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Light and Sound on the Path — Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter/Blog
[info]agochar
May 12th, 19:24

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Light and Sound on the Path — Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter/Blog: 

Starve the Ego. Feed the Soul. Explore Inner Space. Change Your World -- GO TO:

http://santmatradhasoami.blogspot.com/2012/05/starve-ego-feed-soul-explore-inner.html

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The Way of the Lover and the Beloved: Bhakti Yoga
[info]agochar
April 29th, 20:34

 

 
 
 

The Way of the Lover and the Beloved: Bhakti Yoga

By James Bean

Copyright March 1998 — All Rights Reserved

http://www.spiritualawakeningradio.com/yogaoflove.html

 
Bhakti Yoga according to the Dictionary of Mysticism is “the yoga of love, the quest of union with the Divine Spirit through Bhakti-marga (the path of love and devotion).” (Frank Gaynor, Philosophical Library) Bhakti is a Sanskrit word for love and devotion, and love is the quintessential truth of all religion, spirituality and mysticism. In the New Testament Saint Paul said that “love is the most excellent way.” The Bhagavad Gita and the other world scriptures say the same thing. The mystic-lovers of history have taught that “God is an infinite Ocean of Love and each soul is a drop from that Ocean.” By approaching simran/zikhr (a spiritual exercise of repeating God’s Name or Names, mantra), prayer, the singing of hymns or meditation with an attitude of love and devotion (prem and bhakti), we elevate our consciousness; the practice of love brings us into harmony with the Supreme Being, our own true nature, and with everyone else. “Even as the sun shines
 and fills all space with light, so shines the Lord of Love and fills the hearts of all created beings.” (The Upanishads, Eknath Easwaran) I very much suspect people are drawn to the poetry of Rumi because he may be for some a connection to this rare and lesser-known Eastern mystical approach of divine romance, the Way of the Lover and the Beloved!
 
Bhakti is an Indian term for the religion of love; it is heart-centered, focused on the cultivation of love between the soul and the Oversoul, between lover and the Beloved. India’s Nirguna Bhakti Saints and devotees (bhaktas) are madly in love with God; their relationship with the Supreme Being is that of divine romance! The 16th century mystic Mira Bai said:
 
“To the Lord’s abode I will go, 
for He alone is my true love. 
I’ll gaze upon His charming face 
and ever remain enthralled. 
In the calm of the night 
I will arise and go to him, 
and return at dawn.”
 
 
Practices of Love and Devotion (Prem-Bhakti) For the Supreme Being
 
According to Saint Tulsi Das there are several modes of Bhakti practice. One major practice is called Satsang — the society of realized Saints. Satsang means “association with Eternal Truth” as well as “association with God,” and is to some extent comparable to “church” or “temple,” but not in any institutional sense. A saying of Jesus in the New Testament provides a great definition of Satsang: “Where two or three are gathered in My Name, I am there in their midst.” When devotees or initiates of a Saint sit together for instruction, worship and meditation, the Masters teach that there’s a great spiritual energy present, a stronger manifestation of the loving Presence of God and a kind of “communion of Saints,” past and present.
 
Satsang is also an experience of spiritual community, an opportunity to be uplifted by the collective energy of our brothers and sisters on the Path, for we’re influenced by the company we keep! Devotees make this a time and place of spiritual Remembrance, and this helps to keep us on the Path. Mira Bai has said:
 
“In minutes, Satsang will lead to 
Jiva-Mukti [the salvation or
liberation of the soul].”
 
The format of Satsang meetings can include: a spiritual discourse, instruction on putting the Path into practice, a Master giving a talk (or recording of such), readings from the writings of various Masters or Mystics, the reciting or singing of banis, bhajans or kirtans (hymns of worship composed by Saints), and silent group meditation. It’s considered the greatest of blessings if it is a Master who conducts the Satsang in person.
 
The effect of Satsang is that of divine remembrance, thus, with such a spiritual boost, encouragement and support for the spiritual journey, those who go to Satsang are much more likely to stay on the Path and put effort into their own daily spiritual practice at home. Thus will the life of the Bhakta (lover, devotee, disciple) become more and more God-intoxicated by imbibing the spiritual wine, the nectar of divine love.
 
Simran — The Power of Repeating God’s Name 
 
Repeating a Name (or Names) of God with love and devotion, called in the east “Simran”, “Manas Jap”, or “Zikhr,” is one of the key spiritual exercises used to cultivate love for God and to invoke the Positive Power in our daily lives, making it possible to live a life of love. This is usually done mentally, as a mental repetition of a Name of God done during meditation, this practice is done during available moments throughout the day and night as a way to remember God all the time. Says Sant Tukarama:
 
“Such is God’s Name 
that it heals the disease of the world.
Whosoever repeats the Lord’s Name 
while engaged in earthly duties, 
remains ever in a blissful state of divine communion. 
One absorbed in the Lord’s Name, O Tuka, 
has truly attained liberation while living.”
 
This spiritual exercise of repeating God’s Name helps to uplift our day, to bring some of the heaven and bliss of meditation into our down-to-earth daily experience, and is a way to remember in a world of forgetfulness, to remain awake in a world of spiritual slumber, to abide in Truth, no longer dominated by the forces of illusion. Be who you really are wherever you go!
 
Most of the great Saints and Mystics of history have also been poets or composers of hymns, psalms, odes, banis, bhajans — mystic songs of love and devotion.
 
Closely related to the chanting of divine names (mantra, manas jappa, simran or zikhr) is the practice of reciting or singing kirtanas, shabds and banis (hymns). India’s Saints of Love for thousands of years now have composed their own vanis, padavali, devotional hymns and poems. India’s Mystics have left behind — and continue to compose — an immense treasure of devotional literature, the scriptures of the Saints and Masters of the East. If Westerners aren’t able to sing these hymns in their original languages, reading translations of them is in itself a spiritual exercise of great benefit, for these beautiful words carry a loving spiritual charge that helps to keep one mindful of the spiritual Path, as well as it helps to prepare one for daily meditation practice. Babuji Maharaj of Agra used to advise his followers to recite several hymns a day, prescribing certain hymns of Swami Ji Maharaj and Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram (his spiritual Master) “to be
 chanted in the morning, before meals, and before going to bed at night.” Each tradition has a similar practice of daily prayers and hymns. To be sure, it is indeed extremely helpful to read a couple of hymns or poems of the Saints each day.
 
Traditionally in India the Saints and Masters have also used hymns and mystical poetry as a way to communicate their teachings to the people by sharing the truths of the Saints directly to the hearts of those who listen. “Govinda [God] says, ‘I go wherever devotees sing my praise.’” (Sant Garab Das) That quote from Garab Das very much reminds me of a passage from the Hebrew Book of Psalms: “God inhabits the praises of His people.”
 
This is a translation of a hymn (shabd) by the 19th century Mystic Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras titled, “Shabd surat jin ki mili.”
 
“Whose soul is attached to the Word, 
revels ever in cosmic flight;
Revels ever in cosmic flight, 
and realizing the Lord, 
plays with Him.
The mystery of the Inaccessible 
and the secret of the scriptures he unravels:
He reaches his Home within and its Essence
he comes to know;
In the lotus feet of the Beloved 
he sees his true destination.
The happily married woman 
rejoices with her Spouse every moment, O Tulsi,
For her soul is attached to the Word, 
and revels ever in cosmic flight.”
 
The compositions of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib are bhakti (devotional) in tone, and at the same time allude to the mystical experiences of the soul achieving cosmic flight by becoming attached to the Word — hearing the Celestial Music of the Spheres during meditation. Through the divine Word the mystery of the Inaccessible Plane (called by some Mystics “Agam Lok”) is made accessible. Sant Tulsi described his experience of the Beloved Lord as a marriage consummated in mystical union. This merger of lover and Beloved is the final destination of lovers. Sant Dadu Dayal, a Master in the Kabir lineage said of this oneness:
 
“The lover is converted into the Beloved. 
That indeed is called true love.
Forgetting his own ego, he remains
absorbed in the One.”
 
In their hymns, the Masters and Mystics sing of the power that the Spirit of Love has to transport souls back to the original Home of all souls — the Ocean of Love and Compassion. By approaching spiritual practice with love, we will be elevated in spirit to places beyond our wildest dreams! And for those who are skeptical of their own ability to experience the Way of the Saints, Swami Ji Maharaj said in one of his hymns:
 
“It does not matter if your bhakti is imperfect.
Perform bhakti! Radhasoami [the Lord of the Soul]
graciously declares that you should perform bhakti
in whichever way you can. Fear not. He will grant
you the Treasure of Love. You will be a recipient
of the Gift of Love.”
(Sar Bachan Poetry, Vol. II, Agra, India)
 
 
The Ideal Vision For Living A Spiritual Life On Earth
 
I’ll leave you with a poem by the 16th century Mystic Sant Dadu Dayal of Rajasthan who outlined his vision of the spiritual life to be pursued during our time here on planet Earth:
 
“Recognize the Path to your Beloved, O travelers 
and take the route of the anguished lover in separation.
Keep the Master’s grace in your thoughts, 
and reflect on his pure teachings. 
Develop love and devotion with endearment, 
and keep the thought of the Creator always before you.
Try to merge yourself into God like water in water. 
Fix your mind within by following the Path of the Sound Current. 
A yearning will arise; make then an intense and anguished call. 
Repeat the Name of your Beloved, 
day and night, 
again and again. 
With care in thought, word and deed, 
you will cross to the other shore.”


 
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The Heart of Mysticism — Light and Sound on the Path — A Digest of Recent Sant Mat Blogs, Podcasts,
[info]agochar
April 20th, 11:58

The Heart of Mysticism — Light and Sound on the Path — A Digest of Recent Sant Mat Blogs, Podcasts, and Announcements: 

http://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com/2012/04/heart-of-mysticism-light-and-sound-on.html



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Radhasoami Sant Mat -- Light and Sound on the Path -- Blog -- Satsang Newsletter
[info]agochar
March 25th, 0:35


Radhasoami Sant Mat -- Light and Sound on the Path -- Blog -- Satsang Newsletter:

http://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com/2012/03/radhasoami-sant-mat-light-and-sound-on.html

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Transcendental Seeing and Hearing in Meditation -- Light and Sound on the Path - Sant Mat
[info]agochar
March 12th, 13:10

Transcendental Seeing and Hearing in Meditation -- Light and Sound on the Path: http://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com/2012/03/transcendental-seeing-and-hearing-light_11.html

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Going Beyond the Universe -- Light and Sound on the Path -- Latest Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter/BLOG
[info]agochar
February 18th, 23:18

Going Beyond the Universe -- Light and Sound on the Path -- Latest Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter/BLOG: http://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com/2012/02/going-beyond-universe-light-and-sound.html

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Light and Sound on the Path — Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter
[info]agochar
February 3rd, 6:30

Light and Sound on the Path — Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter: Words of Light and Love for the Spiritual Journey: http://SantMatRadhasoami.Wordpress.com/2012/02/03/light-and-sound-on-the-path-sant-mat-satsang-newsletter-february-3rd
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Sant Mat As It Is -- Light and Sound on the Path, January 2012: SpeakingTree Blog
[info]agochar
January 1st, 20:03
Sant Mat As It Is -- Light and Sound on the Path, January 2012: SpeakingTree Blog -- GO TO:

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/sant-mat-as-it-is-light-and-sound-on-the-path-2012

In this first Sant Mat Satsang Society digest/newsletter of 2012:
*Links to Podcasts and Sant Mat Websites;
*The Ascension of the Soul;
*Spirituality Part of Daily Life;
*Meditation Improves With Practice -- Never Give Up;
*Do Simran -- Do the Meditation;
*About the Practices and the Ahimsa/Ethical Foundation of Sant Mat: Five Precepts, and Eight Limbs of Yoga;
*The Four Essentials of Sant Mat;
*Bhajan of Huzur Maharaj: The Secret of Life: Contained Within This Human Form Are All the Portals and Inner Regions of the Cosmos;
*How Karma Operates (Essays on the Bijak of Kabir, A Genuine Satsang Template of Sant Mat)
and....
*Happy New Year 2012! -- Five New Year Messages;




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Sant Mat As It Is -- Light and Sound on the Path Newsletter, January 2012
[info]agochar
January 1st, 12:34

Sant Mat As It Is — Light and Sound on the Path: the first Sant Mat Satsang Society digest/newsletter/blog of 2012: http://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com/2012/01/sant-mat-as-it-is-light-and-sound-on.html
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Sant Mat Social Networking -- Daily Spiritual Quotes -- Links to the Main Blog and Podcast Page
[info]agochar
November 29th, 2011

Sant Mat Social Networking

Daily Spiritual Quotes -- Sant Mat at Google Plus+:
http://Plus.Google.com/109968225377532007254/posts

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Sant Mat at Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Sant Mat at Twitter: www.Twitter.com/SantMat

Daily Spiritual Quotes: Spiritual Awakening Radio at Tumblr: SantMat.Tumblr.com

Sant Mat Radio: Subscribe to Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts & Access Podcasts Here:
http://hosted.EarthChannel.com/HealthyLife/spa-od.html

The Essential Teachings of the Masters -- Learn More About the Wisdom of the Saints of India: SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/santmat.html

Sant Mat Radhasoami Blog -- Spiritual Texts of the Masters from India: SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com

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New Sant Mat Podcast Available: The Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras
[info]agochar
November 10th, 2011

New Sant Mat Podcast Available: The Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India Accompanied Musically With Sitar, Flute, Tambura & Tablas -- To Stream or Download Spiritual Awakening Radio, GO TO:

http://bit.ly/vTy4qD




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Teachings of Sant Tulsi Sahib -- Light and Sound on the Path -- Sant Mat Satsang
[info]agochar
October 22nd, 2011


Teachings of Sant Tulsi Sahib -- Light and Sound on the Path -- Sant Mat Satsang





[Below are links to: a new Sant Mat Podcast; Bhajan (Hymn) at Youtube of Tulsi Sahib;
a Youtube video about Tulsi Sahib, Saint of
Hathras and certain guru-lineages;
online map of Hathras at the Gate;
Article: Who Was Tulsi Sahib's Guru?
PDF File of Tulsi Sahib writings in English;
Quotes from: Ravidas, Dalai Lama, Quran, Khalil Gibran, Kirpal Singh, Sant Sevi Ji;
passages from Param Sant Tulsi Sahib,
the great grandfather/modern-day founding father or Adi Guru of Sant Mat lineages;
Shyama, disciple of Tulsi Sahib; Maharshi Mehi, "God is Like a Black Hole or Gravitational Singularity",
and, "The Teachings of Sant Dariya of Bihar",
A Good Introduction to Sant Mat from the
Sant Dariya Mission Website.]


New Satsang PODCAST: An Ode to the Unknown God - the Mystic Poetry and Teachings of Sant Ravidas. Program Length: 60 Minutes. Click to Listen - Download MP3 of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean [via HealthyLifeNet -- The Positive Talk Radio Network]: http://bit.ly/oTBmXd




"Have trust in God alone,
And in none other, says Ravidas.
If one is engrossed in something else,
leaving God aside,
One will ever remain disappointed." (Sant Ravidas)

"Love cannot be hidden, O Ravidas,
Howsoever much one tries.
Love is never expressed by the mouth,
But tears do appear in the eyes.
The body is ablaze with the fire of longing
As soon as the memory of the Beloved
comes to mind.
Like the sprinkling of water
on pieces of limestone,
Instantaneous fire arises every time."
(Sant Ravidas)




"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." (Dalai Lama)


"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens." (Khalil Gibran)


"Be good, do good, and be one." (Kirpal Singh)


"All bliss, peace and glory lie within you, on the Holy Road upon which you are traveling. So please carry on with your meditations with love, faith and devotion, and you will progress within from day to day and enjoy in ever increasing measures the great love and peace that inner spiritual development affords. Master-Power is working overhead and is your ever benign companion giving all feasible help and grace." (Kirpal Singh, Spiritual Elixir, Volume One)


"After rising above the physical body, you will have self awareness. When you rise above the astral and causal bodies, you will come into your true I-hood. You will see that 'I and my Father are One'. The whole thing depends on the concentration of your attention within yourself. Then, whichever way you direct your attention, you will work wonders." (Kirpal Singh)


"We sit in meditation, fail to concentrate, and get upset or fed up. A pessimistic thinking sets in as to whether or not 'I would be able to do it.' No, we should not get nervous, or anxious, nor should we nurture any doubts in our minds. We must go on trying, with persistence and perseverance." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)




Bhajan (Hymn, Chant) of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras: "Dil ka huzra saaf kar, jana ke aane ke liye":


Discovered a new Youtube video recently showing scenes from the Sant Tulsi Sahib Mandir/Ashram in Hathras: I recognize several of the images: Sant Tulsi Sahib, Surswami, and Girdhari Saheb, a disciple of Tulsi Sahib who was friends with Swami Ji Maharaj, staying at his house for a time according to the Biography of Soami Ji Maharaj. The previous mahant, Prakash Das, and current mahant in Hathras are also shown in the video. Am not familiar with some of the other photos, perhaps teachers connected with a couple of other ashram centers. Glad to see everyone from India getting online these days:http://www.YouTube.com/..watch?v=-orRDiam1mU


Hathras, India: "It was during the times of Ramayana, that Hathras was established. When Tulsi Sahib began to recite a particular version of the epic poem called Sampurn Ramayana, he chose to start with the town of Hathras......Tulsi Sahib's grave is housed at the Siyal, Kila Gate, Hathras, and throngs of devotees and admirers flock to this site each year to celebrate the great poet." (AnkitaSagar.Wordpress blog)


Hathras, at the Gate: The Tulsi Mandir: Samadh of Sant Tulsi Sahib is located at Siyal, Kila Gate, Hathras, India:http://wikimapia.org/..16470275/Mandir-Tulsi-Saheb


Sant Mat History: Article: Who Was Tulsi Sahib's Guru? My Thoughts:


"Within This Body" -
Mystic Poem of Sant Tulsi Sahib

Within this body
breathes the secret essence.
Within this body
beats the heart of the Vedas.

Within this body
shines the entire Universe,
so the saints say.

Hermits, ascetics, celibates
- all are lost
seeking Him
in endless guises.

Seers and sages perfectly parrot
the scriptures and holy books,
blinded by knowledge.

Their pilgrimage,
and fasting,
and striving
but delude

Despite their perfect practice,
they discover no destination.

Only the saints
who know the body's heart
have attained the Ultimate, O Tulsi.

Realize this, and you've found your freedom
(while teachers trapped in tradition
know only the mirage
in the mirror).




"It was Kabir who first gave out the secret of Surat and Shabd. That Shabd is Sar Shabd (True Shabd, True Sound), which is inaccessible and unique. The soul travels in the region of Saat Naam [True Name], and it is the Surat which merges into Sar Shabd." (Sant Tulsi Sahib)


"In the month of Kuar (September-October), Surat [the soul], the paragon of virtues, has lost memory of its Original Abode because of the company of crow-like impudent persons. It has forgotten all about the delicacies available in its own abode of pure spirituality, the secrets of which are disclosed only in Satsang of Sants. Without adopting saran (refuge) of the Sat Guru, the path cannot be known, nor the method of elevating the Surat and mind to higher regions. With the approach of the month of Katik (October-November), the Surat receives secrets of all chakras and ganglia in the human microcosm. It starts its upward journey from the Third Eye, the centre at which is to be found the first true form of Surat (spirit). It proceeds to Sahas-dal-kanwal [the sphere of the Thousand-Petaled Lotus]. It adopts the saran (refuge) of Sat Guru, wipes off impurities and attains true knowledge. The heart is illumined with the inner Light." (Sant Tulsi Sahib)


Sant Tulsi Sahib: "External practices and formalism are worth nothing. The real sadhana [spiritual or meditation practice] is within one's own self."




Sant Tulsi Sahib: "Without realizing the soul and the Sound Current, all this is a vain show. All this is a vain show till the soul rises above and abides in it's Natural State."


"Without the Saints, O Tulsi, we are tossed about endlessly. Without the merciful, compassionate Master, aeon after aeon we rove." (Shabdavali of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras)


"Masters reveal the Path of Inner Light and Sound. They still the mind and raise one's attention to Mystic Skies within. The soul concentrates at the Portal [Third Eye] and is in bliss." (Sant Tulsi Sahib)


The True Guru Does Not Neglect His or Her Students, is a Good Teacher of Wisdom, and Properly Guides Their Followers

"Tulsi Sahib says that people devote themselves to worldly learning, but of what use will it be if they do not recognize Sants?

"The Jiva's [soul's] inner eye has not opened, and though he has his external sight, he is really blind, that is, cannot see things in their true perspective. Without the Satguru, he will drift in the lower centers and will never be rid of his worldly attachments.

"No other Yuga [epoch] can be compared with Kali Yuga in which Sants [Saints, Heavenly Beings, Enlightened Masters] incarnate themselves. If the Jiva adopts the Saran [refuge] of a Sant, he will get across the ocean of material existence."


"From the Source of the Ocean opens a Window of Light. Awaken that resplendent Light within thee....Repeat the name of the Lord and secure Him." (Shabdavali/Hymn of Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras)


Sant Tulsi Sahib: "He who follows the precepts and teachings of Satsang, is a blessed soul. I sacrifice myself at him again and again. His Surat [soul] is absorbed in the bliss of Satsang, and is sure to attain the goal. Tulsi says that he who has come under the protection of the all-powerful and merciful Sat Guru is enjoying the greatest bliss and joy internally. He is one with the Beloved. The bliss of the Holy Feet is indescribable."


"I saw a brilliant flame bursting forth within me, on which I kept my Surat [attention of the soul] fixed. Then, piercing the flame, my surat proceeded onward and it reached a gateway, as it were, from where could be seen a sky studded all over with suns and moons. By your grace and compassion have I been able to partake of the bliss of higher regions." (hymn of Shyama, disciple of Tulsi Sahib)


"Tulsi Saheb says that the Master resides in Gagan [the inner mystic sky] and to meet Him, Surat [the soul] has to rise up. Only in this human form which is a replica of the whole infinite expanse, can the soul [jiva] work out his salvation and can easily cross the ocean of existence." "When my Surat [soul] reached Gagan [the inner mystic sky], I met the Sat Guru, who guided my path onwards. He embraced me and made me one with Himself, and, by His grace, my Surat ultimately reached the abode which is unfathomable and where there is no fear of any kind."


"Tulsi Sahib used to go often to places quite far from Hathras wrapping his body in a blanket and with a stick in hand. He usually used to remain in a state of withdrawal, and in that very state, an incessant flow of utterances concerning the secrets of higher regions used to emanate from his mouth like a babbling stream. Ghat Ramayan, Shabdavali (collection of hymns) and Ratan Sagar are well known works of Tulsi Saheb. Another book which he wrote but remained unfinished is Padam Sagar. All these books were written after Tulsi Sahib's coming to Hathras.......


"....Near the above-mentioned Banyan Tree, a stupendous two-storeyed building had been constructed later on by Tulsi Sahib's devotees, which is still there and in which he stayed till he left his mortal coil. In this very building there is a place marked, where Tulsi Saheb used to sit whilst initiating people into Sant Mat [inner Light and Sound Meditation Practice]. There is also a hemispherical cave where he used to practise Bhajan [meditation]." ("Param Sant Tulsi Saheb", translated into English by Sant Das Maheshwari)


All Tulsi Sahib quotes above are from, "Param Sant Tulsi Sahib", edited by Sant Das Maheshwari, Agra, India.

Online Book: Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India -- PDF File: http://bit.ly/hgxOB4




Sant Tulsi Sahib, from his Spiritual Classic, "Ghat Ramayana":
Sat surat samajhi sihaar saadhau, nirakhi nit nainan rahau", translated at the SadGuruMehi Website:

"The Surat i.e. consciousness-force or individual soul [soul's attention or awareness] is true and she has been extended and entrapped in the untrue realms of Pinda (the microcosm or body, physical plane) and Brahmand (Universe or macrocosm). So, being deprived of the attainment of the self-existence of the Supreme Sovereign God, she is suffering from the pain of falling down (degeneration). To be free from this pain of degeneration, take care of the Surat in such a way that she be liberated from all miseries by concentrating through the untrue realms, being free from untrue spheres, and thus attaining the innate (natural and pure) form of the Supreme Sovereign God.

"The practice of holding Surat (consciousness-force) will begin with Maanas Jappa [Simran] (a meditation process in which an alphabetical holy word instructed by Guru is chanted/repeated with eyes closed), and then Maanas Dhyaan (a meditation process in which holy form of Sadguru is concentrated upon with eyes closed), and then Bindu Dhyaan (Drishti Saadhan, the Yoga of Inner Vision), and then finally: Surat Shabda Yoga (the Yoga of Divine Sound). The first shutter within our inner vision is hard and impenetrable darkness. The Surat can cross it by the practice of Dhrishti Sadhana (Yoga of Vision).

"When the Surat (consciousness-force) will experience the miracles of Brahma within its own body while crossing the concealment of darkness, then she (the Surat, soul) will be immersed always in the love of Supreme Sovereign God. Then she will move ahead grasping the notes (Sounds) of the Flute by knowing the proper method.

"The Surat will recognize the Sar-Shabda (Essential Divine Sound) through catching the 'Gagan-Dori' -- (Divine Light or Divine Sound of the Inner Sky).

"The Surat being poised onto the Essential Divine Sound (Sar-Shabda) will become tranquil in that Unlimited (Infinite) State where form, design, appearances, body, mind and Maya (illusion) do not exist; and that is the Inexpressible and the fundamental Original State.

"To whom this Ultimate State will be realized, his/her Surat (consciousness-force, individual soul) will be merging into that Ultimate State (the Nameless State, the State beyond Sound) again and again."


Tulsi's earlier name was "Dakhani Baba", meaning, "Saint from the South," and he often meditated in a cave. I know some living saints who, like Tulsi Sahib, also meditate in caves!


The term "Sant Mat" was coined by Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, during the 19th Century, but the Sant tradition, with its many guru-lineages or branches, is a spiritual movement that dates back to ancient India. Sant Tulsi Sahib was of the opinion that the Sant movement dates back to the time of Krishna thousands of years ago, that Krishna knew of Sants during his day, the time of the Bhagavad Gita.




God is Like a Black Hole or Gravitational Singularity

Maharishi Mehi in his spiritual discourse, The Philosophy of Liberation, states that "the individual self, the part of God which dwells in the body, is concealed. Direct knowledge is not experienced because of the concealments of the four Realms of Qualified Lower Nature: Gross [Physical], Subtle [Astral], Causal [Akashic] and Supra-Causal [Universal Mind]."

"The realm of creation in which we live is the Gross Realm. Above the Gross is the Subtle Realm; above the Subtle is the Causal; above the Causal is the Supra-Causal, and above the Supra-Causal is Kaivalya, the realm of Oneness (Pure Conscious Realm). The existence of these four realms is as fixed as the Pole star. Thus, there are five spheres of creation including the Gross Realm. Kaivalya is of Pure Consciousness and the other four realms are Non-Conscious, but coexisting with the conscious." (Philosophy of Liberation)

Note: the top part of Kaivalya in some systems of Indian cosmology is called "Nirvana", "Radhaswami", "Anami" or "Anadi". Maharishi Mehi called it "The Soundless State", a State beyond Light and Sound, a heaven beyond the other heavens.

God is described as being Formless (Nirguna), Nameless (Anami), Soundless (Anadi), Unknowable (Agochar), Invisible (Alakh), and Inaccessible (Agam), unfathomable, hidden or veiled by divine Light and Sound.

The above reminds me of the description by astronomers of black holes in the cosmos, which are invisible but indirectly seen all-the-same as they are a kind of "donut hole" surrounded by luminous matter of swirling atoms smashing together, which give off immense light as this matter falls into the gravity well, just before slipping out of the normal space-time of the regular universe. Looking for the halos of light astronomers are able to sometimes indirectly see these invisible black holes. By the light surrounding black holes one sees black holes. So too, mystics can see the Light that veils the Supreme Being. "By the Light of Allah, I see Allah." (Quran)




The Teachings of Sant Dariya of Bihar,
A Good Introduction to Sant Mat
(from the Sant Dariya Mission Website)

Sat Purush [True, Eternal, Original Being, God] sends His sons to the world to save the living beings from the clutches of Kal [time, illusion]. Sant Dariya Saheb came to this world under the instructions of the Lord to save Jivas [souls]. Sat Purush came to Dharkandha (a village in Bihar, India [in the form of Dariya's Satguru]) to instruct Dariya Saheb. The Lord enthroned Sant Dariya and assured him to save the souls that followed his teachings.

The Sant preached ahimsa (non-violence in thought, word, and deed) against all living beings. According to him, unless the lamp of kindness and compassion is lit, the soul cannot find the Path that leads to the Lord.

The teachings of Dariya Saheb are above sects, castes and religions. People belonging to any race, religion and caste can be benefited from His teaching. According to the Saint, all the men and women are the creation of the Sat Purush. One should love and respect others as one expects love and respect from others. Harsh words should not be spoken. One should see his own image in others. The Sant preached love and devotion to the Sat Purush only. According to him no purpose is served by visiting places of pilgrimage if true devotion to the Lord is missing. The Sant preached against ritualism. The human body has all the sixty eight tirthas (places of pilgrimage). It is the true mandir/masjid [temple] in which the Lord can be discovered and worshipped.

Sat Purush is unborn, eternal, all-powerful, the creator of everything. He does not take birth and meet death. He is beyond description.

The Jiva [soul] is the resident of Satlok [True, Eternal Spiritual Realm]. It has got entangled into the snare of Kal [lord of time and illusion] and is wandering in samsara (the world of changes) in different forms.

Sat Purush sends Satgurus to the samsara (world) to teach the misguided souls (Jivas). Only the Satguru knows the Path that liberates Jivas from the snares of Kal. The Jiva, by following the teachings of the Satguru, gets liberated and goes to his permanent abode, that is: Satlok.

Devotion to Sat Purush alone can free the souls from the clutches of Kal. Worship to poly-gods, ghosts and other celetial objects have been discouraged by the Saints/Sants/Sant Mat.

Observance of rituals and wandering in places of pilgrimage without true devotion to the Lord serves no purpose.

One should take vegetarian food only. The eating of meat is completely prohibited in his order.

The Sant has advocated two paths only for attainment of Nirvana:
1) The Path of Knowledge [Inner Experience], and,
2) The Path of Bhakti (Devotion)

Human birth is most precious and it should not be lost in mere satisfaction of sensuous pleasures, accumulation of wealth and wielding power. Human birth should be utilised for the realization of Pad-Nirvan (God). If this opportunity is lost, none can say when one would be fortunate to get human birth again. Getting human birth is rare.

One does not become high or low from his origion of birth. By acquiring virtues and doing good deeds only, one becomes high.

Like all other Saints of the Nirguna School [Devotion to the Formless God], Dariya Saheb discarded Avatarbad (Incarnation theory). He did not believe in the theory of Divine creation of four classes of people as Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra.

Jiva and Brahma are two different entities. The Jiva takes different forms (Rupas) in Samsara, whereas Brahma is beyond Samsara. Brahma is one while Jivas are many. The Jiva gets tainted by loads of deeds and reaps the fruits of his actions. Brahma is nirlep (beyond getting tainted).

The Teachings of Sant Dariya Sahib could be summarized as these three:
1. Right Gahani (Understanding)
2. Right Rahani (Living)
3. Simran (Mindfulness, Remembrance, Meditation)





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All About the Sound -- Light and Sound on the Path
[info]agochar
October 8th, 2011


All About the Sound -- Light and Sound on the Path: In the Beginning was the Sound, and the Tao was with God, and the OM was God




New Satsang Podcast Available: Exploring the Path of the Masters: Inter-Faith Readings: Some Thoughts About Thought -- We Become What We Think, The Dhamapada (from Chapter One), Phelps Notes on God as an Ocean of Love and Spirit, the Mystic Poetry of Dadu Dayal, and, My Three Favorite Stories About Guru Nanak. Program Length: 60 Minutes. Click to Download MP3 and Hear This Edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio [via HealthyLifeNet -- The Positive Talk Radio Network]: http://bit.ly/nAbms3


New Book Added to the Sant Mat Library:
Dangers Of Spiritual Healing, Yoga and Occult Powers, by Kirpal Singh.

New Book Added to the Sant Mat Library: "Phelps' Notes: "The Supreme Father is a vast homogeneous Ocean of Pure Spirit." (Myron Phelps)

Spiritual Books from India Online:
The Sant Mat Library:
Some Recommended Reading:


"Look at God within yourself, how 'God is Light.' For his Nature is a glorious, many-splendored Light. He manifests the Light of his Nature to those who love Him in all the worlds." (John of Dalyatha, Syriac Mystic)

Music Video: ".....In The Grace Of Your Love":
"In the grace of your love I see you shining inside":



Idolatry Comes In Many Forms

C.U.L.T. (Controlling Understanding, Limiting Talent): As religious organizations or institutions grow larger and become ever more controlling, the smaller it makes everyone feel. In simplicity, be like the Buddha and his disciples, gathered together around the Bodhi Tree.

"We have only one consciousness stream. When we associate with truth, we ascend upwards and when we associate with untruth we fall down." (Acharya Tulsi, a Jainst teacher quoted in, "Harmony of All Religions", by Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, Published by Maharshi Mehi Ashram)

"Knowledge without love for the Supreme Being is futile and tends towards untruth or darkness or materialism, while love turns everything to good use and leads to enlightenment and truth." (Huzur Maharaj)

"Moving down from the middle of the two eyes is going towards ignorance, and moving up from the middle of two eyes is going towards Knowledge." (Bhagirath Baba)

"The souls are all bound by illusions and are rotating round the great wheel of birth and death. This state of the individual soul or souls is the root cause of all sufferings. In order to come out of these, the only remedy is devotion to God." (Maharshi Mehi)

"Put all imaginations away, and stand fast in that which you are." (Kabir)

"O Jiva [captive Soul somewhere in time]! Give up all blind adherences and beliefs, concentrate within and seek the Supreme Being there, adopting Him alone as your goal. Do ponder over what I say and see for yourself with eyes wide open that there is none in this world whom you can call your own. You should adopt the Supreme Being alone as your prop and support." (Param Sant Tulsi Sahib)

"The highest aim of humanity is to know one's self and to know God. Every moment of our life is most precious. We should not fritter it away in useless pursuits, but devote it in the search of self and God." (Kirpal Singh)

"The true bliss of meeting the Beloved Lord is such that its rapturous absorption does not diminish or wear out. There is continual intoxication of the Holy Name and nectar." (Huzur Maharaj, Nij Updesh Radhasoami)

"The Supreme Being, being a boundless Ocean of Spirit or Love; and, human being, being a drop or current of spirit or love from this ocean; and, love being the very essence and means of existence of the whole creation, it follows that no effort in any direction, temporal or spiritual, unless actuated by love or affectionate regard, can be crowned with success, and, the work or labour rendered easy, sweet and harmonious. Love is most sublime, having its origin in the highest region, the abode of the Supreme Being. In whatever heart it sprang up, it will gradually raise and carry the fortunate possessor of this lofty and noble passion to the highest region." (Huzur Maharaj, Radhasoami Mat Prakash)

"Through association of Saints, the hearing of spiritual talks and study, wisdom can be acquired. Wisdom is essential in determining what is the right way to live your life." (Maharshi Mehi)

"The place where people are always talking about the secrets of the path of Surat Shabd Yoga, is true Satsang." (Huzur Maharaj)


The Reality Within

"This practice can be conducted easily and comfortably if the devotee has a little love for the Supreme Being. Without love it will be too hard and difficult to practice Surat-Shabd-Yoga with any good result to be obtained within a short time." (Huzur Maharaj)

"The one who has purity of character, who practices diligently the Yoga of Sound, and who can explain clearly Sant Mat (the complete Path of the Masters with nothing missing), can be accepted and trusted as Satguru/Teacher." (Maharshi Mehi)

The true living teacher (Sant Satguru) guides their students into methods of contemplative meditation practice so that the Unseen may become seen, and the Unheard may be heard:

"It is the mercy of my Satguru that has made me to know the unknown;
I have learned from Him how to walk without feet, to see without eyes, to hear without ears, to drink without mouth, to fly without wings;
I have brought my love and my meditation into the land where there is no sun and moon, nor day and night.
Without eating, I have tasted of the sweetness of nectar; and without water, I have quenched my thirst.
Where there is the response of delight, there is the fullness of joy. Before whom can that joy be uttered?
Kabir says: 'The Guru is great beyond words, and great is the good fortune of the disciple.'" (Songs of Kabir, Rabindranath Tagore)

"Seeing without eyes
Hearing without ears
Walking without feet
Working without hands
Uttering His Name without tongue
And dying while living
Is accepting His Will."
-- Guru Angad

From a prayer found in the Mandaean Gnostic scriptures of Iraq: "Thou hast showed us that which the eye has not seen, and caused us to hear that which the human ear has not heard. Thou has freed us from death and united us with Life, released us from darkness, and united us with Light. Thou hast shown us that which the eye has not seen, and caused us to hear that which the human ear has not heard." (Canonical Prayer Book of the Mandaeans)

"With the Divine Eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu surveys a thousand worlds... I have proclaimed to my disciples the way whereby with the Divine Ear element, he hears both kinds of sounds, the divine and the human, those that are far as well as near. And thereby many disciples of mine abide having reached the consummation and Perfection of Direct Knowledge." (Buddha, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya)

"All is known in the sacredness of silence." (Rumi)

"There is a silence of the tongue. There is a silence of the whole body. There is a silence of the soul. There is a silence of the mind, and there is a silence of the spirit." (Abraham of Nathpar, Syriac Mystic)

"I am the Voice whose Sound is manifold
and the Word whose appearance is multiple....
I am the hearing which can be attained by everyone."
(Nag Hammadi Library: Thunder: Perfect Mind, a Gnostic Gospel)

"Each celestial body, in fact each and every atom, produces a particular sound on account of its movement, its rhythm or vibration. All these sounds and vibrations form a universal harmony in which each element, while having it's own function and character, contributes to the whole." (Pythagoras)

And there are different levels of meaning with the quote from Pythagoras. I am reminded of this passage by George Arnsby Jones: "All beautiful forms and tones of this world are mere reflections of some aspect of that ultimate Love-Music of the Great Creative Word. Within the vast complex of creation, each individual spirit is himself/herself a spark of that Eternal Song of Love."

"That eternal Sound is in everyone, but dormant. One has to 'awaken' it with love, devotion, recitation of the Name and meditation. That Sound is unceasing and unfathomable, and is full of bliss." (Prakashmani Sahib)

"The Eternal Truth ('Sat' or Eternal Word) is hidden in every being. Without the Satguru it does not become known." (Prakashmani Sahib)

"The Satguru imparts knowledge of Surat Shabd Yoga, and control of the mind and senses. When both are controlled, we glimpse the essence of everything. Thus we bow down to Him that reveals this essence.

"The Satguru came into the world to remove bondage from the souls. Those who had positive and good thoughts and pure hearts came close to Him. He showered his grace on them and freed them from the worldly bondage. Whenever the devotees called for him, he appeared and, with the power of the Word, alleviated their suffering and taught them the essence of all knowledge. We need to take refuge in the Satguru who is the manifestation of the Word." (Prakashmani Sahib)

"Light and Sound arise from the Primal Shabd. Let one make one's attention one-pointed, and let the Surat catch the Sound Current with rapt attention! This is the only way to rise to the Primal Shabd. One should fix one's attention at that point where the sun and the moon meet (at the eye-center). One will find a Resounding Melody emanating from the Primal Shabd. One should merge oneself into that Melody. There the Thousand-petalled Lotus blossoms, although the Primal Source is above the Akah Lotus. There arises a unique fragrance from the Thousand-petalled Lotus, enjoying which the souls are thrilled with great delight." (Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar)

"When using this Mystical Sound as the basic support for his meditation, the seeker should also be very alert and attentive as to where the subtler aspects of this Sound are drawing him within himself. He will thus, little by little, gravitate to ever finer states of consciousness and will start to sense an out-of-the-ordinary inner continuity of being that is beyond description and that it is impossible for him to experience in his habitual state. As his meditation deepens, it will bring with it a most subtle, transparent, and luminous consciousness that he will finally become immersed in and one with. He will no longer sense himself in the same way as he did in the past. He will become mysteriously transformed into an unchanging and enigmatic 'Spectator', plunged in the vast silence of an eternal cosmic 'Nowness.'"

"The aspirant should look upon this Nada [Mystic Sound] as a Divine Grace and rare opportunity, always turning to it with the utmost respect, revering it as the treasured means that can make his deliverance possible." (Edward Salim Michael, "The Law of Attention - Nada Yoga and the Way of Inner Vigilance")

"When meditating with this Nada [Inner Mystic Sound], it is essential that the aspirant always seek and follow the particular aspect of it that is most subtle and 'ultra' in pitch as well as in brilliance. Even when the Sound becomes very shrill and loud in moments of deep concentration, he [or she] must not be tempted to be satisfied with it merely because it is sharp and resonant. He should relentlessly attempt to rise further and further into ever more subtle spheres of its mysterious Invisible Kingdom." (Edward Salim Michael, "The Law of Attention - Nada Yoga and the Way of Inner Vigilance")

Guru Baba Sahib propagated the secrets of Sant Mat [Teachings of Sants].
We were all marching ahead in darkness,
Not being acquainted with the inner secrets of Sant Mat.
Guru Baba Sahib explained to us all about these secrets.
First of all, he asked me to close the eyelids and further advised not to allow the mind to wander outside,
He directly helped me catch the star lying in front of my nose and between the two eyebrows.
The Soundwaves rose up in the very house of Sushumna [middle passage within],
And Surat [attention of the soul] mounted up with the help of Drishti Yoga [inner seeing].
Catching, with the help of Surat, the Quintessential Sound among the multiple Sounds,
By way of Surat-Shabd-Yoga [Yoga of Inner Sound], the devotee ascends,
Leaving the intricacies of the multiple Sounds,
That keeps him engrossed in deep illusions.
Guru has given the secrets of the Yoga of Sound, Surat-Sabda-Yoga.
His secrets are so very deep, says Mehi, that they were not known to the world. However, Guru Baba Sahib kindly made these secrets public for the benefits of all. (Padavali of Maharshi Mehi)

"Various sorts of Sound Currents reverberate in the human system from which the initiate has to pick up the right one and listen to it, otherwise he will go astray and lose his equipoise. The practical Guru forewarns his disciple and directs which Sound to listen to and which one to discard." (Shiv Brat Lal)

"'Maulana Rumi, the great Sufi mystical poet, wrote of the plaintive strains of the flute, played upon the top of a mountain', remarked the Master. 'This flute melody tells of the separation of the soul from its True Source'......As my Master had informed me, the Whirling Region and all the realms below it -- supercausal and causal, astral-mental and physical -- must eventually fall into dissolution. Dissolutions of a relatively frequent nature and short duration extend to the top of the causal region, while the immeasurably longer and far less frequent Grand Dissolutions extend through the supercausal realm of the Cosmic Lake of Purification into the high realm of the Whirling Region. And so the aspiring soul must journey further upwards in order to attain true spiritual liberation; for only the Abode of Love, the Fifth Inner Region above the plane of the physical universe, is unaffected by the many cosmic dissolutions, great and small. It is the Abode of Love that is the true home of each and every human soul." (The Pilgrimage of James -- An Odyssey of Inner Space, by George Arnsby Jones)

"I listened carefully and my consciousness was now permeated with melodies and harmonies that were partly reminiscent of the finest string compositions that I had ever heard in the physical world. However, such a comparison is totally inadequate, for I was now enjoying the Unstruck Music, that celestial melody that sounds endlessly in the exalted levels of the cosmic universe." (The Pilgrimage of James -- An Odyssey of Inner Space, by George Arnsby Jones, Peacehaven Press)




Nada Yoga: Inner Sound Meditation, the Music of the Spheres
By James Bean
Copyright November 2004

"The person, who is in tune with the universe, becomes like a radio receiver through which the Voice of the universe is transmitted." (Hazrat Khan)

"This creative current, filling all space, may be likened to the electromagnetic waves of the radio." (Julian P. Johnson)

"...The Great Creative Current flows outwards and downwards to create, govern and sustain all regions. It passes out from this region somewhat like the radio emanations going forth from a great broadcasting station. It is the Audible Life Stream, the most important factor in the system of the Masters. This Stream permeates the entire system of universes. A thing of great importance to us is that the music of this ever-flowing current, the stream of life, can be heard by a real Master and also by his students who have advanced even a little on the Path." (Julian P. Johnson, The Path of the Masters)

"The subject of Shabd (Inner Sound, The Music of the Creator) is such that we cannot do justice to it by discursive reasoning. All that can be said is that 'Shabd' implies the Power of God that has created and is sustaining the various grand divisions, divisions and sub-divisions of the vast creation of God. It is a current from the Ocean of Consciousness and is characterized by Sound-vibration, or in other words, It is a live and active principle which, emanating from God, is enlivening all creation. It is the instrument with which God creates, controls and sustains His vast universe. It acts as a life-line between the Creator and His creation and serves as a golden bridge between the two. The divine currents, like the ethereal waves of a radio, are spread out in the atmosphere in all the directions of the compass, giving out delectable strains of music. We, however, cannot catch the ethereal vibrations and listen to the divine melody until we get in tune with the Infinite by adjusting our mental apparatus. Therefore we become etherealized more and more as we come in tune with the heavenly music. Shabd is the connecting link between God and man." (Sant Kirpal Singh)

"The vibrations of this Sound are too fine to be either audible or visible to the material eyes or ears..." (Hazrat Khan) Yet, as Masters and mystics often point out, there is another kind of hearing and another kind of seeing. The eyes and ears of the soul -- the spiritual senses -- can be developed. There is Light coming from beyond the darkness, and there is Music coming from beyond the silence, for those who have ears to hear -- those who desire to meditate and discover the wonders of inner space for themselves.

Nada Yoga, Inner Sound Meditation, in Hinduism

Hinduism is very much a religion of divine Light and Sound; many Indian scriptures and spiritual traditions teach about the universe being created through the Sound of AUM, the ecstasy of hearing the cosmic flute of Krishna, or hearing the Unstruck Melody (Anhad Shabad) of God that reverberates throughout the universe. Yogis of Nada Yoga and Masters of Shabd Yoga Meditation impart to their students knowledge about developing their inner spiritual sense of transcendental hearing.

"Our physical and astral bodies, our Indriyas and the mind, all have Sound as their basis. As we penetrate deep into them they only lead us to Sound. As we analyze our individual existence, it takes us to Sound before we reach the transcendent Self." (Sri Swami Sivananda)

"By one who is desirous of attaining perfection in Yoga, Nada alone has got to be closely heard (meditated upon), having abandoned all thoughts and with a calm mind." (Sankaracharya, "Yoga-taravali," quoted in Nada Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda, The Divine Life Society)

"Let yogi sit on Sidh Asana and while practicing the Vaisnavi Mudra, should hear the sound through his right ear. By communion with the Word, he will become deaf to the external sounds, and will attain the Turya Pad or a state of equipoise within a fortnight. First the murmuring sounds resembling those of the waves of the ocean, the fall of rain and the running rivulets and the Bheri will be heard intermingled with the sounds of bell and conch,..." (Nada Bind Upanishad)

The following is from the Nadbindu Upanishad, on the practice of Nada Yoga (Inner Sound) meditation. It's from Thirty Minor Upanishds - Including the Yoga Upanishads, K. Narayanasvami Aiyar, Santarasa Publications. ("Minor" as opposed to the twelve "major" Upanishads, which are most widely translated: Mandukya, Isa, Katha,Chandogya, etc. There are 108 Upanishads in all.)

"The Upanishads represent for the Hindu approximately what the New Testament represents for the Christian. The earliest of these spiritual treatises, which vary greatly in length, were put down in Sanskrit between 800 and 400 B.C." (The Upanishads, Penguin Classics)

Nada Bindu Upanishad: "The yogin being in the siddhasana (posture) and practicing the vaishnavimudra, should always hear the internal sound through the right ear.

"The sound which he thus practices makes him deaf to all external sounds. Having overcome all obstacles, he enters the turya state within fifteen days.

"In the beginning of his practice, he hears many loud sounds. They gradually increase in pitch and are heard more and more subtly. At first, the sounds are like those proceeding from the ocean, clouds, kettle-drum, and cataracts: in the middle (stage) those proceeding from mardala (a musical instrument), bell, and horn.

"At the last stage, those proceeding from tinkling bells, flute, vina (a musical instrument), and bees. Thus he hears many such sounds more and more subtle.

"When he comes to that stage when the sound of the great kettle-drum is being heard, he should try to distinguish only sounds more and more subtle.

"He may change his concentration from the gross sound to the subtle, or from the subtle to the gross, but he should not allow his mind to be diverted from them towards others.

"The mind having at first concentrated itself on anyone sound fixes firmly to that and is absorbed in it.

"It (the mind) becoming insensible to the external impressions, becomes one with the sound as milk with water, and then becomes rapidly absorbed in chidakas (the akas where Chit prevails).

"Being indifferent towards all objects, the yogin having controlled his passions, should by continual practice concentrate his attention upon the sound which destroys the mind.

"Having abandoned all thoughts and being freed from all actions, he should always concentrate his attention on the sound, and (then) his chitta becomes absorbed in it.

"Just as the bee drinking the honey (alone) does not care for the odor, so the chitta which is always absorbed it's sound, does not long for sensual objects, as it is bound by the sweet smell of nada and has abandoned its flitting nature.

"The serpent chitta through listening the nada is entirely absorbed in it, and becoming unconscious of everything concentrates itself on the sound.

"The sound serves the purpose of a sharp goad to control the maddened elephant -- chitta which roves in the pleasure-garden of the sensual objects.

"It serves the purpose of a snare for binding the deer-chitta. It also serves the purpose of a shore to the ocean waves of chitta. The sound proceeding from Pranava which is Brahman is of the nature of effulgence; the mind becomes absorbed in it; that is the supreme seat of Vishnu.

"The sound exists till there is the akasic conception (akasa- sankalpa). Beyond this, is the asabda soundless Para-brahman which is Paramatma."

A good example of Nada (Sound) Meditation practice is found in The Shambhala Guide To Yoga, George Feuerstein, Shambala Books:

"First, the practitioner should block his or her ears with the fingers and focus inwardly, listening for the arising of the inner Sound. To begin with, a variety of sounds may be heard -- the practitioner may hears sounds like: the sound of the ocean, a rain cloud, a drum, a kettledrum, a conch, a bell [ringing sound], a horn, a flute, a lute, or a bee [humming sound]."

The Nada Bindu Upanishad also mentions the possibility of hearing a sound that resembles the Vina, a somewhat sitar-like instrument used in Indian classical music.

These mystic or heavenly inner sounds are always resounding in the soul, thus when one attains a certain level of stillness and concentration, spiritual Sound becomes audible. In truth, the inner Sound is always there, it is we (our attention) who come and go. We gain awareness of the Sound, and this creates the illusion that the Sound has "arrived." When we get distracted or leave off our meditation practice it seems to us that the Sound has "stopped." However, this otherworldly Sound continues, like radio waves flowing through the atmosphere, available to be "tuned in" anytime we wish to listen (do bhajan: listen to the inner Sound in meditation). ////////






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Love Your Meditation Practice -- Close Your Eyes And See -- Light and Sound on the Path
[info]agochar
September 4th, 2011


Love Your Meditation Practice -- Close Your Eyes And See -- Sant Mat Satsang Newsletter: http://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com/2011/09/love-your-practice-close-your-eyes-and.html



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The Mandaean Religion of Iraq - Exploring the World Religions
[info]agochar
August 29th, 2011

The Mandaean Religion of Iraq - Exploring the World Religions
By James Bean
Copyright January 1998 - All Rights Reserved
 
 
The story of the Mandaeans (Man-day-yens) somewhat resembles the experience of Native American tribes; may they survive; may their ancient wisdom be shared with humanity.
 
In the 1970's professor Kurt Rudolph wrote his definitive book on the nature and history of the Gnostic religion called, "Gnosis." In the chapter titled, "A Relic: the Mandaeans," he recorded that at the time there were only about 15,000 Mandaeans left and the number of Mandaean priests were rapidly dwindling. He described them as a community in somewhat of a state of crisis not only due to a shortage of priests but also because of the growing spiritual and cultural gap between the elders (who are the keepers of the ancient Knowledge) and the younger generations of Mandaean laity. Kurt Rudolph wrote, "The continued existence of the community will essentially depend on whether or not it succeeds in solving the problem of a necessary adaptation to the modern world. Only in this way will the oldest Gnostic religion, with its two millennia of history in which it developed its independent Aramaic idiom and lifestyle as did no other Gnostic sect of the past, be able to survive in the future." ("Gnosis," Harper Collins) And those words were written long before the rise of Saddam Hussein, the Gulf War, and the current madness that has cursed that region for many years.
 
Some Mandaeans (literally, "possessors of secret Knowledge") live in Iraqi cities like Baghdad and Basra. There's a large Mandaean population that resides in smaller market towns and villages of the marshland in southern Iraq, and near the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Iran also has a Mandaean population; many of them dwell along the river Karun in Rhuzistan province. The Prophet Mohammed called them "Sabians," i.e. "baptists or "baptizers," a name which occurs in the Quran and which enabled them to continue under Islam. Islam also categorized them as "a people of the book," a religion that possesses their own ancient scriptures. Another factor that has traditionally enabled them to operate in the Islamic world is their affiliation with John the Baptist. John the Baptist is one of their greatest prophets.
 
Though the historic connection between John and the Mandaeans is hard to verify, it is indeed possible they are descendents of disciples of John the Baptist, who 2,000 years ago had a large number of followers which believed him to be a great Master if not the awaited Messiah. After John's death, the New Testament portrays Jesus as being the spiritual successor, but other leaders in John's community might have seen things differently. Like Jesus, others might also have claimed to be John's successor and thus would have become the leaders of a John-community that maintained it's independence from the Jesus Movement, instead remaining what they were -- an unorthodox baptismal sect of the Trans-Jordan.
 
 
According to scholars of Mandaean studies like Werner Foerster, indeed the origins of the Mandaeans do go back to the Jewish tradition of first century AD Palestine and the region of the Jordan river. Foerster states in "Gnosis II," published by Oxford University Press, that in the context of the Jewish war of independence and the consolidation of Orthodox Judaism after AD 70, "its position as a minority opposition evidently led to the persecution of the community and finally to its emigration from its native Jordan territory to the east, to begin with in Harran and the median hill country, then in the southern regions of Mesopotamia." Eventually the community settled in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, where they could continue the ritual of baptizing initiates in "living waters" (rivers) symbolizing the connecting of their souls with "heavenly Jordan rivers of Light."
 
 
FAMILIAR-SOUNDING NEW TESTAMENT-ISH OR JESUS-LIKE SAYINGS
 
This ancient religious community, also known as the Nazoreans, still uses a dialect of the Aramaic language; they possess a huge quantity of wonderful scriptures, mostly in the form of psalms or hymns.
 
Before I begin a study of some visionary writings in the Mandaean scriptures I want to share some examples of passages that sound somewhat "familiar" to our ears -- new testament or Jesus-like passages. These would be words spoken by those who came from the same Aramaic-speaking Semitic milieu as did Jesus and other Messiahs of the middle east:
 
"I am a shepherd who loves his sheep; 
I protect the sheep and the lambs...
I carry them and give them water to drink 
from the hollow of my hand 
until they have drunk their fill."
 
"A fisherman am I, 
who am the elect 
among the fisherman, 
the chief of all the fish-catchers."
 
"Give bread, water and shelter to the poor 
and persecuted people who suffer persecution."
 
"Love and support one another."
 
"When you see anyone who is hungry, 
then satisfy his hunger. 
When you see anyone who is thirsty, 
then give him to drink, 
for whosoever gives, receives."
 
"Whoever releases a prisoner will find 
a Messenger of Life advancing
to meet him."
 
"My chosen! Do not put your trust 
in the kings, rulers, and rebels of this world, 
nor in military forces, arms, conflict, 
and the hosts which they assemble, 
nor in silver and gold...
their gold and their silver 
will not save them. 
Their authority passes away 
and comes to an end."
 
The words "seek and you will find" appear on numerous occasions in the Mandaean scriptures as well, in fact, much more often than in the New Testament. And, the term "Place of Life," often used in the Mandaean texts, also appears in the Gospel of Thomas.
 
 
THE FIRST WAVE OF GNOSIS
 
There was some kind of transformation in thinking that took place 2,000 years ago in the middle east which lead to the birth of scores of new religious movements both within and outside of Judaism, including the Sethians, the Essenes, and various forms and expressions of Christianity. Many of these are categorized as "Gnostic," meaning they focused upon spiritual/mystical Knowledge. This was the time of the first wave of Gnosis in the western world -- the spark was lit. Some souls started to believe that it was possible for them personally to KNOW the Mysteries of God and the Heavens, and they sought spiritual wisdom & guidance from various masters, mystics, prophets and apostles that were around at that time. For the Nazoreans (Mandaeans), John the Baptist was God's Teacher who had been sent "from the Light" to baptize or initiate souls into the experience of the Knowledge of Life, the "Great Life," a Name for God in the Mandaean scriptures.
 
There are some examples of visionary literature in the Dead Sea Scrolls, various descriptions of things going on in the heavens. The Mandaean texts seem to be a continuation of that visionary tradition of Light-mysticism and Ascension-mysticism. In my view the Mandaean scriptures probably represent the most heavenly or otherworldly documents of the west, brimming with out-of-this-world visions of God, descriptions of the heavens, souls, angels, and life after death. They speak directly to both the heart and soul of the reader through hymns and prayers of incredible beauty.
 
 
THE COMING OF THE MESSENGER OF LIGHT
 
The role of the Heavenly Messenger is to give the mystic experience of LIGHT to souls and eventually guide them back up to the Place of Light, the Mandaean term for the highest heaven where the Great Life (God) resides. Here are a couple of passages from Mandaean holy books on Manda-d-Hiya -- the great heavenly redeemer:
 
The Illuminator of the Worlds of Light
 
IN THE NAME OF THE GREAT LIFE,
SUBLIME LIGHT BE PRAISED
 
"From the Place of Light I came forth,
from you, Bright Habitation.
I come to touch hearts,
to measure and try all minds,
to see in whose heart I dwell.
Whoever thinks of me, of him I think;
whoever calls my Name, his name I will call.
Whosoever prays my prayer from the earth,
his prayer I will offer from the Place of Light.
 
"I came and found the truthful 
and believing hearts.
When I was not dwelling among them,
yet my Name was on their lips.
I took them and guided them up 
to the World of Light.
 
"I became the Illuminator 
of the Worlds of Light.
I became a king to the Nazoreans, 
who receive praise and stability 
through my Name.
And by my Name they ascend 
to the Place of the Light.
As for the elect righteous 
who put me on as a garment,
their eyes were filled with Light,
and Manda-d-Hiya [Knowledge of Life] 
was established in their hearts."
 
 
EMBRACED BY THE LIGHT
 
The mystical encounters recorded in the scriptures of the Mandaeans may seem at times like ancient near-death experiences (NDE's), the visions of souls who were embraced the Light long ago:
 
"When I arrived at the water-brooks, 
a discharge of Radiance met me.
It took me by the palm of my right hand 
and brought me over the streams of death. 
Radiance was brought and I was clothed in it.
Light was brought and I was wrapped in it...
 
"[Prayer] Son of the Good Ones, 
show me the way of the divine beings
(spirits, angels) and the ascent upon 
which your father rose up to
the Place of Light.
 
"He [the discharge of Radiance] rose 
and took me with him 
and did not leave me 
in the perishable dwelling." 
(Canonical Prayerbook)
 
This is my interpretation. In the above account, after this soul crossed over to the other side, it was met by a "discharge of Radiance," (according to another translation) a deliverer or guide who not only escorted the soul into the beyond, but also gave the soul its heavenly robe of Radiance -- a garment made of Light. It's unclear to me if the soul literally was given a robe to put on, or if perhaps this is another way of describing the process of leaving the body at death, taking OFF the robe of the physical body, which caused the soul to see itself as a being of Light. In any event, the soul then prays for its helper and guide to be escorted upward to the Place of Light. In another version of this account it says:
 
"I lifted mine eyes to heaven and my soul 
waited on the House of Life.
And the Life (God) who heard my cry 
sent toward me a deliverer."
 
This version also describes the encounter with the heavenly being (discharge of Radiance) who escorted the soul over the waters of death, and accompanied it during the ascension up to the Light-world. The hymn concludes with these words:
 
"Life supported life, Life found its own. 
Its own self did Life find,
and my soul found that 
for which it had looked. 
Renowned is Life
and victorious." 
(Canonical Prayerbook)
 
 
VISIONS OF THE GREAT LIFE IN THE PLACE OF THE LIGHT
 
Souls in the Place of the Light are described as luminous beings living in a world of infinite Light with a Supreme Being of Light. The heavens of hyperspace are traversed by spiritual streams of "Living Waters," tributaries of the Heavenly Jordan river of Light. And souls are described as radiant beings that shine upon each other like stars do in the center of our galaxy:
 
"They are a thousand thousand miles 
distant from one another 
and yet one is illumined 
by the other's Radiance."
 
The primary name for the highest God in the Mandaean tradition is "The Great Life." Many of the hymns in the Canonical Prayerbook begin with this invocation:
 
"In the Name of the Great Life,
Sublime Light be Praised."
 
"Living One," a term found in the Gospel of Thomas and in eastern Gnostic writings, is used in Mandaean texts for God. The Great Life is also referred to as the King of Light, a limitless Radiant Being of compassion and love:
 
"He is the Light, in Whom is no darkness,
the Living One, in Whom is no death,
the Good One, in Whom is no malice,
the Gentle One, in Whom is no confusion,
the Kind One, in whom is no venom of
bitterness." (Gnosis II)
 
The term "Great Spirit" is also used on several occasions in the Mandaean scriptures. ////////
 




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