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Raj Yoga Meditation |
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Supreme (GOD)
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I am a peaceful
soul, a tiny spark of light, a non-physical
being. In this consciousness I am able to
see others as souls too. When we go beyond
the limitations of physical identity in this
way, we forget the appearance, occupation,
bodily relationship of others and see them
as our brothers. All souls are brothers,
points of energy, in different physical
costumes, and playing different roles in
this world drama on this world stage.
However, many questions still arise. If we
are all brothers, and the world is like one
large family, is there a father or mother
for all these souls ? Similarly, if we see
ourselves as actors, playing different roles
in different costumes, is there a director
of this huge drama ? Is it possible that
thee is a Supreme Being, a source of power,
energy and knowledge who would fulfill the
role of Father or Director? |
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A Supreme Being?. If So, Who ?
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It has been
mentioned that the meaning of "Yoga" is
union, and the meaning of "Raja" is king,
master or sovereign, but, in particular, it
means supreme, so Raja Yoga is union with
the Supreme, the Father, Director, the one
who has been remembered as God.
However, when I
start to search for the identity of the
Supreme Being, it becomes extremely
confusing. From every direction comes a
different answer; different images are
thrust upon me along with a multitude of
conflicting scriptures. I even reach the
stage when I wonder whether thee is a God,
or whether it is all the creation of human
minds. Surely, if there is a Supreme Being
in existence it should be possible for me to
have one complete introduction to Him, one
complete set of facts.
Human experiment
has been one thing, but the knowledge from
the Supreme Being about His own form and
identity is something very different. Let us
consider various ideas that have been put
forward, according to the teachings of Raja
Yoga and perhaps you will experiment with
those, and in so doing reach an experience
of the Supreme. After all, the purpose of
knowledge is to experience. Surely it is
possible to experience a relationship
through direct communication with my Supreme
Father ? |
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The Form of the
Supreme |
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Having
recognised the soul to be a point of light,
a pinpoint of energy, I can now see others
as my brothers. Each soul is unique, an
identity within self, each with a different
record of experience, a unique intellect,
and a mind which functions on a particular
wavelength. However, every soul is the same
size and form, a tiny point of light. It is
certainly possible then, that the Father of
all souls would have the same form. The
Supreme Being is also a soul, a spark of
light, the infinitessimal pinpoint which
contains within itself a mind, intellect and
sanskars, a personality.
It has often
been felt that God is some form of energy,
but that the Supreme Being is one with a
personality, with whom I can have a
relationship, may seem strange. What are
sanskars, what is personality ? It is the
recording of action. God has been remembered
as the one who performed actions which were
truly beneficial, so the Supreme Being has
benefit in the sanskars. He has been
remembered as the Ocean of Knowledge, and it
is within the intellect that knowledge is
retained. The intellect of the Supreme,
being supreme is beyond limitations - with
complete wisdom and awareness. The Supreme
also has a mind, and God has been recognised
as One who gives unlimited love, peace and
mercy.
Infinite or
infinitessimal - The idea of God being an
infinitessimally small point of light seems
very different from the generally held view
that God is infinite, unlimited. The word
"infinite" has usually been thought of as
meaning immeasurably vast, huge in
dimensions. However, this word has quite
another aspect, which also means 'beyond
geometrical dimensions', and this is 'that
which is infinitessimal, that which is so
minute that is cannot be measured'. It is
definitely possible that the form of the
Supreme is this rather than the huge,
unlimited infinity.
We have heard
that the qualities of God are unlimited, and
have therefore assumed that the size of the
Supreme Being is unlimited, but in fact size
and depth of quality are not necessarily
related. We do not judge the qualities of a
human by the size of the body. The power of
the soul has no connection with physical
dimension. I can recognise the soul as a
dot, and the Supreme Soul to be the same,
and yet form this dot radiates qualities as
unlimited as the Ocean; unlimited love,
peace, purity, bliss, power - the list is
also limitless.
From this spark
of light, light emanates in an oval image,
just as from a candle light emerges from a
point source and assumes an oval image. It
is interesting to see that throughout the
world God has been remembered as a form of
light, usually with oval image. Images in
gold, silver, diamond and even ice have been
made - forms that are visible to the eyes
and can therefore be worshipped. But even
one religion, Islam, which has no form of
idol worship, has, in Mecca, an oval, black,
crystal stone which is precisely the same
image. (This is called the Sang-e-Aswad, the
Holy Stone). A group of Buddhists in Japan
focus their thoughts on an oval-shaped image
known as the peace-giver when they sit in
meditation. Zoroaster, the prophet of the
Parsees, advocated the worship of fire as
the remembrance of the Supreme, "the Great
Light". Christ has spoken of God as light,
Moses has visions of the burning bush and
the form of light appearing, and Guru Nanak,
founder of the Sikh religion, has spoken of
the One Incorporeal, the One without human
form. Certainly this is the one form in
which God has been remembered which appears
throughout the world. |
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The Qualities of
God |
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It is said that
if you were to turn the earth into paper,
the ocean to ink and the trees into quills,
still it would not be possible to write down
all the qualities of the Supreme and all the
praise which could be attributed to Him. But
in order to understand definite
characteristics, we can concentrate on the
specific qualities, love, purity, peace,
bliss and power. As we turn our thoughts to
the Supreme in mediation, the soul is
flooded with the experience of these
qualities and actually absorbs these
qualities within itself, thus eventually
achieving complete transformation.
We have thought
of God as the Father of all souls, but if,
within this spark of light, there are all
qualifications, it is quite possible for the
Supreme to be experienced as the Mother, as
well as the Father. Although the word "He"
is used, conveying the idea of the dominant
role of the Father, there is the definite
love and mercy of the Mother within that
soul. And similarly, because the Supreme has
all qualifications, I can experience Him in
His numerous roles, in all relationships.
If there is to
be union with the Supreme, it is only
possible when there is the awareness of God
as a pinpoint. It is not possible for the
mind to concentrate on a huge expanse. When
a complete image is seen, then the mind, the
eyes and the brain will instantly build up a
composite picture and a whole scene will
come together. But there can only be total
concentration on one tiny part of one
object. And so the soul, seeking union with
the Supreme, sees Him as a pinpoint, total
concentration can then be achieved and union
is experienced. A relationship is then built
up. |
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The Name of the
Supreme |
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In any close
relationship, it is usual to know the name
of the other person. There are as many names
as there are tongues for the Supreme, and
each one is accurate in that each one
conveys a special meaning or quality. But
the one name that carries a multitude of
meanings, a whole world of significance, is
the sanskrit name "Shiva". The word Shiva
has three specific meanings : Shiva means
the Benefactor, the point and it also means
the seed.
From the word
Shiva we can see the qualities of God, that
is, the Benefactor, the beloved Father, we
come to know His form, the point, and also
God as the seed of the Tree. The knowledge
of the whole "human tree" is contained
within the Seed, and the Seed is the Creator
of the Tree. In this name is contained the
theoretical knowledge of the Supreme Soul,
but in my own meditation another name is
used, and that is "Baba". Baba means father
or daddy and immediately conveys the idea of
my close relationship with my beloved
Father. And so this is God the Supreme, the
Incorporeal, Shiva Baba. |
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Differences Between
the Soul and the Supreme Soul
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We have been
looking at the similarities between the soul
and the Supreme Soul, in form, size and in
the function of the mind, intellect and
sanskars. There are, however, some
interesting differences.
All souls take a
human body, a costume, in which to play
their roles on the world stage, within the
cycle of birth and death. But the Supreme
Soul is the One free from this cycle of
birth and death, the One who is constantly
incorporeal.
Souls, taking on
a human body, are governed by the laws of
action and reaction (karma), and there is
either liberation or bondage, depending on
actions.
The Supreme is
the One who is totally fulfilled, eternally
complete, and forever constant, constant in
name (whereas human names are merely labels
for the body), constant in qualities. No
human soul has this constancy, and this is
why we turn to God when seeking the
stability we ourselves lack. |
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Where Does He Stay
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Just as it is
important to know the name of someone with
whom one is forming a relationship, it is
also important to know where they are, where
they live. To form a relationship with God,
I must know precisely where He is so that I
can turn my mind to Him. |
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The Three Worlds
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This physical
world on which we are now living is known as
the CORPOREAL WORLD. Beyond this world of
matter, of physical elements, there is the
SUBTLE REGION of light, sometimes referred
to as the astral plane.
Beyond the
Subtle Region is the INCORPOREAL WORLD, a
place of constant , unchangeable light, of
complete stability, silence and peace. The
land of Nirvana, which means the land beyond
sound or the land of release or of
liberation. This is my Home, the world form
which all souls come, and the land where all
souls ultimately go. It is also the Home of
the Supreme Father, Shiva Baba.
The Raj Yogi can
turn his mind away from the corporael world
to that incorporeal world, where the Father
resides, and where he can experience
complete peace. |
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Is He Everywhere ? |
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It possibly
seems strange to think of God as a minute
point of light, of energy, with a fixed
form, and indeed a fixed abode. It is a very
widely and strongly held concept in both the
East and West that the Supreme pervades the
entire universe, in other words, is
omnipresent. Let us examine some points in
connection with this.
If the Supreme
Soul did pervade the entire universe,
surely, then, the qualities of the Supreme
Soul would also pervade everything? In this
case there would be no difference between
the living and the non-living, and certainly
each and every being would reflect the
qualities of the Supreme. Such things as
sin, impurity and peacelessness would not
exist and only the qualities of God would be
displayed - love, purity, knowledge, peace
and bliss.
If am told that
it is ignorance that has coloured the soul
and which prevents the qualities of good
emerging, then, if I am pervaded by the
Supreme, it is questionable whether
ignorance could have come in the first
place. Am I not implying that ignorance has
come to the Supreme?
If I am often
suggested that the Supreme is an unlimited
ocean and that we souls are drops form that
ocean which will eventually merge back
within it. But drops from the ocean and the
ocean are made up of the same elements, and,
again, only the qualities of the ocean would
be found in the drops.
Let us consider
the Supreme to be in one location, and from
that location qualities emanate, so that
wherever I am, I only have to tune my
thoughts to that source and I am able to
pick up those vibrations and experience a
relationship. A radio transmitter has one
specific location, form which transmissions
spread throughout the world, and wherever
thee is a receiver tuned to the specific
wavelength, or frequency, it will be able to
pick up the transmission. Here we find a
reason why it has not been possible for us
to experience the Supreme in our daily lives
up to now.
If my mind has
been tuned to the physical activity, the
gross world and material objects around me,
I have not been able to pick up the
transmissions, even though God has been
sending them. I have been on a different
wavelength. If my thoughts come away from
the physical, and I have move into a stage
of soul-consciousness, it becomes very easy
for me to pick up the vibrations, and
through my thoughts, make contact and
experience Shiva Baba, my Father. |
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Suggested Thoughts
for Meditation |
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I
become aware of myself as a soul
a point
source of light in the centre of the
forehead
my thoughts move beyond the body
beyond the bodily world
up to a region
of immense light
there is total peace,
perfect stillness
this is my Home
I find
myself in the presence of Shiva Baba, Baba,
a spark of light, radiating the Ocean of
Light
I absorb light within myself
Baba,
the Ocean of Peace
I feel the waves of
peace
soothing
cooling
calming the
soul
my natural state is that of peace
This is how I was before, this is how I
will be forever
The Almighty Authority
fills me with His power, the weak soul is
transformed
I become the embodiment of
strength and power
the embodiment of peace
of light
of might
of purity
of bliss
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Questions
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What is the form
of the Supreme and what is meant by the name
Shiva?
Explain the difference between the soul and
the Supreme Soul.
Give some reasons why God cannot be
omnipresent.
What is meant by the Three Worlds? |
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