North American Tour, Part 6
Monday, 15th of June 2015, Molena ashram, Georgia
Expectations deceive us
Over five hundred abhyasis waited at the Molena ashram in eager anticipation of dear Kamlesh bhai’s visit, this being the first visit of our living spiritual Guide to this ashram since Chariji Maharaj’s visit in 2003.
Kamlesh bhai’s arrival was an example of how our expectations can deceive us. Everyone expected his car to come from one side of the ashram building. Instead, he walked in from the other side, amongst the abhyasis, who were still looking for him where he was expected to come.
He then conducted group meditation at 6 p.m. and this initiated the gathering with fervour. Abhyasis reported that the sitting felt very intense and filled with energy. He also delighted the group by asking them to meet again for an unscheduled satsangh at 9 p.m.
Tuesday, 16th of June 2015
Merger is just the beginning
Kamlesh bhai conducted group meditation at 7.30 a.m. The entire atmosphere of the ashram felt joyful. Another satsangh was conducted at 11 a.m. and after this he gave a short talk, building upon the ‘Beyond Self’ article he had asked everyone to read ahead of this gathering. Here are some excerpts from the article:
“In spirituality, all achievement is only in proportion to the negation of self. The loss of self does not indicate a physical death, but the loss of individuality. Anyone claiming to have achieved anything in spirituality cannot really have done so, due to his continued awareness of his own existence.”
“The notion that we progress towards the Goal is only partly legitimate. In mathematics, there is the example of the asymptote, which is a line that forever approaches zero without ever reaching it. It tends towards infinity. A highly advanced aspirant, retaining his individuality, is like the asymptote, forever approaching the goal without arriving.”
“Ancient scriptures describe the interplay between God and the individual soul as being like water in the ocean and water that is contained in a jug. Similarly, it can be described as the space outside a room and the space inside a room. How would you describe that same space if the walls were removed and inside and outside no longer existed? Those walls are your identity – your self-awareness. Just as the existence of a room creates ‘outside’ and ‘inside’, the illusion of your existence creates God and the individual soul.”
“When ego awareness is lost, God also disappears and the polarity is finally resolved. God and self are only perspectives, based upon mutual limitation. When you are there, He is not there, but when you are not there, He also disappears. What remains? Only that, which has no description or substance, for there is nothing apart from it by which it may be contrasted and understood. Neither does it exist, nor does it not exist. It may be termed as the conditionless condition, or the stateless state.”
“As we become increasingly pure, there is less and less impurity from which to feel relief, so the feeling of purity bids farewell. In fact, our unawareness of purity now becomes the proof of our purity. In this way, we go on experiencing less and less of every conditon until finally, there is no experience of anything.”
“The attempt at love and devotion is extremely beneficial to an aspirant because it orients him towards his object and away from himself. Love and devotion also promote a state of resignation to God’s will. This prevents the formation of desires, which increase individuality.”
“One day, we sink so deep into nothingness that we never return, though we remain alive and active in the world. This represents the dissolution of our individuality and our submergence in the whole.”
He expanded upon the idea that the real journey begins after merger. He stressed the importance of utilising time better, and of doing progressively more and more in less time, so that eventually we transcend time and the Lord (manifested as time) himself.
Later in the evening he explained how such a condition could be transmitted, but not explained in words. He added that the receiver needs the ability to appreciate this condition.
Abhyasis felt that the sittings built one after the other, growing in subtlety and charging the hearts. They also felt like the sittings expressed the conditions described in ‘Beyond Self’.
Many reported that the trying physical conditions, of high temperature and humidity, seemed to recede into the background as the spiritual atmosphere blossomed. Many new abhyasis reported that they felt cool during the sittings, in spite of very hot conditions, and were surprised by the detachment of the mind from the body during their meditations.
Kamlesh bhai had lunch with several newer abhyasis who had spent hours volunteering for various activities at the gathering. He answered questions and interacted with them informally. Many reported some surprise at how natural and human it was. One said, “It was like talking to a friend.”
Kamlesh bhai had several meetings through the day, and also met some officials, including the Pike County Sherriff and the Mayor of Zebulon, for coffee in the afternoon. He invited them to try our Heartfulness Guided Relaxation method for their wellbeing.
New abhyasis were delighted when he spent a couple of hours with them, answering questions and providing guidance and insights. This was followed by another satsangh at 8 p.m. and a question and answer session, where he answered practical questions related to spirituality and specifically Sahaj Marg practice.
He said goodbye to the abhyasis and that he would be back next year. He then patiently distributed chocolates to all the children and many abhyasis in the grounds, interacting with them along the way. This brought an end to at least the visible part of what was a very long day.
Wednesday, 17th of June 2015
Kamlesh bhai started his journey at 5.30 a.m. for the next gathering at Richmond. Many abhyasis were up by 4.30 a.m., waiting to say their goodbyes to him as he left. Many abhyasis from different places stayed back to help clean up the ashram and bring to an end a wonderful and memorable gathering with their Master.
