JAY MAZO’S QUESTIONS
Q1. What is samadhi for the yogi?
A1) Samadhi is when the mind totally gets absorbed into the Real
Ultimate Self. The yogi becomes aware of the Self's existence but without any
definitions. Even the earlier imagined false self's identity also vanishes.
This means the thought of 'I' vanishes. In samadhi,
the yogi has no mind which recognizes or identifies anything. The Yogi simply
experiences the Existence, which is Supreme Peace.
Q2. What is the relationship between samadhi
and God realization?
A2) Relationship between samadhi and God realization.
Actually, samadhi is when the
mind has got absorbed into the Self. When samadhi
occurs, then one regains total Self consciousness of existence. The same thing
is recognized as God realization. Technically it is God consciousness. The
process is something like a ray of the sun going back to the sun. At the
beginning, the bubble of the ocean starts wanting to
know what the ocean is (to realize what the ocean is). But that never happens
because the bubble, when away (here, actually, only conciousness
is away and there is no such thing called individual soul anyway) can never
have first hand knowledge (experience) of the ocean. To know what the ocean is,
it has to re-enter the ocean. When that happens, it would merge with the ocean,
losing its own existence (which was only an imagination), identification. In
reality only the ocean exists.
Q3. How does the yogi go into samadhi?
A3) Going into samadhi.
Key Points:-
a) Total surrender (mentally) in
the name of Guru or God. When it happens the mind stops to recognize anything
else other than Guru. Gradually all imaginations stop, the mind stops analyzing
or judging anything. This is a very tricky situation. Constant prayers help to
grant surrender. One has to understand the character of a slave. Just do as it
comes. Firmly take it that it is coming from the master. The mind always has a
tendency to recognize (existence of samsara,
spiritually called drishya, means scene. And shabdha,
means sound), imagine, define, analyze and judge. All these may be good in this
world but when you want the mind to become quiet and go into samadhi, you have to abandon all these.
b) The same technique during
meditation. If the mind understands the deeksha
(initiation) instructions, do not repeat anything and do not imagine. During dhyana (meditation) if any thought or vision or anything
occurs, just keep watching and do not try to analyze whether it is good or bad,
right or wrong. It is only a purifying process when you try to meditate. The
mind is the tape which has acquired habits and brain acts as tape recorder.
When you sit for meditation the mind gets applied (sucked) onto the brain
because of its habits. Purifying process starts when the vasanas
(impressions) are getting evaporated. Visions and sounds get created by a decodifying method from the brain. Then is the time you
require enormous patience to allow it to
happen. Then you should not analyze or judge what it is, good or bad just allow
it to happen. Then only the mind can recede, as it has no job to imagine when
the mind recedes. The brain’s activation also decreases gradually.
c) Pray constantly for grace. If
the mind surrenders by not trying to analyze anything, its concentration
happens. Then automatically it has to get introverted and that is when it is
able to touch its Origin, Inner Guide, the Divine
Guru. Then automatic Divine activity happens and grace starts flowing. Until
then you have to put in efforts with dedication, devotion, discipline, and patience.
No hurry, No rush. Peacefully and tactfully.
Q4. What is moksha (liberation) and how
is it attained?
A4) Moksha (liberation) is when the mind
loses all imaginations, definitions (including identifying the 'I') resolutions,
judgements, once for all and gets absorbed into the Inner Guide Self. Then you
get liberated. You regain consciousness of your real existence. This is
attained by surrender and sadhana (spiritual
practice), as explained above. Then there is no rebirth. Because
rebirth is determined, based on the potency, strength of the mind's acquired
habits. The mind, if there is less and less violence and a composed
mind, can give an elevated birth which will further take you towards the
Ultimate Truth. If there is no imagination at all, no rebirth and you exist
having become one with the Immortal Supreme Soul.
Q5. How can samadhi permanently replace
the aspirant's normal human consciousness?
A5) The final samadhi is achieved when
the mind totally gets absorbed into the Ultimate Real Self. This is normally
recognized as nirvikalpa samadhi.
The mind is totally free from any imaginations, including 'I', and hence the
mind has become one with the Pure Supreme Consciousness of existence. Once this
happens, the mind, which now is a Pure Consciousness of existence, does not go
back to body or human consciousness. It is always alert on the Real Self
consciousness. It does not acquire any further habits, imprints, imaginations,
definitions etc. One has to experience to believe or understand. Thus, even
after coming back from samadhi, the mind is simply a
pure consciousness of existence. It is a natural Supreme Peace.
When a yogi is talking, even if gossiping or listening to
anybody talking, or watching any scene (drishya),
pure consciousness is totally silent and standstill and does not move or waver,
because it does not absorb any further imprints of imaginations.
Q6. How to overcome leg and back pains during meditation?
A6) Standing, slowly inhaling, at the same time lift
your hands upwards and stand on the toes. Then exhaling bring
down hands and toes down. After 4 or 5 times doing like this, sit down on the
ground. Join both the toes of the legs keeping it on the ground. Holding in
your hands try to drag it on the ground as close as possible and then move the
thighs like butterfly strokes. Then keep your legs straight and gently move
your hands on the knee and stretch out the legs.
Back pain:-
Lie down on the ground facing down. Then bring hands keeping it on the ground
below ears, then pressing the legs to ground, lift
your head and chest, looking up as comfortably as possible. Three times like
this and then try to lift head and neck, and legs, pressing gently your stomach
on to the ground slowly two to three times as comfortably as possible. Whenever
you lift your head backwards inhale and when you bring down exhaling. This is
important. Apart from that, if you require you can sit
against a wall with a thin pillow cushion. Just take care that you keep
your neck and back straight.
During tapas
(yoga penance meditation in samadhi) when there was
pain, Swamiji used to appear on Full Moon days and
constantly used to tell me to ignore pain, try to remove the mind from the pain
and gradually the mind gets lifted crossing the pain barrier. This is a very
difficult aspect to explain how it happened as the mind's
concentration was on the Self.
Q7. How to overcome sleep during meditation?
A7) In overcoming sleep, one needs to be very careful in the intake
of food. In the beginning of tapas we took milk. But
later that also became heavier, so vegetable soup suited. Green
vegetables, leafy vegetables. Another basic food was Amla.
I hope you understand Amla (gooseberry). This is the
main ingredient used in Kayakalpa and Chyavanprash (Hindu rejuvenation techniques). Amla is very rich in vitamin 'C'.
Ultimately what makes the difference is the grace of the
Divine Guru. When it descends dhyana (meditation)
increases. As the mind's conscious load decreases on the brain, the brain gets
sufficient rest as its activation and use becomes less and less.
Q8. When Sri Swamiji did tapas, what role did having a completely dark room play?
A8) Darkness:- Once Swamiji
told about this, God to go into creation, first created avidya
(ignorance) illusion and then vidya (knowledge).
Likewise first darkness came into existence as illusion and then light. During tapas you first cross light (jyoti)
and ultimately cross darkness to re-enter the Divine when you lose your
identification.
Another simple point is after a long time of remaining in samadhi, when you come out if lights are there they might
affect vision. So first come into the darkness. That gives peace to the vision.
Even small lights can create heat. The body itself would be experiencing lot of
heat generated. Darkness helps. Also when you close eyes to meditate, if there
are bright lights it can affect concentration. Darkness is helpful in this
matter.
Q9. What loka or plane of consciousness
does Sri Swamiji reside in now?
A9) Actually, Swamiji is now one with the
Divine All Pervading Spirit. The mind is the basic clue to reach Him. If the
mind gets concentrated with a resolution of prayer to Swamiji,
then you can see Him manifesting depending on the power potency of
concentration. Otherwise also it can happen (concentration), because you are
devoted to Swamiji, what is called automatic Divine
activity, enables you to become receptive to the vibrative
energy that is flowing. That is when you get dreams or visions. So the Divine
Guru (Swamiji) is the ultimate truth of the mind.
That is why we say Swamiji is in every heart and
everywhere.
Q10. How to surrender to a spiritual guide that is not physically
present?
A10) Surrender with a firm faith that
the Spiritual Guide is always with you in your heart. Positively
reassure yourself again and again. When this becomes firm in your mind, such a
mind stops analyzing or judging anything. It simply is taking everything as the
blessings of Spiritual Guide and everything that happens in life is that the
Spiritual Guide is driving you as torch bearer or charioteer towards your
ultimate abode only.
Q11. What would Babaji Shivarudra advise us to do in the sadhana?
A11) Babaji would advise you, when you
are doing karma (any work), do it without trying to analyze or judge anything.
Then your Mind would surrender to the Divine Guru and that action (all such
work) can get converted into sadhana. Specifically if
you are trying to repeat any name of the Divine Guru, just concentrate on the
name (or japa or chant) and observe from where it is
coming. Your mind gets absorbed there, converting such action (sadhana) into deeper and deeper sadhana.
While you try to meditate also do the same. Allow the mind to get purified
without trying to imagine what it is. When vision or any experience happens do
not try to see whether it is good or bad, right or wrong. Remember either way
the mind gets involved and is in existence always. If you simply watch and do
not bother what it is, then the mind recedes. When it recedes it is going towards
its original abode, the Divine, which is beyond all imaginations and
explanations.
Q12. How to receive forgiveness from Sri Swamiji
for mistakes we made towards Him?
A12) Forgiveness.:- Have firm faith. Swamiji has already forgiven you. By His grace only you are
with Lord Shiva. Do not feel guilty. Otherwise the mind will catch unnecessary
imprints. You have felt sorry, that is enough. Swamiji
knows it is not your fault and you were drawn by destiny. Still you will reach
your goal. Only the course of the way got changed. But by His blessings, it is
a grace that both of you are on the same path
together and Lord Shiva is with you. The more that you have undergone tests and
trials, it has become your sadhana
and put you more firmly on the track.
Q13. How to stay permanently with Bhagavan
Shiva after leaving the body in death?
A13) Before death shall claim the physical body, try to surrender
mentally. It means the mind should lose all imaginations of right and wrong,
good and bad, form (saguna) and formless (nirguna). The mind should lose the imagination of 'I'. If
at such a state the physical body gets dropped, one will automatically remain
with Lord Shiva permanently. Shiva means literally existence of the Self in
total standstillness. That is why Shiva is shown as
the concept of samadhi. Brahma is the concept of
creation (imagination coming in to existence). Vishnu is the concept of
protector (sustains and protects the imagination). Shiva is the concept of
withdrawal of creation (withdrawal of imagination, return journey from
imagination to total standstillness, as Supreme Peace
Existence). That is the mind has to lose all imaginations. Never bother to know
when it came to existence or why it happened. It simply happened and simply
will vanish.
Q14. How to please Bhagavan Shiva to
attain his permanent vision?
A14) More and more that your mind (imaginations)
become quiet in every way, then automatic, technical, real surrender
takes place and Shiva is pleased to absorb you. To a certain stage you need to
put in efforts to make the mind quiet (take two steps). And for that also pray
to be granted inspiration, atmosphere, circumstances, and grace of the Guru.
Then automatically the Divine (Shiva) will absorb you.
Q15. How did Sri Swamiji first find out
about the book Yoga Vasistha?
A15) Swamiji told me that Jangama Devar (Lord Shiva) told
him about the Yoga Vasishta. And also Tapasvi Maharaj had exclaimed to Swamiji, “now you are the Yoga Vasishta personified.” Then Swamiji
asked what it is. Tapasviji Maharaj
told what you have achieved is given and explained in the Yoga Vasishta.
Q16. Was Sri Swamiji the Rishi Vasistha in the treta yuga?
A16) Swamiji Himself never claimed about
any of His previous lives. However He never denied also if anyone wanted to
believe.
Q17. What does the form of the Shiva Linga
mean and how does it help our meditation?
A17) The literal meaning of Linga is
symbol. Shiva means existence of the Ultimate Truth in total standstillness beyond all thoughts and imaginations but
with absolute Supreme Consciousness of Self Awareness. So the Linga is this Shiva symbol. God is all pervasive and
because of these qualities there can not be any form. But that does not mean
that God is only formless. Though formless, God assumes innumerable forms to bless
creation.
Once Swamiji
said that the Linga form, in which we worship Ishwara (personal God), is symbolic of both, God's
formlessness (nirguna) and form (saguna).
It is symbolic of form because it has a particular shape. It is symbolic of formlessness because it has
neither head nor limbs like other images. The very conception of Linga denotes something which has neither beginning nor
end. At this stage Swamiji said that when the Divine
wanted to create and imagined, because there was no imagination of form in the
imagination of God, the Linga came into existence.
Though it (the Linga) was fully conscious of
existence, there was no other form on the Linga. But
a shouting voice was coming out of the Linga, saying
who am I? Who brought me into this type of existence and for what purpose? Then
God because of the Maha Samadhi state forgot to tell
that He wanted to create. Instead He gave the dhyana
(meditation) technique through a voice without any form or body. This is called
ashareera vani (bodiless
voice). When God said concentrate in between the eyebrows, automatically two
eyes came on the Linga. As God said close the eyes,
the two eyes vanished but the third inner eye came which was invisible and
introvert. Thus Rudra went into deep nirvikalpa samadhi but remained
as prana (life current) of the Linga.
Because of this prana the Om sound was coming out.
Swamiji
said that first
creation was called Maha Rudra
because that came into existence with the tremendous intense imagination of God
by erupting like a volcano. At this stage Swamiji
said that God had no use of this imagination. But it came automatically with a
just like that happening. Because of the eruption it was totally red-hot, much
more powerful than a million suns. Rudra means
tremendous eruption. This auspicious moment is celebrated as Shivaratri. This auspicious moment was exactly 12 o’clock midnight,
neither day nor night.
If you understand the concept of
God beyond forms and formlessness with no beginning and no end, that is the
technique which Swamiji gave in his initiations. When
you sit for meditation just keep looking without repeating anything (mantra or
so forth) and without trying to imagine what it is. Then it will be beneficial
in meditation. You are actually concentrating on Shiva all pervading.
Q18. How to be more in contact with the Inner Guide?
A18) To be in contact with the Inner
Guide:-
Only silent meditation gives your
consciousness the ability to remain in contact with the Inner Guide. To some
extent you have to put in effort by simply watching in between the eyebrows
(closing the eyes). After a stage, the Inner Guide will start absorbing the
mind. Dedication, discipline and enormous patience
are required.
Q19. How to be aware of God during the day, when not doing
meditation?
A19) To be aware of God during the day
time:-
Through constant meditation and
when it gets converted into tapas (yoga penance
meditation in samadhi), then automatically the mind
remains always aware of God. This happens after samadhi
occurs. Until then, through imagination and bhakti
(devotion), you try to remember your Ishta devata (chosen personal divine form). This also can happen
if your emotions are strongly attached to God with any one particular form. And
then hold on to it and do not allow the mind to get confused about different
forms. Reassure your mind that all are the same.
Q20. What is the sadhak trying to realize
by doing the meditation taught by Sri Swamiji?
A20) The sadhak (spiritual practitioner)
is trying to lose all imaginations of the mind. When that happens the mind gets
purified and becomes pure consciousness. That is why it is essential in
meditation for the mind to realize not to imagine, analyze (like good or bad,
right or wrong, etc.), or judge anything. Then the mind recedes. Simultaneously
it is becoming concentrated. When this happens the mind starts getting absorbed
into the Ultimate Self (God). Total samadhi occurs
when the mind loses the imagination of the imagined individual self which never
existed at all. Thus losing all ego, the sadhak simply merges with God. Thus, even without repeating
any name, mantra, form or anything, the sadhak
continues trying to concentrate on God. Because the Ultimate Truth of the mind
is God, like the sun's ray trying to concentrate on
the sun and in the process getting absorbed into the sun.
Q21. Is the goal to realize God with form (saguna)
or the void (nirguna) beyond forms?
A21) As saguna is in the imagination of
the mind, nirguna also is in the imagination of the
mind. The recommended goal is beyond this. Here realize means that you (the
imagined self called mind) simply merge with God. Seer and scene vanish. It is
neither the 'I' nor God. You experience only when you reach it. Here realize
means that you regain consciousness of the Ultimate Truth. To give a little
clue, in fact void is really not void. It is the supreme consciousness of
Existence.
Q22. How to consciously make the breathing help the concentration
on the third eye?
A22) The sadhak must avoid getting too
much involved into taking the help of breathing for concentration, because the
mind is likely to get stuck to the breathing only. The sadhak
can do breathing just for a couple of minutes to feel fresh to go into
meditation. For concentration use vision. Here vision
means eyesight and not scene (drishya). Bring both
the eyeballs at the point in between the eyebrows. In due course of time in tapas when total concentration happens, the mind will
become introverted and start getting absorbed into the Ultimate Truth.
Q23. What is the difference between sleep in meditation and yoga nidra?
A23) Sleep in meditation happens in the initial beginning stages of
sadhana when the brain goes into quietness and its
reflections become very minimal just to keep the brain alive. When this happens,
the mind gets turned off temporarily. You exist but the awareness of existence
is lost for a while. Here the sadhak can not catch
hold (concentrate on the mind) of the mind. Yoga nidra
sometimes can happen in an advanced stage of meditation like in tapas. This happens when the mind has become concentrated
enormously and is ready to get delinked from the
reflections of the brain to go into samadhi. Still a
little bit of the layers of mind can catch the reflections of the sleepy or
tired brain and go into a sleepy state where the mind gets stuck without
further progress. Here also the sadhak loses
awareness of existence. Sometimes this can go on for a long time. Many layers
of the mind, quite possibly, would have got absorbed into the Ultimate Truth
but not yet completely.
Q24. How to overcome ego and yet play your unique role in God's leela (cosmic game)?
A24) Total surrender is the only answer. When this happens, the
mind does not analyze or judge. It
simply submits itself to whatever happens. Whatever imagination is there in the
mind gets converted into the satvic (pure) ego,
without the doer or receiver sense. You become an instrument without trying to
plan anything and accept the things as they come. Thus you (the mind) rise
above dualities. The mind becomes more single-pointed and that gets converted
into sadhana.
