Spirituality v. Religion

Hello friends, welcome to Mohanji Speaks. Today, I would like to read out a very meaningful message, which was forwarded to me. I liked it very much. So I thought I’d share it with you.

A learned man was once asked to explain the difference between religion and spirituality. His response was profound.

Religion is not just one, there are many.  Spirituality is one.

Religion is for those who sleep- spirituality is for those who are awake.

Religion is for those who need someone to tell them what to do and want to be guided- spirituality is for those who pay attention to their inner voice.

Religion has a set of dogmatic rules- spirituality invites us to explore within and get attuned to the Universal rules.

Religion threatens and frightens – spirituality, gives inner peace.

Religion speaks of sin and guilt – spirituality leads us on the path of emancipation.

Religion represses everything, which it considers false – spirituality transcends everything; it brings us closer to our truth.

Religion invents – spirituality helps us to discover.

Religion does not tolerate any question – spirituality encourages searching questions.

Religion is human, it is an organization with rules, made by men – Spirituality is divine without human rules; it leads us to the causeless cause.

Religion divides between us and them – spirituality unites.

Religion follows the concepts of a sacred book – spirituality seeks the sacred in all books.

Religion feeds on fear – spirituality feeds on trust and faith.

Religion makes us live in external reality – spirituality lives in our inner consciousness.

Religion deals with performing rituals – spirituality has to do with the inner self.

Religion feeds our internal ego – spirituality drives us to transcend beyond self.

Religion makes us renounce the world to follow a God – spirituality makes us live in God, without renouncing our existing lives.

Religion is a cult – spirituality is inner meditation.

Religion fills us with dreams of glory in paradise – spirituality makes us live the glory and paradise on earth.

Religion lives in the past, and in the future – spirituality lives in the present.

Religion creates cloisters in our memory – spirituality liberates our consciousness.

We are not human beings who go through a spiritual experience we are spiritual beings who go through a human experience.

Friends, these are very important thoughts. I liked them very much. Whoever compiled it, they are beautiful. Think over it; listen to it again and again. Try to understand and assimilate.  It will do a world of good to you.

I leave you with these thoughts. Have a great day and a great week ahead. Lots of love. This is Mohanji for you.

Transcribed by Ulla Bernholdt

Proofread by Vidya Rajagopalan

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Depth of illusion

Hello, my dear friends! This is Mohanji.

Welcome to another podcast. Today, we will discuss the subject – illusion. What is illusion? I’ll tell you a story. Probably, you can figure out some aspect of illusion. In Sanskrit, it is called Maya. Maya is a relative truth. Relative truth, it is a truth, but its relative. Relative truth means it has existence, only on a relative level; it doesn’t have existence on the absolute plane.

So, relative truth is what we experience most of the time when we are awake. When we are awake like the sun rises, the mind rises; when we wake up, the mind rises, and then we start perceiving the world around us. And when we sleep, the mind sets. Nothing around us is of importance. So what rises, and what sets, is the relative mind. The mind, which is connected to relative things. But we still have an element of satisfaction, an element of happiness, even in sleep.

So, we are not dependent on any items or any things around us. Our happiness is not dependent on people, places, time, situations, experiences of external nature; we are not that, they are all outside. We are only completely inside when we are sleeping. But we are happy, we are happy with that sleep. There is a satisfaction that is happiness. When we wake up, if somebody asks, “Did you sleep well?” “Yeah, it was a beautiful sleep. It was enjoyable. I was happy.” What is enjoyable in that sleep? This is something which we must perceive so that we will somewhat understand the relative truth.

What we have outside is not always experience. We see so many things outside. Eyes see ears listen. So many things, so many factors we go through every day. But everything is not experienced, imagine there are so many people around. We are not experiencing everybody’s relationship.

I’ll tell you the story, and then I’ll talk further. There was one guy; he was meditating in Ganga, in freezing water for a long time, just to find out the truth of Maya, the illusion, or the relative truth. And finally, one day, God appeared and said, “Why are you meditating on something which is insignificant which you are experiencing and it may not be possible for your intellect to understand it. Why do you want to know?” Then he said, “I would like to know the depth of Maya, illusion.” God said, “In time, you will understand, let time, teach you this lesson.” God disappeared. He was disappointed because he thought that God will give him clarity, but he did not get it. So, while he was sitting there, his children came, he left for his home, and the children took care of him. He was living with his children, but at the same time, he had a deep urge to know the truth of Maya, illusion.

One day, when he was sitting outside on the porch of the house, he heard one beggar singing a song and walking outside on the road. And he had a glimpse of the beggar, he was in tatters. He had no clothes or very little clothes, fully dark and kind of shabby, not at all clean. And he felt a lot of disgust. And also, he felt this is very bad or something like that in his mind, and soon afterwards he died. So, his predominant thought at that time was disgust.

When he was reborn, he was born again, as a beggar. And he had no memory of his past life, and he was walking around, singing songs, just like he had a glimpse in the previous life. He went on like that, he married a woman, but she didn’t live for long. And meanwhile, she had a few children, children also died.

So, he was very sad, he was disoriented and he was wandering all the time. And one day, it so happened that he was wandering through one city and that King of that city had died, and they were trying to find a new king. So, the astrologers or the wise men told that the new king should be chosen by an elephant, by the Royal Palace elephant, a trained one, as it has the power to see who is divine. It was given a garland and the elephant was wandering through the streets, looking for the right person to be the next king. Then he put the garland around the neck of this beggar. Everybody was surprised, but they said this is the decision of God. Then they took this guy, they bathed him and they gave him fresh clothes and they coronated him, he became the king. And he married again, he had a few wives and he had children and all those things.

And he was ruling the country. He had some kind of inclination for a good rule, means without selfishness. He was a good king and he was having a good way to assess the good and the bad and make good decisions. So, everybody liked him. Eight or nine years went on like that. Meanwhile, one day he was walking in the garden outside his palace, and he heard a beggar singing, same like he used to do outside on the road. He immediately called the beggar, and he sat with him and he also started singing. All the palace people, the ministers and the people in the court, they saw this, and they were a bit disappointed. And they were saying, “oh, we did not know the past of this King, we must know.’ They went around their search and they found out that he was born in a beggar’s colony, and he was a beggar himself. This was his story. So, they were very disappointed. A couple of queens committed suicide knowing this. Some ministers also went away and there were so many calamities. This also made him very sad, so he also decided to jump into the fire and die. He jumped into the fire and died.

Suddenly the man who was meditating, or doing penance in the river got up. He realized the illusion, he realized what is untruth. The whole story, that means he’s still alive, but at the same time he saw him dying, him taking birth, him becoming a king; all this happened in about a minute. He realized it was a parallel reality, it was not true. It was a reality. So, God wanted to tell him what is reality and what is illusion.

Was this a reality? While he experienced, everything was real. He had sorrows, he had happiness, and he had everything. But now he realized that he’s not even dead, he’s still there. His sons have not picked him up. So, he was pretty much confused, he did not know what is real, what is untrue, what is not the truth. He was contemplating on it. And then he decided, “Okay, let me do penance again. Let me ask this question to the deity,” whom he was worshipping. And he started doing penance.

And while he was about to do that, one wandering man came to the place where he was sitting. Then he asked, “Who are you, where have you come from?” So, the wandering man said, “I was living in a city, there was a king who was a beggar, but we did not know he was a beggar. So, we coronated him as a king. He was ruling the country well, but later on, we realized that his background was not good, then we had a lot of problems in the country. Because of those problems, I decided to go wandering, because I had no other way to do.”

Then he realized, “This is my story, this is a story which I saw, but I saw all this in one minute. While this man is telling that this really happened. So what is reality? Whether my story is right, whether what I saw is real, or how did I perceive this? It is about me he is talking about, but I have not gone anywhere. I’m sitting here, and I’m experiencing this from another person’s mouth.” Then he decided, “I must get this answer.” He did penance, and the deity came, and the deity said, “Look here, your mind cannot comprehend Maya. It’s not possible. What your intellect, your logic is trying to understand, only some reality is connected to what the brain can understand, but there is much, much more. There are much deeper dimensions to everything, you will not be able to understand’.”

Ramana Maharishi

Just like that, somebody asked Ramana Maharshi, if a person dies, will he come back in two years into another body? And Ramana Maharshi said, “Yes, he can come back in two years in another body, and he can also come back into a body tomorrow. At the same time, he would have probably already lived for 75 years.” That means he can come back into a body in two years from this death to new birth. At the same time, and parallelly, he could have probably lived about 75 years.

So, this is exactly what is the depth of illusion, or the relative truth. We have so many parallel existences, which we may not even know. And some of these existences could be creating an interconnecting effect on each life.

So, I leave you with this thought about illusion. Don’t be confused. If you’re confused, it only means that this is something which creates confusion. So, just look at it that way, and we can explore it later. But it’s not really something which you can comprehend with the normal, available intellect. Don’t worry; all the people who heard this story, even the masters are confused about this.

So, the depth of creation and the depth of illusion in the creation, parallel realities and all these things, they are all real. But we have nothing to do with it. For us, what is experienced, that’s what we are. Experience, as I said in the beginning, we are experiencing everything, as we are. Outside, there are so many things that can only be perception; everything will not become our experience. We meet a person, we get a thing, materials, places, time, and they all may not give us experiences. But we are the experience. That experience also remains with us, when we are sleeping, when the mind is set, still, we have experience. And that’s what we are.

So, that experience when everything sets, mind, senses, all the aspects of the waking state sleeps, that’s exactly what we are. That’s worth exploring. What are we?

So, this is a good question. I leave you with this question. It’s a bit longer today, but to tell the whole story, it took some time.

I leave this thought on your plate. Contemplate on it, and then we’ll talk further.

Lots of love.

Transcribed by Ulla Bernholdt

Proofread by Rekha Murali

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Know Yourself – part 2

Satsang with Mohanji-Montenegro, Luštica Bay, 17.11.2019

PART 2

Q11: Is my spiritual path real, and should I dedicate myself to the gift that I have?

M: What is spiritual path? Every moment, what happens is spirituality, not doing something apart from that. We have a body and we all feel the body. Am I right? We have a body, we agree? We have a mind, do we? We agree or not, it’s there. How do you know you have a mind? If you have emotions, you have a mind. Then we also have intellect, the analytical part. How do we know? When we start analysing, are we judging, that is also coming from the intellect. If you do that, you do have it. We also have an ego. That is definite, right? How do you know you have an ego? If somebody abuses you, do you feel hurt? Or do you feel nice? If somebody tells you, you look like a donkey, do you feel good? If you feel good, you have no ego. If you don’t feel anything then you again have no ego. If you feel angry, then it is ego working. See, we call people fools, right? We call them, you are an idiot, you are a fool.” Whom do we call like that? (Audience – to ourselves). No, to somebody who is not an idiot or a fool. When a person is actually an idiot we will not even call like that, because there is nothing to call.

So we have a body, we have the mind, we have intellect, we have an ego. When do you feel all these? When you are awake. When you sleep, you don’t know its there. In a state of dreaming, you don’t know whether you have a body, mind, intellect, or ego, you don’t know. But when you wake up, you feel all these. You see everything happening. And in our 24 hours, we have a deep sleep state, where we don’t know whether we are a man or a woman, we are like the dead. Have you ever thought, who is running this show? There is some energy in us, which is managing all these. For 24 hours it is all happening: various experiences, various emotions, various feelings, so many things are happening in every 24 hours. And, somebody is running the show. Are you with me on this?

There is an energy which is activating all these: physical, emotional, intellectual, egotistical; something is activating all of these. That is how we are gaining experiences. What do you gain from this world? Experiences. It can be good experiences or bad experiences, forget about good or bad. What is it actually? Experience. These faculties are giving you experiences because of an energy which is operating through it. Otherwise, we have no experiences. Do you agree that we have something like that? We may not know the energy, right? But there is something which is waking us up, which is taking us to our dreams, which is making us deep sleep, experience all these. So, there is something going on. That awareness is spirituality. Very simple. Awareness of the spirit body, which is the energy body within us, within ourselves, which is activating our experiences, that awareness is spirituality. So, we are all spiritual.

Nobody has to give you spirituality. We have that inside of us already. We do have it. Nobody is giving you from outside. You are only becoming aware of your energy which is already inside in you, and that awareness is spirituality. The more and more you go inside and see this, the more spiritual you become.

How do you know when you deeply connect to that energy? How can you connect to the energy part of you? By being aware. Very simple. How do you know whether you are actually connecting? When you connect deeper and deeper into your own energy, what experience you will have? Less thoughts. More feelings, you will have more feelings of yourself. When you have less thoughts, there is more peacefulness. When your mind is more peaceful, you have a high level of clarity. When you look at something, you will see through that thing. Because you are fully focused.

Do you know why our experiences are sometimes not very fulfilling? We have experiences but we don’t feel contented. Do you know why? Because the mind is scattered. The mind is not fully there. Otherwise, when you are doing a job or doing something if your mind is fully focused on that, your experience will be very good. Good in the sense that whether it is positive or negative, you will have a complete experience. Sometimes it’s sorrow, sometimes it is happiness. But, when you are fully in that, that is fulfillment. That is completion.

True spirituality is your marriage to yourself. It’s a deep relationship with yourself. You don’t need any help for that.

When I used to practice, in the early 2000s, I used to wake up every day at 2.30 am, because I used to work for a company. I had a job to do from 8:30 to almost six o’clock. During that time I worked for money, but the night was mine.  But because of the profession, sometimes travells, sometimes parties, all those things were there. But, every day, I get up early morning at 2:30; then take a bath. I had very short hair,so it was easy to take a bath; now it is not easy. Then I sit in a room, which I created for myself, just one lamp, nothing else, connecting to that and I used to connect to my own energy. Just like I said , I just tried to be inside, just to feel. My point of connection was my spine. Because we are always focused on the front: eyes, nose, everything is focused on the front. We hardly remember the spine unless we have a back pain. My whole meditation was: I connected to my spine, I feel the spine, and I sit like that for five hours, until 8 am. Everyday. After a while, the whole thing started changing. Awareness shifted. I was the head of the country. I sit in the office, I see myself doing my work. No anxiety, no fear, no stress, no ownership of action. And serious situations I faced. But I overcome all that. This is the experience you will get when you marry yourself. That marriage will last forever.

You wouldn’t even believe how powerful we become when our body, mind, intellect, and ego are all together. Because they are scattered, we don’t know. The mind is scattered on a lot of things, things of the past, many anxieties about the future. The mind is all over. Past and future, less in present. Intellect is busy analysing things. Am I progressing, is this ok, all those things. Ego – looking at the people if they are respecting me, accepting me, this is the problem. Everybody is busy with their world. We are all everywhere. When you look, you don’t see. Because your mind is not there. Eyes are looking, but the mind is not there, so we don’t see. When you bring everything together, when you look, mind, body, intellect, ego, and spirit, everything is looking. Imagine that power. It’s intense and powerful. Every experience becomes powerful. Then you don’t want a repetition. You will experience that 100%. Every point in time. Whether it is happiness or sorrow, 100%. Imagine a life like that. Every moment we are being 100%. Because body, mind, intellect, ego, and spirit – everything is together. Nothing is scattered. The past is finished. Future – whether it will happen, we will see. Right now, what we have, we do 100%.

If we live like that, every moment is powerful. Living in the moment. It happens by itself. We are not planning like that. We are not thinking like that. It happens.

Did you understand? We are all spiritual. We cannot be otherwise. The problem is that we compare, or we are thinking that religion is spirituality, that is not true. Spirituality is your connection with yourself. Religion is a road map to attain or to realise God. Religions are road maps to realise God. But spirituality is your relationship with yourself. These are two different things. If we continue between these two, we will not understand the story.

Q12: How to control emotions and our attitude?

M: How to control emotions – I would say do not try to control emotions. Be aware of them. Do you like somebody controlling you? Nobody likes it. What happens when somebody tries to control you? How do you feel? Suffocated, angry. The same things happen when you try to control your emotions. It becomes suffocated. When you suppress something, any emotion for that matter, when you push it down, its like a spring. When you take your hands off, what happens? It bounces back. It’s important that we accept those emotions as they are part of us. Anger, hatred, jealousy, all those things. If it is inside of us, we don’t know what is the reason, it doesn’t matter, whatever is the reason. If you have them, first and foremost, you need to accept them, ok they are all there. They are all my companions, partners in life. First is you accepted them, they are all sitting there. They are sitting with me, walking with me, sleeping with me, no problem.

Second level – why should I feel them? I didn’t ask them to come with me, but they are with me. After acceptance, you are not supporting them. So, what happens, when you become angry? You watch yourself becoming angry. You are becoming angry and enjoy that feeling. When you start accepting your anger as it is, it will come and it will vanish. But, when you have ownership of anger, when you actually become angry, you will know that you will become weaker. You become very weak. When you accept it, ok, this man is getting angry or this woman is getting angry or Mohanji is getting angry, I am seeing myself getting angry. But I know that I am not the anger. How would it feel? It will be very weak. Just like a mother telling a child, ”If you don’t eat medicine, I’ll punish you.” Mother is not angry with the child, but the mother is concerned. The root of that anger is love. When the foundation of your anger is love, it has purity. If it is anger out of disappointment, there is an expectation. Disappointment – anger. That is not pure, because there is an expectation. But if the expectation is not there, and it is love, in that case, that anger itself has purity. It is not sustained anger. It comes for that purpose, for intensity, and it goes. Just like a wave coming from the sea. It comes out, it goes back. It always comes like that.

The answer to all your questions is very simple – it’s YOU. If you have a lot of emotions, ask yourself, ”Have I accepted myself?” Don’t try to heal your emotions, let them come and go, no problem. But – acceptance, you have no choice. If you accept yourself 100% today as you are, freedom starts now, then you will start living a life. Otherwise, you are existing, with all the baggage. But if you accept yourself totally, with all your weaknesses and all your strengths right now, you will start experiencing freedom. You will start living, not existing.

What is the clear sign of accepting yourself? You will not compare yourself with anybody. There is nothing to compare. You will accept yourself as a complete creation. If you did not accept you will think,that guy is better than me, or I am not good enough. Complexes and all those things are because of non-acceptance.

Please understand, that you are incomparable. You can’t be compared with another person. All of us are unique. We have our own uniqueness. That is our signature.That is not comparable. If you really, really accept yourself, you don’t worry about any of the emotions coming and going, because they will all come and go, but the level of acceptance will be above everything. How do you manage your attitude? Some people have tremendous attitude. And that isolates them completely from the society. How do you manage that? Any idea, suggestion? Gratitude. Have gratitude for everything. Gratitude for being alive, gratitude for breathing, for digestion, shelter, cloths, be grateful without reason. Your ego and attitude will obey that behaviour. Gratitude is a very powerful thing, very, very powerful. It’s the opposite of ego and pride. Gratitude is very good medicine that you can eat every day. I believe that your spiritual progress will be very fast if you base it on gratitude.

When you go deeper and deeper into silence, you will start experiencing realities that you don’t normally experience. Sometimes you become very egoistic, ”I am better than the other people. I can see all these things. I have all these powers.” That is dangerous. That is the time when you start falling.

When I was going through these experiences, before something happened, I knew it will happen, and it happened. I decided, ok this is now not a good game. Because I may become very egoistic. And I will start falling. So what I was practicing was, one, gratitude and the second was insignificance, which means I am not important, not special, I am ordinary. It maintained my practices. It didn’t affect my practices. Third thing, I didn’t discuss my practice with other people nor I told what I was experiencing. So that nobody could inflate my ego or pull it down. I never spoke about it. I never discussed. When did I start speaking? Six or seven years later, after I settled down in my practices. Until then, I didn’t speak. I was not available to the world. So, everybody needs some time. We all need time to settle down. All of these things will happen. Because awareness changes, it shifts.  You will have so many different experiences, and if you become too eager to tell people, everybody will shut it down.

Q13: Do you believe that you have crossed the border of suffering? Do you think you are one with God?

M: I think it depends on how you look at me. I was saying in a television interview, that I went through a series of tragedies at one time in life. In 2000 I lost my daughter, then I lost all the money I had which I invested in a property and that man ran with the money. All my materials got stolen. Whatever I had at one time, I didn’t have in another time. I was pretty much naked and totally alone in the world at a certain point in time. After having everything and reaching a certain level in my work, I was the head of the country. At that time, I had lots of friends. My position was good, money, social status, everything was good. Then everything went away. So at that time, when I used to call some friends, they wouldn’t pick up the call. So-called friends, people who were friends with me, they wouldn’t take my call,  thinking I would need money or support from them. Then I stopped calling. But that was good. That is what I was saying in the TV interview, I didn’t complain. I understood one thing. At the end of the day, your only true friend is yourself. Other people come to you, when they need something. Mostly, not everybody. There are some people who really stand by you even in your worst times. There are people like that. And I try to be that person for everybody now. I stand by people when they are in their worst situation. Because I learned it that way. I experienced it. Then later on, I got a job and I became a CEO of the company, I got all these people back. They all came back. This is very interesting this was a case study for me. I understood life. In every situation, there is something to learn.

If you stop resisting and complaining, you can learn so many things from life. These are real lessons. I really believe it was, if you really want to become a great ornament, you have to go through fire. Gold is beaten, and put in fire, melted before it’s made into an ornament. Everybody has their parts. I decided one thing: I will never leave the hand of somebody when they are in a problem. If they are successful and they don’t need me, this is ok, I’ll leave them, I allow it. I don’t leave anybody. But in the weakest time, when you leave somebody, your integrity is a big question mark. I remain solid and stable, that is probably why a lot of people are coming to see me, wherever I go. I believe they see stability, they see consistency. I feel there are no fools in this world. There are no idiots. People have awareness, they have eyes to see. They see truth. Whatever you try to pretend, they will see the truth. I don’t pretend, I just present myself, and people connect naturally. This is what I like. I do not tell them I am close to God more than they are closed to God. Nor do I tell them I am a realised Master, I just say I am one of you. I am your friend, you can talk to me if you like to talk to me. I am always with you. This is my offering to this world. That is all I can do. I remain stable and that is the only thing I can do. There is a lot of hardship before you reach a certain level. Which level, we don’t know. What will happen tomorrow we don’t know. Today is our reality, we do the best today. That is all we can do.

How do you know the operating level of another? By their range of operation. For example, you have a night light, that can probably illuminate this room. But if you have a flat light, you can see something a mile away. A person becomes a power when he is fully aligned. His range of operation will spread all over, which nobody can deny. So, there is no need to ask somebody where they stand, look at the person and their level of operation, many people are operating from the mind level. Many people are operating from an intellect level, and so many people are operating from the ego level. When you cross over all these levels, then you become everybody and everywhere. That’s a sign you can depend on. Because I can say whatever I like, how do you know I am not lying? This is how you can understand somebody’s operating level so you are not fooled.

Q14: Did you cross the line of all forms?

M: Of course.

Q15: How to become peaceful within?
M: I answered that question. Self-acceptance. Accept yourself. Totally, with all your weakness and all your strengths.

Q16: How do I channel the creative energy from the second chakra? What to do when there is excess of this energy?  How to transform it into spiritual energy?

M: You don’t need to transform any energy into another energy. When you engage yourself into activities of positive nature, when you deliver more to the world and to the earth etc. then that energy automatically gets channelised. Each chakra is a regulator. It regulates each aspect of you. For example, the second chakra regulates the water aspect in your system. So everything to do with water of your body, it has its role. And 80% of our body has water content. So it has a big role. When you channelise your activity for a selfless purpose, automatically the second chakra will align.

Q17: Why it is difficult for me to meditate, and how to start meditating?

M: If it is difficult for you to sit down and meditate, don’t do that. Instead, what you do is make sure all your activities happen with your mind being present. That is good meditation. In every activity you do, let the mind be there. No unconscious activity. That is a good way of meditating. Then you bring yourself to yourself.

Thank you!

Transcribed by Nada Rakovic
Proofread by Shyama Jayaseelan

Mohanji’s Guru Purnima Message 2019

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Clarity of Purpose Gives Will-Power, Part 1

Mohanji Speaks Zoom Satsang, part 1

24th March, 2019

Q: How to develop Iccha Shakti and what is it? Is sankalpa Iccha Shakti thing?

M: Iccha Shakti (the power of will) is connected to clarity of purpose. First and foremost we need to have clarity of purpose – what we are here for what we want with life, what your highest expression is, what will keep you happy, what the cause of your contentment and satisfaction is. Thus we have to do some manana (contemplation) before we can actually increase the willpower. Will-power is not something standalone. It is not alienated from your clarity of purpose. This is the most important thing. Most people are in a mechanical mode where they go for classes, get education, degrees, job, family, children, house, etc. In that mode, they would live their whole life, almost a clockwork kind of existence where they are not thinking at any point in time. They simply exist. So, it is important that we ask ourselves at some point in time, what really makes us happy? It’s not about pleasures. Please understand the difference.

Pleasures are connected to a certain time. For example, when you have a meal you feel contented. You wish for something and you get it, then you feel contented. Thus, we mostly spend our entire life chasing something and when it comes to you finally, you feel contented. It’s connected to some expectation and its fulfillment. I’m not talking about that. Rather, I am talking about a level of contentment where the end result is that contentment irrespective of whether something is available or not; you are happy no matter what. Whether you are appreciated or not, you are fine. You are fine at every level of existence. If that does not happen, it implies we have to increase our clarity of purpose.

Also the purpose should not be something small. It should be as powerful as brightening the earth with your existence for the limited number of years that you spend here. Do not lead your life as another hungry mouth to feed or consume. Most of us do not even think about how we can deliver more to this earth. That is the difference, the line between success and failure. We neither think about why we are here nor contemplate on what else we can do while we are in this body. This is important and this clarity will automatically increase the power of will.

Look at great leaders, not necessarily the philosophers, saints or Gurus, who have attained things and made a difference in the world. Consider someone who has provided employment to thousands. This means all those thousands of people enjoy a meal because of that person. These leaders have actually walked and are continuing to walk the path of success by having clarity of vision.

Thus the vision has to be very clear in life. It’s not an aim. It’s about what you want to do or what you can do with your current existence. That gives you stability. Then will-power automatically happens because you will not be bogged down by the events of life. You will continue to give. People may or may not appreciate. It however doesn’t matter. We continue to deliver. Since we are born on Earth, we will make the maximum use of this incarnation.

Adi Shankara has said:

punarapi jananam (again birth),

Punarapi maranam (again death),

Punarapi Janani jathare sayanam (again in the womb of some mother)

iha samsare bahudusare (this world is full of this agony of existence)

Krpaya’pare pahi murare (So, connect to the consciousness while you can).

The above words mean we have been taking birth, we have been dying, and we have been going through the same emotions again and again. We have pampered and nurtured our identities, our existence, and our personalities all our lives. At no point in time have we thought about or asked ourselves what else we could do for this world. Other than experiences, you anyway cannot take anything away from this world.

Talking about expressions, if your expressions are of the highest nature, such as compassion, kindness, selflessness, unconditional love, sharing, caring, non-violence, purity of thoughts, words and actions and you are operating from that plane consistently, then what you give back into the world will be very pure. You will only give purity. Don’t expect people to understand you. They may not understand  or appreciate. That’s fine because not everyone understands all others anyway. So, in order to maximize the relevance of this existence, you should maximize your delivery.

Delivery means you need to provide to Earth more than what you consume. That means more responsibility rather than rights. We talk about rights mostly and seldom talk about responsibilities. We must talk about our responsibility. You are already walking this earth; you are consuming a lot from this earth in the form of various materials, places, time & emotions, and so many other factors. Living on earth, walking this earth, we have many different needs and experiences and the earth is paying for it. We must pay back with our existence, with the highest good we can give. And that is the real and certain way to increase Iccha Shakti (the power of will).

Please understand it also is fearlessness. When you have great will-power, you will

1.  Not be afraid,
2.  Have no doubt,
3.  Not think (worry),
4. Stop to criticize or judge others,
5.  Not talk bad about anybody,
6. Know that all are karmic beings and all these people are expressing their existence in their own way.

So, we will continuously start expressing without any kind of blockage from within. It’s important that Iccha Shakti (the power of will) be connected to clarity of purpose. I would say that the highest clarity of purpose is “expressing non-violence”. They say “Ahimsa Paramo Dharma“, that means the ahimsa (non-violence) is the highest of dharma. If you can express non-violence in thoughts, words of expression, you will be increasing the clarity of earth and the society around you. And that will continue to bring you more energy and power.

As I said, when you have clarity of purpose, you will have the power of will, also you will have fearlessness. This was demonstrated when Pilate told Jesus, “If you repent, if you say all that I did was wrong, all I said was wrong, I can pardon you; I can set you free, you can remain alive.” But Jesus said “NO. All that I said was RIGHT.” Pilate then said, “People are against you. If I have to pardon you, I need your repentance for whatever you have done or said”. Jesus replied, “No, I will not do that. I meant what I said. I meant what I did”. That’s clarity (of purpose). When your purpose is clear, these words will come out because whether the next option is crucifixion or not, it doesn’t matter. Your clarity will lead you, give you strength and increase your will-power to the highest potential possibility.

Whenever your will-power is less, understand that your clarity is lost or you are unclear about the purpose. This holds good for employment too. In some companies you are just dragging your feet, you are going there out of compulsion, out of the need for salary, but you are not happy. That is because you are unsure whether this is exactly what you want to do in life. And that will not work because the job will become a pressure and you will never be happy or content. So, the clarity of purpose is essential. I hope this is clear.

Secondly, the faculties that you are using to experience this earth are

1) mind – emotions,

2) intellect – analysis,

3) ego – personality.

These are the three aspects with which we respond to the world. There are a lot of emotional people. Emotional people are basically nurturing their basic instincts. The basic instinct of every being on earth is SURVIVAL.

Survival has two strong aspects:

1) Need for food for the body to exist and

2) Need for sex – sexuality for the species to exist.

Now, most of the people who are operating in the emotional plane, which is, the mind plane are stuck to one or both these aspects (food and sex). And if you look at the whole world, you can see that the people are going in circles (similar pattern) in this manner.

Some people rise above the emotional factor and go to the intellect factor. In fact, they feel great about it. Intellectual/Intelligent people have a great capacity for analysis. They sometimes become scientists and explorers. They contribute a lot to this world just by using the intellect and they feel superior to the normal emotional and unconscious people. This is one more trap. As you can see, you are not actually getting out of traps. You have only transitioned from an emotional trap to the intellect trap. It is a trap, because it is not helping you to see the consciousness. You are not able to rise above these faculties. Another problem with the intellectual aspect is that it gives you a feeling of supremacy or superiority. Because you are able to analyze, you are able to assimilate, you feel great about yourself. That will lead to a more accented ego.

The mind is the basic (faculty) that which nurtures these instincts of human existence or any existence. Intellect is the analytical aspect makes you feel much better. There are many thinkers, philosophers, and other educated people who have tried to explore the nature of existence and they feel great about it. And then sometimes in their name or name of their teachings, religions & paths happen. While they may be good people and, in some instances, great people, if the intellect accents your personality, that is, the accent that overemphasizes a bloated ego, that is a BIG TRAP.

In the feast of ego, everybody goes home hungry. This is the way it is because the ego cannot be satisfied easily.

Intellect is another trap. One master had said, “Somebody who’s proud of their intellect is like a prisoner who is proud of his prison cell.” Intellect is a trap. The mind is a trap. Ego is a trap. Now, if this is understood clearly, then you understand how you are operating in this world. You might be using some of these faculties all the time. Right from the time you wake up until you sleep, you are operating in this mode continuously, all the time.

Now, the other aspect is AWARENESS. Awareness is there for every being. Some beings that are not able to talk like human beings, use their awareness to a great extent. You can see that during a natural calamity; most of the animals run away. They go to a safer place. Who told them? Look at the migratory birds traveling from Siberia or the Arctic region or wherever, to a tropical region every year at a certain time. Who told them? Who gave them direction? Who gave them the GPS or navigation capabilities? They have sharpened awareness. Through sharpened awareness, they are able to maintain precision in their lifestyle. Most of the animals and birds do that. But they are run by instinct. While the main instinct is survival for all beings, including human, they (non-humans) have awareness to a great extent.

We also have awareness, but we also have the capacity to use the awareness to understand the consciousness. That’s the difference. Consciousness is the substratum which runs the mind, intellect, ego, and body. Being aware of consciousness is one of the highest possibilities of a human being. If in one lifetime, we do not reach there, there is not much of a difference between our life and that of animals.

Most of us are not even aware of that aspect of consciousness. Why? Because we are stuck in the instinct plane. We are stuck in the instinct for survival and all other aspects associated with that. All our aspects (emotions) such as greed, jealousy, etc. are connected to instinct. If we become aware, or, we are conscious that consciousness exists, it is a completely different life and outlook. This is the possibility of human existence. And when you settle down in that aspect of consciousness permanently, we reach the stage beyond waking, dream, and deep sleep.

Also, understand that waking state is like a dream state now because we are not conscious of what’s going on. We are living mechanically. In the dream state, you are actually dreaming and that’s not the reality in real life. But it’s real at that time as when you are dreaming, you think it’s real. In waking state also, most of the time you do not have clarity, you only have partial understanding or awareness. If you are not able to see the truth as truth, as clarity (of purpose) with clarity, then it’s an extended dream state.

Thus most of us have an extended dream state in the waking state, and also a deep sleep state, which is similar to the death state with no existence. Dream state is one side and deep sleep is another. If you increase your awareness to the level where you understand that there is Consciousness, which runs or regulates the body, mind, intellect and ego as one unit, and consciousness that is the same in waking state, dream state, deep sleep state, then your clarity will be very high. With that clarity, you will not have much greed, jealousy, anger, hatred, you will not take revenge, criticize or judge because you know very well that all the people existing on Earth are at some level somewhere.

As I explained now, most of them might be operating only on mind state. Some of them might have transcended to intellect state. Some of them are between intellect and ego state. In some way, they are all trapped in their own states. How do you blame them? Or how can you criticize them? We all have gone through the same thing. If today you have a master, he would have spent many lifetimes chasing that mastery. Mastery doesn’t happen in a single day. You have to cleanse and empty yourself time and again, over lifetimes, to reach a stage of mastery where you are fully established in the consciousness, and not in mind, intellect or ego. Most of the people, who talk about the intellect such as writers or thinkers, are stuck in the intellect plane. While they have awareness, their awareness is pretty much caged in intellect and they are not able to transcend. They probably know that consciousness exists as a theory but it is not an experience.

Until and unless something becomes your experience, it’s not yours. That is not your state. It’s a theory. It’s an understanding, it’s an awareness. But you have to bring it to a level not from outside, it has to happen from inside to a level, where you are experiencing consciousness, then you realize it’s a different world. That gives you tremendous strength, power, and freedom. The sign of freedom is fearlessness. This is how all the great masters fought. They did not care whether people liked or disliked, they did not care whether people understood or misunderstood, they delivered.

Many a time during their lifetimes, the Masters were not recognized. After their death, they were revered and they were canonized. This is exactly how life works. Masters did not care about this as it didn’t matter. It is important that you deliver. You will display the states of brightness, stability, and stillness. In that state, you don’t even need words to deliver; rather you deliver with your life as you exist, as you are. It shows when you are peaceful and when you are completely settled within.

The best place and the most authentic place to settle down in life is you. You need to settle down inside. It doesn’t matter where you settle outside in countries such as America, Canada, London or any other place on Earth as they are of temporary use; you live there for some time and eventually die. If you can use this lifetime to fully settle into yourself, that’s the best gift you can give yourself. Settling into yourself is the highest possibility of human existence. That means you stop asking “why?” There’s no “why”, it’s just “am”. “I am” or being-ness will be the state. In that state, you do not have to worry about Iccha Shakti (the power of will), Gyana Shakti (the power of knowledge) or Kriya Shakti (power of action) because everything comes, joins and dissolves into the state of oneness or being-ness. This is the highest possibility.

I am saying all these because you need to see the full circle. If you understand this clearly, then you have understood the entire spiritual journey. We are actually stuck with words of people, rituals, methods, ideas, and concepts. These are all traps which are nurtured by one of the faculties such as mind, intellect, and ego. If we are looking at these aspects as existence, like life, like spirituality, we are mistaken. Not even a guru is important here. You are the guru you are the one you are connecting to, and you are not even looking outside. Forget about judging or criticizing as these are very low levels of existence and you can’t go to those levels when we are talking about being aware of consciousness and being conscious of consciousness. In that stage, you settle down completely into you and then you stabilize there fully and completely.

Question: How do we invoke Gods such as Ganesha and Muruga? Do we invoke these Gods as dimensions of the super consciousness or as different states?

Mohanji: There are 33 crore gods that is 33% of us is our soul. There are 33 crore or 330 million aspects of one supreme consciousness. What is that one supreme consciousness which has no or which is beyond dimensions? You cannot put that consciousness into any frames. Its pure energy, pure brightness, “brighter than a million suns”. And that energy is intelligent energy which is vibrant, intelligent and potent which can take any form. Every form has come out of that energy. And every form is just another part of the play of duality. Duality means up and down, left and right, night and day, light and dark, all those are parts of duality. So, the whole manifested universe such as galaxies, planets and the suns and moons and the un-manifested universe which is remaining as pure energy put together is the concept of Shiva.

Shiva is the manifested and the un-manifested. Shiva is the known universe or and the unknowable universe. You cannot know because you don’t have the faculty to understand the size of Shiva. This is Shiva. Shiva means complete. Shiva represents fullness or completeness, existing all around and everywhere. There is no place where there is no Shiva. I am not talking about the finite form of Shiva, which is like a yogi, who is completely occupied with stillness. That is an expression of the Shiva. I’m talking about Shiva which cannot be represented or can be only represented with the Shiva Linga which is often represented within a disc-shaped platform.

Now, there are 330 million expressions of Shiva. Our great masters understood that this infinite energy can be demonstrated or expressed into this world in 330 million forms or more and they expressed it. Every expression has a form, name, circuit (Yantra – a geometric structure through which the energy flows). Every expression has a worship method to maintain that circuit, maintain that energy. Every worship method is almost like your need for food or need for oxygen without which you will die. Thus this worship method and the structure of worship was created to maintain that energy, with that intensity. Then there is a frequency that it manifests, which is the Bheeja mantra (a.k.a. Seed Mantra). So all the aspects, such as a form, circuit – yantra, frequency – mantra were put together and each deity was created. A deity represents an ideal. Every idol represents an ideal.

There are Gods who are fighting demons. That is actually the representation of demons which are sitting inside us in the form of anger, hatred, jealousy, and comparison. We have certain Gods representing only fighting and destroying their dominance so that the earth becomes better; our Inner Earth becomes better and cleaner. Thus certain deities were created.

Now, Shiva has two sons. One is the knowledge incarnation which is Lord Muruga or Karthikeya. Lord Muruga even explains to his father Shiva, the meaning of AUM. Since the father is AUM, he doesn’t need to know the meaning of AUM. So the son tells His father, the meaning is of AUM. Hence, He became the guru of His father. Lord Muruga is knowledge incarnate or Gyana Avatar – Avatar of knowledge.

Then there is Lord Ganesha, who represents the un-manifested universe. The un-manifested universe is unfathomable. It can’t be explained. That’s why he takes the form of a huge body with a big belly. Lord Ganesha also has a great intellect which is cosmic consciousness. That is intellect not contained by a form or a frame. This is represented by the big head of an elephant. Why? Because the elephant is the biggest animal walking this earth. It is also a very kind being; it is herbivorous. It is it doesn’t attack or kill people or anything unnecessarily. It minds its own business and it’s very intelligent. So, all put together the elephant’s head was given just to express the state of intellect (cosmic consciousness) He holds. Then His vehicle is a RAT. Literally, if an elephant sits on a rat, then the rat is history! It will be gone for good!

Rat signifies the basic instincts or vices of human existence such as greed, jealousy, etc. The elephant representing the whole supreme consciousness sits on the basic human faculties, which signifies that the supreme consciousness is controlling the human frailties or faculties.

Similarly, for each and every idol, there is an ideal behind it; there is a reason for everything. Even the arms and the weapons held (by Gods) are connected to certain qualities or vices that we possess. Everything is defined that way because Shiva is the supreme consciousness, which has no form; and that formless can come as 330 million gods. Each God is one dimension.

Please always remember that whenever there is a form, there is destruction. Nothing stays forever. Everything has come from pure energy and everything has to go back to pure energy. So, if there is a form, there is a formless state also. If there is a birth, there is a death. So everything has its time, duration and evolution. All these things are part of it.

WORSHIP METHODS: If the worship methods are not followed as per the frequency of the deity, that deity’s frequency changes or it nullifies. This is why there are strict, definite and codified systems in temples which allows certain things and doesn’t allow certain things in order to maintain the energy of the idol. And usually it is said that between 8 and 40 seconds the idol transmits the energy depending on the inducement into the idol. Prana (energy) is induced into the idol using certain mantras and rituals. Then the idol becomes alive. It’s almost like the soul that enters a body. When the soul enters the body you are alive and when the soul leaves the body you are dead. So this inducement of energy into an idol is created in such a way that in the 8 to 40 seconds it transmits the energy to the worshiper. When the devotee comes and stands in front, then within 8 to 40 seconds, depending on the intensity of prana pratishta (a ritual that gives life to the Idol), it happens (transmission of energy).

Secondly, our temples are not just the places of worship; they are all places of rejuvenation and transformation. How does that happen? When you look at the idols that are decorated and are beautiful to see, your eyes brighten, the mind expands. Then there is a nice fragrance emitted from the flowers, incense sticks, camphor, and other materials. Automatically your nostrils like it because of the nice fragrance. Your mind and heart expand through the nostrils. Then you have mantras, chanting, rhythms, bells and many different sounds which are pleasing to the ears. Through the ears, the mind expands and rejuvenates. When the sandal paste, sacred ash, kumkum (vermilion) is applied on your third eye or on your body, through the energy of that or through the smell and/or fragrance or touch, the mind once again expands. Then the priest gives you something to eat or concentrated water to drink. When you drink that through the tongue, again, the mind is rejuvenated. So, through all the senses, the mind is rejuvenated. Hence it’s a place of total rejuvenation. Then, people prostrate, they lie down on the floor with the head down denoting surrender, thereby canceling the ego. When you surrender, your ego is canceled. When ego is canceled, you are ready for the state of emptiness.

Ego creates blockages. When the ego is cancelled, you become empty and the energy of the deity enters you even more. They say that when you go to see a guru or God offer something in the form of money or fruits or something. When you do that, it’s amounting to sacrifice. You can only offer what you have, not what you do not have. So when you share what you have, it amounts to sacrifice. It makes you rich from within. Always sacrifice makes you rich inside. In fact, when you offer food to somebody who’s hungry, you feel great. All these things completely transform a person, a worshipper, a devotee, and when you go around the temple a few times, a minimum of three times, then you are actually rotating within the auric field of the whole temple, by being inside it. That means your aura is getting cleansed. You are going around the temple, and you are getting cleansed. Through the senses, the mind is cleansed. When you surrender, the mind is cleansed. When you offer something, the mind is cleansed, then you go around the temple, again, the mind is cleansed, when you come out from the temple, you are fresh, and you are a new person. This is why one should never go into a temple without taking a bath. Then you get the maximum benefit. If you do not take a bath or you don’t wash your faces, then what you receive from there also is not enough. But if you have purified yourself, the body is pure, the mind is pure, the expressions or Mantra chanting is pure (i.e.) you are chanting it well, you gain maximum from this trip. So all these things are very definite, beautiful and most importantly, everything is scientific. That is exactly how our great masters have designed this whole tradition of liberation. Everything helps you to go one more step towards liberation.

Transcribed by Rakshitha and Ananth Sankaran          Proofread by Vidya Rajagopalan

Read Clarity of Purpose Gives Will-Power, Part 2

Naga Loka, the World of Snakes

Maha Vishnu lies on snake

There are various worlds, various constitutions, configurations, and various species in this universe. The man-made machines can only show us certain aspects of the Milky Way, our planetary system. Our machines display only the highly gross, visible aspects and materials that our senses can perceive and mind can appreciate. There are subtler planes of various degrees in the universe. One such world is what we call the Naga Loka, literally translated as the World of Snakes. We talk about this world because it has a connection with humankind on earth. There are some beings from this world that came to earth and assisted/guided mankind with superior wisdom, while mankind was meditating to find the ultimate truth and while they were still evolving into a substantial civilization. That is also why you can see Lord Shiva with a snake around his neck, and also Lord Maha Vishnu lying on a snake. There are other dimensions though, to this symbolism of both Shiva and Vishnu.

All beings on earth are instinct bound, and mainly survival instinct bound. And they all have knowledge associated with their instincts. Human beings have higher capacities – the ability to convert knowledge into wisdom to the level of understanding as well as to experience the supreme consciousness, the source factor. This is where beings of higher awareness from different worlds, away from our world, earth, come to assist. The wise beings of Naga Loka have also been assisting mankind in the department of higher awareness.

The multiple aspects of original creation were explained to mankind by those beings. This is reflected in our scriptures, as well as the words of wisdom by the great sages. Subtleties of existence or the  not-so-obvious were also explained to mankind by the benevolent snake guides.

These beings who visit the earth use the form of snakes so that they will be left alone, undisturbed, even though they are so advanced that they can take any form they like, at will. Forms are combinations of elements in a particular order. Those who live in energy form or are well-versed in energy mechanics of higher nature, can easily conglomerate elements into any form they want. We have seen various high masters like Sai Baba coming to meet his devotees in different forms.

It is not because they are snakes that they seem so. On earth and to human eyes, they merely assume the form of snakes. They may not appear as snakes to many other species on our own planet. Our naked eyes, through our created machines, cannot see their world which is also inside the Milky Way. It is only when you meditate and attain a level of subtlety that you can see such worlds. And they have the power to mask their world from aliens. They also have highly advanced beings. A species or being of another world can see their world only if they attain the same level of subtlety as that of the “snakes” or if the “snakes” bestow them that power. Thus, they are well protected in their own world from outside invasion. Even the name of Naga Loka or the world of snakes that we call their world, is only in relation to human perception. Since we see them as snakes, we call their world the world of snakes. They are in fact luminescent beings who can attain any form at will. Humans are afraid of snakes. So, they assume that form so that they are left alone.

Our Bhagawan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri was from the Naga Loka

Many snake lords have lived here in human form. They have displayed superhuman capacities. Bhagawan Nithyananda of Ganeshpuri was one such, believed to be from Naga Loka, and not of this earth. He was first found on a village pathway as an infant, protected by a snake. Nobody knows who his actual parents where or where he came from. Nobody can say for certain the origin of such great masters. We can only make assumptions based on our perceptions and awareness.

Bhagawan Nithyananda used to spontaneously perform miracles while he walked the earth. One instance was when he stood at a bus stop, waiting for a bus, but the bus didn’t stop for him. When the bus reached the next stop,  he was discovered standing there as well. And when the bus reached the third stop, he was there too. The driver of the bus was terribly perturbed at seeing Nithyananda everywhere. After that, he stopped the bus at the next stop and invited him to board it.

He was just proving a point – waking up people to the existence of a certain dimension, that they could also achieve if they shed the bondage of the mind to reach higher realms in subtlety. Not that he wanted to impress people through such acts of miracles. But how do you make people understand a message if it’s not delivered with a surprise!

I like to offer food every time I consume, to our dear respected guides from Naga Loka as well, because they have helped mankind a lot. Not many respect them and most are unaware or totally ignorant of their contributions to our original civilization. They are the ones who actually interpreted the dimensions of Parabrahma or the Supreme Father and brought the knowledge of the Supreme to the understanding levels of humankind. It is believed that the elevated guides from Naga Loka came here and taught us about the various aspects of creation, existence, and dissolution. And, they actually told us about Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva respectively as embodiments of these aspects of the Supreme Lord. They explained to us how the creations happened, and how dissolution happens, and about the various types of gods and deities who materialized in the process of creation. They explained everything from the human angle for our understanding, even though there are multiple angles to every creation, in the same way that human beings have diversity. More or less everything was taught by them, but only few people show regard or honor them or respect them. As always, we take everything for granted and complain when inspiration is lost. It is they who have subtly transferred much data to the human brain, which we have mistakenly taken to be because of our merit. And it was not the snake lords alone – we have been guided by many species from outside the earth. Some are still living and guiding us. Since our capacities are very limited to keep the channel of communication clean or to understand where it is coming from, our egos, prejudices, and non-understanding lead us to boast of our own originality and stature and attribute those original thoughts to ourselves, quite egoistically as our own inventions. We did develop awareness based on original thoughts provided by our guides or gurus. But when we own them, we degenerate. When we do not have reverence and respect, we fall. Even Lord Krishna who is considered as an Avatar, says at various points:  “thus spoke the masters of the past”,  refusing to take ownership over original thoughts, originally delivered by various mouths. He is a great master and he leads by example.

I have spoken about this a few times, but I don’t think anybody has written in-depth about Naga Loka. Even if someone has, I have not been fortunate enough to read about it. There are many books on interactions between aliens and beings of earth and I discard most of them as flights of fancy and sheer imagination of the terrestrial level.

I have mentioned many times and so have many great Himalayan Masters, that we have made grave blunders in our treatment of the guides from Naga Loka as well as other such elevated Lokas. We killed them. We assassinated them because man’s greed and possessiveness along with ownership over every original thoughts for the sake of supremacy overtook him, and his ego that pretended originality in thoughts, perhaps  prompted him to eliminate his guides. His greed for possession of land and earthly wealth degenerated him. It was human greed that wreaked insensitivity and also pulled a whole series of generations down into ignorance. We had been progressing quite well in higher awareness and maintaining our awareness levels to 360 degrees under also, (but not always) the guidance of our alien teachers. When greed for false supremacy took over, we began quarrelling amongst ourselves and greed gave swords to our intolerance. Our awareness decayed. We fell in consciousness. Even though we started off as fully conscious beings, we fell into the state of caged animals.

This started many centuries ago.

With our telescope you can only see gross planets

There are so many dimensions and so many subtleties even with our current operating level that man is unable to fathom, and even our three states such as waking, dream and deep sleep and the inherent individual patterns and inclinations. We can’t fully explain any of it in detail. We have to experience it, meditate on it and understand it.  In order to experience it, we need to attain a level of subtlety. And in order to attain the subtlety, we need to go within and understand, accept and assimilate ourselves. The questions that people usually ask me are at a lower level compared to what these dimensions are about. So, only a level of subtlety makes you eligible to see the higher dimensions of existence. With telescopes one can only see gross planets, and even with them, one cannot see many other things of our universe.

We have had many intergalactic masters who assumed human form just to guide us.  The “Nath” tradition is closely linked to the higher order of guides from outside Earth.

The non-white path is about manipulation, binding and fear

Please understand that we live in the world of dualities. Where ever there is white, there will be black too. In other words, whatever is not pure white, is darker. So, many of the seeming gurus in human form are not from the pure white side, even though they are using the white symbols of purity. (pure white means totally detached from earthly lures and completely existing as representation of ultimate liberation from the cycle of karma) You need to have keen eyes to recognize and steer clear of them. The fundamental difference is that pure white is the path of liberation and there is no other agenda. Unconditional love is their operating platform. They have neither requirements nor expectations and being fluid or spontaneous is their regular lifestyle. They are extremely flexible and adaptable and cannot be put into rigid frames of human imagination. It is simple and straight. While on the contrary, the non-white path is about manipulation, binding, and fear. White is unconditional love and that is why even ingratitude from mankind did not invoke wrath and total destruction of the species. Non-white agenda is to manipulate minds, maintain delusion, and make them follow or destroy them totally. Fears, doubts, binding are all part of the non-white path. According to me, more than eighty percent of the seeming spiritual, political, commercial guides of our time are not from the white path. Those who manipulate, conquer, capture and do not allow free will cannot be from the white path.

We have had many powerful masters from the white order. Shirdi Sai Baba was one of them. Once, he observed three days of perfect Samadhi state, where he suspended his body and left for a higher errand. For three days his body was stagnant, as if dead. He had given instructions:  “Don’t touch my body, I’m going. I shall be back”. Some say that he had actually gone to visit Naga Loka. Their explanation is that He was invited to Naga Loka to mediate a difference in understanding between some beings there. He apparently went to sort out certain things in that manner and came back after three  days. We cannot confirm these facts as ultimate truths because Baba Himself never said anything about it.

Naga Loka is indeed a physical world according to me, with physical beings perhaps not made out of elements like us. They are very luminescent. Some consider them as angels because of their benevolent nature. It is close to earth. It’s a world in the Milky Way. But, it’s very subtle, you cannot see it. To human eyes, they are in the form of snakes because humans are afraid of snakes and it helps their security.

They use many methods to travel

They use many methods to travel and also use certain kind of UFOs to come here. They have various ways of doing it. Like for example, the atmospheric friction leads to heat and slow speed, so, they make themselves light and element-less. See for example, if your body becomes kind of very loose or kind of molecular, air can go through it. Even though you have made the unit structure integrated, the air is going through the body as you are there, but you are transparent, there’s no friction. They have the capacity to perform things like that.

They do come to visit us. They still come.

The Shree Naga Raja Gayathri (Divine Serpent) was used by people of the past for protection from poisons that affects the body such as skin ailments, allergies and also curses like lack of spouse, family and children.

Aum Sarpa Raajaaya Vidmahe

Padma Hasthaaya Dheemahi

Thanno Vasuki Prachodayaat

Recently in Delhi, a man asked me, “I would like to see a real god, a deity from Naga Loka”.  I spontaneously replied, “You will see”. And it so happened that when he traveled to the Himalayas, on one day he saw a snake of pure golden color moving near him. As he was looking at it, he suddenly recalled what I had said, and thought, “Ah, Mohanji has blessed me, so this must be it”. And suddenly the snake vanished. He searched around for it,  but there was nothing. This is how they appear, bless and disappear.

As mentioned earlier, they are in the form of snakes but they are not our terrestrial snakes. They like to keep this shape for reasons of flexibility, security and fluidity. They represent fluidity and spontaneity of our linear existence. They assumed the form of snakes because of two reasons – one is that then nobody will bother them, and second is, they have a body which is flexible and fluid.

We must wake up. We must see. We must “LIVE”

There are different beings – some of them have chosen to go beyond time like our Babaji, innumerable years old. He chose to keep the body. We also have Hanumanji amongst us, 15.000+ years old at the least, and still available. Such supreme beings decided to keep the body to remind us of our actual potential, and these are celestial reminders for our existence. We must wake up. We must see. We must “LIVE”.

Love You

M

The Glorious Dead

The Glorious Dead

Most people cannot handle personalities and see only difference between one another. Yet, they display profound emotions when these same people die. Amazing world of pretensions indeed!

I am always surprised at the emotions people display when people die. I always think where these overflowing emotions were when the new dead were alive in their respective bodies.

Ram Charan died last evening. He was ill, hospitalized and was in a helpless condition since long. None of his relatives displayed any substantial compassion. He was a school teacher and none of his ex-students provided any substantial help. His own children were not too happy at the “loss of money” on behalf of their father. Only his wife was at his side till the end. She did her best to keep him comfortable. This being the state, after death, many people came to pay respects. Society called for a meeting to mourn the death of Ram Charan. Many wept, looking at the dead body. Many grieved in public. I sat and watched the show with a smile. It all looked like a comedy show for me. 🙂

Only his wife was at his side till the end. She did her best to keep him comfortable.

I am always surprised at the emotions people display when people die. I always think where these overflowing emotions were when the new dead were alive in their respective bodies. Most people cannot handle personalities and see only difference between one another. Yet, they display profound emotions when these same people die. Amazing world of pretensions indeed!

Human relationships are grossly conditional. Any close associate or friend can turn around and scandalise you at the drop of a hat, for any paltry reason.

One thing must be remembered. Human relationships are grossly conditional. Any close associate or friend can turn around and scandalise you at the drop of a hat, for any paltry reason. Relationships are based on relevance. A sick old man often becomes irrelevant in the gross world of time, money and profits. Their past contributions to the family and society becomes irrelevant with time. Words of gratitude dry up with time, too. Utility value is calculated in detail by even their own children. It is important to shed expectations as we grow older and consider whatever comes our way as grace and blessing. In the modern age of mad rush for profits, this is the best attitude for survival in peace. Keeping sufficient money for a decent burial at hand’s reach also is a good idea. There are no emotions here. Just hardcore acceptance of reality and truth as it is.

It is important to shed expectations as we grow older and consider whatever comes our way as grace and blessing.

It is also important, as we grow older, to catch God, slowly detaching from the terrestrial entanglements. Merge into God consciousness more and more consciously. This will take away the suffering from our pains. This will help us detach from ourselves and our silly emotions, too. This will dilute expectations and increase our level of satisfaction. It is important to be real. It is important to understand between the real and unreal. A practice which just occupies the mind temporarily and leaves us back into misery as soon as it is over, is certainly not the right path. Perpetual bliss, objectivity and equanimity must be achieved. This needs shedding of our old patterns, habits, fears, expectations…so on and so forth. As we grow older, if we move more and more into realms of equanimity, rather than differences, life would become complete. Liberation will happen sooner or later.

Perpetual bliss, objectivity and equanimity must be achieved. Shedding expectations, binding habits, fears, etc. and liberation will happen.

We must be aware that we are bound by concepts, especially pertaining to Kundalini, chakras, aura, so on and so forth. In absolute sense, they all are distractions, mind’s playground. Concepts delay our spiritual evolution. It alienates us from truth. Sensations are experienced by the mind. It craves for more. It craves for repetitive sensations. Repetitive sensations create habits. Habits bind us and leads to stagnation in spiritual journey. Spontaneity and fluidity are essential for growth in spirituality. This clarity is a minimum requirement for any seeker.

Spontaneity and fluidity are essential for growth in spirituality.

I meant this note just as a statement, an eye opener, at our own spontaneous pomposity; a mirror to our shallow existence of gross pretensions. If we are able to gather ourselves from our pretensions, we are redeemed. If not, there is no other choice than repeated births and deaths until total nullification.

Remember – Shivoham. We are truly the seed of God. Choose Godhood.

I always love you

M

We are truly the seed of God. Choose Godhood.

Concepts and Truths

The Creation

If there are 7 Billion people on earth, there are so many personalities, with concepts, ideas, fears, conditionings, and all other flavors of life that one could possibly think about. As I have always mentioned, constitution wise, we are “hand-made” and not a factory product that looks and feels alike and whenever man tried to create evenness among his subjects, serious tragedies took place; wars, death and displacements happened. Look into the history of man-kind, you will understand what I am talking about.

Life as a Stage Show

Each being on earth is unique, irrespective of the species. This also implies on one’s free will. We create our destiny. We ourselves, through our own thoughts, words, emotion and action created our own destiny. We are the creator or script writer of our own life. Soul is only the aiding factor or the fuel that fulfils the journey – the energy that made the script into action. Nobody else is responsible for your life, your experience, even though many a time, you need co-actors to bring forth effects in experience. So, many actors sequentially join and leave the play and each actor has his or her relevance in the play. None is less or more important. Everyone added their flavor. In your life story, you are certainly the hero and the rest are the supporting actors. But, for each supporting actor, they are the hero of their own script. Comedy, tragedy, drama, action, horror, satire and all its variations are usually part of every script. Each actor represent different flavors of life. They join hands and spice up the drama of your life. They make it worth it. Sometimes the show makes you cry, sometimes it makes you laugh, sometimes it creates fear, sometimes love. The story continues. Many characters happen in the play.

Concepts and questions such as why cannot god remove evil from earth makes no sense when we understand how the infinite power operates. God is neutral, just like our own soul. It is objective, non-interfering and in perfect detachment from the actor or the action. God allows all characters to come and perform on the stage or it never interferes at least. Since each player is also the script writer of his own drama, God allows the experience of the play, irrespective of its theme and reason. There is no good and bad in God’s realm. There is only truth and experience. Man goes through many relative truths before he understands and attains the absolute truth. This trial and error is part of every being’s life. God shall not take away this experience of existing in duality until one finds his unity. Duality is indeed the state as well as experience that leads one to unity. This truth cannot be underestimated. Without duality, there is no creativity. When me and my father becomes one, there is nothing to experience anymore. Only when the object and the experiencer are separate from one another, there is an experience. When eyes becomes one with the sight, there is nothing to see. When tongue becomes taste, there is nothing to taste. When ego and all identities dissolve and man becomes one with God, there is no more search. There is only beingness.

This state can be achieved only at the end of the drama. The chosen script should be acted and completed before the merger can happen. The audience or the operator cannot interfere and change the script nor duration. Sometimes, some characters attain sudden death and disappear from the drama. Even this is part of the original script even though it may seem to the audience as quite dramatic. This is the chosen effect, by the script writer. If a WOW! happens in the lips of the audience, the script writer attains fulfillment, even if it means a tragedy.

Social Role Play

Society consists of all sorts of beings. Variety in looks and variety in flavors makes life worth it. Monotony and stagnation always creates boredom, stress and delivers a depressed existence. Motivation to excel helps maintain energy levels. Society works on systems. Various players make it complete. The job of a policeman, doctor and an engineer are distinct and each of them add value to the overall collective existence. A doctor is expected to cure illness while a policeman is expected to maintain law and order. Each one has his chosen path and expressions. One cannot be replaced by the other, even though there could be possible combinations.

There are expressions in beings which brings forth happiness or sorrows or both. Various expressions from various flavors of love – the highest being unconditional love – to lesser emotions such as greed, hatred, jealousy, anger so on and so forth. These are all flavors that the script writer wrote in his personal drama of life, out of choice of out of ignorance. What has the God, the audience or spectators got to do with it?

If someone ever states that God or Guru should prevent evil from spoiling the broth of life, it is indeed a sign of perfection in non-understanding. Just as the soul, the energy and electricity does not interfere in our thought process, words of action, and just assists fulfillment, God shall not remove duality at any cost, unless it chooses to remove relativity and dissolve everything back into itself. Until the huge universal drama ends, the smaller – much micro dramas will continue. God shall not pull the plug.

Coming back to our realm, If everyone does his part well, society would be a better place. If a policeman handles law and order honestly and purposefully, people will live in peace. If the ruler is objective, selfless and benevolent, people will live fearlessly. If laws ensure justice on time, crime will be less. When greed and selfishness dominates a society, calamities will happen. When purposelessness dampens the morale of the society, wars will happen. These are some of the basic ground rules of existence.

Thus, as individuals are creating their own script of life, the society is built up on collective scripts. No God or Guru is responsible for that. Duality or relativity made life possible in its existing variety. Minus relativity, there is no creativity. Minus creativity, there is no experience, or fulfillment. Minus fulfillment, there is no reason for existence. So, how can God interfere? He is the facilitator and not the creator of the micro dramas. If your rulers and policemen cannot prevent crime, if the education systems cannot develop higher awareness in society, what has God got to do with it? It is the problem with the operating levels of the society which consists of people. It is not the job of a saint to maintain law and order. His job is to guide those who choose to come to him, follow him and stay with him to higher levels of awareness. In that effort, miracles can take place. No true guru will perform miracles of higher or lower impact, just for the sake of creating thrill in people because siddhis bind and often enslave the performer. It is indeed the faith of the disciple that facilitates it. Those who come to test gets nothing. Those who develops faith can spontaneously experience higher realities. As Jesus said “May your faith heal you”. No true Guru will also interfere in the free will of the people or society. The star villains of our epics such as Hiranya Kashyapu, Kamsa, Ravana or Mahishaasura had their own free existence before being deleted from the system by avatars that came specifically for this extermination job. There were saints and higher masters living in those periods too. Why was the duality maintained? This is how the universe operates. Society that craves for peace should create awareness. They should shed greed and jealousy. When greed for profits achieve insensitive proportions, the soul of earth suffers. The environment decays. The Guru or God has nothing to do with it. One last question on the same subject. Even if a Guru or God comes forward and volunteer to cleanse the society, and prescribes the ways to do it, will the subjects follow it unconditionally? If yes is the answer, we would have already done that. We would not have assassinated Jesus and Socrates – those who only spoke truth. We would have lived according to the teachings of Bhagawat Gita, Ashtravakra Gita, Avadhootha Gita or the great eternal teachings of saints who followed Sanatana Dharma. We would definitely have lived by the teachings of Gita and Satcharithas. There should be clear understanding before we complain about our own state. Who is creating them, maintaining them, and enjoying them? This is important to realize.

Pseudo Spirituality

Why are many still groping in darkness as far as spirituality is concerned? Good question. This is because people are going after “feel good” stuff, cults and organized patterns while each one of us are unique creations and every capsule cannot suit everyone. The comfort zone spirituality cannot ensure any growth. Stillness is the nature of the supreme God. If the aim is to achieve that, shedding is important. Everything should dissolve and there can be no duality. Only oneness with the God. Until we achieve that, we need to practice witness hood  objectivity, and stillness. Many people who are in the path are just entertaining themselves with activities believing that more activity will get them more results. This is perfect non-understanding. Beingness evolves the man and not doingness.

Gratitude Matters

Good question. Gratitude will indeed help in spiritual growth. But, people forget fast as they are using their conscious mind for their daily life. They go after glitters and others opinions instead of own experience. Jesus healed many leprosy patients. There was no cure for leprosy during those days. Leprosy patients were locked and sealed in caves and left to die! They walked with a bell around their neck to warn people. Yet, once they were healed, they dissolved into the society without even a glance of gratitude for the healer. Their ego did not permit them to declare in the society that they were leprosy patients in the past. Jesus did not expect any gratitude though. It would have been a great evolution for the consciousness of the patients, if they stood up and thanked the healer; nor did they come to his assistance when Pilate asked the question if Jesus should be pardoned. All those who benefited by Jesus never gave anything back to him. This is the nature of our society. Gratitude is good for the seeker. The real guru wants nothing.

Love You Always

M

 

The Gross and The Subtle

Dear All,

The Gross and The Subtle, this duality will always trouble the mind. Is the way to unity is through this duality? Mohanji gives awareness to many burning minds.

When one expects to see complete unity and diversity of GOD in gross forms, one fails to understand the creation, creativity, free will and uniqueness within the diversity of existence.

Do not be disillusioned. No gross form is equal to God, if God is formless, colorless, desire less and omnipresent. Form has limitations; Form has reasons. Form has weaknesses. Forms dissolve and die. A form can indeed represent higher consciousness, which we could call an Avatar. Forms represent various degrees of awareness. But forms also represent duality. While owning and operating a form, there is alienation, there is a division, and there is a corresponding disillusionment too. Forms that represent certain aspects of the all-encompassing God are considered as deities. All forms on earth have its own constitution which is well beyond generalization, even though generalization is possible on the basic level of operation such as hunger, sex, sleep, circulation of blood etc which are the basic general rules of gross existence.

When we expect to see complete unity and diversity of GOD in gross forms, we fail to understand creation, creativity, free will and uniqueness within diversity of existence. We fail to appreciate the basic as well as the collective operating levels. We get disappointed and disillusioned. Uniqueness is the basis of creation. It is no factory product. Creation in larger sense is always hand made. Understand creation at the cellular level and then you will understand the Universe!!!

Let us make one thing clear. This body is called Mohan or in your words ‘Mohanji;. Till my last breath, this body will remain in the name of Mohanji. People may confer titles in front or back of this name. But the name will remain the same.

Never be disillusioned. We can only see what we are capable of seeing.. Mohanji

This body is definitely not Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Baba or Jesus. This body, existing today, is called Mohanji. Consciousness that operates or works through this body is intangible, invisible and often incomprehensible to public eyes. Never be disillusioned. We can only see what we are capable of seeing. Be Happy!!!!

All people are connected to something, some body. This connection is due to their inner compatibility with the object of their connection. One may see the reflection of their object of connection in me. That does not make me that object. There could be resemblances, character similarities, but one is certainly not the other. Be aware of that!!! No person can be another person. Even when soul takes new birth, the incarnation has different names, form and purpose. Nothing is ever the same. Time and space are different and so is purpose on earth.

Do not be disillusioned. This body is called Mohanji and it will remain so till this body dies away. Do not be affected or connected to me- imagining, thinking that this body is that of someone else. That will lead to disillusionment and disappointment.

All incarnations portrayed their unique character and constitution even like we do. Baba is Baba, Krishna is Krishna, Jesus is Jesus. These are names of bodies (certain people) of the past. Their consciousness is certainly one and their consciousness is definitely eternal hence they are eternally available. They all are one. You are one with them too. This is why you are connecting with them or their certain character aspects so effortlessly. There could be many similarities of them – their character, that you recognize in others. There could be consciousness compatibility which makes them feel that this one is that one. But it is a mirage. Do not be disillusioned.

All bodies have duration and purpose. Purpose is always time-related – on earth. Time changes matter. Requirements change on earth. Such incarnations that could handle such requirements take birth. They may have attributes from the past. But they are in a fresh body. They have fresh name and form. They have a new set of parents, language and mission. They are new. Do not be disillusioned. This body is called Mohan and will remain so.

A son may resemble the father, but he is not his father. Likewise, each incarnation is unique. Our inflexibility and non-understanding is due to our own conditioning and mental pictures, images that we have acquired and maintained. Once we become flexible and fluid clarity takes place spontaneously.

7 Billion people. 7 Billion Personalities. 7 Billion types of expressions. Do not try to change the world outside. Change the world inside. If 7 Billion does the same, the world outside will be a much better place. Tragedy lies in the fact that we are trying to change the world outside all the time, ignoring or discounting our conditioning,  fears, phobias and prejudices. When we are always “against” something, we will fail to see the subtlety and beauty of existence. When we only look outside, all you see are states of duality and disparity. Unity lies within. The key to a unified existence, oneness with all beings, is kept within us. When we become unified with ourselves, we see the whole world unified with us. The “way out” lies within us.

The “way out” lies within us… Mohanji

Why do people worship Gurus – the ones who are in their physical form? Do we need to? I find it inappropriate and meaningless.

This question usually comes from a person who is in the knowledge path – Jnana Yogi. There are many paths to reach God. And Guru is the guiding light. There are many types of people too. Everyone has his or her own style and approach towards any situation. Actually speaking, no true guru or God needs anything from you, let alone worship.

Now, a person of emotional nature, who chants praises of God – usually the form that his mind gets connected to easily, melts himself or herself into that being or object of worship. These people need an object to worship. Human mind needs forms to associate with. This is fundamental. It recognizes forms and connects to forms. Human constitution uses all faculties such as body, mind and intellect to connect to the chosen form. And when the connection through faith increases, individual personality takes a back seat. The individual starts to merge with the object of worship. Non-duality happens. When oneness takes root, often the need for any of the individual faculties that the individual used for the primary connection also becomes redundant. Everything dissolves into oneness. This is the advantage of bhakti Yoga. Usually, Bhakti Yogis merge with supreme consciousness much faster than the other paths such as knowledge, sadhana (spiritual practices) and service. The tranquility and strength that they achieve through surrender cannot be fathomed by the practitioners of other types of paths.

Likewise, the elevation that knowledge gives – based on duality is not understandable to a Bhakthi Yogi too. Experiencing God using the path of knowledge is like the pole of the pole vault. The pole is only used to lift one beyond the bar. Then, the pole of knowledge is shed when the bar is crossed. Then it is just a fall into the lap of Infinity or God. But, if the Yogi holds on to the pole and refuses to let go, handicap happens in the game. He stays with his pole and cannot win God.

In the case of Path of Pathlessness, ability to cling on against all odds and depth of faith and surrender is the criterion for higher elevation. .. Mohanji

There is a saying “If God and Guru come together, whom to greet first?” The answer automatically happens “Guru, because he is the one who brought and guided me to God”. This is one aspect and answer to your question.

Another aspect – in Shirdi Baba’s words “My Guru was indeed powerful. But he taught me nothing. Day and night I served him and watched him. He gave me everything”. This is another aspect. There are paths where there are no explicit teachings or courses. By just a mere glance or wave of hand, Baba used to elevate people. By just being in the energy field of the powerful Guru, the disciple achieves everything. But, in those cases, the Guru would often display mediocrity and shallowness, to test the tenacity and conviction of the disciple.

In the path of courses and examination, the skill displayed is the criteria for elevation. In the case of Path of Pathlessness, ability to cling on against all odds and depth of faith and surrender is the criterion for higher elevation. When people asked Muktananda how he achieved his spiritual proves, he answered “I never asked my guru – WHY?” Total surrender and perfect obedience was the path. This is often very difficult for a Jnana yogi, one who is in the knowledge path who needs answers for every simple thing. The Gurus of the Datta Tradition, Nath tradition or simply those who follow the path of dissolution will not deliver such answers. They even shake the faith of their disciples through abnormal and even unacceptable behavior to test the mettle of the student. Jnana Yogis often scandalizes the guru and escapes, but falls deeper into the birth death cycle and disillusionment. Bhakti Yogis stay.

Now, once again, how do you know a Satguru – the true one?

There are some primary yard sticks – The most important is your destiny.  It is destiny that brings you to him. And it is your destiny that makes you recognize the real one.

Second are certain signs of the Guru – does he bind you with fear or he maintains you unbound and free? If you are always kept unbound, you are at the right place. In this path, serving the guru is your choice, yet it is also your elevation.

Third is, he needs nothing from you, or he gives you back much more than he takes – if at all. He changes your basic constitution often based on conditionings and fears, to that of stillness and fearlessness.

Fourth is, when you are with him, you will know and recognize a definite change in your vibratory level, a shift in consciousness. The more you are with him; the shifted consciousness becomes yours too. These are subtle aspects one must feel and experience within.

Fifth is non conformity to any habits and mannerisms. He may behave in strange ways often unacceptable to social norms. This is because a Guru who is established in supreme consciousness operates only in the level of cosmic necessity or purpose and not of individual karma. He is only guided by purpose. He has nothing to do with social do’s and don’ts. His operating level is spontaneity, uncontaminated by thoughts. For example; Vyasa impregnated Ambika and Ambalika because the dynasty had to continue. He also impregnated the maid to bring forth an unconditional, wise man called Vidura into the court of selfish royals. Sai Baba often scolded and beat people to drive away evil lying embedded in the constitution of devotees. People, who got offended, never understood the real meaning behind the action. They left him and went away. The loss was essentially theirs. Swami Samarth used to urinate in front of people which distracted many. There are many such examples.

If the Guru is powerful, he would usually be very ordinary or will often act in strange ways. They scold people for their well-being. They need nothing from anyone. True masters would not care about their mannerisms and will have no efforts to make himself socially acceptable. Those who are totally conditioned and bound by social norms and fears will run away from them. Those who stay get all that they can carry.

So, worshipping the Guru, considering him as representing the Lord Almighty, or personification of the Lord is definitely the path of those who are inclined to Bhakti or devotional path of spirituality. Understand that all paths are suitable for someone. All paths are not suitable for everyone. So, do not judge from your level. If you do, you will only get more disillusioned. You may not understand the pleasure that a bhakti yogi derive from any acts of devotional nature. They often do not have duality. They become one with the object of their worship faster than other paths.

The knowledge path keeps duality longer than other paths because, intellect is the faculty used to digest knowledge and intellect is associated to our limited system. This constitution of ours which is tangible and that we call with a name is associated with a form. Intellect alienates and analyses. Intellect creates walls. When knowledge becomes wisdom, that means each unit of knowledge intake is digested well, and it merges into our constitution, duality slowly starts to dissolve. Oneness takes root.

The causeless happiness

Understand one thing clearly. No true gurus or god needs anything from people including worshipping their perishable physical form. But, for disciples, it is reconfirmation, confidence and it helps in maintaining their faith. This is why they do it. Every practice has its value only if it is done from the heart. If mechanically, ritualistically done, no activity will have any value.

I hope I have clarified the question at hand.

Bless You

M

Surrender Matters

Dear all,

Mohanji has given the practical prayers to be in harmony with ourselves and others and pointed out the depth of the benefits of surrender. He explains possible misunderstanding of the word ‘surrender’, too.

Love,

BTW Team

Surrender purifies us completely

My Beloveds

            Surrender, is one of the words in human languages that is most misunderstood in usage. Surrendering to someone is a big hit on one’s ego. It diminishes one’s self-esteem. Having to surrender is considered as a weakness or a deficiency, in terrestrial terms, where ego decides actions.

While, in spiritual terms, this is a good thing. Man minus ego = God. So, surrender nullifies our ego and then the Godhood within us starts to shine. This is why we prostrate in temples and monasteries. When our head and heart come in one line, horizontally, ego is under control. When we bow down in reverence, we nullify our ego, at least temporarily. Bhakti or Devotion has a lot of value because it brings ego under control. Ignorance expands our ego while surrender brings it under control.

Bhakti or Devotion has a lot of value because it brings ego under control.

Traditionally, our ancestors used to practise some simple methods to maintain health and keep ego under control. Here are a few chants and their explanations.

When we wake up in the morning, after lying horizontally the whole night, our energy pattern in the body would have changed. Its frequency would have altered. While sleeping, the energies of our body has attained a tranquil, passive state. It is more latent energy. When, we wake up, we must give time for energies to start moving, preparing the body for action. In order to provide this time, they suggest lying down and look at the palm instead of jumping out of the bed and being vertical all of a sudden, which can affect the rhythm of the heart and adversely affect the meridians of our system. There is a mantra to ease our getting up. Look into the palm of your hands and chant ” Karagre vasate Lakshmi, Kara moole Sarastwati. Kara Madhya Sthitha Gowri, Prabhate Kara darsanam” This means, At the tip of our hands or fingers stays Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. Lakshmi never stays constant at any place. Money changes hands. Fortunes change too. So, it always stays at the tip of our fingers. Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge stays at the opposite side, that is, the root of our palm near the wrist. Acquired knowledge stays with us till we die. It is more stable in terrestrial terms. In the middle stays Goddess Parvati, the kindness incarnate, the mother. She balances the knowledge and action. She enhances wisdom. With this knowledge, if you see your hands and remember the pattern of our existence, it will give sufficient time for the latent energy to move in an even fashion within as well as give us a balanced outlook. It also enhances our commitment to selfless work. It activates kindness and reverence within us. This also is a reminder that it is the god energy in us that makes things happen in our life. This is also meant to nullify our ego and surrender to the supreme.

Then we sit up in our bed. Our body has become vertical from horizontal. Energy has started moving differently. Then, we need to earth it off as we were lying horizontal before. In order to achieve that, we chant “Samudra Vasane – Paadasparsam Kshamaswame” and we bend down and touch the ground with our right palm, which is the opposite side of where our heart is. This earths the excess energy which we accumulated or conglomerated during our sleep and saves our heart as well. This is why we earth the energy through the right hand. Then we are ready for the day.

There is also one version of the same hymn where it says that Lord Krishna stays in the middle of the palm (Kara Madhye tu Govinda:). Well, He is the Guru of the Universe. If He stays in the middle of the palm, we can only function with total equanimity and detachment. He has blessed us with the Great Bhagawad Gita and if we follow His teachings and function with detachment, we attain liberation.

Morning chant, to balance our energies and frequencies. Lying down, look at the palm and chant, “At the tip of our hands or fingers stays Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge stays at the the root of our palm near the wrist. In the middle stays Goddess Parvati, the kindness incarnate, the mother.”

Then we sit up for a few seconds in our bed before we stand on our feet. This is good as it helps the body rhythm and the flow of prana through our meridians. When the feet touches the ground, we pray “Samudra Vasane Devi, Parvata Sthana mandale, Vishnu Patni Namastubhyam, Padasparsam Kshamaswame”. This prayer is to the Goddess which we call Earth, even though we address it to the wife of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi. “One who pervades the water and mountains, or One whose body is the oceans and mountains, I prostrate to the Goddess and please forgive me, as I step on you or tread on you.” This is reverence to the mother Earth. If we have such reverence to the mother Earth, we will never be insensitive towards her and destroy her. So, we thus seek her permission to walk on her for our purpose. We remain in gratitude. This time also gives our body an easy pace between horizontal to semi vertical and totally vertical. It helps to keep our energies even and well circulated. It maintains our meridians.We are mentioning earth and water, the basic two elements in our body. Samudra (ocean) represents the water element in us which is regulated by our hara chakra. And Parvata (mountain) represents the earth element as well as potential for the highest elevation in us – the kundalini energy. Hence this is also invocation for both the elements, mother kundalini and also the other elements in us, with the prayer to assist us as we move through the day. If kundalini energy inspires us, wisdom will flow. It also says be conscious right when you wake up until you sleep. And always live on prayers and surrender.

Sit up and chant, “One who pervades the water and mountains, or One whose body is the oceans and mountains, I prostrate to the Goddess and please forgive me, as I step on you or tread on you.” This is reverence to the mother Earth.

Then we stand up, looking towards the rising sun in the east, remembering Lord Vishnu or His Avatar, Lord Krishna, the maintainer of the universe, and chant  – “Kaayena Vaacha, Manasendriyaiva, Buddhyatmanaavat, Prakrite Swabhavaat, Karomi Yadyat, Sakalam Parasmai, Sri Naarayanaayeti Samarpayaami”. This means, Whatever I perform today, with my body, mind, intellect, senses, speech, my nature and character, I surrender everything at the Lotus feet of the Lord Narayana.” Narayana means the destination of man or the Supreme Father. Everything came out of Him and will merge back into Him. So, this prayer is to the Supreme Lord. When we start our day with this chant, and this understanding as well as surrender, we will accept all that happens that day with equanimity and poise and our desires or expectations will be totally under control. Even if things do not happen as we expected, we will not be perturbed and will start to accept it as the Will of Lord Narayana.

Then, stand up turning to the sun and chant, “Whatever I perform today, with my body, mind, intellect, senses, speech, my nature and character, I surrender everything at the Lotus feet of the Supreme.”

Then, we conclude our day with the surrender mantra, requesting complete forgiveness for all our actions, thoughts,and words. “Kara charana Kritam Va, Kayacham Karmacham Va, Shravana Nayanacham Va, Manasam Vaaparadham, Vihitam Avihitam va, Sarvametat Kshamaswa, Jaya Jaya Karunabdhe, Sri Mahadeva Shambho, Sri Sai Natha Sambho.” This is the final prayer before we go to bed. It says, Whatever I performed today, with my organs of action such as hands and legs, organs of perception including senses, mind and intellect, all that I performed as per your wishes or against it, due to my ignorance and non-understanding, Oh Lord, please forgive everything, please forgive me, my supreme Lord Shiva, My Lord, Sai Baba. (They are one)

End your day with surrender mantra, “Whatever I performed today, with my organs of action such as hands and legs, organs of perception including senses, mind and intellect, all that I performed as per your wishes or against it, due to my ignorance and non-understanding, Oh Lord, please forgive everything, please forgive me, my supreme Lord.”

As we surrender all that happened that day at the feet of the Supreme Lord, from where everything originated and perpetually dissolves, we become free from all bondage. We become detached from all our thoughts, words and action. Thus, Surrender purifies us completely. Also, we are surrendering all our activities of the day at the feet of Lord Vishnu who maintains and supports existence. He is the one who maintains creation. Preservation is His job. 🙂 And at the night, we are laying ourselves at the feet of Lord Shiva, the dissolver.  He dissolves existence. He merges us with our creator. Each night, we are re-born, as we dissolve our identities during deep sleep and regain it as we wake up. So, we are requesting the lord of dissolution to forgive everything and help us dissolve smoothly into emptiness and provide us a blissful sleep. So, readers may kindly note that in the morning, we are requesting for continuity in thoughts, words and action so that all that we perform on that day bear positive results and in the night, we are requesting forgiveness which helps smooth dissolution into the lap of the Almighty without terrestrial entanglements. Those who carry hatreds and heaviness of hearts, may kindly be aware of this. One prayer goes to Lord Vishnu and the other to Lord Shiva. Both are essentially one. Both are expressions of one Parabrahma.

Surrender in spiritual sense is a great thing. It helps liberation from the birth-death cycle. The same method can be followed by people who follow any faith of their choice. The main thing is the attitude of surrender, to your chosen deity  or Master or Prophet and leave all ownerships at His feet. He does everything. The whole existence belongs to Him. (He does not mean a male. Gender has no value here. It can be the Supreme Energy which is formless, genderless.)

Surrender in spiritual sense is a great thing. It helps liberation from the birth-death cycle. The same method can be followed by people who follow any faith of their choice.

Love You Infinitely

M