Some Mystical Experiences with my Guru

I have returned from Goverdhan a few days back. Spent about 10 days with my dear Guruji. Although we talk about all mundane matters, yet every time after coming back I realise that I have gained so much in my thinking. There is so much inspiration in my life without my even realising.

We had a particular Hanuman Puja on 11th and 12th December. On the 12th - there was the final puja where we all were gathered in a room. Some people clicked photographs as well. Later on we saw in the photos - 6 mystical lights descending on his head or hovering over it. We were all intrigued by the phenomenon. Some tried to explain it as light reflection on the lens but it was not convincing. I have attached the photo here.

I told him the next day that I would like to experience paranormal things. He laughed and said it was nothing great. In the night around 7 pm, we go for exercise in a small gym. The moment we stepped out, he pointed me to listen quietly with a finger on his lips. I could hear the sound of anklets (paayal) worn by rajasthani ladies. It was as if someone was dancing and playing about us. Sometimes to the right, then to left, then back and then front. It was unbelievable. He pointed to me to ignore it and not look around or behind. When we reached the excercise room - he said.....there are several benign spirits - thousands of years old...who visit this area at times. When we finished exercise and went back, the sound started following us back. As soon as we sat in the room. I told him, I think my mind is playing games with me...this cant be real. He smiled. In a moment, there were three knocks on the outside door. He asked me to go and check it out. I suddenly froze in fear when I realised that there was no one around at that time and normally if someone wanted to come in, they dont knock...they just come in. He urged me to go and look. Slightly shaky I went outside and looked, there was no one around. When I came back and told him, he laughed and said.. "that was their way of playing a small joke on you. They probably heard you. Dont worry.."

Wonders will never cease. Well I asked for a supernatural experience - I got it. I got some others as well...but that story is for some other day.

A Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Almost every other day for about a month now, I have been getting news of friends, acquaintances or others in USA losing their jobs, getting laid off, facing rough weather. It saddens me to see such a state of affairs. People have gone there imagining a better quality of life, more money, more fun etc etc. Alas its no longer so - or so it seems for the time being. Lonliness I have seen and I can understand and Health problems too. But somehow personally, its quite unsettling for me to see people put their entire life into a job role, working for a company for a monthly salary and then getting blown to pieces when suddenly the company they have been working for decides to throw them out. Maybe its because I my mind doesnt agree to the concept of working under anyone. But this is life for the majority of us.
Talking about USA and other western countries - I fail to understand what kind of a false world we all live in !! Our own small cocoons and misleading imaginations of a comfort zone abroad - when it is not even there any longer. The US of sixties and seventies is gone now. India is a much better place now in comparison to USA - in all respects. Why live there in search of a heaven which is non existent ? To me now - its just a boulevard of broken dreams. Nothing else..

VOICE OF A SILENT GODDESS

The last about 1 1/2 months have been spent mostly in secret worship, away from my family, mostly worshipping an ancient Goddess through ritualistic chants given in an ancient scripture. I have been seeking her blessings, both for mundane and spiritual reasons. I must confess that I got tired of the routine in between and wanted to stop midway (I think it was the 8th of October). That evening I decided I wouldn't go further with all the daily drudgery and the tiring routine with my chants and invocations. Around midnight, I was woken up by some invisible presence in the room. It was so tangible and powerful that I got up as if touched by a live wire. I remember a female voice clearly saying in my ear - " Shall I go away then ? " I thought I must be dreaming and dozed off but was woken up again by the same presence. This time it was scary. Remembering my Guru, I sat up on the bed and turned the light on, thinking to myself - "Boss, you better continue. Seems the one you were calling all the while is here." The next day i rang up my Guru and he confirmed the validity of the experience saying that he would have been more surprised, if nothing had happened at all. He ended the conversation with the same advice - "this better continue to the end. Dont stop now that you have come so far...... not now." After this, surprisingly the daily worship changed in terms of the experience it was giving me. I smilingly prayed to the Goddess not to go, but to be there with me always. Then onwards, it was almost like, some part of me woke up inside me, sending me slowly into raptures of devotion to the Goddess. I would offer her myself, my body, my ego and my soul - urging her to bless me. An almost physical nerve around the heart region would open up daily as if someone unzipped it every time I started the devotional routine - ah , sheer nectar of her presence captivated my mind. Now that I am ending with the particular worship, the presence of the Goddess is ever more strong. The Goddess I was worshipping is known as the "Tripur Sundari" - the Mother Divinity who is said to have existed before the beginning of the three types of creation in the universe - the physcial, astral and the causal. Tri (three) - pur (before). And the scripture I am referring to is "Soundarya Lahiri" - literally translated - "The waves of Divine Beauty". When I started my worship, I was unaware - but as I end with the puja, I now understand why Adi Shankaracharya (the saint who wrote this scripture), chose to call it so. The Goddess is actually the epitome of the waves of divine beauty. I bow down to Her everywhere - in my mind and heart, in my body and in this universe. Words are limited and I just can not explain to anyone in words what I have felt.

Siddhi Vinayak

I have travelled the entire month of July I think. Away to Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and Goverdhan - at the feet of my Guruji. When I visited Mumbai, I met some relatives after a long time. But imagine the state of my mind - I was most excited to visit the Siddhivinayak temple. The temple is around 200 years old. A few years back I was in mumbai and visited the Babulnath, Mahalaxmi temples and then came to Siddhivinayak at the end.
As I entered the temple for the first time, it was without any expectation of any kind. But the force in the temple is so powerful, that I was overwhelmed as soon as I entered. My head bowed down on its own and I felt a powerful blessing around my head and heart region. I had decided then and there that I would visit the siddhivinayak whenever I visited Mumbai in my life. Such a tremedous spiritual force in the heart of the city known for materialism - will wonders ever cease ??!!!
If anyone visits Mumbai and is even a little bit spiritual, he or she should visit this temple and bow down to the divinity - Ganesha may not be visible in his true form before our eyes - perhaps we are too gross to see His divine form. But in this temple - His presence is tangible and powerful.

Significance of numerology

The science of numerology has been used by people throughout the ages to interpret and improve life. Its amazing how the alphabets are connected to numbers which are connected to planets. There are two systems of numerology - the chaldean and the pythagorean. In my own experience I have found that the pythagorus systems applies more accurately to the visible and the outward things of life and the chaldean to the invisible and hidden fabric. Both are applicable, but in different ways. Part of my research has always been on my own self so I started with the change of the name from vikas to vikaas. I stumbled on astrological and numerological truths quite accidently - as I dont consider myself to be gifted or intelligent - so there was no question of me deciphering things after long winded researches. But, after years of experience, I can now diffidently vouch that anyone who understands numerology properly can give twists to his / her life in lot of ways. I have engineered these "twists" in my own life. And I have found that planets impact life most powerfully through our names. All other things come later. The name is the most important thing with which we identify ourselves. The planets are called "grahas" i.e. those which grasp or catch. True to their nature which is revealed by their sanskrit name, they "grasp" or "catch" - and so they catch us through our mental associations - with our names. This is the basis of numerology.
vicaas@gmail.com

Child is the Father of Man

Past two days have been mostly spent in bed, nursing my back. I have had a severe bachache since sunday. I thought as I am spending so much time resting in bed, I might as well lecture my son on some general spirituality. I started with story of "our father in heaven", brahma, vishnu & mahesh and hanuman. There were so many questions from my 6 year old that I ended up with telling him about the process of opening the spiritual eye in the center of the forehead. Little did I realise that the kids can be so inquisitive !! My wife thinks I have flipped my lid by explaining him things beyond his age. To put a stop to his questions, I told him - "count Om for 10 times between your eyebrows and pray to my Guru. After 10 years, your third eye will open." I said all this yesterday. Today he came back from school to my bed, where I have been resting and says to me "Papa I have started counting the days when I say Om in my third eye and it will open. I have written up till 200 on a piece of paper. I am going to write up till 3000 and I am going to tick everyday to count uptill 3000 days till I have opened my spiritual eye and I see God". Good Lord !!! I gave him a vague figure of 3000 days and his enthusiasm is seen to be believed. After he went out to play, I thought philosophically - if only our faith was such like small children, we would accompalish so much in our lives. After all William Wordsworth did write - "Child is the father of man......."
In the morning today, I was reading that Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri, who is considered to be the originator of Kriya yoga used to practise yoga for 12 hours a day till he attained the goal. On a serious ending note, I actually feel like getting the spirit of my son and his enthusiasm has already pricked my conscience. I need to spend more time practising my sadhana. This life is truly in vain till I attain the goal my Guru has set before me.
vicaas@gmail.com

Intensive Sadhana and it's aim

A few months back, I came across an interesting lecture by a Guru on youtube. He is from my own Yoga lineage but lives somewhere in the US now. He was saying - " if you want self realisation in 3 years, practise meditation for 18 hours a day. If you meditate for 12 hours a day, you would get liberation within 6 to 12 years. If you practise meditation for 6 hours daily, you may get self realisation in 24 years or so. And if you practise mediation for 2 to 3 years every day - you may get realised in this life or perhaps the next one, if you are consistent. " I wonder how many people would have the stamina for a 12 hours routine ? But look at the reward at the end. Why dont such lectures inspire people to take up yoga and meditation seriously ? Does it seem uninteresting because of non belief or because we have a lot on our agenda ? Perhaps its a little bit of both. I have been practising a yoga technique given newly by my Guru for the past three weeks. At the end of the practise session, the results are so much that I am amazed. The murmur of the physical heart dies down considerably and that of the thoughts in the mind. The mind flies off in some strange unknown direction. The heart is cleansed off muck in a strange incomprehensible way. The resulting feeling of well being and confidence is palpable. And I am only three weeks into this new technique that I am practising. I wish the world knew what lies underneath yoga practise !!! No, its not just boring asanaas and pranayama breathing....there is lot more to discover ....if you just practise long enough and intensively......

Silent Spaces in my mind

While meditating today I observed the energy centers in the spine clearly. A friend suddenly called after many days, so had to break the meditation and talk to her. By the time I got up, there was a sense of gentle pressure in between the eyebrows and slightly above. After having dinner, I went out for a walk to the roadside Pan shop (Indian betel leaf). The entire lane in my area is lined by tall trees. In the gentle breeze and shadows falling on me. suddenly a sense of powerful silence overcame me. As if my body and the entire area got enveloped by a sense of sacredness & other worldliness. The brain was almost silent, watching intently inwardly & outside - no thoughts ! Its an inexplicable state of mind, impossible to convey in words !! The pressure in between the eyebrows went a little deeper up to an inch perhaps and then gave way to a sense of silent euphoria. I could sense the spinal meridian coming up to the centre of the brain and to the point between the eyebrows and then lower even up to the tip of the nose - a strange feeling of pleasure - an intoxication overcoming me. Reaching the shop, the area had some traffic, cars & scooters zipping past me while I walked on the sidewalk. Still, the mind was undisturbed - not registering any noise. I felt as if I staggered slightly while paying the shopkeeper for the sweet paan. Body was as if in slow motion. He looked at me and probably thought I was drunk. But how would he know - drunk with what ? The state of being is so powerful that I can ask for anything - and it would be granted to me. But I dont feel like anything. The feeling is that of absolute contentment as I observe these silent spaces in my mind. I remembered my Guru's words uttered years back one winter evening, years ago as I sat near his feet - "People think that superconscinousness is somewhere up there. Superconscinousness doesnt come out of the sky, it is always around you. You just have to be receptive enough to enter it...."
vicaas@gmail.com

Conditioning of the human mind

When we are born, we are born with a certain environment around us, some beliefs, some experiences etc etc. Our elders guide us as per their experience - sometimes relevant and sometimes not so. But often we do not question what comes down to us. Experience is indeed invaluable. But what I am talking about is our psychological complexes which are unnecessary and prove harmful for our functioning. I am talking about those conditionings of our minds which allow us to function within a certain periphery and not look or think beyond it. After I take birth, my parents sent me to school. By the time I got out of it, I saw in the magazines and newspapers and saw my teachers talking about it, my parents counselling about it - that it is absolutely essential to be gainfully employed under a big company and rise in my career. Why ? What would happen if I didnt go this way ? What if i decided to invest in a farmhouse in a rural area, grow medicinal plants and dutch roses and spend most of my time meditating and mastering my own self ? Would I waste my life, if I decided to do it ? Who will judge ? My parents ? They cant, because they are part of this web. This society ? - it can't, because it is part of this mad race to nowhere. Can I rely on my heart and my own discretion to follow the path of my life, even if it is off the beaten track ? It would require tremendous courage and freedom from conditioning of my mind to attempt this. But its possible. It has been done, people live such lives, they are successful and yet, they are away from the societal conditionings. Prevalent beliefs of our society are actually conditioning of our own mind - because after all, a group of minds form the society - dont they ? That which is outside everywhere, is actually within.

vicaas@gmail.com

Brain and spine

I have started following the basic course in the Iyengar's - LIGHT OF YOGA book a few days back. Few basic asanas and stretches - and I feel such a great difference. One normally doesn't realise that the supply of blood is so constricted at certain areas of the body. Some nerves dont get blood flow at all. Some muscles are not excercised by us at all. This leads to various problems in the body with age. Try doing even the simplest of yoga postures and they bring about such poise to the body that its amazing. I have been thinking that our body which has created the entire universe around us is such an amazing piece of machinery. It needs to be cared for, to be nourished because it houses the brain - which creates the entire universe and millions of things that we use in this world. Brain or our mind can actually be called Brahma - the Indian name for the creator aspect of God. Isn't it important to excercise the brain muscles as well then ? There is no way other than nourishing it with proper blood supply, energy and as far as eating is concerned - with the proper nutrients. Which food to eat ? - eat brahmi (the herb), almonds and other such food. How do u nourish it with more blood ? - By doing inverted postures in yoga like sarvangasana. How do u give it more energy ? - by meditation and pranayama. Pranayama & Meditation leads to the energy flow going towards the brain instead of flowing out through the sense nerves. The primary channel through which the energy flows is through the spine. Spine too is such a mystery - it connects the brain with the body and the rest of the world. So, a corollary point is that a person in whom there is excellent blood and energy flow in the brain and spine would be would be quite an evolutioned person - a person with balanced mind, calm nature, higher thoughts and noble purposes and also with lesser physical, mental and emotional problems in life. The thumb rule is - lesser the energy level in the spine - the baser and lower the life and more the problems. Higher the energy level and higher your attention up in the spine - the better the quality of life and lesser the problems. Strangely, when you look at the shape of the brain with the spine - doesnt it resemble the structure of a sperm ? But more on this some other time....

vicaas@gmail.com

My intuition or the sixth sense has been slightly overactive for almost about an year now or maybe a little more. Now the daily recurrence is so much, that I have no option but to start treating it as normal. Nevertheless, I guess I should note it down for the sake of it. I have noticed that I just have to think of something and whosoever is in front of me either says it or does it within a couple of minutes. I think of someone and that person either calls me or is thinking of me. It also seems I can feel thoughts of anyone thinking strongly about me at any time. I was just thinking of the heliacal DNA structure today evening. I just started writing this article about it and put the TV on. The spiderman movie is playing on AXN. The scene was showing DNA changes happening in Peter Parkers body - the exact thing I was thinking and writing about. Recently I was thinking about my friend Bina who lives in Birmingham now, wondering how she was doing. Today evening, while I am updating this blog, she suddenly called up regarding something after a long long long time. Another example - I was in the M K Retail store today in the evening and saw jaggery packets. My thought went on to the yummy Jaggery rice we used to eat in the childhood. After dinner today, my wife suddenly gave me jaggery rice to eat saying that it came from my aunts house. I haven't eaten it in years. Why did I notice the jaggery packets just today only in the store !!?? Several times while going to my office, I happen to pass by the kitchen thinking I need a cup of tea. Before I cross it, invariably a maid asks me if I need a cup of tea !!! When I am having tea - I just feel like having biscuits and lo presto - in a minute the maid comes with some biscuits in a bowl even though I never normally ask for biscuits and maid doesnt offer me biscuits normally. During the daily working - I often tell Shivani (my Indira nagar preschool center head) about what needs to be done. Most of the time - before I am about to say it - she says the same thing. I just quietly smile to myself. And people say - "future is unknown, no one knows what will happen" .........oh really !!! :-))
Anyhow - lets get back to my thoughts on DNA. Our genes are made up of DNA which has a heliacal shape - the shape of a twisted ladder. The wikipedia website says - "Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses. The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information." What information are we talking about ? - Well, it can be anything - from structure of body to behaviour to diseases to xyz... So what about yogis who have supernormal abilities ? Has their DNA changed ? Guruji said that it does change by practise of Kriya Yoga. If a yogi reaches the state of cosmic consciousness - the DNA in his body would have to be different than a normal one corresponding to his superior abilities. What I have been thinking of is the DNA shape. One of the advanced kriya yoga technique involves the revolution of prana within the body and it suddenly struck me that the path undertaken during this revolution vaguely suggests the heliacal DNA structure. This peculiar pathway of the prana is also supposed to be the representation of the vibration of Om. So is vibration of Om linked to the heliacal structure of DNA in some way ? I can't say as yet. Time will tell.

OUR SHORT SIGHTED GOALS

People around me are so focussed on their careers, their familieis, their own goals - small or big. Most of us go by through the years clueless as to what our destination is. Or if we have a destination, then its so unimaginably short sighted that its amazing to see ourselves waste our lives over trivialities - I want to have a few crores in my bank account, I want my children to study in good schools, I want to make a few properties, I want to see the world, I want to be famous, I want to retire on a very big post in an organisation and blah blah......... But none of us really think of what is the end of this short lifetime ? Why are we doing all these fleeting things when we have to leave it all one day ? Where is the permanence, the stability ? There is nothing like stability here. Life is fleeting and momentary. And inspite of this truth starting at everyone in the face, we choose to be blind to it and run after the daily things. People translate Maya as money. Maya is not money. This blindness to truth is maya, the delusion of seeing permanence in impermanent things and remaining blissfully oblivious of the underlying reality. What is the underlying reality ? Only a true Guru would be able to show, that too if you are prepared to understand. You would understand only if you are tired of all these games and want something else. But majority of us sadly are destined to be part of this, and a very very few who are tired of playing would look beyond the physical. I cant judge others I guess. As for me, I am going to tread the lonely way soon, on to my goal - Samadhi.
vicaas@gmail.com

MY GURU'S LOVE - 29th May 2008 12.00 am
Since the time i started my spiritual search - I think I started when I was 13 years old - I had been reading stories about the great saints and their love & devotion to their Guru's. All the saints say - there is nothing greater than a Guru's love & protection - the Bhagwad Gita says it, the Guru Gita says it, the Ramayana says it - and so do all the great spiritual texts. I tried to imagine how wonderful it would be to have such a Guru as I grew spiritually & thought those saints mentioned in the books were so lucky to have great Gurus who protected & guided them, but what about us poor mortals !! I couldnt be so lucky after all, I thought to myself. After I met my Guru, I realised what a Guru's grace, protection & love can be. What I had only read and imagined came true in my own life. Till date, I dont remember a single instance when I have prayed to my Guru for help, protection & guidance, and he has failed me !!! Not even one single instance in all these years that I have known him !!! I am myself stupefied at times as to how my Guru manages to reach me just in the fraction of a second, as soon as I think of him and I get immediate response. I am even more clueless as to what good deeds I have done in my past life to deserve such a divine protection & grace. For a Guru to reach a disciple instantly means only one thing - that he has connected his own consciousness to the disciple and that he has the power to transcend time and space.
vicaas@gmail.com

THE PLANET EARTH - 1.15 AM - 28th May 2008
I have achieved many things in divergent areas of life. I wonder sometimes if I had not been practising kriya yoga, would life have changed to the extent that it has changed ? Perhaps it may have, perhaps not. And then I think, its not yoga - its my benefactor, my Guru, my Teacher - Sri Shailendra Sharma - who changed my life. When I had met him years earlier, he remarked - "vicaas, my honorable Guru (Sri Satya Charan Lahiri) made my life. Before meeting him, I was nothing." Today it is with a smile that I am writing this testimony - My Guru Sri Shailendra Sharma made my life completely. Before meeting him, I myself was a nothing.
Since a few weeks, after getting up from my morning & evening meditations, I have been feeling a strange kinship with our planet earth. An awareness of earth has overpowered my thoughts - though strangely, I have not consciously been thinking about it at any time. We worship the stars and planets to lesson the burdens of our karma - at least the Hindus who believe in astrology do, but we strangely ignore the great mother earth on which we live. I think hardly anyone of us ever worships her. From spirits to gods to goblins to kings to commoners......all live here, all need the earth to express themselves. But who acknowledges that ? We would rather look for a krishna, vishnu, brahma or shiva in the skies, but we dont see this Goddess on whose breast we walk and live, who sustains our lives and into whom we merge in the end. Isn't it strange ? Or is it that only yogis see things which common people don't see ? For the past few weeks, I cannot help bowing down to earth in love & reverence - when I wake up, when I meditate & before I sleep. My thoughts go on to what my Guru had said years earlier about "earth consciousness" - "every yogi enters the state of earth / planetary conscinousness someday." At the time he expressed it, it sounded so strange. I am beginning to understand it now after so many years. I know its difficult to believe, but I can feel now that this planet is alive and it has a consciousness like all of us.
vicaas@gmail.com