Monday, May 19, 2008

Suffering and Perception

Following is from an upcoming (Oct. 13) Long Distance Deeksha and Meditation Group. Registration information can be found at www.vedicshamanism.com/index5.html :

The ancients defined enlightenment as liberation from suffering. You normally do not think of suffering as an opposite of enlightenment, however if you consider that ignorance is at the root of all suffering it is not such a stretch.

A fundamental observation of the sages and mystics that you must be aware of is that the suffering is in the perception of the fact and not in the fact itself. Otherwise you would have to say that all who are poor are suffering. There are many who do not have so much materially, are much happier than some wealthy people. If the suffering is in the condition of blindness you would have to say that all who are blind are suffering from it. This is not the case. While some are suffering from blindness others are just blind.

Think of some examples in your life where an erroneous perception (ignorance) caused suffering in your life. For example, one morning you are walking into the Walmart and a big man looks at you and spits right on you. He has big muscles and a lot of tattoos. At his side is a big dog. He looks very dangerous so you say nothing to him. You are very upset.

All day you suffer over this. You tell everyone. You formulate scenarios of what you should have done. You fantasized about going back with a ball bat and beating him up. You pray to be able to forgive him. You judge him and might even murder him in your mind a million ways. So powerless he made you feel. Who does he think he is to spit on you like that?

You tell all your friends and by bed time you still cannot sleep so you call yet another friend.

"Can you believe some big guy spit on me in front of the Walmart today?" You ask and you begin to describe the incident and the man.

"I know that guy!" Your friend says. "He is blind."

BANG! Relief floods over you. He did not target you at all. He did not attempt to spit on you. He just spit. End of suffering. You can suffer over this incident no more even if the man spits on you 100 times.

So can we say the suffering is in the fact (that you were spit on) or the perception of the fact?

Look into your own life and find at least one example where the annihilation of ignorance led to liberation from a suffering. See how wonderful and relieved you felt. Now imagine what it would be to be liberated from all sufferings.

At 8 sit quietly and watch your breath entering and exiting the nose. Move the awareness to the brow chakra and chant the Aum 18 times. Make the Ahhh sound three times longer than the MMM sound. It is Ahhhhhhoooooom not Ahoooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. The MMM sound relates to the dream realm or the material realm. We are seeking clarity of perception not dream and illusion.

Ask the Divine Presence to give you clarity on some suffering in your life. Remember, in order to be free you only have to see.

I will give Deeksha to each of you starting at 8:15 and will be completed by 8:25.

Namaste,
Dharma Dharini

Sunday, May 11, 2008

The Guru and God

There is a state of enlightenment that occurs when the kundalini and the point of awareness meet in the heart chakra where you see God in everything. (for more on this see the siddhi powers and chakras workshop transcript on www.vedicshamanism.com).

There is another state that occurs when the point of awareness and the kundalini meet in the crown chakra where you become what you see. There is no sense of separate existence.

So if I am sitting in a state where I see God in everything and suddenly the shift of awareness and kundalini is to the crown chakra and the perception is that of Oneness-that I am what I see, and I am seeing God in everything, the perception is that I am God.

It is similar to if I am sitting in a state where the awareness and kundalini are in the Ajnea chakra and I see the Universe in all I see and the kundalini and awareness shift to the next level at the crown chakra, then I will see that I am the spontaneously growing process we call The Universe. "I am That."

Some have been been posting the Mahavakyas of Bhagavan on line as if they are some negative. But those who have experienced this through Bhagvavan's teachings and Deeksha or in other ways-this seeing God in everything and then the awareness quickly shifts to the crown chakra and where one is what he or she sees that person may see that he or she is God.

With the understanding of the process, why would you want a guru who has not at the very least had that realization?

For an example of an experience of seeing God in everything Google "Ramakrishna, Cat and Kali". Ramakrishna once scandalized the temple priests by taking food from Kali's alter to feed a cat. His perception was that everything was Kali. He was almost thrown out of the temple. The director had a dream where Kali came to him and said, If her son can not feed her in her temple then she will leave. Ramakrishna stayed.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Three Lives-May 4, 2008 Meditation

You could say that there are three types of lives:

1. The Mundane or Material Life where there is not much thought if there is something beyond this existence.

2. There is the life of a Spiritual Seeker. The seeker feels there is something "out there"-some Ultimate Truth beyond the five senses. The spiritul seeker is groping blindly in the dark. He is the blind man searching in a dark room for a black cat that does not exist. Quite often the spiritual seeker will run from this guru or teacher to that one. He or she will buy the latest books, and for some time the mind will be very happy with the new set of ideas. "Yes!" this is it!" he will say. But after a year when he still has not manifested that BMW and finds that internally there has been little transformation he becomes depressed until a new book or teacher with some new ideas comes along. The state can be that of a spiritual window shopper.

3 Then there is the Mystical Life. A person living this type of life has had some transformational experience with the Divine. Often in this day and age it comes from a near death experience. The person has had an encounter with "The Light" and has become transformed. The world is a wondrous place. He knows he can not possibly know. Still there is suffering. A look into the lives of the saints, sages, prophets and mystics would reveal this, for this transformation profound, divine mystical experience is a common denominator.

Every now and then you will encounter a person living a mystical life. They have had the profound, divine mysical experience, They have seen God in a form. Yet they suffer. They go on the Oprah show on Tuesday speaking of the bliss of the experience yet often weep from the letdown the next morning or drown thier sorrows with food and drink. They have had what some perceive to be "The Ulitmate Experience" , They has encounted the Divine in a way that was perceivable to the senses yet why is there such suffering? In life of the Christ we can see this expressed as: "Why must I drink this cup of sorrow?" or "Why hast thou forsaken me". The sense of separate existence-the existential suffering of man is often intensified in the mystical life.

The Deeksha work that we have done and Grace have opened channels to the mystcal realms in many of the participants in the workshops and cyber sessions and they are now having thundering mystical experiences. Some have had more mystical experiences than any in the old and new testiments combined and have unknowingly and often unwillingly moved from the material life or the life of a spiritual seeker to that of a mystic.

I can generally tell when my stsudents are telling the truth. I will get an email about how someone is for a time having the experience of walking and talking with God. The email will go on to sayl how God is staying in the house, how God embraced them and told them something. The transformation is evident. But by the following week either the experience does not repeat itself and there is suffering and craving for it, or God won't go away and that is causing distress. Following are some lines from letters:

"Dharma Dharini, He was only here for a minute, the kitchen was such a mess, and I pray and pray and He won't come back. I will die without seeing Him again." (Google "Ramakrishna and Kali" and the suffering the Saint went through when Kali was not visible to him is legendary).

"Dharma Dharini, He is everywhere and I want to go to take a shower alone."

"Can He be left alone in the house?"

"What does He eat?"

"My son says F%$# alot. Is this a problem?"

Others dote on the manifestation as if he is a beloved toddler:

"You will never guess what He said today!"

"Guess what the Lord is doing now!"

"He fixed my coffee pot!"

And later:

"Dharma Dharini, He is STILL here. I guess I have to clean."

"Do I have to go to church now?"

Dharma Dharini, when is He going away?"

"Dharma Dharini, he is scaring the dog. What if the neighbors see Him?"...............

So some are suffering from the perception is that God came and stayed and others are upset because the perception is that God came and left.

Such is the state of man. What's a Lord to do?

In telling you this I want you to realize that these mystical experiences are an early part of the journey to enlightenment. They are not enlightenment (defined as liberation from suffering) itself.

They often happen because some transformation is necessary for that person, not because someone deserves so do not be jealous when it is happening for someone in the group. Look at the life of the Apostle Paul. He is a cruel man until the Christ appeared to him, and he is transformed by the experience.

In the words of my shaman friend, Coyote, "If you give enlightenment to a goat it will still be a goat." The mystical experience is an integral part of the Bhakti Marga (God Cnetered or Mystical Path) as it is transforming and it leads the being fom belief (ignorance or more kindly hoping that something is so) to discovery. From a Oneness perspective, it is belief that separates while discovery unites.

Those of you who are having or have had mystical experiences, now is the time to pray for insight. That is the next step.

Do not get attached to the experience as it is not the Ultimate nor will it in itself give you liberation at least not while living.

Keep in mind if the saints who were in a God realized state attained liberation it was generally Moksha (liberation after death.)

So at 8 Put on some beautiful music and sit quietly and watch your breath. Wtach it going in and out of the nostrils. Do not follow it into the body. Ask Bhagavan and Amma to give you an experience where there is no sense of separate existence. Then focus on the sound of the music. If the mind wanders bring it back to the breath or the music. Move your focus to the crown chakra. I will give Deeksha starting at 8:10.

Namaste,
DD

To register for the Monday Night Cyber Group visit Reister For Monday Night Long Distance Deeksha

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Garden

There is a state where you are what you see. It is amazing in that what was once perceived as happening externally is perceived as going on within you.

As I sat in the garden tonight, I became the garden, and all the lizards, ants, moths, owls, and rabbits, and all the creatures I saw walking and flying in the night entered my body and we embraced. It is a nameless Bliss beyond comprehension.

I want this for you.

Namaste,
Dharini

Aeons

A great spiritual leader, when asked how long it would be before man attained enlightenment replied, "Aeons"

But it already has been Aeons.

The Peace Prayer

Close Your Eyes for a moment and ask yourself if you can really project non-violence without projecting violence.

Warrior

It is always surprising to me when someone says, "Oh this is such a beautiful form of Spirituality that you teach."

To me it has never been about Spirituality. It has been about War.

DD

One of the First Published Articles on Kalki Bhagavan

http://www.lifepositive.com/Spirit/spirit-centers/god.asp

Monday Night Deeksha

Bhagavan defines suffering three ways,

1. Physical suffering.

2. Psychological Suffering which is the anger, hatred, fear, jealousy, insecurity, craving for love, grief, etc.

3. Existential or spiritual suffering which is loneliness, boredom, sense of meaninglessness, illusion of separate existence. It is the sadness of a dream realized, the pain in your heart as you embrace your lover, wondering why you feel so separate and cannot seem to merge into the other person.

If you look very closely at psychological suffering it is simply what occurs when things are not going our way. "My dog died. I am suffering because I wanted him to live forever." "My mother loves my brother more. I am suffering because I want to the the apple of someone's eye." Some people died at the peace march because it erupted in violence. I am suffering because I wanted it to be a beautiful event. It was not supposed to be that way." "Some guy pulled out in front of me then flipped me off, I am angry because I wanted to go first and should be respected not insulted."

and so on.

Take a very close look a the examples above and see if you can see the desire that is behind the suffering. Can you see the common denominator -the word "want." It is tied in with the oldest and fiercest battle that mankind wages,: The conflict between what we are and what we want to be.

In generally the more industrialized the nation the lower the tolerance is for physical suffering. You pick up a phone and someone brings food. You do not have to trouble yourself with cooking. We have central heating and air conditioning so we are always comfortable. We have straws that bend in the middle so we do not have to strain to lift our glasses of coca cola.

We have created an outer-world paradise and an inner world hell because for the most part we can not face suffering. What we call suffering is merely running from suffering. Managing our sorrow. If we had ever just once sat with the sorrow and experienced it fully instead of explaining it away, taking a pill, going to the gym, eating something, reading a book, talking to a friend about it, plotting or seeking revenge we would have been free of it once and for all.

There is an Indian story of a man who is being chased by a tiger. He jumps into a pit.

"Thank God! " he thinks. But there is a viper in the pit.

He sees a vine hanging over the edge and grabs onto it and climbs away from the snake. How happy and loved by God he feels, as he hangs there between the snake and the tiger. Soon there is a funny sound and he looks up only to see rat gnawing away at the vine. The snake is waiting to strike. The man looks up to see the tiger is still there , growling and pacing around above the pit waiting to consume him. Just then a drop of honey falls from a tree right into his mouth. He tastes it, smiles and says, "Ahhh how sweet life is."

Think of this story the next time suffering comes and you begin to run. What is your honey drop? Is it food, shopping, the internet, beer, pills, going for a walk, to the gym? Maybe it is deeksha. How is it that you run from suffering? How do you manage your sorrow? What is it that takes your attention away from the tiger? If the toilet in your house had backed up and there was a horrible smell would you just stay away or try and explain it away?

Just see the suffering and the desire to run from it and the next time suffering comes try to sit with it for three minutes only. Feel it burning like a hot coal in your throat. See what it does to your physical body.

When the anger comes see how upset you are getting because you are not getting your way. Because you cannot (nor will you ever be able to) control the moment.


The Deeksha was never meant to become a form of sorrow management. It is part of an ancient triad of enlightenment consisting of sadhanas such as yoga and meditation. Sutras or wisdom and deeksha.

While deeksha gives a feeling of bliss is rarely annihilates the often nightmarish task of confronting one's self. The seeing what is there.

If you are using deeksha as a 'honeydrop" merely to manage you sorrow it can be like any other addiction. There are some that will run to every deeksha gathering in town.

Eventually when this Deeksha-this seed of enlightenment starts to grow and you are faced with what is there as you are lead from unreality to reality, the images you have created begin to crack and fall away and the illusion of security is annihilated.


"Deeksha is to blame!" some will bellar and you will run to some other form of energy attunement guaranteed to negate the "ill effects" (the Awakening to what is truly there as opposed to what you wanted to be there) of Deeksha. So many pay for this profound Awakening and when it comes there is psychological suffering because because it was not the way they wanted it to be and they run once more.-like spiritual window shoppers.


When a security shatters it can be agonizing. Just think for a moment when you found out about the unreality of the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus in whom you had taken some security.

Look what happened when the stock market crashed. The pain was so great people killed themselves. An insecure being is among the most dangerous on the planet.

Just be very aware that you will eventually awaken to what is there not what you want to be there and if you can see you are suffering because things are not going the way you want them to, it will help you. If you take that suffering and cradle it, embrace it and nurture it like a child you have created it will help you more. What mother would run away when the baby has soiled itself and is screaming for attention? Yet that is what is occurring.

It would be very good to decide here and now if you are indeed seeking an Awakening. higher states of consciousness, the annihilation of suffering in your life, the perfection of relationship or if you are seeking in your heart of hearts another way to manage your sorrow. Because with Deeksha you will begin to Awaken to whatever is there.


All that is necessary in this profound inward journey is some courage and authenticity.

Level of consciousness is merely the ability to experience reality as it is. The senses are experiencing what is there rather that what you wish or think was there. If the emperor is naked what can we do?

In order to be free you only have to see.

So tonight sit quietly. The sadhana or yoga that will help you the most is to just watch your breath. Do not follow it into the body merely watch it at the nose or the mind will wander. Again there will be deeksha at 8 for the Laughing Buddha and the Oneness Blessing starting at 8:15.



Namaste,
DD
www.vedicshamanism.com