ADVANCED SADHAKAS (contd)

[Guest guest]

Contd from prev-post:<br>4- Their voice is very

sweet and resonating. Most of the advanced sadhaka have

a feminine or very soft voice. Their voice is never

hoarse but it brings soothing effect to ears. Their

sentences are not commanding or demanding. They use "I"

very rarely and normally use "We" while

contradicting.<br><br>5- The most Unique and sure sign of a higher soul is

that if u talk to them or just sit near them, your

mind will become peaceful…any turmoil of thoughts in

you will settle down soon.<br><br>6- Most of advanced

sadhaka do not eat much. they will never discuss the

quality of any food item or will never desire to eat

certain item.<br><br>7- Advanced Sadhaka do not discuss

much. I have rarely seen a sadhu/saint discussing

Politics or talking ill of a person on the back. If they

are confronted directly, they normally try to laugh

out the situation or remove themselves from the

scene. They do try to make the other man understand by

their powerful logics but do not waste their energies

if the other fellow is a lower soul and is purposely

trying to prove the sadhaka wrong.<br><br>8- Advanced

sadhaka never ever discuss sex with anyone, not even with

their wife, if they are married. They are not

interested in films, magazines or even newspapers.<br><br>9-

They listen attentively to any thing new uttered by

someone.<br><br>10- They do not have bad odour in the sweat or urine.

They do not normally have bad cold, motions or fever.

They are away from common ailments, though they may be

having incurable disease like cancer, kidney problem

etc. (rather I have seen most of higher souls do have

these incurable diseases-Paramhamsa, Shankrayacharya

etc)<br><br>11- They are not normally sad or never feel

dejected/rejected. They remain cheerful in every

situation.<br><br>12- They are not interested in accumulating

wealth….if they are rich, they are not attached to their

money and use it lavishly on helping others.<br><br>13

- Mention of God normally brings tears to their

eyes or they go into deep thought quite often while

talking about god.<br><br>14 - They do not like crowded

places….they like the company of like minded people only and

remain away from the place filled with useless

discussion.<br><br>15 - Their eyes are watery, clear and penetrating.

They normally do not fix gaze on anyone and keep their

eyes fixed on nothing…but if their eyes meet your

eyes, you will feel energised and attracted to

them.<br><br>16- They never discourage people rather they

encourage their latent qualities (be it spiritual or

worldly) , by reminding them of their qualities again and

again. Once I met a holy soul in Garhwal region and

started narrating my distubed vrittis and my sins which

according to me were not allowing me to become sadhaka. The

sadhu just smiled and did not contradict or mention my

weaknesses. He simply said ,"You have great concentration

powers….concentrate on god forget everything else….no one is a

sinner". In the following years I found my concentration

was killing the lower vrittis and the so called

thought of sin vanished. This is how higher souls treat

and guide a person.<br> There are many other signs

but those mentioned above are the most common among

all advanced sadhaka. These outward signs come

automatically with progress in sadhana….But if we try to

develop these signs, that does not mean we will become

advanced sadhaka, though we may become a better human

being with them.<br><br><br>Hari

Om<br>silentsoul<br><br>thanks\

<br><br>CONCLUDED

[Guest guest]

How are they to be recognised ? I believe in the

saying "when you meet your master, you will

know".<br><br>Well Morgita, finding that one teacher for you is alot

like finding that one perfect husband/wife. Some of us

become so wrapped up in the fact that we HAVE to be

married that we spend no real time in the dateing

process. (My mother use to call me regularly to tell me

how many good years i had left for childbirth!) In

those cases (and believe me, i am guilty here) we get

what we put in. A Las Vegas marriage and a Mexican

divorce. It explains why we experience disposable

marriages, disposable children, and disposable families in

kali yuga. We are all Jerry Springer moments in the

yawn of eternity.<br><br>Real gurus are rare, but they

are out there. The problem is we demand they display

superhuman caricatures but, they are more human than you or

i will ever be. When they do not fit our standards,

we denounce them as St. Peter denied knowing Jesus

to the masses. Or betray and crucify them as Judas

did when Jesus would not lead the Jews against the

Romans.<br><br>How do we find them? What tells us they are "the

one?" As in marriages there are frauds, loonies, and

abusers. The Dalai Lama suggests that before commiting to

a teacher you 'spy' on him for several years. A

true teacher breathes eternity, is eternity and will

always be there - no hurry or pressure. He never toutes

'I am enlightened' to attract disciples because for

the enlightened soul, there is NO I. In fact there is

no enlightened either, there is only REALITY. A

teacher has integrity. They make you feel "at home" in

their company. Like you were always a part of his life.

And you know what? You are. He/she has been waiting

just for you. <br><br>Our job (thought this was a one

way street?) is to practice the principles taught by

the guru and repeat them to others in the mentality

of service to him. "On my command, become a guru and

deliver this land." (Chaitanya Charitamrita

2.7.128)<br><br>Does this make sense?<br><br>om gurave

namah<br><br>>:*)

[Guest guest]

Thanks for raising some very relevant and

important issues about how to recognize sadhaks or gurus.

Here are some of my thoughts. <br><br>An important

factor that always needs to be kept in mind is that

there are many levels of understanding depending on our

levels of consciousness. Furthermore it depends so much

on our temperaments and the paths we are attracted

to. To the bhakta (seeker on the path of devotion)

trust may come easy while a jyani (seeker on path of

knowledge) is always seeking more and more explanations. And

so on. Holy books like the Bhagwad Gita means

different things to different seekers, and each time one

reads it one sees it in a newer light.<br><br>To give a

personal example when I first began on my conscious

spiritual trip, I had no clue as to what I wanted, except I

wanted something more. As I began to read and understand

the relevance of different paths I started to

identify with certain ones more than the others. In fact,

I saw them as distinct paths almost exclusive to

each other. Today, 20 yrs later I see them all as

different lanes on the same freeway each one supporting the

other. As I look back I wonder in total disbelief how

come I didn’t see it before. The answer is I was at a

certain level of consciousness then and a different one

now. I call it progress, for want of a better word. Of

course a totally realized being may see this all as one

big stage. <br><br>I started the practice of hatha

yoga about that time too. I have certainly progressed

tremendously. However there are hundreds of yogis faar more

advanced than me. For a student this journey is natural,

there are always those who are starting and those who

are ahead. The knowledge is presented at different

levels by the universe. Just as physics is taught

differently to a third grader than to a PHD student!!! Thanks

to the many who have gone before us treading the

path of sadhna our journeys may actually be a little

easier. Why should "being behind" be of any importance

anyway? Life is a continuum .. there is always someone

ahead. <br><br>A Guru rarely talks of the right and

wrong signs of a real guru. A guru never calls

him/herself a guru; an advanced sadhak never says that about

him/herself. In fact they see themselves a perpetual student

and always defer to their gurus. It is the OTHERS who

look upon them that way perhaps in an attempt to honor

the journey they have taken. Humility is an important

ingredient in the lives of all, at the same time true

humility comes from the confidence of being ONE with

“God”. As Paramahansa Yoganandaji says … 'pray and ask

your FATHER as a son who is asking for his birthright,

not as a beggar who doesn’t deserve!!!!' One can be

humbly proud but one can also be proudly humble!!!

<br><br>....... cont'd

[Guest guest]

...... cont'd<br><br>In the tradition of

guru/shisya (student) it was a rare occasion to find a guru

and if one did, one had to prove one’s sincerity

before he or she was accepted as a student. The

requirements of practice and discipline were far more rigorous

and demanding. Today however the scene has changed;

monetary readiness is trying to replace spiritual

readiness as a criterion to start serious sadhna. It has

almost becomes a commodity to be bought at a monetary

price. One-to-one relationship with one's guru has been

reduced, specially in the more “name brand” schools. The

guru used to be so close to you that he/she would be

aware of even your thoughts. Loving you

unconditionally. Used to be. (These statements are generalized..

it doesn’t imply there aren’t any left at

all!)<br><br>Not only this. There are dozens of schools and

teachers in the market using the tools of modern

advertisements very successfully. How is one to learn to

disciminate; to choose? What if one is not open to thier

intuitive faculties as yet? Guidelines are welcomed by

specially those who prefer being cautious.<br><br>In this

atmosphere of industrial times, where the yardstick of worth

is monetary in nature, it is imperative to establish

some general signs of a true GURU, both internal and

external. And yes, when one finds the right guru one just

knows.. But till then? What guidelines do the new and

hungry seekers have? Just as it is our responsibility to

protect and establish checks and balances in other

aspects of our society this too is our collective

responsibility. <br><br>The only purpose of course is to present

it, after that it is the sadhaks choice, as to what

scenic journey they choose. They can only proceed

according to their karma anyway. Each individual in the

lila (cosmic drama) can only do their own part.

<br><br>Please continue with this very enlightening discussion,

for all of us seekers no matter how long we have been

on this path.<br><br>Tat Twam Asi<br><br>Uma