"Stop reading books. The greatest book is within you. That is the only book you should read. The others are just trash. Open the book that's within you and start reading it. Be very quiet, and it will come to you."
- Siva Yogaswami
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Spiritual Teachings require a different approach than others types of study. In most study, the mind is filled with facts and calculations and rules and techniques. For spiritual learning to occur, the teacher must help the student rid the mind of these sorts of preconceived notions so that a direct experience can be had. The teaching cannot be conveyed by words, though words can help a student understand the process before it unfolds. An intellectual understanding of karma and dharma and the process of spiritual realization is very useful, lest the ego mind dissuade the seeker from their practice. But ultimately it is a path of practice and not of intellectual understanding. The Lord is beyond the mind and can never be understood the the process of logical analysis.
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We must go beyond the mind to know the Divine. Yet the nature of the ahamkara (the ego - the sense of an individual self) keeps a person bound by nature. The blessing of an awakened teacher is necessary to help free the seeker from the chains of maya (illusion). We are not what we think we are. We are not limited. The soul is infinite. The soul is of God and possesses all of the qualities of Divinity. It extends through the universe. Few experience this mystical truth, which it is the highest purpose of human existence for us to realize. The Light which brings radiance to the blazing Sun is no different than the Breath which animates your life. Go within to the source. Everything you seek is within you. Everything is perfect as it is.
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Swamiji's Teachings
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Nature and the Purpose of Human Existence
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Suffering and the Nature of the Individual Soul
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Svamiji teaches that the goal of human life is to Realize God. Swamiji teaches that the highest Realization is direct experiential JnAna (Knoweldge) of the consciousness pervading all things. All things are moving toward the full manifestation of the latent Divinity within.
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The source of sorrow are the self-serving desires that arise from the illusion of duality. Disease, poverty, accidents, injuries, and even societal tragedies are caused by people's lack of sensitivity (to the nature of themselves and others) and their acts of violence and intolerance toward the world of God's creation. The aatman (the True Divine Self) is not bound by the delusion of separation. The Self remains in a state of transcendent bliss and experiences itself to dwell within all things.
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The Nature of the Lord
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Methods for Spiritual Awakening
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The Lord is the transcendent source of all. He transcends the world as Formless Lord, yet He pervades all creation. The entire universe and all things in it issue forth from Him like hairs growing from a person's head. He is benevolent and almighty and all things are within His control. He has all knowledge and all power, and is greater than the intellect can comprehend. Yet his nature has been directly experienced by the Sages, who have revealed the scriptures to lead souls to realization of His nature. The jiiva (the embodied soul) is however in reality united with Shiva (the Lord). It's true nature pervades the world, and stands apart from all things with limitless power and satisfaction. Every capacity of God (the creator, preserver and destroyer of all) is latent within all things. In the cave of the heart, there is boundless bliss, omniscient wisdom, and omnipotent strength.
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Swamiji emphasizes realization of God within all by the spiritual austerity of sannyas (renunciation). The term “sannyas” has been widely misunderstood as repression of material urges, but repression will not lead to lasting or meaningful spiritual development. Spiritual renunciation does not denote the denial of any aspect of humanity, but rather the perfect acceptance of all qualities in the natural world. Sannyas is translated to mean "throwing down" and wrongly interpreted by many to constitute the physical action of self denial. True renunciation arises from the acceptance of the Divine self and the recognition of Divinity within all individual attributes of God's perfect creation. Sannyas could also be translated in another way. The Sanskrit root "Sam" means "without passion" and "Nyaasa" means "consignment to the mind." True sannyas is not a physical practice of abandonment but a pure, nonjudgmental acceptance of Divine Nature which is manifest in all nature.
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The Necessity of a Guru
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How to Prepare for the Guru
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The knowledge of the scriptures cannot be discerned by intellectual contemplation. For true spiritual awareness the intellect must be transcended. It is the nature of the instinctive mind to remain bound by karma and to increase karma, acting in the world, according to the indications of the birth chart. It is the nature of a Guru to untie the granthis (psychic knots) in the energetic body of the seeker allowing him to slip free from the bonds of his human nature. Only by the grace of a living Guru is it possible for the kundalini to be awakened, for a person to break free from the cycle of karma, and to come into spiritual realization. The Realization of Mahaatmans (highly realized / great souls) is a Light to the world. The consciousness of such an Avadhuuta (one who has “shaken” off the bonds of the world) facilitates prabodha (awakening) and diikshaa (quickening / initiation) for the spiritual seeker. The mere darshan (sight) of such a saint enlivens the kundalini shakti (latent power of spiritual awakening) and elevates the vibration of all it touches toward the state of highest spiritual union. This Guru is the mouth of God; he is the literal hands of God; and he is in fact God Himself. So complete is His union with the formless absolute, that He is worthy of worship. The highest Guru is the Aatma (Divine Self), but only the living Guru shall put the seekers in contact with that One within.
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The mere presence of an awakened Soul will heal all sorrows and transform human consciousness. This will happen when the student has worked very hard to adequately prepare himself by rigorous tapasya (spiritual penance / austerity). The grace of the Guru is complete and offered always, but the student must be pure to receive the Guru's grace. A glass that is full of muddy water will not hold pure water. The mind that is full of desires and judgments can not hold the Pure awareness of God. For the aspiring student, saadhana (spiritual practice) is a battle with the lower (human) instincts. He lovingly and patiently develops steadiness of mind, by redirecting it toward God within. When his efforts open his consciousness to the grace of the Guru, that grace awakens the higher perceptions. The student must desire this very much. In fact he must desire this with such singularity of intent, with such constant attention, that no other desire remains. Like the animals in spring frantically seek mates, he must seek the hidden Lord, in his heart. In this way Guru Bhakti (love for and devotion to the teacher) is developed, and the nature of the instinctive mind is turned against itself for the purpose of winning the grace of the Guru.
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Yoga Siddhis (Mystical Powers arising from Practice)
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Ashta Siddhi (The Eight Mystical Powers)
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For people who conduct the spiritual practices of Yoga, Mantra, or Meditation under the guidance of a Guru, siddhis (mystical powers) will quickly and surely arise. Siddhi is a word that means “attainment.” In terms of spiritual practice the term siddhi refers to all manners of mystical or latent abilities that become awakened or developed through the process of spiritual practice. People all over the world have great interest in mystical sciences and occult knowledge. The energetic presence of a Guru is necessary to really initiate the awakening of the mystical capabilities latent within all souls. The guidance of a Guru is also necessary once siddhis begin to develop in the seeker, without which it becomes easy to be distracted by the newly found "powers" back into the world which will stop spiritual progress and dissipate any attainments gained through practice. It requires a certain purity, detachment, and selfless nature to behold such mystical powers without doing great damage to oneself and others. This is why it is necessary for a Guru to thoroughly test a student over many months or years to be sure of his inner purity and qualification to behold the powers of Yoga before bestowing spiritual initiation (which empowers the student's practice and bestows quick results).
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Classical texts on Yoga describe Ashta Siddhi (or Eight Mystical Powers) which arise from practice. The emergence of such powers is a sure sign of progress in a person's spiritual practice. Yet aspiring students must understand that these powers arise as the mind become detached from experiences and that though these powers are great, they are less than the ultimate goal of spiritual practice which is realization of the Highest Truth. For a person doing spiritual practice powers will come and go. Only when realization is attained will the omnipotent power of God remain with a person. It is possible for people with great, deeply worldly, aspirations to posses some insight and a limited amount of mystical power. The better indicator of advancement along the spiritual path is the inner contentment which remains unaffected by the pleasures and pains of the world. When a person responds to all pleasure and pain with dispassionate detachment, then only can attainments be maintained and then only will greater powers develop from within.
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Specific Practice
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Swamiji teaches the traditional Vedic sciences of Mantra, Puja, Yajna, Yoga and meditation for spiritual realization. Each of these complex mystical sciences requires many years of study to master. Their study is good for spiritual seekers because it occupies the mind of spiritual seekers with uplifting spiritual subject matter. When the mind is positively occupied, it is not possible for the instinctive tendencies of fear, anger, greed, desire, or dis-ease to occur. Though the practice of the Vedic sciences will surely bestow benefits to all, it is really only possible for the real power of these spiritual practice to unfold after the initiation from a realized Guru. In order to safely sustain initiation, there must be an experiential knowledge of the inner process which can only be gained through many months or years of unbroken practice. To prepare for the blessing of spiritual initiation, Swamiji recommends the practice of spiritual service.
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This develops an attitude of compassion toward all beings which is necessary before the proper understanding required for spiritual initiation can be gained. Service in the world is good, feeding the hunger, nursing the sick, comforting the broken hearted, and giving generously to all in need. Yet the most powerful seva (spiritual service) is always serving one's own Guru. It is the duty of the students to work and donate generously to make the mission of their teacher possible. This opens a channel between the student and teachers and is the most powerful means by which a spiritual seeker can prepare himself for the blessing of initiation.