Prema Jyothi – March 2025
“Make every aspect of your life a sadhana. Do not confine your spiritual practice to certain times of the day but rather infuse your whole life with the spiritual impulse to service and love. When doubts assail you, see the resolution of those doubts as strengthening your spiritual will. When you are engulfed in love, see it as your sacred duty to share that love with all. Even when you are asleep, know that the rest is to enliven the body, so that it may become fit for sadhana, the sadhana of service, the sadhana of devotion, the sadhana of wisdom. Do not deride yourself as limited, for life is unlimited – so too is your sadhana.”
- Sathya Sai Baba
When we first come into spiritual life, we are enthusiastic about the inner journey. We wish to experience all sorts of inner revelations, regions of consciousness, etc., but soon find that the spiritual life involves much work that is mundane and ordinary. It is only occasionally that we may open to something larger and greater than this seeming limited consciousness wherein we spend most of our time.
This newsletter will explore the various aspects of sadhana and how we can transform ourselves and, in doing so, transform our lives.
The need for tenacity
Sometimes we are disappointed by the lack of intense inner experience on our path. Sometimes we lose heart. Some even fall away from spirituality and back into the life they lived before. However, if we persist, with fortitude and stubborn endurance, then we begin to realise that it is in the ordinary that the truth lies. What is meant by this?
God is not some great cosmic being, but rather the truth underlying all creation. Therefore, God is to be experienced in everything that is, including the seeming mundane. Every part of our life is infused with God, and only God. Why then do we not experience this? What are the impediments that keep us from understanding this?
The role of belief structures
Firstly, it is our belief structures, built carefully in the mind over lifetimes. These tell us that the world is real, and our perception of the world is real. With this belief firmly in our mind we live our lives as if it were true. So, it becomes our ‘reality’ and colours all our thoughts, words and actions. We live in this artificial reality but take it for the truth.
“We become what our thoughts are”. These thoughts on the validity of the objective world and the value of the joys derivable therefrom, though they emanate from Ajnana (ignorance), do shape us from within. The reason why we are caught in this mould lies in the absence of four requisites:
1. Attention towards Adhyatmic Gain (spiritual progress)
2. Steady Faith
3. Devotion
4. The Grace of God.
Even if one of these four is absent, we cannot experience the highest Bliss of the Absolute.
Our inquiry should not be directed to the obvious and the superficial. This line of inquiry will only mislead us into believing what is not the Cosmos. It makes us forget that it is our mind that has generated this panorama of cosmic proportions and presented it to us as Truth.
It is indeed strange that this huge Cosmos depends ultimately on whether ‘I’ cognise it as such or not! ‘If you feel it is there, it is there; if you feel it is not there, it is not there!’ This means that we have to go deep into this process of the mind. Is there any occasion when our assertion leads to the existence of a thing and our negation results in its disappearance? Or is this conclusion a figment of the imagination?
Inquiry on these lines would undoubtedly reveal the Truth. When the rope is seen in darkness, by mistake, by ignorance, the serpent arises and appears in its place, displacing the truth of the rope. For some reason, when the truth is known, and the onlooker feels, “This is no serpent; it is a rope”, the serpent disappears, for it was mere ‘falsehood’. So, feeling or thinking is able to create the serpent and also to destroy it. Assertion creates; negation destroys. Both are mental processes which can be classified as ‘thoughts’.” - Sathya Sai Baba
Sai is telling us that we ‘create’ our own reality in the mind, and the mind alone. The nature of the reality is illusory. It is not that the world is ‘real’ or ‘unreal’. It is that our perception of what creation is based on. It is the illusion that creation is all that there is. What emerges is that our sadhana needs to be such that it apprises us of this fact and allows us to follow the methods of awakening from this dream that exists only in the mind.
Sadhana is a 24/7 lifelong journey
What is also clear is that sadhana must be an on-going process. It cannot stop once we finish our silent sitting in the morning. It is not about going into another state. Clearly, it is about living our lives as if all was One Undifferentiated Consciousness. Swami calls this CIA – constant integrated awareness. Then the most ordinary act will seem miraculous. Then the ugliest object will shine with the beauty of the Divinity that underlies it, for it will be seen as that Divinity, pure and whole in itself.
To live a life like that requires many attributes, but there is one that is of supreme importance. Sai calls it atma vichara. This is the process of self-inquiry. What is the nature of this inquiry and how does it confer such a realisation? Sai tells us, when we are born, we are born with cry – ‘Ko Ham?’ (Who am I?). However, we grow up and we forget that we came into this world on such a quest. We fall into a kind of dream and become enamoured of the things of the world. We develop attachments and see them as our only reality. It is only when troubles strike us that we begin to wonder if there is some greater and more meaningful purpose to our lives. It is then that we come back to this question – Who am I?
At first, we are overwhelmed by the enormity of the task that we have set ourselves - to discover the answer who we really are. However, with persistence, there is a dawning of understanding, a glimmer of hope. This beautiful quote from Sai, allows us to enter into the realm of possibilities, and not to be limited by our own understanding.
“When you look up into the sky what do you see? You see and feel the vastness of God. This same sky resides in your heart. Why then do you turn your vision outward when He is inside you all the while. Beloved ones, each of you is an embodiment of God, an embodiment of Truth, an embodiment of Love. However, to realise this you must undergo deep self-inquiry. You must inquire as to the nature of the body. What is this body? It is merely a cloak, a sheath that hides the inner being. Why then do you attach such importance to it? It will not be here in a number of years, but your immortal atma will be here always.”
When we realise the Divine Consciousness in the Heart, we realise it everywhere. The journey begins with looking inward, but it cannot end there. We find the One inside. We revel in the Oneness of our being inside. We can often enter ecstatic states inside. But these are all temporary. The great sage Ramana Maharshi explains it beautifully in the following passage (selectively edited for brevity).
Ramana was asked if He would mind giving me a detailed explanation concerning the term Samadhi, and its various kinds. Ramana’s response was as follows:
The meaning of the word Samadhi is generally given as Union with Reality, but it is not so. Samadhi means the State of non-differentiation from Reality or THAT-WHICH-IS. The following are its kinds:
Savikalpa Samadhi. Mind is forced by effort of will to hold on to pure BEING, without such deliberate attentiveness or volition, the mind starts straying into the world of sense-objects or realm of thoughts again–vrittis or concepts remain in latent-form or seed-form–if concentration is sufficiently advanced one progresses from here to aham-sphurana. Aham-sphurana is generally not characterised by loss of body-consciousness–“I”-“I” pulsation is distinctly felt–bliss experienced–continuous inherence in aham-sphurana leads to sahaja samadhi thus bypassing requirement for kevala nirvikalpa samadhi.
Kevala Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Mind temporarily merged in Parabrahman–like bucket dropped into well, but rope attached using which to haul it up again–rope represents vasanas or vrittis or samskaras–concepts or vrittis are merely in abeyance; they merely temporarily disappear only to reappear after the trance comes to an end.
Sahaja Nirvikalpa Samadhi. No description in words could do it justice. No concepts, no sensations, no experience, no bliss, no cosmos, no person, no God, no nothing. HE IS THAT in which manifestation and its absence are contained and that by virtue of which presence or absence of manifestation is able to be perceived.
From the statements of Sai and Ramana we see that the answer lies in understanding and working with the fickle nature of our mind. Sai exhorts us to go beyond mind – to take the inward path, the path of sadhana. In reality, we have two minds – the manas or lower mind, which is a “bundle of desires” and the buddhi or higher mind, which has the ability to discriminate between reality and illusion. As regards the manas, Sai gives us the following warning:
What is the nature of the mind? It is an ever-wavering entity built on false hopes and dreams. It cannot remain steady on one object for very long. It is the source of endless trouble. Why then do you want to retain it? You must learn to go beyond the mind to the underlying truth. That will bring the lasting happiness. For all this, the inward journey is the most important. The outer faculties are merely for maintaining the body and serving. The inner faculties are for realising your own Divinity.”
The role of Sadhana
How then are we to proceed? How are we to go beyond these limitations? Again we can be guided by the wisdom of Sai:
“Worry about the discipline needed for the Sadhana, but not about its fruition. The reality, the realisation of the reality, these have no steps or limits. Do not yield to all sorts of delusions or desires for this stage and that. Stick to the goal and the journey. Never give up the discipline of the Sadhana. Do not change the time of Dhyana. With one aim and unchanging attitude, strive to attain it. That will vouchsafe the fruit. That will bless you with the bliss. Do not be led away by what others speak about their imaginary experiences. For you, nothing can be as genuine as your own experience. Therefore, first attempt to gain undeviating concentration, Ekagratha (one pointedness); let that be your one aim.”
How are we to conduct such Sadhana?
We may read what Sai says and wonder if He wishes us to remain in inner concentration for hours on end. He has told us clearly, “Better a few seconds of concentrated effort than hours of nothing. Meditation is nothing short of the soul merging with God.” This means that the concentration that we engage in during silent sitting needs only to be a part of the concentration that we need to engage in life.
I will never forget the advice of Dr Jack Hislop (a close American devotee of Sai), which I heard him give several times. He told us to wake in the morning and to visualise our favourite form of God beside our bed. He then encouraged us to take the hand of that form and let it accompany us throughout the whole day. Only when we had to concentrate on our work, should we let go of this form. He said that Sai had told him, “There, at the point of concentration, is God.” This indicates that this process is a twenty four hour a day, seven days a week process. It is lifelong process. Swami has also said this about concentration:
“Concentration will enable one, whoever he is, whatever the activity he is engaged in, to finish it much better than otherwise. Whether in material assignments, or in ordinary day-to-day work or in spiritual Sadhana, concentration of mental energies is a must, if success is to be achieved.”
This indicates that if we want to realise God, we must make our quest a lifelong focus. We also have to recognise an important point. God is all and everything. Even the moments of doubt and despair are God. They act as goads to keep us one-pointedly focused on the goal. Consider the Kurukshetra war (the battle that forms the core of the Mahabharatha an ancient epic). At the start of this war Arjuna began to be assailed by doubt and despair. He did not want to kill his ‘relatives’, those he had grown up with and come to respect, etc. Krishna apprised him of his delusion and attachment. He had to fight. That was his duty.
What is often forgotten is that, without the doubt and delusion arising within Arjuna, we would not have the grand, simple and important instructions of Krishna to Arjuna. In short, the Bhagavad Gita, that most sublime of scriptural treatises would not exist for us to partake of all its wonderful counsel and wisdom.
Doubts lead to spiritual inquiry
When we are plunged into what seems like darkness, doubt and despair, we can come to understand that it can lead us further along the path of self-inquiry. It is like a cattle prod that delivers a shock to our hides and wakes us up. It then becomes our choice as to whether we will remain awake and pursue the path of inquiry, or whether we will fall back into the slumber of ignorance and dream the dreams of illusory attachment. For these moments occur because we have lost that equanimous state of mind, which allows us to see the truth in any situation.
We may fall and trip many times on the path. That is not a problem. However. these episodes are of little benefit in our spiritual endeavour if we cannot use them to further the process of self-inquiry. The path appears torturous and long. The road ahead is full of uncertainty. But if we can remember these wise words, we will soon find ourselves moving towards the goal.
“What you call problems are merely ripples on the surface of the ocean called Divinity. Whilst you are swimming on the surface of that ocean, you will have to meet the waves – there is no choice. However, if you know the fullness of that ocean, then you will know that there is much more. That will allow you to meet the waves with courage and determination, not allowing them to swamp you. For you are larger than the waves. You are the ocean upon which these waves play. Therefore, do not try to avoid the waves, but do not identify with the struggle, identify with the Divine Ocean that you are.
The key to this is Love. Embrace everything with Love: your enemies as well as your friends, your loved ones and those who hate you. If you can do this, you will see all as Love – an Ocean of Love, Oneness and Peace. This is the path. This is the method. This is the goal – Love, Pure Love” - Master Sundareshwara
The never-ending sadhana
This process of sadhana is never ending. However, it must be a conscious process. If we live our lives unconsciously, we will die unconsciously. If we live our lives consciously, we will never die. For consciousness is eternally One and we are That. So the end of this body will be merely a transition phase from one form of consciousness to another. It will be another part of the process of sadhana, maybe the most important part of our spiritual life. What is clear is that we must engage in the spiritual path of self-inquiry constantly. This final quote from Sai encapsulates it all:
“Wherever you are, whatever you do, never forget the ‘silence of the inner heart’. There is the field of Self-discovery. The outer field of action is merely a reflection of this. The field of the mind is a crossroads. This is where you decide which way your life will lead. Turn the mind to the outer and you must play by the rules of the outward game. This game says that there is right and wrong, good and bad, light and dark – all the dualities of maya (creation). When you play by the rules you will be assured of success on the outer. These rules are the rules of dharma. They include: Sense Control; Ceiling On Desires; Love All, Serve All; Help Ever, Hurt Never. This is why I always insist on these guidelines for living.
However, if you turn the mind to the inner field, then the situation changes. What happens here is ruled by the Atma or Self. Here you do not play by the outer rules, rather you are guided by the impulse to surrender. What has to be surrendered? First is the drawing out into the world of the senses by the mind. In order to surrender this, always repeat the Name. That will keep the mind from straying into this dangerous world.
Secondly, the mind itself must be surrendered. Dissolve the mind in Light. That is why I teach the ‘Light Meditation’.
Thirdly, the sense of separateness must go. This occurs through the wisdom of knowing that all is One. Therefore, rather than losing anything, including individuality, there is only gain. What is gained? The whole of creation, for you gain the creator Himself – the Self, which is omnipresent.
Giving up the sense of individuality, gain entrance to the inner chamber through the portal of surrender. However, this portal has two gatekeepers. These are discrimination and faith. You have to be able to decide that this is what you are really destined for. This is the role of discrimination. Also, you have to have faith, belief that you are really the Self, immortal and infinite. These two will allow you to enter the portal to the inner chamber of Love. There you will be immersed in Love. You will discover that you are Love. Once there, there is no returning to the identification with the body, mind and senses. Now you know the Truth. You existed before this body was created and you will exist once it dies. You existed before mind arose from the cosmic reality and you will remain once it merges back. You existed before time, and you will exist when time ends. You are. That is all. And Love reigns Supreme.” - Sathya Sai
