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Date Posted:05:17:55 08/18/06 Fri Author: a disciple - 4 Aug 2006 Subject: KRIYA
THIS IS MY FIRST POST. THROUGH GOD'S GRACE I AM A KRIYABAN, HAVING BEEN BLESSED WITH HOLY DIKSHA OVER 50 YEARS AGO BY A DISCIPLE OF TINKORI LAHIRI'S. MY BABA FORBADE MR FROM EVER MENTIONING HIS NAME -- THOUGH HE HAS LEFT HIS BODY I STILL MUST ABIDE BY HIS WILL. HE WAS A SECRET YOGI WHO FELT THAT THOSE SOULS WHO BELONGED TO HIM WOULD BE DRAWN TO HIM BY PROVIDENCE. MY HEAD IS FOREVER AT HIS HOLY FEET.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW THINGS THAT MY GURU TAUGHT ME:
1) THERE ARE MANY, MANY VALID WAYS TO THE LORD. KRIYA YOGA IS ONE OF THESE PATHS. IN TRUTH, IT IS NO FASTER NOR SLOWER THAN ANY OF THE OTHER METHODS.
2) THOUGH MY BABA WOULD NOT TEACH THE HIGHER KRIYAS WITHOUT KHECHARI, HE TAUGHT THAT ETERNAL REALIZATION LIES IN EVEN THE FIRST KRIYA. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS DEVOTION AND SURRENDER.
3) THE FASCINATION WITH KHECHARI IS, I IMAGINE, INEVITABLE. HOWEVER, MY GURU TAUGHT ME THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHERE THE HEART IS DIRECTED -- NOT THE TONGUE. ( THOUGH, AGAIN, HE WOULD ONLY BESTOW THE HIGHER KRIYAS AFTER THE TONGUE WENT UP. )
4) THERE ALSO IS A FASCINATION WITH "THE BREATHLESS STATE" AND THE BELIEF THAT IT IS A SIGN OF THE FINAL EXPERIENCE. IN TRUTH, IT IS ONLY A SIGN THAT ONE HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE FIRST SHEATH, OR THE ANNAMAYA KOSHA.
5) KRIYA YOGA IS A PATH OF LOVE.
6) TRUE GURUS STILL EXIST. WHEN ONE'S TIME IS RIPE NOTHING CAN STAND IN THE WAY OF HIS BEING TAUGHT.
7) WHEN I MET MY BABA, HE STRESSED THE NECESSITY OF FOLLOWING YAMA/NIYAMA. THIS INCLUDES ADHERENCE TO CHASTITY; WHEN ONE IS MARRIED, RELATIONS WITH ONE'S SPOUSE IS PERMITTED ONCE A YEAR FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING CHILDREN. OTHERWISE THE COUPLE LIVES AS BROTHER AND SISTER. THIS IS CONSIDERED UNBROKEN BRAHMACHARYA. ( YOGANANDA'S PARENTS WERE NOT AN EXCEPTION. )THE CAPACITY FOR FOLLOWING YAMA/NIYAMA IS VERY IMPORTANT IN ONE'S QUALIFICATION FOR INITIATION.
8) THERE SEEMS TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF MISUNDERSTANDING REGARDING " ORIGINAL KRIYA" IN THE SENSE OF A FIXED SYSTEM OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISES. IT SIMPLY DOES NOT EXIST -- TRUE KRIYA MASTERS TEACH THEIR STUDENTS ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS.
9) NO MONEY CAN EXCHANGE HANDS AT THE TIME OF INITIATION OR THEREAFTER. THE ONLY OFFERING A TRUE GURU WILL ACCEPT IS DEVOTION. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE.
MAY LAHIRI BABA'S GRACE BE ON US ALL. I BOW TO ALL KRIYABANS EVERYWHERE.
