AUTHOR’S NOTE

We turn to the next millennium with a vision of a new world, not only a world without war, without artificial boundaries of colour and creed, but also a world ascending towards collective consciousness, collective growth and collective love, thus fulfilling the ancient prophecies.

In the present situation we may consider a moon or mars landing as a great advancement, but at a personal level we are still rather backward, bearing a heavy load of a primitive mind, which may be full of greed, hatred, jealousy or fear. One does not become modern by wearing trendy clothes on the outside; our inside has to become modern too. While high cerebral growth has taken place, our inward outlook has not changed much, thus creating a split between behaviour, thought and action.

We cannot attain our vision of a new world if we enter it with a primitive baggage from the medieval times. Therefore, it is important to introspect and clear out the deadwood. However, introspection happens when one enters a witness state. A witness state is free of conditioning or ego. The power of our own potential force called ‘kundalini’ dissolves these spontaneously. But how to connect with our own potential? Sahaja Yoga precisely offers a unique method of wiring us with our own potential through kundalini awakening. Through this new discovery of Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, it is possible to achieve our planetary vision of the twenty-first century, enlightened by the spirit. In the following chapters, let us see how.

YOGI MAHAJAN

Chapter 1

WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH

The stars twinkling in the infinite sky fascinate every child.

From the moment his gaze falls on them, his imagination is ignited. His vision expands beyond the orbit of the school and the backyard. He knows that somewhere there is a whole new world awaiting him. Each night the stars call out and excite his curiosity.

The stars not only guided ancient mariners in the past but continue to uplift our vision beyond the parameters of our limited mind, ego and conditioning, where we reflect, “Who are we ? Why are we here ? What is the purpose of life ?” and what is more important, “What we could be-.” The answers could broaden our vision of life and how it blooms. And if we watch it carefully we will find the source from where the stream of life flows.

The source reveals the beauty of life that cannot be found from books. More than three centuries ago B. C., the Essence Brotherhood, in Asia Minor, tapped the source:

“And one day the eyes of your spirit shall open and you shall know all things.

I tell you truly your body was made not only to breathe and eat and think, but it was also made to enter the Holy Stream of Life. And you shall be one with the Holy Stream of Light. More than this cannot be told, for the Holy Stream will take you to that place where words are no more.”

When we have the vision of the heart, the clarity of the sky reflects within us, the brilliance of the sun reflects within us, and the coolness of the Moon flows from us. We start breathing in every soul, and an all pervading consciousness dawns which reveals not only the movement of the stars, but also the source of the planetary movements – ‘Collective Consciousness.”

More recently, a Russian academician, Shipov, and physicist, Anatoly Akimov, recognized the reality of collective consciousness, but found it difficult to measure. The limited human consciousness becomes infinite when it enters into the horizon of collective consciousness. Then it becomes possible to experience the absolute truth as reality. In the light of truth, the myth separates from reality, just as the childhood stories of the Arabian Nights. Thereafter, the myths about our self, beliefs, fixations, concepts and mental nations are shattered. But we are not stripped bare. On the contrary, we mature towards innate values, higher principles, cosmic laws and more importantly, the inner reality. The light of inner reality gives us a new vision. The enlightened vision ebbs from the ocean of compassion and love. It sees through the eyes of a loving mother who is aware of the faults of her children, and does not rebuke them, but gently corrects them with love. She does not give up on her children when they fail, but prods them on. For instance, when a child learns to walk, he falls many times, but she keeps coaxing him until he learns to walk. Thus the “ship” of love and compassion stirs our vision across the troubled waters. Fortunately, in modern times it has been possible for thousands of seekers of truth to attain enlightened vision through the love and compassion of our Primordial Mother, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. Shri Mataji revealed the self knowledge of the spirit through a unique system called Sahaja Yoga. Love and compassion is not only the essence of her teaching, but the joy of her personality. Her presence permeated such joy and love in each individual that it ignited the potential primordial force of the divinity resting in the depths of each individual, which then become the catalyst for inner transformation.

Marcus Nobel, descendant of Alfred Nobel, and Vice President of United Earth (prizes for environmental and humanitarian efforts) shared his experience of the inner transformation process initiated by Shri Mataji, thus:

“What if there was a practice that offered only the cosmic bliss of pure divine love and asked nothing in return?

What it human beings have evolved from lower forms of life and that we are still evolving into a higher state of consciousness, an evolution of our brain and central nervous system?

What if the survival of our spices and the survival of our varied and beautiful ecosystems, depended on the evolution of human consciousness?

What if, instead of the thousands of generations of biological Darwinism required for biological evolution, the evolution of human consciousness could take place over the course of a life-time? Or over the course of an afternoon?” (From a speech, June 18, 1997 Wheeler Auditorium, U.C.Berkeley, California)

Inner transformation is a process that sprouts the potential primordial force of love and compassion, so that it may manifest in our personality, thoughts and deeds, and then expand into our ideas, values and interactions. Of course those who consider themselves to be very advanced and open minded, might be honest practitioners of self improvement and devoted to the upliftment of thier group, but their approach is through the intellect. The intellect then suggests to them theories or systems best suited for the collective distribution and welfare, like communism, socialism, capitalism, etc. But it has been seen over a period of time; that these theories and systems collapse. Along with the collapse of the former Soviet Union, it is observed that the Russian people, who had loudly denounced church, now flock to it. The movement of the human intellect is horizontal. As a result, it reaches a dead end and then recoils back. Thus, it is not sufficient to be intellectually dedicated towards a collective cause, but more importantly, to have an enlightened vision to achieve it in a balanced way. History has produced many such visionaries such as Mahatma Gandhi, Ataturk Kamal Pasha, Garibaldi, President Sadat, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, George Washington, Nelson Mandela and others. So much was done by them because they had that love. They had nothing else but this love which they could not contain within themselves, so they tried to spread it. Love begets love, and that is how it blooms into collective love.

Sufis, Zen masters and Indian yogis had attained enlightened vision through kundalini awakening. But the key point is that unless one is truthful to oneself, the vision does not actualize. As the visionary dramatist Shakespeare wrote, “Above all, to thine own self be true.” It is easier to preach truth to others than to practice it oneself. Preachers and preachings have only created more confusion. Let us herald a new era when we can enjoy the essence of all the great masters without ourselves becoming dogmatic, where all humanity can focus on a common vision for the collective ascent. Why be a drop when we can become the ocean? What is there to analyze when we can enjoy the nectar of their synthesis? Let us integrate the teachings of Christ, Prophet Mohammed, Lord Krishna, Buddha, Moses, Zoroaster, Lao Tze and Confucius into one rosary and ascend towards their enlightened vision of peace, love and joy.

Perennial Force inside us, seen in 3½ coils. Photo taken near Moscow, 1997.

Chapter 2

VISION OF A PERENNIAL FORCE

MORE THAN THE NUCLEAR BOMB!!

If there are plastic flowers, then real ones must exist. If all the saints, seers, masters and scriptures have pointed towards a Perennial Force, then it must exist. Whether it has a form or is formless is a different issue.

Like a newborn child spontaneously seeks the Mother, an   innate desire for its creator sparked human seeking. They could be satisfied by nothing less, and till their seeking was quenched, they remained thirsty. But the mind created its own vision, interpreting the teachings of realized souls according to its understanding, claiming ownership and control over them. The creator is an infinite ocean of love, and human beings were cast in his image. No doubt the human body constitutes the five elements, but what causes the heart to beat, the lungs to breathe or what gives inner joy?

The power of love is “in-built” in every individual, from the beginning of its creation. It was placed in the innermost recess of the human body, where no outside force could tamper it. All the great masters were wired to it and referred to it. Christ called it the Spirit. Moses described it; “From the fire of God came out the Spirit and the world was made.” This spirit rests in each being as an infinite reservoir of love in the sacrum bone. The word “Sacrum” is a Greek word for sacred. Obviously ancient Greeks knew that a sacred force resided in this bone.

The knowledge of this inner perennial force, called the kundalini, existed in ancient India, 5000 B.C., where learning was considered incomplete without the self-knowledge of the Spirit. Education was not only the study of matter, but primarily the experience of the Spirit. The entry of planet Pluto in the year 2000 manifests the precise moment of learning when we have to seek the self and experience the inner force of the Spirit, where we have to enquire into the innate grass roots of our self as a living organism. How do our cells renew, heal, balance, and recycle their structure while retaining their profile? How does a wounded tissue regenerate? Why does the body throw out every foreign thing except the fetus ? The great master Socrates was also in its quest. He finally concluded, “Know Thyself.” To know oneself cannot be learned from any text book. It is an inner knowing, a knowing of the Spirit and knowing her, one knows everything.  It is possible that a person who has the experience of the Spirit may pass it on to others. Otherwise even one lifetime may not be enough to learn about it.

Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of this knowing :

“And Jesus spoke again unto the eleven and said ‘Grieve not because I go away, for it is best that I should go away. If I do not go the Comforter will not come to you. These things I speak while with you in the flesh, but when the Holy Breath shall come in power, lo, she will teach you more and more, and bring to your remembrance all the words I  have said to you. There are a multitude of things yet to be said; things that this age cannot receive because it cannot comprehend. But, lo, I say, before the great day of the Lord shall come, the Holy Breath will make all mysteries known.

The mysteries of the soul, of life, of death, of immortality; the oneness of a man with every other man and with his God. Then will the world be led to truth, and man will be the truth. When she has come, the Comforter, she will convince the world of sin, and of the truth of what I speak, and of the rightness of the judgment of just; and then the prince of carnal life will be cast out. And when the Comforter shall come I need not intercede for you; for you will stand approved, and God will know you then as he knows me.’” (Chapter 162, v4, The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ (Jesus is talking)

Fortunately with the advent of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, this prediction came to pass. Now it is possible for all the seekers of truth to experience their Spirit though a unique process of Sahaja Yoga by which the power of love residing in the sacrum bone is ignited. Shri Mataji explains, “The Spirit is in each one of us. She is your individual Mother, the one who nourishes you and resides in your sacrum bone. This power is called the Kundalini. She becomes compassion, soothing, nourishing and loving. She rests in the sacrum bone, in three and a half coils, waiting for the opportunity to be awakened at the right time, by a realized being. She is your individual Mother. How can she harm you? She knows everything about you and is anxiously waiting to give you your second birth.”

Sahaja Yoga does not depend on any skills or intellect. It works through a subtler force which is both within and without. Within us, this organic force, described as the Kundalini responds to our actions and reactions. As the awareness of our Spirit enlightens the central nervous system, we can actually feel our Spirit manifesting itself to us as vibrations. When our Kundalini comes in our attention, we can raise everybody’s Kundalini. We start feeling the kundalini, its nature, its position in others. Collective Consciousness is thus established and we become a Universal Being. After a while, we cannot say who is the other person. The power of love is so great, that with the movement of our fingers, we can move the kundalini of others.  This is how enmasse evolution of human beings is taking place in this Aquarian age, and truth is being distinguished from untruth. Interestingly, this corresponds to the vision of the tenth century prophet John of Jerusalem’s the Golden Millennium:

“When the millennium that comes after this millennium ends, men will have finally opened their eyes. They will no longer be imprisoned in their head and in their cities, but will be able to see from one end of the Earth to another and understand each other. They will know that what makes one suffer and hurt another. Men will form one huge body of which each one will be a tiny part. Together they will form the heart of this body. There will be a common language spoken by everybody and thus, finally, a glorious humanity will come into existence….

… Because Woman will arrive to reign supreme; She will govern the future and decree her philosophy to man. She will be the Mother of this millennium that follows the millennium. She will, after the days of devil, radiate the gentle sweetness of a Mother. She will, after the days of barbarity, embody beauty. The millennium that follows the millennium will metamorphise into an age of lightness: Men will love each other, share everything, dream and the dreams will turn into reality…

Thus man will have his second birth. Spirit will possess the mass of men who will be united in brotherhood. So an end will be proclaimed to barbarity. It will be the era of a new strength of belief. The dark days at the beginning of the millennium that follows the millennium will be followed by days of jubilation: man will once more find the righteous path of humanity and Earth will find harmony once more.

There will be roads that connect one end of the Earth and the sky to the other; the woods will once more be dense, the desert will once more be irrigated and the water will once again be pure.

The Earth will be like a garden: man will take care of every living thing and he will clean everything he has dirtied. He will understand that the whole of Earth is his come and he will think with wisdom of the morrow. Man will know everything on Earth and his own body.

Diseases will be cured before they are manifested and everybody will cure themselves and each other. Man will have understood that he has to help himself to stay upright; and after the days of reticence and avarice Man will open his heart and his purse to the poor; he will define himself curator of the human species and so, finally, a new era will begin. When man has learnt to give and share, the bitter days of solitude will be at an end. He will once more believe in the Spirit and the barbarians will be unheard of…. But all this will happen after the wars and the fires; all this will arise from the ashes of the burnt towers of Babel. And a strong hand will be needed to bring order to the chaos and to put Man on the right path.

Man will learn that all creatures must be respected. Man, in this lifetime, will live more than one life and will learn that the light never goes out….” *

*John of Jerusalem was born in 1042 nearby the Benedictine Monastery of Vezelay in France where he himself became a monk.With eight other knights he founded the order of the Knights Templar in 1119 and wrote the book of Prophecies. The book was rediscovered only recently as a manuscript from the 14th century in the Monastery of Sagorsk, near Moscow, as part of the KGB – archives as edited Le Livre des prophesies, edition JeanClaude Lattes,1994

[note: this is a 20th century text. see https://historye.blogspot.com/2007/11/john-of-jerusalem-again.html ]

Chapter 3

VISION OF THE THREE DIMENSIONS

Ancient tribes in America, India and the Orient worshipped the forces of nature. Each force, earth, sun, moon, sea, wind, is essential for human sustenance. It was only natural to be grateful for what one receives. They seemed to believe that by propitiating the forces, they would receive their blessings in abundance.

The earth as the source of fertility and nourishment was venerated as the Mother. The sun ripening the harvest with its power of heat represented the male force whereas the moon, with its cooling property, represented the female, passive force. Accordingly, Zen masters also followed the division of energy as female, male or yin and yang.

Surprisingly, the human brain is also divided into male and female dimensions. The left side of the brain is the male dimension, which looks after the right side functions of the body through a path called the sun channel. The right side of the brain is the female dimension which looks after the left side of the body, through a path called the moon channel. The human personality could be dominated by either of the dimensions or could also be a more fluid personality oscillating from one dimension to the other like a pendulum. Each personality is different and unfolds its own unique combinations and permutations. A peculiar feature of the combinations and permutations is that they are not constant but are easily influenced and adapt rapidly to changing situations. Perhaps this shifting feature makes human beings the most unpredictable quantity in the universe. This also leads to a variety in the cultures of various civilizations, contributing to their peculiarities and fraternities. For instance, two individuals who are under the dominance of the moon channel would be on the same page. A dominantly moon channel personality is likely to react emotionally to the more mental views of a predominantly sun channel personality.

According to the teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, there exists our pure desiring force, in the left side of the body, the moon channel. This channel runs up the left side of the body from the base of the spine to the top of the head; it brings to consciousness past memories and desires which becomes a catalyst for action. As long as this channel remains active, there is the human desire to live. When it withdraws, one ceases to be. It awakens emotions and forms the superego on the right side of the brain and manifests the psyche in a wider sense. It incorporates the female, yin qualities of gentleness, responsiveness, co-operations, intuition, etc.

However, to implement the desires there rises another force for action in the right side of the body called the sun channel. The sun channel incorporates the male yang qualities, like analysis, competition, aggressiveness, etc. Though one has to use the physical body and intellect for action, but when the self identifies with the intellect and action, a by-product results called the ego.  The ego bloats in the left side of the brain. Both the left and right subtle channels express the sympathetic nervous system in the gross physical body outside the spinal cord.

The two hemispheres of the brain perform opposite but complementary functions. The left hemisphere which monitors the right side of the body specializes in the linear process like thinking, planning and analysis. The right hemisphere monitoring the left side of the body is involved in emotion, memory, desire, etc.

When we achieve something, in ignorance we think we are doing everything. In reality we do only dead work. Nature does all the living work. For instance, we cannot make a tree grow, but we can cut it and make furniture. Our false assumption that we are doing the living work gives rise to our ego.  When we count our achievements our ego begins to swell like a balloon, and a stage comes when there is no more space in the brain for further inflation. As a result, the tensions start flowing in the opposite direction, overloading the left channel, and putting pressuring the superego.

Future thinking makes people calculative for material gain and control over others. Futuristic people can be categorized as right sided people.  In the process of fast forwarding everything, they miss out the joy of the present. A speedy businessman is usually so busy making his millions that he rarely finds time to enjoy it. In addition his personality can become dry, aggressive and cunning. Blinded by the ego, he ends up becoming rather absurd. To a degree, it is like the man who slammed his wife and kissed the door. Another example of such a right side state is of a person searching for his car keys everywhere, blaming others for their loss, and eventually discovering that he had them all the time.

On the other side the left side channel conditions us, and causes emotional problems. It causes a swing between the feeling of elation and depression. Left-sided people feel threatened by change and resist it. They glorify the past. Gradually inertia and lethargy overcomes them, and if the pressure from this channel overloads the brain then lunacy, epilepsy and senility may follow. Left side catches are contagious and easily pass from one person to the other like a virus. People who are under severe left side emotional syndromes have a propensity to transmit their syndrome to others who have a weak left side. A weak emotional personality is more susceptible to contagion. Emotional syndromes perpetuate themselves into moods which escalate in depressions. The transmission of negative vibrations seems to occur spontaneously and unconsciously. The person transmitting them has no such intention or control over it. The more emotionally sensitive a person, the more apt he is to transmit his mood to someone he associated with. This exchange of vibrations goes on between people unconsciously all the time. Just by putting one’s attention on a person one can feel his blocks on one’s own chakras. Just how awkward or comfortable people feel with each other depends primarily on the interaction of their vibrations. The extent to which a person absorbs the vibrations of others, depends on his emotional rapport with them. An exchange of vibrations with someone close could be either elevating or draining. If we want to keep our energy channels clear then it is important to beware of energy thieves who are feasting on our energy. Fortunately, with the help of our kundalini it has become possible to detect the vibrations of energy thieves, and plug the energy leak from our chakras.

Negative vibrations are like a social virus that carries with it all the negativities and ailments of the energy thief. Hence when a person absorbs his vibrations, he is likely to contract some of the ailments and problems of the energy thief. The transmitter superimposes his negative qualities on his host unconsciously. This transmission is so remarkable that sometimes the superimposed negativity may continue to prevail on the personality of the host like a parasite. This interferes with the mental faculties of the host and he takes on the traits of the transmitter’s personality. It works in a similar way as a possession. Medical science may be deceived in diagnosing it as a psychosomatic disorder, but actually there is no medical cure for it. However, through Sahaja Yoga meditations, it is possible to detoxify ourself and regain our personality and energy. The Kundalini plays an important role in protecting us from absorbing negativity and also in fighting superimposed negativity. She has her own in-built defence mechanism that functions through the network of channels and chakras provided we heed her callings.

It follows that it is important for one’s well being to stay in a positive vibratory field, to keep proximity with people of positive vibrations and ideally, to remain in balance so that one is not vulnerable to penetration by negativity. When the Kundalini penetrates the seventh centre, one enters a witness state and is not affected by the surrounding negativities. One is aware of everything, but not involved in anything. Thus, the state of our ascent is, itself, the best safety valve.

The power of positive vibrations is far greater than any negativity. It is possible to dissolve another person’s negativity through emitting positive vibrations towards him. Normally this works out, provided that the person is receptive to the positive vibrations. In this way, we can overcome people’s faults by loving them. The vibrations of love work miracles. If some of the most chronic diseases are being cured through vibrations, then why not dead habits and negative thinking? When even a small pocket of the population starts meditating, their positive vibrations cleanse the society and have a very positive influence over it. In a way, nature is more susceptible to vibrations and responds favourably to them. For instance, farmers have discovered that their harvest multiplies when they vibrate the seeds before the sowing, and disease does not interfere with their growth, so no chemical fertilizers are needed to protect them. Weather patterns also respond favourably to positive vibrations. Sahaja Yoga is the caucus that is accelerating consciousness of peace, harmony and “inter-connectivity” around the world. Thus if one practitioner gives self-realization to 1,000 people in a cascading effect 1,00,000 people will get their self-realization in various parts of the world, then all six billion people will get it through the law of morphogenic field!

Now let us return to our vision of the perennial force, the kundalini, at the base of the sacrum bone. She is a living blue print rising from a subtle cluster of inner pathways. If we retrace her ascent, we will discover a subtle track in the middle. This is the central channel which forms the third dimension. This track leads up to the top of the head in the fontanelle bone area. Through the method of Sahaja Yoga, the kundalini, is awakened. After her awakening, she starts rising and ascends to the fontanelle bone in a hierarchical manner, moving from the lower to the higher centres. After sustaining  herself in there, she gives us an intimate experience of the all pervading power of love, and we delight in a state of bliss, consciousness and truth, which only a poet can describe:

“ I have reached the inner vision

And  through  thy spirit in me I  have heard thy wondrous secret. Through  thy mystic insight

Thou has caused a spring of knowledge

To well up within me,

A fountain of power, pouring forth living waters;

A flood of love and of all-embracing wisdom

Like the splendour of Eternal Light.”

We may register this experience instantly or it may take a while, depending on another factor called the fourth dimension.

The fourth dimension constitutes seven centres of electromagnetic fields of energy, called chakras. This forms the parasympathetic nervous system. The kundalini must cross six of these centers before she can establish herself at the fontanelle bone area. Her task may not be easy if these centers are damaged or blocked. However, as she is the innate energy source, she has the ability to repair and open the blocks. This does not follow a particular time frame, but through Sahaja Yoga meditation techniques, her success is certain.

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems use the central nervous system. The impulse stimulus of intelligence passes from these subtle centers to the sympathetic and parasympathetic and the central nervous system through the brain cells, whereby the tissues of the body cells, receive their intelligence. Otherwise how does a cell know when to divide or multiply ? How does the body know how to go through the intelligence stimuli received from the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system?

Every cell is a living being and everything living has recourse to consciousness through its gene. Because it is conscious, it is called living, otherwise it would be called dead. The moment its link to consciousness snaps, it is pronounced dead. When there is overload on any channel, it impairs the functioning of the channel and blurs its sensitivity, thus weakening its stimulus. Consequently, the nervous system is unable to decode the message received from the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The cells and the tissues start malfunctioning causing psychosomatic diseases. Over activity of any part of cell creates imbalance. In their chronic state, the exhaustion of its vibrations from the centers leads to diseases like cancer. Thus, the process of deterioration takes place in the human body through the diminishing link to the vibrations of the Perennial Source. Extreme tendencies estrange human beings from the protection of laws of nature. Without its balancing influence, they gravitate towards selfdestruction.

The movement of attention to the left or right dimension only gives a one-sided vision and not the reality. When one adheres to such a limited view point, one is bound to face its conflicting polarity. This is the cause of all conflicts. However, in the centre, the vision encompasses the absolute reality. When there is a common vision and a common future, there can be no cause for disagreement or quarrel.

As the Kundalini ascends through the central channel, it sucks the sun and the moon dimensions towards the centre thus creating selfbalance and harmony. Through self-balance, the solution to all problems crystallizes. From the centre, one naturally sees in a more balanced way than from the extremes of the left and right dimensions. A society that is balanced and integrated becomes peaceful, progressive and prosperous. For instance, the sun channel expresses itself in the process of learning and development. This faculty leads to the creativity of new structures, bahaviour patterns and conceptual thinking. We channel this through abstract thinking, symbolic language, nonverbal painting and other art forms. However, if the artist’s vision shifts either to the left or right dimension, then his creativity gets limited by his conditionings or mental perceptions. His connection with the infinite realm of originality only occurs when he has complete freedom. The spirit is set free when his attention moves in the centre, which connects him to the infinite source of creativity – collective consciousness.

More recently, a British physicist, Roger Penrose, analyzed the source of new knowledge. He made the analysis on the basis of strict modern mathematics and physics. He said that we can understand the proofs of theorems and laws, but we can only understand where the new knowledge comes from if we assume that somewhere there exists the data bank, which accumulates all the information in full volumes about everything. As we connect to the source, all our problems also connect to the source. Conversely, their solutions also emerge from the same source. Instead, if we revert to the ego-based thinking, the connection snaps and we are isolated and feel insecure. However, Roger Penrose did not explain how this knowledge penetrates the minds of scientists.

Till the discovery of Sahaja Yoga, it was not clear how this knowledge permeated the human brain. Einstein also expressed a similar view when he stumbled on the Theory of Relativity. He was playing with soap bubbles in his garden. He said “I do not know but from somewhere unknown it dawned upon me.” With the experience of Kundalini awakening, it is clear that when the kundalini pierces the seventh centre, it connects human consciousness to the all pervading power of Divine love. After the connection, the individual gains access to the cosmic data bank when he puts his attention to the data he desires. Similarly his art is inspired by it and beckons the society towards higher ascent. For instance, the art of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, uplifts the vibrations. Seekers become meditative as the coefficient of vibrations takes them to the higher state of collective consciousness. Many paintings of the Madonna and child by Renaissance artists also kindle the flow of vibrations. The music of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Strauss, Schubert and most Indian classical music, cascades vibrations. As the kundalini ascends, the individual matures. When that maturity penetrates the collective, it forges the black holes of the society. The collectivity has ability to foster all the world societies into one family, which Socrates envisioned as humankind.

The Gospel of Peace of Jesus Christ, by the disciple John, tells of a similar vision:

“And then shall the sons of Men like true brothers, give love to one another, the love which they received from their Heavenly Father and from their Earthly Mother, and they shall all become comforters of one another. And then shall disappear from the earth, all evil and all sorrow, and there shall be love and joy upon the earth. And then shall the earth be like the heavens, and the kingdom of God shall come.”

The great Indian visionary, Rabindranath Tagore, also envisioned the bonding of people of all faiths and sects:

“Come, O  Aryan and Non-Aryan,

Hindu and Muslim,

Come, O English and you Christian,

Come, O Brahmin,

Purify your mind and clasp the hands of all; Come, O downtrodden,

and let vanish all burdens of your humiliation.

Tarry not but come you all

To anoint the Mother,

On the shores of Bharat,

Where men of all races have come together.”

Chapter 4

VISION OF THE FOURTH DIMENSIONS

The fourth dimension constitutes a network of galaxies as complex as the planetary system. But however complex its network may be, its movement is always in rhythm. For instance, the Earth’s movement around the Sun follows a certain rhythm. Similarly, the Earth’s spins on its axis follows a certain rhythm. And just as the Earth spins on its axis, so does a spin occur within our body, described as chakras. Thus the microcosm within reflects the macrocosm outside. On a microcosmic level the chakras work out individual awakening and transformation of the soul, while on the macrocosmic level they drive the grand evolutionary process. Let us study how identical they are and how they influence each other. Recent studies reveal that the universe functions intelligently, and so do our chakras. Just as the universal rhythms emit various frequencies; our chakras also emit different frequencies of consciousness. Their frequencies are in constant interaction, and radiate different qualities. For the moment, let us confine our study to how the planetary system within us functions, and defines our individual and collective growth.

There are seven main centres, also known as chakras or wheels, which intersect the central channels at various points. These are called wheels, because they are whirling around in horizontal planes, rotating clockwise at a certain frequency. In this whirling, they emit millions of vibrations. They manifest themselves in the gross outside the spinal cord, as plexuses, and control the organs of the human body as well as the neuro-endocrine system of the corresponding region in the physical body.

The axis of each center is linked to our consciousness. Therefore, each centre is extremely sensitive to our actions and reactions. Our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual activities register in these centers. The impact of these activities can be negative or positive. A negative impact or irresponsible behaviour weakens the center, whereas a positive influence strengthens it. The weakening of the center makes it more vulnerable to malfunctioning and disease. Furthermore, these chakras are also sensitive to outside factors like people, friends, relations, ecology, pollution and the forces of nature. Just as the body picks up a cold virus from a friend, similarly the heart chakra can pick up a pain from the heart of a close friend or relative. The physical proximity is not necessary. It is emotional attachment that matters. Just as the chakras emit vibrations, they also absorb the vibrations of others and outside forces.

Our chakras are mostly blocked by the hurts and shocks recorded by our actions and reactions. Each chakra performs a specific function and our conscious or unconscious behaviour patterns could be detrimental to its health. For instance, the first chakra could be blocked by sexual abuse, the second by alcohol, the third by mental stress, the fourth by emotional traumas, the fifth by guilt and the sixth, by the inability to forgive. A person or host could reflect any of these blocks of the transmitter on his chakra, like a mirror. Furthermore, the reflection starts activating itself into reality like an animation.

For instance, the block at the heart center of the transmitter may reflect in the heart of a person or a host who is emotionally attached to him. The host would also suffer the pangs of pain caused by the block of the transmitter. As the host’s kundalini struggles to clear the block, it would simultaneously clear the block of the transmitter also. However, if the host does not attend to the problem in a timely way, then his block could be sucked to the same position as the transmitter, and he could suffer   similar consequences.

Furthermore, a friend of the friend could also pick up the block from the host. In this way, it spreads faster than a virus from one to another and becomes a collective block in which all the mirrors reflect the same crack. In reality, one can observe certain weaknesses or peculiarities in each society. These are nothing but the collective blocks.

On the other hand, the collectivity may have its strong points which emanate from the dominant qualities of a particular chakra of the population. This also explains certain national characteristics and how certain nationalities are more developed at a particular chakra. For instance, Indians are noticed to have a strong first chakra, which manifests from their fine sensitivity of innocence. Italians have a highly developed sense of aesthetics emanating from a strong second chakra. Seventy-five percent of the world’s art treasures are found in Italy. C.J. Jung’s study of collective human patterns revealed that they were caused by a collective phenomenon. He observed that the unconscious process of the most widely separated races and people revealed quite a remarkable correspondence, which could be seen in forms and motifs of their myths. Now it is possible to verify through Sahaja Yoga research how many things work out for the collective through the individual and vice versa. For instance, when the block of one host starts releasing, its resonance starts working collectively and everyone who had picked up the block starts releasing it and behold – the block suddenly vanishes from the face of the earth.

Ursula Doring, who has been practicing Sahaja Yoga in northern California for more than fifteen years, recalls such an experience:

“One evening Shri Mataji spent two and half hours working on me to clear the blocks in my chakras. During the process, she kept telling me not to feel guilty. It seemed there were so many others waiting for her individual attention, that try as I might, I felt guilty for taking up so much of her valuable time, and tried on several occasions to crawl away. At one point, she turned me around and said, ‘Just think of yourself as a guinea pig. Remember, if it works out on you, it works out on the collective level also; all others like you with similar problems work out. So you must not feel guilty. It blocks the flow of vibrations.” (Discovering Sahaja Yoga, 1984-Independent Study, CHS)

Thus, it is possible to appreciate how much greater is this power of the inner perennial force, compared to the destructive power of the nuclear bomb.

Ecology problems can also have an effect on the chakras. For instance, the heavy pollution of gas fumes in a city is bound to choke the collective throat center of the population. Thus, we can realize how we become victims of certain negative collective patterns. In our new millennium, it is clear that human health will be more and more at the mercy of collective patterns, and therefore it is of utmost importance to check them. The pollution of our rivers, biosphere and oceans is going to choke the network of channels, galaxies and oceans within us. The outside is only the projection of within. The planet earth has become a small place to live in. Forest fires in far off Indonesia adversely affected the throat chakra of millions living in the Southeast Asian mainland.  We have realized that to preserve the health of our chakras, we have to preserve the health of others also. Perhaps it is not very different from what Christ said: “Love Thy Neighbor.”

This relationship integrates both the individual human mind and the earth mind into the whole planetary mind. This, in turn, must integrate into a universal or cosmic mind.

Einstein attributed many of his discoveries to the cosmic mind. He recognized that under certain conditions of extreme cold, particles called “bosons,” can become indistinguishable from each other. They merge into one another and lose their identity completely. Einstein said, in effect, this can happen, but only at ridiculously cold temperatures, so low they can exist only in the mind of God.” *On June 5, 1995, those ridiculously low temperatures were achieved in a laboratory and Einstein’s prediction came true.

Materials things, from atoms to planets, have wavelengths so short, they behave like particles with clear boundaries, locations and motions, but the warmest, fastest atoms begin evaporating.

The key to that transition is growth of the particle’s       wavelengths until they overlap, which occurs as super cooling occurs. Clouds of atoms become so frigid that they lose individual identity and merge. They are not just like another, but they actually are one another. For instance, imagine a carton of a dozen eggs in which all the eggs suddenly overlap in the same slot but do not break or interfere with each other.

The discovery of Bose-Einstein’s condensate state helps to explain how the individual human mind, the earth mind, and the planetary mind integrate with the cosmic mind at a certain level of consciousness. Or inversely, from its very inception, they are the reflection of the cosmic one.

Therefore, it can be assumed that both the individual mind and the ecosystem interact and are affected by the cosmic mind, and that each individual mind interacts with another individual human mind and is affected by it. The negative effect manifests as a physical, emotional or mental disorder.

Thus, the biological, mental, emotional and cultural ties between human beings are inseparable from the collective. This is verified by Sahaja Yoga collective meditations. Often the individual catch or problem is dissolved by the vibrational power of the collective. While a seeker may meditate alone, he benefits greatly from collective meditation. Thus, collectivity is necessary for the individual ascent.

An organism that thinks only in terms of its own survival will invariably destroy its environment and eventually itself. A cell does not grow by itself, but the whole body grows. The units of survival, then, are not just an entity, but rather a pattern of organization adopted by an organism in its interactions with its environment. What survives is the organism in its environment i.e. collectivity.

In view of this larger vision, it is important to be mindful of certain sensitive negative pattern that are creeping in slowly but surely, eroding the collective patterns. In the interest of collectivity, it is important to expose and oppose these sinister attempts.

By being passive, if one accepts or tolerates negativity, then one has surely invited one’s doom, because negativity grows like cancer. On the other hand, the transformative power that is awakened within enables us to be successful in our ascent and allows us to act wisely, and correct weakness in our character that block the flow of vibrations.

Chapter 5

VISION OF THE INNATE INNOCENCE

The most cherished image imprinted in human

consciousness is that of a mother embracing her child. This pure desire found expression in the worship of the Madonna in early traditions. Her followers placed her on a higher spiritual pedestal than the purely masculine trinity. (Madonna “worship” is still prevalent in some cultures, especially Hispanic, and in the Catholic tradition in general and among some feminist Christians – but still frowned on among some Protestants).

“Even as the body of the newborn babe

Is born of the womb of his mother

I tell thee truly,

Thou are one with the Earthly Mother;

She is in thee, and thou art in Her

Of her wert thou born

In her dost thou live.” (The Essene Gospel of Jesus Christ)

However, even earlier than 5000 B.C., ancient Indian civilization venerated the Mother holding her innocent child. The innocence of their relationship emanates from the collective unconscious, reflecting the love of the primordial Mother for her children. The meaning of life seems to be buried in the symbol of the Holy Mother as love and the child as innocence, revealing that love is the all pervading power of God and it flows through innocence. The human channels have to be pure to reflect the beauty and love of its creator. Nature and the animals forever abide with God by virtue of their innocence.

The quality of innocence is placed in human beings at the tip of the spine in what is called the earth center. It is an innate quality that cannot be destroyed. It has been constantly attacked but it cannot be vanquished, because its tenacity is in-built since the beginning of creation by our creator. Its potency is infinite and can be seen in a simple seed that sprouts when attached to the earth. The earth is its mother, and she nurtures her child. Similarly, through our quality of innocence, we are nourished by the Divine love of the Primordial Mother who created us. However, if our mirror of innocence is covered by other things, we cannot feel the power of her love. In the course of our life, many layers of ignorance cover the mirror, which cause distorted images. But the quality of innocence is never lost. There is a way to clean the mirror so that it may reflect the reality.

Innocence is an innate quality of all living beings. It gives us wisdom, guidance and protection. For instance, when an alien body tries to enter us, our innocence alerts the body’s immune system, which then plunges into action. Without this consciousness, the human body would be helpless. The clearer the mirror, the better the reflections. Likewise, when knowingly  or  unknowingly  we go against our spirit, the innocence sounds a siren. If we choose to ignore, it, then after a few shocks, it suppresses into a cold anger which results in numbing the first center. For instance, when the innocence of a chaste woman is challenged, as in the case of rape, the trauma of her wounded innocence may result in mental imbalance. The insult is too much for the innocence to bear.

Only when we become conscious of our own value of innocence, can we respect our self and others. Without this consciousness, sex can remain a physical urge for self indulgence, like drugs. Drugs attack our innocence. Under drugs and sex abuse, the first center becomes numb and ceases to defend the body from alien attack. It is under such circumstances that HIV viruses penetrate the body. However, in Sahaja Yoga, by awakening the Kundalini and through its vibrations, the quality of innocence is restored.

Sex is an absolutely normal, natural human desire. But sex is to be understood in its proper perspective. The sex act has never played any role in human ascent. Sex has nothing to do with Kundalini awakening. Many tantric and occult writers on Kundalini have called it a sexual energy, asserting that by reversing the sexual fluid, the kundalini is awakened. Anyone familiar with the body anatomy knows that physically such a reversal is impossible. Furthermore, the kundalini is placed above the first center which looks after the sex organs. Hence, the Kundalini cannot be affected by a center which is beneath it. The Kundalini can only be awakened by a Realized Soul, whose Kundalini has been awakened by an authorized soul. When any unauthorized person tries to awaken it, particularly through occult practice, then the first center goes into turbulence, which may cause some unnatural behaviour. Kundalini awakening is such a spontaneous and joyous experience. Thus, it is clear that sex plays no part in personal  ascent.

The innocent smile of a newborn baby is a reminder of our innocence. From childhood, innocence is our foundation and it nurtures us carefully with all the necessary inputs for our ascent. It evolves as wisdom and common sense. Howards and Bekeleys may teach us how to succeed in a career, but they cannot teach wisdom. However, simple farming people, living close to the Mother Earth, are innately endowed with the quality of wisdom.

“The true beginning of wisdom is the desire to learn, and a concern for learning means love towards her; the love of her means the keeping of her laws; to keep her laws is a warrant of immortality; and immortality brings a man nearer to God. Thus the desire of wisdom leads to kingly stature…”

“….For in wisdom there is a spirit intelligent and holy, unique in its kind yet made up of many parts, subtle, free loving, lucid, spotless, clear, invulnerable, loving what is good, eager, unhindered, beneficent, kindly towards men, steadfast, unerring, untouched by care, all-powerful, all-surveying, and permeating all intelligent, pure and delicate spirits. For wisdom moves more easily than motion itself, she pervades and permeates all things because she is so pure. Like a fine mist she rises from the power of God, a pure effluence from the glory of the Almighty; so nothing defiled can enter into her by stealth.

She is the brightness that streams from everlasting light, the flawless mirror of the active power of God and the image of his goodness. She is but one, yet can do everything; herself unchanging, she makes all things new; age after age she enters into holy souls, and makes them God’s friends and prophets, for  nothing is acceptable to God but the man who makes his home with wisdom. She is more radiant than the sun, and surpasses every constellation; compared with the light of day, she is found to excel; for day gives place to night, but against wisdom no evil can prevail. She spans the world in power from end to end, and orders all things benignly.”  (Old Testament Apocryphal, Wisdom of Soloman, Ch 5)

The first center is made of the earth element. As mentioned earlier, the earth has its innate intelligence and is hence regarded as a living organism. The power of the mother has been known for a thousand years and has been worshipped as the bestower of fertility. The mythology of native Australian Uluru people attributes the Mother’s power thus, “At the beginning of time, the great Earth Mother gave life to all things. She is the original power from whom both human and animals increase and grow.”

“Let us have reverence for our only earth and the wisdom to protect all her gifts, the flora, the fauna, the air, the water and the landto work with nature and not against it.”

“The seventh communion is with our Earthly Mother, She who sends forth her angels to guide the roots of man and send them deep into the blessed soil. We invoke the Earthly Mother! The Holy Preserver! The Maintainer! It is she who will restore the world! The Earth is hers, and the fullness thereof of the world, and they that dwell therein. We worship the good, the strong, the beneficent Earthly Mother and all her angles, bounteous, valiant, and full of strength….” (The Gospel of the Essense Jesus is discoursing)

In the first step of evolution, the first single cell organism was formed like an amoeba. Thereafter, it became more and more complex, developing into a multicellular being. It was made of the earth element and was the beginning of life. When awakened, its magnetic force started working. The gravity of the Mother gives us our inner sense of direction that grounds and supports the consciousness of the higher centers.

A future world society has to be grounded on the vision of innocence. Innocence manifests in simplicity of mind. When people are simple, they are non-manipulative. They find satisfaction in a sincere long-term relationship, maturing into joyous family life. A healthy family unit contributes positively towards building a peaceful, joyous society. Whereas physical transitory relationships could be very exciting, but they lead to insecurity and distrust that cannot fulfill a relationship. Without the satisfaction of innocence, one goes on hankering for more. The “more” is never enough. There is always someone “more” attractive, “more” appealing. When the light of innocence fades from the eyes, one starts looking at the opposite sex with unholy intent. Recent studies reveal that multiple partners confuse the body’s innate sense of discretion, and hence it is unable to discern hostile viruses like HIV Aids that try to penetrate it. Hence it is important for the growth of a new spiritual society to envisage a stability of relationships that will generate security and healthy families.

We have to become aware of our own value and assume our true position. It has to be a collective happening. One or two individuals cannot transform the society. In former times, a few disciples could be transformed by a great master, but this did not transform the society. Now the blossom time has come with the incarnation of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, where it is possible to give en masse realization globally. This process is silently changing the society as envisioned by the great Indian astrologer, Brighu Rishi, 2000 years ago.

Among all the ancient writers of astrological precision, the greatest Master is Brighu Rishi, who lived more than 2000 years ago. His great treatise Nadi Granth, written on lotus leaves, described respectively, the horoscope of man according  to the combinations and permutations of stars at his birth, and the future world  events of spiritual significance. This was edited by Bhujander in Marathi 300 years ago. According to Nadi Granth:

“While Jupiter is in Pisces a great Yogi will reincarnate on Earth. By 1970 it will have become quite evident to many people that a new era will have started. Kaliyuga (era of destruction) will end and Kritayuga (era of transformation) will start. The axis of the Earth will depress and the Earth’s orbit will come closer and closer to the Sun. Human life will undergo a complete revolution. A great Yogi will incarnate at this time.

Until this time a yogi or devotee could achieve the bliss of  Moksha and find the ultimate meaning of  this life only by following the path  of  devotion, knowledge and Patanjali Yoga, but he would have to go through severe penance in order to awaken the sleeping powers of various chakras of his body and finally enlighten the Kundalini Power.

By the new method of yoga devised by the great Yogi, human beings will be able to attain the joy of Moksha within one lifetime. It would no longer be necessary to sacrifice one’s body or to die in order to achieve Moksha. The Brahmananda, which so far only great saints had been able to experience, and that only by entering into the Samadhi state at the point of death, due to this new type of yoga could be achieved by ordinary human beings without entering Samadhi state while dying.

In the beginning it would be possible for one person among millions to attain this yoga and Moksha (salvation), however, after some time the whole human race, with the help of this yoga, can overcome death. People won’t have to worry about food, shelter or clothing. While living ordinary lives, people will achieve Yoga – union with God. There will be no necessity for hospitals as there will be no diseases.

In the beginning, the great Yogi will be able to heal diseases with a mere touch. Old age, with its destruction of the body, will not exist and people will possess heavenly bodies.

Due to new scientific discoveries, science and religion would become one. With the help of science the existence of God and the Soul could be proved. The veil of ignorance and Maya would be drawn aside and Brahmananda, Moksha, which could previously only be attained by yogis as a result of very hard work and severe penance, would become easily available to many human beings.”

Every one of these predictions is fulfilled in the life work of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. She was born in the geographical center of India, at the hill station known as Chindawara, exactly at noon, on the 21st of March, 1923, the day of the Spring Equinox, when day and night are equal. On May 5, 1970, Shri Mataji introduced the method of Sahaja Yoga, by which self-Realization is achieved effortlessly and without any penances, suffering or fasting, let alone existing as a living death, denying desires. The spirit manifests as the witness state, as noted earlier, and man conquers his appetite through detachment.

Thousands have seen the rising of the Kundalini and her pulsating in different chakras, when she rises.

C. J. Jung spoke of a “collective unconscious” common to all mankind, which he himself had glimpsed through his own dreams and insights and those of his patients. He also knew and taught that the dawning of this new awareness of the collective realm is only to be attained by a maturing process of self-realization, casting off illusion and imaginings which hide the collective reality and hinder its realization into Collective Consciousness. Groups of people, societies and culture have a collective mind and, therefore, also possess Collective Consciousness. Jung assumed that the collective mind or collective psyche also included the Collective Unconscious. As individuals, we are involved in these collective patterns, are influenced by them and to some extent also shape them.

While negativity from various sources may have damaged the chakras, the loving vibrations of our Kundalini heal the chakras. She is our individual mother reflecting the Primordial Mother whose power of love is invincible. However much the chakra may be damaged, our Kundalini nurtures and cures it. Thus disease is eradicated from the body when the corresponding chakra is cured.

Each chakra, within and without represents a fundamental law of nature. Any negation of natural law immediately reflects on the chakra and registers it on the finger as heat or tingling. In this way, it is possible to experience the force behind all creation; from seeds to stars, from atoms to galaxies, from microcosm to macrocosm. As one’s recognition is established in his consciousness, the power of discrimination is attained. This is not the petty discrimination between black and white, but the key which unveils the sterling quality of life itself. This is how we can leap out of our mental shell and see life from a universal spectrum.

Chapter 6

ILLUSIONS AND DECEPTIONS

Zen masters and Indian seers saw life on earth as transient. As one cycle ends, the next one begins. Everything is subject to change and nothing is permanent, for better or worse, we too are subject to change. As our attention shifts from the left and right dimensions, our behaviour patterns also change. For instance, a person may be very sober in the morning, very tense at noon and very angry by the evening. Seated on the right side of the second centre is a barometer that monitors our moods, called the liver. Normally the liver regulates the body’s heat, created by our mental and physical activity. But when a person becomes over-active and hectic, the liver cannot regulate the heat created in the system but itself accumulates the heat. As the temperature rises higher, the mercury shoots up to the brain, the person loses control over himself and vents anger.

For an angry person, we often say, “He is mad at me”. In fact, this is literally true. There is little difference between the behaviour of a mad person and the one bursting with anger. The anger throws the attention to the dead end in the right side channel and then bounces back. After a while, the mercury drops, the person cools down, and after, he does not remember what he said, or his terrible actions. This results in remorse and guilt. In Sahaja Yoga, there are various methods for keeping the liver cool and maintaining the mercury’s temperature, thus averting the fits of madness, which have become all too frequent today in our society.

Apart from our own temperament, the intake of alcohol overheats the liver and as a result, destroys our attention. The liver is the seat of our attention; hence any interference with its function scatters our attention. For instance when the attention is lost under the influence of alcohol, the level of human behaviour falls lower than that of animals.

Our vision of the golden age rests on the bedrock of altered states of human consciousness, whereby putting our attention towards inner ascent, we would achieve the highest state of consciousness. Therefore, any detriment to our attention works against our consciousness. Zen masters, Sufi saints and yogis have spent life times purifying their attention and making it steady so as to merge with the highest level of collective consciousness. They zealously protected their attention against any distraction or influence like alcohol, drugs, etc. Our attention works like a laser beam. Its efficiency naturally depends on how sharp and focused it is.

To keep the attention sharp and focused, it is important that it rests on reality and not artificiality or illusions. When the attention runs after the illusions, it is bound to be deceived. Constant shocks of deceptions can dull the attention, and it may lose its sharpness and focus. It is the alertness that crystallizes our awareness, and the focus on reality that hits the target.

For instance, American television is the world’s best salesman. Television addicts get brain washed into buying more and more, irrespective of need, converting the home into a warehouse or a junkyard. An American friend got trapped into buying six carpets because they were being offered at the price of three. In his one-room studio apartment, there was place for only one carpet, and the other five had to be stored away in a warehouse. For the last ten years, he has paid twice the amount of storage rent than the value of the carpets!

Friends in Manhattan warn visitors not to phone anyone on a Monday morning. It is rather surprising because a long weekend should have recharged their batteries. The cause of the Monday morning syndrome was that, first, they had to drive through heavy traffic on a Friday evening to reach a weekend destination. Next, they were busy following a schedule they fixed for themselves. Then, Sunday noon they start homeward, where a traffic jam can take several hours and they finally reach home irritable and in a bad mood. Thus, it is natural that Monday morning is the hangover! One cannot understand why they cannot enjoy their own homes. Probably they are in an illusion that one must travel to have fun.

These illusions are created from excessive right side activities, which elude our vision of reality. When the right side is over-active, one is stung by a power bug. The bug believes that it can do anything and all the power is in its remote control. Even to enjoy, it has to do something, otherwise there is no fun. Thus, even in the pursuit of fun, we are so busy, and then so exhausted that the fun is missed out. Actually the power bug wants speed. Speed accelerates excitement. But excitement is not joy. Our attention is nurtured by joy, not excitement. Excitement is transitory, joy is innate. Joy comes from reality, excitement comes from illusions. Illusions will go on deceiving the attention, thus making it weaker and weaker.

Consumerism is the greatest illusion. The fashion industry in the West has gone to such extremes of illusions that merely attaching a designer’s tag to a garment shoot up its value ten times. Clever businessmen in Hong Kong and Taiwan caught on to the joke. They copy the designer’s wear, and pirate it. What the West has forgotten is that it is not the designer’s tag that matters, but one’s own aesthetics. Intellect often deceives itself, and therefore one has to rely on an inner perception of reality, through our spirit, as described by Lord Jesus in the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, chapter 44, v. 19:

“Unaided by the Spirit-breath, the work of intellection tends to solve the problems of the things we see, and nothing more. The senses were ordained to bring into the mind mere pictures of the things that pass away; they do not deal with real things; they do not comprehend eternal law. But man has something in his soul, a something that will tear the veil apart that he may see the world of real things. We call this something spirit consciousness; it sleeps in every soul and cannot be awakened until the Holy Breath knocks at the door of every soul, but cannot enter until the will of man throws wide the door.” (Transcribed from the Akashic Records by Levi, De Vorss & Co. Publishers,   Marina del  Rey, 1907)

The Holy Breath is obviously the Kundalini. When the Kundalini is awakened, we develop the discretion that divides illusions from reality.

When we cultivate our attention on illusions, our attention gets mesmerized by illusion and starts deceiving us. We are mesmerized by our senses and have become their slaves. The mind does not tell us what is good for our spirit, but only thirsts after its desires. One designer got so carried away that he ended up designing mini-skirts for men! Such an attention eventually loses track of reality and the person gets lost. This is the American problem, people do not take roots, they keep moving like rolling stones, Rolling stones gather no moss, but where do they go? They have no destination. After some time, they even lose the ability to stop themselves from rolling. They become victims of their own momentum. But roots of a tree must go deep for them to grow. Human beings are not rolling stones. They have a purpose in the grand evolutionary process. They have to evolve and complete their evolution. With this vision in mind, one can stop rolling and anchor. It doesn’t matter if one was rolling before. It might have been fun, but now let us anchor and have the real joy of our own spirit.

Chapter 7

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Jerry Goldsmith was turning and tossing the whole night. He could not sleep. His wife finally shook him up and inquired the cause of his restlessness. He owed john Atkins ten thousand dollars and had promised to deliver the money by twelve noon. He did not have the money. His wife finally mustered the courage and at five in the morning phoned John Atkins to inform him that the money was not coming. Thereafter, Jerry Goldsmith slept like a log, but John Atkins could not sleep. The bug passed on to John Atkins.

The stress bug attacks the left side of the third centre, the area of the stomach and the spleen. Anything can cause a tension if this centre is weak and vulnerable. Stress naturally affects the digestion and can cause stomach problems. Tension irritates the stomach causing an imbalance in the secretion of juices. This eventually results in digestion problems, failing health, nervousness and insomnia.

One of the major problems of Advanced Societies is stress. While medicine may provide temporary relief, it does not cure the malady. When the third Centre becomes weak, a stress prone temperament develops. Little things can cause butterflies in the stomach. If someone is ten minutes late, we become anxious. Working under heavy pressures, time limits or responsibilities beyond one’s limit adds on. Of course, one cannot run away from one’s obligations. However, if we allow our vision to evolve to a higher level of consciousness, we enter a witness state where we are not attached to the situation and do not identify with its problems. In such a state, we become like an audience, witnessing the performance without identifying with the actors. To enter into a witness state is spontaneous. When the Kundalini rises, she sucks the attention and brings it to the centre. It is like standing on a mountain peak where you can look down at the world from all sides and yet remain above it.

The spleen is the speedometer of the body. Constant sirens excite the adreline. An agitated spleen throws the nervous system in panic. In such a situation, the balance is lost and one is prone to commit blunders. In most cases the cause of worry is a galloping imagination of problems. Also, people who are unable to relax do not allow others to relax. They are joy killers. Despite all their agitations, their achievement is usually negative. Patience is the only balm for frustration.

Let us remember that the human being is not a computer that can deliver according to the dictates of a programmer. Our temperaments and qualities are nature’s gifts that have evolved over many generations. Human effort can, no doubt, weed out the faults, chisel the uncut diamond, or even imbibe some new virtues, but this process does not happen within any time frames. Nature takes its own course to an extent and one has to accept that maturing process. This should not be mistaken for fatalism, because there is no passive resignation to fate. On the contrary, there is a conscious attempt to work things out.

A stable left side brings satisfaction. From the previous chapters, it is clear that illusions can give excitement, but not joy, because joy comes only from reality. Similarly, satisfaction also comes from reality. If one is living on the cusps of illusions, then one can never experience satisfaction. For instance, the hunger of the stomach can be satiated, but not the hunger of the eyes.

Inner contentment is the quality of this center. A person could be satisfied with very little, or the moon may not be enough. Usually, the more one has, the more one wants. When we have one thing, we want the next and eventually fall prey to consumerism. New is new only for a day. A child is very excited with a new toy, but after a few days, when the novelty wears off, he wants another one. If money could buy contentment, then the rich would have been the happiest. But, ironically, it is the rich who are the most stressed. They have no time to enjoy their wealth. They are too busy running after more! There is nothing wrong with making money; the problem is greed. Greed like a cancer grows and jeopardizes the left side.

Through an evolved vision we know that we are the spirit. Whatever pleases the spirit would please us. If the spirit is content, we would be in peace. Therefore, it is important to pursue the code of conduct, the Dharma, the Ten commandments, the essence of all the Great Masters,  Lord Krishna, Lord Jesus Christ, Prophet Muhammad, Lao Tse, Confucius, Moses, Zoroaster, etc. and abide by our spirit. When the spirit is pleased, our welfare is taken care of spontaneously. However, that is not to become a fanatic. There is no need to practice self denial, fasting or any kind of penance. The important thing is to be truthful in one’s thoughts, actions and deeds. To be true to oneself is the key to the collective actualization of the eternal human quest.

Chapter 8

GAMES THAT PEOPLE PLAY

Third generation Americans are fascinated by the mystical.

They feel comfortable in the ambience of Indian idols, native icons and Buddhist symbols. They enjoy wearing holy beads, rings and amulets, and burning incense. Their subtle seeking is gradually shifting their value system to a more mystical area. The anticipation of the 1967 musical ‘Hair, for the long-awaited age of Aquarius, has finally dawned. But it should not be mistaken for the Hippie movement of the sixties, which was a rebellion for its own sake. The new mystical movement has evolved from a thirst for inner seeking and aspires towards higher consciousness. Seekers are more open to disciplines that may be helpful. In a sense the seekers are more sensitive and earnest today. Nevertheless, to fathom the mysteries of the occult is not the same as knowledge for the truth. On the contrary, it is the blind leading the blind; a game of searching for a black car in a dark room in which she does not exist.

Many wizards and fairies with magic wands have emerged like mushrooms, offering spells for Halloween parties. What could be a quicker escape from the concrete Manhattan jungle than joining the circus of the mystic? A lot of fun is also offered by multi-milliondollar enterprises hawking tempting wares for the body and the mind. Full page advertisements in glossy magazines, television ads, and even door-to-door salesmen are employed to make attractive deals. Some entrepreneurs even dress like Hollywood stars to pitch sales, and create an illusion, ‘the more expensive – the better’. For most people, it has become an alternate pastime. But alternate by no means implies seeking self-knowledge. The term relates to the thousands of alternatives or choices to entice the American consumer. It holds no promise of stability, reality or truth. In fact, it is short-lived. Each season the trend changes, and the modus operandi of the entrepreneurs changes accordingly. They usually try to masquerade like a master or an Indian guru donning an appropriate costume. Various games are devised to hijack the spiritual aspirations of the seekers; promises of extra sensory perception, levitation, communication with God, and ego pampering are just a few of the tricks.

The seeker can examine some aspects of the teacher before taking the quantum leap. At the outset there should be an inquiry whether the teacher practices what he teaches. He should not suffer from duplicity. If he preaches austerities, then he should not have a Swiss bank account. One should question, “What attracts me to him or her? Is it charisma, sex appeal, eloquence or a large following? Does he represent a parent figure or a spouse substitute? Is my desire to belong to a group to cover my own insecurity? Is it escapism or a fad? What is my interest?” If the intent is tainted, then in the absence of pure desire, one can easily fall into the trap of self-deception.

All mesmeric powers such as materialization power (enslaving masses for money, power or fame), visionary powers, speech powers, curing powers, transcendent feeling (power of switching off the mind), separation of body as in astral travel and many other powers, are very ordinarily found among those who practice the control of spirits. Such powers can be shown coming from the dead in any of the Sahaja Yoga experimental centers. Most psychic, subconscious and supra-conscious groups are like drugs. They entrap the seekers. They are insidious, and their dangers are not apparent until it is too late.

Not all powers are indicative of a righteous path. Visions, voices, astral projections, auras, levitation, predictions, communications with the dead, are all possible, but they do not lead to Truth. They empower us temporarily. They make our ego believe that we are special. But these powers soon sour cause illness, distress, depression or other problems. They are clear invitations for superimposition of one personality by the other, as explained earlier. They are gimmicks to hijack and destroy our true seeking of the spirit. Some groups maybe well meaning, but unaware of the dangers they are exposing themselves to, or they maybe they are ignorant of the nature of the powers with which they are dabbling. Some groups are after our money. Others are after our spirit. Others simply want to take us to hell with them.

The game by which one individual can mesmerize, indoctrinate or brainwash others is not new, in the previous century Stalin and Hitler succeeded in duping large masses of human race. And it is no different from the game that fundamentalists play today.

If we are to remain free, let us beware of all the sinister designs on us. The most dangerous design is fundamentalism. Karl Marx had warned, “Religion has fallen in the hands of power oriented persons who are exploiting the faithful.” More blood has been shed in the name of God than in the two World Wars. God is love. How can one shed blood in the name of God? Alas, the name of God has been used too often, not only to make war, but also to make money. Let us first become the spirit ourselves before we talk of God. Let us know ourselves before we try to know God. Otherwise we play into the hands of fanatics who hold the Koran in one hand and a gun in the other. Let us heed the advice of the temple of Delphi in Greece, “Man, know Thyself and thou will know the universe and the Gods.”

Fanaticism has to go. Religions can no more be exclusive. We have to integrate the essence of all religious and have one universal religion, otherwise we will again fall prey to fanaticism and racialism. Fortunately, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi’s vision of a universal religion integrates the teachings of all the religions in a rosary of Sahaja Yoga. It incorporates the teaching of Lord Krishna, Lord Jesus Christ, Lord Buddha, Lao Tse, Confucius, Socrates, Moses, Guru Nanak, Prophet Muhammad and Zoroaster. All the incarnations, saints and prophets are venerated. In this way, people of all faiths can come together under one umbrella and artificial divisions can dissolve. Now they may sound just like another fanaticism, but the proof lies in the pudding. When one takes Sahaja Yoga as a hypothesis and experiences the beauty of self-realization, then each in his own freedom can make the choice. There is nothing to join, no compulsion on the part of anyone, just the joyful experience of the spirit that deepens as one meditates, purifies his inner being through simple, natural techniques and enters new state of collective consciousness that can be only expressed by the spirit and not through the limited human mind. This transformation occurs gently, and we enjoy it at every step.

Also, we have to know that religion is not an end in itself, but only a stepping stone, a preparation for our higher evolution. We have to rise above it to attain our self-realization and thus self knowledge. Each one has that potential, but we have to pursue it honestly. We have to have a personal experience of an intimate contact with our spirit.

In fact, The Astrologer’s Handbook by Francis Saokoian and Louis Acka share our common vision :

“When the planet Pluto will enter Sagittarius around the year 2000, marking a period of Spiritual regeneration at the beginning of the Aquarian Age. At this time there will be a fundamental understanding of deeper spiritual value among all people. Religions as they are known at present will be completely transformed. There will be one world religion based on man’s direct intuitive communion with one Creator. New spiritual leaders will arise to teach the fundamental laws governing all life in the Universe. The new world religion will combine all the highest expressions of the great religions of the past, with a more comprehensive, scientific understanding of the underlying forces of life.” (The Astrologers Handbook, p227, Planets in the signs and houses.)

The Heart Chakra of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. Photo taken on the shores of Ganapatipule 1993

Chapter 9

THE VISION OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

If we are to seek God, how will we recognize him? We must have some tiny part of him within us, by which we can recognize him. That wee part is unconditional love. God is the power of love and compassion. The whole universe is a garment of his love. You cannot love yourself; you have to love others. Just as God created this beautiful nature to express his love similarly, when our love deepens into our spirit, we experience Divinity. Then we know that love stirs the movement of the stars, as much as it brings together people from all the corners of the world, as envisaged by Goethe:

“Sanction what in man may move

Feelings tender and austere,

And with glow of tender love

Lifts him to thy presence near.” (Goetjer’s ‘Faust’, Part II Act 5)

Love is not an abstract notion or a mental idea. It is as tangible as our heart that beats, for it is love that causes the heart to beat. The fourth center within each one of us is the seat of our spirit whose body is made of vibrations of love. The love of the spirit expressed itself in art, music, architecture and other forms of creativity. These forms became monuments of love like the Taj Mahal, the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, as well as the music of Vivaldi, Mozart, Strauss and Beethoven.

Love has a capacity – it can embrace matter to express itself. For instance a home built with love has such beauty and warmth which a commercial building does not have. There are restaurants one visits for their homely touch, which is the love the chef puts in his cuisine. We cannot live without love. A life without love is dry and meaningless. Then why not put our heart into everything we do, even if it is only moving files in the office? Even the warmth of a telephone operator’s voice can convey its tender touch.

It we build our cities with love, they will multiply a thousand times the vibrations of love and give people joy. Europeans often remark that people from the South are very warm. Their love expresses itself in their architecture, and their art is the reflection of their heart. For instance, walking through Venice and Florence is like a dream, so refreshing and inspiring are the works of their art! Such a stream of love’s creativity emanated from the hearts of the artists. Its power of love is so great that it attracts people from all over the world. Yes, it is the magic of love. Today, the magic of sahaja yoga is casting its spell in government policies, offices, industry and public institutions. For what are we planning if it does not bring joy and happiness to others? A little caring and sharing in government policies makes them more human. Production targets and time schedules may be achieved, but for what?

Planning becomes lopsided when it ignores the heart. Its results are dry and devoid of any joy. No wonder, despite many generations of progress and achievements, people continue to be joyless and dry. Production lines and marketing strategies are programmed to make profits. This pressure shifts to all socio-economic areas. Success and aggression sway over human values. Schools are reduced to mass production factories to program children for the new production ethos. They are tomorrow’s whiz kids, executives, entrepreneurs, salesmen, etc. The pressure is on them to outsmart, race and win. It is the winner’s world. But, ironically, in the end there are no winners. In this rat race everyone destroys each other. Successful Japanese businessmen are increasingly dying of heart attacks at young ages, and yuppies are showing increasing tendencies towards suicide. Over activity and hectic lifestyles have resulted in all kinds of mental, emotional and physical imbalances and disabilities. Harvard Business School may teach a person to be successful, but it does not teach them how to be happy.

Recently neurophysicists discovered that the heart is more an organ of intelligence than merely the body’s pumping station. More than half the heart is actually composed of neurons of the very same nature found in the cerebral system. The heart is also the body’s strongest electromagnetic field. Any EEG that measures the brain waves shows that electromagnetic signals from the heart are much stronger than the brain waves. A reading of the heart’s frequency spectrum can be taken three feet away from the body, without placing electrodes on it. This is possible because the heart center reflects the spirit and its vibrations are so powerful. But the heart has to be pure to reflect its joy. Where one partner dominates the other or is possessive, it stifles the relationship. Vibrations of the spirit’s love must have the freedom to flow. Each one must respect the other and not block the other’s growth by the force of a domineering personality. The woman asserts herself as an equal partner and resents domination. The man, because of his physical superiority, usually fends for the house and becomes the wage earner. Money gives him power which makes him feel superior. In situations where the female is unable to assert her right, she is frustrated and develops a suppressed anger. This anger is often released on children; often times in viciousness and in chronic cases, as neurosis. Breast cancer and other female related problems can be directly traced to the suppression or unjust treatment subjected to women.

A society may offer social security, but if its aging population knows that they have to wind up in an old people’s home, they will always be insecure. Money cannot buy emotional security. Old age is a kind of childhood, where love and care are the vital nourishment. Moreover, the blessings of the elders are very fulfilling and joy giving. Too much of an accent on individualism has only resulted in loneliness. Love is often misidentified as being restricted to a male/female relationship. Love is the flow of the sap of a tree to all the branches, between children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, old people, work, etc. Where people work from the heart, joy exuberates. Where many people share and care, the heart chakra of the whole society opens to usher world peace. The power of collective love works wonders. Creation itself is the best testimony of how the allpervading power of divine love, acts.

Love generates self confidence. With self confidence, one naturally has a strong defence mechanism, which protects against outside negative influence and emotional traumas. However, fear weakens our natural immunities and renders us vulnerable to allergies, disease, psychosomatic problems and superimposition by other personalities. The personality grows and shines when the heart center is strong. Such a person can face life like a warrior. On the other hand in the absence of love, fear takes over. The fear of future or the fear of death may haunt us. Cramped in the abyss of fear, many physical ailments like palpitation and breast problems arise. Psychology attributes many complexes to insecurity, but the source of insecurity is the ego.

Where a mother’s love has been denied in childhood, trust and a fulfilling relationship can fill the gap. When we respond from the heart, we overlook the shortcomings of others, empower them to overcome their weaknesses, improve their personality and transform their life. To spontaneously give everything to her children, is not burdensome for a mother. It is a call of love. Collective love is the lifegiving force of our global family; it builds relationships and binds them.

A strong heart center is the basis of a healthy personality. Nourished with love, it emanates warmth and happiness. Love is nature’s way. Through love, the seed sucks nourishment from the soil and sprouts. The warmth and love of a doctor contributes to the healing power of his treatment. Just being with a warm and loving person can heal. The vibration of such a personality attracts others like the bees to honey. It is love which becomes compassion, compelling us, without thinking, to reach out to help mankind. It is not a moral compulsion or a mental decision, but a spontaneous act. The heart responds to another’s suffering, because it is itself the reflection of the other.

In the life of Shri Mataji, there are daily occurrences where the pain of others manifests in her body. Her body is so compassionate that it absorbs the sufferings of others. It was often observed, that as patients were brought to her presence, and they started feeling better, while her body contorted with pain. She modestly smiles, “Oh, it’s nothing, just my body,” and the patient is healed.

The greatest mistake is to close one’s heart. However hurt one may be; however damaged the heart chakra may be, remember that, within, there is someone who always loves you. She is your individual Mother, your kundalini. She is connected to the all-pervading power of Divine Love, which never abandons you. In her love, there are no expectations. There is only a tender glow that reveals her protection.

The Throat Chakra of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi.

Photo taken in India shows vibration coming from the 5th center, 1985.

Chapter 10

I AM NOT GUILTY

The spirit reveals to us that we are part and parcel of an enlarged family of the Divine Mother. When we identify with our intellect, we stray from our spirit. The intellect likes to assume an individualistic position. In the process, we lose sight of our true identity. We separate our self from the collective and this leads to an identity crisis, vis-a-vis others. We may try to assert ourselves over others, usually through assuming a superior position. We go against the true knowledge that the other is none other than ourselves. In a way we fall from our self-esteem when we begin to project an image before others. In the game we get caught in our own projection and forget who we are. The illusion blocks our vision of the fifth center and we lose our way towards our ascent.

When we begin playing games, we also think others are playing a similar game with us. Hence, we become suspicious and start finding their faults. In criticizing others we enter a negative zone. But life is too short to harbor negativity in our system. No reaching out to others makes us sick. On the other hand we may evaluate ourselves, and discover others are more successful than us. For instance in school someone may be better at sports, studies or just more popular. Slowly, we start developing guilt or an inferiority complex that we are not good enough. We cannot always be ahead of others. Someone may be more accomplished, better-skilled, more successful or better looking. A common reaction is jealousy. It is surprising that people are even jealous of their best friends. If they see something new that their friend has bought, they get it the next day. The same syndrome is common between the “haves” and “have not’s”. People are jealous of others’ wealth, status, reputation or looks. By misidentifying ourselves, we slip into an illusion about ourselves and others. Instead of feeling others through the heart, we are competing with them with our mind.

The fifth center evolved to express the love of the spirit, and how to bring joy to others through the sweetness of speech. Instead of communicating love, if we divert its capacity onto a guilt syndrome, then we block our ascent. When we realize that we are the spirit, the spirit is eternal and pure, hence it cannot be guilty. If one suffers from guilt, the best solution is to put the right hand on the left side of the neck and shoulder joint and keep repeating daily, “I am not guilty, I am the spirit”. Unless our conscious mind registers this truth, the path will not open.

Our guilt can be exploited by others to dominate us. The easiest way to control others is to make them feel guilty. We play into the hands of those who make us feel guilty. Church fathers devised confession to dominate the ego.

Seated within us is our individual Mother, the Kundalini, who loves us so much that she never sees our faults. Day and night she tirelessly works to repair and open all the centers. When we learn how to connect with her vibrations, we can direct them to all the blockages and clear them. After self-realization, we realize that we are a part and parcel of the great Primordial Being; we are the microcosm within the macrocosm, God. We have no separate identity. We are all one. As Shri Mataji pointed, “Who is the other? If you are the sun and sunlight, if you are the moon and moonlight, then where is duality? Only when there is a separation, there is duality, and because of that separation, you feel a distance between you and yours. If everything is me, who is the other? When the brain overcomes all identity, the so-called limited brain becomes unlimited.”

Once we shed off guilt, our communication channels open up. It becomes easy to express the feelings of the heart. When we talk to each other, love starts flowing. However, if we prefer to watch television rather than talk to each other, love does not grow. After three years of conversation on Facebook, two friends finally decided to meet. But when they met they had nothing to say, because all the conversation was meant for the Facebook! There is no substitute for love. Void of love, we bottle ourselves and feel lonely. The problems of the heart can be solved just by opening it.

 The problem comes when people are not looking for solutions. They talk for the sake of talking and do not know how to use the heart for resolving their issues. Instead, they justify their positions or garner support for their rationalizations.

It is amazing that electronic communication is booming via the internet, but personal communication is shrinking. People are hesitant in talking with each other because they have created too many artificial barriers. If no one talks to anyone, how will he or she share the joy of the spirit?

Travelling through the English countryside is a pleasure. There was an Englishman who held on to a newspaper for five hours without even exchanging a smile with his neighbour. A few days later, the same gentleman was seen on a street laughing and chatting with passers-by. It was revealed that he was so amiable because he was drunk. It was reported that only drunks are seen to talk to people on the streets in that part of the country.

It is, indeed, strange that we, as human beings, find it so difficult to talk to each other, as if we are coming from different planets. We are not from the Moon or Mars. We are one human race, children of the primordial Mother. We may have split under compelling circumstances but in this millennium we are compelled by a burning desire to bond.

 Khalil Gibran Said,

“Friendship has no meaning except the deepening of the spirit”.

Vibrations coming out of the Chakra or third eye of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi  (Photo taken in England 1994)

Chapter 11

PEOPLE’S FAULTS CAN BE CURED ONLY BY LOVING THEM

I don’t like”, “I hate” are becoming common expressions in our daily conversation. When we start projecting ourselves like an authority in control of everything our ego hardens. It forms a layer covering our brain and we develop horns on our heads! We want to dominate others with our ideas. What we don’t agree is condemned.

As the movement of the intellect goes to the extreme right, we lose our balance. We start getting absurd ideas. On a collective level such a society reaches the dead end of its growth. The dead end reflects the collective imbalance, as can be seen in top heavy bureaucratic structures which come out with absurd policies that recoil subsequently. This has led to massive wastage of national resources. For instance, the nations that spend the largest part of their budgets on pollution control, produce the most lethal poisons – nuclear wastes. Ironically these advanced nations credit themselves to be highly ‘aware.’

When the cool shafts of love fall on an “over-heated” liver, the ego cools down. However, if the ego is confronted by another ego, it sparks. The important thing is not to fight the ego. The simplest way to diffuse the ego is to forgive others and forgive yourself. Some people say, “I can never forgive.” It is their ego that does not allow them to forgive. The harder the ego the greater is its resistance to forgiveness. Those who do not forgive get caught up at the sixth center, which is also called the third eye. What have we to forgive or not forgive? What can we do to the other? It is all a myth. Whatever we harbour against the other is only the dirt in our mind which hampers our own ascent. Besides, the person who is not forgiven remains unaffected. Nonforgiveness is only a game to fan the ego. To rise above the ego, we have to take the lesson of forgiveness from Lord Jesus Christ. Those who do not heed his message cannot enter the Kingdom He promised. The Sufis believe that the first state of one who has found the knowledge of the unity of God and the realization of that is that there passes from his heart the remembrance of all things and he becomes alone with God.

People who cannot forgive should realize that their ego has become so hard that it does not allow the ascent of the kundalini.  The ego plays games to expand its domain. Whenever we get stuck at the ego, we can devise a game to defrost it.  The ego can be softened by playing with it, making fun of it and laughing at it. When it softens, one sees through its play and dissolves it.

The idea of vengeance is really childish. Because we refuse to grow up, we keep playing the childish game of punishing the culprit. If the murderer has escaped, then let his son be hanged. Unfortunately, we attach attribute of wrath to God also. The fear of a wrathful God who punishes our sins is thrust on us.

The idea of a wrathful God, who punishes, is actually a myth. God is a loving Mother who loves her children very much. Each moment She is beckoning us through our kundalini to come closer to her. She does not look at our faults; she builds within us the power of her love. The movement of that love corrects the faults simultaneously. A mother accepts her child’s fault as he is her own creation, and works hard to correct it. From the love with which she brought up her child taught it to follow her bidding spontaneously. Similarly our Primordial Mother passed the art of love to our grandmothers and mothers. At the collective level the popular movement portrayed the Virgin Mary as the ultimate healer and the quintessence of love and compassion. The wisest of men, Lao Tse named her the Tao’

“The Tao that can be told of is not the absolute Tao. The names that can be given are not the absolute names.

The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth. The named is the Mother of all things.”

An animal cannot project his mind, whereas human beings have the ability to project something which does not exist in reality. For instance, an artist is able to project something in the abstract and then transmit it on a canvas. An architect conceives an idea and then develops it into a design. Through this power we have learned to play with our minds, to build castles in the air or break them. This play is the positive power of the mind. It enables us to cross the frontiers of our conditions and enter new horizons. However, too often we get caught in our play. Then we seek to liberate ourselves. The other name for this play is illusion or Maya. The point is to free ourselves from the illusions created by us and others. Let us see how.

Illusion teases the ego and uses its logic and intellect to play hideand-seek with it. It is like a dream. For instance, in the dream state we believe that the events are happening, but upon waking, the illusion falls. In the same way, the mind deceives itself. Often we say, “Oh, I believed it was so; I was under a misconception.” Our perception comes from a logical, mental deduction. However, as the hypothesis of the logical deduction was itself an illusion, the intellect, too, suffers from it. When our intellect grows larger than life it starts mesmerizing us. We become auto mesmerized. The auto overtakes our will, and even if want we can’t stop it. For instance the auto goes on churning thoughts, even if we want we cannot stop our thoughts. Consumed by the intellect our prism becomes selective and we believe what our intellect wants us to believe. Not satisfied with just that, it poses itself as the gospel truth and starts dictating others – think the way it thinks, and believe what it believes. It spins its own world that does not mirror the reality. For instance, mesmerized by their intellect, suicide bombers are convinced they are doing the right thing. It is the intellect that does the convincing and is convinced – not the kundalini. The intellect is finite and cannot permeate the wisdom of the infinite kundalini. It is only a mechanical process, and like the computer is limited by its program.

The intellect acts upon the intellect like a magnet acts on iron. However through introspection, it is possible to free ourselves from its magnetic power. When we connect with the reality it becomes clear that the dictates of the intellect are not the gospel truth. Yes, the intellect may succeed in boosting the ego but it does not love,  it is not emotionally friendly, and nor is it joy giving. It is a useful tool but a bad master.  If we want joy to come back in our lives then it must become an efficient tool of the heart.

When we experience the Absolute Truth, that is, the spirit, then our consciousness expands and we become intuitive. The identification with our intellect separates and our outlook changes to that of a third person as a witness. The mind is like an onion; on reaching its heart, it cannot be peeled further. This is the destination. When we shed our concepts, then only the pure spirit shines. The cup has to be empty for the master to fill it with true knowledge. If the cup is already full to the brim, the master can give nothing.

Vibrations coming out of the Crown Chakra or 7th center of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi.

Photo taken in Italy, 1988

Chapter 12

THE DIMENSION OF COSMIC LOVE

When the kundalini pierces the fontanelle bone at the top of the head, one experiences the grace pouring shafts of

pure joy. One is overwhelmed with a feeling of immeasurable inner fulfillment. There remains nothing to desire. Thereafter, every beat of the heart cascades vibrations that want to embrace everyone. The individual suddenly expands into infinity that encompasses everything in nature. One discovers a new language of communication – love… It is so simple that one is surprised why one does not use it. Abraham Lincoln aptly described this feeling to his son; “One starts smiling with the flowers, talking to the birds, dancing with the wind. One flows with the subterranean bondage that runs   through nature, that goes up the sap of a tree to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on a green hillside.” (Abraham Lincoln – from a letter to his son’s teacher)

One can easily feel the kundalini of others through one’s own kundalini. In the meeting of spirits, there is only love. The human race becomes one family. The colour of the skin may vary but the hearts are united. Everyone belongs to us and everything is ours, yet we are attached to nothing. One accomplishes everything without doing it. One enjoys a freedom unknown and unchartered by any constitution. One continues to play one’s allotted role in life. It does not matter if that job is weaver, carpenter, butcher, fisherman, businessman, politician or warrior. The state of peace is within however active the body may be. From this inner state, one can do all the functions without being affected by them. History bears ample testimony of men who achieved such a state, like King Janak was a ruler, Mahatma Gandhi was a leader, Saint Kabir was a weaver, Chanakya was a politician.

In a way, one is compelled by compassion and not by the intellect. Wherever love calls, one goes. One’s own time is not so important, it is for others. But at no point, one feels that one is doing for others, for there is no other; it is only love. The fragrance of individuality is not lost, just as a flower inside a bouquet does not lose its fragrance.

As the flower becomes the collective bouquet, one tunes into the frequency of collective consciousness. In such a state one no more sees anything as a problem as the solutions come effortlessly by themselves. But if a problem arises, the enlightened attention penetrates like a laser and finds the solution. It is as though the solution is inherent within the problem. Such a person has no self-interest and only thinks of the benevolence of others. In the depth of the inner silence the power of discrimination grows within. However, this power is also surrendered to God:

“And He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, And God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.

And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes;

And there shall be no more death,

Neither sorrow nor crying,

Neither shall there be any more pain:

For the former things are passed away.” (The Essene Gospel of Jesus Christ)

But compassion sways His decision. It is not the head but the spirit that rules His decisions. Thus, His decision belongs to a higher realm than the law makers and law keepers. When people were stoning the prostitute, Mary Magdalene, Christ said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Of course, he subsequently said to her, “Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more.”

Perhaps it is difficult to understand many actions of incarnations through the rational mind. But the realm of God’s infinite compassion is beyond the finite mind, brain and intellect. Hence, through one’s limited brain, one cannot envision the infinite. How, then, are we to recognize a realized soul? How does he talk, walk, eat or drink? Outwardly, he behaves like a normal human being, but through vibrations, we can recognize him. In the Bhagavad Gita, Prince Arjuna poses a similar question to Lord Krishna;

“How is the enlightened one recognized? How does he speak? How does he sit? How does he walk?”

Lord Krishna answered, “When the mind becomes free of its content of desires, and the spirit is content in itself, such a one is in an enlightened state.”

Lord Krishna refers to the state of thoughtless awareness. Thoughts are like ripplesin the ocean; but when the ocean calms, the love reflects ripples of joy. The conscious becomes collectively conscious and delights in it. One’s life transforms into a bubbling ocean of joy. When the truth that we are the spirit comes into our attention, the mind loses its hold. Along with it, the mind content of anguish, likes and dislikes, also dissolves. One does not react anymore but allows the vibrations to act.

Sahaja Yoga practice develops the sensitivity to vibrations on our fingertips. Each center can be felt in its corresponding finger, which is like a meridian. Vibrations of realized souls are cool. Christ described them as the “cool wind of the Holy Ghost.” The breeze guides us towards the spirit, and that which is born of the spirit.

Thus, it is clear that once the kundalini establishes itself at the seventh center, one sustains the state of meditation spontaneously. Each chakra subsumes in this center. Thus, all their powers integrate in the expanse of a new awareness. It is organic, effortless, an intimate experience, and a process of inner growth.

In the light of the new awareness one wonders what are the various entrepreneurs marketing in the name of meditation. Essentially, they offer therapies, self-hypnosis, methods of relaxation, and to some extent, escape routes from stress. Perhaps that is what a busy business executive is seeking, a few moments of relaxation before the next meeting. But these solutions are short lived; they do not transform our personalities. We have to become the spirit. Through self-realization, we get our second birth, as the spirit. It is the connection with our spirit that is the most important thing. The truth is that we are not the body, mind, ego or intellect – we are the spirit. Meditation is a state when we become one with the spirit. When we become the spirit, we become one with God. After this connection, our consciousness abides with Him. At that level we are inspired and guided by Him. Our habits, value systems and personality are transformed into a very joyous and loving nature. Sahaja Yoga gatherings are so full of joy, celebration, music and dancing, envisioned by C. S. Lewis, in “The Great Divorce,”:

“The reason why I asked if there were another river was this. ‘All down one long aisle of the forest the undersides of the leafy branches had begun to tremble with dancing light; and on earth I knew nothing so likely to produce this appearance as the reflected lights cast upward by moving water. A few moments later, I realized my mistake. Some kind of procession was approaching us, and the light came from the persons who composed it.

First came bright spirits, not the Spirits of men, who danced and scattered flowers – soundlessly falling, lightly drifting flowers, though by the standards of the ghost-world, each petal would have weighed a hundred weights and their fall would have been the crashing of boulders. Then, on the left and right, at each side of the forest avenue, came youthful shapes, boys on one hand, and girls on the other. If I could remember their singing and write down the notes, no man who read that score would ever grow sick or old. Between them went musicians: and after these a lady in whose honour all this was being done…’ ‘Every beast and bird that came near her had its place in her love. In her they became themselves. And now the abundance of life she has in Christ from the Father flows over into them.’ I looked at my teacher in amazement. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘It is like when you throw a stone into a pool, and the concentric waves spread our further and further. Who knows where it will end? Redeemed humanity is still young; it has hardly come to its full strength. But already there is a joy enough in the little finger of a great saint such as yonder lady to waken all the dead things of the universe into life.’”

When the connection with the collective consciousness is established, one is blessed with its protection and care. Things start working out for us spontaneously. When all the doors close a window opens.  People think that it is coincidence, but there is more to it than meets the eye. It reoccurs to remind us that it is the blessing of Divine Grace. Lord Krishna described it as, “Yoga Kshema,” meaning that welfare follows after union with collective consciousness. On the surface, everything appears to be a coincidence, but in reality, it is a design of cosmic vibrations. After self-realization, it is easy to see the blessing of the coincidence. We can know from the cool vibrations that it is the cosmic vibrations that are protecting us each moment.

 The cosmic vibrations are pure consciousness. They do all the living work. They know everything. They have all the power, yet they are very peaceful and full of love. They work out everything at the appointed time. Their blessings help physically, mentally, emotionally and materially. When we are wired with them there is no need to ask for anything, because they know our needs better than we do, and they are far more efficient.

Though engaged in seemingly worldly pursuit, one is not attached to them. There remains nothing to do or not to do, yet one carries on one’s duties and worldly obligations but one is free.

The senses are not dead, but become the instrument of the spirit. The spirit enjoys itself; it does not seek satisfaction from outside as it is itself the source of contentment. One becomes a very creative personality. One rises above the rigidity that limits our style. In the expanse of infinity, one freely enjoys the variety, exuberance and mirth, Original creativity is inspired. The creativity reflects one’s inner serene and joyous state. The resonance of the creativity can also awaken and inspire the spirit in other. A voice of a realized musician can awaken the spirit of the listeners. Guru Nanak says, “And listen to the Divine music that beats in every heart.”

One is released from the bondage of time; the past and the future do not exist. One lives only in the present, “Here and Now.” There is a realization that everything is transitory, that change governs all matter, but the spirit is not matter. It is the eternal witness. The witness state, as previously noted, is free of conditioning and ego. The witness starts introspection and purifies the inner dimension of the channels and subtle centers till they become like mirrors, reflecting the eternal mirror. One develops an inner tenacity that is undaunted by the pressure of circumstances. That tenacity enables one to keep oneself above all pressure like a lotus that always keeps itself above the water.

Lord Krishna describes this tenacity of the Spirit;

“Weapons do not cleave it,

Fire does not burn it,

Waters do not wet it,

Wind does not dry it.” (The Bhagavad Gita, II (23))

It is crystal clear that the spirit cannot be tainted by any quality and also, that nothing can be super-imposed upon it. Thus, after selfrealization, all the emotional traumas that weigh on the health are uplifted. A self-renewal process starts through the power of the kundalini, which simultaneously does the work of inner cleansing and renewal. Many diseases and illnesses get cured and even the genes change. The same process also starts working at the collective level through en masse realization. It starts working from the inner core, weaving the warp and the weft of the outer shell. Thus, as large groups of people all over the world are getting their self-realization a new society is emerging. The resonance of their vibrations is the catalyst ‘Kalki’ for the peaceful transformation of world madness into world harmony. For the fulfillment of the human race from the state of, “what we are” towards the vision of “what we could be.” In the revelation of William Blake, “The men of God will become prophets.” Yes, they will be men and women of compassion and wisdom. At the cosmic level, the transforming process that will crown the twenty-first century is being stirred by the planet Pluto to usher the Golden Millennium, promised by all the ancient prophecies.

EPILOGUE

The wheels of time are now at the heel of the Last Judgment.

However at this juncture of the Last Judgment, no one has to judge us, we have to judge ourselves. Similarly, no one has to punish us, we are punishing ourselves! In 1854 the Chief Seattle had cautioned, “The Earth is our Mother. Whatever befalls the Earth, befalls the sons of the Earth.” We did not heed his wisdom, and in the madness of our ambition we not only ravaged the Mother Earth, but also left our soul behind. Hence, there is every reason to beware of the wrath of the elements. Moreover, in the new millennium we invented robots, and in the process we too became robotic. While it may be possible to deal with the problem of hunger and poverty threatening the new millennium, it is not possible to address the larger threat of human robots that explode bombs in our backyards, detonate planes, trains, transport, schools, hospitals, water supply, electricity and nuclear plants! The last decade witnessed more than 2000 cases of illegal trafficking, theft or loss of nuclear and radiological materials around the world. Mostly terrorist organizations were behind the thefts. If terrorists detonate a single nuclear device in any city, it will not only take millions of lives, but also translate into a global catastrophe by paralyzing the densely interconnected global economic and financial networks. Hence no individual or country can sit on the fence anymore; they either side with the axis of evil or address it collectively.

We should not be surprised if in view of this grim evidence the grand jury is persuaded to decree our crucification, but according to the ancient prophecies, it could also trigger our resurrection. According to the ancient prophecies this chaos of Kali Yuga would be juxtaposed to transform human consciousness into collective consciousness through the awakening of the kundalini; the light of the awakened kundalini would transform human consciousness, and dispel the darkness.

Thus kundalini awakening has set free the spirit of millions of seekers globally. The collective kundalini addresses the problem of nuclear terrorism, fundamentalism, fascism, racialism, injustice and whatever thwarts collective love.

The collective vibrations of realized souls have formed a caucus for global transformation. It uses the power of love to usher world peace. Its power has also penetrated the fields of economy, politics, education, health, agriculture, ecology, science and technology. It offers solutions by aligning our value system with the laws of our chakras which are no different from the laws of nature, science and technology. The awakened Kundalini gives us the new awareness to read the laws of God, and abide by them for our mental, spiritual, social and physical well being. But the choice to side with them or evil rests with us. Those who choose to abide by these laws will enjoy this blossom time. For others it would be the period of sorting out which Christ also promised and has been described in the koran as the Day of Judgement.

“On that day we shall seal their mouths, their hands will speak, and their feet will testify to their misdeeds.” (Sura36:63)

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