2001 Convocation Notes

Regarding the Ananda group, who was demonstrating outside the hotel this year, Brother Anandamoy quoted Master, “There is room enough in this world for all. Never speak against other teachers.” We may want simply to pranam to them. It is our own personal decision to accept or decline their leaflets/info.

Master called the outer world “God’s cinema”. He said, “Don’t try to understand it because it doesn’t make sense.” Winston Churchill said, “It’s a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.”

Look to the inner environment. The Bible’s Revelations speaks of the “throne of God” and the “twenty-four elders”. The throne of God is your soul, which is Bliss consciousness. The twenty-four elders are:

5 basic elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether)

5 instruments of knowledge (senses)

5 instruments of action

5 electricities - the 5 currents in the body which science has not yet discovered. (What a thrill came to me to realize how blessed we are to be privy to a deep truth of nature, before the rest of humanity has “discovered” it!)

2 minds- ‘manas’ or the lower mind, and’ buddhi’, the higher mind of discrimination

1 ego

1 feeling – ‘chitta’

Master said, “Desires are the most unrelenting enemies of man.” The senses cannot satisfy you because they are not you. Addictions - drugs, alcohol, etc, even other lesser ones - a little is okay but it can become an abnormal way of indulging, such as caffeine, sweets, money, internet, TV (the average adult watches more than 4 hrs per day).

Formula: A perfect relationship = 100% commitment to an imperfect person.

Daya Mata said, “In every human heart there is an emptiness that only God can fill.”

Love God. That is the highest goal.

Ma says, “It is important to choose an aspect of God that rouses devotion.”

Cultivate the idea, convince yourself that God is within to a conviction.

Seeing light, hearing sounds, feeling Bliss - this is God.

Brother went on to say, “We are all pregnant. We have a baby inside that is God. We need to give that divine baby our attention.”

Regarding the faculty of feeling, we are not taught how to use feeling constructively. Feeling is usually dissipated in negative ways such as worry, resentment, fear, anger, unworthiness, etc. This dissipation causes total identity with the outer world. We must learn to use feeling (not emotions, which go outward) rightly to turn feeling into devotion for God.

Use your will to sit to meditate and use your will to shut the world out. Just put yourself in the presence of Master and say to him, “Please help me”, and then practice the techniques, then practice devotion, and then Master says to “Loose yourself in your love for God.” The devotion felt in meditation is a manifestation of God.

The ultimate experience will be samadhi, but first the body has to be prepared, every cell, so that it can stand the higher voltage of the current. There are lots of changes, transformation going on inside. We don’t see it, can’t feel it going on, but it is occurring just the same. Then, after meditation, take the inner perceptions of God you have felt and bring it out into the outer world to see God in all.

Imagine a mother and child who are out shopping a few days before Christmas, and the child sees all kinds of toys she would like to have. But then the child becomes separated from the mother. Imagine how that child feels then. She only wants her mother. She is not happy with toys, candy, etc. That is how we are in our longing to become reunited with Divine Mother.

Concentration: Tapping the Mind’s Unlimited Power

Brother Anilananda

If you practice Hong-Sau perfectly, you have found God. Feel the fine caress of God’s Love. When Hong-Sau is performed properly the whole body may tingle. The results of Hong-Sau may not be felt immediately, but may wash over us later.

Current scientific information is finding out how the brain made its own mind. As it evolved, it began to perceive its own existence and in this way it made its own mind.

The area between the medulla, spiritual eye, and top of the head is the abode of the soul. It is the cradle for the baby (soul, or God within) that Brother Anandamoy talked about.

We are learning to bring on a state of conscious sleep, where the body is sleeping but the consciousness is awake and alert.

Just placing the gaze at the spiritual eye helps draw the energy inward.

Master said, “Hold your mind radio tuned with soft touches of deepest devotion.”

The Melding of Science and Religion

Brother Satyananda

The cusp of Dwapara Yuga was 1897. And this was when man discovered electrons, dispelling the theory of an atom being solid matter.

“Man began to understand that the material world, which seemed so solid and real to his Kali Yuga ancestors, is in reality nothing but an expression of energy - electrical patterns, tiny scintillating points of light dancing in and out of material manifestation on the vast “stage” of the quantum field.” (Brother Achalananda, in ‘A World in Transition’)

Good Book – “Why God Won’t Go Away”

Science has found that when scientists observe and experiment on the atomic level, strange things happen: the outcome of the experiment is affected by the observer observing the experiment.

Sri Yukteswar alludes to this in Sutra 4 of ‘The Holy Science’. He says, essentially, that the only way to scientifically observe nature is to take the observer’s mind out of the lab and into meditation. Kriya yoga is “a particle accelerator” in the spine.

Footnote: Sri Yukteswar said it this way: “Man, so long as he identifies himself with his gross material body, holds a position far inferior to that of the primal fourfold Atom and necessarily fails to comprehend the same. But when he raises himself to the level thereof, he not only comprehends this Atom, both inside and outside, but also the whole creation, both unmanifested and manifested.” (Sutra 4)

Divine Friendship: The Higher Purpose of Relationships

Brother Mitrananda

Master said, “It is very easy to make friends but it is very hard to keep them.”

You must learn first to truly appreciate and love yourself. Getting along with yourself is more difficult than getting along with others. Master said, “Learn the secret art of being kind to yourself.”

According to Sri Yukteswar (Holy Science), most people in this current stage of evolution (Dwapara Yuga) are at the kshatriya level - the spiritual warrior stage, where we are struggling to understand the nature of creation. We are beginning to entertain the idea that this world could be a dream. People in this stage need help from one another. And we learn from people who are different from ourselves. That is why we need people who are different from ourselves in our relationships.

There are windows in every age for learning the lessons we need to learn. It is very difficult to learn those particular lessons in other ages.

All love is unconditional, and if it’s not unconditional it is only approval.

Brother Anandamoy said, “Many expect, even demand, from others what only God can give them.”

Don’t mix with others too closely. Master said, “Seek solitude as much as possible. Do not spend your leisure in mixing with people for merely social purposes. God’s love is hard to find in company. The Lord is discovered in silence, and Kriya shows you the way.” Seeking outwardly, we become less likely to seek inwardly.

We project onto others our own faults. We make assumptions about them and even about God. For instance, we may think God is judgmental, even punitive, when it is just a projection of ourselves, our faults. We think God is like us.

Step out of who you think you are. We get locked into a certain way of thinking, and it becomes circular thinking.

Three rules for getting along with others:

1. Be empathetic

2. Don’t criticize

3. Struggle always for humility

Learn how to listen. Most people don’t listen, really. They only take turns talking.

People who repeat things over and over do so because they don’t feel they have really been heard. Every time you listen, you fall in Love. In every relationship there is the possibility of a mystical depth. Irrational feelings make sense when we understand the reasons for them.

Brother told a story about Mother Teresa. Someone asked her, “What do you do when you pray? She answered, "I listen." Then she was asked, “What does God do?” She answered, "He listens."

He gave this exercise for homework: The next time you are talking with others:

1. Allow a little more silence in the pauses. Wait an extra 10 seconds or so until the other person goes on, and then watch how the level of communication deepens. This will be because the person gets the message that you are really listening to them. Your friendship will deepen.

Brother expressed a personal experience: He was talking on and on to another monk and after a while this monk pointed out to him that he wasn’t listening. He realized the truth and decided from then on he would practice doing the opposite. As he stood there on stage he motioned to the monk who was filming him at the side and said that they had a beautiful conversation together the other day, where they both 'listened’ and he felt the love and friendship they shared.

2. When you feel criticized by someone, instead of defending yourself, ask for more information. For instance, say “Just tell me more.” Then watch as the next information will be on a purely qualitative level. When someone criticizes us, we tend to take it as an attack. We want to defend ourselves. As soon as we do that we quit listening to the other person. If we can refrain from jumping in right away to defend ourselves, we give other people a chance to explain what their original comment meant. We have a chance to learn something about ourselves and how other people perceive us.

Master said, “A close friendship is impossible without having known them in a past life.” Period.

He also said, “Friends are God in disguise.”

When Brother had entered the ashram, his mother had gone to a psychic who told her, “You are worried about your son because he is becoming a monk.” (This was true). Then the psychic added, “But I don’t think it’s a Catholic monk because I see him sitting in lotus posture. Don’t you dare try to dissuade him, because you won’t believe the divine friends he’ll have and how much they will help him.” And so, Brother commented, this predication has indeed come to pass.

Master said, “God is the only faithful Lover.” “The Lord ever whispers to you, ‘I am Love.’”

Meditation: Direct Communion With God

Brother Santoshananda

Contact with the Om cleanses us and washes us. Scientists took a picture of sound wave of the last part of Handel’s Messiah….it was a picture of a 5 pointed star!

Note: My own further research of this on the internet:

All matter is energy in vibration, and physicist Dr. Donald Hatch says , 'We are finding that the world is composed not of matter, but of music'.

In the 18th century a German physicist named Ernest Chladni discovered how sound affected matter. He scattered sand on steel disks and noticed that when certain notes were played on a violin it caused the disks to vibrate and the sand to form geometric shapes.

Dr. Hans Jenny researched this further and, using liquids, metal filings and powders to see the effects of music on the vibration of materials, he discovered that as the pitch of the sound ascended, the harmonic patterns on metal disc surfaces changed – not just repeating or extending the previous mathematically ordered geometric shapes, but to new ones, like spirals, mandalas, honeycombs, and spirals of nautilus shells. Working with a tonoscope, a device that transforms sounds into a visual representation on a video screen, Jenny recorded the Hindu sacred "OM" sound, the world's most common mantra or prayer chant. The sound produces a perfect circle filled with concentric triangles. Jenny found the final chord of Handel's Messiah forms a perfect five point star, or pentagram. ( Handel wrote his classical’ Messiah’ to celebrate the birth and life of Christ.)

When the OM is uttered into a tonoscope which transfers the sound into its visual geometric representative, it creates a pattern identical to the Sri Yantra Mantra. This latest breakthrough has scientists baffled. It seems our ancient ancestors must have been much more advanced than previously imagined. Especially concerning the interrelationship between wave forms and matter what we now call, Cymatics.

Dr. Hans Jenny spent his life investigating the connection between sounds and forms (see page 6). He was one of the world's foremost researchers in the field and the founder of the science of Cymatics. In his Wave Phenomena Research Institute in Switzerland, around 1970, he constructed what is called a tonoscope - an apparatus which converts sounds into forms. He wrote several books on Cymatics and documented through films and photos the influence of sounds on various materials. According to our sources, a person who could pronounce the mantra "Om" correctly, was asked to sing it into the tonoscope's microphone. At first a circle was generated on the membrane of the tonoscope, then various triangles formed themselves inside the circle, and when the "m" faded out, Sri Yantra was completed.

Joseph Campbell interviewed Carl Jung and they discussed Om. Jung was in the jungle once, and couldn’t communicate with the natives, who were looking hostile. Then someone chanted, “OOOMMMMM”. The natives recognized it and became friendly.

Carl Jung said, “Om is the sound that nature makes when it is pleased with itself.”

Music is an expression/refection of the Om vibration. We don’t realize how greatly music affects us. It has the ability to change our moods. It can lift us up or bring us down, or make us restless.

Tagore said, “God listens to me when I talk to Him, but he loves me when I sing to Him.”

Master said, “God talks to me when I listen to Him.”

St. John of the Cross said, “In the beginning God spoke only one word and His word was silent.”

Master said, “You will fall in love with Om.”

Om is felt in partial breathlessness. It is not necessary to be completely breathless to hear the Om.

Master said, “Utter His cosmic name with the lips of intuition.”

Master’s body didn’t deteriorate after death because every cell was vibrating with Om.

Regarding chanting Om for others Master said, ”The channel is blessed by that (the Om) which flows through it.”

Satsanga

Brother Bhaktananda

Q. There are some 6 billion humans on earth today. Where do so many souls come from?

A. There are many other souls on other planets. Our planet is one of the lowest (in terms of evolution). A lot of other souls reincarnating here have come from other planets.

Q. Did Master say that he would come back in 200 years?

A. Master said that he would come back, but he never mentioned when. He did say about his next incarnation, “I will be in the Himalayas with my disciples.” He said this many times. And he said, “In the third incarnation I will be sitting among you”, meaning he will be born in the US and come as a guru. The generations born 200 years before and after a guru’s life are blessed.

Q. How can one stay concentrated in meditation?

A. Brother found it helpful to use the word, “stay” to keep concentrated during the techniques. In your mind, feel the warm current; think “stay”, in your mind, feel the cool current, think “stay”. Master said, “Get your mind in the spine.”

Q. Am I being disloyal if I read something from Roy Eugene Davis?

A. You must decide that, but someone asked Master about one who had been in SRF and who had left the church to set up his own organization, and was giving Kriya. He asked Gurudeva, "Is the Kriya the same?" and Master replied, "No. The chain has been broken."

Brother’s “Peace and Harmony Prayer” is in the Fall 2000 SRF Magazine, pg 63.

The Yoga Science of Healing the Mind and Emotions

Brother Chidananda

There is a “spiritual psychology”, and the Hindu sages were psychological experts; they were spiritual psychologists.

Master’s psychology begins with one question: “Are you happy?” He stated that the input from the outside world is generally neutral but can be interpreted differently as either good or bad - and we decide how we react to it and how we process it. He said the soul just watches in perfect peace and joy and we must learn to be more and more identified with the soul.

Master said, “Control of your emotions is the key to health and happiness.”

By ‘control’, Master doesn’t mean suppression/denial; he means skillful use of the emotions; to use that energy to take us upward.

Emotion = energy in motion

The difference between electronic energy and life energy is that life energy has intelligence. The energy of emotion causes all sorts of chemical changes in the body, hormones, etc.

Master said, “Where the energy is, there is your consciousness.”

Ask ‘where is my mind (consciousness)?’….it is always where the energy is.

Master said, “If you could just once look at your soul, you would find all of your desires fulfilled.”

The soul dwells in the upper brain, the thousand-petaled lotus.

Emotion can be transmuted into devotion. There was a woman who lost her 20 year old son to cancer. For many years she was inconsolable. (emotions going outward). But then one day she was standing in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary, and found herself pouring out her heart to Mary; how, she wondered, could Mary stand the loss of her own son, Jesus. As she poured out her heart in this way she suddenly heard a comforting hymn in her mind; a song from childhood that she hadn’t thought of in years. This experience was a transmutation of emotion into devotion.

Kali Yuga we think that matter is reality

Dwapara Yuga we think that energy is reality

Treta Yuga we think that thought is reality

Satya Yuga we know that God is reality

A monk was seeking counsel from Daya Mata about a fault he had. She told him to “assume a virtue if you have it not.” When he replied that he didn’t want to fool himself into thinking he had this virtue, she told him, “You are fooling yourself now.” (by thinking he didn’t have this virtue. He just needed to work to bring it forth)

Our emotions seem so valid. Yoga helps us to rise above them.

Perception we detect an event “You are dumb!”

Conception the mind categorizes “That’s an insult”

Feeling emotion gets involved “I don’t like that”

Reaction emotion expressed “You’re dumber!”

Master says that we must develop emotional maturity; we must take responsibility for our emotions/reactions.

If you have a feeling of failure of not being able to live up to this path, an inaccurate perception may arise of thinking that God doesn’t love you anymore. You need to look at the attitude that is creating that. In this modern world there is an epidemic of low self-esteem and guilt.

Having right attitude towards the guru - if you feel like you are being judged by Master, practice the presence by looking at Master inwardly during the day once in a while, and you will see the difference. You won't feel judgment at all, but understanding and love.

Success in meditation:

1. Do a body scan; check muscles and consciously relax

2. Ask yourself why you are stressed/restless

Sri Yukteswar, in ‘The Holy Science’, speaks of “meanness of the heart”; eight small, constricted petty thoughts: hatred, shame, fear, greed, condemnation, race prejudice, pride of family, smugness.

Yoga is the key, but it is not a quick fix. It is a lifelong program.

Guru’s Unconditional Love for Each Disciple

Uma Mata

Uma Mata joined the ashram at age nine, after receiving both of her parents’ permission. She attended school during the day and came home to the ashram after school.

In the Ashram she was given a share of responsibilities. Once Master gave her the responsibility of looking after a number of mangoes, not yet ripe. He gave her specific details of checking them every day and turning them around, making sure no spots appeared. As soon as their color started to change, she was to move them into the refrigerator, one by one...and there were many. Uma Mata took this responsibility seriously as she was doing this for Master, and diligently, day after day would check and turn and move them to the refrigerator until there was no space left. Then she looked for other refrigerators around the ashram. Then one day, when she came to check the mangoes, she found Master standing there. With his back to her, he said, "Look at all these mangoes! They’re ruined. I told you to look after them as per my instructions but you have ruined them!"

She stood there quietly, and finally answered, "I'm sorry Master. I didn't fulfill my responsibility to you".

Then Master turned around with a smile on his face, and said she had done well, the mangoes were fine.

She understood later that Master simply was testing her, and wanted to see what her reaction would be...would she defend herself? (Master said he often put disciples in situations in order to bring out a flaw or to test how they would react.)

Master always encouraged Uma Mata to get “all A’s” in school. She said that she always got all A's except one semester she got two B's. She was upset to think that Master would be disappointed when he saw her report card. But Master, after seeing the report card, sent her a little note which said, "I am so proud of you for getting all A's and two B's."

Taking Convocation Home with You

Brother Vishwananda

Bro. Vishwananda, the youngest member of the SRF Board is originally from Oregon but joined Master’s ashram in India and spent 30 years there before coming back to America.

Once he was on his way back to the Ranchi Ashram in India, when his truck broke down and thus he had to walk the last two miles. He had had a little desire to meet a certain Indian saint who had a following of over 100,000 people. As he walked down the road a man approached and excitedly said, “Baba wants to see you!” He was lead to a car where this saint was sitting in the back and the saint asked Brother to sit beside him. As Brother was dressed in an ochre robe, the saint asked him many questions about his life. Among them he asked, “Who is your guru?” Brother answered, “Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda” Then saint closed his eyes and pranamed and then asked, “Is Sri Daya Mata still your sangamata?” and Brotherji answered, “Yes.” The saint then said, “Although she was born in the West, Daya Mata is of this soil.”

As of November 19, 2001, Daya Mata will have been in the ashram for 70 years

Satsanga = fellowship with Truth

In India, it is said there are three great blessings necessary to know God:

1. To have a human body (upright posture, chakras)

2. To have the desire to know God (as disciples, we are the one out of one thousand who seek God, as spoken of in the Gita)

3. To have a true guru.

Some people think that the monastics have great hidden spiritual techniques not given to everyone. The only “secrets” the monastics have are the techniques and:

1. Practice

2. Patience

3. Perseverance

Put value on your spiritual life. Sometimes life is a bitter drink, but sprinkled with the sugar of devotion it is sweet. An affirmation Brother Vishwananda quoted at Convocation: "O Master mine, O Friend divine, I come alone, I go alone, with Thee alone, with Thee alone."