The power to lead to eternal life, resides in the egoless supreme identity in which “the Father and I are one,”

[Guest guest]

Introduction

 

The reason that I, an outsider to the Christian tradition and not

particularly learned in it, write about one of its most sacred texts

is because of my love for it. The first time I encountered it, I was

much moved by the Gospel According to St. John. Since then I have

read this Gospel many times. Always it leaves me in an uplifted

internal state; I feel myself called by a mysterious and higher voice.

 

In our contemporary pluralistic world, where cross-cultural

communication has increasingly become a matter of necessity for

global survival, a new consciousness is emerging. One of the major

features of this new consciousness is a non-sectarian spirituality. A

universal spirituality is at the very root of all traditions, but it

is continually lost in theological exclusivism, or in scholastic

partiality, or in evangelical enthusiasm, and it needs to be

rediscovered and restated again and again. Anyone who would approach

a major work of a religious tradition with a global perspective, and

with an effort to discover universal truths in it, will aid the development of

the new consciousness.

 

Because I was brought up in India, my psyche is naturally Indian in

its early formation. When I read the Gospel According to St. John, I

am struck by many similarities with the Indian traditions, and, of

course, by many differences. In trying to understand the Gospel, I

have found some Indian texts particularly helpful in suggesting a new

way of looking at a metaphor or in enlarging the appreciation of what

has already been understood. I am persuaded that the major division

in the human psyche is not horizontal or regional, dividing the

Eastern from the Western soul, but rather vertical and global,

separating the few from the many, and the spiritual, inner, and

symbolical way of understanding from the material outer, and literal

one—culturally as well as in each human soul.

 

My understanding of the Hindu tradition is that it aims at Sanatana

Dharma (eternal order), of which, at its best, it is one

representation, and that the tradition is most fulfilled only when it

succeeds in leading us to the truth beyond itself and beyond

ourselves, to experience it and become one with it. We are born

prakrita (natural, common, unformed); we must attempt to die

samskrita (well sculpted, cultured, educated). The truly educated

person, the formation of whom is the real aim and meaning of any

spiritual path, of any yoga, is the one who is internally rightly

ordered, and in the words of the Bhagavad Gita, " sees the Self in

everyone, and everyone in the Self, seeing everything impartially "

(6:29).

 

Everywhere, the one Truth and one Being, or simply One, has

manifested itself in many truths, myriad beings, and many selves,

corresponding to different times, places, cultures, religions, and

needs. Each language has its own particular genius, and some things

can be expressed in a given language in a way that is especially

profound and engaging; nevertheless, no language has a monopoly on

depth of discourse, nor does any particular language exhaust all

possibilities of communication. In fact, at its best, as one sees in

love, and in the utterances of so many mystics and sages, a language

nay best succeed by carrying us to the silence beyond any

articulation. Similarly, each religious and spiritual tradition has

its own beauty and emphasis, and certain truths are most profoundly

expressed in it, and perhaps in it alone. Nevertheless, no tradition

exhaust all possibilities of the Vastness, as no being exhausts all

modalities of Being.

 

No two spiritual paths can be exactly the same, even though there may

be many parallels and areas of agreement between them. Each path has

its own specific centre of gravity. And the most important thing from

a practical religious point of view is to actively search for and

respond to a way, a path of inner integration. That alone can lead to

salvation or freedom or truth. Still, not only the theory but even

the practice of a path can be illumined by a light coming from

another tradition. What is important to appreciate is that no

spiritual path can be true if it is essentially devised here below by

human reasoning. A true path depends on the will of heaven; it

originates from above. There cannot be a way from here to There,

unless it first be laid from There to here. In these matters, more

than elsewhere, it is true, as the Gospels says, " No one can lay hold

on anything unless it is given him from on high " (John 3:27).

 

The way of Jesus Christ is through the Christ himself—that is to say,

through the I that is " the only Son of God, " that is " one with the

Father, " that is " the Word that was in the Beginning, with God, and

was God " (John 3:16, 10:30, 1:1). Having completely emptied himself

of himself, so that the word we hear is not his but rather the Word

of the Father who sent him (John 14:24), having become a transmitting

conduit without any personal distortions, he could say, " I am not

myself the source of the words I speak; it is the Father who dwells

in me doing his own work " (John 14:10). Such an I, in supreme

identity with the Father, is the one who can say, " I AM the Way, the

Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me "

(John 14:6). Whether the Father had incarnated in the body of Jesus

of Nazareth, or whether Jesus became one with the Father, is not

necessary for us to resolve here, especially when we recall the

Gospel saying, " No one went up into Heaven except the one who came

down from Heaven " (John 3:13).

 

It is important to guard against a lowering of the level of insight:

the significant truth, which alone has the power to lead to eternal

life, resides in the egoless supreme identity in which " the Father

and I are one, " and less in any exclusive identification of the

Father with this specific person or that. In the Indian tradition,

particularly in the Upanishads, the deepest Self of every human

being, the very kernel of a person, the Atman, is said to be beyond

any limiting particularity, and is identically one with Brahman, the

Absolute, the essence of all there is. Furthermore, the way to

Brahman is through the Atman. This is equally true in the Bhagavad

Gita, where the overall mode of discourse is much closer to the

Gospels in its theistic metaphor to the Upanishads in general:

Krishna, the incarnate God, repeatedly says that he is seated in the

heart of everyone, and that we can come to know him and participate

in his being by following our own essential being. Any who speak from

that core of themselves, which is possible only when they have

surrendered all of their relatively superficial selves to the service

of this one Self, constitute a bridge, a way, from here to There.

 

The way, however, i snot the goal; and a person can too easily become

excessively attached to a particular way or teacher. When someone

opposes other teachers and other ways, that person commits a sin

against the Holy Spirit in limiting its possibilities to only one

mode of expression, which the person has typically encountered

through an accident of birth in a particular culture. Thus we can

practise idolatry even though we may reject the idols of other

people. The ever-present sense of exclusivism of the way and the

savoir so pervasive in Christianity is, in my judgment, based on the

misunderstanding of the sacred texts. Interpreting at the surface

what is spoken from the depths belittles Jesus Christ, who completely

denied his self and emptied himself of any feeling of particularity,

as well as distinction from God. " A certain ruler asked him, `Good

teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' and Jesus said

unto him, `Why call me good? None is good but God alone' " (Luke

18:18-19).

 

The Gospel of John in the Light of Indian Mysticism, pp. 1-4

Ravi Ravindra Ph.D.

Inner Traditions; Revised edition (August 16, 2004)

ISBN-10: 1594770182

ISBN-13: 978-1594770180

 

 

Question: How does one discard all the organization and useless activities (of

Sahaja Yoga) and seek her (Holy Spirit/Adi Shakti) only in the Sahastrara

(Kingdom of God)?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I am still unable to rid myself of catches and other chakra problems

despite years of daily (Sahaja Yoga) footsoaking and treatments. What do I do

now?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I am far from a Sahaja Yoga collective. How do I continue practicing

Sahaja Yoga?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: My collective leader has told me to leave Sahaja Yoga due to some

personal problems. What do I do now?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: Despite being years in Sahaja Yoga I do not agree with what our

leaders are doing. I am thinking of leaving my collective. Can you suggest

something that will help me continue on my own?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I am a Muslim who absolutely am against worshipping of any idol or

image. How then is Sahaja Yoga and Shri Mataji compatible with Islam?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: We are devout Christians who are very uncomfortable with Hindu

rituals, and see the same in Sahaja Yoga. Is there any way we can do without

such rituals?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: You loudly claim on your website that all religions and holy

scriptures preach the same message. I don't see such evidence. What have you got

to say?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I do not want to meditate on anything non-Christian but agree that the

Holy Spirit is feminine. How do I only worship the Holy Spirit but not the Adi

Shakti?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: My parents and husband are against worshipping Shri Mataji. How can I

solve this serious family problem but still continue to practice Sahaja Yoga

without their knowledge?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I completely agree with your belief that if you have to take a single

step in any direction to seek the Divine you are going the wrong way. How and

why did you reach this incredible conclusion only now despite spending so many

years meditating, checking the scriptures and listening to Shri Mataji's

speeches?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: How can we spread Shri Mataji's message successfully? So many have

failed all these years and Sahaja Yoga is very slow. Most of the seekers have

never heard of Shri Mataji. Other than Her Divine Message what can we teach new

seekers that will attract them?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I do not want to follow any religious organization or yoga teacher but

still am interested in spirituality. You think that is possible?

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: My mother-in-law is totally against Shri Mataji and regards Her as

just another false guru. But I know Shri Mataji is the Adi Shakti and want to

continue. However, i do not want to antagonize my mother-in-law. Any

suggestions?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I am a Sikh. I am completely against any Hindu ritual or worshipping

of their idols and gods. Sikhism is completely against such practices. But

Sahaja Yoga is also so full of such rituals and gods. What have you got to say,

being a Sikh yourself?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I am getting somewhat ridiculed for my own spiritual experiences

regarding the crown chakra and the divine feminine. People think I'm weird by

emphasizing that the Devi is the true nature of brahman and it is creating doubt

about my path (despite my own experiences). Should I continue with my

meditations and ignore them or try to explain to them? What do you suggest?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: There is so much information about yoga and meditation. I am so

confused and do not know which path to take. What then is the truth? How do I

attain it?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I have been in Sahaja Yoga for years but still do not know what is

Self-realization. Can you tell me in detail what you understand by it?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I have been a SY for many years and some of us find shoe- beating and

some rituals quite absurd. You also are against them. How then can we solve our

subtle system problems without such treatments?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I am a Muslim living in Pakistan who want to practice Sahaja Yoga. But

there are no centers here. How can I continue?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: What will happen after Shri Mataji passes away? Will She still be in

the photograph? Where will the vibrations come from then?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I have just started meditating on Shri Mataji in the Sahasrara but

find it very difficult. Is there a better way?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I do not want to join Sahaja Yoga but believe in a number of Shri

Mataji's teachings. Can you help me?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I am an established SYogini who am concerned at the way the

organization is heading. However, I still want to spread Shri Mataji's

teachings. What do you suggest I tell others?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: I want to practice meditation but find it impossible to stop the

thoughts. I value you opinion. If you don't mind my asking, but how do you do

it?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: What is the shortest and surest route to realize God?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: Some religions claim that humans are divine in nature and that

liberation is from within. Can you tell me how all this is realized in such a

hectic and materialistic world?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: As a SY I am concerned that after Shri Mataji takes Mahasamadhi there

will great grief and sense of loss. How can I cope with this eventuality and

continue my faith and devotion? Do I continue to meditate on Her photo even

though She is not physically present anymore?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: Jagbir, you are already telling us to discard Shri Mataji's photo and

meditate on Her is the Sahasrara. A number of SYs have been offended by this and

have left the forum. What makes you so sure you are right?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: What is the most profound and deepest enlightenment you have

discovered after all these years, based on the teachings of Shri Mataji? She

also claims that all religions teach the same truth about the spirit. How is

that so given all the religious differences and centuries-old rivalry?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: Hi, man-made religions, sects and denominations are wide spread. So

much misdeeds and divisions are committed and blood is shed in the name of God

and religion. Is there a way to make humans realize that they are all

worshipping the One and same Creator, no matter how different religious

organizations have made God to be?

 

Answer: Silence on Self

 

 

Question: It seems that religions are all preaching about a God that is to be

found only in their organizations. Why then is it that the Divine can only be

realized through one's own experience? What and where is God then?

 

Answer: Silence on Self