Spiritual practice ~ 11 Oct 2012

I see this at people, who comes to me in Therapy. There are some which make some practice, but they havn’t really success. When I tell them from Swamiji and they begin to work with Him, suddenly it is changing. I see it also by me: At some moments it is very difficult to orientate and to feel, what is the right way. Swamiji is helping me to feel it and shows me the way. That is a big gift.

Jaya Guru Datta, Swamiji! This is such a meaningful message this morning. Presently, I am reading a spiritual book with a friend and discussing with her the questions in the book related to the topic. We are both fully enjoying this process and what it is helping us understand about ourselves spiritually. I have great respect for this friend and her spiritual practice, but she doesn’t consider herself a devotee, although she has met Swamiji,listens to his music and has learned Kriya Yoga. Nevertheless, she believes that having a spiritual master holds one back.This week, as we discussed our topic, she said off-handedly that she felt I grasped spiritual things more quickly than she did. I don’t find this to be true, but I listened to her observations in the spirit of our explorations. Afterwards, I thought about her remarks. They weren’t spoken in jealousy or competition as she is a true friend, they were just her being honest about her own process. I realized that the difference between us was not that I was any more adept spiritually, but that I had a Guru who guided me always to just what I needed, when I needed it. (like this book we are reading together and our conversations) Some see taking instructions from Swamiji as giving away my power, but I don’t see it that way at all. I make a choice to listen to my Guru and accept His instruction. It is a conscious willing choice to allow Him to guide me in all areas of my life. To some that is really frightening, but in nearly a quarter of a century of being with Swamiji in this life, I have found that He only has my best interests at heart. Some lessons have been hard and to outsiders seem tough or as if I am being “held back”, but inside, the rewards are great…Swamiji once said that people would come to Swamiji by observing what is happening in our lives. Despite my friend’s reservations, she was the first among my peers to buy 12 Tunes for the Zodiac….people may fear having a Guru, but as they see through us that He points us like that arrow in absolutely the right direction, the fear gradually melts away…

Jai Guru Datta Appaji!
Knowledge acquired from books can help us become scholars with Giant-sized egos. It will not lead to Inner Experience or Self-realization… Example: If we read/listen to a Guru’s teachings, we would immediately say, “I know” if it is anything similar to what we read before – effectively blocking the valuable flow wisdom (Gnana-dhara) from the Guru- that is essential for our Inner journey.
Appaji has time and again reiterated that we need to approach with humility and an empty cup (ready to unlearn everything that we may have acquired), so our SadhGuru can fill it with the necessary wisdom/direction for our Spiritual progress.
We need an able guide (SadhGuru) to tread the unknown/unseen paths in the challenging Journey towards the Lord… and we are extremely fortunate that he ‘found’ us and is guiding us!
Pujya Gurudeva – Please bless us with your Grace, wisdom and set our aim in the right direction. Sri Guru Datta

In spiritual practice, everything is fluid and initially scary. The more books one reads, the more confused one gets, because what is aimed for is undefinable in words even by those who have attained the goal. The results of spiritual achievement are not tangible, except for the outer expression of the powers to do miracles, which occur as a byproduct along the way. These can be very misleading and can become a solid road block in spiritual progress. Who can prevent such a mishap? Only a Guru can. A very wonderful thing that happens with the Guru is that while he resides inside the heart of the disciple, lighting the path of his inward journey, after giving him spiritual initiation, he also appears to him in the outer world, communicating and interacting. He constantly turns the direction of the arrow from pointing outward at worldly interests, successes and joys, towards the ultimate inner goal of losing oneself in God. Jaya Guru Datta

Jai Guru Datta! Thank you thank you thank you dearest Sadgurudeva-Swamiji for having come into my life and picked me up… …. ….

prthasirsi suklabja dwinetrum dwibhujum guru |
varaabhayakarum sanathum smare thnnamapurwakum ||

ananunthphala maapnothi guru geeta japenathu |
anyascha vividhaa muntraah kalaam naarhunthi sodaseem ||

It is an ongoing issue where the ego makes one believe he knows. Until one day after years of seemingly purposeful practices he realizes he knows nothing and sees so much time has been wasted because there was no teacher guiding him. My Datta Sadguru has showered His blessings on this devotee by continually shining the light on the proper way to walk and talk. As a result, clarity of awareness and simplicity appear. Thank you Sri Swamiji. JGD

I do agree fully with this MMS, for me it is such a solace to know that my Gurudeva has the absolute knowledge ( nobody else has) and is pure love,, so i have fully face in HIS guidance.This feeling is so reassurend and i am so grateful that i can be at Gurudevas holy Feet. The song is touching. Prostrations again and again to Gurudeva.

Sri Guru Datta
Om Dram Dattatreyaya Namah
When i first met Sri Swamiji in this life in 2005 i did not know anything of a spiritual path. Sitting in front of Ganapati before the interview i somehow got the idea to ask Sri Swamiji if He wants to be my Guru. Since then there is a continuous development. My life is incomparable to what it had been before. So much of light came in. So much understanding. And so much love.
Koti pranams to the Divine Lotus Feet of Sadgurudeva.
Om Namo Hanumate Namah
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namah

Since my early youth, I had watched an older relative doing diligent ritualistic worship daily. I watched him doing intense mantra japa. I heard him with awe, chanting many prayers regularly. I watched him study and master several languages, scriptures, fine arts, give lectures, write numerous books, win great esteem and even many followers. I placed him on a pedestal and tried to follow his ways. I thought I was doing spiritual practice. Yet, I was immersed in selfish worldliness, as he was. My focus, as his was, was on living a comfortable life, eating tasty meals, impressing other people, winning repute, and being financially stable. With success came a bloated ego, to him as well as to me. Yes, we were both good at heart. We were not wicked people. Yet, what we engaged in was not true spiritual practice.

I was blessed to recognize Datta Guru when he entered my life. He turned my focus 180 degrees and taught me to proceed in exactly the opposite direction, as far as approach and attitude were concerned. He made me detach myself from my obsession for control, money, acceptance in society, performance to impress, and attachment to things and people. He has filled my life with peace.

My relative failed to recognize Datta Guru even when he saw him up close. He continued as before, believing that he was himself a knowledgeable guru. He ended his life in mental unrest and lack of peace despite his intense austerities of several decades.

A lay person is impressed with practices of discipline, a show of devotion and spiritual knowledge, academic scholarship, special talents, and good speaking skills, and attributes the status of ‘guru’ to those who are not real gurus, who have no experience of Truth. Their personalities do not radiate universal love. They are beset with fear, insecurity, selfishness, and a judgmental attitude that are lacking in a real Guru who is God-Realized. They are incapable of guiding either themselves or others on the journey inward to seek God. Guru’s initiation and personal guidance are indeed mandatory for one to find lasting peace. Jaya Guru Datta

JAYA GURU DATTA! The feeling that I have because You found and acceptet me as Your devotee, I can`t describe. With Your blessings I`m saved. Countless thanks and prostrations to Your holy lotusfeet. S.G.D.!

Puttuji, here I remember Swamiji’s words in the book ( Heart to Heart)  saying that if you want moksha( liberation) stop complaining. Do sadhana( spiritual practice). Sadhana will take you to a good Master. With the guidance of a Master moksha becomes easy. Therefore this MMS is very apt for the above words of Appaji. To build up a carrier of a student a teacher is required. Similarly a Guru is required for us to guide in the spiritual path for ultimate liberation. When you follow a Master, He makes you responsible for our spiritual growth, brings out from darkness to light, remove our ego, arrogance through His teachings and also show the way to serenity. If we follow our Sadguru even in one stage through His teachings we can drive our mind which will lead to concentration and will power. Therefore we are so fortunate to get our Sad guru in this Kaliyuga and Appaji we follow you and your teachings strictly and develop our spiritual path which is only permanent for our peaceful life.  JGD.

JGD. From initiation to final destination, may there only be Datta Datta Datta! JGD.

jgd ‘Avadhuta’ onhn sgd

Jaya Guru Datta Puttuji,

Great saying. We all succeed in outer world with guidance of a coach or mentor or teacher, but to conquer inner world you alone have to travel and only a guru can guide or direct the path for us. We are very lucky to have a guru like Sri Swamiji in our lives.Thank you Appaji for preparing and guiding towards our inner journey.

Sri Guru Datta

Welches Feuerwerk – Welch starke Kraft wirkt durch diese Botschaft.
Welch grosse Dankbarkeit und tiefe Freude empfinde ich, dass ich bei DIR sein darf, mein SADGURU! Danke!
OM DRAM DATTATREYAYA NAMAH
SRI GURU DATTATREYAYA NAMAH

JGD. Thank you Swamiji for all the subtle ways you have protected and guided my family towards understanding the lessons in this life and for providing the remedies needed.JGD