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Thanks for all the details you sent about spirituality. This is one of the best emails that I have received, ever, in terms of my eagerness and search towards meditation and Yoga. My sincere thanks to you for taking your valuable time to respond back with immense amount of guidelines and directives.
Here are few of my experiences, so far, on the path of life while putting efforts to know the True "Self", I would like to share.
Experiences during Siddha Samadhi Yoga meditation
In 2008 I took Siddha Samadhi Yoga classes in USA. When I had this class taken over two weekends, there was an extremely strong pulse of energy taking hold, between my eye brows. When inquired with the teacher, she suggested that it is common to have such experience. In the same year I was doing meditation using the CDs, which was of immense experience. There were two strong energy pulses felt, one at the sitting bottom end, and the other between my eye brows. One experience while doing the meditation after listening to the CD, was astounding. As if a small cold breeze were to be blown in a space from the top of my head, through the neck and into the spine and to the bottom of my back. This was so astounding. I haven't had the repeat of the same later on.
One of the astounding experiences was, about 6 to 8 months ago. I was just slipping into sleep after meditating, when there was a huge source of "brightness" (cannot comprehend it's size by words) that was emerging from bottom of my closed eyes. I know it was not the "normal lights" or even the "day light" that we are all used to. It was so calming and attractive. This experience was for a fraction of a second, but I was speechless.
Good number of times, I feel like I am not driving the car, even when I am driving the car. There is a clear detachment of my "Subtle Self" from body, and I can see the body driving the car and I am just going with the body. Very strange and unexplained experiences.
Psychic experiences
I had many psychic experiences - Around 2005, I woke up to a "thought that hit me so strongly, while I was asleep in the bus", that something bad has happened in my native place and I have to be there immediately. Came to know later that it was true. Sometime back, I casually mentioned that one of the unprotected turns near my apartment was extremely dangerous, to my American friend. In about a month's time, there was a big accident involving of totaling of one car. I had similar experience few hours before the Ahmedabad earth quake took thousands of lives. One of my American friend in the project told to me, "Hey you are very close to God"! Why am I being directed to these experiences by the higher divine source, is just unexplained.
Spiritual experiences
Most recently, my father's most loved Stora, Mahishasura Mardini, got into my life. I made a CD that I listen in my car. The "Shivaranjini" raga rendition of this Stotra (composed by Sri.AR Rahman), is just so powerful, I would simply start to weep with joy in the car, while trying to learn to pronounce the Stotra. With about 3 to 4 months of effort, I was able to get the entire 21 slokas by-heart.
Here is one interesting thing I want to share with you. The childhood experience of having visited Sringeri has been so powerful, that I am still perplexed at the divine source there. Recently, in search of the correct source of Mahishasura Mardini Stotra, I wrote an email to the authorities of Sringeri Matha, requesting the original script of the Stotra. While writing the email, I was overcome by emotions of my childhood experiences. I was so upset that I may never be able to visit Sringeri in my lifetime. As if my prayers were heard, I had been watching a serial in Kannada "Devi", which has been screened in Sringeri Matha. I was just dumb founded to see the temple and the Sanctum-Sanctorum. I kept telling this to my wife and kids too, that my prayers have been truly heard by "Her".
Thank you!
Your suggestions from previous email have been exceptional. Your guidance and importance of "practical application" of Yoga and meditation to real life experiences is so, so, so true. You are absolutely right that practical application of our spiritual understanding in life, is the most difficult part to perform. The "Karmic knot" is very strong and you perfectly put it that one has many treacherous mountains to climb, to get through the path. It is certainly a blessing to have bumped into your website and come in touch with you. I see Divine intervention in this interaction with you. Removing the "I" feeling from my "True Self" and "Yours", "We" are "One and Same". Cannot thank you enough, for your kind words, guidance and pointers. Hopefully, I will always stay connected to "YOU"!
Somaiya (Name changed), USA |
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Good to hear all the details and experiences. Here are my views that may be helpful for you in the spiritual progress.
Most valuable spiritual experience is experience of Bhakti
In my view your following spiritual experience is the most valuable of all your experiences - “I would simply start to weep with joy in the car”. In this type of experience you (the Bhakta or Sadhak) tends to loose his identity and tries to merge with the divine essence. Obviously this happens despite there is tremendous amount of disturbance (gravity) from our mind and its vrittis (which is creation of our Karma, Trigunas and Samskaras.) In fact because of our Samskaras and Trigunas such experiences can not last longer than few seconds or minutes and they are hard to come by again. But when they do, you should crave you stay in the same state longer. In my view you should look forwards for such moments to increase. This is your "true" achievement of years of spiritual cravings.
Divine experiences during meditation
About the experiences you have had during the meditation like “strong energy pulses between eyebrows”, “cold breeze from top of your head, through the neck and into the spine”, “huge source of divine ‘brightness’" etc). They are good and that is where their presence ends. Each Sadhak’s experience during each stage will be unique, and will depend to a large extent on his Karma and the diligence with which he does the meditation. There is a tendency at initial stages for practitioner to dwell on what experiences they are having and which ones they aren’t, and being concerned if they are not making appropriate progress. Experiences are not end in themselves but are only the means to achieve specific type of spiritual purification needed by each aspirant at their respective stage. The sole purpose of divine experiences during meditation is cleaning of physical body (Sthula Sharira) and subtle body (Linga Sharira) and cleaning of past Karma impressions (Sanchita Karma) from the Casual body (Karan Sharira). In short consider them (experiences) as "Zadu" or Broom ...nothing more. Therefore, all experiences will entirely depend on the "spiritual status" (combination of Sanchita Karma, Samskaras and Tri-gunas) of the Sadhaka. That also means, if Sadhakas "spiritual body" is relatively clean (or too clogged) he WILL have less experiences than others.
Psychic experience are of no use in spiritual progress
About your other “psychic experiences” like being able to connect to certain evens in advance, you should ignore them totally. They do no carry any meaning nor any purpose in your spiritual development. They just create distractions in your mind and will take away your focus from the divine. You should try to stop thinking on them if you can.
Other Divine experiences
About your experiences like “I was so upset that I may never be able to visit Sringeri in my lifetime…As if my prayers were heard, I had been watching a serial on "Devi", which has been screened in Sringeri Matha” – These are useful to the extent that they are the signs on your path towards the Divine. As you make more progress in the Bhakti, the God will keep you giving confirmations of his presence in your life. That is where their (experience’s) utility ends. They are there to remind you that God is with you. Once you get such sign (confirmation) you should consider this as a receipt (of the progress you have made) from the God. Beyond that there is no need for your mind to dwell on them.
Experiences are nothing more then signs on the road to the Divine
In short – consider all experiences as “signs” on the road to the divine. We never fall in love with any sign on the road, Do we? Sadhak’s role should be of an observer in case of all “Divine” experiences. They will come and go, Yogis should not get involved in them. Their purpose is nothing more than giving confirmation that you are moving in the right direction. In the same way please read the experiences (signs) and ignore all of them and continue your divine efforts. As mentioned in the first paragraph you should try to attain moments of deep “Bhakti Bhava" (immersing in devotion) as much as you can. These are the moments when God is closest to you; much closer than any other times.
Look inside, cleaning of Karma and Samskaras is the key to God
At the same time, one should realize, there is much to change inside before we can attain the God. There are mountains of Karma and Samskaras that are stopping you from seeing the divine. Cleaning of those Karma and Samskaras should be the goal of life. As this will happen your “Vrittis” (facets or fluctuations of mind) will go on getting calm over the years. As your mind will get calm you will get more “Divya Drishti” (spiritual wisdom) which will continue to guide you like a divine light or Guru.
Hope this helps.
Thank you.
Mahendra Joshi
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