Making Spiritual Progress During This Life — This Time Through
Making Spiritual Progress During This Life — This Time Through
“You can’t read your way to enlightenment.” — Stephan Hoeller
The focus of the bhakti Sants of India is not on constructing earthly temples, building organizational structures, or temples of the mind. Rather, they guide their students into entering the Temple of the Spirit. The Portal or Doorway to this Temple is within, at the Third Eye Center.
Being properly initiated into the secrets of meditation by a living Master is the beginning of the Inward Journey. Then, go and do the meditation.
The Five Precepts of Sant Mat (a Spiritual Way of Life)
Masters say: “An intense longing to meet the Lord during one’s lifetime is the first and foremost qualification for Initiation. ‘Seek, and ye shall find’, is the principle.”
At the time of Initiation one vows to practice meditation each day. The spiritual path is a life-long commitment.
Moral Requirements for Initiation (The Five Precepts)
1) Refrain from taking the life of sentient beings. [This precept requires strict adherence to a lacto-vegetarian diet: no meat, fish, poultry or eggs (fertilized or non-fertilized)… or, better still… vegan.]
2) Refrain from speaking what is not true.
3) Refrain from taking what is not yours.
4) Refrain from sexual misconduct.
5) Refrain from using intoxicants.
Initiation into Inner Light and Sound Meditation
In the Sant tradition the complete methods of meditation practice are communicated at the time of Initiation (Diksha) by a living Master (Sant Satguru) or by a representative of a Master. A living Teacher, being fully acquainted with the ‘landscape’ of Inner Space, is able to impart to initiate-candidates valuable guidance on how to safely make the journey of ascension to the Inner Regions during meditation practice within. This kind of spiritual transmission and the details of Surat Shabd Yoga practice are not found in books, old scriptures of the past, and are not for sale, but are given freely to seekers by a living Teacher.
Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj: “What is the place to be reached? When we close our eyes and see darkness, this is the realm of ignorance. When the Light dawns within you, then you understand that you reside in noble regions. In darkness resides ignorance and in Light resides Knowledge. For example, as we are sitting in light right now we are able to see one another. However, if the electric power goes out ensuing total darkness we will not be able to see others. We will not even be aware of other people, coming and going. In this analogy Light signifies knowledge and darkness signifies ignorance. In the same manner when we see darkness with our eyes closed, we are in the realm of death and re-birth [we are unaware of our true nature]. When we come out of the realm of darkness and enter into the realm of Light, we will at the same time transcend the web of death. It is not possible that we can remain in darkness and be free from the net of birth and death. Having achieved inner Light we can be liberated from the cycle of birth and death.”
Sant Kirpal Singh, Morning Talks:
“For those who have got the human body, this is the golden opportunity in which they can go back to their Father, but first of all, they have to know about the Father. In the scriptures we read about those saints who met the Master, who saw the Master in whom the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. He will tell you of His first hand experiences with God, by hearing which your desire will naturally increase, so much so, that you would also like to see Him, to have the same experience of God as has the Master. So by reading the scriptures about those Masters who had first hand experience of God, our attention is diverted in that direction. By doing certain practices, by reading scriptures, by praying for this and that, what is all this for? So that His sweet remembrance may reside in our hearts. God is love. Our soul is of the same essence as that of God, it is also love. Love knows attachment. We are conscious beings and our love should be for an all conscious being. Instead, it has been attached to the physical body and environments and is called attachment. We come again and again to the world where we are attached.
“The man-body is the golden opportunity that we have got in which we can change our love from the world to God. Kabir says if we have neglected this subject all through life, now we should wake up and divert our attention from the world to God. So for that, what do we have to do? First of all, we read the scriptures, in which past Masters are speaking about God. We hear about God, learn about God, through past Masters speaking through books. This causes a desire to arise, it grows strong and we feel separation. In His sweet remembrance naturally the heart becomes full and that bursts forth in tears through the eyes.
“So all these outward practices, reading of scriptures, are meant only for what? That the desire to see God, love for God should develop. What is the criteria of love of God? Whom you love, He is always in your heart. You never forget him. If you want to love God, then what should you do? You should remember Him every second of your life, never forget Him. When you love somebody, naturally constant remembrance of that person remains in your heart. You wish to have love for that person and naturally, if you have constant remembrance of him and keep him in your heart, that will result in love.
“So this is the man-body, in which you see what you are doing, and how far you have succeeded. If by hearing about God, by reading scriptures, or by meeting somebody in whose society your sweet remembrance of God develops more, that is good. But best of all, even better than reading of scriptures, just have the society of someone who is overflowing with the love of God. By radiation you will have it. If you go to somebody who sells perfumes, even if he does not sell you anything, you will still get perfume by radiation. If he gives you a phial of scent, then …… ? The best way to develop the sweet remembrance of God is to have the company of those who are overflowing with the love of God. You have got the man-body and this is the place where you can go back to the Father. You cannot go back until you develop sweet remembrance of God. This as I have told you, can be developed first by reading scriptures, by performing certain rituals, but first rate success will be had when, second, you come across somebody who is overflowing with the love and devotion of God. The company of such a person is called Satsang. He is the mouthpiece of God. He will be able to open your inner eye to see the Light of God. True love arises only when you see Him. Until you see Him for yourself, you must have the society of somebody who is Word made flesh. That comes first and precedes God. So the best way to develop love is to meet somebody, who is overflowing with the love of God.”
Huzur Baba Sawan Singh:
“When the Sant Satguru incarnates on this earth to release the souls from the material covers, he first teaches them that this place is not their permanent abode and that their chief function here is to find the means to return to their own home, whence they came in the beginning. Those who accept his teachings and act upon them with love, gradually return to the purely spiritual region under his guidance. Therefore you need not be anxious and you should continually perform the spiritual practice with firm faith and trust in the mercy of the Holy Father, who has kindly disclosed to you the secrets of the true Holy Name, and you will certainly reach the goal one day.
“Should you hear the Sound when retiring to sleep after getting through the daily meditation, you should continue to listen to it while lying in your bed. At that time you must not think of getting up to adopt the sitting position, as it will draw your attention aside and you may not hear the Sound for some time until you work hard again to concentrate your attention.
“You should also try to hear the Holy Sound in your wakeful state for as long as possible, while attending to the daily meditation, because the more time you allow to this work, the more progress you will make.”
Making Spiritual Progress During This Life — This Time Through: https://medium.com/sant-mat-meditation-and-spirituality/making-spiritual-progress-during-this-life-this-time-through-4dd7652055e9#.pd4tcno54
