Grace

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

There are many saints, who leaving their houses, stay in forest, caves or hermitage and in solitude, in order to get liberation or salvation for themselves. They do not care for other people and are always self-absorbed.

SathPurushas (the Incarnations of God), are not of such a type. Rare are the sadhus and saints, who, after attaining God-vision, strive for the welfare of the people. SathPurushas mentioned in “Some Sathpurushas”, are the best examples.

“Blessed is the country, blessed is the family and blessed are the chaste parents, where these Extraordinary, Transcendent, precious and pure jewels were born.”

“Better than reading is hearing, and better than hearing is seeing. One understands the scriptures better by hearing them from the lips of the Guru. Then one does not have to think about their non-essential part.”

When Grace comes, the stream of remembrance flows into the mind continuously, and everything necessary is done to maintain the remembrance. The remembrance must be unbroken like a “thaila dhara”, which means the flow of oil. When oil is poured from one vessel to another, you see it flows unbroken. The moment there is a break in the remembrance of God, at once the ego-sense takes possession of us and darkness sets in.

Some people open the windows of their heart to receive Grace while some others keep them closed and they do not get it. But even to keep the windows of the heart open requires some inner aspiration and longing, and that longing can come to us only through the Grace of God. This is true because we see that all do not want to keep the windows open. We keep them shut. The result is we do not enjoy the benefit of Grace.

Therefore, it is not that Grace is not on us, but we are not prepared to receive it.

The ways of Grace are indeed mysterious!!

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The True Disicple’s Spiritual Ardour

Om SathGuru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

THE TRUE DISCIPLE’S SPIRITUAL ARDOUR

As for as my work is concerned, it is finished. I am here just for you. I do all that I can do, and you do all that you can do, to prevent it. It is a tug of war. It is a conflict between master and the disciple. Remember that it is a conflict. The disciple remains contradictory in his desire.

He wants to become enlightened as he is. He does not want to change that. This is the contradiction. You would like to go to heaven, but as you are. That is impossible.

I understand the question and desire. Yes, you would like to become enlightened very cheaply, without going through any pain, any suffering. Growth comes through suffering. It comes through great pain, it is arduous. One has to pay for it. And the payment is not in money, the payment is very deep. The payment is your innermost sacrifice.

The disciple has to disappear. You must cooperate a little. And I know that sometimes you cooperate, but your cooperation is also only cooperation in appearance. Deep down you remain resistant.

Even while you surrender, you go on watching from the corner of your eyes- how far to go? – And you go only so far, and you go with absolute control that if it is needed you can go back. Your surrender is not a journey of any return.

And unless it is a journey of no return, it is impossible for me to help you. I do not make any condition for you. The cloud is so full that it wants to rain; it does not mater whether it is a desert, or it is a wasteland, or it is a fertile soil- it does not matter.

Enlightenment is possible. If it is possible for me, it is possible for you. If it has happened to one human being, it is everybody’s potentiality.

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What is Surrender?

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

Disciple:

What is Surrender?

Master:

Surrender means offering to God the fruits of your actions, not effort and duty. Surrender means to perform your duties faithfully and not be affected by the results, whether they are good or bad, pleasant or painful. Surrender to God means that you do God’s work and follow His law in everything.

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Meditation and Shakthi

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

Disciple:

Does it matter if you repeat a mantra or can you just look at something? There are many ways to meditate. Is one better than the others?

Master:

There are many so – called techniques of meditations that are mere mental exercises.

Meditation should happen automatically. However, a Guru in whose presence you get automatic meditation is rare.

We believe that the Shakthi, before becoming active in a person, selects him very carefully. This Shakthi is the same energy that creates the entire cosmos, and therefore it is very intelligent, very conscious, and all knowing. She knows past, present, and future, and She knows which people to enter.

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Prayer and Meditation

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

 

Disciple:

What is the difference between prayer and meditation?

 

Master:

Meditation is the very last stage of prayer. Where prayer ends, meditation begins. When your mind becomes fixed in the art of praying to God, when your mind becomes totally still, that is the state of meditation. Meditation is an essential part of every religious tradition.

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Sahasrara and Samadhi

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

Disciple:

Does the illumination of the Sahasrara entail the automatic attainment of Samadhi?

Master:

The divine light in the Sahasrara is as brilliant as a thousand suns, but it is not hot. Through sustained contemplation of that divine light, the mind becomes totally still.

Then the mind relinquishes thought and the individual consciousness ceases. That state is also called Samadhi, total stillness.

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Sounds and Visions in Meditation

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

Disciple:

What do the lights, sounds and other phenomena that arise in meditation, indicate to a seeker? Can these be products of imagination, of an immature seeker?

Master:

The lights and sounds and other phenomena arise to dissolve a seeker’s delusion. They are real. Nada (Dwani) (Nada Para Brahma), or inner sounds, releases the flow of various nectars that import new strength and agility to the body and cause love to spring up from within. As for the vision of light – the very nature of the self is light. These lights lead a seeker to his final destination; so how can they not be real? A true mediator sees real lights and hears real sounds, day after day, until he goes beyond them to the final truth. These phenomena seem unreal or imaginary only to one who has not meditated and who has not had a direct experience of them. Immature seekers may imagine they perceive such things, but when one experiences them directly, there is never any doubt about the validity of these experiences.

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The Power to Heal

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

Disciple:

As a Spiritual Leader do you have the power to heal the sick?

Master:

Siddha Gurus can awaken the inner Shakthi (Sheathe) or Divine Energy (Universal Energy or Cosmic Energy) through their touch. When the inner energy is awakened, diseases are cured automatically.

“If you want to enter the temple of God within your own being, you have to leave all dogmas and rituals outside.”

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Mantra and Meditation

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

Disciple:

Does it matter if you repeat a mantra or can you just look at something? There are many ways to meditate. Is one better than the others?

Master:

There are many so-called techniques of meditation that are mere mental exercise. There are people who try to get into meditation by gazing at a tree, or a spot, or by looking in a particular direction. Real meditation however, happens spontaneously, as a result of grace; you do not have to learn it.

Mediation should happen automatically. However, a Guru in whose presence you get automatic meditation is rare.

There are two kind of meditation – one is with Japa, and the other is without Japa. Japa is mantra repetition. Mantra has great power and is very necessary. If you meditate with a mantra, (Om SathGuru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae) you would be absorbed very quickly. However, in pure meditation there is absolutely no thought or object in mind, not even the mantra. But you reach that only through the mantra. As you repeat a mantra more and more, the mantra begins to disappear, and you get into a state in which you are aware of neither yourself nor God.

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Guru and Meditation

Om Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

Disciple:

Do you need a teacher to awaken this spontaneous meditation?

Master:

Yes that is very important. A Guru who can activate spontaneous meditation in you is a very high being; you can’t be cheated by such a Guru. Such beings are very rare, and if you can find one, it is a great blessing. Spontaneous meditation does not cause any harm. In fact, this form of meditation leads you to the state of perfection. It is the best kind of meditation. The kind of meditation that you do through techniques, through your own efforts, is very ordinary. Besides, spontaneous meditation includes all different forms of meditation and yoga, and one does not have to run around thinking that he needs to try every new course and technique.

Meditation is the very last stage of prayer. Where prayer ends, meditation begins. When the mind becomes fixed in the art of praying to God, when your mind becomes totally still, that is the state of meditation. Meditation is an essential part of every religious tradition.

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