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Initiation -Are We Ready ?
This book is free on line here https://www.rssb.org/initiation.html
In preparation for initiation, we can start with our:
Attitude – Make the shift to positive thinking;
Behaviour – Reflect our intention in our actions;
Clarity – Foster a habit of clear thinking;
Dedication – Make a firm commitment and resolve to attain our goal.
When we start looking for something to fill an unexplainable void; that is the exact moment of awareness! ––
That is when we experience a strange awakening that we find difficult to express. We wake up to another part of ourselves, which is new to us. A spark lights within us. We may or may not be searching for spirituality, but knowingly or unknowingly we head in that direction. The potential for inner growth creates a craving within us and draws us to the path. This strong pull and sudden desire is the beginning of our search for the Truth.
WHO INITIATES US ?
Jesus explains: “I am the Way.” Only a living Master has the key to reveal the “Truth,” the way to attain self-realization. Without “Knowing,” without personal inner experience, there can be no faith, belief or attainment. Without “Life” – meaning eternal life or bliss – our liberation, which he calls the “life you must hope for,” is not possible. And liberation cannot be attained without someone to the way.
Physically the Master is as human as we are. But here lies the big difference – on the spiritual level, he has traversed the path of Truth, experienced inner bliss, and realized the ultimate by going deep within himself and connecting to the Shabd – the Word or Logos, the divine spiritual power. Only a God-realized soul can us the way within.
The Master introduces us to the method of attaining God, of going within ourselves through the practice of meditation and connecting our soul to the Shabd, thus permanently removing us from the clutches of birth and death. We are shown the path of divine realization, which frees us from worldly bondage. The Master takes us from darkness to light and liberates our soul by merging us with the Absolute, the Ultimate. Without the Master there is no God-realization.
The impact of a spiritual guide is to extract seekers from the external phenomena in which we currently immerse ourselves and take us to the height of spiritual attainment. The Master is supreme, all pervading and all encompassing. He is the key to all existence; he embodies the whole.
WHAT IS INITIATION ?
On this spiritual path, when the Master or one of his representatives instructs a seeker on the discipline of meditation, it is referred to as “initiation” or receiving Naam. In meditation, the disciple learns to still the restless mind and reconnect his awareness to the Shabd, which is the essence of the soul.
Through initiation the Master awakens us to the illusions of this materialistic world. He awakens us from our deep slumber by showing us the way to the Divine. At initiation the Master introduces to the seeker the method of meditation by which he or she can connect to the Word, Logos or Shabd. The Master transmits the essence of his own direct experience of this inner reality.
Through their teachings and experience, the Masters show us how to merge our soul back into its source. They assure us that only through meditation can the mysteries of the inner realms be revealed.
Initiation, then, is establishing a link between the Master and disciple. This link or connection takes place on a spiritual level. The Shabd form of the Master is actually doing the initiation. The Shabd Master has no limitations and is with the disciple no matter where he or she is. That is why initiation conducted by either the Master himself or by one of his representatives is the same. There is no difference. The real initiation takes place within. The purpose of the outer initiation is only to explain to the disciple the technique of meditation and to instill a strong sense of commitment.
At initiation the Master lights the flame of awareness in us and assures us that he will take us to our final abode through our practice of meditation.
The purpose of human life is God-realization. However, we first need to achieve the realization that we are the same essence as God. Self-realization comes before God-realization. We came from God and our ultimate destiny is to return to him. The end, and the means to the end, is through meditation – the timeless science which leads to ultimate union with God.
WHAT ARE WE INITIATED INTO ?
Divinity has always been an inherent part of us, but it has been buried and covered with layers of cravings and negative thoughts. Spiritual attainment is adapting to higher aspirations and thought, becoming aware of the higher self. It is the path of uncovering the soul from beneath various layers of dirt.
During meditation, when the mind is still and focused, the Shabd slowly becomes clear, distinct and audible. We can develop the ability to disengage from the chatter of the mind, discard and abandon our mental attachments, and go beyond the mundane to follow the Sound during the deep silence of meditation. The melody within us is elevating and defies the logic of the thinking mind. It cannot be expressed in words – it must be experienced.
Zen teachings emphasize: “Study the living word, not the dead word.”
The “dead word” means the learning we get from books and scriptures, which is superficial knowledge and is not based on experience. Books can only give an explanation or information; they can motivate and inspire us, but they cannot give experience. Words are not required for attaining inner truth; instead, the mind must be silenced during meditation. So ultimately what good is book knowledge?
Only a living Master can convey the living word of God, the Shabd, to us through initiation. Therefore we are encouraged to get the living word from a living Master, one who through personal experience can us how to connect to the living word of God. Initiation is a mystical spark bestowed by a living Master to his disciples, igniting the dormant spiritual energy within us.
So from death we are initiated into true eternal life .
ATTAINING The GOAL
Daily meditation is required to spiritually awaken. Our spiritual journey starts with our ability to concentrate at the eye centre. During our meditation time, we have to let go of our worldly desires and burdens: home, office, spouses, children, pets, everything! Meditation is the method by which we can detach ourselves from this chaotic world – by attaching ourselves to Shabd within, with single-mindedness and one-pointed concentration. The mind should be shut watertight to all activities outside. An uncontrolled, erratic thought-flow is mental indulgence, and to reverse it takes concentrated meditation. The purpose of meditation is to lose oneself in the experience of Shabd by extinguishing all thoughts, desires and passions.
DETERMINATION
When we set out with a firm resolve to achieve our goal, we are already halfway to success. There can be no half-hearted effort in spirituality, it’s everything or nothing; it’s a “do or die” situation. That is why Kabir Sahib states: “The spiritual path is for heroes and not for cowards.”
And wouldn’t it sound ridiculous if we said that we could not discipline ourselves to sit still for a couple of hours each day? Has anyone achieved a reward without hard work? Doctors, lawyers, scholar, painters and musicians put in countless hours, days, months and years of dedicated work and perseverance to achieve their goal. They don’t just sit back and make grandiose plans for becoming experts in their field. They work to achieve their success.
Simran
The inner journey begins when we collect our attention at the eye centre with the repetition of simran, the five names given to us at the time of our initiation. This process of repetition slowly calms the wavering mind, stilling and silencing it through the power of the words given by the Master. With the repetition of simran, the mind empties itself of chaotic thoughts and keeps it silently and solidly focused at the eye centre. Simran helps us retain one-pointed focus.
Simran should resonate within us 24/7, even when we are not in meditation. It is a shield against negative thoughts and helps us to think positively. The power of simran given by the Master is the key to success in following the path and attaining spiritual illumination.
When all thoughts cease to exist, when there is emptiness and darkness, when the mind becomes desireless and self-awareness is dissolved, the “I”, the ego, dissolves. Without the “I” the mind becomes fathomless, limitless and egoless. In the silence of that state of deep concentration, all extraneous thoughts are eradicated; the mind and intellect submit to the power of the simran.
Thus starts this book and it keeps getting better and better 🙂
In preparation for initiation, we can start with our:
Attitude – Make the shift to positive thinking;
Behaviour – Reflect our intention in our actions;
Clarity – Foster a habit of clear thinking;
Dedication – Make a firm commitment and resolve to attain our goal.
When we start looking for something to fill an unexplainable void; that is the exact moment of awareness! ––
That is when we experience a strange awakening that we find difficult to express. We wake up to another part of ourselves, which is new to us. A spark lights within us. We may or may not be searching for spirituality, but knowingly or unknowingly we head in that direction. The potential for inner growth creates a craving within us and draws us to the path. This strong pull and sudden desire is the beginning of our search for the Truth.
WHO INITIATES US ?
Jesus explains: “I am the Way.” Only a living Master has the key to reveal the “Truth,” the way to attain self-realization. Without “Knowing,” without personal inner experience, there can be no faith, belief or attainment. Without “Life” – meaning eternal life or bliss – our liberation, which he calls the “life you must hope for,” is not possible. And liberation cannot be attained without someone to the way.
Physically the Master is as human as we are. But here lies the big difference – on the spiritual level, he has traversed the path of Truth, experienced inner bliss, and realized the ultimate by going deep within himself and connecting to the Shabd – the Word or Logos, the divine spiritual power. Only a God-realized soul can us the way within.
The Master introduces us to the method of attaining God, of going within ourselves through the practice of meditation and connecting our soul to the Shabd, thus permanently removing us from the clutches of birth and death. We are shown the path of divine realization, which frees us from worldly bondage. The Master takes us from darkness to light and liberates our soul by merging us with the Absolute, the Ultimate. Without the Master there is no God-realization.
The impact of a spiritual guide is to extract seekers from the external phenomena in which we currently immerse ourselves and take us to the height of spiritual attainment. The Master is supreme, all pervading and all encompassing. He is the key to all existence; he embodies the whole.
WHAT IS INITIATION ?
On this spiritual path, when the Master or one of his representatives instructs a seeker on the discipline of meditation, it is referred to as “initiation” or receiving Naam. In meditation, the disciple learns to still the restless mind and reconnect his awareness to the Shabd, which is the essence of the soul.
Through initiation the Master awakens us to the illusions of this materialistic world. He awakens us from our deep slumber by showing us the way to the Divine. At initiation the Master introduces to the seeker the method of meditation by which he or she can connect to the Word, Logos or Shabd. The Master transmits the essence of his own direct experience of this inner reality.
Through their teachings and experience, the Masters show us how to merge our soul back into its source. They assure us that only through meditation can the mysteries of the inner realms be revealed.
Initiation, then, is establishing a link between the Master and disciple. This link or connection takes place on a spiritual level. The Shabd form of the Master is actually doing the initiation. The Shabd Master has no limitations and is with the disciple no matter where he or she is. That is why initiation conducted by either the Master himself or by one of his representatives is the same. There is no difference. The real initiation takes place within. The purpose of the outer initiation is only to explain to the disciple the technique of meditation and to instill a strong sense of commitment.
At initiation the Master lights the flame of awareness in us and assures us that he will take us to our final abode through our practice of meditation.
The purpose of human life is God-realization. However, we first need to achieve the realization that we are the same essence as God. Self-realization comes before God-realization. We came from God and our ultimate destiny is to return to him. The end, and the means to the end, is through meditation – the timeless science which leads to ultimate union with God.
WHAT ARE WE INITIATED INTO ?
Divinity has always been an inherent part of us, but it has been buried and covered with layers of cravings and negative thoughts. Spiritual attainment is adapting to higher aspirations and thought, becoming aware of the higher self. It is the path of uncovering the soul from beneath various layers of dirt.
During meditation, when the mind is still and focused, the Shabd slowly becomes clear, distinct and audible. We can develop the ability to disengage from the chatter of the mind, discard and abandon our mental attachments, and go beyond the mundane to follow the Sound during the deep silence of meditation. The melody within us is elevating and defies the logic of the thinking mind. It cannot be expressed in words – it must be experienced.
Zen teachings emphasize: “Study the living word, not the dead word.”
The “dead word” means the learning we get from books and scriptures, which is superficial knowledge and is not based on experience. Books can only give an explanation or information; they can motivate and inspire us, but they cannot give experience. Words are not required for attaining inner truth; instead, the mind must be silenced during meditation. So ultimately what good is book knowledge?
Only a living Master can convey the living word of God, the Shabd, to us through initiation. Therefore we are encouraged to get the living word from a living Master, one who through personal experience can us how to connect to the living word of God. Initiation is a mystical spark bestowed by a living Master to his disciples, igniting the dormant spiritual energy within us.
So from death we are initiated into true eternal life .
ATTAINING The GOAL
Daily meditation is required to spiritually awaken. Our spiritual journey starts with our ability to concentrate at the eye centre. During our meditation time, we have to let go of our worldly desires and burdens: home, office, spouses, children, pets, everything! Meditation is the method by which we can detach ourselves from this chaotic world – by attaching ourselves to Shabd within, with single-mindedness and one-pointed concentration. The mind should be shut watertight to all activities outside. An uncontrolled, erratic thought-flow is mental indulgence, and to reverse it takes concentrated meditation. The purpose of meditation is to lose oneself in the experience of Shabd by extinguishing all thoughts, desires and passions.
DETERMINATION
When we set out with a firm resolve to achieve our goal, we are already halfway to success. There can be no half-hearted effort in spirituality, it’s everything or nothing; it’s a “do or die” situation. That is why Kabir Sahib states: “The spiritual path is for heroes and not for cowards.”
And wouldn’t it sound ridiculous if we said that we could not discipline ourselves to sit still for a couple of hours each day? Has anyone achieved a reward without hard work? Doctors, lawyers, scholar, painters and musicians put in countless hours, days, months and years of dedicated work and perseverance to achieve their goal. They don’t just sit back and make grandiose plans for becoming experts in their field. They work to achieve their success.
Simran
The inner journey begins when we collect our attention at the eye centre with the repetition of simran, the five names given to us at the time of our initiation. This process of repetition slowly calms the wavering mind, stilling and silencing it through the power of the words given by the Master. With the repetition of simran, the mind empties itself of chaotic thoughts and keeps it silently and solidly focused at the eye centre. Simran helps us retain one-pointed focus.
Simran should resonate within us 24/7, even when we are not in meditation. It is a shield against negative thoughts and helps us to think positively. The power of simran given by the Master is the key to success in following the path and attaining spiritual illumination.
When all thoughts cease to exist, when there is emptiness and darkness, when the mind becomes desireless and self-awareness is dissolved, the “I”, the ego, dissolves. Without the “I” the mind becomes fathomless, limitless and egoless. In the silence of that state of deep concentration, all extraneous thoughts are eradicated; the mind and intellect submit to the power of the simran.
Thus starts this book and it keeps getting better and better 🙂
18 pages, ebook
Published January 1, 2010
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February 5, 2019
What is "Simran" ?
The inner journey begins when we collect our attention at the eye centre with the repetition of simran, the five names given to us at the time of our initiation. This process of repetition slowly calms the wavering mind, stilling and silencing it through the power of the words given by the Master. With the repetition of simran, the mind empties itself of chaotic thoughts and keeps it silently and solidly focused at the eye centre. Simran helps us retain one-pointed focus.
Simran should resonate within us 24/7, even when we are not in meditation. It is a shield against negative thoughts and helps us to think positively. The power of simran given by the Master is the key to success in following the path and attaining spiritual illumination.
When all thoughts cease to exist, when there is emptiness and darkness, when the mind becomes desireless and self-awareness is dissolved, the “I”, the ego, dissolves. Without the “I” the mind becomes fathomless, limitless and egoless. In the silence of that state of deep concentration, all extraneous thoughts are eradicated; the mind and intellect submit to the power of the simran.
Love Between Master and Disciple
No other love is as deep as the love between Master and disciple. It sinks into the very core of our being, in our nerves, pulse and bloodstream. No other love compares, whether it is the love of a mother for her child, one spouse for another, one sibling for another, or even the love of a friend. These human relationships are born, grow, change and then slowly wither away. Even the loss of a dearly loved one ceases to ache with the passage of time. None of these bonds are permanent. Human relationships continuously change – that is the very nature of being human.
In comparison, our love for the Master encompasses our entire being, and it remains constant. When we transcend our love for the physical plane to the pure love for the Master, we rise above changes, expectations and demands. True love involuntarily and without hesitation wants to give, submit and surrender. This kind of love is possible only with the Master because he has no motive, no demands, no expectations – he only gives, gives, and gives.
Through his love the Master inspires us to surrender to him in meditation and eventually reach the inner Shabd Master. Our love for the physical Master should motivate us to meditate with total dedication and one-pointed focus to connect our soul to the Shabd, the formless true Master within, and attain the Truth. The consequence of our love for the Master is our attempt to live in his will or hukam – to do our daily meditation and strive to make it a part of our daily lives.
Attachment – The Source of Our Pain
Children, parents, spouses, wealth, property – nothing belongs to us, nothing is forever. All attachments are illusions. When the final moment comes, when death knocks on our door, neither our relationships nor our material possessions accompany us. We leave alone and empty-handed. All that we have so laboriously and proudly collected and achieved in our lifetime, the titles attached to our names, the name-plates outside our homes, the companies bearing our name, sons and daughters to carry on the family name – all gets erased, washed away. There is no belonging of any kind in this transitory world – everything and everyone perishes.
All these attachments, while initially bringing us happiness and joy, eventually betray us with their impermanence. We experience pain because we look for happiness where it does not exist. Trying to find eternity in the material world is like trying to stop a river whose very nature is to flow. We seek outer love, which remains transitory. We want that love to be undying, but how can we attain undying love from something temporary and impermanent?
There is only one attachment that is imperishable and immortal – our attachment to the Truth, the Shabd, which is eternal. This can only be achieved if, through meditation, we slowly rid our mind of its desires for the false promises of this world. As our concentration improves, our mind will start attaching itself to the Shabd within and consequently will start detaching from the objects and desires of the world. If there is a hole at the bottom of a jar of water, the water will leak out. Similarly, if there is the smallest tinge of attachment in us, our attention will be drawn out. Our focus will wane. Our priorities will change. Instead of heading straight, we will go backwards. These desires will hold us back from our course. If we do our part, our meditation, then the Shabd will automatically do its part, by pulling our consciousness away from the distractions of this creation and attaching it to the higher realms of Truth and understanding within.
Ego – The Source of Our Feeling of Separation
We are propelled into this world by our ego – by our need to define ourselves as someone special or to satisfy our need for status and material possessions. Sri Ramakrishna explained the intensity of destruction caused by the soaring ego in these lines:
The ego of a common man is easier to fade away
Than the ego of a sage, which is hard indeed to wear away.
The ego is like an empty glass that dips itself into the ocean and after emerging filled to the brim, cries out: “I am the ocean!”
Who are we really? The Bible states: “Dust you are and to dust shall you return.” (Genesis 3:19) If we can understand the depth of these words, the realization will dawn on us that our swollen concern for ourselves, our arrogance at our own self-importance, constitutes the worst threat in our life.
Our ego is fed by the mind. It is an illusion caused by our ignorance. Ramakrishna also said that the ego is “like the glow-worm who after dusk thinks he is giving light to the world. But when the stars begin to twinkle, the light of the glow-worm is humbled.”
Only if our mind is empty of self will it be ready to receive. In the empty mind there are many possibilities, in the egoistic mind there are few. The greatest possible enjoyment is found when we reduce our ego to zero. As Swami Parmananda taught:
It is the ego that is the great bar to spiritual progress. If you want ego, then you can’t have God. If you want God, then you must be crowned with humility.
Maharaj Charan Singh said:
There should be no spiritual ego. We know our reality, where we stand. I don’t know what we are proud of. So there should be no spiritual ego at all. That is also ego, and unless we are able to eliminate all types of ego, it is very difficult to make proper progress.
As Baba Ji says: You can do it! So just do it! The Master is there for every disciple 24/7 to give support and inner strength. We just have to remember him and lean on him. The Master and our meditation are the anchor of our lives. They keep us from drifting into dangerous waters and give us the needed stability to weather any storm. An ocean of grace and love is always there for the taking. We only have to remember to look within to realize it.
The inner journey begins when we collect our attention at the eye centre with the repetition of simran, the five names given to us at the time of our initiation. This process of repetition slowly calms the wavering mind, stilling and silencing it through the power of the words given by the Master. With the repetition of simran, the mind empties itself of chaotic thoughts and keeps it silently and solidly focused at the eye centre. Simran helps us retain one-pointed focus.
Simran should resonate within us 24/7, even when we are not in meditation. It is a shield against negative thoughts and helps us to think positively. The power of simran given by the Master is the key to success in following the path and attaining spiritual illumination.
When all thoughts cease to exist, when there is emptiness and darkness, when the mind becomes desireless and self-awareness is dissolved, the “I”, the ego, dissolves. Without the “I” the mind becomes fathomless, limitless and egoless. In the silence of that state of deep concentration, all extraneous thoughts are eradicated; the mind and intellect submit to the power of the simran.
Love Between Master and Disciple
No other love is as deep as the love between Master and disciple. It sinks into the very core of our being, in our nerves, pulse and bloodstream. No other love compares, whether it is the love of a mother for her child, one spouse for another, one sibling for another, or even the love of a friend. These human relationships are born, grow, change and then slowly wither away. Even the loss of a dearly loved one ceases to ache with the passage of time. None of these bonds are permanent. Human relationships continuously change – that is the very nature of being human.
In comparison, our love for the Master encompasses our entire being, and it remains constant. When we transcend our love for the physical plane to the pure love for the Master, we rise above changes, expectations and demands. True love involuntarily and without hesitation wants to give, submit and surrender. This kind of love is possible only with the Master because he has no motive, no demands, no expectations – he only gives, gives, and gives.
Through his love the Master inspires us to surrender to him in meditation and eventually reach the inner Shabd Master. Our love for the physical Master should motivate us to meditate with total dedication and one-pointed focus to connect our soul to the Shabd, the formless true Master within, and attain the Truth. The consequence of our love for the Master is our attempt to live in his will or hukam – to do our daily meditation and strive to make it a part of our daily lives.
Attachment – The Source of Our Pain
Children, parents, spouses, wealth, property – nothing belongs to us, nothing is forever. All attachments are illusions. When the final moment comes, when death knocks on our door, neither our relationships nor our material possessions accompany us. We leave alone and empty-handed. All that we have so laboriously and proudly collected and achieved in our lifetime, the titles attached to our names, the name-plates outside our homes, the companies bearing our name, sons and daughters to carry on the family name – all gets erased, washed away. There is no belonging of any kind in this transitory world – everything and everyone perishes.
All these attachments, while initially bringing us happiness and joy, eventually betray us with their impermanence. We experience pain because we look for happiness where it does not exist. Trying to find eternity in the material world is like trying to stop a river whose very nature is to flow. We seek outer love, which remains transitory. We want that love to be undying, but how can we attain undying love from something temporary and impermanent?
There is only one attachment that is imperishable and immortal – our attachment to the Truth, the Shabd, which is eternal. This can only be achieved if, through meditation, we slowly rid our mind of its desires for the false promises of this world. As our concentration improves, our mind will start attaching itself to the Shabd within and consequently will start detaching from the objects and desires of the world. If there is a hole at the bottom of a jar of water, the water will leak out. Similarly, if there is the smallest tinge of attachment in us, our attention will be drawn out. Our focus will wane. Our priorities will change. Instead of heading straight, we will go backwards. These desires will hold us back from our course. If we do our part, our meditation, then the Shabd will automatically do its part, by pulling our consciousness away from the distractions of this creation and attaching it to the higher realms of Truth and understanding within.
Ego – The Source of Our Feeling of Separation
We are propelled into this world by our ego – by our need to define ourselves as someone special or to satisfy our need for status and material possessions. Sri Ramakrishna explained the intensity of destruction caused by the soaring ego in these lines:
The ego of a common man is easier to fade away
Than the ego of a sage, which is hard indeed to wear away.
The ego is like an empty glass that dips itself into the ocean and after emerging filled to the brim, cries out: “I am the ocean!”
Who are we really? The Bible states: “Dust you are and to dust shall you return.” (Genesis 3:19) If we can understand the depth of these words, the realization will dawn on us that our swollen concern for ourselves, our arrogance at our own self-importance, constitutes the worst threat in our life.
Our ego is fed by the mind. It is an illusion caused by our ignorance. Ramakrishna also said that the ego is “like the glow-worm who after dusk thinks he is giving light to the world. But when the stars begin to twinkle, the light of the glow-worm is humbled.”
Only if our mind is empty of self will it be ready to receive. In the empty mind there are many possibilities, in the egoistic mind there are few. The greatest possible enjoyment is found when we reduce our ego to zero. As Swami Parmananda taught:
It is the ego that is the great bar to spiritual progress. If you want ego, then you can’t have God. If you want God, then you must be crowned with humility.
Maharaj Charan Singh said:
There should be no spiritual ego. We know our reality, where we stand. I don’t know what we are proud of. So there should be no spiritual ego at all. That is also ego, and unless we are able to eliminate all types of ego, it is very difficult to make proper progress.
As Baba Ji says: You can do it! So just do it! The Master is there for every disciple 24/7 to give support and inner strength. We just have to remember him and lean on him. The Master and our meditation are the anchor of our lives. They keep us from drifting into dangerous waters and give us the needed stability to weather any storm. An ocean of grace and love is always there for the taking. We only have to remember to look within to realize it.
February 5, 2019
Initiation is a significant start into the spiritual journey. Are you ready? Start it for your own sake. it is not an easy path. but with our master it is indeed a beautiful path.
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