RAJA YOGA BY SWAMI SIVANANDA (MESSAGE 29) The section `Lights in Meditation' now continues.

---------------------------------------------------------Divine light comes not through open doors, but only through narrow slits. The aspirant sees the ray as a sunbeam passing through a chink into a dark room. It is like a flash of lightning. This sudden illumination chokes all sounds of words. The aspirant is spell-bound in ecstasy and awe. He trembles with love and awe, just as Arjuna did when he saw the universal form of Lord Krishna. So bright and glorious is the light environing the Divine, that the initiate is dazzled and bewildered. During deep meditation you may behold a huge pillar of light. You will see infinite light and you will merge yourself in it. You will be struck with awe and wonder. Various persons get various spiritual experiences. There cannot be a common experience for all. It depends upon the temperament, mode of sadhana, place of concentration and various other factors. Some hear melodious sounds in the ears, some see lights, some get spiritual bliss and some get both lights and bliss. To behold various kinds of colours and lights during meditation is not the goal. You will have to merge the mind in That which is the source for all these lights and colours. ANAHATA SOUNDS Anahata sounds or melodies are the mystic sounds heard by the yogi at the beginning of his cycle of meditation. The anahata sound is due to the vibration of prana in the heart. This is a sign of purification of the nadis or astral currents due to pranayama. The sounds can also be heard after the uttering of mantra 'hamsah soham' a hundred thousand times. The sounds are heard through the right ear, with or without closing the ears, but they are more distinct when heard through closed ears. The ears can be closed by introducing the two thumbs into the ears through the process of yoni mudra. Sit on padma or siddhasana, close the ears with the thumbs and hear the sounds very attentively. Occasionally you can hear the sounds through the left ear also. Practise to hear from the right ear only. Why do you hear through the right ear only or hear distinctly through the right ear? Because of the solar nadi, pingala, on the right side of the nose. Just as a hunter catches deer by spreading a snare, so also the yoga student catches the mind by the snare of anahata sound heard in his right ear. The sweet melodious sounds that are heard in the ear first attract the mind. Then they bind it and eventually annihilate the mind. The mind is absorbed or dissolved in the nada (sounds). Binding the mind means rendering the mind quite steady. To kill the mind is to make the mind absorbed in the sound. Then it cannot run toward the objects. The sound that is heard is of ten kinds. The first is like the sound of the word 'chini'; the second is like 'chini-chini'; the third is the sound of a bell; the fourth is that of a conch; the fifth is that of a lute; the sixth is the sound of cymbals; the seventh is that of the flute; the eighth is that of the drum; the ninth is that of a double drum, and the tenth is like that of thunder.

The mind can be fixed on any of these sounds. This also will lead to samadhi. Sometimes you will hear the melodious sound of OM during meditation and you will see the form of your guru. A student in the path of vedanta ignores these sounds and lights. He meditates on the significance of the great declarations of the Upanishads by negating all forms. "The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor shines this lightning and much less this fire. When He shines, everything shines after Him; by His light all these shine.'' He meditates also like this: ''The air does not blow there. The fire does not burn there. There is neither sound nor touch, neither smell nor colour, neither mind norprana in that homogeneous essence. I am the blissful Siva, I am the blissful Siva." EXPERIENCE OF SADHAKS Here are some actual experiences of sadhaks: I had a peculiar sensation near my solar plexus in meditation. I noticed a whirling sensation like a flywheel rotating around. Then I came across some peculiar sights. I saw with the physical eyes a sort of white or blue hue of light all around people's heads and also on the surface of buildings. When I gazed at the open grand expanse of sky in the day time, I noticed a white light moving hither and thither. When I work intently in my office, white shining lights flash across my eyes. Sometimes little sparks of light are noticed on my books. This gives me a peculiar joy and I begin to chant the name of the Lord: 'Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama'. Nowadays when I am cycling to my office I see a round light-like ball which is visible till I reach my destination. The same thing appears at times when I gaze at the beautiful sky......'S.' I meditated for five hours daily for a month in Gangotri. One day I had a great deal of dejection for two hours. I could not find any peace. I found it difficult to bear the mood of dejection. I then sat on the bank of the Ganges and began to meditate upon Mahatma Gandhiji. It gave me some solace. After a few days I was meditating on Sri Ramachandra for one and a half hours. This meditation with form automatically turned into a formless type. I felt perfect peace for ten minutes. My mind was fully engrossed in meditation on OM. This continued for half an hour. One day I had a different kind of experience. I opened my eyes after meditation. I found everything as Brahman without the help of reasoning. I had this mood the whole day. A brahmachari spoke to me for one hour on that day. I was hearing but my mind did not attend to his speech. It remained in the same mood. I could not recollect even a word of his speech. On another occasion I meditated for half an hour. I had a very ecstatic mood. But owing to some distraction from sounds outside, this ecstatic mood dropped down. Again I began to meditate. I saw a beautiful light at the bottom of my heart. As soon as that light disappeared, I began to weep unconsciously. Somebody came and called me by my name. I stopped weeping a little but looking at his face wept again and again for twenty-five minutes......'V'. I did pranayama for a month and then began to hear some sweet melodious sounds of different sorts, viz., flute, violin, bell-sound, double drum, sounds from a cluster of bells, a conch sound, a drum sound, and the sound of thunder; sometimes from right ear only, while at other times from both the ears......'N'.

During concentration I smell extraordinary sweet fragrances and good smells......'R'. I used to see during meditation in the space between the eye-brows a blazing sun, a dazzling light and brilliant stars. The vision was not steady at all......'G'. Sometimes I see some sages in the space between the eyebrows during the course of concentration. I used to see Lord Krishna, with the flute in his hands......'S'. I used to see, at times, coloured lights, red, green, blue and white in the space between the eyebrows during my meditation. Sometimes I see a blue expansive sky. I, myself, appeared as a dot in that blue sky......'V. During meditation I occasionally see several demi-gods and goddesses with lustrous resplendent bodies with beautiful ornaments......'R'. Sometimes during meditation I see a big void only......'T'. During concentration I see my own face in the centre of a big light. Sometimes, I used to see the faces of my friends. I could clearly recognise them......'R'. I feel a current of electricity passing from the muladhara to the back of the neck when I sit for meditation. Even at ordinary times, I feel this......'K'. During meditation some astral entities with ghastly hideous faces and long teeth, black in colour, threaten me. But they did not do any harm......'A'. When I sit for meditation I often get jerks of the legs and hands. Sometimes, my body jumps from one place to another......'M'. I sometimes see palatial buildings, rivers, mountains and gardens during my meditation......'S'. I meditate with open eyes. One night I saw in front of me, a brilliant light. In the centre of the light I saw Lord Krishna with flute in hand. My hair stood on end. I became speechless. I was struck with awe and wonder......'S'. One day I had deep meditation. I separated myself actually from the physical body. I actually saw it as a slough thrown off. I was floating in the air. I had a peculiar sensationa mixture of extreme joy and extreme fear. I stayed in the air for a couple of minutes only. Owing to great fear I suddenly entered back, gliding with a peculiar sensation into the physical body. The experience was thrilling......'S'. IN THE HOURS OF MEDITATION Brahman, Self, Purusha, Chaitanya, Consciousness, God, Atman, Immortality, Freedom, Perfection,

Peace, Bliss and Bhuma (or the Unconditioned) are synonymous terms. If you attain Self-realisation you will be freed from the round of births and deaths and its concomitant evils. The goal of life is the attainment of final beatitude or liberation (moksha). Liberation can be attained by constant meditation with a heart that is rendered pure and steady by selfless service, japa, etc. Reality or Brahman can be realised by man. Many have attained Self-realisation. Many have enjoyed the state of nirvikalpa samadhi. Sankara, Dattatreya, Mansoor, Shams Tabriez, Jesus and Buddha were all realised souls who had direct perception of the Truth or cosmic vision. One who has known it cannot communicate it to others for want of means. Even the knowledge acquired by the five senses which are common to all, cannot be communicated to others. You cannot tell the taste of sugar candy to a man who has never tasted it; you cannot communicate the idea of colour to one born blind. All that the teacher can do is to tell his disciple the method of knowing the Truth, or the path that leads to the unfoldment of intuitional faculties. In contemplation you are in spiritual contact with the unchanging light. You are cleansed of all the impurities. This light cleanses the soul which touches it. The light brings enhanced energy and great comfort. The sun-glass is exposed to the light of the sun and the straws underneath catch fire. So also within yourself, if you have an open heart devotedly lifted up to God, the light of His purity and love, illumining this open soul, will consume all your shortcomings in its fire. SIDDHIS "By samyama on the three modifications of the mind comes the knowledge of the past and future." (III-16) "By samyama on the signs (of others) comes the knowledge of their minds." (III-19) "By giving up even these (siddhis) comes the destruction of the seed of bondage, which brings kaivalya (or Self-realisation)." (III-51) Siddhis are psychic powers. A yogi claims that he can attain these extraordinary powers and knowledge by subduing the passions and appetites and by practising yama, niyama and samyama (the practice of concentration, meditation and samadhi at one time). Yogis of olden times like Sri Jnana Dev, Bhartrihari and Patanjali Maharshi used to send and receive messages to and from distant persons through mind-telepathy and thought-transference. Telepathy was the first wireless telegraph and telephone service in the world. Even now there are yogis who are versed in telepathy. Thought travels with tremendous velocity through space. Thought is as much solid matter as a piece of stone. It can hit a man against whom it is directed. There is no such thing as a miracle. Ordinary man is quite ignorant of higher spiritual things, he is sunk in oblivion and shut up from higher transcendental knowledge, so he calls some extraordinary occurrence or event a miracle. For a yogi who understands things in the light of yoga, a miracle is nothing. Just as a man of a village is astonished when he sees an aeroplane or cinema for the first time, so also a man of the world is stunned when he witnesses an extraordinary spectacle for the first time.

Yoga aims at controlling the mind. Miraculous siddhis or powers can be attained by the methodical exercise of yoga practice. The science of yoga promises as the fruit of such practice the attainment of the faculty of making oneself invisible, infinitely large or infinitely light, of assuming other bodies, of changing the course of nature and the acquisition of all other miraculous powers. A yogi becomes the master of all forces in nature and can utilise them at his will. He has perfect control over the elements. The word 'bhagavan' denotes one who possesses the six superhuman powers or six attributes, viz., who can assume the size of an atom, who is the inexhaustible storehouse of righteousness (dharma), glory (yasa), prosperity (sri), dispassion (vairagya) and knowledge (jnana). Understand and realise the powers of the mind. Unfold the hidden powers or occult faculties. Close the eyes. Concentrate. Explore the higher regions of the mind. You can see distant objects, hear distant voices, send messages to distant parts, heal persons who are at a distance and move about to a distant place in the twinkling of an eye. Believe in the powers of the mind. If you have interest, attention, will-power and faith you are bound to succeed. The source of the mind is the Atman or the highest Self. This mind is born of the Atman through His maya or illusory power. Man's mind is just a fragment of the cosmic or universal mind. A raja yogi becomes one with the cosmic mind and knows the workings of all minds. The yogi gets omniscience through the cosmic mind and experiences cosmic consciousness. There are scientific means to tap this universal mind. Purity, concentration, dispassion, right living, right thinking, right conduct, right action, devotion, moderation in eating and sleeping, purity in food, truthfulness, continence, non-injury and austerities have to be regularly practised for a protracted time. When you tap the universal mind you will get higher, super-sensual knowledge. You will experience cosmic consciousness. You will get knowledge of the past, present and future. You will acquire knowledge of the root elements and the mental plane. You can know what is going on in the minds of others. You will get divine powers. Through his yoga inner eye the yogi directly beholds the innate tendencies of his disciples; he knows their weaknesses and defects and prescribes the right kind of sadhana for their quick eradication. A jnani can also do this. Whatever a yogi does through simultaneous dharana, dhyana and samadhi, can be done by a jnani through his power of pure will or desire. In higher stages of spiritual life speech has very little to do with communication. By mere willing and thinking, telepathic waves can be transmitted to the mind. STORIES OF SIDDHAS A disciple of Samartha Ramdas transmitted his spiritual power to the daughter of a dancing woman who was very passionate towards him. The disciple gazed at her. Her passion vanished, she became pious and religious-minded. Transmission of power can be done by a yogi through gazing, touch and willing.

A yogi named Chang Dev came riding on a tiger, with a serpent for a whip, to Alandi near Poona where Yogi Jnanesvar was living. He wanted to impress Jnanesvar with his own powers and command over nature. Jnanesvar was ready to receive him. With his brothers and sister he climbed upon the wall which surrounded his house and commanded it to bear him out to meet his visitor, and the wall did as it was bidden. Mansoor was a great and famous sufi saint. He lived in Multan (Punjab) some four hundred years ago. He was always repeating "Analhaq". This corresponds to 'Soham' or 'I am He' of the vedantins. People reported to the then emperor that Mansoor was an atheist and that he was always repeating "Analhaq". The emperor was quite enraged. He ordered that Mansoor be cut into pieces. Accordingly, he was cut into pieces. Even then the flesh was uttering "Analhaq, Analhaq". He felt no pain as he was a full-blown jnani and he had full identification with Brahman. He was above bodyconsciousness. He was bodiless in reality. When they put the pieces of flesh and bones in the fire the ashes uttered "Analhaq". Shams Tabriez was another saint of Multan. He also lived some four hundred years ago. He was a Hindu sannyasin with the sannyasi name of Puri. Mohammedans gave him the name Shams Tabriez just to appropriate him to their side. He was also disliked by the then emperor because he was always repeating "Analhaq". One day, when he was very hungry, someone gave him a piece of raw flesh. He asked for some fire from some people to roast it. They all refused, because if they were to help him they would be punished by the emperor. Shams Tabriez then kept the piece of flesh in his hand and showed it to the sun and said, "O sun, come down immediately and roast the piece of flesh for me. I am very hungry." At once the sun came down and roasted the piece of flesh. Shams Tabriez ate it with joy. The scorching rays of the sun began to burn the people of Multan and the emperor, trembling with fear, prostrated before Shams Tabriez and said: "Forgive me my Lord. Make the sun go back to its original place." The sun obeyed the orders of the jnani and went back to its original place. A jnani is God Himself. He can do anything through pure will or resolve. He is King of kings, though he has no treasury. What is a petty emperor before a sannyasin, the Emperor of emperors! Shams Tabriez was later skinned alive by the order of the emperor, yet he only laughed throughout. Kabir's corpse turned into flowers, half of which were buried by the Hindus at Benares, the other half at Maghar. Sage Tiruvalluvar's body was converted into gold at the time of his death. The bodies of some saints in Southern India were converted into a mass of light at the time of their death. Saints can do anything they like. It is true that Buddha died of purging, Sankaracharya died of piles, Ramakrishna died of cancer and Vivekananda died of diabetes. Even if there is a physical ailment the sage is not affected by it as he has no identification with the body. In his vision there is no body for him, so he never cares to attend to it. REQUIREMENTS FOR ATTAINING SIDDHIS

Many persons take to yoga practices with curiosity and the expectation of acquiring powers and awakening the kundalini. They leave off the practice after three months. This is not good. Application and tenacity, patience and perseverance are necessary for sanguine success and siddhis. Mere emotion will not do. The success in yoga is quicker according to the amount of energy put in by the sadhak! You cannot expect to have siddhis by simply shutting and opening the nostrils for three or six months. He who is established in yama and niyama and who has mastery over a posture, can take to pranayama. He will undoubtedly have success. REAL NATURE OF SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES Higher spiritual experiences have nothing to do with colours or sounds. There should be inner joy, peace and poise. There should be balance of mind in success and failure, pleasure and pain, honour and dishonour. The pairs of opposites should be overcome. Likes and dislikes should vanish. There should be Cosmic Love. The whole world should become the manifestation of the supreme Lord. There should be freedom from all kinds of fears and pains. This is the real nature of high spiritual experiences. Psychic powers siddhis and riddhis have no proper place in spiritual life. You will have to shun them ruthlessly even if they manifest during the course of your spiritual practices. They roll under the feet of that yoga student who has controlled the senses and who practices concentration. They are hindrances to realisation. You will have to spurn them as worthless because your aim is the attainment of liberation (kaivalya moksha). Patanjali Maharishi (author of the Yoga Sutras), clearly warns the students that they should not be carried away by temptations of powers. The gods themselves tempt the incautious yogi by offering him a position similar to theirs. Uddalaka was tempted by the gods, but he refused their invitations. So remember, don't stop even with these psychic powers. Exhibition of psychic powers is no criterion for measuring one's height of spirituality. Sometimes a yogi may exhibit a miracle to his student just to convince him of the existence of super-sensual things and to encourage him in the spiritual path. He who exhibits siddhis for selfish ends is a big worldly man. He will soon have his downfall. A yogi came to Calcutta and exhibited in the University Hall the feats of drinking pure nitric acid, swallowing nails and chewing glass-pieces. People were struck with wonder. He licked the nitric acid like honey. But he was a purely commercial man. He made a demonstration of these acts to anyone who could pay Rs. 30/-. Can there be an iota or grain of spirituality or real yoga where business transactions are made? I leave this for the readers to judge. The poor yogi died in Rangoon on account of some carelessness in his technique. There is nothing really extraordinary in these feats. There are some herbs to destroy the evil effects of acids and glass-pieces. It is only the uncultured man who runs after powers. The possession of siddhis never brings one

nearer to God. They have no spiritual value. Worldly people are enamoured of persons who exhibit these powers and run after them with curiosity. They are under the wrong impression that those who exhibit powers are real mahatmas or jivanmuktas. This is wrong. Patanjali Maharshi also says: "The siddhis are regarded as perfections by the undisciplined mind only, but are serious obstacles to spiritual meditation." (III-38) Naturally, various kinds of siddhis are acquired by the yogi who has controlled his senses and his prana and who practises concentration and deep meditation. Emancipation can only be achieved when you shun even omniscience and omnipotence as worthless. They are nothing when compared with the supreme imperishable wealth of liberation (moksha or kaivalya). He who runs after siddhis will become the biggest householder and worldly-minded man. Selfrealisation only is the goal. If you use these powers for base and selfish purposes, for some material gain or other, you will face a downfall and be punished by nature. Action and reaction are equal and opposite. Every wrong action is bound to cause reaction. It will rebound upon you and bring your own destruction. Do not prostitute the psychic powers. I seriously warn you, beware. Power, sex, money and erudition act as powerful intoxicants. The possessor does not know exactly what he is doing. His intellect becomes turbid and his understanding gets clouded. You will not be tempted by these powers if you are established in the practice of yama or self-restraint. Whatever psychic powers you may get, treat them as poison, dung or straw. Don't deviate from your spiritual path and object of meditation. Just as you treat a cow, so also demi-gods treat men and aspirants. They put serious obstacles in the path of the aspirants. They tempt them, particularly the advanced students. Respect them, but reject the offered powers or allurements ruthlessly. Then only can you march further on the path. If you yield to their temptations, if you become a slave of siddhis, you will have a hopeless downfall. O aspirants, beware. One becomes fit for immortality only when he abandons the pleasures of this world and other worlds, including those of Indra and Brahman. Psychic powers tempt the yogi to run into the sensual grooves. The motives attributed to their achievement may be pure in the beginning, but the suppressed desires will all of a sudden sprout up and delude the aspirant. Incessant prayer and strong belief in God are the remedies for all ills. Gradually you should develop dispassion for worldly objects, including the body. Be cautious at all times.