Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Taboos for Sikh women
Do you think its easy to pursue spiritual life as a Sikh woman? I feel its extremely difficult. Firstly there are no Sikh female saints like Mirabai in Hinduism who are absolutely crazy about finding God. If Mirabai is to be seen as an example, her life as a saint was also very difficult as people including her own family did not accept her behaviour as acceptable.
What hope do we have to be free like Guru Nanak to declare our pursuit of God? Especially when you are an attractive woman. No matter what you declare about your intentions, you will be looked upon as an object of lust.
Why don't we have any Sikh female Kathakars? Why don't we have female Raagi Jatha in Darbar Sahib, Amritsar? Is there no talent available to occupy those places or we don't accept women to be spiritual to that extent? Its not a question of power or authority, it's a question of the right to freely express our spirituality.
By not allowing women to express and share their spiritual knowledge, are Sikhs approving Muslim way of keeping women behind closed door, in burkas and depriving them from gaining and expressing spiritual knowledge much like how hindus and muslims use to stop them from getting educated in Guru Nanak's days?
"Ae Ree Main To Prem Diwani, Mera Dard Na Janei Koi"
No one understands the extent of my love for God -- Merabai.
What hope do we have to be free like Guru Nanak to declare our pursuit of God? Especially when you are an attractive woman. No matter what you declare about your intentions, you will be looked upon as an object of lust.
Why don't we have any Sikh female Kathakars? Why don't we have female Raagi Jatha in Darbar Sahib, Amritsar? Is there no talent available to occupy those places or we don't accept women to be spiritual to that extent? Its not a question of power or authority, it's a question of the right to freely express our spirituality.
By not allowing women to express and share their spiritual knowledge, are Sikhs approving Muslim way of keeping women behind closed door, in burkas and depriving them from gaining and expressing spiritual knowledge much like how hindus and muslims use to stop them from getting educated in Guru Nanak's days?
"Ae Ree Main To Prem Diwani, Mera Dard Na Janei Koi"
No one understands the extent of my love for God -- Merabai.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The desire body, thoughtforms and their impact
This morning I was very upset upon realizing that the energy tubes thrown by other people to suck up our energy mean different things depending upon the part of the body they are attached to. I woke up a 1.30am this morning and after doing some meditation decided to read 'The inner temple of witchcraft, meditation and psychic development by Cristopher Penczak'.
Chapter 6, I think, covers info on protecting your aura and describes what the intention of the energy thief is depending on where that tube attaches itself on your body. I have known this energy tube being attached to my body from weeks but I didn't care initially as one psychic lady had told me to not worry about small things like this as we are always pulling energy from each other depending on our needs. Since I knew that these cords can be cut by visualization, when I tried to cut it twice, on two different occasions, it tried to attach itself more firmly and became a scar. So both times I left it alone thinking, may be I am not strong enough to cut it yet.
Eight days ago, when I was in deep meditation at the temple, this scar along with the energy tube started to separate itself from me. Since I wanted to keep a connection with this person, I requested for it to not be removed completely. So it stayed at a one hand distance from my body. But this morning I was shocked and horrified when I realized the intention of the cord. I did more meditation and requested its removal and did the Aura cleansing by visualizing a crystal egg around me. I scrubbed it well, removed all the slime on the outside and smoothed the sharp edges with purple colour shower and made it crystal clear again. I later called the person and adjusted the feeling to scale them to a comfortable and acceptable relationship.
On doing a google search on thought-forms, I found the following google book 'Thought-Forms By Annie Besant' which mentions desire-body and its entities on p.19 onwards.
Chapter 6, I think, covers info on protecting your aura and describes what the intention of the energy thief is depending on where that tube attaches itself on your body. I have known this energy tube being attached to my body from weeks but I didn't care initially as one psychic lady had told me to not worry about small things like this as we are always pulling energy from each other depending on our needs. Since I knew that these cords can be cut by visualization, when I tried to cut it twice, on two different occasions, it tried to attach itself more firmly and became a scar. So both times I left it alone thinking, may be I am not strong enough to cut it yet.
Eight days ago, when I was in deep meditation at the temple, this scar along with the energy tube started to separate itself from me. Since I wanted to keep a connection with this person, I requested for it to not be removed completely. So it stayed at a one hand distance from my body. But this morning I was shocked and horrified when I realized the intention of the cord. I did more meditation and requested its removal and did the Aura cleansing by visualizing a crystal egg around me. I scrubbed it well, removed all the slime on the outside and smoothed the sharp edges with purple colour shower and made it crystal clear again. I later called the person and adjusted the feeling to scale them to a comfortable and acceptable relationship.
On doing a google search on thought-forms, I found the following google book 'Thought-Forms By Annie Besant' which mentions desire-body and its entities on p.19 onwards.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Guru Darshan in meditation
Its interesting to note the connection between the Sikh Gurus and their preferences. From personal experience I can say that when you are focused on the Nirankar - the formless God and his Darshan, Guru Nanak comes to help.
The days when I was in love with Guru Arjan Dev Ji's devotion to God by reading his shabads showing how he yearns for God's presence and wanted to see him and wanted to know what he really experienced when such a loving soul was made to sit on a hot plate and yet he didn't ask his followers to revolt but to stay calm and accept God's Will. I am impressed with his true devotion. One of these days, it was Guru Ram Das ji came and I was surprised and actually said that I was expecting Guru Arjan Dev ji. Guru Ram Das ji was extremely handsome and I couldn't resist thinning about his beauty even in meditation. He gave me a checked cotton sarape neatly folded and sat it on my right knee as I was in meditation pose. I realised later that it was Guru Ram Das ji's birthday that day.
When I was in Darbar Sahib Harmandir Sahib and prayed to Guru Ram Das ji to lookafter my son whom I was going to leave in India to study at Miri Piri Academy so he could be near Harmandir Sahib, learn about Amritvela and Sikh life and yet be proud of himself; Guru Hargobind ji gave Darshan.
Day before yesterday when during meditation I thought how Guru Nanak and his Bani will be automatically promoted when and if my husband becomes the first Sikh Member of Parliament (MP) in Australia, because of his Sikh appearance; and Guru Gobind Singh ji gave Darshan. He was very Gambhir / serious but he waited for me to wish for something. At that moment I first wished for Raagi Surinder SIngh's settlement in Grahast Jeevan with such a girl that he never abandon Sikh life to promote himself as a great singer and make money.
I believe we have not done justice to Guru Nanak and his Bani, overtime I see the name of Jesus and Buddha mentioned in the prominent religious figures and no mention of the Great Guru Nanak, the only person achieve enlightenment and yet not ask people to worship himself but the formless God and at the same time didn't ask people to convert but rather practice their own religion with truth.
Interesting how the Guru that you pray to is not the one to respond but the one that cares more about either the issue in your mind or the Guru that you are remembering. Why would Guru Arjan Dev ji not give me Darshan? Is it because I still don't accept the death of a person whom people made into Suhaga and took him around their fields so they could get rain in those field. I hold Guru Arjan Dev ji responsible for that persons death.
In saying all what I did, I would one day write about how there is difference between Dharshan as an image and Dharshan as a live person talking to you. I am sure anyone would understand that live Dharshan is so much more powerful.
What I worry about most is that my elder brother once said that my Dad (passed away) once told him that there is a difference of Bhagati of four lifetimes between doing Guru's Darshan and finding a place in Guru's feet. How is one suppose to cover that distance in one lifetime if one wishes? I can't wait four lifetimes. I want to be with Guru Nanak everyday, each day.
The days when I was in love with Guru Arjan Dev Ji's devotion to God by reading his shabads showing how he yearns for God's presence and wanted to see him and wanted to know what he really experienced when such a loving soul was made to sit on a hot plate and yet he didn't ask his followers to revolt but to stay calm and accept God's Will. I am impressed with his true devotion. One of these days, it was Guru Ram Das ji came and I was surprised and actually said that I was expecting Guru Arjan Dev ji. Guru Ram Das ji was extremely handsome and I couldn't resist thinning about his beauty even in meditation. He gave me a checked cotton sarape neatly folded and sat it on my right knee as I was in meditation pose. I realised later that it was Guru Ram Das ji's birthday that day.
When I was in Darbar Sahib Harmandir Sahib and prayed to Guru Ram Das ji to lookafter my son whom I was going to leave in India to study at Miri Piri Academy so he could be near Harmandir Sahib, learn about Amritvela and Sikh life and yet be proud of himself; Guru Hargobind ji gave Darshan.
Day before yesterday when during meditation I thought how Guru Nanak and his Bani will be automatically promoted when and if my husband becomes the first Sikh Member of Parliament (MP) in Australia, because of his Sikh appearance; and Guru Gobind Singh ji gave Darshan. He was very Gambhir / serious but he waited for me to wish for something. At that moment I first wished for Raagi Surinder SIngh's settlement in Grahast Jeevan with such a girl that he never abandon Sikh life to promote himself as a great singer and make money.
I believe we have not done justice to Guru Nanak and his Bani, overtime I see the name of Jesus and Buddha mentioned in the prominent religious figures and no mention of the Great Guru Nanak, the only person achieve enlightenment and yet not ask people to worship himself but the formless God and at the same time didn't ask people to convert but rather practice their own religion with truth.
Interesting how the Guru that you pray to is not the one to respond but the one that cares more about either the issue in your mind or the Guru that you are remembering. Why would Guru Arjan Dev ji not give me Darshan? Is it because I still don't accept the death of a person whom people made into Suhaga and took him around their fields so they could get rain in those field. I hold Guru Arjan Dev ji responsible for that persons death.
In saying all what I did, I would one day write about how there is difference between Dharshan as an image and Dharshan as a live person talking to you. I am sure anyone would understand that live Dharshan is so much more powerful.
What I worry about most is that my elder brother once said that my Dad (passed away) once told him that there is a difference of Bhagati of four lifetimes between doing Guru's Darshan and finding a place in Guru's feet. How is one suppose to cover that distance in one lifetime if one wishes? I can't wait four lifetimes. I want to be with Guru Nanak everyday, each day.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Raagi Surinder Singh's Kirtan is magical
For over two months I listened to live Asa Di Var of Surinder Singh ji, each morning and one hour kirtan in the evening divan. Everytime I heard his kirtan with my eyes closed, I felt the energy move inside me. These days I feel my kundalini active in the solar plexus area and it became ever more active overtime I heard his kirtan. He sings with so much emotion and when that is combined with the power of Raaga, I feel connected to the higher self straightaway. Now I understand why Guru Nanak said that Kirtan /Devotional Music is the quickest way to God. Kirtan connects me to my higher self within seconds whereas regular meditation without kirtan takes me half an hour preparation before I reach the same stage. May God bless this Raagi with understanding of Gurbani so he can truly display the feelings Gurus have tried to capture in those shabads.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
What is Chautha Pad? A state of consciousness?
There is some mystery around the Fourth something in Guru Granth Sahib
Chauthe Vasa
It says that God resides in the Fourth, not the first three. I have been perplexed over this for some time. Yesterday I stumbled upon a website and was so relieved to know that the counting to do with the level of Consciousness.
Five classical "states" of awareness are discussed in Hindu scripture are:
1) wakefulness (jagrat),
2) "dream" (svapna) or astral consciousness,
3) "deep sleep" (sushupti) or subsuperconsciousness,
4) the super conscious state beyond (turiya "fourth") and
5) the utterly transcendent state called turiyatita ("beyond the fourth").
Source: http://www.experiencefestival.com/turiya
The first three states of awareness are ordinary - waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep.
Nanak Chauthe Pad Mai So Jan Gat Pahe
Nanak says that in the fourth, the state of pure consciousness, free from material influence, the witnessing consciousness, one finds salvation (hope its the right word to explain Gat).
The self is independent of the body and mind but stays under the influence of Rajo, Tamo and Sato gunas in the first three states. The three Gunas have been translated as - Raajas (passion), Taamas (ignorance) and Saatav (goodness)and are part of what is called MAYA in the Source: http://www.gurbani.org/articles/webart299.htm
While awake a lot of the time we are under the influence of Rajo guna (Passion) as we do things that we are passionate about. In the dream state, we are under the influence of Sato Guna (Goodness) I believe, as we are less hostile in this state and seek peace, and in deep sleep we are ignorant (Tamo), as we are not aware of anything.
To reach the pure consciousness, I assume the physical and mental realms have to shut down as these realms produce the three gunas - Goodness, Passion and Ignorance which are MAYA that stops us from reaching and knowing God. Outside these realms the self would continue to exist and will be connected to the higher consciousness/ The God.
I believe the goal of meditation is to shut down the physical realm by sitting in one spot and mental realm by chanting one word to stop the mind from self-talk and observing the breath to get into the witnessing consciousness and experience the Fourth state.
ਰਜ ਗੁਣ ਤਮ ਗੁਣ ਸਤ ਗੁਣ ਕਹੀਐ ਇਹ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਭ ਮਾਇਆ ॥ ਚਉਥੇ ਪਦ ਕਉ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਚੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੈ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਹੀ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਇਆ
Raj gun tam gun sat gun kaheeai ih teri sabh maya. Chauthe pad kau jo nar cheenai tin hee param pad paaiaa ||2||: (O Lord) Raajas, Taamas, and Saatav modes are the creations of Your Maya. The man who realizes the Fourth State; he alone obtains the Supreme Status ||2|| (sggs 1123).
ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਪਸਾਰਾ ਸਭ ਵਰਤੈ ਆਕਾਰੀ ॥ ਤੁਰੀਆ ਗੁਣੁ ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਨਦਰੀ ਪਾਰਿ ਉਤਾਰੀ
Trai guna Maya moh pasaaraa sabh vartai aakaaree. Turiya Guna sat sangat paayeeai nadree paari utaaree ||2||: Attachment to the three-phased show of Maya pervades the world of objects. In the company of Sat (Truth), Turiya, the State of Supreme Awareness is attained; (Whosoever attains this Turiya Avasthaa) the merciful (God) carries (that person) across (from the world-ocean: ਸੰਸਾਰ-ਸਮੁੰਦਰ) ||2|| (sggs 1260).
Source: http://www.gurbani.org/articles/webart299.htm
The people who can stay connected to the higher consciousness / The God while walking around are the rare enlightened beings and are beyond the fourth state.
Chauthe Vasa
It says that God resides in the Fourth, not the first three. I have been perplexed over this for some time. Yesterday I stumbled upon a website and was so relieved to know that the counting to do with the level of Consciousness.
Five classical "states" of awareness are discussed in Hindu scripture are:
1) wakefulness (jagrat),
2) "dream" (svapna) or astral consciousness,
3) "deep sleep" (sushupti) or subsuperconsciousness,
4) the super conscious state beyond (turiya "fourth") and
5) the utterly transcendent state called turiyatita ("beyond the fourth").
Source: http://www.experiencefestival.com/turiya
The first three states of awareness are ordinary - waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep.
Nanak Chauthe Pad Mai So Jan Gat Pahe
Nanak says that in the fourth, the state of pure consciousness, free from material influence, the witnessing consciousness, one finds salvation (hope its the right word to explain Gat).
The self is independent of the body and mind but stays under the influence of Rajo, Tamo and Sato gunas in the first three states. The three Gunas have been translated as - Raajas (passion), Taamas (ignorance) and Saatav (goodness)and are part of what is called MAYA in the Source: http://www.gurbani.org/articles/webart299.htm
While awake a lot of the time we are under the influence of Rajo guna (Passion) as we do things that we are passionate about. In the dream state, we are under the influence of Sato Guna (Goodness) I believe, as we are less hostile in this state and seek peace, and in deep sleep we are ignorant (Tamo), as we are not aware of anything.
To reach the pure consciousness, I assume the physical and mental realms have to shut down as these realms produce the three gunas - Goodness, Passion and Ignorance which are MAYA that stops us from reaching and knowing God. Outside these realms the self would continue to exist and will be connected to the higher consciousness/ The God.
I believe the goal of meditation is to shut down the physical realm by sitting in one spot and mental realm by chanting one word to stop the mind from self-talk and observing the breath to get into the witnessing consciousness and experience the Fourth state.
ਰਜ ਗੁਣ ਤਮ ਗੁਣ ਸਤ ਗੁਣ ਕਹੀਐ ਇਹ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਭ ਮਾਇਆ ॥ ਚਉਥੇ ਪਦ ਕਉ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਚੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੈ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਹੀ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਇਆ
Raj gun tam gun sat gun kaheeai ih teri sabh maya. Chauthe pad kau jo nar cheenai tin hee param pad paaiaa ||2||: (O Lord) Raajas, Taamas, and Saatav modes are the creations of Your Maya. The man who realizes the Fourth State; he alone obtains the Supreme Status ||2|| (sggs 1123).
ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਪਸਾਰਾ ਸਭ ਵਰਤੈ ਆਕਾਰੀ ॥ ਤੁਰੀਆ ਗੁਣੁ ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਨਦਰੀ ਪਾਰਿ ਉਤਾਰੀ
Trai guna Maya moh pasaaraa sabh vartai aakaaree. Turiya Guna sat sangat paayeeai nadree paari utaaree ||2||: Attachment to the three-phased show of Maya pervades the world of objects. In the company of Sat (Truth), Turiya, the State of Supreme Awareness is attained; (Whosoever attains this Turiya Avasthaa) the merciful (God) carries (that person) across (from the world-ocean: ਸੰਸਾਰ-ਸਮੁੰਦਰ) ||2|| (sggs 1260).
Source: http://www.gurbani.org/articles/webart299.htm
The people who can stay connected to the higher consciousness / The God while walking around are the rare enlightened beings and are beyond the fourth state.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Truth behind symbolism and imagery of 'Tree of Knowledge' and 'Original sin'
This morning I had hard time trying to convince fellow Sikh guys how the 'Tree of knowledge and Original Sin' mentioned in the Bible has symoblism and imagery used in it to represent concepts that are not easily understood by people. They have just started reading Bible out of curosity to know more about Christianity.
The concept of serpent who excited the Eve to eat the forbidden fruit is actually symbolic of the Kundalini energy within a person. When the Kundalini energy awakens in the lower two chakras, it awakens sexual feelings. The same energy when enters the higher chakras gives the results coresponding to those chakras. Last year I awakened my Kundalini, so I know that this energy literally makes hissing sound when awakened.
This serpent like kundalini energy created the desire to enjoy the body and took the attention away from God, the creator who was sustaining them with his Love.
When the soul has no desires, it stays in blissful state, connected with God's energy and therefore does not require any physical food. In meditation, one receives the Pranic energy from 'The Great White Light' and it fills the body with joy and bliss. While you are showering in this energy, you don't need any other source of survival like the food.
I am so relieved that other people also realise this truth. In the theory of Kundalini Yoga, as mentioned in the article on "Fall of man' on the site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_Of_Man, about author William Irwin Thompson who attributes the story of the fall to the time when human beings first understood that sex led to pregnancy, and understood what menstruation was. In "The time falling bodies take to light", Thompson theorizes that Eve's kundalini awakened, leading her to understand sexuality and human power and intelligence. In Sanskrit, "kundalini" means "curled up like a serpent"[19] .
The article Tree of Jiva and Atman in wikipedia tries to explain similar concept, "The first bird represents a Jiva, or individual self, or soul. She has a female nature, being a sakti, an energy of God. When the jiva becomes distracted by the fruits (signifying sensual pleasure), she momentarily forgets her lord and lover and tries to enjoy the fruit independently of him. This separating forgetfulness is maha-maya, or enthrallment, spiritual death, and constitutes the fall of the jiva into the world of material birth, death, disease and old age.
The second bird is the Paramatman, an aspect of God who accompanies every living being in the heart while she remains in the material world. He is the support of all beings and is beyond sensual pleasure.
It is significant to note that this concept of Atman and Jiva have been personified and taken into the Bible."
Guru Nanak says that we are all Eve's and there is only one Man - The God. This concept fits in with the above story as it says that Adam / second bird - Parmataman was not tempted by this fruit. The only issue unresolved then is why the story is saying that Man was made from the Soil. Has someone bent the story at some time? The eve was produced from the one bone of the Man, in my opinion stands for Humanbeings being produced from one part of God / The only MAN, going by Guru Nanak's definition of the MAN.
Another important aspect of the story is that after committing the original sin the couple was expelled from the Garden of Eden and were told that they will have to produce their own food by hardwork. So regular people now have to work to eat and survive. But those connected with the God / creator can still sustained without food. This concept is called Amritpan. In meditation, when one places their tongue touching the pallet and observes breathing, and raises energy inside the body from below to above, a honey like nector is produced from the pallet. For as long as you are able to produce this nector and stay in that state, you don't need any food to survive.
The Gurbani lines and translation below about Amrit are taken from the site http://www.gurbani.org/articles/webart325.html
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਬਦੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਬਾਣੀ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਤਾ ਪੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸਭ ਭੁਖ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੮॥੧੫॥੧੬॥: The Shabad is Amrit; the Lord's Bani is Amrit. Serving the True Guru, it (Amrit) permeates the heart. O Nanak! Amrit-Naam is forever the Giver of Peace (ਆਤਮਕ ਆਨੰਦ); drinking in this Amrit (of Naam - the Lord's Name), all hunger (of Maya) is satisfied. ||8||15||16|| (sggs 119).
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਮੀਠਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਭੋਗੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਮਾਰਿ ॥ : Amrit meethaa sabad veechaar || Anadin bhoge houmai maar ||: Reflective meditation upon the Shabad is Amrit. By subduing his ego, one enjoys it night and day (sggs 424).
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਪੀਵਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਸਭ ਤਪਤਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Amrit Naam peevahu mere bhaaee. Simar simar sabh tikhaa bujhaaee ||1||Rahaou||: O brother! Drink in the Amrit Naam (the Name of the Lord). Meditating, meditating (ਨਾਮ ਸਿਮਰ ਸਿਮਰ ਕੇ, on the Name of the Lord), the fire (of Bikaars) is totally quenched. ||1||Pause|| (sggs 191).
Also, you do not age while in this state.
Gurbani says - Har har Naam Japandyan Kach Na Kahai Jam Kaal
There are stories of Hindu Rishies who lived and meditated in samadhi state for thousands of years. How did they survive without food or the need to empty their bowl for years?
Lord Krishna (Hinduism) compared human body to an upside down tree and Kabbalah (German) philosophy also talks of 'Tree of Life' and Ten Gates. Sikhism also talks of Dasam Dwar, the Tenth Gate. All these concepts are related to the esoteric knowledge of human body.
Guru Granth Sahib provides a lot of hints about the mystical experiences. To understand what the poet is saying, one must either have basic understanding of the concepts of esotericism or better still have had some experiences during menditation. Its almost impossible to understand mystical experiences without having one as they make no logical sense to those who haven't experienced anything similar. No surprise that such people are then considered insane by others.
Some of the lines in the Guru Granth Sahib that most people don't understand the meaning of because of lack of practicing meditation, offcourse in my opinion, are as follows
Ik Vast Agochar Laheai
Sass Ghar Soor
Amrit Piyo Sada Chir Jeyo
Har Amritpan Karo
Nanak Chauthe Pad Mai, So Jan Gat Pahe
Jivan Mukat So Akhiyai, Mar Jevai Mariya
Asa Mahe Niras Valai
Below is a site of books on esoteric knowledge. I haven't read any of these yet. As Gurbani says only a few people know about these concepts - Virle Kine Vichari?
http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/index.htm
Below are some of the Gurbani lines to ponder
ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਿਸੁ ਉਦਰੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਾਇਆ ॥: Kahi kabeer jis udar tis Maya:
Says Kabeer, whoever has a belly to fill (need to eat food to survive), is under the spell of Maya [Raajas (Passion), Taamas (Ignorance), and Saatav (Goodness) modes] (sggs 1160).
In short, whatever deludes a person away from his godly status (Joti-Svaroopa, Pure Consciousness etc.) is Maya for him.
ਜਾ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਕਵਲਾ ਦਾਸਿ ॥: Jaa kai simaran kavalaa daas:
Meditating on God, Maya becomes one's slave (sggs 986).
Wasn't it the change of focus of consciounesses from staying under the protection of God's Love to focusing on one's desires that made the couple expelled from the Garden of Eden?
See wikipedia articles on "Tree of Knowledge and Original sin'.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_the_knowledge_of_good_and_evil
The concept of serpent who excited the Eve to eat the forbidden fruit is actually symbolic of the Kundalini energy within a person. When the Kundalini energy awakens in the lower two chakras, it awakens sexual feelings. The same energy when enters the higher chakras gives the results coresponding to those chakras. Last year I awakened my Kundalini, so I know that this energy literally makes hissing sound when awakened.
This serpent like kundalini energy created the desire to enjoy the body and took the attention away from God, the creator who was sustaining them with his Love.
When the soul has no desires, it stays in blissful state, connected with God's energy and therefore does not require any physical food. In meditation, one receives the Pranic energy from 'The Great White Light' and it fills the body with joy and bliss. While you are showering in this energy, you don't need any other source of survival like the food.
I am so relieved that other people also realise this truth. In the theory of Kundalini Yoga, as mentioned in the article on "Fall of man' on the site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_Of_Man, about author William Irwin Thompson who attributes the story of the fall to the time when human beings first understood that sex led to pregnancy, and understood what menstruation was. In "The time falling bodies take to light", Thompson theorizes that Eve's kundalini awakened, leading her to understand sexuality and human power and intelligence. In Sanskrit, "kundalini" means "curled up like a serpent"[19] .
The article Tree of Jiva and Atman in wikipedia tries to explain similar concept, "The first bird represents a Jiva, or individual self, or soul. She has a female nature, being a sakti, an energy of God. When the jiva becomes distracted by the fruits (signifying sensual pleasure), she momentarily forgets her lord and lover and tries to enjoy the fruit independently of him. This separating forgetfulness is maha-maya, or enthrallment, spiritual death, and constitutes the fall of the jiva into the world of material birth, death, disease and old age.
The second bird is the Paramatman, an aspect of God who accompanies every living being in the heart while she remains in the material world. He is the support of all beings and is beyond sensual pleasure.
It is significant to note that this concept of Atman and Jiva have been personified and taken into the Bible."
Guru Nanak says that we are all Eve's and there is only one Man - The God. This concept fits in with the above story as it says that Adam / second bird - Parmataman was not tempted by this fruit. The only issue unresolved then is why the story is saying that Man was made from the Soil. Has someone bent the story at some time? The eve was produced from the one bone of the Man, in my opinion stands for Humanbeings being produced from one part of God / The only MAN, going by Guru Nanak's definition of the MAN.
Another important aspect of the story is that after committing the original sin the couple was expelled from the Garden of Eden and were told that they will have to produce their own food by hardwork. So regular people now have to work to eat and survive. But those connected with the God / creator can still sustained without food. This concept is called Amritpan. In meditation, when one places their tongue touching the pallet and observes breathing, and raises energy inside the body from below to above, a honey like nector is produced from the pallet. For as long as you are able to produce this nector and stay in that state, you don't need any food to survive.
The Gurbani lines and translation below about Amrit are taken from the site http://www.gurbani.org/articles/webart325.html
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਬਦੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਬਾਣੀ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਤਾ ਪੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸਭ ਭੁਖ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੮॥੧੫॥੧੬॥: The Shabad is Amrit; the Lord's Bani is Amrit. Serving the True Guru, it (Amrit) permeates the heart. O Nanak! Amrit-Naam is forever the Giver of Peace (ਆਤਮਕ ਆਨੰਦ); drinking in this Amrit (of Naam - the Lord's Name), all hunger (of Maya) is satisfied. ||8||15||16|| (sggs 119).
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਮੀਠਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਭੋਗੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਮਾਰਿ ॥ : Amrit meethaa sabad veechaar || Anadin bhoge houmai maar ||: Reflective meditation upon the Shabad is Amrit. By subduing his ego, one enjoys it night and day (sggs 424).
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਪੀਵਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਸਭ ਤਪਤਿ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Amrit Naam peevahu mere bhaaee. Simar simar sabh tikhaa bujhaaee ||1||Rahaou||: O brother! Drink in the Amrit Naam (the Name of the Lord). Meditating, meditating (ਨਾਮ ਸਿਮਰ ਸਿਮਰ ਕੇ, on the Name of the Lord), the fire (of Bikaars) is totally quenched. ||1||Pause|| (sggs 191).
Also, you do not age while in this state.
Gurbani says - Har har Naam Japandyan Kach Na Kahai Jam Kaal
There are stories of Hindu Rishies who lived and meditated in samadhi state for thousands of years. How did they survive without food or the need to empty their bowl for years?
Lord Krishna (Hinduism) compared human body to an upside down tree and Kabbalah (German) philosophy also talks of 'Tree of Life' and Ten Gates. Sikhism also talks of Dasam Dwar, the Tenth Gate. All these concepts are related to the esoteric knowledge of human body.
Guru Granth Sahib provides a lot of hints about the mystical experiences. To understand what the poet is saying, one must either have basic understanding of the concepts of esotericism or better still have had some experiences during menditation. Its almost impossible to understand mystical experiences without having one as they make no logical sense to those who haven't experienced anything similar. No surprise that such people are then considered insane by others.
Some of the lines in the Guru Granth Sahib that most people don't understand the meaning of because of lack of practicing meditation, offcourse in my opinion, are as follows
Ik Vast Agochar Laheai
Sass Ghar Soor
Amrit Piyo Sada Chir Jeyo
Har Amritpan Karo
Nanak Chauthe Pad Mai, So Jan Gat Pahe
Jivan Mukat So Akhiyai, Mar Jevai Mariya
Asa Mahe Niras Valai
Below is a site of books on esoteric knowledge. I haven't read any of these yet. As Gurbani says only a few people know about these concepts - Virle Kine Vichari?
http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/index.htm
Below are some of the Gurbani lines to ponder
ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਿਸੁ ਉਦਰੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਾਇਆ ॥: Kahi kabeer jis udar tis Maya:
Says Kabeer, whoever has a belly to fill (need to eat food to survive), is under the spell of Maya [Raajas (Passion), Taamas (Ignorance), and Saatav (Goodness) modes] (sggs 1160).
In short, whatever deludes a person away from his godly status (Joti-Svaroopa, Pure Consciousness etc.) is Maya for him.
ਜਾ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਕਵਲਾ ਦਾਸਿ ॥: Jaa kai simaran kavalaa daas:
Meditating on God, Maya becomes one's slave (sggs 986).
Wasn't it the change of focus of consciounesses from staying under the protection of God's Love to focusing on one's desires that made the couple expelled from the Garden of Eden?
See wikipedia articles on "Tree of Knowledge and Original sin'.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_the_knowledge_of_good_and_evil
Monday, July 19, 2010
Dakhani Onkar
Guru Nanak's biggest message was to meditate on God's name. Dakhni Onkar Path gives this message clearly. You can hear this Path on the site below.
Or read the complete Path with translation on the site below href="http://http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=930&g=1&h=0&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0">
Below are some quotes by Guru Nanak in Ramkali Raag from Dakhni Onkar.
O▫ankār barahmā uṯpaṯ.
From Ongkaar, the One Universal Creator God, Brahma was created.
Samjẖai sūjẖai paṛ paṛ būjẖai anṯ niranṯar sācẖā.
If one understands, realizes and comprehends what he reads and studies, in the end he shall realize that the True Lord dwells deep within his nucleus.
Saach Shabad Bin Mukat Na Koi, Nanak sada Rajai
Teen Bhavan, Ek Jyoti
Saach Vakhar Ke Hum Vapari
Bikhya Amrit Ek Hai, (Gurmukh boojhe Koi?)
So Parhya, So Pandit Bina, Jis Ram Naam Gal Haar
Kharach Khara Sach Dyan Tu, Aape vase Sareer
Har Parhna, Har Bujhna, Har siyon Rakhyo Dhyan
Har Jape, Har Dhyaye, Har Ka Naam Adhaar
Lekh Na Mitayi He Sakhi, Jo Likya Kartar
Ape Karan Jin Kiya, Kar Kirpa Pag Dhar
Karte Hath Vadyaiyan, Boojho Gur Bichar
Likhya Fer Na Sakiyai, jiyon Bhavi Tiyon Saar
Jo Deesai So Chalasi, Kisko Meet Kareo
Jo Purakh Nadar Na Awai, Tiska Chakar Kahiya Jai
Balihari Gur Aapne, Jin Hirde Diya Dikhai
Bidya Sodhe Tat Lahe, Ram Naam Liv Laye
Murakh Shabad Na Cheenaii, Soojh Boojh Na Kai
Naam Samalo, Naam Sangraho, Laha Jag Mai Le.
Or read the complete Path with translation on the site below href="http://http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=930&g=1&h=0&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0">
Below are some quotes by Guru Nanak in Ramkali Raag from Dakhni Onkar.
O▫ankār barahmā uṯpaṯ.
From Ongkaar, the One Universal Creator God, Brahma was created.
Samjẖai sūjẖai paṛ paṛ būjẖai anṯ niranṯar sācẖā.
If one understands, realizes and comprehends what he reads and studies, in the end he shall realize that the True Lord dwells deep within his nucleus.
Saach Shabad Bin Mukat Na Koi, Nanak sada Rajai
Teen Bhavan, Ek Jyoti
Saach Vakhar Ke Hum Vapari
Bikhya Amrit Ek Hai, (Gurmukh boojhe Koi?)
So Parhya, So Pandit Bina, Jis Ram Naam Gal Haar
Kharach Khara Sach Dyan Tu, Aape vase Sareer
Har Parhna, Har Bujhna, Har siyon Rakhyo Dhyan
Har Jape, Har Dhyaye, Har Ka Naam Adhaar
Lekh Na Mitayi He Sakhi, Jo Likya Kartar
Ape Karan Jin Kiya, Kar Kirpa Pag Dhar
Karte Hath Vadyaiyan, Boojho Gur Bichar
Likhya Fer Na Sakiyai, jiyon Bhavi Tiyon Saar
Jo Deesai So Chalasi, Kisko Meet Kareo
Jo Purakh Nadar Na Awai, Tiska Chakar Kahiya Jai
Balihari Gur Aapne, Jin Hirde Diya Dikhai
Bidya Sodhe Tat Lahe, Ram Naam Liv Laye
Murakh Shabad Na Cheenaii, Soojh Boojh Na Kai
Naam Samalo, Naam Sangraho, Laha Jag Mai Le.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Seek and you shall find
Whatever you devote your time and attention to, that's what you will become expert at. I was chatting with a singer / composer. He commented that whenever he has composed a great shabad is when he has been playing with his instrument for a couple of hours and then suddenly or should I say accidentally a tune will come in mind. I can relate to this. This has happened to me as well, in music as well as in understanding Gurbani (Sikh scriptures). So life is not about speculating if you will get this or that. Its about deciding what you want and devoting time to it.
Since I was in primary school, I have been listening to old Hindi Bollywood movie songs - classical Raaga based - songs, bhajans and qawalis. I use to spend hours listening to these songs repeatedly. My interest changed and from last couple of years I read Guru Granth Sahib shabads with great interest as I realised that the meanings of those shabads are not as simple as I though or sometimes too literal rather than philosophical, as mistakenly explained and translated in the sources. Great understanding comes when I suddenly stumble upon a line and understand the true intention of the writer in that shabad. Then I feel so sorry that even people like ragas and granthis don't understand the very scriptures they are suppose to be expert at.
The real understanding can only come if you immerse yourself in meditation. Once you start to have some experiences in meditation and generate the 24 /7 urgency to know more about and meet God than simply fulfil your duty of reading daily prayer etc, you have upgraded your mentality from just passing exams to actually knowing the truth. If you are seeking truth about God / the creator, you will be sincere in your meditation as well as in reading the gurbani. Some shabads in gurbani are related to meditation experiences and those shabads can't be understood until you have started your own meditation and started having experiences. So if you are a true seeker, do meditate and then read any scriptures.
Strangely enough, I forced myself to listen to some of the famous old hindi songs that I use to immerse myself in, they are great tunes, great words and I loved them again but listening first time after years didn't automatically gave me the same pleasure that I use to get when I heard them everyday. The feeling that use to be inside and the energy vibration as each instrument vibrated within a composition, that rhythmic pleasure can only come, if you truly immerse yourself into something, not like when I was listening to them superficially, to give some good songs to a particular person to listen. How true is it for spirituality as well.
One must ask themselves, why I go to a religious place?
To seek the the real truth for myself,
To promote my religion as the best / better than other religions
To show others that I am devoted (assuming that religious people are better than less devoted ones) , or
To do Sunday socialising activity?
Do you immerse yourself in deeper listening to seek the truth and have real understanding? . Give it a thought and please leave your comments
Since I was in primary school, I have been listening to old Hindi Bollywood movie songs - classical Raaga based - songs, bhajans and qawalis. I use to spend hours listening to these songs repeatedly. My interest changed and from last couple of years I read Guru Granth Sahib shabads with great interest as I realised that the meanings of those shabads are not as simple as I though or sometimes too literal rather than philosophical, as mistakenly explained and translated in the sources. Great understanding comes when I suddenly stumble upon a line and understand the true intention of the writer in that shabad. Then I feel so sorry that even people like ragas and granthis don't understand the very scriptures they are suppose to be expert at.
The real understanding can only come if you immerse yourself in meditation. Once you start to have some experiences in meditation and generate the 24 /7 urgency to know more about and meet God than simply fulfil your duty of reading daily prayer etc, you have upgraded your mentality from just passing exams to actually knowing the truth. If you are seeking truth about God / the creator, you will be sincere in your meditation as well as in reading the gurbani. Some shabads in gurbani are related to meditation experiences and those shabads can't be understood until you have started your own meditation and started having experiences. So if you are a true seeker, do meditate and then read any scriptures.
Strangely enough, I forced myself to listen to some of the famous old hindi songs that I use to immerse myself in, they are great tunes, great words and I loved them again but listening first time after years didn't automatically gave me the same pleasure that I use to get when I heard them everyday. The feeling that use to be inside and the energy vibration as each instrument vibrated within a composition, that rhythmic pleasure can only come, if you truly immerse yourself into something, not like when I was listening to them superficially, to give some good songs to a particular person to listen. How true is it for spirituality as well.
One must ask themselves, why I go to a religious place?
To seek the the real truth for myself,
To promote my religion as the best / better than other religions
To show others that I am devoted (assuming that religious people are better than less devoted ones) , or
To do Sunday socialising activity?
Do you immerse yourself in deeper listening to seek the truth and have real understanding? . Give it a thought and please leave your comments
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