Brother gave the example of Christopher Parkening, the classical guitarist. Brother went to a private concert of Parkening. Bach’s music inspired in Parkening the spirit of Jesus. He had a prayerful concentration in the sound of each note. As the repetition continued, Brother fle the waves of the musical resonance and he started to cry. He cried from hearing the beautiful vibration of Bach on Parkenson’s guitar. He felt the love of Jesus on the guitar.
In the introduction to Whispers From Eternity, Master talks about the word of God – the Om.
In God Talks with Arjuna, Master discusses the Art and Science of Silent, Sacred Chanting.
Chapter 10, Verse 25:
“Of the Maharishis (mighty sages), I am Bhrigu; among words,
I am the one syllable Aum; among yajnas (holy ceremonies), I am
japa-yajna (silent, superconscious chanting); among stationary
objects, I am the Himalaya.”
Master’s Commentary:
“As the roar of the ocean is the composite sound of all its waves, so the cosmic sound of Aum is the essence of all differentiated creative vibrations. Aum is the symbol of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” His first manifestation in creation is the cosmic intelligent vibration, the intelligent Holy Ghost vibration, whose sound is Aum or the Word. The spoken word and all languages, the astral lore of the gods, every natural and mechanical sound—all owe their origin to the cosmic sound of Aum. Yogis tune in with this cosmic sound to expand their consciousness into the omnipresent perception of God.
Yajna signifies a sacrificial rite for uniting the oblation, or what it symbolizes, with the object of worship—such as offering human desires into the purifying flame of Spirit, or casting the sense mind into the Fire of cosmic consciousness. The ultimate purpose is yoga, the union of soul and Spirit.
Japa, in general, is devotional repetition, aloud or mentally, of sacred prayers, words, or names of God. Chanting of any word creates a certain vibration; practice of japa fills the mind with holy vibrations that neutralize vibrations of material consciousness. There are special incantations used in India, called mantras, which have great vibratory force. Repeating them aloud or mentally—with sincere feeling, intelligent understanding, and intense concentration and determination to persevere until divine contact is actually felt—produces distinct results; body and mind are charged with power as their vibratory rate is heightened.
Though any kind of japa offered sincerely asyajna is advantageous, chanting or praying aloud has the defect of diluting the attention-diffusing the energy in the outer action of vocalizing. (Overemphasis on devotional paraphernalia or on the external arrangements of the place of worship also tends to divert the soul outward.) Silent worship has greater power; one’s mental energy goes more quickly and directly to the indwelling Spirit.
The supreme form of japa yajna is superconscious chanting, divine union through the actual perception of the purifying vibration of holy sound. It does not involve any physical or mental repetition of a word or words. The yogi’s attention is concentrated on listening to the actual
cosmic sound of Aum, the Word of God, vibrating within him. Through this superior japa, the yogi expands his life into cosmic energy, his joy into divine ecstasy, his soul consciousness into cosmic consciousness, as he floats in the sphere of the ever-expanding cosmic sound of Aum.
Among immobile creations in God’s dream world—those manifestations in which animate life, mind, and intellect have not unfolded—His divine loftiness is most prominently displayed in the massive Himalaya, snow-crowned pinnacle of the earth, abode and guardian of saints.” (GTWA 786-788)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mantra – holy word
Japa – act of repetition
Yajna – Vedic fire rite
Yajna – fire is large and chanting has a strength of purpose and intention. Very intense. Ommmmmmmm, Guru… Ommmmmmmm, Guru
The difference is in the vibration produced.
The chanting of any word is the practice of Japa. Chanting and praying aloud is strong, but silent worship has greater power.
Master encourages us to take it within. Internalizing the thought of God.
Body and mind are charged with power as the vibrating rate is heightened.
The application is quite simple. Do not create mental pictures – just chant the mantra and let the vibrations take you.
The practice of Japa as a sacred rite fills the mind with spiritual vibration. Body and mind are charged with power. The supreme form of Japa is superconscious chanting. Concentrate and be intense for a short period of time and you’ll feel the vibrations manifest. Chant and be aware of vibration.
Cosmic Om is a vibration we can feel and a sound we can hear. Sound emerges out of the vibration.
From Master’s Cosmic Chants – Sound Is the Most Powerful Force in the Universe:
“Sound or vibration is the most powerful force in the universe. Music is a divine art, to be used not only for pleasure but as a path to God-realization. Vibrations resulting from devotional singing lead to attunement with the Cosmic Vibration or the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
Singers of these songs who want the best results should chant them alone or with true devotees of God, with ever increasing devotion and fervor. After the notes are learned, one’s undivided attention should be given to repeating them with deeper and deeper devotion, striving fully to understand the meaning of the words in the chant, until one is immersed in the bliss of singing. This joyous feeling is the first perception of God.
Words that are saturated with sincerity, conviction, faith, and intuition are like highly explosive vibration bombs that have power to remove the rocks of difficulties and to create the change desired.
The five states are: chanting aloud—whisper chanting—mental chanting—subconscious chanting—superconscious chanting. Subconscious chanting becomes automatic, with internal consciousness only, when the mind effortlessly repeats a chant in the background of one’s thoughts and activities.
Superconscious Chanting Leads to Perception of Aum
Superconscious chanting is that in which internal chanting vibrations are converted into realization and are established in the superconscious, subconscious, and conscious minds. Holding the attention unbrokenly on the real Cosmic Vibration, Aum or Om, not on an imaginary or an outward sound, is the beginning of real superconscious chanting.” (SRF Website: http://www.yogananda-srf.org/Cosmic_Chants.aspx#.WZE0Z1WGO00
As we concentrate on vibration as sound, it will expand.
God, God, God poem is a sacred mantra that is intoned with sacred voice and feeling. Master is telling us something very important in this poem. As the challenges of maya increase with intensity, the intonation of the God, God, God chant increases in intensity. This is Japa Yajna.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God God God
From the depth of slumber,
As I ascend the spiral stairway of wakefulness,
I whisper
God, God, God!
Thou art the food and when I break my fast
Of nightly separation from Thee
I taste thee and mentally say
God, God, God!
No matter where I go, the spotlight of my mind
Ever keeps turning on Thee;
And in the battle dim of activity my silent war cry
Is ever;
God, God, God!
When boisterous storms of trials shriek
And worries howl at me,
I drown their noises, loudly chanting
God, God, God!
When my mind weaves dreams
With treads of memories,
Then on that magic cloth I do emboss;
God, God, God!
Ever night, in time of deepest sleep,
My peace dreams and calls; Joy! Joy! Joy!
And my Joy comes singing evermore;
God, God, God!
In waking, eating, working, dreaming, sleeping,
Serving, meditating, chanting, divinely loving,
My soul constantly hums, unheard by any;
God, God, God!
– Paramahansa Yogananda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In Scientific Healing Vibrations, Master uses highly explosive vibration bombs. Master is being metaphysical and teaches us the power of vibration.
Confront and take down the enemy on the mental level using Master’s chants. Throw it into the fire! We don’t have to worry about being weak and afraid if we know the power of Japa Yajna. Then we’re in tune with new possibilities.
We must train ourselves to stop the useless conversations in the mind and begin quietly chanting Om Guru. Then as the mind is drawn in, fill the mind with the mantra and you’ll be lifted up.
Activate the silent mantra within until it exceeds the conflict around you. You will feel the vibrational shift. The power of Japa yoga will neutralize the worldly maya. Sharpen your sword – work with the mantra.
You are creating a sustaining energy of Om and it will be there for you when you need it. It’s a great defense system and it puts you in a higher vibration.
We hear the clarity in Mrinalini Ma’s voice in her loving relationship with God. Vibrations of chant will transform. Behind Ma’s prayer is Japa Yoga. They know the power that comes from invocation. This is how we get the vibration of God through the Om vibration. Feel the ocean of God’s love behind your consciousness.
2017 Convocation ~ “Calmness: Spiritual Strategy for Overcoming Life’s Tests” ~ Brother Anilananda
How is a devotee to respond to the mass negativity in the world? In The Second Coming of Christ, Discourse 19 John 34–42, Christ says, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work. Say not ye. There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors.”
God already planted in our souls all these beautiful qualities that impact our influence on fellow beings around the world. The actions of each individual leave electromagnetic etchings in his brain and in the ether. The overall quality of civilization is based on what citizens do. Master tells us that one moon is more lustrous than all of the stars. One Superconscious soul can influence the masses more than the masses can influence each other. The goodness of one soul can effectively neutralize mass karma of millions. What one sows in the ether, others will surely reap.
I can send out vibrations of positive thoughts and feelings. We can increase the critical mass of all of this goodness. When we face divisive polarization, we must develop understanding. We can contribute to the positive.
Where did all of this divisiveness come from? It started at the beginning of creation. There was love and joy. Creation was the vibration of thought into the astral. There was a physical vibration of two forces: ignorance and repulsion goes out, love and attraction comes back. Time and space impact the particles. All of this obscures spirit. The force going out is repulsion- the power of delusion. Its job is to divide. The force of attraction is harmonious. It binds together. We have ignorance and understanding. Understanding comes from love. Attraction brings harmony.
How do we respond to polarization? Guruji said the first thing is to develop a culture of love. Love is thy strength and greatest ally. If we never get angry at life’s reverses- or at their human instigators we will be able to see our way more clearly.
Brother told a story about a devotee who received a court summons which would result in her child being taken away. Her friend told her that she would be unable to come with her to court, but that she and her prayer group would pray for her. The devotee reported that from the beginning, she felt infused and surrounded by a sparkly, tingly energy. The judge asked to see the child in his chambers. “We flew home together, my boy and me”, she proclaimed.
We must realize the subject of the yugas, as Sri Yukteswar reports in The Holy Science. There are 24,000 years of cycles: 12,000 and 12,000 down. We’re going up. (We just passed the bottom.) The dark age of Kali Yuga has long passed.
Men require loving help, one from the other. Mrinalini Mata said, “Sometimes all we can do for others is to encourage them to smile. “ I can help someone to be calm by being kind to them. We should not be living from the lower emotions, anger and fear, but with a center of calmness. The Gita’s first chapter has an illustration of the chakras and their powers. These have a great impact on how we’re feeling.
One’s center of consciousness can move up and down the spine. Each chakra has positive and negative powers. What determines whether to powers acting in the centers will be positive or negative? The spiritual person lives in the upper chakras. A person may be in a positive state of mind, but when the consciousness comes down, the powers become proportionately perverted. Powers in the chakras perceive the influence of the senses, of our actions and our personality.
To achieve evenmindedness, we must lift the consciousness to the higher centers. Indulging in negativity lowers the consciousness to the emotions of anger and fear and gives our tests undue tenacity. We must live from the soul’s center of calmness. But how are we to maintain evenmindedness when confronted by life’s tests?
If you think about something disturbing, ask yourself, “What can this teach me about my sadhana?” If something horrible has happened, no matter how horrible, God has allowed it to happen. There is a lesson in there somewhere.
A person was dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease. He engaged only in meaningful conversation. His friends reported that he was like an angel, radiant, without a trace of bitterness. One said, “ I felt that I was in the presence of a saint. He had allowed this devastating experience to purify him.
Another devotee, 40 years ago, was ill and bed ridden. He couldn’t eat or move. He couldn’t see the spiritual eye, he could only look there. He started moving through the tunnel. He had a tremendous sense of well-being. He came out of it saying he was completely healed, and that he knew God would take care of him.
A devotee was serving as a psychologist in a prison. He was the last one in the office, when a security guard called to ask him to come upstairs. There was a person on drugs who was behaving violently. Master’s words came to him. “If you are ever in trouble, look at the spiritual eye and chant Om. Feel the great peace.” He went upstairs after looking at the kutastha and feeling the peace. The troubled person calmed down.
As Sister Gyanamata advised, he deliberately forsook this emotional upheaval and decided to be calm. The decision lifted his consciousness up.
In Finding the Joy Within, Ma talks about developing an understanding heart. She explains that moods are something from past incarnations. If we react quickly and unreasonably, maybe there’s a mood from a past life.
In Chapter 2, Verse 7 of the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna asks, “With my inner nature overshadowed by weak sympathy, with a mind in bewilderment about duty, I implore Thee to advise me what is the best path for me to follow. I am Thy disciple. Teach me, whose refuge is in me.”
A devotee reported a habit of moodiness. She said that she was married, with a child. There is little time for sadhana and much moodiness. She could feel negative emotions surfacing. She dropped to her knees and shouted, “I can’t do this anymore. I need you mother. Please change me. She completely surrendered. She recalled, “I surrendered to God, and then in that moment, there was miracle after miracle.
Another devotee had just taken kriya, but was overwhelmed that every night in diksha everything went wrong. Through it all, she would go to the center and practice kriya, but every night she gave all of her strength to get through it all. She added, “If it were not for kriya, I would have killed myself.”
Sometimes, we can find evenmindedness from chanting. Swami Smaranananda advised to ask yourself, “Do I really want to behave this way. Master tells us to beware of judging others falsely in Lesson 44. We make assumptions. We try to imagine other people’s motives.
Brother reported that his twin brother wanted him to leave the ashram. He made a list of all that his brother said regarding why he should leave. “What I missed was that I was unaware of his feelings”, he said. My brother admonished, “But we were in the womb together. “ I didn’t know what he was feeling. That was the real reason we were having difficulty. The important thing is that we love one another. We came to an understanding.
Sri Yukteswar said that by calmness, try to feel the feelings behind others’ emotions. When we express ourselves and our words are appreciated, dopamine activates the reward neurons in the body, making us feel empowered. Courtesy, whether agreeing or disagreeing, mark the person who knows how to behave. Sincere, sweet words are nectar to thirsty souls.
In 1973, Mrinalini Mata was asked at the last minute to do a satsanga that Ma had been scheduled to do. Everyone was looking forward to hearing Daya Mata. At the beginning of the service, all looked around for Ma. Mrinalini Mata came out from behind the curtain and looked at Ma’s chair. She went over and sat down. She stated, “I know how you feel, but guess how I feel…”
2017 Convocation ~ “Mastering the Techniques of Meditation – Part II” ~ Brother Ishtananda
“I was knocking on the door. The door opened. I found I was knocking from the inside.” ~ Rumi
The sense of identification with the body is the source or root cause of our soul’s misery.
“Religion is nothing but the merging of our individuality and universality.” ~ Paramahansa Yogananda, The Science of Religion.
Merging with Om. The devotee’s key to merging with Om is to listen for at least 15 minutes.
Brother said that he wanted to know what was inside Om. Eventually he became less aware of the body and the breath. Merging happens when one is so immersed in the sound, there is no I, there is only the Om sound. During the Om technique, stay with the sound, not the light, until done with the technique.
There is no difference in God and the power of God in creation that is Om. Listening to the astral sounds is spiritually beneficial and will help with kriya. We want to hold on to the “I” or our spiritual story, tied up in being a spiritual person. The goal of spiritual life is to not be a person.
“When the ego steps in, God steps out. When the ego steps out, God steps in.” ~ Rajarsi
Try loving God as Om.
“Let go or be dragged.” ~ Zen saying
One Devotee’s Secret to Merging with Om
1) Regular practice
2) Listen intently without strain
3) Get within the sound; inside the sound.
4) Length of practice
5) Surrender so deeply that the sense of I disappears and only Om remains.
“It is only by making everything serve your main objective that success is attained.” ~ Paramahansa Yogananda, The Law of Success
We have to want it more than anything else.
“Do not permit life to cheat you, for that is what maya is set up to do.” ~ Paramahansa Yogananda.
“He came from the womb and entered the grave unnecessarily, wasting his birth.”
The remainder of this session related to directions for and practicing of the Om technique.
2017 Convocation ~ “The Cosmic Mystery of Karma and Reincarnation” ~ Brother Sevananda
The individual sparks in creation are given free will/choice. That is where karma came into being. When spirit alone existed, it expressed itself as inanimate motion. It manifested the animal kingdom in life, the song of the nightingale. Then it said I am not conscious of what I sing, so it created man to express rational thought.
The Superman expresses Divine Consciousness. 8 million years before man gets a body, he has had 8 million lifetimes in non-human form. The cosmic cycles are the days and nights of Brahma – 8.64 million years old.
Countless incarnations created karma: habits, samskars. We might have millions of years of karma pursuing us. We say, “No more! I want to take control of that process.” The same free will that got us tied to the endless wheel of reincarnation is the same wheel that can free us.
Wise men and women slip away from us. Only those with great and good karma are drawn to this path. Being here tells us about previous incarnations. Out of millions of people, you have been drawn here because you had something to do with the Orient before.
On one occasion Master spoke to Brother Bimalananda in his native Bengali. When asked why he did that, Master said, “You were all Bengali babus with me before.”
We have experienced the days and nights of Brahma, Yogashwari’s supreme mistress. Anandamoy Ma talked about lifetimes from the previous day of Brahma. She assures us that the comfort we will receive in the end is beyond all. “What acid of sorrow have I not drunk countless times, quaffed by the art of breath.”
We need to stop fooling ourselves about karma and admit the inescapability of spiritual law. It has always been our own thoughts and actions that are the cause of our suffering. You can say, “Woe is me” or you can get busy and weed the garden of your life.
Mrinalini Mata often listened to Master’s recordings. She said there is a misunderstanding about the law of karma. We should laugh at delusion. Be in that bliss. Stand unshaken amidst the crash of broken worlds, and you will find that God is real.
India also fell politically because of too much believing in karma. It is not God who punishes and rewards you, you punish and reward yourself. No jail can hold him if he chooses to make the jailer obey. There is no such thing as fate, only destiny. We are the judge, the jailer, and the principle. We hold the key to our prison break.
Brother read from Metaphysical Meditations. “Whatever conditions confront me, I know they represent the next step in my unfoldment. I will welcome all tests, because I know that within me is the intelligence to overcome.”
God is ever existing, ever conscious, ever new bliss. God is the nearest of the near, the dearest of the dear. If we love God with all our hearts, he wipes out our karma.
How do we learn to love God? First we need to know him. Yoga provides a method for that attunement. It begins with Yama and Niyama. Niyama gives us an army of positive spiritual discipline to defeat the enemy and the effect of past bad karma. The results are self-control.
With asana, we learn to hold the body still. With pranayama, we learn to control the life force. The Sanskrit root of kriya is to act/do. The root is the same for karma. Embedded in yoga is the inner science to follow to make our way home. Kriya yoga is yoga with the infinite. The yogi who practices kriya is gradually freed from karma. Master tells us that Kriya roasts the seeds of karma that are lodged in the spine and the brain.
Future actions are identified with a new identity. Then we are not leaving behind any new cosmic footprints. Babaji told us: “Even a little bit of the practice of this religion will save you from dire fears and colossal sufferings.”
The purpose of reincarnation is that this life is a new opportunity given by God to destroy the evil and initiate the good.
Brother read the epitaph of Ben Franklin: “The Body of B. Franklin, Printer; Like the Cover of an old Book, Its Contents torn out, and stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms. But the Work shall not be wholly lost: For it will, as he believed, appear once more, in a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and amended by the Author.”
But we have to practice. It is like playing the trombone. Without practice, the sound comes out like (Brother makes a horrible honking sound).
Daya Ma said I have only one question. Divine Mother wants to know, “Did you love Me?” We need to ask did we love each other, as Divine Mother expresses in all.
The Gita said the process of coming back to this plain is a flash of light in the astral that attracts the soul and provides an entry point for the soul to enter the physical body to work out the karma that it needs.
Brother Premamoy recalled that his earliest memory was of a voice saying, “Don’t touch that light!” That karmic flash was not for him.
In reality, karma is not even meant for our harm. Karma is meant for our redemption. It attracts us to situations where we can work out our karma. It is a teaching mechanism to prevent incarnate souls from being caught forever.
Remember, as the fire increases, the karma decreases.
Daya Ma recalled Master meeting with an office worker in New York who told him that a psychic had told her that in a past life she was Mary, Queen of Scots. The same psychic told the same thing to another worker. Master brought the two together and introduced them.
If we want to know about our past incarnations, our guru will let us know, but it is too much for us.
Reincarnation is one of God’s most closely guarded secrets. Think of the troubles and sorrows in this life alone. Remember that suffering in all of our past lives would so depress and discourage you from the beginning, that you would have no will to go on. Oblivion is a gift. Master said, “Just do the best you can. The future is beyond your reach.”
Daya Mata talked very seriously with the monks about the rumors that she had been a saint in a past life. She told them that she was very concerned about this kind of diversion. “Don’t do this my dears! Let it just be said that in a former life, I was someone who loved God.”
Brother told a story of an emperor who at the end of his life told his family, “You are wondering if at the end of life will we ever meet again. Be assured we will meet again. It is too necessary not to meet again.”
In the SRF lessons, Master asks, “Is there any satisfying explanation why our loved ones are taken away. Is nature a jester? “(He lists many questions like this.) The answer to them all is that Divine Love is trying to express itself through human souls. All of the various relationships are but catalysts intended to convert our earthly love into Divine Love, to draw everything back into bliss. Continue to perfect those relationships from life to life. The wise seek lost loves in the bosom of infinity, expanding our hearts to encompass the love of God that makes us free.
Mrinalini Mata was reading “God’s Boatman” in a satsanga for the monastics, and then chided them, “But let us not be that last soul”.
Master said, “Life comes from the visible and ends in the invisible. God alone has the key. In the end, we must patiently wait. (“Whispers from Eternity”: Experiences in Superconsciousness)
Satsanga ~ Sister Parvati
Babaji told Daya Mata that her nature is love. Our guru is also a premavatar, an incarnation of love. So our line of gurus begins and ends with love.
Early on, Master give Mrinalini Mata a project… study The Autobiography of a Yogi and look up in the dictionary every word she was not absolutely sure that she understood. This was in 1947. She was about fifteen. He saw in her already the editor of his writings. She then brought The Gita and The Second Coming of Christ to fulfillment in these years following.
A group of nuns was meeting with Master. He had been speaking about God. Eventually Sister Parvati was alone in his presence. He said about Mrinalini, “She is so humble.” He said this with the deepest feeling. “She has the unusual combination of very great wisdom and humility.” She thought, see how he speaks to her. He spoke to her with love and wisdom.
I have been asked to speak about Guruji’s appearance. He had long shining black eyelashes. They were straight. They didn’t curve like those of most people. When he looked down, they rested on his check. On one occasion, I went to give him a message in his study. When I walked onto the porch, the French doors were open. He was writing. I stepped up to the threshold and waited for him to notice me. He just raised his eyes- magnificent black eyes through a shining curtain of think eyelashes. He was divinely beautiful inwardly and outwardly.
On another occasion, I was cleaning the Encinitas hermitage. I was at the far end of the room. It was early in the day, and the long hallway was dark. Master came from his room down the dark hall toward me. Even in the dark hallway there was a soft circle of light around him. Master is all light within. His consciousness was interiorized. He didn’t seem to notice me. It is a sublime memory. The circle of light in all of the photos of him is an inner light.
Master was well known for his kindness. He was always thoughtful and considerate. There is a story in In Memorium that occurred just before his mahasamadhi. Ambassador Sen’s wife was sitting just to his right. Just moments before he left his body, he asked the staff to bring Ms. Sen a bit of butter. His whole life was thinking of others. He was a divine example. He expected more of himself than anyone else. His interactions were based on spiritual principles, but he met the individual needs of each one.
When we came into his presence, he always radiated divine love. He could be disciplinary, but with love. He could be fiery if we didn’t get the point. He knew our faults, and encouraged us to be our best selves. He trained us in many ways and tested us to see how we would respond. He is still doing this today for every one of us. “I know every nuance of your thoughts,” he would say. Let us be receptive so that he can help us.
Many years ago, a dear member came to Convocation. When she arrived, she was very ill with a high temperature. She was sent to the hospital and was there for several weeks. Daya Mata asked me to check on her every day. She had a visit from her husband, and he came and sat on her bed and talked to her. She told him that Guruji had visited her. He went to her room and said, “Master’s here.” She was asleep. We sat with her and meditated and then left. Some say they think they felt Master’s presence but often doubt that it is real. They think that it must have been their imagination. Don’t doubt that it is real.
How did I know that Master was present? Because I had exactly the same experience when Master was present in the body. I experienced the same feeling. Master said that doubting puts a barrier between him and you, like static on a radio. Your doubt is a barrier to receiving his presence. Don’t imagine, but don’t doubt that it is real. Receive him with gratitude and reverence.
He said of Sri Yukteswar, Master’s divinity automatically bowed our heads before him.
I was 13 when I first entered the ashram at Mother Center. I had been there only a couple of weeks and had had no training. Master was greeting each of the nuns. I was struggling inwardly. I thought only Jesus should be called Master. I was unable to answer him because I was trying to figure out what to call him, and he said to me with the sweetest smile, “Just call me ‘little sir.” Then I was able to answer him. He was so humble.
I learned apparently very quickly that he was a Master, and it became easy to call him that. He was always very balanced and normal while his consciousness was expressing the Divine.
One day Master was waiting in a car to take him to the Encinitas Temple. He stood facing the hermitage. I looked toward the retreat and saw a wadded up white paper. I was worried that if I went after it I would hold the group up, but I ran down the hill and picked up the paper. Master was very quiet and interiorized, but he turned and said, “That’s what I like to see.”
He taught us to take care of what we had. He never missed anything. I know he blesses you for all you do for Master’s work. Anything you do for God he repays a hundred fold.
Another afternoon in Encinitas, he was in the kitchen preparing dinner. He often served fresh spinach. Sister was preparing the spinach. He did the cooking and the seasoning, and tested for the taste. He like using a heavy cast iron skillet. He lit the fire under the skillet for a time and asked for spices. I turned to see him pick up the skillet. He was very interiorized. It was nano seconds when he picked up the pan. I thought, “Oh, it’s hot!” I started to warn him, and before I could stop myself the words were coming out. He then became aware of the heat. I felt badly that I did not stop. He looked at me in exasperation and said, “You had to say it.” I planned to apologize the next day but it was clear he had forgotten about it. I was relieved that he had not been harmed. It showed his state of consciousness. He told us that we would not experience pain if the mind was disconnected from the body.
And so, I say to you, “Keep on keeping on. Practice throughout the day. In time you can experience this. I came in August of the year the Autobiography was published. It came in November. We told him that a big wooden crate had arrived. He asked Anandamoy to bring him his fountain pen. The monks opened the box with a crowbar. He signed our copies with “December 10, 1946, with blessings, Paramahansa Yogananda”. He was so happy. Later, I asked him to write a thought in my copy. He wrote my name and then this: “Find the Infinite hidden on the altar of these pages”.
We must develop a personal relationship with the guru based on love. It is an intimate family relationship. All prayers begin, “Father, Mother, Friend, beloved God.” We can be in the world, but we do not have to be of the world. Don’t identify with the conditions. Don’t take the world so seriously. Hold to the truth that you are energy, joy, and love, and made in God’s image.
Master reminds us that this world of maya is a dream. Reach out to one another in a loving way. All souls who are our brothers and sisters, all in the world are very much in need of this today.
Master wrote in a letter, “You must never lose courage. Divine Mother sent me to pilot you out of the clouds of your mind.” Overcome all inwardly by calling on God and talk to the guru. It is the easiest way out of your difficulties. Master said, “Your troubles I do not mind. I will never give up my job about you. Never identify yourself with momentary flashes of error. You will never be alone.”
If you are frightened, turn to him immediately. Master said, “I may not scold you then but I will constantly whisper to you guidance through your loving self. So do not make life discouraged and tired, but always be interested in helping Divine Mother. Do not make life discouraged and tired. Be ever interested in dong for divine mother no matter what…. if death, discouragement, war dance around you, I will lift you up no matter how many times you fail.”
In the San Diego temple at Sunday service, he told us, “In the future we will live more simply. Don’t get attached to luxuries. “It was with such spiritual power that he spoke. “Always remember this. God is not mocked. He will have the last word.”
Practice these blessed teachings and hold to the right thought and teaching no matter what the world does.
2017 Convocation Satsanga ~ Brother Tyagananda
I tell you truthfully, all of my questions have been answered not through man, but through God and the Masters. We have many questions.
What are your view points about being in a relationship with someone who has no spiritual belief? How on earth does one find a decent spiritual companion? Does one need a companion if on the spiritual path.
We struggle with restlessness. We want something more. If we find ourselves in this world and we can never be satisfied, the best explanation is that you were made for another world.
Rumi says, “My soul is from elsewhere, and I intend to end up there.”
Every soul in heaven is married to the Lord. You are already in a love relationship with God and guru.
Brother told the story of a very thirsty man who was in the desert. It was very hot, and there was little water left. He was drinking only droplets. He followed a voice through the forest and was led to a lake. We say, “I want more. I want a lake.”
Spirit alone can give us a sea of love. We form a relationship with the guru until the mental conception of the Divine becomes real. We focus on the desire for this goal. In the Divine, you find all the love of all hearts.
Brother referenced the book, “Getting Along with Others”. If you are in a relationship and you cry all day, ask yourself, “Am I dating a human or an onion?”
The best couples never have the same character. They appreciate their differences. A requisite to friendship is the acceptance of each one’s individuality.
In Lesson #59, Master tells us how to select your life companion. You must develop spiritual magnetism. Some are attracted to many. Some expect perfection.
A monk asked a man to describe all of the characteristics he wanted in a mate. He listed them all. He replied, “You just described to me Mahavatar Babaji”. No human has perfection. Love God and serve.
Brother said that Mrinalini Mata was assigned a monumental work by our Guru. She worked on it for decades, a comprehensive revision and enhancement of the SRF Lessons.
Master said to Mrinalini Mata, “The Lessons will be your life’s work.” She finished them just a few days before she passed on, August 3rd, 2017.
It is so right and proper that the new lessons are announced at the Convocation. The new editions of the lessons will have material not available when the early editions came out. There will be some unpublished writings by Master. The details will be coming later on. It was her special genius to put the vast amount of material into a manner members can access easily.
The SRF Lessons are unique because they have the actual techniques. During the 3 decades Master was in form, he used a variety of ways to teach. He traveled and spoke to thousands of people. He had classes for those who wanted a deeper spiritual life~~~Lesson students.
In the beginning, he had one sheet of paper and elaborated from it. In 1934, he wrote the first lesson. For 14 years he worked on them because he had said he would send weekly lessons. It was hard on the staff because he gave this assignment and then left on his year and a half trip to India.
Towards He drew on Mrinalini Mata to help him with so many books, he spent hours with her and helped her feel complete attunement with Him. She was distraught when she heard Tara Mata would not be living much longer. She asked Master who else can do this work and He replied, “You will do that work.” It was tireless work.
Mrinalini Mata has edited the major books by Master about Christ and Krishna. The new lessons will speak directly to our souls, our hearts. It is a major milestone. In 2018, we hope to see each of you holding copies in your hands. Mrinalini Mata especially wanted this announcement at this Convocation.
She said these Lessons will speak directly to our minds and the potency will last forever. They will be permanently lodged in our consciousness. They will bring us attunement with our Guru.
Master said to all his disciples through the Lessons, “I am interested in the redemption of your souls, that you may achieve self-realization. I will step down to help you, wherever you may be.”
Let us now all send love and gratitude to Mrinalini Mata. (It was a touching moment, very powerful. It must have been a difficult time for Brother Chidananda as he has worked directly with Mrinalini Mata for decades.)
For more information, please visit the official SRF website:https://www.yogananda-srf.org/Announcement/SRF_Lessons_New_Edition_Announcement.aspx#.WY4AOVWGO00
Brother Chidananda Message PDF
2017 Convocation ~ “Loyalty and Inner Attunement” ~ Brother Jayananda
It seems that we are entering a new chapter. Most of Master’s direct disciples are now in the astral. Remember that the gurus know what the plan is.
One does not realize how much he changes. I am in You and You are in me. The love of God is the only reality. The great ones come to bring us back to God. It is the soul that matters.
We have had countless incarnations in lower forms and countless incarnations as humans. Then we decide, “OK, enough is enough, I want control over my own evolution.”
Only those who have been earned great karma are in this room tonight. Out of millions of people, you have been drawn here.
Why are we reincarnated? This is a new opportunity, given by God and Guru, to destroy bad karma.
The child in school has to keep going back, year after year, until he has completed all the classes. We must “pass” all the spiritual grades. Our karma puts us in the positions where we can work out the karmic lessons we need. As the fire increases, the karma decreases.
All people want to think they were kings and queens in past lives. A study of history shows those lives were not always very pleasant.
Master said, forget the past, it is gone. Forget the future as it is beyond your reach. Concentrate on the present.
Once Daya Mata heard people discussing who she might have been in previous lives. She said, “In a former life, I was someone who loved God.”
At the Christmas banquet after Master’s passing, Rajarsi said, “One does not realize how much he changes in this path.” Master told him, “I am in you and you are in me.” Now all I feel is Master. It is so great, so joyful. It was a blessing to have him in the form, but it is the soul that matters. We have his teachings, to lead us to feel God’s presence. Master is in charge of all of us.
Rajarsi said that Master is here more now than when he was in the body. The mission of India is two- fold: to search for eternal verities/truth and to develop the guru disciple relationship. The stories in Autobiography of a Yogi give us spiritual guidance. The sleepless saint told us that as soon as the devotee is willing to go even to the ends of the earth to find enlightenment, his guru appears at his side.
All of us have been blessed to have the teachings and a Guru who gives us the feeling of concentration on something greater than ourselves. Obedience and surrender to the Guru is the only way to salvation.
We must observe and learn from others and see what works. The Guru sends us people, books, films, etc., but they do not satisfy us; we want realization, we want God.
People ask, how do we find a Guru. Master told us, when the devotee is ready, his Guru comes to him.
Up in San Francisco we see the huge tankers coming into the bay, under the Golden Gate Bridge. There are very difficult currents in the bay. A couple of us monks were hiking there and we could see the tankers. The captain is in complete charge of his ship. He is very intelligent, very skillful, very wise. He has navigated many places. But when he enters the bay, a pilot comes to take complete charge of bringing the tanker into port. In a similar way, we need a Guru to take charge of us and bring us to God. He comes when we are ready and need Him… je comes to us near the end of our spiritual journey.
Master said loyalty is the highest spiritual goal, the highest spiritual law. Loyalty percolates through so many qualities. Loyalty elevates them.
Brother Premamoy, who trained many of the monks, was very saintly. He emanated loyalty. He was a great example of loyalty and humility. Once we young monks found some fresh strawberries in the refrigerator and took some to him at breakfast. He said, “Oh, I wanted to give them to Daya Mata.” He was very loyal to Daya Mata, as the representative of his Guru.
Later in his life he was very frail and had health problems which he hid from others. He was quite fragile and had difficulty walking. He was trying to help out at retreat, but because of his serious health problems, he had no energy. When Ma came to the drive way and called for him, he sprinted up the driveway to her, though it must have been hard.
During the Christmas banquet for the monastics, where they often filmed ma, she was hugging the monks. When she came to Brother Premamoy, she hit him in the head at the kutastha. He didn’t need the hug. Some wondered if she loved him as much but she didn’t need to hug him, the touch was enough.
When he passed, Brother Jayananda received the call from Encinitas. Although it was unheard of for him, he knew he had to go to Ma’s room to give her the news. He knocked on the door. She asked. “Who is it?” “It’s Brian, Ma.” He told her that he had just received the news that Brother Premamoy had passed. She said, “Brian, I haven’t shed tears for many…but….”. Profound loyalty is a two way street.
Then Brother Jayananda told of the story in the AY when Swami Sri Yukteswar asked for Master to give him his unconditional love and loyalty.
When Sri Yukteswar first met Master, he told him, “I’ll give you my hermitage and all I possess.” Master told him that he only wanted realization. Sri Yukteswar told him, “I will give you my unconditional love.” Master replied, “I will love you eternally, gurudeva.“
Mrinalini Mata edited God Talks with Arjuna, The Second Coming, and the new lessons. He once saw Daya Mata in the hall and Mrinalini Mata was coming toward her, carrying a large stack of papers. She was always very busy. Daya Mata said, “We just received word some guests are coming. Please make your wonderful curry for them.” Mrinalini Mata immediately put down her papers and put on her apron. That was obedience and loyalty. Loyalty begins where convenience ends. Loyalty brings attunement. Brother Jayananda read Master’s Prayer of Loyalty and Attunement.
Mrinalini Mata was unique in her attunement. About 8 to 10 years ago, Mrinalini Mata was giving a Satsanga for some of us monks at Encinitas. She began telling of her early years with Master. She was very young when he handed her a lesson and said, “Here, edit this.” He knew her role then, when she was only 14.
He also told her to study Shakespeare. She wasn’t sure where to find time to do this. She was in high school and her English teacher, knowing she was very advanced, said to her, “Go find something to do while I teach these other students.” She said, “What if I go to the library and prepare a paper on Shakespeare?” The teacher liked the idea, and that is what she did.
The principal was very taken by Master. Master brought his collections of rocks and artifacts from all over the world to the school and showed them to the students. Once this happened, Mrilanini Mata, who was very shy, was like a rock star. The principle told Paramahansa Yogananda, “I don’t know what you do but your kids are so well behaved and very intelligent.” She said Master was so proud of his kids, like a papa.
Every day the monastics who attended school in Encinitas would come home on the school bus. They would look for Guruji, who would raise the blind in the window and wave to them. Sometimes in the evening he would sit with them around the dining room table or they would be at his feet while he sat in his chair, and tell them stories. Often they did devotional chanting late into the night and then get up and suggest that they make a curry. The children would find the vegetables and potatoes and cut them, and Master would put things together into a curry.
Sometimes he would say to her, Go put on General Pershing (known to always be right). He said to them, don’t think, be in attunement with me. And when we did catch his thoughts, he would tell us that was very good.
We need to strive to be in attunement with our Guru. What is He trying to do for us? How can we help? He has given us the techniques; he is a living Guru for us, right now.
In a spiritually receptive person, loyalty rises spontaneously when we are in tune with the love of the guru. Sometime we have made a plea, give me some way to contact God. Practice the techniques religiously. When God comes to you, you will vibrate with joy. All of you can have a state of bliss. Be regular and determined. If you are, your zeal for God will never fade. Never give up; you must be loyal and determined for attunement.
Mrinalini Mata’s main goal in life was to prepare these teachings for the ages. No other world teacher has given as much information as our Master.
Brother told the story about how her family used to go to the Friday services in Encinitas. One night, Master asked for the Brown family (her family). One of the children asked if he could play the tablas, and he played for a long time, “Door of My Heart”. The family had a long ride back to San Diego. Shortly after they left, the tire on the automobile blew out. The roads were not highways back then, but dark, two way roads that were hard to navigate. One of the children said the rubber of the bare tire rubbing against the tire rim sounded like Master on the tablas. All the way back home, they sang, “Door of My Heart”. As soon as they opened the door, the phone rang. It was Master, asking if they arrived home safely. He asked a number of times, until they told him about the tire blowing. Ma advised them, “Wherever you go, know that the guru is with you.”
In the AY, Master is leaving and a boy is so sad. Master said to him, I am giving you Kriya. It will be your key to Heaven. We have been given that same key. We have been given instructions on every aspect of life. He said, “After I am gone, I will talk to you through the Lessons.”
Master told Mrinalini Mata that she should use the Universal Prayer, “May Thy love shine forever, in the sanctuary of our devotion and may we be able to awaken Thy love in all hearts.” He said this is the prayer for this New Age.
Brother Jayananda said we are more loyal and persistent devotees than ever.
“Coping with Life’s Troubles” – Swami Smaranananda
Hollywood Temple – 8/13/2017
When the service reader doing the announcements and welcome at the 9:30 service asked if anyone was visiting Hollywood Temple for the very first time, Swamiji, sitting at the harmonium (already introduced by Bro Anilananda) raised his hand high with a beaming smile!
COPING WITH LIFE’S TROUBLES
We can blame no one but oneself. Suffering is caused by misuse of free will. Get rid of guilt and inferiority complex. “What did I do last lifetime? Was I a bad person or did something terrible?”
NO!!!
Maybe you are BRAVE!
~Perhaps there was something preventing full realization.
~Some karma between you and God that can be removed by suffering, service and meditation.
~We become closer to God because the suffering is being mitigated.
~Some brave souls take on more karma to get back more quickly. They take on suffering to work out karma.
When you are suffering, don’t accuse yourself. You are being brave. You are not a bad soul, you are a BRAVE soul.
We do not start our search for God with Kriya Yoga. We end our search and journey to God with Kriya Yoga. We have worked out a lot of karma already. Understanding is required to keep us from guilt.
But do not invite suffering and trouble. It happens enough on its own and Master decides how much we can face and when — then he gives it to us.
“I can work through these challenges.”
Some people are filled with inferiority and shame. Others think “I am a bad person.” Only the ego feels ashamed. Only the ego suffers.
If I don’t die for Self, how can I live in God? ”I am a BRAVE soul. Let me go on.”
DEALING WITH TROUBLES
(realizing this was life changing for Swamiji):
***SUFFERING AND HAPPINESS CAN GO TOGETHER.
Both can be present at the same time. Suffering is thrust upon us by OUTER circumstances over which we have no control. Happiness is manifested WITHIN. Peace has to be manifested within. It cannot be bought. Each of us can manifest it within.
~Through meditation
~No matter what happens I can be joyful within.
~Get in touch with it.
~Peace has nothing to do with external situations or circumstances.
PAIN AND JOY CAN CO-EXIST
Joy is a real miracle. Unconditional joy is irrespective of circumstances. It is never stale.
Contact that joy within and face life’s troubles.
When Master had troubles he would go Serampore, to Sri Yukteswar’s ashram. Our ashram is at the Kutustha. Go within and get relief. Kriya Yoga can save you from the troubles of fear, suffering and pain.
He told the story of Brother Anandamoy pushing Master in wheelchair and praying and wishing he could take on some of Master’s pain. Then he brushed against Master and felt tremendous thrill of joy enter his body from Master. Pain and problems were outside, but inside Master was joyful.
Doesn’t matter if troubles are financial? physical? emotional? relationship? We can still be joyful. Joy comes from meditation. Swamiji faces serious problems in his work, then it is time for meditation. After meditating the problem is not solved; but now he is no longer in pain and can face the situation with more clarity.
There is an option: Be joyful. Do that. How? Through meditation.
Master’s chant:
Life is sweet/Death a dream, Joy is sweet/Sorrow a dream…etc…the dream is TEMPORARY when Thy song flows through me. The dream flows out and away.
What does it mean? It is my responsibility to let God’s TUNE to flow through me. With attunement I can face it now. These are Guruji’s words; let it flow through us.
Pain is thrust on us through circumstances. We have no control. But JOY can be manufactured.
God is ‘poking’ us with suffering. ALL EXPERIENCES HAVE ONE PURPOSE: to bring us closer to God.
Joy of meditation pulls us toward God. God is even MORE beautiful. Nature and creation are so beautiful. Pull us toward God.
Frustrations of worldly life push us toward God. Both have the same purpose. Pull us closer to God.
Pain is a gift given to mankind. A warning-if neglect or ignore, could become serious problem later. Take care of it.
Any problem means something needs my attention/more time with God/attitude adjustment.
As we scold children to show them the right way, so Divine Mother scolds us with suffering because she loves us so she sends troubles to steer us. Pain and Trouble are Divine Mother’s love at work.
Surrender to Guruji. He controls our lives, working out karma in best way to get us back to God.
Sometimes we can see the reason for suffering and sometimes not. KNOW that it could be so much worse without Guruji’s help.
He told a story of a Guru telling a disciple to come with him, he wanted to show him something beautiful. Disciple was happy to go along. They started climbing. Many ugly bushes and boulders along the way. It was difficult climbing. The disciple was not happy as he went over and around every ugly bush and boulder continuing to climb. He did NOT think it was beautiful. It was hard. Then they reached the top and looked down. Every boulder and bush was in its perfect place. The landscape below was beautiful but when climbing it was So Hard.
Same thing with our Guruji -taking us up the spiritual hill of life. When we get to the top and look back we will say…oh yes that part was hard but I learned something. It was painful at the time. Master is taking us over the boulders and ugly bushes and we will eventually see the beautiful landscape of our lives. We are not alone.
A friend of Swamiji’s had a problem in his ear. He went to a specialist. The Dr gave him instructions and told him it will be OK in 2 weeks. The friend asked if the constant sound would vanish? The Dr answered, NO, but you will get used to it and it will not trouble you any more.
moral: GET USED TO IT!
As long as we have a body/and a life there will always be problems but you will be OK in 2 weeks time.
We can not expect a smooth life. A smooth life is not a victorious life.
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF LIFE? Not a smooth life…GOD IS THE GOAL!
Don’t make issues of little things. There is always something.
5 points:
- Right attitude. No Guilt. You are a Brave Soul!
- Happiness (through meditation) can co-exist together with Suffering
- It is ALL God’s work. Pain is a gift. It can be a reminder to do something.
- Guru is giving help. Hold his hand.
- Get used to it. There will always be bumps in the road.
Attached are notes from Sr. Preeti’s talk at SRF’s 2017 Convocation taken by a devotee from Washington DC. Where the notes say insert, a longer version of a story is provided taken from another source where Sr. gave a shorter version. Thanks so much DC Steve!
2017 Convocation ~ Sister Preeti
Prayer: Embracing the World with Compassion and Understanding
Sister Preeti began by greeting devotees with “Namaste”, spoken in a number of different languages. She noted that the subject of prayer is a life changing topic. You search for a deeper and better prayer. Our personal journey is discovered with prayer. The topic means embracing and holding mankind close and experiencing that closeness: seeing God in all people and feeling your oneness with all people. Concentrate on what we have in common.
We are physically and spiritually like Adam and Eve in relation to God. We have just one purpose for incarnating: to find God. The God spark in us as soul is potential perfection. Life is a struggle for joy along the way. As we struggle, we should work on being less judgmental and more compassionate.
Everyone is a miniature God. We can’t ignore Him there as compassion. The horrors of the world are overwhelming. There is a tendency to look away from disturbing things. We should be motivated to pray for people. Live a Godly life and everyone around you will be helped. Praying is a part of this. We are our brother’s keeper. How many others can you help? We must be God’s Divine agents to love and help others. What is the meaning of prayer? It is the world’s greatest wireless connection. He that acts without words is better than the opposite.
Sister related a version of the following story.
(INSERT) “A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help. Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.” The stranded fellow shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.” So the rowboat went on. Then a motorboat came by. “The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.” To this the stranded man said, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”
So the motorboat went on. Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.” To this the stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.” So the helicopter reluctantly flew away. Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. He went to Heaven. He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed, “I had faith in you but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!” To this God replied, “I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?” (END INSERT)
Sister Preeti related a shorter version of this story that ended, “God did send help, He sent YOU!” She repeated this a number of times during her talk as she pointed to the devotees in the audience.
Master’s prayer for world peace is practiced during our healing service twice a day with the Prayer Council following meditation. Our prayers counter negative karma. The Worldwide Prayer Council emphasizes: “Your personal efforts can do much to bring greater harmony among the nations of the world. Prayer is the most potent force in the world. We must believe in the power of prayer and perseverance. For example, St. Augustine’s mother prayed for him for a long time while he lived a worldly life. He became a great saint.
Guard against falling prey to discouragement. Be persistent. When things look like they aren’t going well, keep on keeping on. We are ashatria-spiritual warriors. We need to use our power. Through our prayer, we actively counteract negativity from world events.
Sister Preeti said that prayer led to her going from a householder to a monastic. She felt a call, but needed reassurance and asked for reassurance. She contacted the SRF Admissions Council. Their response gave her that reassurance, and she entered the ashram.
Dag Hammarskjold knew the power of prayer when he said, “Man has reached a critical point in history, and to avoid the consequences, we need to pray. “
We need to pray for the condition of world leaders and ourselves. We need to pray all the time and keep at it. Dag Hammarskjold also said, “Prayer is a dynamic manifestation of love.”
Ma talked with us about how to handle periods of dryness. She told us, “If you want God, pray for it. It will come.” We think we may know what trite phrases mean. We need to pray to understand meaning.
We should pray when we see sad faces, when we see distressing or sad faces. The prayer of St. Francis was:
“Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love”
If you contact God in yourself, you will know that He is in others. Only spiritual consciousness that is the realization of the Self in others can save the world. There is no chance for peace without it. Thomas Merton said, “If you want a life of prayer, the way to get it is by praying.” Guruji says to call for help and have trust and attunement.
Sister Preeti said that she had to pray regarding the preparation of this talk. She was experiencing a problem with the sequencing of scatter thoughts and how to organize them. Mrinalini Mata gave her a mini satsanga and told her to relax, trust in God, and pray. She followed this guidance, and her thoughts rearranged themselves into the right order.
Pray and pray with deep concentration and devotion. Sister told the story of seeing a guide dog walking with a woman who was blind. A squirrel ran right across the dog’s path. The dog completely ignored the squirrel and kept on walking and guiding the woman. She told us that if a dog can be trained to ignore a squirrel, we should be able to ignore distracting thoughts during meditation.
Again, sister reminded us that if you are dry, pray for devotion. “Make my heart pure by all surrendering love for Thee. Purity of heart is essential for contact with God.
Sri Yukteswar talks about the stages of the heart in The Holy Science. The clean or pure heart is the highest state.
(INSERT) The Five States of the Human Heart – To attain that perfect love is a gradual process of evolution. Swami Sri Yukteswar, guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, describes how the human heart with its feelings and emotions progresses through five different states. [See The Holy Science (pp. 77-86) by Swami Sri Yukteswar, published by Self-Realization Fellowship.]
The dark state of the heart – Most human beings are in the first state, in which feeling is scattered and diffused outwardly in desires for material things. This is called the dark state of the heart, in which one’s consciousness is directed solely to the outer creation, in complete obliviousness of the Creator.
The propelled state of the human heart – After many incarnations, there comes a time when we grow dissatisfied with mere things, when the experiences of this world leave us empty. We yearn for a higher truth, a deeper understanding of life. When we begin to search sincerely for that experience, we have entered what Sri Yukteswarji calls the propelled state of the human heart. That is, we are propelled by our inner dissatisfaction to seek something more than the superficial experiences and pursuits of the senses. In this state, we eventually find a spiritual teacher or teaching that can show us the way to the Infinite.
The steady state of the human heart – As our upward evolution continues, we enter the third stage: the steady state of the human heart. In the steady state one’s propelled restlessness is gradually transformed, through self-control, into the calm will to persevere on the path.
The devoted state of the human heart – By remaining steadfast in our spiritual practices, we come to the fourth state, in which God becomes a reality to us through direct perception. This is called the devoted state of the human heart.
The pure state of the human heart – As we deepen that devotional contact with God, the dross, the lower inclinations that prevent us from being receptive to the presence of God, falls away. We then reach the highest level, what Sri Yukteswarji refers to as the clean or pure state of the human heart. One feels not just devotion for God, but true union with Him. As two human beings who are deeply in love can intuit what each other is thinking and feeling, in divine communion between the soul and God there is a continuous, infinitely more intimate interchange of love and caring.” (END OF INSERT From The Holy Science.)