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Progress through Sadhana
Our sadhana is purposeful, goal-oriented, and at the same time amazingly
simple and undemanding. If, in its practice, abhyasis don't progress,
then one can only conclude that the will to progress to the destination
is lacking. The motive force is lacking.
The correct way of meditation is to get into the condition which our
Divine Master grants us by the power of his transmission, and try to
prolong this 'condition' and by thus slowly prolonging it, to ensure
that the 'condition' is maintained throughout the 24 hours. This is
the first stage in our sadhana. At this stage, constant remembrance
may be said to begin. But even this does not constitute real sadhana.
The next stage is, after we are able to achieve this established state
of the condition, we begin to slowly perceive that we are making progress
towards the goal established for us. We are able to appreciate what
is being given to us by the Master and to sense that what we receive
is infinite. We begin to understand that under no circumstances can
there be any question of repayment to the Master for what we have received.
At this stage gratitude begins to be awakened in our heart for the Divine
gift of Grace that the Master is bestowing on us.
In my humble opinion, even now our sadhana is incomplete because as
we continue to progress, if we are true to ourselves, we now begin to
understand all complexities and faults of behaviour etc., that exist
in us and from this stage onwards the need for co-operation with the
Master in working towards the removal of all complexities from our own
system begins to assume greater importance. This cooperation must take
the active form of analyzing ourselves to see what are the defects in
us, mental, moral and spiritual, and try to overcome them with the Master's
cooperation Master is always there to help us in every possible way
in all the fields of our activity but unless we co-operate with Him,
whatever the stage of spirituality may be, to which the Master may carry
us, such spiritual attainment is unable to reflect itself in our outward
behaviour and in our life generally.
There has been quite some criticism in respect of highly evolved people,
who by their behaviour and general living have attracted public criticism
that they are living in a manner not consistent with their spiritual
attainment. The abhyasis of our Mission must take the greatest care
and ensure that by ardent cooperation with the Master they are totally
transformed inside and out. If we are able to cooperate with the Master
and try to eradicate from ourselves all our shortcomings, our progress
definitely becomes faster and the Master's work easier. With full cooperation
from our side, we become pliable, and Master can then mould us at His
will to what he wants us to become. Master has told me several times
that the heart region is the gutter of humanity, and it is when an abhyasi
is in the heart region, or Pind Pradesh as it is called, that the Master
has to descend into the gutter and do a Herculean job of cleaning our
system and prepare us for higher spiritual approaches. If we have any
regard for the Master it is incumbent on us that we try to reduce the
burden of his task by co-operating to the fullest by crossing this region
as quickly as we can. Our daily life must be conducted in such fashion
that we are perpetually sunk in the condition granted to us by the Master
and working while in that condition, so that further samskaras are not
formed.
In my humble opinion, even this does not really constitute what would
be the real meaning of sadhana. As our gratitude to the Master continues
to increase, and as we are able to perceive the ever-increasing grace
that is flowing from the Master, love for the Master begins to dawn
in our hearts. I sincerely believe that only when such personal love
and devotion for the Master begins, our real spiritual journey also
begins. Up to now it has all been the mere play of Master's power arising
out of his transmission and in a sense, it can merely be called a tamasha.
The real progress comes only when there is love because as Master has
repeatedly said, He himself is a mirror and only reflects what he sees
before him. Therefore when we love the Master, the Master begins to
love us and thereafter our spiritual progress no longer depends on us
but on him. It is like the child being carried by its mother and very
literally, from then it becomes the Master's responsibility to take
the lover as His own and to take him wherever He wishes to.
There can be no question of real progress in spirituality unless we
love our Master so much and so deeply that we evoke in Him a Divine
love for us. This then is the culmination of sadhana where, having done
all we can, by giving our total love to the Master, He is in a sense
compelled to take us up from there to complete our journey to the goal.
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