Lost in the Common Life of All Which Lives
There are so many things I love about what Mother brings to the path of realization. A big part of her focus is the practical approach she practiced and taught. You do not have to move to Kathmandu, shave your head, sell incense on the street corner or do any of a thousand other questionable things. And while I would have been willing to do any or all of these things if they were necessary to realize God, Mother taught us to practice Kriya Yoga, keep our minds on God, and remain in the world—living lives much as most people do.
A quote I read many years ago from the Bhagavad Gita made a lasting impression on me:
Whoso is fixed in holiness, self-ruled, pure-hearted, lord of senses and of self, lost in the common life of all which lives–a “Yogayukt” — he is a Saint who wends straightway to Brahm. Such an one is not touched by taint of deeds. “Nought of myself I do!” Thus will he think-who holds the truth of truths (The Song Celestial-Bhagavad-Gita; Chapter 5)
The notion, “Lost in the common life of all which lives,” living a normal life, yet spiritually freed, perfected and established in the Truth of truths—I found this to be so inspiring down through the years. I remember Mother inviting me out for lunch to one of her favorite restaurants, The Legend Room. It was a nice restaurant connected to the Bon Marche department store in the North Gate Mall. The wait staff were very pleasant with Mother, and each time her nearly full cup of coffee became cool they brought her a fresh cup (Mother always liked her drinks either very hot or cold; nothing tepid).
We then walked up through the department store, clerks would say, “Hello Mrs. Hamilton.” Mother said she once wondered how clerks remembered her name, then she realized it was because she used a credit card to make purchases and her name was on the card. So much has changed in the world since then; at that time, it was rarer to use a credit card; Mother was also the first person I knew who had a home answering machine. She was, well…. modern.
Now, those clerks may have thought that Mother was anything from a good customer to having a feeling that she was someone truly special. There were no big signs above Mother that said she was an incarnation of the Divine Mother. In fact, Mother enjoyed meeting people and getting to know them on their own terms. She also enjoyed having her privacy, she did not need or want to be kowtowed to—Mother was lost in the common life of all which lives.
When Lahiri Mahasaya first met Babaji, the Master said Lahiri Baba needed purification and immediately got to work. Lahiri Mahasaya commented, “Babaji’s practical wisdom, I reflected with a quick, reminiscent smile, was ever to the fore.” (A/Y Pg. 196) We could easily imagine Babaji walking a few feet above the ground, haloed in light and never quite human. It is interesting to think that on meeting Babaji we would be impressed by his practicality. I know with Mother I was always struck by the firmness of her step, not a few feet off the ground but solidly treading to her next destination.
Mother once told me that she had made a mistake in her checkbook, fortunately the error was in her favor, so she was alright (she was not going to be bouncing future checks). I think what is important about these observations is that, while Mother was the most spiritually powerful person I have met, attained the rare Sahaja Samadhi (the highest realization of God), she raised the dead and healed the sick and had the capacity to lift devotees into God-consciousness, she also lived a human life, and enjoyed it.
We can all relate to shopping, enjoying a good restaurant, and making a checkbook error. These are everyday events that to Mother were all part of knowing that the world is God, and she experienced it in common ways we all can connect with. This does not lower Mother down to a simple worldly person, rather it lifts us up to her view, her realization of the Divinity of life, all of life.
Mother worked outside the home, she was the first woman manager for the telephone company, she married, raised three children—and had surrogate children—friends of her children who came to the house and were so comfortable they called her “mother.” Mother had concerns about money, a challenging relationship with her father, the kind of things that we all interact with on an everyday basis. Mother not only stressed being practical in this world, but she openly proclaimed her humanity, as well as her divinity.
As Mother said:
When man knows the truth, he indeed shall be free. And the truth is that you and your Father are one, now. You always were, you are, and you always will be. How can you doubt it? When there is none but He everywhere; it is He, it is He. Open your heart now. This is the highest truth that can be taught to you—to do good, to see good, to purify yourselves in God. All of us fall flat on our face every now and then. I’ve read you a few of my own the other night. I thought afterwards (you know, the human part of me), I shouldn’t have read all that; it might create a bad impression. And I thought, well, it’s a good example, you see, on the way of man, or rather, of man on his way to the Infinite, because there isn’t anybody who doesn’t think a wrong thought or make a mistake in the whole universe. And the greatest saint, the greatest Christ, the greatest anything that ever lived, was born in a human body and therefore they made mistakes before they became one with the Divine within themselves. It is true…. But as long as you keep your love for God and you pick yourself up and you keep on trying, you can make it. And you know that’s true, because you have, many of you, watched me do it. You have seen it in operation. And if I can do it, being the smallest one in the world, then there isn’t one of you here or anywhere that cannot do it. You can become pure you can become holy, beautiful, wonderful, filled with joy and laughter. But when you’re one with Him, you’re anything He makes you. And sometimes you cry for yourself because you are weak. Sometimes you laugh, you take joy in yourself, you love. And this is God. (1970 The Christ Within)
This is what Mother brought to us: practicality, a human perspective and the total realization of God. Perfect for the modern Westerner, a perfect message for all. On this January 31st, Anniversary of Mother’s Mahasamadhi and a celebration of our divine Guru’s life and mission, let us honor Mother by removing all false barriers between ourselves and God. Let us live the message she came to deliver when she took incarnation, that life is God, and God is life—all of life. Discover your divinity within and without, and be lost in the common life of all which lives.
Note: We have prepared a booklet of a talk, In Loving Service, I gave when Mother announced her retirement in 1990; it is being printed and it will also be available on the Cross and Lotus Website. Also, Cate will be leading a graveside service today, and this evening at 7:30 I will broadcast on YouTube a tribute to Mother Hamilton. Jai Guru!