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Date Posted: 09:21:26 01/23/06 Mon
Author: H - 25 Nov 2005
Subject: Re: Take a look at this one....
In reply to: kmd - 23 Nov 2005 's message, "Re: Take a look at this one...." on 09:20:09 01/23/06 Mon


Ramdas had great respect for pranayama and other yogic practices if they bring about spiritual progress, but he saw that for many people they cause trouble and frustration. Many people came to him and complained that techniques were not working, ruined their health etc.

He made some rather harsh statements on the use of yogic practices in general. This is one, from Sep 8, 1953:

Papa: "When there is so much power in the Lord's name, why should people still run after various other sadhanas like pranayama, yogic practices and so on? They do not take this most simple path. [...] Because it is too easy [...] People do not have faith in easy and simple paths. They prefer to follow those hard paths, break their heads, get their brains deranged; after all for what? Only to get a certain amount of mental stillness. If they take God’s name, all their vasanas will be rooted out and their mind will become pure. But people do not want it."

But he added that it takes "tremendous faith" to make japa really working and that it is not an "ordinary thing" and only possible by God's grace. In his sadhana period he used to be immersed in japa for almost 24 hours a day and for long periods even gave up sleep lest he forget God's name even for a minute. By this method he attained the Goal in two or three years only.

Fact is, if you look at the lives of the great saints of the past you will find almost invariably that japa was either their main practice or at least an important part of their sadhana.

So I guess the problem is not with the practice, but with the modern mindset which is full of doubts and asks for proof. For many people it may be easier to do a routine of complex techniques that stimulate certain energy knots etc. than to remain focussed on something that seems too simple and incredible. Who has that tremendous faith to make japa working as it did for Tukaram or Ramdas? Japa is advised to be done continuously which means that you turn your whole life to sadhana, and not only certain periods. For someone who earnestly does japa, nothing but sadhana remains. That is the trick of it.

Another point raised by Ramdas and others against the practice of yogic techniques is that they tend to fortify the ego. He therefore advised to do one's sadhana in a spirit of surrender right from the beginning, imagining that one's sadhana is done by the Lord's will and power alone.

I remember the Mother saying that faith is the most precious thing for a sadhak, something that should be guarded by all means, and that there is nothing that compares to the power of japa. So be it.

H

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