finding souls you can align with, even if you have no other social ties.
Many seekers choose not to meet these challenges. They attempt to walk the path in isolation, feeling suspicious of religious movements and shy about exposing their vulnerability in public.
I think a great deal of this reluctance can be overcome by discarding the model of religion. To gather together on the path isn’t the same as forming a sect. There is no need for dogma, prayer, ritual, priests, or official scripture. No one is to be elevated above the rest.
If the word spiritual connotes any or all of these negatives, you are conflating religious doctrine with spiritual growth. The two aren’t the same, and we have an undeniable need to gather together for spiritual purposes.
My instinct is to follow the model of Satsang, which is a simple gathering for the purpose of speaking about truth. In church, people are included if they conform to a body of rules and beliefs. In Satsang, anyone can attend who has a love of spirit; there are no obligations because there is no official organization with an agenda.
A Satsang can even be silent, or it can combine a period for meditation and a period for talking. In the form I prefer, one person is assigned to talk, another to comment, and then group discussion begins. There are no debates and rebuttals, no sermons, and no attempt to proselytize. The purpose is to let spirit expand, and words are useful only to that extent.
Adapted from The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2008).
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I crave fellowship, not religion. The only appealing thing to me about religion is that--the physical gathering and resulting cameraderie of human beings.
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Daniele: Since it is a meeting of minds hearts and spirits, isn't what we have here just that ? If it is about meeting people of like mind and purpose in the flesh why not do some magic, candle and scent, asking to be brought together with the group of friends that will make your heart happy in every way. I recommend it and then when thinking about it just muse on how nice it will be and take a moment to imagine exactly how you will feel when it comes to be and then let it go until it crosses your consciousness again; each time not thinking about how you wish it was so which only emphasizes that it's not here but simply basking in the pleasure it will give you. You'll see then how it just comes to be and work your other desires in the same way.
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If this discussion is about spiritual awakening, my first choice for seeking would be to seek those, on the cusp, to complete spiritual existence (newborns, & done livings). If this discussion is about bringing spiritually aware souls together for the purpose of creating God's idea of perfect life on Earth, then, Satsang may be the ticket.
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If you feel the need to reach something outside yourself which a lot of people who go to Satsang meetings are seeking then they are missing the obvious. Still I would not knock it as it is a stepping stone on the path of realisation and self-development.
From Rumi "Listen quietly to the deep inner voice of your heart" there lies the answers for me.
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And why not ? Could not see a more divine experience, than to just "Be" with others.
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I want very much to be a part of these groups, but find it difficult to find like-minded people and when I do they seem to fade away after a few months leaving me with one dedicated friend who means a lot to me. What else can I do but hope that we will attract like minded people organically.
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What we have here together is Sat-Sang. I see no reason why it has to be a physical gathering and certainly touching minds with all of you here in this timeless quantum moment satisfies my need for participation. I think about all of your various "flavors" of thinking and wonder if I will sense them soon again and in what context our minds will be joined. I think of all of you during regular activities and know that many of you are part of my "family of light". Love and peace to all of you; it gives me such pleasure to be a conscious part of what we create here together.
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After reading Bobs comment, I'd just like to say that I believe we all come and go from a experimenting with different ways of believing in our lifetime , and it is totally natural to come around again to what fits our soul the best at this time. You are not alone in feeling the urge to find other truthsayers,Bob, and I would be honoured to be a part of the group of friends old and new,that are coming together at this time. This is the ultimate site to renew beliefs at and gather new friends.More than 2 people is a group, so maybe you'll find this is the time for you to co-ordinate a new gathering. I'd love to hear fromyou.
Thankyou Deepak, for paving the way.
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Thank you, Deepak.
We (a group of about 10-15 friends) used to do something like Satsang years ago, and then the practice just faded away. Lately we've been feeling the urge to do it again.
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