Welcome to day 16 of our 40 Day Retreat 2009..
I have been speaking about expanding the awareness, becoming aware of your energy body, and of the Source within you; that infinite Source. I have been speaking about different bodies: energy bodies, the gross body, the subtle body and causal body. Yesterday, I spoke about all of these bodies emerging from the Source which is dimensionless.
During this entire 40 Day period the theme is: Energy Awareness and Mastery – The Kundalini Journey, and speaking about the journey of expanding consciousness through energy ascension. When I speak about these subjects: different bodies, different energies and the Source, I know sometimes it is very difficult for you to really appreciate the subject as you may say, “I have no experience of what you are speaking about”, and rightly so. Unless you have the experience how would you believe, how would you have faith in the journey, especially the energy journey?
Help on the Journey
I therefore want to speak about how we can begin to experience the energy bodies within us, the energy field, and this whole journey of ascension. It requires this energy awareness and sensitivity. Some of us are born with this gift of being able to sense energies beyond the gross body or the physical dimension. In coming into this life we are more perceptive than others. Some of us, however, are still stuck at the physical level and we cannot even appreciate what energy means in a subtle sense. While some of us, though we have energy experiences, we are stuck somewhere along the energy path. And when we are stuck in gross body or subtle body or any of the energy positions along the path, we certainly need help. It is a difficult journey without help.
Be Open and Receptive
My own true journey started when I got help. We say that the Universe is a benevolent Universe, it offers grace or help. But, of course, two things are required there: the Universe can be all gracious but we need to be open and ready to receive. How will it happen if the Universe is giving and we are unable to receive? In this whole receiving process, guiding, helping or the process of being assisted we need to have the openness and readiness to receive. That is an important thing for the seeker or student on the path. And you can well imagine that if we are not ready all the information can be around us and we do not recognize it. All the wonderful energies can be around us and we do not feel it.
Be in Readiness: Analogy of a Piece of Wood
It is like if you have a piece of wood and you want to burn it but it is wet, how are you going to burn it unless you do not raise it to the ignition point, by drying it out and getting it to such a temperature that the flames will ignite? So that drying out period is required for the wood, then the initial raising of the temperature until it reaches ignition point. Then in a snap it ignites into a spark and a flame, and then it is all ablaze. The more ready we are, the easier it is to pick up grace in our Universe.
There is a saying that I love very much, “When the student is ready the teacher will appear.” I do not speak of a physical teacher only, because the physical dimension, as far as I am concerned, is not the only dimension. There are Masters in other dimensions. The whole Universe is a teacher because this is an intelligent Universe that can respond to us in times of need if we are open and ready, and we can recognize that. We need to be open and ready. Preparation is important for the student.
Identify Where you are on the Journey
It is important to understand where we are as a student on the journey. Are we stuck on the physical plane? Is our energy awakened so that we are sensitive to energy? Where are the blocks? We therefore need to be able to identify where we are, then we can seek out the appropriate help. You cannot expect to go to the university door with a kindergarten certificate! There are different levels of help in the Universe, different levels of teachers, and different levels of support. You need to identity where you are and use the appropriate support. I am sure that when you are ready the appropriate support will be there for you. That is how the Universe works.
Principle of Shaktipat – exists at all levels
This process of energy boosting, energy awakening, or energy support is called ‘initiation’. Our spiritual journey begins when there is a boost of energy given. And there are several levels of initiation; there are several levels of energy boosting on the path depending on where you are. In some of the stages you may not require an earthly or physical teacher because you have come with a certain degree of awakening. In other stages you need a teacher. There is a process of energy awakening and it is called Shaktipat. Shakti means Divine Energy, and pat means the descent of energy.
In the ancient wisdom of India we associate shaktipat diksha or initiation with the great masters who are living in a higher state of consciousness. They are able to lift us very quickly if we are ready and receptive. However, I will like to say that shaktipat diksha or initiation or shaktipat boosting is a principle that exists at all levels, and is not only the property of the great masters. Anyone who has a higher level of energy can bring about a lift in one who is lower. Those on the path who are on a higher level of ascension and with more energy awareness and more power to influence; they can initiate us along the way. My way of thinking therefore, is that every energy boost that we get from our environment is linked to this shaktipat principle.
What is this shaktipat principle? It says that those of us who are more powerful can lend support through our look that carries power, through our words that carry power, through our touch that carries power and through our thought and will that carry power. If you are established in a certain state of awareness and energy and you think kindly of someone, you are actually helping to lift that person with the same shaktipat principle. The more stable you are in your energy, the more you can help those who are weak. Your look will be meaningful, your thoughts as you think of them will be meaningful, your words and your touch will be meaningful. The energy it will carry will help to boost the other, and I love to see this.
Energy Initiation from Individuals or Groups
One of the reasons why I believe that this is not the property of great masters is, because when I first went to India I did not meet the great master whom I was looking for. However, I met a very powerful group that was disciplined, devoted to the path, and that group awakened my energy body. It was amazing how it happened! It took me two years before I met the actual physical teacher. But in those two years I had grown so much, simply with the grace that came from this group of people that awakened that energy inside of me. That was a very powerful energy initiation.
Energy initiation can therefore take place in the meeting of strong individuals who are established in higher levels of consciousness and energy. And energy initiation can take place by associating with groups that are powerful. When you are ready on the journey for a deeper level of awareness or growth, the Universe will certainly provide the help for you.
The Universe Sends the Appropriate Teacher
Remember, do not try to go to the university’s door with a kindergarten certificate. You have to be honest and sincere about where you are, and to accept those who are there before you granting help. Instead, you are looking for the greatest master and you are not seeing that all those who are around you can help you along the way. You are waiting for the grand master but you are carrying a kindergarten certificate! The Universe is always sending the appropriate teacher for you. And the more ready you become and the higher you go, the higher the teachers that will come to you.
The Guru Principle
You need to remember that when I speak about ‘teacher’ I am not speaking about a person. I am speaking about the power of the Divine through people, through the Universe, through books and dreams, and visitations with masters of different levels in the astral realm. I am speaking about that great power that exists in the Universe. That is called ‘Guru’. It is a principle. It is a power, not a man or a woman. And that power is inside of you. Because we cannot access that power and touch that power, we need help from the outside.
Stages on the Journey
There are three stages on this journey so you can identify what stage you are on. In the ancient wisdom of India, these stages are called granthis. Granthi means ‘block’. There are three major blocks where strong initiations are required. The Sanskrit words are: Brahma granthi, Vishnu granthi and Rudra granthi.
- Brahma granthi - is the basic initiation where we open the first knot or block which opens up spirituality. It is associated with the base chakra. Then our awareness of energy and spirituality begins.
- Vishnu granthi - this is the next level at the navel, and is associated with the navel chakra. It extends from the navel to the throat, and we feel much more empowered. We begin to feel extra power; the power of the chakras. A whole different awareness comes when that happens.
- Rudra granthi - this is at the brow. This brings another level of awareness and energy. Here we need guidance.
At the lower level when the energy is opening, we need a lot of support because it is quite physical. We may need the presence of groups, or a physical master. When we come to the navel area, the Vishnu Granthi area which extends from the navel to the throat, we feel much more empowered. We begin to feel extra power, the power of the chakras in between. And the spiritual journey continues with the support of the Master. We feel much more empowered. We can do so many things there.
When we need to make the next step, the Rudra Granthi at the brow, (a lot of people stay in this region) we need guidance because that is the masterful step. That is the last stage of the journey where the merging takes place in our Source-Being. Then the level of guidance that is required there is of a different level. It is important to understand these stages and wherever you are, so you can recognize the teachers that are coming to you from the Universe. But it is important for you to be ready and to be open.
Salient Points to Understand
The energy journey is an exciting journey and I am looking forward to sharing as much as I can with you on this journey. But in today’s topic I wanted you to understand what ‘Energy Initiation’ really means, the different stages of the journey, identifying where you are, preparing yourself to be ready and recognizing the support of the Universe when it is coming to you. Being honest about where you are, seeing the support of the Universe before you and not neglecting it. All is there if only we will open our eyes to see it. We cry like beggars when we are sitting on gold. If only we can see it. Open your eyes to see! The Universe is already supporting you and it is already helping you.
Tomorrow, we will speak a little more about the different stages of the journey. That is a very exciting topic. This retreat is about the energy journey, a very exciting journey. This is a journey I was blessed to make, and I feel so happy when I can share this with you so that you may understand the power that you carry as a human being, the power to lift yourself and the power to lift your Universe.
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