When one is dedicated to the practice of meditation and other spiritual disciplines, then he or she is bound to achieve high levels of spiritual advancement. However, the speed of each one’s progress depends upon the intensity of effort put in. The resulting psychic powers, if any, are side-effects of advanced states of spiritual evolvement. A truly spiritual person will be least concerned with these side-effects, which by themselves are not goals to be achieved. Every spiritual aspirant should be well aware of the fact that those who engage in meditation or such spiritual practices, with the sole purpose of acquiring psychic powers and flaunting such powers, cause spiritual damage to themselves.

Depending upon each one’s karma, varying degrees of spiritual progress and success happen. It is often found that those who put in least effort, sometimes reach great heights of spiritual advancement while those who put in great effort, are barely seen to have progressed from the intense hours of spiritual practices engaged in. Even if this is the case, one must never lose hope, or stop practicing meditation, ‘kriya’ or other spiritual disciplines. Always understand that those who appear to achieve spiritual success quickly have put in tremendous efforts in their past lives, and therefore the effects of karma and divine grace are clearly visible in their progress. Enlightenment does not happen overnight. If at all one feels that spiritual success has happened quickly for someone, then know that much effort has been made through many lifetimes, in order to achieve such result.

It is very important for every ‘sadhaka’ to understand that one must relentlessly pursue one’s spiritual goal under the Guru’s guidance, without any comparison with others, and without looking towards the outcome of one’s efforts. Most of you who come to the ashram are completely caught up in your worldly affairs. Unless and until, you undertake your spiritual practices with a sense of surrender and with the commitment to dedicate yourself to spiritual discipline, with no aspiration towards the final outcome, it would be difficult to reach true heights of spirituality. In order to make such a commitment, it is necessary to understand and absorb the fact that the purpose of one’s existence itself is – to realise God.

Many of you may perhaps be thinking:

• Why should I believe the statements made by my Guru?
• He has so often been wrong in evaluating ‘so-and-so’.
• I have found so many of his actions to be wrong.”
• Why should I believe that his teachings are correct?

It is only normal that as human beings, such thoughts may occur. However, when such thoughts gather around you, it is important to direct your logic towards the following truths:

• Scriptural teachings show that for a person embarking upon a spiritual journey, a Guru is a must. Only an enlightened soul can guide another.
• It is only when you actually start feeling the necessity of a Guru, that your mind starts leading you in the direction of the Guru.
• Only a person who has already walked the spiritual path can guide you on the path, for the path can be very difficult to find on your own. The mind misleads. It is the Guru who removes the obstacles and leads you smoothly to your goal.
• If you are a scholar and want to study the scriptures on your own, remember that there are difficult and puzzling passages therein. The Guru has the required insight to remove your doubts and explain the essence of the teachings.
• It is only the Guru who can identify your defects, deep-rooted since many lifetimes, and help you eradicate them through spiritual practices.
• When you subject yourself to the guidance of your Guru, you are blessed with a shield that will not allow you stray from your spiritual path.
• Only the highly evolved souls, chosen ones for carrying out specific missions, can attain perfection without the guidance of a Guru. All others need to be shown the path, and to be guided along, towards their spiritual goal.
• Once chosen, acquire the discrimination to follow your Guru and practise the teachings. Always remember, a Guru need not be educated in the eyes of the world, as was the case of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
• At times, after being in the close company of the Guru for some time, or for a long spell, some ‘sadhaks’ are deluded into thinking that they know much more than their Guru. Instead of sharing their defective thinking with the Guru and seeking his advice towards eradicating this defect, they start finding fault with the Guru himself. Beware of this pitfall.
• Do not ever criticise the Guru, for it hardly affects the Guru, instead it harms the ‘sadhak’ terribly. Meditate intensely at such times, until the truth becomes quite evident to you.

According to the Upanishadic Mantra:

“Yasya Deve Para Bhaktihi Yatha Deve Tatha Gura

Tasyaite Kathithayartha Prakasante Mahatmanah”

Meaning: He who has supreme devotion to God, and as much devotion to his Guru as he has to God, to him the truths of the Upanishads shall be revealed.

If one is devoted to God then one shall also be devoted to the Guru.

May you be blessed always!!!