Early morning hours long before sunrise I sit wrapped in the Bliss of God. Thought streams into the conscious mind; it comes whole, complete and clearly from a Source much greater than my mind. It can come as a complete thought, without words, or it can come as a spontaneous flow of words. It is always fresh, new, even when it concerns concepts I have long entertained. In their newness my understanding grows deeper; it penetrates into the cells and sinews of my Being. I feel a prompting to write down some or all of them. Below are three such thoughts from this morning. By attuning yourself to the spirit of these words you will be lifted up to the same Source from which they have flowed, beyond words or thoughts, into pure Spirit itself.

In winter the tree withdraws into the earth; life becomes “dormant” in the substance from which it originated. Similarly the yogi withdraws the life-force into the trunk of the spine, and then up the spine until it is reabsorbed back in the original Substance from which he or she has come. Winter ensues in which everything above ground can appear dead, while in reality the tree is at rest. Then spring awakens the life-energy of the tree, and the yogi, and life flows throughout the organism making it appear to live once again. The tree and the yogi find their natural rhythm in which they rest, are made to exude life back into the organism, flower, bear fruit, and then withdraw back into the ground-substance from which they have come.

Spiritual life tests the aspirant, and through these tests the sadhaka grows stronger. Ultimately every aspiring soul reaches the limit of what he or she can do and must surrender all effort to Divine Will. Drugs and alcohol on the other hand offer a pseudo comfort that weakens the body and mind, making it dependent on a chemical substance. Rather than passing the test, drug dependence seeks solace in a prison. Free yourself today and boldly walk the earth, moving from victory to victory over limiting forces by becoming a tiger of individual will, and even better, to become an instrument of Divine Will.

It can be wonderfully inspiring to read of tremendous mystic feats, such as the human body melting snow in frigid conditions, walking on water, and flying through the air. However, the moment these descriptions divorce you from God, making you think that you must be far away from the Goal, then immediately dispense with all such thoughts. The greatest of yogis will say that such a miraculous event, while true, is not what is essential to spiritual life. Immersing yourself into the Bliss and Light of God is at the heart of every aspirant. For many the miraculous appeals to the ego-nature, not the God-nature. Therefore miracles are to be avoided due to the tendency of the mind to become sidetracked. God is dwelling in your heart right in this moment. It is the awakening that has been, and is right now occurring in you; even as a seed awakens while still buried in the ground. While the awakened seed is not yet the great tree it is destined to become, no amount of anxious thought will make it grow faster. Let the dream of becoming the fruit ladened tree grow within you, and tend to the needs of the seed right where it is. The miracle of life has already started within you. Water and fertilize the seed with your devotion and by keeping your attention on God. The God-seed within you is destined to stretch its limbs to the Light and merge itself into that self-same Light of God. Victory is assured by ever growing heavenwards.

I want to thank those who have kept me in their prayers. This last week we had to postpone Master’s Lessons in Bellingham and our Sunday Class on Christian Yoga, times I look forward to and I know others do as well. The reason has been the intense experience God has been putting me through. It is a fact that God carefully censors what I say about such experiences, and I always follow His lead. But, perhaps there are a few things I may say about it now.

It is so interesting to explore the field of consciousness. Even though I live in relative distance from many aspirants, in consciousness there is demonstrably no separation of time or space. Through the all-pervasive Divine Consciousness there is instantaneous and direct connection. Thoughts, feelings, energies and experiences of others can all be known through God-experience. It is different than a psychic connection, in which a few of the same things may be known. When Divine Consciousness is the medium there is a Supreme Intelligence directing it all, and the Presence of God is constant.

Divine Consciousness makes all the difference. Psychic knowledge alone can create more karma-drama, while Divine Consciousness is uplifting and healing from beginning to end. God can load-share any other person’s experiences with me, so I may know their pain, anger, sadness or compulsions in order to help lift that load and to bring about an evolution in consciousness. This is not something I orchestrate, rather it happens through me. This communion with others is intense and direct.

The reason this does not result in karma-drama is that through Divine Communion, which must be constant, whatever is experienced is instantaneously purified. Through this method purification can occur for individuals, groups of people, or for larger world conditions.

Each soul is a transmitting and receiving station, and through communion with Divine Consciousness may transmit powerful spiritual vibrations, such as love and light, out to particular souls that come to mind, or various groups or creation itself.

The Galilean Master said that there is no greater act than to give your life in service to others, and surely radiating God-consciousness to one and all is a means of fulfilling this sacred duty. As long as you have consciousness and as long as you commune with the Lord of this universe then you may be a blessing to one and all by transmitting powerful vibrations of the Supreme Consciousness of God.

Seek always to serve God and each other by first immersing yourself in Divine communion, then let all activity be guided by that inner Source; in this way you will help bring about the transformation of this world to become a haven of peace and goodness for all.

Christ emerging from the tomb

Monday after a full Easter weekend, Saturday Meditation, watching Jesus of Nazareth with devotees, Sunday Service, potluck and Easter egg hunt with the little ones,  and I have a happy “hangover;” a feeling of Bliss and well-being that is pervasive within and without.  This feeling once again emphasizes the principle of being mindful of the after-effect from any activity.

Observing the after-effect of any action puts us in a position of learning from our experience. The first taste of alcohol or a drag of a cigarette produces a physical reaction of distaste; the body trying to rid itself of toxic substances. We override these sensations due to peer pressure or with a desire of getting some experience from it.

In this way we repeat doing things the body initially rejects, but then starts to crave. In addition, the next morning, say after drinking, we have a hangover that is most unpleasant. With repeated experiences all fine sensitivities natural to the individual are dulled, and being out of harmony with God’s and Nature’s laws is accepted as the norm.

Now what is wrong is made to be right, what is healthy is seen as something to be avoided, this produces physical, mental and spiritual dis-ease. How far we descend from knowing what is right; how hard we work to justify doing wrong.

This creation was made to be enjoyed in the Bliss of God, not getting entangled in sticky webs of desires and attachments. With a polluted mind, finding original innocence is not easy or clear, not because this knowledge was not with us from the beginning, but because we have become so habituated to wrong living.

Learning to be a keen observer of the after-effect of actions is the beginning of wisdom. You do not need to look far in order to see which habits do not produce joy: too much food or sleep, drugs, alcohol, smoking, too much television or associating with the wrong crowd.

Reclaim your heritage today by instituting good habits. When the mind is not pure meditation can be a challenge, but the after-effect will make you feel more in tune with God. Gradually as the mind is purified meditation will not be the battleground, it is pure Bliss itself. Physically, mentally and spiritually feel the spiritual winds of freedom blow gently throughout your entire Being, in tune with Divine Harmony. It is your birth heritage; so why not! So that your “hangovers” from now on will be of purity and the Bliss of God.

Picture: Cain and Abel

A new revelation came this early a.m.: As we know Adam represents reason and Eve represents feeling, they are seduced by the downward facing serpent of attraction to the senses. As a result they remove themselves from the Garden of Eden in which they easily commune with God and live in harmony with Divine and Nature’s laws.

Adam and Eve have two offspring, Cain and Abel. The two represent the dual nature, positive and negative attributes of the son of man. Abel is the desire to be in harmony with God and the fruit of his actions pleases Him. Cain represents ignorance and goes against Divine Harmony. Cain becomes jealous of Abel’s easy relationship with God and he “kills” Abel. The negative tendencies of Cain rise up leading to jealousy, anger and murder, and the good tendencies of Abel die, are no longer evident in consciousness.

The mark of Cain is those tendencies of self-absorption, jealousy, anger and greed. He may be known by those tendencies and is marked by them wherever he exists. Cain kills the good tendencies, however the good tendencies cry out from the earth, they remain in the consciousness as an echo, and cannot be completely eliminated. As a result of going against Divine Will and killing good tendencies Cain goes further away from Divine Harmony and lives among those who have the son-of-man only.

This is a tragic and wonderful description of what happens to all souls who have descended into darkness. The good news, the Gospel, is that there is redemption for all who “receive” Christ Consciousness by following in the Way of the Cross, or live in self-surrender.

Go forward in time to when Jesus was nailed to the cross, with two thieves on either side of him. One thief wants to go with Jesus to heaven that day; the other is mocking the Christ and wants a miracle only to save his life. These two thieves are Able and Cain, and their tendencies have remained the same. The one desires to do the will of God; the other is filled with anger and recrimination.

After their deaths both thieves have their legs broken, but Jesus legs are not broken. That is, the power of the good and evil tendencies within man is overcome, this allows the son of man to ascend and fully manifest as the Son-of-God. Jesus told the good thief that he would be with him in heaven that day; that is, the dual nature must be broken, but in the end the good tendencies abide in the Son of God, only now the Son of God is not identified with the ego nature of doing good.

Through the Mystical Crucifixion the serpent fully rises to the top of the tree, or the cross which represents the man or woman whose will is fully surrendered to God’s will. This ascension reverses what was done by Adam and Eve in going with the downward facing serpent on the tree of life and ultimately restores man to God.

This morning, on the day of a full moon and Good Friday, God has shown me this connection between Cain and Abel to the two thieves on the cross. How good God is, how sublime and perfect are the teachings in these stories. These stories are ostensibly about history dating back thousands of years, but even more meaningfully these stories are descriptions of the son-of-man nature and the Son-of-God nature residing in every man and woman the world over. It is the story of redemption of every individual who would seek out Christ Consciousness, by whatever name it may be called. It is the story of you and me.

Satsang is coming together for the purpose of spiritual upliftment and transformation. Ultimately Satsang is to become established in the true Self, or God-consciousness.

These last few days we have been in Ashland to be with the Group here. When kindred spirits come together the feeling of love and joy is palpable in the air. It is a time of quickening as those here feel a purifying power that changes lives and helps all progress in spiritualizing the mind.

When I started this path I was very much alone in it, friends at the time were not interested in this unusual quest I found myself on. And in meeting Mother necessity of work in distant places and of going to college elsewhere kept me from knowing many of those who gathered around Mother. Add to that, that I was so lifted up when around Mother that communicating with others was well-nigh impossible.

Gradually that has all changed, but the meaning and the purpose of satsang has not. Only now I am able to operate in the body and be in a state of satsang; merged with the Self, even while with others. How wonderful to surcharge the atmosphere with chanting God’s holy Nam, feeling the power of Truth flow  through this form throughout a talk, and then to feel His current of love, laughter and joy as we gather around potluck food and sit in the sunshine.

Perhaps it was best in the beginning that it was a lonely path, for that made me find an inner connection with God and Guru that was independent of those I was around. But today, my heart bursts with joy in being with sincere aspirants in a spirit of upliftment and transformation. Whether we find ourselves alone or with other devotees we may always find that connection with God, but what a real treasure it is when sincere souls gather together in satsang.

Picture: Behold, I stand at the door and knock

I came into this life giving others a great deal of power over me. What someone else thought or said would have great power, more power than what I thought. This can be termed being shy, having low self-esteem, or a lack of confidence, etc. It is a terrible way to live.

There was a time when I was in a mediation partnership, we taught a roomful of lawyers and social worker-types the skills of mediation. At the end of the five day course we asked for written feedback. 99% of the feedback was incredibly positive, such as “One of best things I have ever done, life changing,” etc. Once in a while someone would say, “Not really what I was looking for.” Somehow this one feedback carried all the weight, wiping out all the good comments. I knew my reaction was way out of proportion, but there it was.

In my training in behavioral sciences there was a phrase that stuck with me, “feedback is information, not definition.” Being open to feedback was an important part of my Master’s degree program. At first I went easy on others in the class, hoping they would do the same for me. When the feedback I got was honest, sometimes blunt, I thought, “Ok, kid gloves are off, this is what I really think.” I strove to make the feedback clean and clear, not filled with anger or hurt or prejudice, but accurate and useful that did not hold back.

What a refreshing breath of fresh air! How rarely we get clean and clear feedback in this world. Either others do not say what they really think, feel and want, or it is so filled with some personal attack that it is really more about the other person than us. Why is it so hard for us to be simply truthful, and why is it so hard for us to receive what someone else thinks, feels or wants?

It really comes down to having confidence in what “I think, feel and want.” When I have faith and confidence in my own judgements, then what others think will not be swallowed whole, rather I will listen openly to what another thinks, and measure it by what I know to be true. I use my reason and my intuition to sense the truth. What is it I have faith and confidence in? Not that I am perfect, rather I have faith and confidence in the fact that I am a good person, well intentioned, and that if somehow I have a mistaken idea, my sincerity will get me back on track with truth.

Truth then becomes the transcendent factor that rises above personalities. To stand in the way of truth by being overly self-conscious means that ego triumphs. Truth may come from any source: a child, an elderly person, a stranger, madman or a belligerent. To recognize truth requires you to have a calm, clear mind focused on knowing the truth when you see, hear or feel it.

Your spiritual practice of being centered in the Self and attuned to truth will greatly enable you to put truth over personality; you transcend ego. Put truth first, and the truth will make you free.

Picture: Divine Mother’s love of color and variety

Like many anniversaries in life, a birthday gives time for reflection. Like an eagle flying high above sees a person down below and can look far back, know where the person is now, and can gaze forward to see what is to come.

I have had the privilege of God showing me many of my past incarnations. Like a lightswitch thrown and a room lit up,  a revelation can be given in which the gist of a whole lifetime can be given in an instant, or perhaps just a significant moment is seen. When it is God who is showing you, whatever is shown will relate to something you are going through in that moment, and it is given to you to help release you from the past.

So I can look back to many experiences that have all gone into making me who I am today. And not all of them are good, or perfect, but then some of them show signs of compassion and clarity. In what I have been given  there has been more suffering than overcoming; that is because it is those things I have done wrong or have traumatized me that have held me back. In order to be released from these things that follow me from lifetime to lifetime I must absorb the lesson intended, not always the one I learned at the time.

Perhaps the greatest revelation that has come from these experiences is that the law of cause and effect, the boom-a-rang of Karma, is not meant as punishment, but rather it occurs to teach compassion. If I do something despicable to another without real consideration for how that action affects them, then those same actions will be visited upon me. When they come to me I understand what suffering is produced by that action. When this happens enough, I will see myself in the happiness or suffering of all others, for no one is a stranger to me. There is nothing another does that I have not done, in some version, and there is no pain another may have that has not been mine at some time. My vision becomes universalized. This is the lesson of compassion my past has taught me.

In the present I am just reading the newly published Cross and Lotus Journal, after having gone over it many times when proofing it. In reading Mother’s Easter Talk I find myself carried into her living presence; her words, thoughts, and spiritual experiences are not just reacting in my brain, but through my whole Being. She is telling my story. At the time she gave the talk she was showing me the way. Now, as I read her words she is telling the way that I have come. When Mother ordained me a Yogacharya she said that I had been through nearly all the experiences she had been through–I was quite surprised when she said that.

What was very important in her statement was–“nearly.” And, in fact there were many experiences yet to go through, some of them unimaginable to me at the time. I think for the most part it is best for us to not know everything we will have to go through before hand! However, through those experiences I am now able to enjoy a communion with God that does, as Sri Yukteswarji said it would, fulfill my heart’s desire. I melt in gratitude to God and Guru for making this possible. I know in every cell of my being that God-experience is the source of every happiness, and it is separation from Him that makes suffering. My soul melts and merges with Him, then He re-animates me to serve Him in all forms, and it is all His play. This–I know.

Looking forward I only know that there is much work to do. I know with every fiber of my being that Mother’s words, the truth that came at such a high price, must go out in order to help this world to change. She speaks to all the Christian world, telling them of the original teachings and meaning of Jesus. She also bridges the the teachings of Jesus to reach out to every man, woman and child the world over, those belonging to every religion–for she tells a story with universal significance. This world stands on the verge of becoming more universal, we see signs of it everywhere; yet the oppositional force does not go quietly. Dedicated souls must first tread the way themselves, and then be willing to share the Light now shining through their forms.

I see a world that tempers individuality, competition, and striving with compassion, internally derived joy, and universal vision. God proves through nature He loves individual expression, as Divine Mother manifests through so many different kinds of flowers, so much beauty, so many colors and outrageous patterns. So She must love Her individuality in humanity. When we realize that every individual is part of one complete puzzle, and for the picture to be complete no piece of the puzzle can be discarded or treated with disrespect, then we will have taken a giant step forward to universalizing our vision.

So, as the eagle swoops earthward, and on this day that I ostensibly celebrate my birth, the birth of a body that is simply one of many this soul has inhabited, I wish that all  your heart’s desires be fulfilled. And, I do happen to know a secret–realizing God will satisfy your heart, completely.

Papa Ramdas: In Joyfilled Bliss

If we apply the lessons of tidying to our thinking, then we would start on the first of two stages,  internal house clearing; discarding any thoughts that do not bring us joy. Recognizing that thought is the creative powerhouse that directs our emotions, energy and activity, then choosing only joyful thoughts and the supreme bliss of God is the only course that makes sense.

Yet we see that this is not what many people do. Instead they remain focused on those thoughts that produce unhappiness; with so many of those things outside the direct control of the individual. So, instead of choosing joy, there is too much of choosing suffering instead.

This can seem crazy for anyone to choose unhappiness, and yet we know from first hand experience that we do exactly that. The natural question comes, “Why?” The answers can vary, but it comes down to the same thing–a part of us thinks a negative thought will make us safe and happy. For instance, a state of depression can seem like a safe place to retreat. A child may seek out a closet, make a nest of blankets and pillows inside and close the closet door to darken the room. Inside the closet all the chaos, shame and fear disappear. Depression can initially feel like that closet, all safe and warm.

And every other “negative” behavior has a root cause in seeking happiness–but in all the wrong places. Again, “Why?” Because you are not one whole person yet. You have many parts to your self, parts that vie with one another for fulfillment of varied needs. The key to resolving this inner conflict can be found in learning some basic spiritual principles, and then teaching them to all the various parts of yourself.

One such principle is to choose joy. Absolute joy is ultimately a spiritual gift, not just “luck of the draw” or just for a fortunate few, but grace that comes to all. However the key to having joy is to be realy open to receiving it. There are many who say they want happiness, but parts of them do not believe they deserve it, or if that they get it, then it will be taken from them–“So (goes the reasoning), better not to even think that happiness can be mine.”

However, there is no stopping a determined soul, especially true when individual will is united with Divine Will! Decide to choose joy, discard every other thought and you open the door to grace and real joy; Bliss flows to you, of this I am sure.

Flame Exercise: When a thought comes to you and does not spark joy, then discard it. See with your mind’s eye a flame 12 to 14 inches in front of you, then send the unwanted thought into this flame; the Light of God. See those thoughts you are discarding flowing into the flame, and see the flame consume the thought and take it up and away–purified in those flames.

In this way you can choose only thoughts that give you joy, let everything else go. Moods, unhealthy desires, compulsions and negativity can be gotten rid of, beginning now! Decide to think only of Light, universal Love and ever-new Joy and change your life, never to be the same.