{LAYA-YOGA-CHAKRAS} OM: Finding One's Guru

[Guest guest]

Namaskar Anjin,

 

In Tantric and Yogic traditions,

sadhakas say that when devotee is ready,

Guru appears. Actually, from my personal

experience I can say that it is a Guru who is

choosing His devotes.

Yes, you have to be careful, rational and vigilant,

when it comes to accepting someone as your Guru.

There are many people who claim to be Gurus.

Majority of them are of the mediocre type and quite large

numbers are full flesh impostor who are taking advantage

of the spiritual seekers.

On the other hand, for the spiritual growth of any individual,

presence of the Guru in necessary.

This is Catch 22. First of all listen to your intuition.

Intellect without intuition , could lead you to some serious

troubles. Your sincere desire and prayer is already heard by

the Lord. Keep Ideating on Brahma, on God without a form,

and form will be given to you. This is the fundamental role

of the Paramaprusa, Supreme Consciousness, Purusaottama,

Taraka Brahma to assist you in your spiritual emancipation.

I was previlage to be accepted by my Master, to be His devotee.

I'm not in position to tell who should be your Guru.

You will no yourself when the right time comes.

I can only say that it is already within your reach.

i wish all the best in your journey.

Lets Universal LOVE and service to all living beings be your guidance.

 

Bellow I selected a few articles, related to your questions,

given by my Beloved Guru, Sri Sri Anandamurtiji, the founder of Ananda Marga.

For more info you can visit : www.anandamarga.org

 

In Him,

 

Trilokesh

 

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INDISPENSABILITY OF GURU

 

Brahma Himself is the Guru. There cannot be any second Guru. His secret

is known to Him only, and He expresses Himself through a framework, a form.

Now, generally people say that the form is Guru, but the form is not the

Guru; the Guru is expressing Himself through that form.

 

(A'nanda Vacana'mrtam III, 13)

 

What is Guru? The Sam'skrta word "Guru" has two parts. It is a compound

word. "Gu" means darkness. "Ru" means dispelling entity. The one who dispels

is called Ru. Guru means the entity who dispels darkness from the mind.

 

(Subha's'ita Sam'graha VIII, 34)

 

The tantrikas say that there are three kinds of gurus--adhama (lowest)

guru, madhyama (mediocre) guru, and uttam (highest) guru. The lowest type

of gurus discharge their duty merely by mouthing big words and teaching theoretically.

They do not bother to see if their disciples are following their instructions

sincerely or not. The mediocre gurus teach their disciples, no doubt, and

also supervise their progress to some extent. But the best gurus teach their

disciples properly, follow their progress meticulously, and if they find

their disciples straying from the path of spirituality, they compel them

to do their practice by creating circumstantial pressure.

 

(Subha's'ita Sam'graha VII, 29)

 

The Tantrik scriptures describe the qualities of an ideal guru; tranquil;

self-controlled; able to raise their own kundalini and that of others also;

modest; soberly dressed; of exemplary conduct; well-established in society;

pure in body and mind; adept in both spiritual theory and spiritual practice;

superbly intelligent; maintaining a balanced family life; Established in

dhyana (contemplation); well-versed in Tantra and Mantra; and able to reward

and punish their disciples.

 

(Subha's'ita Sam'graha VIII, 29)

 

The Tantric scriptures also describe the qualities of an ideal disciple:

tranquil; modest and humble; of pure soul; having reverence; capable of receiving

ideas clearly; competent and ever ready to carry out the guru's command;

able to raise one's own kundalini; having requisite knowledge and experience;

of noble conduct; and having a balanced mind.

 

(Subha's'ita Sam'graha VIII, 31)

 

Every person is entitled to do sa'dhana'. Thus Sagun'a Brahma must appear

to everyone in the form of a Sadguru. But if one does not have a keen desire

for emancipation, one cannot claim this right; and that is why Sagun'a Brahma

does not appear to everyone. When the desire for salvation becomes intense,

only then do human beings attain Sadguru. Thus it is said, that only those

who have reached the proper time in their evolution, are entitled to attain

Sadguru and learn sa'dhana'.

 

(A'nanda Ma'rga, 103)

 

By means of sa'dhana', one attains liberation. For this one will have

to resort to a special method. Only one who knows this method can teach others;

the spiritual aspirant must search for a competent teacher to teach the science

of meditation. So in order to learn the spiritual science and attain salvation,

is not the necessity of a spiritual guru undeniable? Otherwise, can anyone

learn this spiritual science by oneself? If someone does not open the gate

to a house--if someone does not loosen the chains from those who are enchained,

their hands and feet can never free themselves in spite of the most vigorous

efforts. In exactly the same way, it is impossible for one who is enchained

by Prakrti to attain liberation from this vast prison of the universe.

 

Besides, it is not possible for anyone to learn the methods and strategies

of anything, by oneself. It needs the help of a competent instructor who

can teach well, and who can be followed. This sort of indispensable teacher

is known as a guru. One should learn the methods of intuitional practice

from such a guru. Hence without the help of the guru, it is not possible

to attain liberation. The first and foremost requisite for attaining liberation

is a guru.

 

(A'nanda Ma'rga, 106)

 

Who can be a guru? An enchained person cannot liberate others from bondage.

Only a liberated soul deserves to be a guru, who can help others in attaining

their salvation. A person who is free from the bond ages of Prakrti is a

liberated person. Judged in this light, only the Supreme Entity is a real

liberated soul. But the Nirgun'a Brahma (highest Unqualified Consciousness),

because of its eternal freedom from the bondages of Prakrti, can never be

the cause of others' liberation. Nirgun'a Brahma does not even think to give

liberation to others. Thus only those who have attained the Supreme Rank

by means of sa'dhana', and then have voluntarily submitted to the influence

of Prakrti for a limited period, with the vow of doing welfare to humanity,

and have assumed a human body--only they deserve to be called guru. As long

as they remain in human form, they remain under the influence of Prakrti.

But after giving up the human frame, they again dissolve back into the state

of formlessness. So only that Entity beyond the scope of the gun'as (binding

principles) is liberated in the true sense of the term, and it is only that

Entity who can be a guru. Thus there is no difference between guru and Bhagava'n

(the Supreme Entity).

 

(A'nanda Ma'rga, 107)

 

One should know the characteristics of a Sadguru, so that even the ignorant

may recognise Him. Is the possession and display of supernatural or divine

powers the characteristic of a Sadguru? A Sadguru is a liberated soul, and

the master of all supernatural powers--but does He have to display them to

be recognised as a Preceptor? The use of supernatural powers leads to degradation

and brings one under the control of Avidya'ma'ya' (the force of ignorance).

But Avidya'ma'ya' cannot have any influence over a liberated person: He will

not come under the influence of Avidya'ma'ya' in any circumstances. Hence

the person who claims the status of a Sadguru by virtue of possessing and

displaying supernatural powers is merely an imposter. He is not emancipated

and can never liberate others. Such a person should be cast off as a venomous

serpent.

 

(A'nanda Ma'rga, 186)

 

Sa'dhana' means freedom from the binding influence of Prakrti. Avidya'ma'ya'

is also a binding force, and that too has to be cast off. Suddenly and forcefully

ejecting a ruffian who has occupied a house for a very long time will be

extremely difficult, particularly when for long he was treated as a tenant

and looked upon as a respectable person. He would never vacate the house

easily, without much effort, and would certainly place all sorts of obstacles

in the way of the one trying to make him leave. All his manoeuvrings will

have to be fought against, and only when defeated would the ruffian allow

the reoccupation of that house.

 

Similarly, Avidya'ma'ya', which has flourished in one's mind for so many

lifetimes, will not easily leave when one starts intuitional practice. Like

the bullying tenant, Avidya'ma'ya' will also create all possible obstacles

in one's effort to cast it off. Sa'dhana' or intuitional practice as taught

by the Sadguru is the way to remove Avidya'ma'ya': it is only success in

sa'dhana' that man make Avidya'ma'ya' forsake one. Hence the sa'dhana' that

attempts to subdue Avidya'ma'ya' will naturally be resisted by its negative

force, so that the obstacles created by it may compel one to give up the

sa'dhana'. Obstacles in sa'dhana' should therefore be regarded as an indication

of success in one's attempts to remove Avidya'ma'ya'. Obstacles are not created

by God or by the Sadguru, for they wish every unit entity to become emancipated

like themselves. They are created Prakrti against whom the war is waged;

for to win liberation, Prakrti has to be defeated with the weapon of sa'dhana'.

And against the sa'dhana', Avidya'ma'ya' uses its weapons of obstacles in

defence. Hence obstacles in sa'dhana' should be regarded as good symptoms,

indicating the beginning of the end of Avidya'ma'ya'.

 

(A'nanda Ma'rga, 190)

 

Some people consider it necessary to tear oneself away by force from

the enjoyment of worldly things in order to do sa'dhana', and the fear of

this compulsion torments them. It would, however, never be possible to control

one's mind by such compulsion, since withdrawing the mind by force makes

the body suffer and leads to ill-health. The system of intuitional practice

as taught by the Sadguru is so potent that it imperceptibly diverts the mind

from crude attractions to subtlety: the desire for earthly enjoyments disappears,

and with it the anguish of not attaining them. Hence not to do sa'dhana'

for fear of withdrawing oneself from worldly pleasures and enjoyments is

not based on reason. Those who think thus are mistaken.

 

To give up intuitional practice, which is the innate duty of everyone,

because of baseless fears, only betrays one's ignorance. One should not be

filled whit unfounded fears but should follow the path of sa'dhana', so one

can know to be not a mere speck but as the Infinite Supreme Entity.

 

(A'nanda Ma'rga, 209)

 

Nothing can be achieved merely by depending on the guru without doing

the intuitional practice, the sa'dhana'. Every one will have to do sa'dhana'.

Some have the wrong impression that they do not have to make an effort, and

will attain liberation by the grace of the guru. It is true that liberation

is not possible without the guru's grace--yet the idea that it can be attained

without effort is mistaken. One will have to deserve His grace and then alone

will it be bestowed--it cannot be thrust on an undeserving discipline. To

deserve His grace one must follow the method taught by Him with devotion

and faith.

 

Some people believe that, since they are disciples of a Sadguru and since

He has come, to elevate all, He will take them all with Him just as a cowherd

collects all His grazing cattle before He leaves the pasture at dusk. This

is not a correct comparison. A Sadguru does not come to the world to graze

His disciples like cattle. He comes to liberate people like Himself, to change

humans into God. People will therefore have to make earnest effort to do

sa'dhana', and not merely depend idly on the guru to attain liberation.

 

(A'nanda Ma'rga, 188)

 

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DISCOURSES ON TANTRA VOLUME 2

DIIKS'A' AND INITIATION

In a short discourse, I shall try to say something regarding diiks'a' and

initiation.

As you know, for want of sufficient vocabulary in certain tongues, we are

to use some words having close proximity to the required term. [Here, for

instance, we have to use the English word "initiation" for the Sanskrit diiks'a'.

But] the word "initiation" cannot represent the spirit of diiks'a'. The rudimental

meaning of "initiation" is "to resort to a new avenue of progress". Certainly

diiks'a' is a new avenue of progress, but diiks'a' is also something more.

The first thing to be known and remembered is that, as per the science of

yoga, diiks'a' is divided into two important phases. The first phase is known

as Vaedikii diiks'a', and the second phase is known as Ta'ntrikii diiks'a'.

In Vaedikii diiks'a', the aspirant requests the Supreme Entity, Parama Purus'a,

to show him or her the path. It is not a cult; it is just requesting the

Supreme Father to let him or her know the secrets of success in the stratum

of spirituality. The Ga'yattrii Mantra (it is commonly known as the Ga'yattrii

Mantra, but its actual name is the "Savitr Rk") is Vaedikii diiks'a'. Here

the request is, "O Lord, show me the path. O Lord, guide our intellect towards

the supreme path, so that I may be one with the Supreme Entity."

 

Onm' bhu'r bhuvah svah onm' tat saviturvaren'yam';

Bhargo devasya dhiimahi dhiyo yo nah pracodaya't.

 

This is the "Savitr Rk", or "Ga'yattrii Mantra". Here the aspirant says,

Bhu'r bhuvah svah maha janah tapah satya asya saptalokasya savitur devasya,

savitur pitur devasya, savitur devasya, tatpitur devasya, varen'yam bhargo

dhiimahi, varen'yam pu'janiiyam, bhargo jyoti, dhiimahi bayam' dhya'nam kurmah,

kena ka'ran'ena bayam' dhya'nam' kurmah. Dhiyo yo nah pracodaya't. Dhii buddhih

medha' yah nah asma'kam' sah asmakam' dhii pracodaya't sam'vidha'mam' karotu

satpathi parica'lanam' karotu anena ka'ran'ena bayam' tad varen'yam' bhargo

dhiimahi dhya'nam kurmah.*

* Here the author comments, in Sanskrit, on the rk.

His English translation and commentary then follow. --Eds.

The exact English translation will be "The Supreme Father who did create

the seven strata of manifestation -- we meditate on His divine effulgence.

And why do we meditate on His divine effulgence? So that He may guide our

intellect unto the path of bliss, unto the path of supreme blessedness."

So here the prayer is to guide the brain unto the proper path. It is Vaedikii

diiks'a' -- tan no dhiyo pracodaya't -- "so that He may guide our intellect

towards the path of blessedness" . . . sah no buddhya' shubhaya' sam'yunaktu

-- "so that He may connect our intellect with blessedness."

So these things are Vaedikii diiks'a'. There is no scope for such an interpretation

or such a phase in "initiation".

Now, the second phase is Ta'ntrikii diiks'a'. Actually this Ta'ntrikii diiks'a'

is a cult. In the term "initiation" this cult is not properly clarified,

or rather, nothing has been clearly said regarding this cult. As you know

regarding the word tantra: tan means "to expand", and tra means "liberator";

so the science that frees the aspirant from the fetters of bondages by expansion

-- by expanding the mind, by expanding the existence -- is Tantra.

Another meaning: ta is dullness, and tra means liberator. So the science

that liberates the aspirant from dullness and expands his or her entire existence

is Tantra -- Tam' ja'dya't ta'rayet yastu sah tantrah parikiirttitah.

Now this Ta'ntrikii diiks'a' has three phases, rather you may say three sub-phases:

and they are diipanii, mantra'gha'ta and mantra caetanya. And the derivation

of the word diiks'a' is also from diipanii:

 

Diipajina'nam yato dadya't kurya't pa'paks'ayam' tatah;

Tasma'tdiiks'eti sa' prokta' sarvatantrasya sammata'.

 

[The process which produces the capacity to realize the inner import of mantra

and which expedites the requital of the sam'ska'ras, or reactive momenta,

is called diiks'a'.]

 

Diipajina'nam. What is the first letter? Dii. Then, kurya't pa'paks'ayam'

tatah. Ks'ayam -- what is the first letter? Ks'a. So the word becomes diiks'a,

and the feminine term will be diiks'a'.

Now what is diipanii? Everything lies coverted within the self. The Supreme

Entity is also within your "I" feeling. [He] is with you, but you do not

know Him. That is, the Supreme Entity is with you, but You cannot see Him.

You cannot realize Him. Why? Because you are covered by, you are surrounded

by, Ma'ya', the cimmerian darkness of Ma'ya'. This diiks'a', Tantrikii diiks'a',

is just like a torch. And by focusing the torch, you see your route through

the darkness. That is why the first sub-phase is diipanii -- diipanii means

"showing the torchlight". But no such thing is there in the term "initiation".

Diiks'a' gives the aspirant the route, the way, or rather the path, of bliss.

It shows the path of bliss. And to show the path of bliss, light is required;

and that light is also supplied by diiks'a'. This light is diipanii.

Then, pa'paks'ayam. You know what pa'pa is: pa'pa is negative reactive momenta.

Whatever you do, the reaction is there, and when the reaction is not satisfied,

not quenched, it remains in dormant form. The momentum is there, but not

expressed. And there is also the case of positive work, that is, when you

do something for the advancement of living beings -- that is something positive,

it is a positive action. In sama'ja sha'stra [social scriptures] this positive

action is called pun'ya, and when you do something against the public interest,

this negative action is known as pa'pa. Now this negative action in reactive

form, that is, this negative reactive momentum, is called pa'pa; and pa'paks'ayam

is brought about by diiks'a'. And how is that ks'ayam* to be effected? Through

actions ó through reactive actions.** These reactive actions may be on the

physical plane, or may be on the psychic plane. But diiks'a' teaches us how

these reactive momenta are to be satisfied on the psychic plane, thus freeing

the person from the bondages of pa'pa.

* "Waning". Pa'pak<139>ayam is "waning

of the sam'ska'ras (the mental reactive momenta)";

literally, "waning of the sins". --Eds.

** Regarding reactive actions, see "Sa'dhana'".

--Eds.

Now this process of freeing a person from the fetters of pa'pa is divided

into two sub-phases: mantra'gha'ta and mantra caetanya. Mantra'gha'ta means,

as I have already told you, that each and every mantra has the support of

an acoustic root: and when that acoustic root strikes at the root of the

coiled serpentine, it is aroused. This is called mantra'gha'ta. After that

this roused coiled serpentine moves with the force, or the stamina, it gets

from the mantra. It moves towards the supreme positivity, and this movement

is called mantra caetanya. With the help of this mantra'gha'ta and mantra

caetanya, a spiritual aspirant is freed from all the mundane bondages, bondages

both on the physical and on the psychic plane.

So whereas in the case of "initiation" we see that it is just a resort to

an avenue of progress and nothing more than that, nothing amplified, diiks'a'

is divided into two phases, one primordial and the other final, and that

final phase is further divided into three parts, or phases: diipanii, mantra'gha'ta

and mantra caetanya. But as we have no proper word for diiks'a' in English

or any other language, we have no alternative but to use the word "initiation"

for diiks'a'. The

actual Sanskrit word for the English term "initiation" is abhis'eka, not

diiks'a'.

 

2 December 1978 evening, Madras

A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 6

 

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THE HIGHEST FORM OF THE GURU:

 

DISCOURSES ON TANTRA VOLUME 1

 

 

 

TA'RAKA BRAHMA

 

 

Consciousness in the psycho-physical unit structures gets manifested in the

process of pratisaincara when Purus'ottama by His ota yoga associatively

reflects on the unit psychic plate. It is through this process, pratisaincara,

that the Ever-Merciful elevates each creation of His by the force of Vidya'ma'ya'.

As already discussed, the physical and psychic clash and the attraction of

the Great cause psychic dilation, and ultimately the unit psychic body can

attain its final liberation or mukti by its spiritual sa'dhana'. Different

unit minds exist at different levels and experience varying degrees of His

love and proximity depending upon their progress in the process of pratisaincara.

The auspicious day with infinite a'nanda descends, and all the bondages of

Prakrti shatter down when Brahmatva is attained.

 

Such individuals set the ideal for humanity and, in turn, humanity starts

paying homage to them. Such elevated beings can and should only be called

Maha'purus'a, meaning thereby elevated psychic beings. Unto their holy feet,

one can offer the flowers of devotion and aspiration, but they desire no

crude earthly flowers and offerings.

 

The advent of Maha'purus'a is misinterpreted as incarnation. Incarnation

is an illogical hypothesis. The whole universe being created out of Him and

by Him is His incarnation. The term avata'ra means a "derivation", and the

application of this term to individual units who are far advanced in the

process of pratisaincara is a misleading misnomer. It is illogical to consider

that the Macrocosm metamorphosed Himself directly into some unit structure,

mostly as a human being. Human beings are the most evolved individual units

as a class in His creation, and every stage of the elevated psychic Maha'purus'a

is the result of saincara and then pratisaincara. It is a gradual elevation

and not an abrupt descent or occurrence.

 

Logically speaking, therefore, it will be correct to designate any unit consciousness

as incarnation of God or to say that the Messenger of God traverses the path

of saincara, goes through a process of evolution and importance, and through

psychic dilation in the process of pratisaincara reaches different stages

of elevation. The incarnation theory, or avata'rava'da, however, hypothesizes

that the incarnated being is the direct descent of the Almighty, the rest

of His creation remaining unexplained as to its source of origin.

 

The word avata'ra [derives from ava - tr, which means] "descend", "derive"

or "degenerate". The incarnated being, according to this dogma of degeneration

of Purus'ottama, cannot have an equal status with Purus'ottama. When the

psychic status of a created being assumes sameness with the Cosmic Entity,

the unit psychic entity actually merges into the Cosmic Mind leaving no dualism.

Hence how can any equal status with Purus'ottama be imagined existing as

a separate entity in any stage within Brahma Cakra (the collective name of

saincara and pratisaincara)? The whole theory of incarnation or avata'rava'da

is, therefore, not convincing and rational for an intellectual analysis.

 

Behind the superstitious belief of avata'rava'da lies one more social current

created by a class of vested interests. Inquisitiveness and reasoning is

a natural impulse in human beings. Due to certain pressing circumstances

or intellectual renaissance there was a reaction against the illogical faiths

and superstitions prevalent in society. These superstitions provided a strong

basis for exploitation of society by intellectual parasites who had learnt

to live on the blood and labour of others. To maintain their domination through

a system of superstitious belief, these parasites invented means to curb

this growth of reaction and intellectual rationalism and presented to the

mass a sentimental appeal. Any command, rational or irrational, was enforced

on society with so-called divine force by enunciation of the incarnation

theory. Corruption was perpetrated in the name of God and all those raising

their heads against such commands or preachings were called reactionaries,

atheists, and curbed drastically. "Give the dog a bad name and hang it,"

was their motto. They went to the extent of manipulating, polluting and misinterpreting

even the precious writings of many great philosophers whose work had been

respected as religious treatises from ancient times - all with an ulterior

motive, to get their interests served.

 

 

Ta'raka Brahma

 

 

In Brahma Cakra there is no uniformity of flow. The speed of the sentient

force is greater than that of the mutative, and the mutative has more speed

than the static. Thus in the beginning of saincara the speed is greater.

Similarly, after elevation, under the influence of the sentient force or

reaching sa'ma'nya deha (a stage beyond the hiran'maya kos'a where the unit

mind experiences only the sentient force), the speed is greater. The speed

of the unit mind far exceeds the normal flow in the Cosmos, and it gets accelerated

if the unit mind as a result of spiritual practice tends itself towards the

Nucleus Consciousness.

 

Since the beginning of creation humans have been aspiring for this merger

with the Nucleus Consciousness. The non-uniformity of speed changes the movement

of the unit mind to an elliptical force, and the motion changes to oval from

circular. They get merged in Purus'ottama who aspire for Him as the ultimate

destiny, but those who aim at moks'a, where sa'dhana' is the complete surrender

of self into That (Nirgun'a Brahma, the Objectless Consciousness), get out

of this Brahma Cakra by a tangential touch. At this point of tangential touch

is the abode of Ta'raka Brahma (who resides within the scope of both Nirgun'a

and Sagun'a Brahma). Ta'raka Brahma is a concept of Tantra.

 

In Tantra the whole creation is known as sambhu'ti. When Ta'raka Brahma by

His own will takes the help of the five fundamental factors (the painca bhu'tas),

His physical entity comes within the scope of Sagun'a Brahma, otherwise He

is Nirgun'a Brahma. When Ta'raka Brahma takes the assistance of the five

fundamental factors, according to Tantra it is called His Maha'sambhu'ti.

 

In Tantra sa'dhana' or in A'nanda Ma'rga sa'dhana' one whose goal is Purus'ottama

merges in Sagun'a Brahma, and one who aims at Nirgun'a Brahma becomes surrendered

into the Objectless Entity. It is only in Tantra that the sa'dhana' of Ta'raka

Brahma has been specially defined distinct from the sa'dhana' of Nirgun'a

and Sagun'a and has its own peculiarity. Theoretically speaking, Sagun'a

Brahma has infinite sam'ska'ras, and so for an infinite time to come Sagun'a

Brahma will continue to enjoy the fruits of Its own past actions. Nirgun'a

is the Objectless Entity with no action or derivation, but Ta'raka Brahma

is the middle point and can fulfil the function of both. He guides, loves

and favours His affectionate sons and daughters. His children say that He

cannot live without loving them and address Him, "O our great Father, our

affectionate Mother, our All, we remember Thee, we adore Thee. O Witnessing

Entity, we offer our homage to Thee, Thou art the only rescue in this crude

worldly ocean, so to Thee we surrender ourselves." This complete surrender

is the summum bonum of all spiritual sa'dhana', which only can lead to Him

from where decline is not even imaginable. Really blessed is one who has

attained this complete surrender unto Him, like the piece of salt which went

to measure the depth of the ocean - but a momentous divine jerk and an attraction

occurred and the bit of salt was lost, no one knows where.

 

(Ta'raka Brahma is not a figure of philosophy - it is a creation of devotional

sentiment.)

 

 

1 June 1959, Jamalpur

 

from "A'tman, Parama'tman and Sa'dhana'"

 

Idea and Ideology

 

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anjin92 wrote:

It is my understanding that choosing a guru is a very important

selection, not to be made lightly, as it's usually a lifetime commitment.

 

Clearly, there are self-appointed "gurus" out there who are not truly

passing on liberation and enlightenment. Our wonderful mod just

banned one such poseur.

 

I'd like to hear everyone's experience in this area.

 

QUESTIONS:

Do you have a guru?

If so, how did you come to find him/her?

If not, what are you doing to find your guru?

 

(my) ANSWERS:

For me, I guess I sort of have a guru. I have received Kriya

initiation in the Hariharananda lineage. But I didn't feel that

earth-shaking, "this is my teacher!" sensation that I have heard other

people experience when they meet their guru. So, I have begun praying

to find my guru. In the interim I have been receiving (very light)

instruction from a guy in the International Nath Order.

 

OK, that's my experience. What's yours?

 

XD,

anjin