Stream Of Love, by JC re Sathya Sai Baba
http://www.sssbpt.info/html/index.html links to 35 books of Sathya Sai Speaks
online, as well as Baba's Vahini and Summer Showers series of books
JC's beautiful book poem to Sai Baba
STREAM OF LOVE
FOREWORD
LOVE is my only motive for wishing to express
the wordless words between my Lord and I.
LOVE is the reason why I am writing - for without
this _expression I am, as of yet, unable to bear
the intensity of Its Magnitude.
LOVE is the single cause for my desire to share His Love.
J.C.
Chapter I
O no my Lord
I shall not give up
You have summoned me
You have beckoned me
You have opened the Door for me
and now I wait ...
until Your Grace will bring me full completion
Torn to pieces are the old ideas
Shattered the vague dreams for tomorrow
for You bathed me in a moment of Truth
and I have emerged unclothed
Strangely naked do I walk through the world
anxiously awaiting the Garment of Your Love
Softly He speaks:
"... your worldly emptiness deepens your vessel
so I will be able to fill it ever so much with My Nectar Divine
Be still, o little one
hold high your crying eyes
for I look upon you with every passing moment
I only make you wait in order to be able to complete
your fulfillment in all My Glory ...
Meanwhile ...
I shall ease your hour of waiting
and soothe your being with My Words
I wish to console your yearning soul
O let me be your companion during your days of emptiness
Do not listen to the whisperings of your mind
but let us converse awhile
until the Fire of Love embraces your horizon
Trust Me ...
in due time I shall bring you all that I AM
Rest in the shadow of My Greatness
until you are ready for the full brightness of My love
In joyful waiting … time gets lost!
No longer is there any need for searching
It is now time for Me to tell you
that in your material world there is nothing left to learn
The tangles of its web can still be perceived
but they have ceased to serve any purpose for you
With My Name upon your lips you will gradually
distance yourself from its hypnotic grip
From now on ... you are My Bride
No need to wonder if you have pleased Me,
if you have won My Heart ..?
Yes - your question has been answered
I have chosen you
Your search is over
Your labor is finished
You shall now abide in joyful preparation
for My Permanent Arrival
During your waiting chant the Holy Name
for It will generate a soft flow of Golden Light
slowly permeating your every cell
until your whole being shall be able
to withstand the Supreme Flood of My undiffused Light ...
My Love in all Its Glory ...
The Fire of My limitless Self ...
Let Me tell you about this Holy Occupation
I ask of you to prepare yourself in this manner
I summon you to call upon My Name
at all times in all places
I shall lead you to the understanding of the secret
of this most Sacred Form of Prayer, o so pleasing to My Heart
The Holy Name will fasten you to My Being
All your senses will become securely attached to Me
and out of that freedom you can safely abide at My Feet
The danger of the pulling towards the outer world
will subside
I command you to build an Altar in the Temple of your heart
The blossoming flowers on this Altar shall consume
the weaving workings of your mind
All perceptions and evaluations will burn
on this Altar of Love
O My dear .. do not hesitate
The only task at hand you have from now on
is to sit quietly at My Altar in your heart and
ceaselessly utter My Sacred Name
I desire only your attention
With each repetition of My Name
you break a chain with worldly existence
The mind, which is so fond of creating connections
with the world of finite matter,
now makes connections with My Land of Infinite Light
It breaks the bondage ...
It sets you free ...
moment by moment you are loosening the Chain of Time
and freed from this Iron Burden
you shall weightlessly enter the Sacred Realm of Absolute Truth"
And I say:
" O, sweet Lord, so soothing are Your Words
I pray ... do settle my overworked mind
and make expand my immature heart
Do not allow the greedy mind
to steal away the jewels of my heart
during the hazy dawn of my inner life
Let there be no intruders
Let my heart become like the jealous spouse
carefully guarding her new found treasure ..."
My Lord responds:
" Do not be discouraged when slothfulness of the mind
seems persistent in the beginning
I will tell you that the first phase of this practice
is best mastered when with each repetition
you pray that I shall teach you how to pray
In this manner your heart will learn humility
No sincere prayer is possible without
the fertile soil of honest humility
It will become a constant reminder
that the real doer is Me
...Gradually with each time that you call My Name
you will recognize that it is I Who is calling you
Your heart will soften so by this realization
that it will hasten to find a re-occurrence
and therefore will seek another glorious repetition
Yes, My dear, I am anxious for you to come Home
Know this and shed Tears of Joy
Do not keep Me waiting
All I ask from you is to look at Me
and say My Name ...
I will never disappoint you!
Would I ask you to be devoted to Me
if I was not utterly and totally committed to you?
I offer you everything
Every fulfillment of all wishes
You cannot comprehend the depth of My Desire
to please and delight you ...
If you would be able to understand but a fraction
of this part of My Nature you would instantly
succumb to a full surrender
O - be alert and catch a glimpse
of this astounding fact
for I constantly exert Myself in this endeavor
O How I long to enter your heart
My Shrine of Truth
The Sanctuary of My Glory
The very Fountain of My Essence".
Chapter II
I pray, o Beloved Lord
that my days of lesser Light
will be made worthwhile with tears of agony
shed out of intense longing for Your Presence
How else, my Lord, can Time be made useful ...?
Empty are the days that have gone by
without the warm caress of tears of Bliss
or the burning of the painful tears of agonizing separation
Do not let my heart be so dry that tears fail to well up!
Remove forever the insistent dullness of my soul
and let me be able to receive the Divine Flood of Your Light
to such an extent that it will render to pieces
the memory of man-made thoughts
and I will stand anew ...
with the fierceness of genuine experience as my foundation
I long to be aglow with Your Glory
" Listen carefully to My Words, dear child," says my Lord
" They will bring you close to My Heart
and awed by wonderment
you will feel My Embrace
My teachings for the Prayer of Praise are like
showing you the steps of My Dance
Once you will remember the steps
you will effortlessly express the Dance,
the Eternal Flow of My Being
I ask you to delve into the common experiences
of every day living and allow Me to transcend them ...
Look how - out of zest for Light
people build their churches and temples
but how - with their many words and colliding opinions
they smother the subtle inspiration
which was once their starting point
Now watch as they begin to sing ...
... suddenly all differences are forgotten
Wonderful unity reigns
A glorious surge is felt
The gathering of voices singing My Glory
brings about exalted Peace
So too, My child, it is with your mind and heart
Still the many voices of the mind
allow them to descend into the Temple of your heart
and sing My Name
Love-filled Silence shall well up
pervading your very being
I know that you experience this
while being engaged in chanting My Songs
with a large group filled with fervor
Unmistakably it melts your heart
It makes light your thought-worn mind
O How it delights your soul!
You truly experience My Presence
Think about it ..
how the inner repetition of My Name in due time
brings you this Glorious Gift of continuous Bliss
How exhilarating it is to busy yourself
with this Holy Occupation
for it assures you of My speedy Arrival
It never falls short of Victory!
I become fully accessible to the one who calls Me!
Sweeten your contemplation with
the following comparison:
when you are deeply in love
you always wish to share with your beloved
any encounters of beauty,
likewise - be eager to share every moment with Me
and in your attempt of doing so
call My Name ...
Let Me remind you
I love you so
that I also need something that belongs to you
to cherish and treasure ...
therefore I repeat your Name with My every Breath
in anxious waiting for the gift of your heart
I am unable to stop calling you!
You say that you pray to Me -
but let Me tell you ...
I am the One praying to you
Pleading with you: please be Mine
Your only task today is to celebrate Me
Your thoughts about yesterday create tomorrow
and today becomes erased
Look at Me
Repeat My Name
for I AM the only Reality
I AM the Source of all that you might seemingly lack
There is no greater Certainty than Me
No longer busy yourself with the happenings
of the world - but immerse yourself contently
in the very essence of your being
My Name is your Essence
for I AM your Creator
My Name serves as the Sun
The heat of the Sun decomposes food at a fast pace
similarly the Scorching Brightness of My Name
dissolves thoughts quickly
while otherwise they would have
to endure the duration of Time
Soften your efforts with effortlessness
Only practice brings this utter ease about
Soothe your sadhana with this conviction
and soon it will fructify
Do not doubt Me
I am teaching you a Song Divine
Do not receive It with the strain of a frown
but with the eager receptivity
of a young lovers heart
If the mind tries to distract you
and persistently wants to talk to you
treat it like any human being who insists
on talking to you, while you are actually
in a hurry for an appointment:
tell it - that you will talk later!
Gradually the mind will go away
There are no thoughts to be thought out
only Songs to be listened to!
O, little flower of My Soul
No longer hesitate at My Words
Become fully aware of the Truth I proclaim
Forever fasten the thought of certainty onto your heart
Imagine how it feels to believe beyond a doubt
that by repeating My Name the moment of Awakening
comes within reach and will soon be yours
How gloriously happy you must feel
at the end of each day, knowing that
you have remembered this Holy Occupation
and assured yourself the permission
to enter My Golden Temple
You must dwell upon this grand anticipation
just like you would if:
after taking the correct medication
you are joyful about the prospect
of regaining your physical health
How elated you will be - soon to be relieved
from the pains and discomforts!
Or, if:
you have travelled all day and
you realize that you shall reach
your destination the following day
The fatigue of the travel disappears
by this delightful thought
How easily you relate to these common experiences
of worldly life!
Use them ... and transform them into a higher conviction.
In such a way - you should conduct
your earthly days
BELIEVE ... KNOW ... FULFILL "
Chapter III
Hearing Your Song Divine
makes mute the noise of the world, o Lord
Watching Your Dance
renders motionless the whirling of the universes
In the first shimmering light of understanding
I realize that being in prayer is actually living in the presence of Truth
For the heart that dwells in Truth sings only Your Name ...
The mind, aware of Your Reality, looks nowhere else but to You ...
The soul conscious of Your Presence
is filled with awe and draws onto itself
the most deep-felt humility ...
O Lord I have sung many songs
now I long to sing ONLY ONE SONG
My Lord answers:
" In this Stillness I visit with you
I gaze upon your longing heart
and fill it with My Assurance of Love
Little by little
this Holy Stream shall cleanse your vessel
The murky remainders of relative existence
will be washed away
by the pure Current of My Nectar Divine
The Sweetness of your repetition of My Name
creates a Blanket of Rose Petals
in front of My Altar
You are stringing flowers
into the Garland of Love
embracing your heart, mind, soul and body
Gradually you will inhale
the sweetness of its fragrance
inebriating your being steadily
until you can survive the intoxication of Divine Drunkenness
By reciting My Holy Name I lead you
to one of My most wondrous aspects: My Omnipresence
Suffused with the Nectar of My sweet Name
you will find Me by your side at all times
Omnipotence flows forth from My Omnipresence
and ultimately this will lead you effortlessly
into My Omniscience
for at this point you as an "entity" no longer perceive
and I alone shall be conscious in you
Know that - once you have passed
the point of being attached to the perceiver
you should not stand still at Revelations of Light
It induces the danger of satisfaction,
according to the standards of the old perceiver
You no longer live by these standards
You now live by My Standard
and I take you to Flight
and drench you more and more with My Light
As the perceiver you had to learn contentment
in order to become still ... so I could catch you
Do not mistake satisfaction for contentment
Satisfaction will make you limp
and you will stray away from My Path
You have ever to remain eager
to behold Me in the Fullness of My Glory
First I allow you to think
that it is by your effort that you are able
to think of Me and love Me,
that it is the result of your "free will"
It is all part of My Game
because after your heart melts
by your loving thoughts
I become the Stealer of your Heart
and snatch away your imagined dominion
Be prepared - for I am a jealous husband
No longer shall secular thoughts be tolerated
I have taken possession of your heart
and no one shall share My Throne ..!
Sweet is the process of this Playful Path
At first - you seek with effort
that chamber in your heart
where you place Me on the adorned seat
But ... as you spend more and more time
with Me in your heart, you will widen its space
and no more shall you need the effort of visualization
Soon - the picture will change
and you will feel that you are abiding in My Heart
and the world will become the cavity of My Heart
and distinctions fade away ...
In the beginning you are to see Me facing you
As time goes by - My Image will merge
with your perceptions
and I will be at the Center of your heart - facing out
I lead you along this Path of Praising the Holy Names
since I am eager to reveal My Fullness to you
I urge you to pray unceasingly
until you can withstand
the intensity of My Light Divine
Then I shall reveal to you that
there simply is no relationship for I AM YOU
Meanwhile ...
watch for the pitfalls along the road
Be ALWAYS alert about the motives of your Prayer
Ask yourself if you seek a result in the outer world,
in that case you will find yourself tense while in prayer
I might even give you the desired result in the outer
but ... for your inner life it will remain fruitless
and time has been wasted
Do not concern yourself with results in outer life
for in your haste you create Time
and you prolong the process unnecessarily!
Also:
defer from speaking to "yourself"
It only strengthens your "phantom existence"
and those whom you regard as "personalities" around you
You do them as well a disservice
if you mentally hold conversations with them
You add energy to their "imagined entities"
Remember:
it is not wise to over-exert yourself
in the effort to visualize My Form
Rather rest in the assurance
that I shall come of My own accord
Fill yourself with joy while entertaining this expectation
and soon My Form shall emerge and
consume your horizon
Contemplate this thought:
you have heard My Call
My Plea to you for unceasing prayer is My Call
When you repeat My Name
you confirm that Call
Your very utterance is the affirmative response
First you hear My Voice
and with your acknowledgement
I come nearer and nearer
After My Voice comes My Form ...
it is a logical consequence!
Watch carefully as you seem to discover
that you understand better ...
Here lies the Mighty Serpent of Pride
Be well aware that it is not you
who understands better,
but that I allow you to let Me
become more aware of Myself through you
It is My Desire that it is so!
I do not choose you to become aware of Me
instead I choose that you shall no longer exist
so I can be more aware of Myself
Remember this always when the dark veil of shameless pride
attempts to cover your awakening soul
Enlightenment in ANY degree is NOT a feat on your part
It is but the conclusion of My imparted Will
It has nothing to do with you
It is solely the Manifestation of My Feast
In this delightful Void, your "nothingness",
you do not have to carry the Burden of Acquired Wisdom
only breathe the Sweetness of Love
You look at Me and try to see Me
but let Me tell you - you cannot see Me
I ALONE can see Me
and in My looking at Me you disappear
Do not resist - you shall not succeed
you only prolong the Game of Shadows
I desire for you to be My Flute
This is My Wish
My Will
My Accomplishment."
Chapter IV
O Lord let me enhance the beauty of Your Creation
by carrying Your Name always upon my lips
Gold is the web by which You hold this Earth
I do not wish to send up clouds of smog,
a clinging mass of thoughtless thoughts
and discolor Your panorama of Brilliance
I do not wish to disturb Your Melody Divine
which You spread so lovingly through this atmosphere,
by uttering meaningless words
Without Your Name - I am but a skeleton
vegetating undeservedly on Your Land of Plenty
Submerge me, o Lord, in the sweet sound
of the Songs of Your Glory
For without it - I am deaf,
stumbling through a jungle of incoherent noises
Grace my eyes with the perpetual Vision of Your Form
For without it - I might as well be blind
What good are eyes that register untruth
and thereby create mindless matter ...
the sole source of pollution
O - do grant me release from this destructive disease
and hold me forever more in Your Glorious Land of Gold
"My child - in your view of daily life you imagine
to find matters of incomplete Truths
But do not be hasty
for in My Vision, all that you see
is evidence of My Truth
Rejoice in perceiving Me,
even if you can do so partially
and rest ...
You say that you long for the Vision of My Form
I tell you, look:
the world is the visual _expression of Me
I also give you the awareness by which you can experience
this world - that awareness is part of My Consciousness
Therefore, inside and outside you have the Vision of My Form
Beyond comprehension is your good fortune, however,
since your mortal eyes have also beheld My living Form,
the impermanent frame for the Permanent One
This, My dear, has seduced your senses
to the taste of Immortality
Now it has become much easier for Me
to steer you along the Ways of Prayer
I wish for you to remain
on the other side of the world
You see, through My physical Absence
your longing for My Presence multiplies a thousandfold
and this yearning will enable you
to pray without ceasing and through that process
I become FULLY conscious in you
and not one iota of the world can separate us
Pray, pray, pray - so I can be yours ...
At first My manifested Form is a means
to make you hear the Call of the Unmanifest
My Form becomes a reminder to you
Your Love and Devotion for My Form and Attributes
opens your heart for the Light of My Unmanifested Nature
Then finally the awareness of My Universal Being
shall consume your consciousness
Your meditations are still fluttered
by a breeze of hurriedness!
Sometimes in your fear of being unable to perceive Me
you try frantically to recapture yesterday's moments
of sweet communication with Me
Certainly I allow you to do so for awhile ...
but I do await the moment in which
you have become so free that you embrace it
with full expectation of My "renewed" arrival,
knowing that I will delight you
in an ever unexpected new way!
Do not give way to despondency
Discouraging thoughts have only one master
who gives them substance - this is Time
They stand no chance
since My Weapon is Infinity
and under My protection Time will be swallowed
and you shall stand ablaze in My Eternal Light
Do not allow yourself to think
that your prayers are imperfect
I only ask you to pray
for I am the One Who will drape
the Mantle of Perfection over your prayers
Never feel unworthy - just DO
and your patience shall lead you into Silence
where My Song always reigns ...
This is truly My Darshan:
My enveloping you with subtle promptings
gradually soothing you with My Blanket of Grace
continuously raising your awareness of My Presence
while your eyes look outward
until they shall see NONE but ME
Sweet light penetrating the dusty chambers of your soul!
Once you understand that the "assumed doings"
you accumulated are illusionary
you will also know that your "undoing"
is not a severe task
Everything will become Joy
In actuality - life has always been a preparation
for this exalted state of being
Out of habit one looks at the time and circumstances
when one experiences joy
but this connection is false
Dive only into its Source
Any feeling of joy is simply
a foretaste of the Bliss I have in store for you
Do not indulge in the outer cause
of the moment of happiness
I urge you to trace its very Essence
You will learn to drink continuously
from My Fountain of Joy
The Chanting of Holy Names
is the Path of Joy
It annihilates the necessity of the crude encounters
with the harshness of relative existence
in order to awaken the dormant desire to live in My Glory
It keeps from you the bitter taste of the world's unrealities
My Name is My Form
All that belongs to Me is contained in My Name
The Chanting of My Name
becomes My Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan
You will summon My Form
You will be in touch with My Being
and I will embrace you with My Words
I am showing you
the blissful Road of unalloyed Joy
This is the Path of the Utmost Grace
Effortlessly ... you shall KNOW
Joyously ... you shall BEHOLD
No need to sharpen your thinking
for your thoughts I shall erase
I lead you to My Eternal Realm of Truth Absolute"
CHAPTER V
Glorious Lord
Your Call for Joy makes light
my days of earthly exile
Detachment loses the color of the often self-imposed suppression
it becomes rather ignited by the Light of Expansion
since I learn to find ever new joy
in the bonds that seemingly bind me ...
My shackles become my offerings
How empty-handed I would be
if I left behind all attachments and relations
Nothing would be left to give You ...
How could I earn Your Gift of Freedom
if I was too afraid to create a gift for You
And so I watch ...
as I busily weave a garland of collected chains
in happy anticipation of its offering to You
And in my joy the shackles fall
before they succeed to bind me
and quickly I catch the shower
of loosened flowers
and lift them up to Your smiling Face
O - how we enjoy the play
of this illusive rain of shimmering shackles
and beautiful bouquets ...
"Your understanding gladdens My heart", so my Lord responds
"for nothing will be gained by running in fear
Self-centered life is like tasting only
one ingredient of a delicious food
Entering spiritual life does not suggest
the giving-up of that specific ingredient
Instead ..
one has to bite into the food as a whole
in order to get the full taste
So too - life in the world is only a minute part of Life
Detesting or even neglecting it does not make it go away
Accepting and embracing it as My Manifestation
makes you ripe for the Whole Fruit I have to offer
Therefore ...
by no means do I wish for you
to distance yourself from worldly life
Do not forget
your life as a mother and wife
supports the Wheel of Creation
and in this holy task
you help sustain the necessary stages of Life
from the irreplaceable working man
to the noble saint living in solitude
They all depend on the life of the householder
Every creature in My Creation is Sacred
Each task at any stage is Divine
Delve into the Purity of My Purpose
and soon you will discover the Glory of Existence
You will learn to perceive clearly the assigned roles
I have designated for man and woman
I shall tell you about the Woman:
.. Glorious is the status of womanhood
for Mother Nature endowed her with selfless endless compassion
She rocks the Cradle of Mankind
and her smile awakens the dormant Flame of Life
Soothing is her hand that softens
the awkwardness of uncertain steps
Her radiance hides in her ever-present helpfulness
Her strength lies in understanding
Her power lies in patience
Her glory in simplicity
Her wisdom in acceptance
She provides the needed rest
for all actions performed and
offers rejuvenation necessary
for all actions to come
She is the sustenance of action
Her embrace allows creation to create
and in great reverence she accepts her role
and shines like a thousand Suns...!
Now let Me tell you about the Man:
... Man of Creation
Flawless is the role designed for you
for power is vested in your duty as man
Relentless is your perseverance
Authoritative your logic
Compact your concentration
and noble your truthfulness
You carry out the workings of creation
and in doing so
you offer mankind the open road to God's Temple
Your piercing ability for discrimination
lifts her into righteous action
Your endurance carries
her over distracting obstacles
Your self-reliance invokes
the strength for her to complete her duties
You are the provider and fulfiller of Creation
and stand ablaze in My Light...!
Without blemish is My Creation
Mankind is My Crestjewel
for I endowed her with awareness
Take in these precious treasures
in steady measures, My dear, and
still your awareness with My Song
You undoubtedly shall find the Splendor of My Glory."
CHAPTER VI
Thoroughly uplifting are Your Words, my Beloved
They carry me high above the snares of relative existence
Still -
stormy weather can suddenly cloud
my sunlit skies
The Wheel of Illusion can unexpectedly bring me
naughty nights with wicked whims
lashing out on me harshly
and tossed by Your baffling game of mischief
You sometimes have me turning right and left
Now I look forward, now I look back
The restless motion of the seesaw
makes my mind jump in leaps and bounces
as You pull playfully on the cords
of unexpected uncertainties
The roller-coaster takes me hither and thither
and all careful thought-out plans wither
The ego panics in her time-bound haste
and turns Your Flow in moments of waste
O Lord
what else can I do at a time like this
than to smile and wait awhile
until the turbulent Waves of Your Ocean Divine
have cleansed once again the collected dirt
on the shores of my mindless mind
... and I will find the Pearl of my heart
newly polished on the golden sands
beckoning me to treasure her fresh shiny glow
at the sunrise of a brand new day
of this chapter in Your playful Play ...
"My little one,
do not entertain darkening thoughts
for the zigzag ways of your doubtful mind
cloud the innocence of your sparkling heart
The invisible frown lays a veil
over the luster of your eyes
and reveals your gnawing questions
at dark moments like these
The forceful Flow of Divine Friendship
is halted by your hindering hesitations
And in your hurry to find answers
you trip over the gems I have placed before you
... and you cry over your fall!
Be still, My friend
and dare to trust
Do not ask
Be at peace for I bring you all the answers
since I have chosen to carry you Home
Rejoice - there is Nothing left to Know
there is Nothing left to Do!
In the world of polarities
you will always encounter the waves of change
It invites you to exercise your flexibility
The flexibility of the movement
of the limbs of your spirituality
Change is alright
its confusion is alright!
Energy is shifting
Breaking down old formations of atoms
and the commotion of their seeking
a new balance
It makes you ride the wave of change
and its current scrapes away
the residue of old phases of life
The courage to simply endure her torment
builds a boat of indelible strength
for it accepts the Essence of Nature
and in its acceptance lies the grandeur of mastership
This boat carries you safely to the other shore
It cannot escape the motion of the waves
but it keeps you from drowning
and with the oars of endurance and perseverance
you gradually become Master of the Sea of Illusive Change."
CHAPTER VII
When You give me a taste of Truth Divine, o Lord
I feel engulfed by an unbroken Flow of moments
and fully content I rock to her motion
Then suddenly a call is heard ...
On the still horizon of free moments
the sweet chain of Time offers
the spell of Divine Anticipation
and beckons me to answer Your Call
to imbibe in Your Presence Concrete
Instantly Time has cast its captivating net over me
and the counting of days, hours and minutes
now parades through my mental frame
So - in my loving haste to behold Your Form
I also have to endure the slow motion
of time-eating events
And in my joy I suffer
yet ... through my suffering my joy deepens
and taps the source of an ever-increasing Love
The discovery so sweet
... it justifies the marking of Time
"Miraculous is the Magic of Love
Hold on to Its spell, My child,
for soon it will transform your worlds
and transport you to My Land of Truth
Cherish your feelings of blissful anticipations
but do not let this gem lie idle
while you can bring it to use
at any given time
I urge you to think often of
what I am telling you:
Imagine that I am the One
hiding in the impatient customer
you try to help
I am in him, playing his role
watching you
hoping that you will remember Me
longing for you to recognize Me
and if I find you doing so ...
the customer would suddenly disappear
and My actual Form would be standing
in front of you!
O - imagine the overwhelming joy you would experience!
Find Me - eavesdropping on you
during your many worldly conversations
Expect Me to suddenly appear by your side
Your breathlessness caused by this thought
will silence useless talk
How much more intent
would you care for the ones in need
realizing that I am behind the tearful eye
and the trembling hand
watching you ...
gauging the depth of your humbleness,
the purity of your actions
so I could burst forth at ANY time
and shower your soul with My Darshan
My disguises are many!
You see - you do not have
to limit your joys of expectations
to your pilgrimage to My Form Concrete
Seeds of Love you sow
in this way
and rich will be your harvest
Along this Path
you will unmistakably reach
the mature state of Love Supreme
No longer shall helpful hints be necessary
or thoughtful reminders required
for the Ultimate Vision of Love
embraces all
In this Vision
all that you perceive
loses its distinctions
The intensity of your Love flings open
the Door to My Reality
and ... laughingly you now behold
your entire world as the Manifestation of My Divinity
Clearly - you now understand
that no individual substance is present anywhere
Nothing can exist without the Breath of My Will
Lifeless corpses would cover a dead Earth
All that lives
All that moves
All that breathes
is the direct _expression of My Being
Nothing is marked as bad
Nothing is glorified as good
Nothing separates
My Existence is like the Tree,
can you say that one limb belongs
more to the Tree than another limb
because it differs in size or shape?
Is one leaf fed by a different source
than the next leaf?
It is sheer foolishness to busy yourself
with analyzing the Tree in this way
I am the root of this Tree
and so its manifestation as a whole
is My _Expression ALONE
It is simply exhausting the mind
when one judges others
cherishes opinions
and speculates endlessly
In the Vision of Love Absolute
one breathes only Me
one enjoys only Me
one's awareness is only Me
All your humble prayers lead you to this Victory
Your simple anticipations of the seeing
of the Form Divine clear the road
Therefore - expect Me
... wherever you go
... wherever you look
Put aside any discussions
Stop diverting your attention
Behold the Tree of My Existence
and suffuse your being with Its Fragrance"
CHAPTER VIII
I yearn deeply for the moment
of Total Embrace
when I shall cease to linger
at fragmented views
and shall be freed
from the burden of collected conditions
O sing me another Song, my Lord
so I will forget my time-bound distress
while reveling in the Comfort of Your Voice
"Gladly do I speak to you, My Love," says the Lord
"for I seek only your presence
and all I wish to bring you is Joy
The Source of Joy lies in simplicity
Man has created complexity
for he relishes the thought of doership
Covering the Stillness of his heart
with the loudness of his actions
he deems himself the doer
and vanity knocks on his door at all hours
But when misery arrives
he is quick to point at the 'other' doers
surrounding him!
Meanwhile building himself
a Solid Wall for his personal Prison
How dreadful is his game
how morbid his future!
He lives by this temporary bread alone
until he almost chokes on the dryness of its many crumbs
and helplessly he starts to long
for the Water of Life
His increasing Thirst seems to lessen his attachments
and eagerly he tries to recapture
the Freedom of Being
Watchful does one have to be at this stage!
For once again the Shadows of Pride and Guilt
can bring havoc ...
even though carrying a different dimension
The charm of 'acquiring virtues'
becomes so very enticing
for those unable to radically renounce doership
while the Noose of Guilt on the other hand
tries to strangle his noble efforts
Sides of the same coin are these,
waving different banners
but proclaiming loudly the same existence of doership
with their willful master guiding them: the ego
Hankering after dominating leadership
the ego now seeks an extension for his existence
by busying the mind with 'reaching results'
in the realm of the Spirit
Clever he is ... in muffling the Song of Silence
ever singing in the Soul,
overpowering it with the noisy Game of Progress
Intoxicated by the smell of competition with Time
he now desperately looks for proof of improvement
on his illusionary road to Infinity
Every turn he makes he becomes bombarded
with either his own disapproval of his behavior
or his elation about a 'conquered' fear
The ego is brilliant in keeping the clock ticking!
His demand for the binding thought of doership
assures him the acknowledgement of the pendulum of
cause and effect with the inescapable ingredient of Time
Always reinforcing yesterday
by generating feelings of guilt
and the renewed promises for betterment
assuring him the continuity of tomorrow
The thought of doership
and its companion 'self-interest' are not natural
You can see how they burden you
and hang heavy on your shoulder
distracting your attention from finding peace
O My dear
do away with it ...!
Refuse to be intrigued
by failure or victory
No longer be trapped
by fascinations for progress or regress
Be free
and encounter Naked Truth
There is NO sin in this world!
The only sin attached to mankind
is forgetfulness about the Real Doer
There are NO contradictions
only misunderstandings
There is NO suffering
only misconceptions
How simple - so very simple!
All entrapments dissolve
under the Glance of True Love
Forget the complexity of doership
Relinquish the many and
behold the One!
Break the bonds
and find endless joy
in the One Who moves every leaf
Who makes your eye see
Who allows your ear to hear
Who directs the air you breathe
Who installs the Stars in the Sky
Who warms you with the Rays of the Sun
Who delights your mind with the Light of the Full Moon
Who covers your winterland with a Blanket of White Magic
Who makes bloom the budding Blossoms of Fragrant Flowers
Who exults in showering Bliss upon your soul
I am all THAT
Accept Me...!"
CHAPTER IX
The lingering of my awareness of Time
makes me unaware of Your Truth
I pray to You, my Lord
show me the utter reality of Untruth!
If I am not allowed perfect health
at least let me know that I am ill
so I can grow disgusted with my disease
Guide me through the maze of magic
Lead me through the labyrinth of illusion
And He responds:
"The Sword of Logic is a Mighty Weapon
in this phantom land of forms
It cuts asunder the Glitter of Fancy
and lays bare the flawless Essence
Watch carefully as we examine
the worlds inner and outer
Your very thoughts, feelings and emotions
undergo an endless process of change
Enriched by yesterday's joy,
this feeling has added to the flavor
of the little 'me' of your personality
and never can this imprint be erased
Today's disappointment has given your 'mind'
a touch of bitterness and this experience too
becomes a permanent resident
Yesterday's mind did not have today's view
Today's mind is still without tomorrow's color
The eye that sees today will always
be different from yesterday's
The mind which registers has been altered
by yesterday's memories
and will be changed by today's experiences
Therefore - you NEVER possess the same mind
You cannot think twice with the same mind!
And you claim to be the owner of the mind?
What mind?
You relate to this ever-changing structure
as 'yourself - your personality' ...!
How feeble and elusive is this foundation
you imagine to be standing on!
How can you assume ownership
of something that is here today
but will have vanished tomorrow ..?
It is like proclaiming that you own
a small flow of water which streams
by in a big river!
Fleeting impressions passing through
an ever-changing structure of flesh and bones
Yes - the body, too, is subject to absolute impermanence
The molecules of the body are always busy
with altering their formations,
molding a different material structure every minute
NEVER are you in the same body
which you call 'yours' with 'your mind'!
And:
that which 'your' eye sees
and that which 'your' mind observes
is also not in the same state as the prior day
and will be different from tomorrow
The world around you is
in a constant flux of change
The tree in your garden cannot possibly
be in the same state as yesterday
nor will the flower display the same color
How can one possibly attach an entity, a personality
to ever-changing states of mind
housed in an ever-changing body
looking at an ever-changing world!
The thought of I and its imagined attributes
of 'my and mine' is a fallacy
It is utterly non-existent!
In ignorance man holds on to this phantom image
in his feverish attempt to control his existence
He wishes to stagnate motion
He desires to bring it to a halt
in order to view the borders of his horizon
But - that which moves cannot be still
and that which is still cannot move
How can he, who changes ceaselessly,
dare to seek control over that which changes as well?
The swimming fish in the streaming waters
cannot possibly attempt to change
the course of the moving clouds in the sky
The movement of Everything
is caused by My Breath alone
It is the display of My Maya
Motion is My Action
To try to understand My Movement
is truly a foolish effort
Therefore - the wish to conquer My Maya is futile
for you cannot conquer Me
Realize that it is My playful Creation
Witness It
Admire It
Enjoy It
Understand this underlying Principle
and it will give you the clarity of mind
to let go and let be
Watch as this Truth will thin
the solidity of 'your circumstances'
and the desire to control will ebb away
My dear child,
I do not ask you to endure
the harshness of non-reality
Leave behind impatience
for impatience demands Time
and creates the choking chain of recorded moments
Instead ...
I urge you to use the Sword of Logic,
with the sharp edges of Discrimination
and penetrate through the elusiveness of 'existence'
Then - with ease you shall partake
of the benevolence of acceptance
which offers the restful stillness necessary
in order to become aware of the movement of My Dance
and your Song will forever be richer than yesterday's
while tomorrow's Song will be sweeter yet
as the fleeting particle of 'your existence'
will find its permanent resting place
in My Flow Divine"
CHAPTER X
Lord of Light
God of Wisdom
Divine Mother of my Heart
Holy Father of my Soul
King of Kings
Bountiful Giver of Supreme Grace
You, Who exudes the Highest glory
It is You I adore!
My Lord tells me:
" Sing a Song
Pray a Prayer
Think a blissful thought
and thereby lay the bricks
for Your Temple of Light
It is you alone who build
the temple in your heart
Your friends and relatives do not help you
with the construction of this Holy Dwelling
Every prayer lays a stone
each chant erects a wall
the tears of bliss quickly create My Throne
O, the Way of Prayer is not only
the sure Way to me
but it also forms a protective shield
My Name is like an Umbrella
which keeps you safe from
the Stormy Showers of the World
Seek shelter under this Umbrella of Love
Console yourself in moments of shadow
that at least on this day
you have raised your eyes upwards
and uttered My Name
bringing the completion of Your Temple nearer
Rejoice - for you have prayed!
The Holy Name offers you My inner Darshan
The effect of the seeing of My outer Form
is utterly inexplicable for your finite mind,
likewise the result of Japa
has a miraculous result in a gradual but certain way
Do not abandon it!
No longer measure the value of the day
by how well you performed your worldly actions
by how much you accomplished your tasks
but remember - there is but one criteria:
has your day been showered with
the Fragrance of My Presence?
Did you find yourself taking deep breaths
at the sheer delight of detecting My Love...?
Stay close to this Fire
keep yourself aglow with its warmth
by chanting the Holy Names
It keeps the rhythm of your soul
in tune with the Song of My Heart
and in sweet embrace we shall dance
to Its Melody Divine
Forever pleasing Me this way
you will find the Joy of Contentment
and this contentment brings you
the Calm of Peace
It is in this Stillness
that you shall find the Pearl of Love
Know that once you have longed deeply
for the state of Beauteous Love Divine
that this is surely the announcement of Its arrival
How could you recognize something
if it hadn't already been perceived by you?
Therefore - it already belongs to you
How could you possibly become aware of something
beyond your view ...
out of reach ...?
Compare it with the roadway
You cannot see the vehicle around the corner
but as it is approaching you
you begin to notice it..!
So too with your increasing awareness of Love Divine
Ever nearer do I come
until your view becomes My Vision
How soothing this is for your yearning soul
You receive what you perceive!
Such is the Magnet of Love
ever more strengthened by the remembrance of My Name
reverberating throughout your being
This Sacred Silent Singing stills the mind
and makes it sit in reverence
at the Altar of My Temple in your heart"
CHAPTER XI
Intoxicating is Your Presence
from Which flows a bounty of Words Divine
and in my elation over this Nectar
I find myself losing 'myself'
O Lord - as for today I have lost all control
for nothing is mine
The call to restrain the mind in an attempt
at so-called 'self-control'
goes in vain for me
The Song of my heart overpowers its whisperings
and heedlessly do I consume
whatever my plate offers
Joyfully do I indulge in Your Gift
and in my words of gratitude gets drenched
the notion of distinctions
Bubbling are my words
when sought to express Your Glory
and the desired spiritual silence will have to wait
Thoughts from a thousand directions
crowd this mind...
but I fail to stop them
for I am amused by this Flood of Your Energy
In Your Love for me
You have robbed me
and nothing is left to claim my own
Control I have not ...
for You took 'myself'
The Lord says:
"Embrace these moments of Joy
for they offer you the Pearl Necklace of Bliss
The tears from your eyes
form the streams of Love
reaching My Ocean of Bliss
Cleansing the soil from your soul,
revealing ever more the Splendor of My Truth
Awakening to the Sight of Stillness
you learn to perceive the illusive process of becoming:
... how the succession of moments
offers the notion of Time to the ignorant
while it simply indicates the Presence of Eternity
for the divinely inspired mind
... how the succession of several musical notes
allows the impression of a song
to be imprinted upon the worldly ear
yet it indicates only the Presence of Silence
for the enlightened soul
... how the combination of steps
brings the illusion of a dance
to the time-bound mind
yet the free man observes this continuity of motion
and finds delight in this _expression
of the Presence of Stillness
... how the succession of joys
creates the veil of pleasure for the earthly man
while it clearly reveals the Presence of Bliss
for the lover of God
... with the succession of pictures
one believes to be watching a movie
but the soul steeped in love for Truth
recognizes the indication of the Presence of the Screen
... how the process of becoming
deludes the blind with the thought of progress
while the wise man perceives only the State of Being
... how the human mind finds
in the repetition of experiences
the awareness of either pain or pleasure
yet the awakened one finds in it
the Essence of all awareness: My Consciousness
Without Eternity
Time has no foundation
Love Eternity ... and Time shall crumble
Without Silence
Song has no existence
Embrace Silence ... and the sound of the Song shall fade
Without Stillness
Dance has no source
Find the Stillness ... and the motions of Dance shall subside
Without Bliss
Pleasure has no ground
Seek Bliss ... and pleasure shall dissolve
Without the Screen
The movie cannot be projected
Search for the Screen alone ... and the movie shall halt
Without Being
Becoming has no beginning
Delight in Being ... and Becoming gets lost
Without My Consciousness
Your awareness has no existence
Delve into My Consciousness
and your limited awareness shall drown
Use all your senses
to perceive this Diamond of Truth
It frees the soul from all fear,
for it is fear alone
which attempts to seduce the ignorant man
in believing in fragmented manifestations
Search unceasingly for the Essence
and in the Absoluteness of Being
the certainty of Merging is fulfilled"
CHAPTER XII
The Mystery of Your Mercy
baffles my soul
as I watch the astounding display
of Your all-embracing Love
The wondrous downpour of Grace
covers mankind with the Blanket of Compassion
Sheltered by Your Love
Nurtured with Your Love
Cleansed by Your Love
O Lord - we cannot be without
the Radiance of Your Smile
Lifeless our lives would be
Depthless the depth of our misery would become
Beyond measure is the measure of Your Grace
Unfathomable Its Mystery
"My most treasured pastime
is the showering of Grace," He tells me
"I have created you out of Love
I wish for you to return with Love
and therefore I surround you by Love
Love is the Essence of My Being
Grace is Its _Expression
Out of my deep longing to bring you Home
My Grace manifests in multiple ways
For the truly imprisoned ones
with their staunch belief in Time
I have no choice
but to bring hardships upon them
The narrowing of Time and Space
has to suffocate them sufficiently
in order to awaken longing for expansion
The cry of despair
is their only Key to open
the Door to Hope for a wider Vision
This painful schooling is their only chance
to hear My Calling
Like the small child who insists
on doing things by himself, but yet too young
Stubbornly he persists, even though unsuccessful,
until he finally hurts himself
And it is this pain
which makes him look in despair for his mother
who all this time stood by his side
ready and eager to give him all that he needs
Those who cannot hear
and are unable to see
they need the manifestation of My Grace
in this louder form
... so they too will find their way Home
where I am anxiously waiting
Blessed are the humble ones
for their humility allows them
to delve into awe
which breaks any remaining boundaries
You see - I am like the gourmet cook
I can only enjoy so much of My own Food, My own Glory
I call into my dining room
those guests who delight in My Food
Those who believe they are able
to cook for themselves,
they do not wish to participate
But I love to beckon the ones
who are utterly unable to cook
and lavish My delicacies upon them
The unexpectedness of this nectarine Gift
overwhelms them with wonder
and supreme gratitude
O - how I love to gaze
upon their shining faces
How their joy becomes My Bliss!
The Softness of this Call of Grace
expands their hearts ever so much
Deeply touched by this _expression of My Love
they hear My whisperings clearer and clearer
The truly pure ones revel at all times
in the awareness of My Grace
Whatever they see is Love
Whatever they hear is Love
They ever acknowledge this continuous Outpour
and delight endlessly in Its Expressions
They are always alert
For them the showering of unexpected Bliss
in order to awaken them
is not needed
They freely and consciously breathe My Breath
throughout all Eternity
The different manifestations of My Grace
can never be measured in
smaller or larger portions
The Fullness of My Grace is ever FULL
How could My limitless Love
be bound by limitations
imagined in man's mind?
Some think of My Grace as a reward
but I do not stoop to the level of a tradesman
I am simply continuously engaged
in My Calling out to you
Love seeking Love
to unite in Love
Grace, My dear, is the ceaseless Melody
which My Love plays for you
It spreads over you
like the pink glow of the evening sunset
in Its attempt to embrace you tenderly"
CHAPTER XIII
O Lord Divine
Your Love so deep
warms my heart and soul
Steeped in this Glorious Nectar
a wish to spread this Golden Glow emerges
But how ...
does one pour this Flow
and yet leave Its purity untouched?
How does one spread a perfectly White Cloth
and yet leave It unstained?
Tell me, sweet Lord
how do I spend the Gift of Giving?
He answers:
"Indeed at times your Pitcher of Nectar
is so filled that It wishes to spill over ...
Love always seeks expansion
and longs to embrace
but Her Embrace never suffocates
instead Her Arms forever widen
in Her endless attempt to enfold!
So too ... should be your Gift of Giving
Leave behind the thought of your own doing
for this surely shall mark
the intended purity with dark stains
Abolish the lurking desires
to heighten your own image
for you will blur their vision
with the unnecessary colors of self-importance
Always be saturated
with the intense longing
to bring My Presence in the midst of those around you
You do likewise in worldly ways
After having spoken so highly
about your loved one
you are eager to bring him
into the company of your friends
and gladly you remain quiet
so they can relish his presence
So too in the subtleness of the spiritual Gift
your inner attention should be fully focussed
on the Presence of the Divine
For those whom you wish to embrace should,
when they take leave, be filled
with an inner sense of Joy
not because of having been with you
but ...
because they now feel more closely
united with Me
and Me they shall take with them
Your Gift is very well spent
if they leave more intensely aware
of their independence of you
but yet increasingly more aware
of their dependence on Me
True giving does NEVER seek a return
Lasting sweetness you shall find in this Silent Giving
If you wish to give
then you shall no longer 'take' from the world
It is in the state of your 'being'
where lies the Gift of Giving
In actuality you do not give
but those who measure in opposites
believe that you give
It is in the spaciousness of 'being'
where they find the disappearance of the distance
between Me and them
It is the Stillness of this 'being'
that nourishes their souls
and they will find rest in the Shadow of your Stillness
To pour freely from the Cup of Love
bring to mind that I love the one
in front of you more than words can describe
I love him
as deeply and tenderly
as I love you
Let this fact efface all opinions
you might hold about the one you face
Nothing hinders My Love
Your Flow too should be without a halt
Streaming freely
with the currents of
total Acceptance and limitless Compassion
This engenders subtle changes
in those who surround you
The still Radiance of Pure Love
elevates the striving seeker
to the state of true yearning for Love Divine
It is a magical transformation
For striving is born from the mind
and still quite concerned
with its own process of progress
while yearning springs forth
from the Inexhaustible Fountain of the Soul
and one becomes more and more
submerged in the sole longing
for the Presence of the Beloved
leaving behind all thought of self-effort
It is in the pursuit of a Goal
where Time is calculated
but the awe of wonder
born in the yearning soul
finds the Eternal Now
This is a true Gift!
Of greater value yet is this Gift
if you deposit this Treasure
in your friend's home
and slip out the door unnoticed
My sweet little soul do understand,
that with this comparison
I merely try to emphasize
the importance of the notion of non-doership
The more you feel this
the wider will be the Space you create
the fuller will be the Emptiness you bring
and in this Space and Emptiness
the lonely ones shall dry their tears
and find the Endless Expansion of Love's Embrace"
CHAPTER XIV
With reverence do I imbibe Your Words
In awe do I listen to
the Wisdom Divine Your Words carry
and forever unhindered do I wish
for this Flow to saturate my being
to melt my heart
to purify my every cell
to elevate my awareness ...
He continues:
"The more you discover about My Nature
the vaster will become your awe,
the deeper your reverence
In this fruitful Silence
you come ever closer to trusting
Awe inspires Faith
Reverence instills humility
This sweet combination fertilizes
the soil of your soul
and allows hindrances fabricated by the mind
to flee away and
trust can take root
Trust is the acknowledgement
of the existence of Truth
It is the surrender to non-action
In essence it embraces the thought of 'remembering'
When you try to remember something
you become very still
for you intuitively know
that crowding the mind
would keep the remembrance
from rising to the surface
Much easier it is to remember
than having to 'learn'!
The thought of simply remembering
brings the ease of surrender within reach
While those who strive to learn
block the road by the boulders of self-effort
One could compare it with falling asleep,
one realizes that there is nothing
the mind can do to make one fall asleep
No effort on the mind's part
can possibly erase its own activity!
At best it can only relax and surrender
in complete faith that it will
simply lose its own consciousness!
How very similar is this
for the mind which seeks enlightenment
All imaginations about the state of Liberation
have to go ...
For how could you project an image
of what you already are?
The very motion of your act of thought
disturbs the Stillness of Being
Enlightenment is never a spectacle
Enlightenment cannot be a perception
made by your limited self
It is only the ego which distinguishes
between spectacular and boredom
That which IS cannot undergo either
That which IS cannot undergo such modifications
Enlightenment is the natural outcome
of the clear state of mind
wiped clean by the Fire of your Heart
Forever hold still the Flame of Faith
for it burns away the anxious pursuit
of make-shift realities
Its warmth spreads like a soothing balm
healing the self-inflicted wounds
It lessens the lessons which
a fear-induced mind would have to endure
In Trust you can freely delight
in the care-free anticipation
of the Bounty of My Love
Remember:
you were never meant to be alone
nor was I ever meant to be left alone
No walls of Solitude
did I create in My Creation
As 'me' - you stumble
As 'we' - we dance
As I ... duality has found its single Essence
Love has merged with Love
and Glorious Being is ALL THAT IS"
CHAPTER XV
Divine Longing burns my heart
and Its Glow warns all obstacles to flee
I hasten to tell
'distractions' to please distance themselves
and 'distinctions' not to visit me
I ask 'attractions' not to seduce me
and 'pains' not to worry me
I admonish 'attachments',
begging them to pass by my binding mind
and urge 'desires' to take root elsewhere
For NEVER do I wish for anything
to stand in my way
of walking beside You, my Lord
"Noble are your thoughts
and purifying their workings," He says,
"but ...
much work is not needed
Life in the world is like a book
You have simply forgotten
that you are merely reading it!
The heavy chapters
of 'distractions and distinctions'
do not need to linger on
Just read the chapter
and close the book!
With amusing interest watch
the characters of 'attractions and pains'
and let 'attachments and dislikes'
play their roles
Harmless creatures in
a temporary play ...!
Do not let the words of the book
blind you
Close the book
and take a deep breath
Little by little
the stature of these characters
becomes less in size
Their pranks lose their intrigue for you,
for no longer are they an important issue
To fight them is not necessary
Let them play happily ...
they are not important for you
because you can close the book!
Rest your eyes
and let us dwell for now
in the ever new contemplation
of FOREVERNESS
The book of your life
is bound by covers
limited by the numbers of pages
but ...
endless is My wordless Expanse
and vast Its immeasurable Contents
Glorious are the moments
when you close your book
for it is then that you gaze into My Eyes
and together we leave aside
the Dance with the Relative Existence
and we enter the Rich Stillness of the Absolute
where we exalt in Being,
embracing Infinity
Fortunate is the soul
whose awareness seeks
the taste of Eternity
He is not dismayed by the book of life
He reads it with little interest
and is not so eager to understand it
for its value is too temporary for him
He acknowledges its existence
but he closes the book whenever
he wishes to do so
and forever dwells in
the Boundless Ocean of My Existence
You see, My anxious one,
do not be obsessed with the book
for many dangers lurk in such franticness
Unfortunate are the ones
who wish to control the words written
They lengthen each page
by their worrisome speculations,
adding file after file
with their meaningful statistics
meanwhile creating 'systems'
which they feel compelled to keep
and life after life
they re-enter the world in order
to take meticulous care
of their findings and recordings
Circling around and around
Fixated by hasty conclusions
Suffocated by disillusioning solutions
Blinded by counting Time
Do not use the book in this sad manner
You will have misunderstood its purpose
mistaken its fragmental existence
for a static presence
Forever joyful is the Awareness of Eternity
where Love is everlasting
Actions inspired by
the Vision of Infinity
are ever so sweet for the soul
Unhindered by temporary worries
undistracted by the mesmerizing plot
of the Book of Life
Blissfully rooted in the thought
of FOREVERNESS
Silently expanding
Ceaselessly deepening the rich Emptiness
in the face of the Fullness of Forever
Join this Wave of Perpetual Wealth
Direct your thoughts and actions
with this in mind
Happily and care-free
they shall weave together
the Golden Cloth of Eternity
coloring your every day
with the Glow of My Infinite Love"
CHAPTER XVI
Sweet Sounds of Glory
awake me, o awake me
bring me forever more
the Clear Waters of Your Fountain
Quench the eager thirst of this soul
and bring her the secrets
of Your Vastness
of Your Limitlessness
of the Brilliant Sparkles of Infinity
interspersed throughout our finite world
O Lord
I wish to be Your ever-listening servant
"Come and sit with Me
I shall tell you more," He quickly responds,
"The discerning eye discovers with ease
My Abundance scattered throughout
the world of manifestations
for My Dance embraces all
I have banished distance
therefore My Nature is present everywhere
Look carefully and
you will clearly perceive Me
in the role of the mother
My all-encompassing Compassion
expresses itself in the nature
of the true mother
who tirelessly watches over her child
without any thought of self
she busies herself night and day
with the cares and needs
of the helpless youngster born to her
Infinite goodness permeates her soul
Cradled by her caring presence
the child grows up with the assurance of Love
This mother brings the child
a Haven of Security
an Abode of Peace
and the Treasure of Trust
These attributes are My attributes alone
It is Me Who plays the mother
You do not have to look far
to imagine My Presence
Remember those precious moments
of your childhood
Savor the unconditional Love
your mother bestowed upon you
and recognize Me ...
And now
as you embrace your youngsters
know that it is My Love
that pours through your caress
Simple and thorough
is My display as the faithful friend
where I exceed in integrity
Free from opinions and judgements
I lend My ever-listening ear
absorbing the heaviness of misunderstood hardships
allowing burdens to become transparent
and giving Love the chance
to sprout effortlessly
under the Smile of Genuine Friendship
The sweet sparkle in the eyes
of your friend tells of My Presence
and the longing you feel
to ease your friend's pain
is the Energy of My Being
With great joy have I created
My role as the spouse
As the husband I wish to be the caretaker
and surround you with the lightness
of a care-free existence,
keeping the unbroken promise
of life-long companionship,
offering the needed balance
in the world of polarities
As the wife I cherish being the caregiver
easing the uneasiness
of the man's worldly duties,
bringing him solace with well-prepared meals
and soothing his being with
the softness of understanding
These qualities of the spouse
open the Portals to Love Divine
for one another
Though wearing the garment
of earthly marriage
in reality the make-up of this union,
with its exalted roles,
is a direct emanation of the Supreme Godhead
Dwell upon the Divine Law
expressed in the concern and care
your husband displays
and know that you are seeing Me
Delight in excelling in the elevating
characteristics of the loving wife
and know that you are manifesting Me
The earth-limited union now offers
the exhilaration of the Awareness of Eternity,
the Consciousness of Love Absolute
It is in Me
where you have found
the Safety of Protection
My guiding Hand has offered you
the Security of Trust
My Omnipresent Love has opened
the Door to My Mansion Divine
The Sweetness of My Presence
has softened your trials
My prompt and detailed Care
has allowed you
to become care-free
and enabled you to expand
your sensitivity beyond your senses
and with confidence
you seek My Presence
and gaze upon Me ...
It is a beauteous state
of loving worship
which I treasure deeply
but eager to lead you ever onward
I simply must point out to you
that even though you discover Me
more and more
in the Immaterial Ways
NEVER forget My Manifestation
in the world
No greater or lesser
is My Presence in the Absolute
than It is in the Relative Existence
Do not skip this seemingly meaningless Landscape
for HERE too you can behold Me
Do not discard the Impermanent
Do not reject the Temporary
for through it I scatter
the Gems of the Treasure of Infinity
It is in the depth of this understanding
where the embrace
of Time and Eternity intertwine
and the Blissful Ecstasy of Love Divine emerges"
Chapter XVII
Ever more transparent
becomes the solidity of earthly life
when we thirstily drink in Your Words
Your unwavering Care does not tolerate a halt
This perpetual _expression of Grace
tells us tirelessly about
the unbroken Flow of Eternity
seeking to seal the solid belief
in Its merciful Limitlessness
Its depthless Well of well-being
Its shoreless Ocean of Love
He tells me:
"The true understanding of Infinity
instantly erases all concern
The borders of your 'territory'
quickly evaporate
and the ever expanding width of your horizon
suddenly releases
the contracted fear into Waves of Unsullied Love
So very precious is this Awareness of Endlessness
and so eager is She to be grasped by you
Live like the new-born baby
Be like the naked child,
unaware of the exaggerated needs for comfort,
oblivious to the concerns of time,
spontaneously dwelling in contentment
Consider for a moment
the life of the wandering sannyasi
His life-style seeks one-pointedly
the Sublimity of Faith
No money he holds
No food he brings
No remnants he saves
No clothes he carries
Never in one place he stays
He knows only Me as his Provider
Unburdening himself of all burdens of concern,
eased by this flow of effortlessness,
he becomes delightfully empty
Noisy needs of the mind
silently fade away
and with ever new joy does he encounter
the bliss of My companionship
It is in this utter nakedness
freed from compelling anxieties
where he so clearly perceives
My constant Helpfulness
My instant Care
The 'Totalness' of My attention
Discovering these jewels of My motherly Love
he quickly enters the green pastures of genuine Gratitude
where the Stream of Pure Love
flows easily
uniting him spontaneously with My Being
Grand are the present days
for in this Kali Age
the necessity of becoming a sannyasi
is no longer necessary ...
Close to the surface are the depths
you seek
Just stand still awhile
and look
Wrap yourself in bold nakedness
and let this be the robe of the sannyasi
Carry My Name ever on your lips
and let this be the staff you hold
Hope to find the Wealth of My Companionship
and let this be your only concern
Nothing can touch you in the outer world
for you will be wearing
the invisible garment of the renunciant
Then shall we walk together
undetected by the worldly eye
and overjoyed by the discovery
of My Boundless Concern for your soul
you too shall know the intoxicating Nectar of Gratitude
Gratitude stills the senses
and the humbleness of its humility
ripens sweet surrender
Surrender brings Freedom
for the awareness of your state of utter dependence
takes away the notion of doership
ONLY in this state
can you withstand the Fullness of My Vision
The purity of Absolute Nakedness alone
can assimilate the Current of the Divine
The new born child does not speculate
nor does it entertain conclusions
or is absorbed by expectations
Fully trusting
doubtless
timeless
Its consciousness untarnished
Without possessions it came
without possessions it shall leave
carried on My Breath it shall live
seeking everything
it shall have nothing
seeking nothing
it shall have everything
Be the naked child
and let Me cradle you
nurse you
with the Nectar of My Love
clothe you
with the Embrace of My Effulgence"
CHAPTER XVIII
So lofty are the high ideals of the sannyasi
so very sparse are the moments in which
I am allowed to grasp their grandeur
Precious moments of brilliant Freedom
speaking of the inexhaustible Radiance
of the forever NOW
spreading unceasingly
the inviting Landscape of Your all-embracing Love
eagerly handing out a taste of the Divine,
calling me again and again ...
eluding me playfully
leaving me lost in longing!
Desperately attempting
to seize those Moments of Glory
O Lord
do come nearer
ever more nearer ..!
"I hear your cry, o sweet soul," He answers,
"ever grateful for your attention
I answer ALWAYS
Do not frustrate your attempts
for not every day brings you
the same revelation induced by the same effort
Listen carefully
to the subtleness of My Voice
for sometimes I urge you
to dive deep into the Silence of the Absolute
where I guide you
to find the Pearl of Naked Truth
yet
at other times ...
I wish for you
to catch My Song in the midst
of worldly clamor
discovering My Playfulness
in the sound of its noise
I shall give you a lovely comparison
easy to dwell upon
and soothingly it shall penetrate
the depths of your soul
as you muse over its significance:
how happy you are
when you receive an invitation
to spend some time with an excellent host
in a marvelous setting
Intent on bringing you total relaxation
you are asked not even to pack any belongings
Overjoyed you are
about this sudden good fortune
Your days spent in these surroundings
fill you with a sense of serenity
The masterful care of your host
has lifted all thoughts of needs and wants
Trusting him to lavish you
with unique attention
you fully indulge in the delightfulness
of being there
No reason for fretting is necessary
The timing of his precise catering
is infallible
Any urge to intervene with the planned program
is unthinkable
Nor would you ever entertain the thought
of approaching his kitchen staff
in an attempt to instruct them
how to prepare your meal
or run to his gardener
and try to teach him
how to plant the flowers
You keep from telling his maid
how to sweep the floors
You refrain from such 'busy-ness'
for complete is your contentment
You are only asked
to enjoy the joy of his generous gift ...
The natural admiration you feel
for this perfect host
simply blooms and grows
He, who has lifted your temporary burdens
receives your heartfelt gratitude
and with a lasting memory of love
you fondly enshrine him in your heart ...!
No different is your life on earth!
Who is the One
Who gives you the air to breathe
Who adorns the planet
with towering trees and fragrant flowers
Who provides you
with edible grains and fruits?
My dear
I am your Host
you are only my guest
in this temporary abode
where I rule singularly
where no amount of probing
can detect the future of My Plan
where no request for improvement of My Actions
can be endured
where the luggage of 'belongings'
is not welcome!
It is Me alone
Who looks after you
Who directs the course of your visit
Who oversees the details of your care
Do not let self-inflicted fear
govern your reaction
and narrow your receptivity
inducing forgetfulness about My compassionate Presence
Look at the Sun
and find My everlasting Day of Light
Look at the Moon
and find My offering of restful Peace
Look at Mother Earth
and find My Garden of Plenty
Be a gracious guest,
do not fret
trust the Provider of Providence
Soon you will be able to hear
the constant soft singing of the Songs of Praise
emanating from the depth of the earth
permeating the spheres
with the Melody of Joy
extolling their Host
expounding His Glory
exalting His Love"
CHAPTER XIX
O Glorious One
Free I wish to be
to worship You without break
Unbound I desire to be
to adore You without a halt
Pure I long to be
so I can love You without end
O, that my wish may be untarnished,
my desire unblemished,
my longing taintless
Hollow like the Flute I want to be
yearning for Your Breath
to pervade its pregnant emptiness with Your Sweetness
filling the atmosphere of Space
with your captivating Music
enthralling the souls of all beings
He answers:
"Deeper and deeper
your freedom will become
as you drop little by little
the gathered marbles of notions,
the colorful collection of
conventional conclusions,
tight opinions and frozen judgements
As Love finds more and more
space in your heart
this controlled spectrum drifts away
and this allows
the simplicity of understanding
to surface
The transparent mind learns to see
that conclusions are the subtle instigators
for the linking liaison
between the thought and the thinker
creating the inevitable notion of individuality
The pure-of-heart know
that judgements spring forth from falsehood
They are ever eager to stay away
from this darkening cloud of dust!
To lay judgements on others
is indeed nothing else
but the kicking of dust,
befouling not only others
but also themselves with the same dirt!
For - the very thought of having to correct,
or, worse yet, to counteract the so-called wrong doing of another
brings him down as well
into the dirt-laden field of doership
A very haughty notion it is
to imagine that one has to point out
to others their shortcomings
In the essence of True Essence
he too commits the same error
since he believes that the other is a doer
and thereby condemns himself as well the doer
and together they roam around blindly
in the height-less Space of Relativity
When the necessity truly arises, however seldom this is,
for one to speak up or act know that:
the pure-hearted one NEVER
encounters the calculation of pro's and con's
His action comes solely from
a Command from the Absolute
and NEVER anticipates any results
Hesitation is alien to him
He is unconcerned about its effect
for he treasures only the certainty of knowing
that he executes My Will
Flawless is his surrender
and utterly free he remains!
Untied by preferences
he is light like a feather ..
for he recognizes that opinions
are weight-inducing strings
tying him to the surface of heavy solidity
Superfluous ideas taking up non-existing space!
Those filled with carefully cared-for opinions
lay painfully bare
their need for a sense of safety
which they seek in maintaining territories
and in exerting themselves in defending these
Frightfully claiming ownership
over their imagined land
they sadly sink again and again to the level
of exposing their hardened self-interest
with its ugly companion 'self-righteousness'
Opinions about correct conduct ...
Opinions about wrong behavior ...
Opinions about what perfection is or should be!
... so very loud is this clarion call
voicing their disbelief in God's Perfection ...!
Totally unburdened by this folly of the limited mind
the weightless soul never loses sight
of the Perfection of the Lord's Action
for he does not know the frustration
of looking for perfection in man's action
He knows the One
Who governs all actions
and revels with Joy
in the observation of His Divine Play
He knows that the reaction to an action
constitutes the only true teacher
for those who imagine themselves the doers
Preaching lofty words
is not as effective
as the harsh reality of experience
Seldom do I render advice to an individual
about a particular circumstance
for I know that only the reaction
of his determined action can shed light
upon his state of mind
From time to time I might even urge a person
to undertake actions which could bring him pain,
knowing that only this direct experience
can cure his stiff blindness
All this is crystal clear
to the soul steeped in Love
Abandoning all conclusions
he finds himself ever free
to worship Me unceasingly
Surrendering all judgements
he finds himself unrestricted
and adores Me constantly
Relinquishing all opinions
he becomes forever pure
and is able to Love Me endlessly
This liberated one adorns My Flute
with the Fragrance of Love
and eagerly My Breath blows forth
this Sacred Flow
and together we permeate the Universe
with the Subtle Nectar of Divinity"
CHAPTER XX
So peaceful I become
when I enjoy Your Company
So filled with Bliss I feel
when aware of Your Presence
Complexities dissolve
in the Superb Simplicity of Being
and noise fades away
in the Melody of Your Song
To be forever nestled in the Embrace of Your Presence
is my only wish ...
The Lord responds:
"Never are you anywhere else
but in My Embrace
Together we spend every hour of each day
Single Togetherness
Dual Joy
Blissful are the days
when you are aware of this
Linger on the festivity of such a day
Enhance your inner beauty
with the glorious anticipation of this celebration
In this one-pointed thought
you do not encounter others
Envisioning an outer scene
can be very helpful
Watch as we dwell
for a moment on the following picture:
upon awakening you recall with joy
My invitation to come and spend the day
on My Temple-grounds
Quickly and quietly you prepare yourself
for this momentous occasion
Meticulous care you give
to your outer appearance,
knowing that no loving preparation
will go unnoticed
Keen to keep the mind clean
you leave it uncluttered
by hazy thoughts about circumstances and people
Well-focussed on My beckoning Presence
you make your way to My Temple-ground
where the guards without hesitation
open the gates for you
The Holy Grounds, uncrowded by others,
bask in Sacred Silence
Auspiciousness pervades all space
and with your heart filled with reverence
you take your seat
and gently lean against
one of the mighty pillars
Watching the play of the birds
your soul sings of contentment
Timeless becomes your awareness
as forms and frames
seem to become drawn up
in the All-ness of this state
Then ... the soft rustling of My Robe
alerts you of My coming
Perfectly united within
we now treasure without limits
the sight of one another,
clothed with the _expression of manifestation
A simple glance is enough
to bring you full forgetfulness
and raise you to the level
of supreme exaltation
Worlds are suspended
as you are now allowed
to glimpse into My Glory
Very subtly we become engaged
in the Dance between the Form and the Formless
Ever more alive
becomes My Formless Embrace
as you embrace formlessly My Form
Ever more heightened
becomes your awareness of Bliss
in the immediateness of My Presence,
the flaming of My orange Robe immersing
you gradually in the Full Brightness of My Sun
Celestial music plays
almost escaping your ear
as all your senses become one in their focus
Suddenly its melody blends in
with the totality of your perception
and effortlessly you behold
the Magic of the Music's Tale
as it reveals the apparent attraction
between different notes,
the louder ones being echoed by the soft ones
Like the Call of the Beloved
calling out to the lover,
the endless play of the Magnet of Love,
the ceaseless theme of Creation
Creator calling the created one
The audible _expression of the Divine
coupled with the visible _expression of My Form
lifts you to unspeakable heights
Utterly still your soul soars
to the dimension-less state
and in rapture supreme
it sways to the Melody of Bliss
I slip out of sight,
silence reigns
but the sweet Mystery of My Presence remains
No action calls upon you
other than the longing to hold on
to this unveiling of My Glorious Glory
Soothingly you caress the beads of your japamala
and your consciousness delves
ever deeper into My Nature Divine
as you silently speak My Name
Hunger or thirst cease to announce themselves
In this bright awareness
you spend this hourless day
Before the sun sets
I once again appear
and walk slowly over the grounds
Perfect clarity prevails
as Love has profoundly purified your senses
Supremely enjoying Love
silently celebrating Its Might
we exchange smiles,
which speak of the wordless wonder
of this day captured in the grip of Eternity
Never leaving
never coming
always being
Scarcely aware of your physical frame
you now part from the Temple-grounds
and find your way home
Anciently new
you playfully resume the role
of the individual
Such is a day spent with Me
Unblemished by a thought of the self
Fully attentive of the Divine
Immersed in the Simplicity of Truth
Entering the Glory of My Love"
CHAPTER XXI
Bright Light of Your Glory
holds mankind in sweet Love
ever penetrating through our Land of Shadows
and lifting our souls
into the deep blue of Your unfathomable Sky
Like the Master Magician
you make us forget
the heaviness of our bodily frames
Like the Superb Musician
you put to rest our whirling mind
and soothe it with Your Song Divine
O Almighty Lord
You are the Healing Sun
for our aching hearts
"Sweet child," He says,
"You are all that
No different you are from Me
You are of My Nature
and My Nature is Divine
Expand ...
never cease to outgrow
yesterday's expansion
for today's vision is wider yet
Compassion is a most wonderful tool
for chiseling away
the rock formations of your mind
in order to widen your horizon
Compassion has to begin
from the very core of your being
Thought-out actions
or well-planned words for the distressed ones
are secondary to heart-felt compassion
Thoughtfulness has to be born
from a 'thought-less' mind
where the pre-conceived idea of offering outward help
has not yet sprouted
for it remains ever in the healthy environment
of the Invisible Embrace of Love
Forever deepen this purity
of concern for mankind
Let Me tell you
that it is in the innermost depth
of your heart
where you can spread
the Silent Blanket of all-embracing Love
Here it is
where the magic takes place
Here it is
where the healing begins
It is here
where your continuous inner chant
sends forth powerful currents
of Comforting Love
Know ...
that each time
you repeat My Name
you shed Light upon other souls
How miraculous it is
that with this simple occupation
you gradually move mountains ..!
Now in your frustration
over your neighbor's blindness
you can rejoice triumphantly
for you know
that in all secrecy
you are helping him to see
Now, the pain you feel when seeing
the aching child,
imprisoned by unwelcome circumstances,
evaporates for you are unmistakably
brightening his feelings and
gradually lifting his fears
Silently you are loosening
the earthly bonds for the downtrodden ones
and fastening cords of Love to the Divine
And in this process
you expand effortlessly
beyond your prior limits
No longer focussed on any immediate results
you rest in the conviction
that the Process of this Sacred Healing
goes on continuously
It deepens so
the well within your heart
for no longer do you
try to tap the waters for personal use
for you have now come upon
the universal application of Compassion
and Its Fountain springs spontaneously
and ceaselessly
It is in this effort
where you truly complete the moment
for you give all of you
to the Shrine of Silence ...
where lies the Birthplace for Compassion
where Love begins
and Love finds Its fulfillment
where Perfection lies untouched
where Holiness resides
where Healing is ever present
where Completeness is full
where the ear hears everything
where the hand touches all
This is where you behold your nature
as My Nature
All actions flow spontaneously
from this Sacred Source
in the right measure
performed in the perfect manner
Inner peace exudes from this place
and those around you
shall become lighter
Your Silent Song
shall make them forget
the incoherent noises of the world
Your Radiance is My Radiance
and so you too
shall be like the Bright Sun
soothing aching hearts
lifting mankind
celebrating Love"
CHAPTER XXII
The Marvel of Maya is
the Oneness of Existence
Multiple forms born of
a single Source
Many noises emanating from
one Sound
Countless steps performing
only one Dance
A display of various feelings
expressing Love alone
O Fire of Oneness
blind my roving eyes!
"Yes! It is time to take a leap", my Lord responds
"On the road to Unity
you have to leave behind
the unnecessary gatherings
of partitions
Once you discover the deep yearning
for the Light of One-ness within your heart
know that this calls for a radical awakening of the mind,
an applying of uncompromising logic
Whenever the mind seeks your distraction
by her so-called righteous distinctions
promptly abandon her
and search with all your might
for that golden place in your heart
where the Clear Waters of Truth
submerge you in the longing for the Divine,
the Presence of the One alone
For how can one claim
to wish to find the One
yet carefully hold on
to labeled separations
thereby consciously distancing himself
from the One
Too afraid to abandon his reasonings
he falls prey to false piety
trying desperately to justify his fears
Waste no time
Take a deep breath
and stand up straight
Let your intense yearning
burn away all hypocrisy
and find the all-consuming Fire of Love
Enter without fear
the Cooling Heat of Non-dual Awareness
where the poison of the snake
as well as the fragrance of the flower
are found to be expressions
of the same Divine Source
empowered by the same Primal Energy
A touch of this non-judgmental state
we find in the receiver of a gift
like the parent who is delighted
by the gift of its child
if the child produced
a beautiful painting or a poor drawing
it differs not for the parent,
if it created a sweet delicacy
or a bitter tasting food
the mother's tongue is equally pleased
Or ...
the present of your loved one,
the thoughtfulness of his gesture
is what melts the heart
whether the gift is made of gold or brass
is of no interest to you
The sweet attention of the mother
eases the child's pain
if she brings actual medication
or just the concerned caress
of her soothing hand
In True Love
One-ness remains forever untouched
it allows no separations
it finds no distinctions
it fails to reason
It only sees Divine Innocence
The Brightness of Its Golden Effulgence
overshadows the panorama of colors
It eagerly relishes
the Richness of Unity
Drunk with delight
the mind ceases to reach out
and surrenders her views
to the Vision of the Heart
where the Holiness of Consciousness
is sublimely enshrined
Consciousness alone exists
The pure of heart do not dabble
in fragmented awareness
They feel at one with the all-pervasive air
They do not limit themselves
to that small portion of air
which their breath carries
into their minute frames
Air is their Home
they travel unrestricted
and perceive no imprisoned portions
of this Breath Divine
Its Holiness they leave intact
Its Auspiciousness they revere
Travel with these Great Ones
Join their unlimited companionship
Here you find the true nourishment
for your soul
where the Magic of Maya fades into
the blinding Light of the Exposure of the ONE"
CHAPTER XXIII
Your conversation with me
keeps me aloft
Its Flight carries me
high above the mundane structures of thought
Its view shortens all distance
and shrinks time
Bliss has transcended
these concepts
as beauteous Non-Existence
reveals Itself as Your Glorious Existence
Once again He speaks:
"Supremely wealthy
are those who embrace
poverty of the mind
Mindful of the Divine
are the ones who have become
mindless of the ego
Attentively alert they seek out
only the Rich Food of All-ness
Its inexhaustible Source
frees them from the burden
of having to seek replenishment
Contently full they exist
out of the Non-existence
of My Existence
and thereby glorify
My Formless State as well as My Form
Duties - they have not
Actions - they are unaware of
Opposites are equal to them
Spontaneous being is their Essence
Perfectly timed is their timeless _expression
Lively still - they ignite
the still dullness in the dormant ones
They bring Melodious Silence
to the clattering noise of the world
Their formless Love
makes the Form of Love tangible
Wondrous Glory of Being
present unceasingly
everywhere
at all times
Holiness of Existence
breathing perpetually
the perfection of balance
Its sweet motion displaying
the soft swaying of Bliss
generated by the awareness
of the Motionless State
The certainty of this Being
flows to all directions
and covers the expanse
beyond every horizon
Divine Embrace
holding close the multitudes
in Its endless attempt
to enfold Its Glorious Self
This is the Sublime Play of the One,
Who though constantly immersed in His Depthless Love,
yet created a second
as to celebrate more and more
the Uniqueness of His One-ness Nature
The Ultimate Manifestation of Love
No other reason for existence there is
Fullness of Love
is My Nature
Complete is My Purpose
Endless is My _Expression
Perfection in Self-ness
Splendorous Consciousness
ever filling the Emptiness of Forms
with the Fullness of the Formless
LOVE is My Reason
LOVE is My Purpose
LOVE is My _Expression
All-pervading Consciousness is My Love Divine"
CHAPTER XXIV
"We have talked for some time now
and many have been My Words," He continues,
"The echo of their sound
has suffused your being
and now it is time for you
to fully embrace these understandings
I have come to take you Home
The Swift Flight to your Birthplace
will bring you the needed revelations
I have carefully prepared you
for this moment,
cleansing your senses
with repeated actions of so-called spiritual practice
Busily thinking of how to exert yourself
in various exercises
I allowed you to miss
the truth about these endeavors
Now I wish for you
to understand it clearly
It has simply been My Desire
that My Light shall submerge your awareness
This alone, My Desire, sets into action
all your seeking
all your praying
all your hoping
Unmistakably this is the Announcement
of the Oncoming Birth
The inevitability of the Flood of My Light
In actuality the efforts you make
are no other than the labor pains
a mother-to-be has to endure
before giving birth to new life
She has no choice in the matter
Nature wishes for her
to celebrate new life
and during the process of this emerging
the labor pains are simply a side-effect
At no time during this evolution
can she initiate
the beginning of the labor pains
the length of their torment
or the brilliant outcome
of this glorious event
Likewise - it is NEVER your mind
that decides to make efforts,
for the mind of its own accord
does not have sufficient power
to propel such activities
Sadhana is looked upon
as an action prompted
by a mind-born conclusion
in answer to the call of the aching heart
for the living touch of the Divine
... and so - the mind eagerly sets up
various routines of disciplines and
enthusiastically starts to follow its rigorous pace
in anticipation for a concrete result
in the abstract world of Light
O, I allow you to run with it,
to polish it, to perfect it
and I let it take you a thousand places
and let it tire your restless eager mind
I urge you to skip, tumble and fumble
until your strenuous effort loses its breath
and finds peace in the discovery of
the inability to achieve ...
the futility to reach
the hoax of doership
And so finally I reveal to you
the realistic purpose of sadhana:
it is the unveiling of the incorrigible incapability of the mind ...
And in your joyous laughter I drown its existence
Now the concrete surrenders to the abstract
Your heart of Light swallows
the stone of your mind ...
This glorious discovery allows you
to hear ever more clear My Call
The adopted harshness of your world
made you forget that you have a Mother
Struggling through the morass
of this sense-laden land
you almost exhausted the sensitivity
to this Call for Truth
... but just like a mother
I have beseeched you again and again
in an effort to stir your memory
How grateful one would be
to find one's mother
in the hour of distress
Similarly - but more profoundly so
is the discovery of My ever-present Presence
Know that ...
My Love in Her eagerness to Love
has to be everywhere
therefore She is Formless
so She can be with you always!
Do not turn away
or pretend that you do not see Me
O, why, My child
can you not be devoted to Me
as I am to you ..?
Not one moment could I endure
without thinking of you
Always you are in My Heart
and I caress you with My Thought
I pray, respond to Me
relieve My Agony
I have riveted My Eye upon you
and in supreme eagerness
I await your loving glance,
the gift of your sweet heart
and the surrender of your soul
Please be Mine ..!
Never shall I give you up
At times I become your stern Father
reprimanding you harshly
so you will remember Me
I don Myself with the garment
of a most compassionate Mother,
overwhelming you with My inexplicable devotion
I walk by your side
like the companionship of a constant friend
dazzling your mind with uninterrupted attention
I pursue you with the persistence
of an abandoned lover
who cannot erase the memories of sweet union
Incorrigible is My insistence!
Not much is left to say for Me, My child ...
Let the Sound of My Words subside
for it is time to enter
the Holy Silence of My Temple
of Love Divine"
CHAPTER XXV
Often did Your Call for Love Divine
knock on my door, o Glorious Lord
but Its Might frightened me
and timidly I drifted off ...,
to once again bury myself
in the comfort of conventional theorizing
and intellectual probing
rather than
boldly throwing myself
unconcerned
into the Fire of Your Love
But now ...
I can no longer endure
the so-called comfort of conventionality
Every atom of my being
meets with repulsion
when it tries to walk the trail of habits
Loudly my being screams
for the Flames of Unconditional Love
You ended my search for Gold
no longer shall I turn away
and settle for silver
Thousands of lifetimes did I struggle,
striving to learn,
laboring to achieve
and now suddenly Your direct Words of Wisdom
have created the Dawn of Understanding
lifting the mist from my goal-reaching mind!
Carefully planned work and accomplishments,
rigorous practices and earned results
now have to make way
for the Explosive Truth of Love
The Glory of Your Love has ignited my soul
The Joy of Your Companionship
has melted my heart
Finally, o Lord, I can no longer resist!
How contagious is Your Love
The constant shower of Your all-embracing attention
envelops me like a warm blanket on a cold night
Intoxicating is Your Love
I have no choice ... but to respond!
How to honor such Love
as You bestow upon me ..?
Only by loving You
as You love me!
For how can I taste the Glory of Your Love
if I, myself, am incapable to love ...
Only two liquids of the same substance
can fully merge together
My Love has to be complete...
depthless ... infinite ...
in order to be able to melt away
in the Supreme Embrace of my Beloved
To be in perfect tune with Your Love
I have to love You likewise
If I do not know the value of Gold
I am unworthy to possess it!
I can no longer bear to disappoint you,
... o Lord, let the Fire of Love burn away
the sheath of subtle matter
that still clings to my soul
O to love for the sake of Love alone
I know this to be the Secret
Like the lover longing to be
in the presence of the beloved ...
the simple joy of being there is in itself complete!
The thought of gaining any personal benefits
is totally alien to the one who is truly in love
The only concern being
the company of the Beloved
Radha did not long for her Krishna
with a mind hoping for personal betterment
or reaching the goal of self-realization
Her all-absorbing thought was just to see Him
no other wish did she entertain
Her Pure Love did not tolerate
any intruders
I wish only to approach You
with that same unsullied Love
To ponder over the Splendor of Your Love
makes my heart ache
to love You out of Love alone
Not a moment do You ever wish to set aside
for Yourself
Untiring You excel day in day out
in pleasing those who seek You
Such Grand Love
which knows no 'self'
and ceaselessly seeks to embrace me ...
The more I ponder
the more I melt
the more I immerse in this Wonder of Love
the lesser are the veils that keep me
from Its Total Embrace
Forever I must abandon
the thought of efforts and results
How silly is the ignorance
with which one tries to measure
one's depth of love and devotion,
gauging one's actions
in the hope of self-applause
True Love allows no room
for such absurdities
A caring mother does not need a 'reportcard'
for her emotions in order to prove
the love for her child
A need for this kind of evaluation
never comes up
simply because she LOVES
and any question about her own integrity
in this field of Absolute Love is unknown to her
She does not have to go to school
to learn to love her child
Neither does the child have to be taught
to love its mother
Likewise ...
the waging and worrying
about one's feelings of Love for the Divine
is essentially only deep-rooted self-interest
which leaves a silent gap
between the blind seeker
and the Divine Light of Your Love
How could one be free to love
if bound by such calculations ..?
Love leaps!
It never hesitates!
O, Lord Divine, let my weakness for Love
cripple the legs
that walk on the road of self-importance
I can see now that efforts generated by the mind
might soothe the yearning heart for awhile
and even bring the sight of the Glow of Gold
blanketing the world of things
however...
Pure Love however opens wide one's vision
and lays bare the very permeation of Gold
throughout all manifestation
Wondrous Wonder ...
for now Gold emerges from the center
of all that is perceived
O Pearl of Love
forever deep I have to dive
into the heart of my Heart
to beckon the Secret of Love Sublime
to surface to my impaired soul
Seeking in every corner
to tap this Source of Fluid Gold
O How gloriously helpful is motherhood!
The very desire for any object
ceases instantly at the moment
her child wishes for it
Effortlessly it disappears
from the horizon of her mind
For You, o Lord, as the Divine Child
pining for my Love
I must discard any longing
for perceiving life-less relative existence
and with motherly haste
shower You with all my Love!!
O to be afflicted with the Madness of Love
is all that I wish for!
CHAPTER XXVI
O Supremacy of Love
how foolish has been
my ignorance of Your Existence
Out of Love I was created
In Love I shall spend my days
Love so perfect
Love Sublime
Absolute Love
in utter stillness
I now listen to Your Secret
Earthly Love is still filled with trickery
and displays the Game of give-and-take
marking separate territories
setting up rules and regulations
binding one another
by expectations, frustrations
and conditions
Love Divine, however, does not tolerate
the Burden of Game
for It is the Embodiment of the Play of ever-full Joy
Here one does not stretch out
one's hand hoping to receive something
for in Perfect Love
there is only
the Joy of holding hands
in an ever-expanding Field of Togetherness
The necessity to voice
one's needs does not exist
in this Land of Fluid Gold
for the Harmony of Love
is ever complete
and lacks nothing
Hollow flattering words of affection
are superfluous,
they reduce the natural state
of Depthless Love
to a fabricated scene
When Love ceases to find words
how can a desire be expressed?
How can a pleading prayer surface?
Perfect Love never seeks answers
for questions do not arise
There is no room for reassurance
in Perfect Love
Pure Love finds only Pure Love
as Its reward
It has no motive
Beyond the Realm of Words
lies the Perfection of Love
Infinitely content in Its Sublime Stillness
Eternal is this Love
It does not reach for Tomorrow
hoping for fulfillment
It does not need Yesterday
for the ideal memory
for NOW presents
the Joy of Perfection
Perfection of Love IS,
HAS BEEN
and always WILL BE
In the Light of this Certainty
all action ceases
and Love Divine bursts forth
Pure in Its Simplicity
Simple in Its Purity
is the Fire of Limitless Love
O Brilliance of Love Supreme
You consume all concepts
Your spreading Fire scorches all limits
Love celebrating Love
bringing the shoreless Bounty of Joy
O Formless Love
bewitching is Your Form
All senses I lose
when embraced by Your Radiance,
enraptured by the silken touch of Bliss Divine
Loving the Invisible
the Visible becomes invisible
Highest Glory of all Glories
is this Gift of Love
The Exposure to the Fullness of Love
puts to shame for all time
petty thoughts
The Brightness of this all-powerful Sun
evaporates the stormy torments
of worldly life forever more
This fiery Diamond of Truth Absolute
devours the faint sparkles
of a dimly lit relative existence
Humbled by Your Presence
I lay down my existence
J A I S A I R A M
online, as well as Baba's Vahini and Summer Showers series of books
JC's beautiful book poem to Sai Baba
STREAM OF LOVE
FOREWORD
LOVE is my only motive for wishing to express
the wordless words between my Lord and I.
LOVE is the reason why I am writing - for without
this _expression I am, as of yet, unable to bear
the intensity of Its Magnitude.
LOVE is the single cause for my desire to share His Love.
J.C.
Chapter I
O no my Lord
I shall not give up
You have summoned me
You have beckoned me
You have opened the Door for me
and now I wait ...
until Your Grace will bring me full completion
Torn to pieces are the old ideas
Shattered the vague dreams for tomorrow
for You bathed me in a moment of Truth
and I have emerged unclothed
Strangely naked do I walk through the world
anxiously awaiting the Garment of Your Love
Softly He speaks:
"... your worldly emptiness deepens your vessel
so I will be able to fill it ever so much with My Nectar Divine
Be still, o little one
hold high your crying eyes
for I look upon you with every passing moment
I only make you wait in order to be able to complete
your fulfillment in all My Glory ...
Meanwhile ...
I shall ease your hour of waiting
and soothe your being with My Words
I wish to console your yearning soul
O let me be your companion during your days of emptiness
Do not listen to the whisperings of your mind
but let us converse awhile
until the Fire of Love embraces your horizon
Trust Me ...
in due time I shall bring you all that I AM
Rest in the shadow of My Greatness
until you are ready for the full brightness of My love
In joyful waiting … time gets lost!
No longer is there any need for searching
It is now time for Me to tell you
that in your material world there is nothing left to learn
The tangles of its web can still be perceived
but they have ceased to serve any purpose for you
With My Name upon your lips you will gradually
distance yourself from its hypnotic grip
From now on ... you are My Bride
No need to wonder if you have pleased Me,
if you have won My Heart ..?
Yes - your question has been answered
I have chosen you
Your search is over
Your labor is finished
You shall now abide in joyful preparation
for My Permanent Arrival
During your waiting chant the Holy Name
for It will generate a soft flow of Golden Light
slowly permeating your every cell
until your whole being shall be able
to withstand the Supreme Flood of My undiffused Light ...
My Love in all Its Glory ...
The Fire of My limitless Self ...
Let Me tell you about this Holy Occupation
I ask of you to prepare yourself in this manner
I summon you to call upon My Name
at all times in all places
I shall lead you to the understanding of the secret
of this most Sacred Form of Prayer, o so pleasing to My Heart
The Holy Name will fasten you to My Being
All your senses will become securely attached to Me
and out of that freedom you can safely abide at My Feet
The danger of the pulling towards the outer world
will subside
I command you to build an Altar in the Temple of your heart
The blossoming flowers on this Altar shall consume
the weaving workings of your mind
All perceptions and evaluations will burn
on this Altar of Love
O My dear .. do not hesitate
The only task at hand you have from now on
is to sit quietly at My Altar in your heart and
ceaselessly utter My Sacred Name
I desire only your attention
With each repetition of My Name
you break a chain with worldly existence
The mind, which is so fond of creating connections
with the world of finite matter,
now makes connections with My Land of Infinite Light
It breaks the bondage ...
It sets you free ...
moment by moment you are loosening the Chain of Time
and freed from this Iron Burden
you shall weightlessly enter the Sacred Realm of Absolute Truth"
And I say:
" O, sweet Lord, so soothing are Your Words
I pray ... do settle my overworked mind
and make expand my immature heart
Do not allow the greedy mind
to steal away the jewels of my heart
during the hazy dawn of my inner life
Let there be no intruders
Let my heart become like the jealous spouse
carefully guarding her new found treasure ..."
My Lord responds:
" Do not be discouraged when slothfulness of the mind
seems persistent in the beginning
I will tell you that the first phase of this practice
is best mastered when with each repetition
you pray that I shall teach you how to pray
In this manner your heart will learn humility
No sincere prayer is possible without
the fertile soil of honest humility
It will become a constant reminder
that the real doer is Me
...Gradually with each time that you call My Name
you will recognize that it is I Who is calling you
Your heart will soften so by this realization
that it will hasten to find a re-occurrence
and therefore will seek another glorious repetition
Yes, My dear, I am anxious for you to come Home
Know this and shed Tears of Joy
Do not keep Me waiting
All I ask from you is to look at Me
and say My Name ...
I will never disappoint you!
Would I ask you to be devoted to Me
if I was not utterly and totally committed to you?
I offer you everything
Every fulfillment of all wishes
You cannot comprehend the depth of My Desire
to please and delight you ...
If you would be able to understand but a fraction
of this part of My Nature you would instantly
succumb to a full surrender
O - be alert and catch a glimpse
of this astounding fact
for I constantly exert Myself in this endeavor
O How I long to enter your heart
My Shrine of Truth
The Sanctuary of My Glory
The very Fountain of My Essence".
Chapter II
I pray, o Beloved Lord
that my days of lesser Light
will be made worthwhile with tears of agony
shed out of intense longing for Your Presence
How else, my Lord, can Time be made useful ...?
Empty are the days that have gone by
without the warm caress of tears of Bliss
or the burning of the painful tears of agonizing separation
Do not let my heart be so dry that tears fail to well up!
Remove forever the insistent dullness of my soul
and let me be able to receive the Divine Flood of Your Light
to such an extent that it will render to pieces
the memory of man-made thoughts
and I will stand anew ...
with the fierceness of genuine experience as my foundation
I long to be aglow with Your Glory
" Listen carefully to My Words, dear child," says my Lord
" They will bring you close to My Heart
and awed by wonderment
you will feel My Embrace
My teachings for the Prayer of Praise are like
showing you the steps of My Dance
Once you will remember the steps
you will effortlessly express the Dance,
the Eternal Flow of My Being
I ask you to delve into the common experiences
of every day living and allow Me to transcend them ...
Look how - out of zest for Light
people build their churches and temples
but how - with their many words and colliding opinions
they smother the subtle inspiration
which was once their starting point
Now watch as they begin to sing ...
... suddenly all differences are forgotten
Wonderful unity reigns
A glorious surge is felt
The gathering of voices singing My Glory
brings about exalted Peace
So too, My child, it is with your mind and heart
Still the many voices of the mind
allow them to descend into the Temple of your heart
and sing My Name
Love-filled Silence shall well up
pervading your very being
I know that you experience this
while being engaged in chanting My Songs
with a large group filled with fervor
Unmistakably it melts your heart
It makes light your thought-worn mind
O How it delights your soul!
You truly experience My Presence
Think about it ..
how the inner repetition of My Name in due time
brings you this Glorious Gift of continuous Bliss
How exhilarating it is to busy yourself
with this Holy Occupation
for it assures you of My speedy Arrival
It never falls short of Victory!
I become fully accessible to the one who calls Me!
Sweeten your contemplation with
the following comparison:
when you are deeply in love
you always wish to share with your beloved
any encounters of beauty,
likewise - be eager to share every moment with Me
and in your attempt of doing so
call My Name ...
Let Me remind you
I love you so
that I also need something that belongs to you
to cherish and treasure ...
therefore I repeat your Name with My every Breath
in anxious waiting for the gift of your heart
I am unable to stop calling you!
You say that you pray to Me -
but let Me tell you ...
I am the One praying to you
Pleading with you: please be Mine
Your only task today is to celebrate Me
Your thoughts about yesterday create tomorrow
and today becomes erased
Look at Me
Repeat My Name
for I AM the only Reality
I AM the Source of all that you might seemingly lack
There is no greater Certainty than Me
No longer busy yourself with the happenings
of the world - but immerse yourself contently
in the very essence of your being
My Name is your Essence
for I AM your Creator
My Name serves as the Sun
The heat of the Sun decomposes food at a fast pace
similarly the Scorching Brightness of My Name
dissolves thoughts quickly
while otherwise they would have
to endure the duration of Time
Soften your efforts with effortlessness
Only practice brings this utter ease about
Soothe your sadhana with this conviction
and soon it will fructify
Do not doubt Me
I am teaching you a Song Divine
Do not receive It with the strain of a frown
but with the eager receptivity
of a young lovers heart
If the mind tries to distract you
and persistently wants to talk to you
treat it like any human being who insists
on talking to you, while you are actually
in a hurry for an appointment:
tell it - that you will talk later!
Gradually the mind will go away
There are no thoughts to be thought out
only Songs to be listened to!
O, little flower of My Soul
No longer hesitate at My Words
Become fully aware of the Truth I proclaim
Forever fasten the thought of certainty onto your heart
Imagine how it feels to believe beyond a doubt
that by repeating My Name the moment of Awakening
comes within reach and will soon be yours
How gloriously happy you must feel
at the end of each day, knowing that
you have remembered this Holy Occupation
and assured yourself the permission
to enter My Golden Temple
You must dwell upon this grand anticipation
just like you would if:
after taking the correct medication
you are joyful about the prospect
of regaining your physical health
How elated you will be - soon to be relieved
from the pains and discomforts!
Or, if:
you have travelled all day and
you realize that you shall reach
your destination the following day
The fatigue of the travel disappears
by this delightful thought
How easily you relate to these common experiences
of worldly life!
Use them ... and transform them into a higher conviction.
In such a way - you should conduct
your earthly days
BELIEVE ... KNOW ... FULFILL "
Chapter III
Hearing Your Song Divine
makes mute the noise of the world, o Lord
Watching Your Dance
renders motionless the whirling of the universes
In the first shimmering light of understanding
I realize that being in prayer is actually living in the presence of Truth
For the heart that dwells in Truth sings only Your Name ...
The mind, aware of Your Reality, looks nowhere else but to You ...
The soul conscious of Your Presence
is filled with awe and draws onto itself
the most deep-felt humility ...
O Lord I have sung many songs
now I long to sing ONLY ONE SONG
My Lord answers:
" In this Stillness I visit with you
I gaze upon your longing heart
and fill it with My Assurance of Love
Little by little
this Holy Stream shall cleanse your vessel
The murky remainders of relative existence
will be washed away
by the pure Current of My Nectar Divine
The Sweetness of your repetition of My Name
creates a Blanket of Rose Petals
in front of My Altar
You are stringing flowers
into the Garland of Love
embracing your heart, mind, soul and body
Gradually you will inhale
the sweetness of its fragrance
inebriating your being steadily
until you can survive the intoxication of Divine Drunkenness
By reciting My Holy Name I lead you
to one of My most wondrous aspects: My Omnipresence
Suffused with the Nectar of My sweet Name
you will find Me by your side at all times
Omnipotence flows forth from My Omnipresence
and ultimately this will lead you effortlessly
into My Omniscience
for at this point you as an "entity" no longer perceive
and I alone shall be conscious in you
Know that - once you have passed
the point of being attached to the perceiver
you should not stand still at Revelations of Light
It induces the danger of satisfaction,
according to the standards of the old perceiver
You no longer live by these standards
You now live by My Standard
and I take you to Flight
and drench you more and more with My Light
As the perceiver you had to learn contentment
in order to become still ... so I could catch you
Do not mistake satisfaction for contentment
Satisfaction will make you limp
and you will stray away from My Path
You have ever to remain eager
to behold Me in the Fullness of My Glory
First I allow you to think
that it is by your effort that you are able
to think of Me and love Me,
that it is the result of your "free will"
It is all part of My Game
because after your heart melts
by your loving thoughts
I become the Stealer of your Heart
and snatch away your imagined dominion
Be prepared - for I am a jealous husband
No longer shall secular thoughts be tolerated
I have taken possession of your heart
and no one shall share My Throne ..!
Sweet is the process of this Playful Path
At first - you seek with effort
that chamber in your heart
where you place Me on the adorned seat
But ... as you spend more and more time
with Me in your heart, you will widen its space
and no more shall you need the effort of visualization
Soon - the picture will change
and you will feel that you are abiding in My Heart
and the world will become the cavity of My Heart
and distinctions fade away ...
In the beginning you are to see Me facing you
As time goes by - My Image will merge
with your perceptions
and I will be at the Center of your heart - facing out
I lead you along this Path of Praising the Holy Names
since I am eager to reveal My Fullness to you
I urge you to pray unceasingly
until you can withstand
the intensity of My Light Divine
Then I shall reveal to you that
there simply is no relationship for I AM YOU
Meanwhile ...
watch for the pitfalls along the road
Be ALWAYS alert about the motives of your Prayer
Ask yourself if you seek a result in the outer world,
in that case you will find yourself tense while in prayer
I might even give you the desired result in the outer
but ... for your inner life it will remain fruitless
and time has been wasted
Do not concern yourself with results in outer life
for in your haste you create Time
and you prolong the process unnecessarily!
Also:
defer from speaking to "yourself"
It only strengthens your "phantom existence"
and those whom you regard as "personalities" around you
You do them as well a disservice
if you mentally hold conversations with them
You add energy to their "imagined entities"
Remember:
it is not wise to over-exert yourself
in the effort to visualize My Form
Rather rest in the assurance
that I shall come of My own accord
Fill yourself with joy while entertaining this expectation
and soon My Form shall emerge and
consume your horizon
Contemplate this thought:
you have heard My Call
My Plea to you for unceasing prayer is My Call
When you repeat My Name
you confirm that Call
Your very utterance is the affirmative response
First you hear My Voice
and with your acknowledgement
I come nearer and nearer
After My Voice comes My Form ...
it is a logical consequence!
Watch carefully as you seem to discover
that you understand better ...
Here lies the Mighty Serpent of Pride
Be well aware that it is not you
who understands better,
but that I allow you to let Me
become more aware of Myself through you
It is My Desire that it is so!
I do not choose you to become aware of Me
instead I choose that you shall no longer exist
so I can be more aware of Myself
Remember this always when the dark veil of shameless pride
attempts to cover your awakening soul
Enlightenment in ANY degree is NOT a feat on your part
It is but the conclusion of My imparted Will
It has nothing to do with you
It is solely the Manifestation of My Feast
In this delightful Void, your "nothingness",
you do not have to carry the Burden of Acquired Wisdom
only breathe the Sweetness of Love
You look at Me and try to see Me
but let Me tell you - you cannot see Me
I ALONE can see Me
and in My looking at Me you disappear
Do not resist - you shall not succeed
you only prolong the Game of Shadows
I desire for you to be My Flute
This is My Wish
My Will
My Accomplishment."
Chapter IV
O Lord let me enhance the beauty of Your Creation
by carrying Your Name always upon my lips
Gold is the web by which You hold this Earth
I do not wish to send up clouds of smog,
a clinging mass of thoughtless thoughts
and discolor Your panorama of Brilliance
I do not wish to disturb Your Melody Divine
which You spread so lovingly through this atmosphere,
by uttering meaningless words
Without Your Name - I am but a skeleton
vegetating undeservedly on Your Land of Plenty
Submerge me, o Lord, in the sweet sound
of the Songs of Your Glory
For without it - I am deaf,
stumbling through a jungle of incoherent noises
Grace my eyes with the perpetual Vision of Your Form
For without it - I might as well be blind
What good are eyes that register untruth
and thereby create mindless matter ...
the sole source of pollution
O - do grant me release from this destructive disease
and hold me forever more in Your Glorious Land of Gold
"My child - in your view of daily life you imagine
to find matters of incomplete Truths
But do not be hasty
for in My Vision, all that you see
is evidence of My Truth
Rejoice in perceiving Me,
even if you can do so partially
and rest ...
You say that you long for the Vision of My Form
I tell you, look:
the world is the visual _expression of Me
I also give you the awareness by which you can experience
this world - that awareness is part of My Consciousness
Therefore, inside and outside you have the Vision of My Form
Beyond comprehension is your good fortune, however,
since your mortal eyes have also beheld My living Form,
the impermanent frame for the Permanent One
This, My dear, has seduced your senses
to the taste of Immortality
Now it has become much easier for Me
to steer you along the Ways of Prayer
I wish for you to remain
on the other side of the world
You see, through My physical Absence
your longing for My Presence multiplies a thousandfold
and this yearning will enable you
to pray without ceasing and through that process
I become FULLY conscious in you
and not one iota of the world can separate us
Pray, pray, pray - so I can be yours ...
At first My manifested Form is a means
to make you hear the Call of the Unmanifest
My Form becomes a reminder to you
Your Love and Devotion for My Form and Attributes
opens your heart for the Light of My Unmanifested Nature
Then finally the awareness of My Universal Being
shall consume your consciousness
Your meditations are still fluttered
by a breeze of hurriedness!
Sometimes in your fear of being unable to perceive Me
you try frantically to recapture yesterday's moments
of sweet communication with Me
Certainly I allow you to do so for awhile ...
but I do await the moment in which
you have become so free that you embrace it
with full expectation of My "renewed" arrival,
knowing that I will delight you
in an ever unexpected new way!
Do not give way to despondency
Discouraging thoughts have only one master
who gives them substance - this is Time
They stand no chance
since My Weapon is Infinity
and under My protection Time will be swallowed
and you shall stand ablaze in My Eternal Light
Do not allow yourself to think
that your prayers are imperfect
I only ask you to pray
for I am the One Who will drape
the Mantle of Perfection over your prayers
Never feel unworthy - just DO
and your patience shall lead you into Silence
where My Song always reigns ...
This is truly My Darshan:
My enveloping you with subtle promptings
gradually soothing you with My Blanket of Grace
continuously raising your awareness of My Presence
while your eyes look outward
until they shall see NONE but ME
Sweet light penetrating the dusty chambers of your soul!
Once you understand that the "assumed doings"
you accumulated are illusionary
you will also know that your "undoing"
is not a severe task
Everything will become Joy
In actuality - life has always been a preparation
for this exalted state of being
Out of habit one looks at the time and circumstances
when one experiences joy
but this connection is false
Dive only into its Source
Any feeling of joy is simply
a foretaste of the Bliss I have in store for you
Do not indulge in the outer cause
of the moment of happiness
I urge you to trace its very Essence
You will learn to drink continuously
from My Fountain of Joy
The Chanting of Holy Names
is the Path of Joy
It annihilates the necessity of the crude encounters
with the harshness of relative existence
in order to awaken the dormant desire to live in My Glory
It keeps from you the bitter taste of the world's unrealities
My Name is My Form
All that belongs to Me is contained in My Name
The Chanting of My Name
becomes My Darshan, Sparshan and Sambhashan
You will summon My Form
You will be in touch with My Being
and I will embrace you with My Words
I am showing you
the blissful Road of unalloyed Joy
This is the Path of the Utmost Grace
Effortlessly ... you shall KNOW
Joyously ... you shall BEHOLD
No need to sharpen your thinking
for your thoughts I shall erase
I lead you to My Eternal Realm of Truth Absolute"
CHAPTER V
Glorious Lord
Your Call for Joy makes light
my days of earthly exile
Detachment loses the color of the often self-imposed suppression
it becomes rather ignited by the Light of Expansion
since I learn to find ever new joy
in the bonds that seemingly bind me ...
My shackles become my offerings
How empty-handed I would be
if I left behind all attachments and relations
Nothing would be left to give You ...
How could I earn Your Gift of Freedom
if I was too afraid to create a gift for You
And so I watch ...
as I busily weave a garland of collected chains
in happy anticipation of its offering to You
And in my joy the shackles fall
before they succeed to bind me
and quickly I catch the shower
of loosened flowers
and lift them up to Your smiling Face
O - how we enjoy the play
of this illusive rain of shimmering shackles
and beautiful bouquets ...
"Your understanding gladdens My heart", so my Lord responds
"for nothing will be gained by running in fear
Self-centered life is like tasting only
one ingredient of a delicious food
Entering spiritual life does not suggest
the giving-up of that specific ingredient
Instead ..
one has to bite into the food as a whole
in order to get the full taste
So too - life in the world is only a minute part of Life
Detesting or even neglecting it does not make it go away
Accepting and embracing it as My Manifestation
makes you ripe for the Whole Fruit I have to offer
Therefore ...
by no means do I wish for you
to distance yourself from worldly life
Do not forget
your life as a mother and wife
supports the Wheel of Creation
and in this holy task
you help sustain the necessary stages of Life
from the irreplaceable working man
to the noble saint living in solitude
They all depend on the life of the householder
Every creature in My Creation is Sacred
Each task at any stage is Divine
Delve into the Purity of My Purpose
and soon you will discover the Glory of Existence
You will learn to perceive clearly the assigned roles
I have designated for man and woman
I shall tell you about the Woman:
.. Glorious is the status of womanhood
for Mother Nature endowed her with selfless endless compassion
She rocks the Cradle of Mankind
and her smile awakens the dormant Flame of Life
Soothing is her hand that softens
the awkwardness of uncertain steps
Her radiance hides in her ever-present helpfulness
Her strength lies in understanding
Her power lies in patience
Her glory in simplicity
Her wisdom in acceptance
She provides the needed rest
for all actions performed and
offers rejuvenation necessary
for all actions to come
She is the sustenance of action
Her embrace allows creation to create
and in great reverence she accepts her role
and shines like a thousand Suns...!
Now let Me tell you about the Man:
... Man of Creation
Flawless is the role designed for you
for power is vested in your duty as man
Relentless is your perseverance
Authoritative your logic
Compact your concentration
and noble your truthfulness
You carry out the workings of creation
and in doing so
you offer mankind the open road to God's Temple
Your piercing ability for discrimination
lifts her into righteous action
Your endurance carries
her over distracting obstacles
Your self-reliance invokes
the strength for her to complete her duties
You are the provider and fulfiller of Creation
and stand ablaze in My Light...!
Without blemish is My Creation
Mankind is My Crestjewel
for I endowed her with awareness
Take in these precious treasures
in steady measures, My dear, and
still your awareness with My Song
You undoubtedly shall find the Splendor of My Glory."
CHAPTER VI
Thoroughly uplifting are Your Words, my Beloved
They carry me high above the snares of relative existence
Still -
stormy weather can suddenly cloud
my sunlit skies
The Wheel of Illusion can unexpectedly bring me
naughty nights with wicked whims
lashing out on me harshly
and tossed by Your baffling game of mischief
You sometimes have me turning right and left
Now I look forward, now I look back
The restless motion of the seesaw
makes my mind jump in leaps and bounces
as You pull playfully on the cords
of unexpected uncertainties
The roller-coaster takes me hither and thither
and all careful thought-out plans wither
The ego panics in her time-bound haste
and turns Your Flow in moments of waste
O Lord
what else can I do at a time like this
than to smile and wait awhile
until the turbulent Waves of Your Ocean Divine
have cleansed once again the collected dirt
on the shores of my mindless mind
... and I will find the Pearl of my heart
newly polished on the golden sands
beckoning me to treasure her fresh shiny glow
at the sunrise of a brand new day
of this chapter in Your playful Play ...
"My little one,
do not entertain darkening thoughts
for the zigzag ways of your doubtful mind
cloud the innocence of your sparkling heart
The invisible frown lays a veil
over the luster of your eyes
and reveals your gnawing questions
at dark moments like these
The forceful Flow of Divine Friendship
is halted by your hindering hesitations
And in your hurry to find answers
you trip over the gems I have placed before you
... and you cry over your fall!
Be still, My friend
and dare to trust
Do not ask
Be at peace for I bring you all the answers
since I have chosen to carry you Home
Rejoice - there is Nothing left to Know
there is Nothing left to Do!
In the world of polarities
you will always encounter the waves of change
It invites you to exercise your flexibility
The flexibility of the movement
of the limbs of your spirituality
Change is alright
its confusion is alright!
Energy is shifting
Breaking down old formations of atoms
and the commotion of their seeking
a new balance
It makes you ride the wave of change
and its current scrapes away
the residue of old phases of life
The courage to simply endure her torment
builds a boat of indelible strength
for it accepts the Essence of Nature
and in its acceptance lies the grandeur of mastership
This boat carries you safely to the other shore
It cannot escape the motion of the waves
but it keeps you from drowning
and with the oars of endurance and perseverance
you gradually become Master of the Sea of Illusive Change."
CHAPTER VII
When You give me a taste of Truth Divine, o Lord
I feel engulfed by an unbroken Flow of moments
and fully content I rock to her motion
Then suddenly a call is heard ...
On the still horizon of free moments
the sweet chain of Time offers
the spell of Divine Anticipation
and beckons me to answer Your Call
to imbibe in Your Presence Concrete
Instantly Time has cast its captivating net over me
and the counting of days, hours and minutes
now parades through my mental frame
So - in my loving haste to behold Your Form
I also have to endure the slow motion
of time-eating events
And in my joy I suffer
yet ... through my suffering my joy deepens
and taps the source of an ever-increasing Love
The discovery so sweet
... it justifies the marking of Time
"Miraculous is the Magic of Love
Hold on to Its spell, My child,
for soon it will transform your worlds
and transport you to My Land of Truth
Cherish your feelings of blissful anticipations
but do not let this gem lie idle
while you can bring it to use
at any given time
I urge you to think often of
what I am telling you:
Imagine that I am the One
hiding in the impatient customer
you try to help
I am in him, playing his role
watching you
hoping that you will remember Me
longing for you to recognize Me
and if I find you doing so ...
the customer would suddenly disappear
and My actual Form would be standing
in front of you!
O - imagine the overwhelming joy you would experience!
Find Me - eavesdropping on you
during your many worldly conversations
Expect Me to suddenly appear by your side
Your breathlessness caused by this thought
will silence useless talk
How much more intent
would you care for the ones in need
realizing that I am behind the tearful eye
and the trembling hand
watching you ...
gauging the depth of your humbleness,
the purity of your actions
so I could burst forth at ANY time
and shower your soul with My Darshan
My disguises are many!
You see - you do not have
to limit your joys of expectations
to your pilgrimage to My Form Concrete
Seeds of Love you sow
in this way
and rich will be your harvest
Along this Path
you will unmistakably reach
the mature state of Love Supreme
No longer shall helpful hints be necessary
or thoughtful reminders required
for the Ultimate Vision of Love
embraces all
In this Vision
all that you perceive
loses its distinctions
The intensity of your Love flings open
the Door to My Reality
and ... laughingly you now behold
your entire world as the Manifestation of My Divinity
Clearly - you now understand
that no individual substance is present anywhere
Nothing can exist without the Breath of My Will
Lifeless corpses would cover a dead Earth
All that lives
All that moves
All that breathes
is the direct _expression of My Being
Nothing is marked as bad
Nothing is glorified as good
Nothing separates
My Existence is like the Tree,
can you say that one limb belongs
more to the Tree than another limb
because it differs in size or shape?
Is one leaf fed by a different source
than the next leaf?
It is sheer foolishness to busy yourself
with analyzing the Tree in this way
I am the root of this Tree
and so its manifestation as a whole
is My _Expression ALONE
It is simply exhausting the mind
when one judges others
cherishes opinions
and speculates endlessly
In the Vision of Love Absolute
one breathes only Me
one enjoys only Me
one's awareness is only Me
All your humble prayers lead you to this Victory
Your simple anticipations of the seeing
of the Form Divine clear the road
Therefore - expect Me
... wherever you go
... wherever you look
Put aside any discussions
Stop diverting your attention
Behold the Tree of My Existence
and suffuse your being with Its Fragrance"
CHAPTER VIII
I yearn deeply for the moment
of Total Embrace
when I shall cease to linger
at fragmented views
and shall be freed
from the burden of collected conditions
O sing me another Song, my Lord
so I will forget my time-bound distress
while reveling in the Comfort of Your Voice
"Gladly do I speak to you, My Love," says the Lord
"for I seek only your presence
and all I wish to bring you is Joy
The Source of Joy lies in simplicity
Man has created complexity
for he relishes the thought of doership
Covering the Stillness of his heart
with the loudness of his actions
he deems himself the doer
and vanity knocks on his door at all hours
But when misery arrives
he is quick to point at the 'other' doers
surrounding him!
Meanwhile building himself
a Solid Wall for his personal Prison
How dreadful is his game
how morbid his future!
He lives by this temporary bread alone
until he almost chokes on the dryness of its many crumbs
and helplessly he starts to long
for the Water of Life
His increasing Thirst seems to lessen his attachments
and eagerly he tries to recapture
the Freedom of Being
Watchful does one have to be at this stage!
For once again the Shadows of Pride and Guilt
can bring havoc ...
even though carrying a different dimension
The charm of 'acquiring virtues'
becomes so very enticing
for those unable to radically renounce doership
while the Noose of Guilt on the other hand
tries to strangle his noble efforts
Sides of the same coin are these,
waving different banners
but proclaiming loudly the same existence of doership
with their willful master guiding them: the ego
Hankering after dominating leadership
the ego now seeks an extension for his existence
by busying the mind with 'reaching results'
in the realm of the Spirit
Clever he is ... in muffling the Song of Silence
ever singing in the Soul,
overpowering it with the noisy Game of Progress
Intoxicated by the smell of competition with Time
he now desperately looks for proof of improvement
on his illusionary road to Infinity
Every turn he makes he becomes bombarded
with either his own disapproval of his behavior
or his elation about a 'conquered' fear
The ego is brilliant in keeping the clock ticking!
His demand for the binding thought of doership
assures him the acknowledgement of the pendulum of
cause and effect with the inescapable ingredient of Time
Always reinforcing yesterday
by generating feelings of guilt
and the renewed promises for betterment
assuring him the continuity of tomorrow
The thought of doership
and its companion 'self-interest' are not natural
You can see how they burden you
and hang heavy on your shoulder
distracting your attention from finding peace
O My dear
do away with it ...!
Refuse to be intrigued
by failure or victory
No longer be trapped
by fascinations for progress or regress
Be free
and encounter Naked Truth
There is NO sin in this world!
The only sin attached to mankind
is forgetfulness about the Real Doer
There are NO contradictions
only misunderstandings
There is NO suffering
only misconceptions
How simple - so very simple!
All entrapments dissolve
under the Glance of True Love
Forget the complexity of doership
Relinquish the many and
behold the One!
Break the bonds
and find endless joy
in the One Who moves every leaf
Who makes your eye see
Who allows your ear to hear
Who directs the air you breathe
Who installs the Stars in the Sky
Who warms you with the Rays of the Sun
Who delights your mind with the Light of the Full Moon
Who covers your winterland with a Blanket of White Magic
Who makes bloom the budding Blossoms of Fragrant Flowers
Who exults in showering Bliss upon your soul
I am all THAT
Accept Me...!"
CHAPTER IX
The lingering of my awareness of Time
makes me unaware of Your Truth
I pray to You, my Lord
show me the utter reality of Untruth!
If I am not allowed perfect health
at least let me know that I am ill
so I can grow disgusted with my disease
Guide me through the maze of magic
Lead me through the labyrinth of illusion
And He responds:
"The Sword of Logic is a Mighty Weapon
in this phantom land of forms
It cuts asunder the Glitter of Fancy
and lays bare the flawless Essence
Watch carefully as we examine
the worlds inner and outer
Your very thoughts, feelings and emotions
undergo an endless process of change
Enriched by yesterday's joy,
this feeling has added to the flavor
of the little 'me' of your personality
and never can this imprint be erased
Today's disappointment has given your 'mind'
a touch of bitterness and this experience too
becomes a permanent resident
Yesterday's mind did not have today's view
Today's mind is still without tomorrow's color
The eye that sees today will always
be different from yesterday's
The mind which registers has been altered
by yesterday's memories
and will be changed by today's experiences
Therefore - you NEVER possess the same mind
You cannot think twice with the same mind!
And you claim to be the owner of the mind?
What mind?
You relate to this ever-changing structure
as 'yourself - your personality' ...!
How feeble and elusive is this foundation
you imagine to be standing on!
How can you assume ownership
of something that is here today
but will have vanished tomorrow ..?
It is like proclaiming that you own
a small flow of water which streams
by in a big river!
Fleeting impressions passing through
an ever-changing structure of flesh and bones
Yes - the body, too, is subject to absolute impermanence
The molecules of the body are always busy
with altering their formations,
molding a different material structure every minute
NEVER are you in the same body
which you call 'yours' with 'your mind'!
And:
that which 'your' eye sees
and that which 'your' mind observes
is also not in the same state as the prior day
and will be different from tomorrow
The world around you is
in a constant flux of change
The tree in your garden cannot possibly
be in the same state as yesterday
nor will the flower display the same color
How can one possibly attach an entity, a personality
to ever-changing states of mind
housed in an ever-changing body
looking at an ever-changing world!
The thought of I and its imagined attributes
of 'my and mine' is a fallacy
It is utterly non-existent!
In ignorance man holds on to this phantom image
in his feverish attempt to control his existence
He wishes to stagnate motion
He desires to bring it to a halt
in order to view the borders of his horizon
But - that which moves cannot be still
and that which is still cannot move
How can he, who changes ceaselessly,
dare to seek control over that which changes as well?
The swimming fish in the streaming waters
cannot possibly attempt to change
the course of the moving clouds in the sky
The movement of Everything
is caused by My Breath alone
It is the display of My Maya
Motion is My Action
To try to understand My Movement
is truly a foolish effort
Therefore - the wish to conquer My Maya is futile
for you cannot conquer Me
Realize that it is My playful Creation
Witness It
Admire It
Enjoy It
Understand this underlying Principle
and it will give you the clarity of mind
to let go and let be
Watch as this Truth will thin
the solidity of 'your circumstances'
and the desire to control will ebb away
My dear child,
I do not ask you to endure
the harshness of non-reality
Leave behind impatience
for impatience demands Time
and creates the choking chain of recorded moments
Instead ...
I urge you to use the Sword of Logic,
with the sharp edges of Discrimination
and penetrate through the elusiveness of 'existence'
Then - with ease you shall partake
of the benevolence of acceptance
which offers the restful stillness necessary
in order to become aware of the movement of My Dance
and your Song will forever be richer than yesterday's
while tomorrow's Song will be sweeter yet
as the fleeting particle of 'your existence'
will find its permanent resting place
in My Flow Divine"
CHAPTER X
Lord of Light
God of Wisdom
Divine Mother of my Heart
Holy Father of my Soul
King of Kings
Bountiful Giver of Supreme Grace
You, Who exudes the Highest glory
It is You I adore!
My Lord tells me:
" Sing a Song
Pray a Prayer
Think a blissful thought
and thereby lay the bricks
for Your Temple of Light
It is you alone who build
the temple in your heart
Your friends and relatives do not help you
with the construction of this Holy Dwelling
Every prayer lays a stone
each chant erects a wall
the tears of bliss quickly create My Throne
O, the Way of Prayer is not only
the sure Way to me
but it also forms a protective shield
My Name is like an Umbrella
which keeps you safe from
the Stormy Showers of the World
Seek shelter under this Umbrella of Love
Console yourself in moments of shadow
that at least on this day
you have raised your eyes upwards
and uttered My Name
bringing the completion of Your Temple nearer
Rejoice - for you have prayed!
The Holy Name offers you My inner Darshan
The effect of the seeing of My outer Form
is utterly inexplicable for your finite mind,
likewise the result of Japa
has a miraculous result in a gradual but certain way
Do not abandon it!
No longer measure the value of the day
by how well you performed your worldly actions
by how much you accomplished your tasks
but remember - there is but one criteria:
has your day been showered with
the Fragrance of My Presence?
Did you find yourself taking deep breaths
at the sheer delight of detecting My Love...?
Stay close to this Fire
keep yourself aglow with its warmth
by chanting the Holy Names
It keeps the rhythm of your soul
in tune with the Song of My Heart
and in sweet embrace we shall dance
to Its Melody Divine
Forever pleasing Me this way
you will find the Joy of Contentment
and this contentment brings you
the Calm of Peace
It is in this Stillness
that you shall find the Pearl of Love
Know that once you have longed deeply
for the state of Beauteous Love Divine
that this is surely the announcement of Its arrival
How could you recognize something
if it hadn't already been perceived by you?
Therefore - it already belongs to you
How could you possibly become aware of something
beyond your view ...
out of reach ...?
Compare it with the roadway
You cannot see the vehicle around the corner
but as it is approaching you
you begin to notice it..!
So too with your increasing awareness of Love Divine
Ever nearer do I come
until your view becomes My Vision
How soothing this is for your yearning soul
You receive what you perceive!
Such is the Magnet of Love
ever more strengthened by the remembrance of My Name
reverberating throughout your being
This Sacred Silent Singing stills the mind
and makes it sit in reverence
at the Altar of My Temple in your heart"
CHAPTER XI
Intoxicating is Your Presence
from Which flows a bounty of Words Divine
and in my elation over this Nectar
I find myself losing 'myself'
O Lord - as for today I have lost all control
for nothing is mine
The call to restrain the mind in an attempt
at so-called 'self-control'
goes in vain for me
The Song of my heart overpowers its whisperings
and heedlessly do I consume
whatever my plate offers
Joyfully do I indulge in Your Gift
and in my words of gratitude gets drenched
the notion of distinctions
Bubbling are my words
when sought to express Your Glory
and the desired spiritual silence will have to wait
Thoughts from a thousand directions
crowd this mind...
but I fail to stop them
for I am amused by this Flood of Your Energy
In Your Love for me
You have robbed me
and nothing is left to claim my own
Control I have not ...
for You took 'myself'
The Lord says:
"Embrace these moments of Joy
for they offer you the Pearl Necklace of Bliss
The tears from your eyes
form the streams of Love
reaching My Ocean of Bliss
Cleansing the soil from your soul,
revealing ever more the Splendor of My Truth
Awakening to the Sight of Stillness
you learn to perceive the illusive process of becoming:
... how the succession of moments
offers the notion of Time to the ignorant
while it simply indicates the Presence of Eternity
for the divinely inspired mind
... how the succession of several musical notes
allows the impression of a song
to be imprinted upon the worldly ear
yet it indicates only the Presence of Silence
for the enlightened soul
... how the combination of steps
brings the illusion of a dance
to the time-bound mind
yet the free man observes this continuity of motion
and finds delight in this _expression
of the Presence of Stillness
... how the succession of joys
creates the veil of pleasure for the earthly man
while it clearly reveals the Presence of Bliss
for the lover of God
... with the succession of pictures
one believes to be watching a movie
but the soul steeped in love for Truth
recognizes the indication of the Presence of the Screen
... how the process of becoming
deludes the blind with the thought of progress
while the wise man perceives only the State of Being
... how the human mind finds
in the repetition of experiences
the awareness of either pain or pleasure
yet the awakened one finds in it
the Essence of all awareness: My Consciousness
Without Eternity
Time has no foundation
Love Eternity ... and Time shall crumble
Without Silence
Song has no existence
Embrace Silence ... and the sound of the Song shall fade
Without Stillness
Dance has no source
Find the Stillness ... and the motions of Dance shall subside
Without Bliss
Pleasure has no ground
Seek Bliss ... and pleasure shall dissolve
Without the Screen
The movie cannot be projected
Search for the Screen alone ... and the movie shall halt
Without Being
Becoming has no beginning
Delight in Being ... and Becoming gets lost
Without My Consciousness
Your awareness has no existence
Delve into My Consciousness
and your limited awareness shall drown
Use all your senses
to perceive this Diamond of Truth
It frees the soul from all fear,
for it is fear alone
which attempts to seduce the ignorant man
in believing in fragmented manifestations
Search unceasingly for the Essence
and in the Absoluteness of Being
the certainty of Merging is fulfilled"
CHAPTER XII
The Mystery of Your Mercy
baffles my soul
as I watch the astounding display
of Your all-embracing Love
The wondrous downpour of Grace
covers mankind with the Blanket of Compassion
Sheltered by Your Love
Nurtured with Your Love
Cleansed by Your Love
O Lord - we cannot be without
the Radiance of Your Smile
Lifeless our lives would be
Depthless the depth of our misery would become
Beyond measure is the measure of Your Grace
Unfathomable Its Mystery
"My most treasured pastime
is the showering of Grace," He tells me
"I have created you out of Love
I wish for you to return with Love
and therefore I surround you by Love
Love is the Essence of My Being
Grace is Its _Expression
Out of my deep longing to bring you Home
My Grace manifests in multiple ways
For the truly imprisoned ones
with their staunch belief in Time
I have no choice
but to bring hardships upon them
The narrowing of Time and Space
has to suffocate them sufficiently
in order to awaken longing for expansion
The cry of despair
is their only Key to open
the Door to Hope for a wider Vision
This painful schooling is their only chance
to hear My Calling
Like the small child who insists
on doing things by himself, but yet too young
Stubbornly he persists, even though unsuccessful,
until he finally hurts himself
And it is this pain
which makes him look in despair for his mother
who all this time stood by his side
ready and eager to give him all that he needs
Those who cannot hear
and are unable to see
they need the manifestation of My Grace
in this louder form
... so they too will find their way Home
where I am anxiously waiting
Blessed are the humble ones
for their humility allows them
to delve into awe
which breaks any remaining boundaries
You see - I am like the gourmet cook
I can only enjoy so much of My own Food, My own Glory
I call into my dining room
those guests who delight in My Food
Those who believe they are able
to cook for themselves,
they do not wish to participate
But I love to beckon the ones
who are utterly unable to cook
and lavish My delicacies upon them
The unexpectedness of this nectarine Gift
overwhelms them with wonder
and supreme gratitude
O - how I love to gaze
upon their shining faces
How their joy becomes My Bliss!
The Softness of this Call of Grace
expands their hearts ever so much
Deeply touched by this _expression of My Love
they hear My whisperings clearer and clearer
The truly pure ones revel at all times
in the awareness of My Grace
Whatever they see is Love
Whatever they hear is Love
They ever acknowledge this continuous Outpour
and delight endlessly in Its Expressions
They are always alert
For them the showering of unexpected Bliss
in order to awaken them
is not needed
They freely and consciously breathe My Breath
throughout all Eternity
The different manifestations of My Grace
can never be measured in
smaller or larger portions
The Fullness of My Grace is ever FULL
How could My limitless Love
be bound by limitations
imagined in man's mind?
Some think of My Grace as a reward
but I do not stoop to the level of a tradesman
I am simply continuously engaged
in My Calling out to you
Love seeking Love
to unite in Love
Grace, My dear, is the ceaseless Melody
which My Love plays for you
It spreads over you
like the pink glow of the evening sunset
in Its attempt to embrace you tenderly"
CHAPTER XIII
O Lord Divine
Your Love so deep
warms my heart and soul
Steeped in this Glorious Nectar
a wish to spread this Golden Glow emerges
But how ...
does one pour this Flow
and yet leave Its purity untouched?
How does one spread a perfectly White Cloth
and yet leave It unstained?
Tell me, sweet Lord
how do I spend the Gift of Giving?
He answers:
"Indeed at times your Pitcher of Nectar
is so filled that It wishes to spill over ...
Love always seeks expansion
and longs to embrace
but Her Embrace never suffocates
instead Her Arms forever widen
in Her endless attempt to enfold!
So too ... should be your Gift of Giving
Leave behind the thought of your own doing
for this surely shall mark
the intended purity with dark stains
Abolish the lurking desires
to heighten your own image
for you will blur their vision
with the unnecessary colors of self-importance
Always be saturated
with the intense longing
to bring My Presence in the midst of those around you
You do likewise in worldly ways
After having spoken so highly
about your loved one
you are eager to bring him
into the company of your friends
and gladly you remain quiet
so they can relish his presence
So too in the subtleness of the spiritual Gift
your inner attention should be fully focussed
on the Presence of the Divine
For those whom you wish to embrace should,
when they take leave, be filled
with an inner sense of Joy
not because of having been with you
but ...
because they now feel more closely
united with Me
and Me they shall take with them
Your Gift is very well spent
if they leave more intensely aware
of their independence of you
but yet increasingly more aware
of their dependence on Me
True giving does NEVER seek a return
Lasting sweetness you shall find in this Silent Giving
If you wish to give
then you shall no longer 'take' from the world
It is in the state of your 'being'
where lies the Gift of Giving
In actuality you do not give
but those who measure in opposites
believe that you give
It is in the spaciousness of 'being'
where they find the disappearance of the distance
between Me and them
It is the Stillness of this 'being'
that nourishes their souls
and they will find rest in the Shadow of your Stillness
To pour freely from the Cup of Love
bring to mind that I love the one
in front of you more than words can describe
I love him
as deeply and tenderly
as I love you
Let this fact efface all opinions
you might hold about the one you face
Nothing hinders My Love
Your Flow too should be without a halt
Streaming freely
with the currents of
total Acceptance and limitless Compassion
This engenders subtle changes
in those who surround you
The still Radiance of Pure Love
elevates the striving seeker
to the state of true yearning for Love Divine
It is a magical transformation
For striving is born from the mind
and still quite concerned
with its own process of progress
while yearning springs forth
from the Inexhaustible Fountain of the Soul
and one becomes more and more
submerged in the sole longing
for the Presence of the Beloved
leaving behind all thought of self-effort
It is in the pursuit of a Goal
where Time is calculated
but the awe of wonder
born in the yearning soul
finds the Eternal Now
This is a true Gift!
Of greater value yet is this Gift
if you deposit this Treasure
in your friend's home
and slip out the door unnoticed
My sweet little soul do understand,
that with this comparison
I merely try to emphasize
the importance of the notion of non-doership
The more you feel this
the wider will be the Space you create
the fuller will be the Emptiness you bring
and in this Space and Emptiness
the lonely ones shall dry their tears
and find the Endless Expansion of Love's Embrace"
CHAPTER XIV
With reverence do I imbibe Your Words
In awe do I listen to
the Wisdom Divine Your Words carry
and forever unhindered do I wish
for this Flow to saturate my being
to melt my heart
to purify my every cell
to elevate my awareness ...
He continues:
"The more you discover about My Nature
the vaster will become your awe,
the deeper your reverence
In this fruitful Silence
you come ever closer to trusting
Awe inspires Faith
Reverence instills humility
This sweet combination fertilizes
the soil of your soul
and allows hindrances fabricated by the mind
to flee away and
trust can take root
Trust is the acknowledgement
of the existence of Truth
It is the surrender to non-action
In essence it embraces the thought of 'remembering'
When you try to remember something
you become very still
for you intuitively know
that crowding the mind
would keep the remembrance
from rising to the surface
Much easier it is to remember
than having to 'learn'!
The thought of simply remembering
brings the ease of surrender within reach
While those who strive to learn
block the road by the boulders of self-effort
One could compare it with falling asleep,
one realizes that there is nothing
the mind can do to make one fall asleep
No effort on the mind's part
can possibly erase its own activity!
At best it can only relax and surrender
in complete faith that it will
simply lose its own consciousness!
How very similar is this
for the mind which seeks enlightenment
All imaginations about the state of Liberation
have to go ...
For how could you project an image
of what you already are?
The very motion of your act of thought
disturbs the Stillness of Being
Enlightenment is never a spectacle
Enlightenment cannot be a perception
made by your limited self
It is only the ego which distinguishes
between spectacular and boredom
That which IS cannot undergo either
That which IS cannot undergo such modifications
Enlightenment is the natural outcome
of the clear state of mind
wiped clean by the Fire of your Heart
Forever hold still the Flame of Faith
for it burns away the anxious pursuit
of make-shift realities
Its warmth spreads like a soothing balm
healing the self-inflicted wounds
It lessens the lessons which
a fear-induced mind would have to endure
In Trust you can freely delight
in the care-free anticipation
of the Bounty of My Love
Remember:
you were never meant to be alone
nor was I ever meant to be left alone
No walls of Solitude
did I create in My Creation
As 'me' - you stumble
As 'we' - we dance
As I ... duality has found its single Essence
Love has merged with Love
and Glorious Being is ALL THAT IS"
CHAPTER XV
Divine Longing burns my heart
and Its Glow warns all obstacles to flee
I hasten to tell
'distractions' to please distance themselves
and 'distinctions' not to visit me
I ask 'attractions' not to seduce me
and 'pains' not to worry me
I admonish 'attachments',
begging them to pass by my binding mind
and urge 'desires' to take root elsewhere
For NEVER do I wish for anything
to stand in my way
of walking beside You, my Lord
"Noble are your thoughts
and purifying their workings," He says,
"but ...
much work is not needed
Life in the world is like a book
You have simply forgotten
that you are merely reading it!
The heavy chapters
of 'distractions and distinctions'
do not need to linger on
Just read the chapter
and close the book!
With amusing interest watch
the characters of 'attractions and pains'
and let 'attachments and dislikes'
play their roles
Harmless creatures in
a temporary play ...!
Do not let the words of the book
blind you
Close the book
and take a deep breath
Little by little
the stature of these characters
becomes less in size
Their pranks lose their intrigue for you,
for no longer are they an important issue
To fight them is not necessary
Let them play happily ...
they are not important for you
because you can close the book!
Rest your eyes
and let us dwell for now
in the ever new contemplation
of FOREVERNESS
The book of your life
is bound by covers
limited by the numbers of pages
but ...
endless is My wordless Expanse
and vast Its immeasurable Contents
Glorious are the moments
when you close your book
for it is then that you gaze into My Eyes
and together we leave aside
the Dance with the Relative Existence
and we enter the Rich Stillness of the Absolute
where we exalt in Being,
embracing Infinity
Fortunate is the soul
whose awareness seeks
the taste of Eternity
He is not dismayed by the book of life
He reads it with little interest
and is not so eager to understand it
for its value is too temporary for him
He acknowledges its existence
but he closes the book whenever
he wishes to do so
and forever dwells in
the Boundless Ocean of My Existence
You see, My anxious one,
do not be obsessed with the book
for many dangers lurk in such franticness
Unfortunate are the ones
who wish to control the words written
They lengthen each page
by their worrisome speculations,
adding file after file
with their meaningful statistics
meanwhile creating 'systems'
which they feel compelled to keep
and life after life
they re-enter the world in order
to take meticulous care
of their findings and recordings
Circling around and around
Fixated by hasty conclusions
Suffocated by disillusioning solutions
Blinded by counting Time
Do not use the book in this sad manner
You will have misunderstood its purpose
mistaken its fragmental existence
for a static presence
Forever joyful is the Awareness of Eternity
where Love is everlasting
Actions inspired by
the Vision of Infinity
are ever so sweet for the soul
Unhindered by temporary worries
undistracted by the mesmerizing plot
of the Book of Life
Blissfully rooted in the thought
of FOREVERNESS
Silently expanding
Ceaselessly deepening the rich Emptiness
in the face of the Fullness of Forever
Join this Wave of Perpetual Wealth
Direct your thoughts and actions
with this in mind
Happily and care-free
they shall weave together
the Golden Cloth of Eternity
coloring your every day
with the Glow of My Infinite Love"
CHAPTER XVI
Sweet Sounds of Glory
awake me, o awake me
bring me forever more
the Clear Waters of Your Fountain
Quench the eager thirst of this soul
and bring her the secrets
of Your Vastness
of Your Limitlessness
of the Brilliant Sparkles of Infinity
interspersed throughout our finite world
O Lord
I wish to be Your ever-listening servant
"Come and sit with Me
I shall tell you more," He quickly responds,
"The discerning eye discovers with ease
My Abundance scattered throughout
the world of manifestations
for My Dance embraces all
I have banished distance
therefore My Nature is present everywhere
Look carefully and
you will clearly perceive Me
in the role of the mother
My all-encompassing Compassion
expresses itself in the nature
of the true mother
who tirelessly watches over her child
without any thought of self
she busies herself night and day
with the cares and needs
of the helpless youngster born to her
Infinite goodness permeates her soul
Cradled by her caring presence
the child grows up with the assurance of Love
This mother brings the child
a Haven of Security
an Abode of Peace
and the Treasure of Trust
These attributes are My attributes alone
It is Me Who plays the mother
You do not have to look far
to imagine My Presence
Remember those precious moments
of your childhood
Savor the unconditional Love
your mother bestowed upon you
and recognize Me ...
And now
as you embrace your youngsters
know that it is My Love
that pours through your caress
Simple and thorough
is My display as the faithful friend
where I exceed in integrity
Free from opinions and judgements
I lend My ever-listening ear
absorbing the heaviness of misunderstood hardships
allowing burdens to become transparent
and giving Love the chance
to sprout effortlessly
under the Smile of Genuine Friendship
The sweet sparkle in the eyes
of your friend tells of My Presence
and the longing you feel
to ease your friend's pain
is the Energy of My Being
With great joy have I created
My role as the spouse
As the husband I wish to be the caretaker
and surround you with the lightness
of a care-free existence,
keeping the unbroken promise
of life-long companionship,
offering the needed balance
in the world of polarities
As the wife I cherish being the caregiver
easing the uneasiness
of the man's worldly duties,
bringing him solace with well-prepared meals
and soothing his being with
the softness of understanding
These qualities of the spouse
open the Portals to Love Divine
for one another
Though wearing the garment
of earthly marriage
in reality the make-up of this union,
with its exalted roles,
is a direct emanation of the Supreme Godhead
Dwell upon the Divine Law
expressed in the concern and care
your husband displays
and know that you are seeing Me
Delight in excelling in the elevating
characteristics of the loving wife
and know that you are manifesting Me
The earth-limited union now offers
the exhilaration of the Awareness of Eternity,
the Consciousness of Love Absolute
It is in Me
where you have found
the Safety of Protection
My guiding Hand has offered you
the Security of Trust
My Omnipresent Love has opened
the Door to My Mansion Divine
The Sweetness of My Presence
has softened your trials
My prompt and detailed Care
has allowed you
to become care-free
and enabled you to expand
your sensitivity beyond your senses
and with confidence
you seek My Presence
and gaze upon Me ...
It is a beauteous state
of loving worship
which I treasure deeply
but eager to lead you ever onward
I simply must point out to you
that even though you discover Me
more and more
in the Immaterial Ways
NEVER forget My Manifestation
in the world
No greater or lesser
is My Presence in the Absolute
than It is in the Relative Existence
Do not skip this seemingly meaningless Landscape
for HERE too you can behold Me
Do not discard the Impermanent
Do not reject the Temporary
for through it I scatter
the Gems of the Treasure of Infinity
It is in the depth of this understanding
where the embrace
of Time and Eternity intertwine
and the Blissful Ecstasy of Love Divine emerges"
Chapter XVII
Ever more transparent
becomes the solidity of earthly life
when we thirstily drink in Your Words
Your unwavering Care does not tolerate a halt
This perpetual _expression of Grace
tells us tirelessly about
the unbroken Flow of Eternity
seeking to seal the solid belief
in Its merciful Limitlessness
Its depthless Well of well-being
Its shoreless Ocean of Love
He tells me:
"The true understanding of Infinity
instantly erases all concern
The borders of your 'territory'
quickly evaporate
and the ever expanding width of your horizon
suddenly releases
the contracted fear into Waves of Unsullied Love
So very precious is this Awareness of Endlessness
and so eager is She to be grasped by you
Live like the new-born baby
Be like the naked child,
unaware of the exaggerated needs for comfort,
oblivious to the concerns of time,
spontaneously dwelling in contentment
Consider for a moment
the life of the wandering sannyasi
His life-style seeks one-pointedly
the Sublimity of Faith
No money he holds
No food he brings
No remnants he saves
No clothes he carries
Never in one place he stays
He knows only Me as his Provider
Unburdening himself of all burdens of concern,
eased by this flow of effortlessness,
he becomes delightfully empty
Noisy needs of the mind
silently fade away
and with ever new joy does he encounter
the bliss of My companionship
It is in this utter nakedness
freed from compelling anxieties
where he so clearly perceives
My constant Helpfulness
My instant Care
The 'Totalness' of My attention
Discovering these jewels of My motherly Love
he quickly enters the green pastures of genuine Gratitude
where the Stream of Pure Love
flows easily
uniting him spontaneously with My Being
Grand are the present days
for in this Kali Age
the necessity of becoming a sannyasi
is no longer necessary ...
Close to the surface are the depths
you seek
Just stand still awhile
and look
Wrap yourself in bold nakedness
and let this be the robe of the sannyasi
Carry My Name ever on your lips
and let this be the staff you hold
Hope to find the Wealth of My Companionship
and let this be your only concern
Nothing can touch you in the outer world
for you will be wearing
the invisible garment of the renunciant
Then shall we walk together
undetected by the worldly eye
and overjoyed by the discovery
of My Boundless Concern for your soul
you too shall know the intoxicating Nectar of Gratitude
Gratitude stills the senses
and the humbleness of its humility
ripens sweet surrender
Surrender brings Freedom
for the awareness of your state of utter dependence
takes away the notion of doership
ONLY in this state
can you withstand the Fullness of My Vision
The purity of Absolute Nakedness alone
can assimilate the Current of the Divine
The new born child does not speculate
nor does it entertain conclusions
or is absorbed by expectations
Fully trusting
doubtless
timeless
Its consciousness untarnished
Without possessions it came
without possessions it shall leave
carried on My Breath it shall live
seeking everything
it shall have nothing
seeking nothing
it shall have everything
Be the naked child
and let Me cradle you
nurse you
with the Nectar of My Love
clothe you
with the Embrace of My Effulgence"
CHAPTER XVIII
So lofty are the high ideals of the sannyasi
so very sparse are the moments in which
I am allowed to grasp their grandeur
Precious moments of brilliant Freedom
speaking of the inexhaustible Radiance
of the forever NOW
spreading unceasingly
the inviting Landscape of Your all-embracing Love
eagerly handing out a taste of the Divine,
calling me again and again ...
eluding me playfully
leaving me lost in longing!
Desperately attempting
to seize those Moments of Glory
O Lord
do come nearer
ever more nearer ..!
"I hear your cry, o sweet soul," He answers,
"ever grateful for your attention
I answer ALWAYS
Do not frustrate your attempts
for not every day brings you
the same revelation induced by the same effort
Listen carefully
to the subtleness of My Voice
for sometimes I urge you
to dive deep into the Silence of the Absolute
where I guide you
to find the Pearl of Naked Truth
yet
at other times ...
I wish for you
to catch My Song in the midst
of worldly clamor
discovering My Playfulness
in the sound of its noise
I shall give you a lovely comparison
easy to dwell upon
and soothingly it shall penetrate
the depths of your soul
as you muse over its significance:
how happy you are
when you receive an invitation
to spend some time with an excellent host
in a marvelous setting
Intent on bringing you total relaxation
you are asked not even to pack any belongings
Overjoyed you are
about this sudden good fortune
Your days spent in these surroundings
fill you with a sense of serenity
The masterful care of your host
has lifted all thoughts of needs and wants
Trusting him to lavish you
with unique attention
you fully indulge in the delightfulness
of being there
No reason for fretting is necessary
The timing of his precise catering
is infallible
Any urge to intervene with the planned program
is unthinkable
Nor would you ever entertain the thought
of approaching his kitchen staff
in an attempt to instruct them
how to prepare your meal
or run to his gardener
and try to teach him
how to plant the flowers
You keep from telling his maid
how to sweep the floors
You refrain from such 'busy-ness'
for complete is your contentment
You are only asked
to enjoy the joy of his generous gift ...
The natural admiration you feel
for this perfect host
simply blooms and grows
He, who has lifted your temporary burdens
receives your heartfelt gratitude
and with a lasting memory of love
you fondly enshrine him in your heart ...!
No different is your life on earth!
Who is the One
Who gives you the air to breathe
Who adorns the planet
with towering trees and fragrant flowers
Who provides you
with edible grains and fruits?
My dear
I am your Host
you are only my guest
in this temporary abode
where I rule singularly
where no amount of probing
can detect the future of My Plan
where no request for improvement of My Actions
can be endured
where the luggage of 'belongings'
is not welcome!
It is Me alone
Who looks after you
Who directs the course of your visit
Who oversees the details of your care
Do not let self-inflicted fear
govern your reaction
and narrow your receptivity
inducing forgetfulness about My compassionate Presence
Look at the Sun
and find My everlasting Day of Light
Look at the Moon
and find My offering of restful Peace
Look at Mother Earth
and find My Garden of Plenty
Be a gracious guest,
do not fret
trust the Provider of Providence
Soon you will be able to hear
the constant soft singing of the Songs of Praise
emanating from the depth of the earth
permeating the spheres
with the Melody of Joy
extolling their Host
expounding His Glory
exalting His Love"
CHAPTER XIX
O Glorious One
Free I wish to be
to worship You without break
Unbound I desire to be
to adore You without a halt
Pure I long to be
so I can love You without end
O, that my wish may be untarnished,
my desire unblemished,
my longing taintless
Hollow like the Flute I want to be
yearning for Your Breath
to pervade its pregnant emptiness with Your Sweetness
filling the atmosphere of Space
with your captivating Music
enthralling the souls of all beings
He answers:
"Deeper and deeper
your freedom will become
as you drop little by little
the gathered marbles of notions,
the colorful collection of
conventional conclusions,
tight opinions and frozen judgements
As Love finds more and more
space in your heart
this controlled spectrum drifts away
and this allows
the simplicity of understanding
to surface
The transparent mind learns to see
that conclusions are the subtle instigators
for the linking liaison
between the thought and the thinker
creating the inevitable notion of individuality
The pure-of-heart know
that judgements spring forth from falsehood
They are ever eager to stay away
from this darkening cloud of dust!
To lay judgements on others
is indeed nothing else
but the kicking of dust,
befouling not only others
but also themselves with the same dirt!
For - the very thought of having to correct,
or, worse yet, to counteract the so-called wrong doing of another
brings him down as well
into the dirt-laden field of doership
A very haughty notion it is
to imagine that one has to point out
to others their shortcomings
In the essence of True Essence
he too commits the same error
since he believes that the other is a doer
and thereby condemns himself as well the doer
and together they roam around blindly
in the height-less Space of Relativity
When the necessity truly arises, however seldom this is,
for one to speak up or act know that:
the pure-hearted one NEVER
encounters the calculation of pro's and con's
His action comes solely from
a Command from the Absolute
and NEVER anticipates any results
Hesitation is alien to him
He is unconcerned about its effect
for he treasures only the certainty of knowing
that he executes My Will
Flawless is his surrender
and utterly free he remains!
Untied by preferences
he is light like a feather ..
for he recognizes that opinions
are weight-inducing strings
tying him to the surface of heavy solidity
Superfluous ideas taking up non-existing space!
Those filled with carefully cared-for opinions
lay painfully bare
their need for a sense of safety
which they seek in maintaining territories
and in exerting themselves in defending these
Frightfully claiming ownership
over their imagined land
they sadly sink again and again to the level
of exposing their hardened self-interest
with its ugly companion 'self-righteousness'
Opinions about correct conduct ...
Opinions about wrong behavior ...
Opinions about what perfection is or should be!
... so very loud is this clarion call
voicing their disbelief in God's Perfection ...!
Totally unburdened by this folly of the limited mind
the weightless soul never loses sight
of the Perfection of the Lord's Action
for he does not know the frustration
of looking for perfection in man's action
He knows the One
Who governs all actions
and revels with Joy
in the observation of His Divine Play
He knows that the reaction to an action
constitutes the only true teacher
for those who imagine themselves the doers
Preaching lofty words
is not as effective
as the harsh reality of experience
Seldom do I render advice to an individual
about a particular circumstance
for I know that only the reaction
of his determined action can shed light
upon his state of mind
From time to time I might even urge a person
to undertake actions which could bring him pain,
knowing that only this direct experience
can cure his stiff blindness
All this is crystal clear
to the soul steeped in Love
Abandoning all conclusions
he finds himself ever free
to worship Me unceasingly
Surrendering all judgements
he finds himself unrestricted
and adores Me constantly
Relinquishing all opinions
he becomes forever pure
and is able to Love Me endlessly
This liberated one adorns My Flute
with the Fragrance of Love
and eagerly My Breath blows forth
this Sacred Flow
and together we permeate the Universe
with the Subtle Nectar of Divinity"
CHAPTER XX
So peaceful I become
when I enjoy Your Company
So filled with Bliss I feel
when aware of Your Presence
Complexities dissolve
in the Superb Simplicity of Being
and noise fades away
in the Melody of Your Song
To be forever nestled in the Embrace of Your Presence
is my only wish ...
The Lord responds:
"Never are you anywhere else
but in My Embrace
Together we spend every hour of each day
Single Togetherness
Dual Joy
Blissful are the days
when you are aware of this
Linger on the festivity of such a day
Enhance your inner beauty
with the glorious anticipation of this celebration
In this one-pointed thought
you do not encounter others
Envisioning an outer scene
can be very helpful
Watch as we dwell
for a moment on the following picture:
upon awakening you recall with joy
My invitation to come and spend the day
on My Temple-grounds
Quickly and quietly you prepare yourself
for this momentous occasion
Meticulous care you give
to your outer appearance,
knowing that no loving preparation
will go unnoticed
Keen to keep the mind clean
you leave it uncluttered
by hazy thoughts about circumstances and people
Well-focussed on My beckoning Presence
you make your way to My Temple-ground
where the guards without hesitation
open the gates for you
The Holy Grounds, uncrowded by others,
bask in Sacred Silence
Auspiciousness pervades all space
and with your heart filled with reverence
you take your seat
and gently lean against
one of the mighty pillars
Watching the play of the birds
your soul sings of contentment
Timeless becomes your awareness
as forms and frames
seem to become drawn up
in the All-ness of this state
Then ... the soft rustling of My Robe
alerts you of My coming
Perfectly united within
we now treasure without limits
the sight of one another,
clothed with the _expression of manifestation
A simple glance is enough
to bring you full forgetfulness
and raise you to the level
of supreme exaltation
Worlds are suspended
as you are now allowed
to glimpse into My Glory
Very subtly we become engaged
in the Dance between the Form and the Formless
Ever more alive
becomes My Formless Embrace
as you embrace formlessly My Form
Ever more heightened
becomes your awareness of Bliss
in the immediateness of My Presence,
the flaming of My orange Robe immersing
you gradually in the Full Brightness of My Sun
Celestial music plays
almost escaping your ear
as all your senses become one in their focus
Suddenly its melody blends in
with the totality of your perception
and effortlessly you behold
the Magic of the Music's Tale
as it reveals the apparent attraction
between different notes,
the louder ones being echoed by the soft ones
Like the Call of the Beloved
calling out to the lover,
the endless play of the Magnet of Love,
the ceaseless theme of Creation
Creator calling the created one
The audible _expression of the Divine
coupled with the visible _expression of My Form
lifts you to unspeakable heights
Utterly still your soul soars
to the dimension-less state
and in rapture supreme
it sways to the Melody of Bliss
I slip out of sight,
silence reigns
but the sweet Mystery of My Presence remains
No action calls upon you
other than the longing to hold on
to this unveiling of My Glorious Glory
Soothingly you caress the beads of your japamala
and your consciousness delves
ever deeper into My Nature Divine
as you silently speak My Name
Hunger or thirst cease to announce themselves
In this bright awareness
you spend this hourless day
Before the sun sets
I once again appear
and walk slowly over the grounds
Perfect clarity prevails
as Love has profoundly purified your senses
Supremely enjoying Love
silently celebrating Its Might
we exchange smiles,
which speak of the wordless wonder
of this day captured in the grip of Eternity
Never leaving
never coming
always being
Scarcely aware of your physical frame
you now part from the Temple-grounds
and find your way home
Anciently new
you playfully resume the role
of the individual
Such is a day spent with Me
Unblemished by a thought of the self
Fully attentive of the Divine
Immersed in the Simplicity of Truth
Entering the Glory of My Love"
CHAPTER XXI
Bright Light of Your Glory
holds mankind in sweet Love
ever penetrating through our Land of Shadows
and lifting our souls
into the deep blue of Your unfathomable Sky
Like the Master Magician
you make us forget
the heaviness of our bodily frames
Like the Superb Musician
you put to rest our whirling mind
and soothe it with Your Song Divine
O Almighty Lord
You are the Healing Sun
for our aching hearts
"Sweet child," He says,
"You are all that
No different you are from Me
You are of My Nature
and My Nature is Divine
Expand ...
never cease to outgrow
yesterday's expansion
for today's vision is wider yet
Compassion is a most wonderful tool
for chiseling away
the rock formations of your mind
in order to widen your horizon
Compassion has to begin
from the very core of your being
Thought-out actions
or well-planned words for the distressed ones
are secondary to heart-felt compassion
Thoughtfulness has to be born
from a 'thought-less' mind
where the pre-conceived idea of offering outward help
has not yet sprouted
for it remains ever in the healthy environment
of the Invisible Embrace of Love
Forever deepen this purity
of concern for mankind
Let Me tell you
that it is in the innermost depth
of your heart
where you can spread
the Silent Blanket of all-embracing Love
Here it is
where the magic takes place
Here it is
where the healing begins
It is here
where your continuous inner chant
sends forth powerful currents
of Comforting Love
Know ...
that each time
you repeat My Name
you shed Light upon other souls
How miraculous it is
that with this simple occupation
you gradually move mountains ..!
Now in your frustration
over your neighbor's blindness
you can rejoice triumphantly
for you know
that in all secrecy
you are helping him to see
Now, the pain you feel when seeing
the aching child,
imprisoned by unwelcome circumstances,
evaporates for you are unmistakably
brightening his feelings and
gradually lifting his fears
Silently you are loosening
the earthly bonds for the downtrodden ones
and fastening cords of Love to the Divine
And in this process
you expand effortlessly
beyond your prior limits
No longer focussed on any immediate results
you rest in the conviction
that the Process of this Sacred Healing
goes on continuously
It deepens so
the well within your heart
for no longer do you
try to tap the waters for personal use
for you have now come upon
the universal application of Compassion
and Its Fountain springs spontaneously
and ceaselessly
It is in this effort
where you truly complete the moment
for you give all of you
to the Shrine of Silence ...
where lies the Birthplace for Compassion
where Love begins
and Love finds Its fulfillment
where Perfection lies untouched
where Holiness resides
where Healing is ever present
where Completeness is full
where the ear hears everything
where the hand touches all
This is where you behold your nature
as My Nature
All actions flow spontaneously
from this Sacred Source
in the right measure
performed in the perfect manner
Inner peace exudes from this place
and those around you
shall become lighter
Your Silent Song
shall make them forget
the incoherent noises of the world
Your Radiance is My Radiance
and so you too
shall be like the Bright Sun
soothing aching hearts
lifting mankind
celebrating Love"
CHAPTER XXII
The Marvel of Maya is
the Oneness of Existence
Multiple forms born of
a single Source
Many noises emanating from
one Sound
Countless steps performing
only one Dance
A display of various feelings
expressing Love alone
O Fire of Oneness
blind my roving eyes!
"Yes! It is time to take a leap", my Lord responds
"On the road to Unity
you have to leave behind
the unnecessary gatherings
of partitions
Once you discover the deep yearning
for the Light of One-ness within your heart
know that this calls for a radical awakening of the mind,
an applying of uncompromising logic
Whenever the mind seeks your distraction
by her so-called righteous distinctions
promptly abandon her
and search with all your might
for that golden place in your heart
where the Clear Waters of Truth
submerge you in the longing for the Divine,
the Presence of the One alone
For how can one claim
to wish to find the One
yet carefully hold on
to labeled separations
thereby consciously distancing himself
from the One
Too afraid to abandon his reasonings
he falls prey to false piety
trying desperately to justify his fears
Waste no time
Take a deep breath
and stand up straight
Let your intense yearning
burn away all hypocrisy
and find the all-consuming Fire of Love
Enter without fear
the Cooling Heat of Non-dual Awareness
where the poison of the snake
as well as the fragrance of the flower
are found to be expressions
of the same Divine Source
empowered by the same Primal Energy
A touch of this non-judgmental state
we find in the receiver of a gift
like the parent who is delighted
by the gift of its child
if the child produced
a beautiful painting or a poor drawing
it differs not for the parent,
if it created a sweet delicacy
or a bitter tasting food
the mother's tongue is equally pleased
Or ...
the present of your loved one,
the thoughtfulness of his gesture
is what melts the heart
whether the gift is made of gold or brass
is of no interest to you
The sweet attention of the mother
eases the child's pain
if she brings actual medication
or just the concerned caress
of her soothing hand
In True Love
One-ness remains forever untouched
it allows no separations
it finds no distinctions
it fails to reason
It only sees Divine Innocence
The Brightness of Its Golden Effulgence
overshadows the panorama of colors
It eagerly relishes
the Richness of Unity
Drunk with delight
the mind ceases to reach out
and surrenders her views
to the Vision of the Heart
where the Holiness of Consciousness
is sublimely enshrined
Consciousness alone exists
The pure of heart do not dabble
in fragmented awareness
They feel at one with the all-pervasive air
They do not limit themselves
to that small portion of air
which their breath carries
into their minute frames
Air is their Home
they travel unrestricted
and perceive no imprisoned portions
of this Breath Divine
Its Holiness they leave intact
Its Auspiciousness they revere
Travel with these Great Ones
Join their unlimited companionship
Here you find the true nourishment
for your soul
where the Magic of Maya fades into
the blinding Light of the Exposure of the ONE"
CHAPTER XXIII
Your conversation with me
keeps me aloft
Its Flight carries me
high above the mundane structures of thought
Its view shortens all distance
and shrinks time
Bliss has transcended
these concepts
as beauteous Non-Existence
reveals Itself as Your Glorious Existence
Once again He speaks:
"Supremely wealthy
are those who embrace
poverty of the mind
Mindful of the Divine
are the ones who have become
mindless of the ego
Attentively alert they seek out
only the Rich Food of All-ness
Its inexhaustible Source
frees them from the burden
of having to seek replenishment
Contently full they exist
out of the Non-existence
of My Existence
and thereby glorify
My Formless State as well as My Form
Duties - they have not
Actions - they are unaware of
Opposites are equal to them
Spontaneous being is their Essence
Perfectly timed is their timeless _expression
Lively still - they ignite
the still dullness in the dormant ones
They bring Melodious Silence
to the clattering noise of the world
Their formless Love
makes the Form of Love tangible
Wondrous Glory of Being
present unceasingly
everywhere
at all times
Holiness of Existence
breathing perpetually
the perfection of balance
Its sweet motion displaying
the soft swaying of Bliss
generated by the awareness
of the Motionless State
The certainty of this Being
flows to all directions
and covers the expanse
beyond every horizon
Divine Embrace
holding close the multitudes
in Its endless attempt
to enfold Its Glorious Self
This is the Sublime Play of the One,
Who though constantly immersed in His Depthless Love,
yet created a second
as to celebrate more and more
the Uniqueness of His One-ness Nature
The Ultimate Manifestation of Love
No other reason for existence there is
Fullness of Love
is My Nature
Complete is My Purpose
Endless is My _Expression
Perfection in Self-ness
Splendorous Consciousness
ever filling the Emptiness of Forms
with the Fullness of the Formless
LOVE is My Reason
LOVE is My Purpose
LOVE is My _Expression
All-pervading Consciousness is My Love Divine"
CHAPTER XXIV
"We have talked for some time now
and many have been My Words," He continues,
"The echo of their sound
has suffused your being
and now it is time for you
to fully embrace these understandings
I have come to take you Home
The Swift Flight to your Birthplace
will bring you the needed revelations
I have carefully prepared you
for this moment,
cleansing your senses
with repeated actions of so-called spiritual practice
Busily thinking of how to exert yourself
in various exercises
I allowed you to miss
the truth about these endeavors
Now I wish for you
to understand it clearly
It has simply been My Desire
that My Light shall submerge your awareness
This alone, My Desire, sets into action
all your seeking
all your praying
all your hoping
Unmistakably this is the Announcement
of the Oncoming Birth
The inevitability of the Flood of My Light
In actuality the efforts you make
are no other than the labor pains
a mother-to-be has to endure
before giving birth to new life
She has no choice in the matter
Nature wishes for her
to celebrate new life
and during the process of this emerging
the labor pains are simply a side-effect
At no time during this evolution
can she initiate
the beginning of the labor pains
the length of their torment
or the brilliant outcome
of this glorious event
Likewise - it is NEVER your mind
that decides to make efforts,
for the mind of its own accord
does not have sufficient power
to propel such activities
Sadhana is looked upon
as an action prompted
by a mind-born conclusion
in answer to the call of the aching heart
for the living touch of the Divine
... and so - the mind eagerly sets up
various routines of disciplines and
enthusiastically starts to follow its rigorous pace
in anticipation for a concrete result
in the abstract world of Light
O, I allow you to run with it,
to polish it, to perfect it
and I let it take you a thousand places
and let it tire your restless eager mind
I urge you to skip, tumble and fumble
until your strenuous effort loses its breath
and finds peace in the discovery of
the inability to achieve ...
the futility to reach
the hoax of doership
And so finally I reveal to you
the realistic purpose of sadhana:
it is the unveiling of the incorrigible incapability of the mind ...
And in your joyous laughter I drown its existence
Now the concrete surrenders to the abstract
Your heart of Light swallows
the stone of your mind ...
This glorious discovery allows you
to hear ever more clear My Call
The adopted harshness of your world
made you forget that you have a Mother
Struggling through the morass
of this sense-laden land
you almost exhausted the sensitivity
to this Call for Truth
... but just like a mother
I have beseeched you again and again
in an effort to stir your memory
How grateful one would be
to find one's mother
in the hour of distress
Similarly - but more profoundly so
is the discovery of My ever-present Presence
Know that ...
My Love in Her eagerness to Love
has to be everywhere
therefore She is Formless
so She can be with you always!
Do not turn away
or pretend that you do not see Me
O, why, My child
can you not be devoted to Me
as I am to you ..?
Not one moment could I endure
without thinking of you
Always you are in My Heart
and I caress you with My Thought
I pray, respond to Me
relieve My Agony
I have riveted My Eye upon you
and in supreme eagerness
I await your loving glance,
the gift of your sweet heart
and the surrender of your soul
Please be Mine ..!
Never shall I give you up
At times I become your stern Father
reprimanding you harshly
so you will remember Me
I don Myself with the garment
of a most compassionate Mother,
overwhelming you with My inexplicable devotion
I walk by your side
like the companionship of a constant friend
dazzling your mind with uninterrupted attention
I pursue you with the persistence
of an abandoned lover
who cannot erase the memories of sweet union
Incorrigible is My insistence!
Not much is left to say for Me, My child ...
Let the Sound of My Words subside
for it is time to enter
the Holy Silence of My Temple
of Love Divine"
CHAPTER XXV
Often did Your Call for Love Divine
knock on my door, o Glorious Lord
but Its Might frightened me
and timidly I drifted off ...,
to once again bury myself
in the comfort of conventional theorizing
and intellectual probing
rather than
boldly throwing myself
unconcerned
into the Fire of Your Love
But now ...
I can no longer endure
the so-called comfort of conventionality
Every atom of my being
meets with repulsion
when it tries to walk the trail of habits
Loudly my being screams
for the Flames of Unconditional Love
You ended my search for Gold
no longer shall I turn away
and settle for silver
Thousands of lifetimes did I struggle,
striving to learn,
laboring to achieve
and now suddenly Your direct Words of Wisdom
have created the Dawn of Understanding
lifting the mist from my goal-reaching mind!
Carefully planned work and accomplishments,
rigorous practices and earned results
now have to make way
for the Explosive Truth of Love
The Glory of Your Love has ignited my soul
The Joy of Your Companionship
has melted my heart
Finally, o Lord, I can no longer resist!
How contagious is Your Love
The constant shower of Your all-embracing attention
envelops me like a warm blanket on a cold night
Intoxicating is Your Love
I have no choice ... but to respond!
How to honor such Love
as You bestow upon me ..?
Only by loving You
as You love me!
For how can I taste the Glory of Your Love
if I, myself, am incapable to love ...
Only two liquids of the same substance
can fully merge together
My Love has to be complete...
depthless ... infinite ...
in order to be able to melt away
in the Supreme Embrace of my Beloved
To be in perfect tune with Your Love
I have to love You likewise
If I do not know the value of Gold
I am unworthy to possess it!
I can no longer bear to disappoint you,
... o Lord, let the Fire of Love burn away
the sheath of subtle matter
that still clings to my soul
O to love for the sake of Love alone
I know this to be the Secret
Like the lover longing to be
in the presence of the beloved ...
the simple joy of being there is in itself complete!
The thought of gaining any personal benefits
is totally alien to the one who is truly in love
The only concern being
the company of the Beloved
Radha did not long for her Krishna
with a mind hoping for personal betterment
or reaching the goal of self-realization
Her all-absorbing thought was just to see Him
no other wish did she entertain
Her Pure Love did not tolerate
any intruders
I wish only to approach You
with that same unsullied Love
To ponder over the Splendor of Your Love
makes my heart ache
to love You out of Love alone
Not a moment do You ever wish to set aside
for Yourself
Untiring You excel day in day out
in pleasing those who seek You
Such Grand Love
which knows no 'self'
and ceaselessly seeks to embrace me ...
The more I ponder
the more I melt
the more I immerse in this Wonder of Love
the lesser are the veils that keep me
from Its Total Embrace
Forever I must abandon
the thought of efforts and results
How silly is the ignorance
with which one tries to measure
one's depth of love and devotion,
gauging one's actions
in the hope of self-applause
True Love allows no room
for such absurdities
A caring mother does not need a 'reportcard'
for her emotions in order to prove
the love for her child
A need for this kind of evaluation
never comes up
simply because she LOVES
and any question about her own integrity
in this field of Absolute Love is unknown to her
She does not have to go to school
to learn to love her child
Neither does the child have to be taught
to love its mother
Likewise ...
the waging and worrying
about one's feelings of Love for the Divine
is essentially only deep-rooted self-interest
which leaves a silent gap
between the blind seeker
and the Divine Light of Your Love
How could one be free to love
if bound by such calculations ..?
Love leaps!
It never hesitates!
O, Lord Divine, let my weakness for Love
cripple the legs
that walk on the road of self-importance
I can see now that efforts generated by the mind
might soothe the yearning heart for awhile
and even bring the sight of the Glow of Gold
blanketing the world of things
however...
Pure Love however opens wide one's vision
and lays bare the very permeation of Gold
throughout all manifestation
Wondrous Wonder ...
for now Gold emerges from the center
of all that is perceived
O Pearl of Love
forever deep I have to dive
into the heart of my Heart
to beckon the Secret of Love Sublime
to surface to my impaired soul
Seeking in every corner
to tap this Source of Fluid Gold
O How gloriously helpful is motherhood!
The very desire for any object
ceases instantly at the moment
her child wishes for it
Effortlessly it disappears
from the horizon of her mind
For You, o Lord, as the Divine Child
pining for my Love
I must discard any longing
for perceiving life-less relative existence
and with motherly haste
shower You with all my Love!!
O to be afflicted with the Madness of Love
is all that I wish for!
CHAPTER XXVI
O Supremacy of Love
how foolish has been
my ignorance of Your Existence
Out of Love I was created
In Love I shall spend my days
Love so perfect
Love Sublime
Absolute Love
in utter stillness
I now listen to Your Secret
Earthly Love is still filled with trickery
and displays the Game of give-and-take
marking separate territories
setting up rules and regulations
binding one another
by expectations, frustrations
and conditions
Love Divine, however, does not tolerate
the Burden of Game
for It is the Embodiment of the Play of ever-full Joy
Here one does not stretch out
one's hand hoping to receive something
for in Perfect Love
there is only
the Joy of holding hands
in an ever-expanding Field of Togetherness
The necessity to voice
one's needs does not exist
in this Land of Fluid Gold
for the Harmony of Love
is ever complete
and lacks nothing
Hollow flattering words of affection
are superfluous,
they reduce the natural state
of Depthless Love
to a fabricated scene
When Love ceases to find words
how can a desire be expressed?
How can a pleading prayer surface?
Perfect Love never seeks answers
for questions do not arise
There is no room for reassurance
in Perfect Love
Pure Love finds only Pure Love
as Its reward
It has no motive
Beyond the Realm of Words
lies the Perfection of Love
Infinitely content in Its Sublime Stillness
Eternal is this Love
It does not reach for Tomorrow
hoping for fulfillment
It does not need Yesterday
for the ideal memory
for NOW presents
the Joy of Perfection
Perfection of Love IS,
HAS BEEN
and always WILL BE
In the Light of this Certainty
all action ceases
and Love Divine bursts forth
Pure in Its Simplicity
Simple in Its Purity
is the Fire of Limitless Love
O Brilliance of Love Supreme
You consume all concepts
Your spreading Fire scorches all limits
Love celebrating Love
bringing the shoreless Bounty of Joy
O Formless Love
bewitching is Your Form
All senses I lose
when embraced by Your Radiance,
enraptured by the silken touch of Bliss Divine
Loving the Invisible
the Visible becomes invisible
Highest Glory of all Glories
is this Gift of Love
The Exposure to the Fullness of Love
puts to shame for all time
petty thoughts
The Brightness of this all-powerful Sun
evaporates the stormy torments
of worldly life forever more
This fiery Diamond of Truth Absolute
devours the faint sparkles
of a dimly lit relative existence
Humbled by Your Presence
I lay down my existence
J A I S A I R A M
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