Meditation and Sadhana are Key

[Haridas]

Namaste.
Many will tell you that you need a guru for spiritual achievement. Maybe you do. However, the great majority of Hindus don't have a guru, and of those who do, probably half of them have a false guru. This is why I say in this day and age (Kali Yuga), we might as well take refuge within ourselves and make the Divine Mother our own guru.

Sadhana is key for this. For new Shakta Hindus, I recommend chanting the mantra of Durga Maa - "Om Dum Durgayei Namaha". Chant it 108 times each day, possibly more (but it must be divisible by 108, eg. 108, 216, 324, etc.). If you receive any thoughts that don't have to do with Mother, discard them. You can also replace "Om Dum Durgayei Namaha" with "Om Krim Kalikaye Namaha" if you worship Kali or "Om Namah Shivaya" if you worship Shiva, etc.

Meditation is also key. I received a Bhagavad Gita in the mail (from gita4free.com), and it gives us a method of meditation.

A simple technique of meditation is described here: (1) Wash your face, eyes, hands, and feet; and sit in a clean, quiet, and dark place using any comfortable posture, with head, neck, and spine straight and vertical. No music or incense during meditation is recommended. The time and place of meditation should be fixed. Follow the good principles of living, by thoughts, words, and deeds. Some yogic exercises are necessary. Midnight, morning, and evening are the best times to meditate for 15 to 25 minutes every day. (2) Remember any name or form of the personal god you believe in and ask His or Her blessings. (3) Close your eyes; take 5 to 10 very slow and deep breaths. (4) Fix your gaze, mind, and feelings inside the chest center, the seat of the causal heart, and breathe slowly. Mentally chant "Raa" as you breathe in and "Maa" as you breathe out. Think, as if breath itself is making these sounds "Raa" and "Maa". Mentally visualize and follow the route of breath going in through the nostrils, up towards the mid-brows, and down to the chest center, or the lungs. Feel the breath and sensation in the body, and be alert. Do not try to control or lead your breathing just follow the natural breathing. (5) Direct the will towards the thought of merging yourself into the infinite space of the air you are breathing. If mind wanders away from following the breaths, start from step (4). Be regular, and persist without procrastination.

NOTE: The sound "Raa" and "Maa" may be substitued with "So" and "Hum" by Buddhists or "Je" and "Sus" by Christians or any other sacred sound of your religion, or the sound could be completely eliminated. Thus this method is a non-sectarian method.

Notice that which is bolded and that which is written in red. "Raa" and "Maa" may be substituted for "Dur" and "Ga" is you are a Shakta who worships Durga Maa, "Ka" and "Li" if you worship Kali Maa, etc. Maybe even "Shi" and "Va" if you worship Shiva.


Keep this in mind - it is very important for your spiritual path. In the meantime pray to your Ishtadeva/Ishtadevi that you will find a proper physical guru. He/She (i.e. your Ishtadeva/Ishtadevi) will deliver. Also, over ALL the fruits of your actions (I.E. everything, good and bad, that results from your actions) to your Ishtadeva/Ishtadevi. It is worship and it is very important.

[bhargavsai]

Thank You.

[srivijaya]

Namaste.
Many will tell you that you need a guru for spiritual achievement. Maybe you do. However, the great majority of Hindus don't have a guru, and of those who do, probably half of them have a false guru. This is why I say in this day and age (Kali Yuga), we might as well take refuge within ourselves and make the Divine Mother our own guru.

A very good point Haridas. I don't have a guru and tire of being told on some boards that I must have one. I have progressed to samhadi by following a very simple breathing meditation. I read what I can and carefully watch my own experiences. A genuine guru must be a blessing but, like you say, in our times they are a rare commodity.
I think, as well, many people who claim to have a guru may only have met the person a few times and for anyone seriously practicing meditation that is not enough. Most people have commitments to work and family and are unable to sit at the feet of a guru 24-7.

This doesn't mean that one can't succeed - there are many ways.

Namaste

[sarabhanga]

Namaste,

The great majority of Hindus don't have a guru, and of those who do, probably half of them have a false guru.

I don't have a guru and tire of being told on some boards that I must have one.

A genuine guru must be a blessing but, like you say, in our times they are a rare commodity.

Many people who claim to have a guru may only have met the person a few times and for anyone seriously practicing meditation that is not enough.

Most people have commitments to work and family and are unable to sit at the feet of a guru

Traditionally, it is not possible to be a hindu without a guru!

There seems to be confusion about the nature of guru, since there are actually five gurus, and to be considered truly as a hindu at least one of those gurus is required.

The first guru is one’s hindu mother, and the vast majority of hindus have such a guru and would be offended by the suggestion that her wisdom was false or that her blessings were not genuine!

The second guru is one’s hindu father, and the vast majority of hindus have such a guru and would be likewise offended!

The third guru is one’s hindu teacher, the guru of gurukulam.

The fourth guru is one’s hindu savior, the guru of saMnyAsa.

And the fifth guru is one’s hindu Self, the guru of avadhUta.

[srivijaya]

Traditionally, it is not possible to be a hindu without a guru!
...the vast majority of hindus have such a guru and would be offended by the suggestion that her wisdom was false or that her blessings were not genuine!

Hi sarabhanga,
I think the point was a general one. I gather that, in most cases, one is a hindu by birth and culture (rather like Judaism), so for non-hindus like myself the whole issue is academic. I could never become a hindu, no matter how much I wanted to, just as I'll never fly to the moon or be a millionaire.

I'll just have to get by the best I can and try not to cause any offense to genuine hindus with my ill-informed comments.

Namaste

[sm78]

I could never become a hindu, no matter how much I wanted to, just as I'll never fly to the moon or be a millionaire.

Namaste,

As sarabhanga has pointed out, one can be a hindu by birth and/or diksha.

[sarabhanga]

Namaste SriVijaya

There still seems to be confusion, since (as previously mentioned) there are actually five gurus, and to be considered truly as a hindu at least ONE of those gurus is required.

Without hindu parentage, there are still two viable gurus remaining ~ the saMnyAsa guru (or sadguru) and the standard hindu guru, which may be any hindu with more understanding than oneself.

In the extreme case where there is truly no possible guru (and traditionally it would be very odd for someone alone to suddenly decide to follow brahma and yama without first being advised by another hindu) the ready availability of hindu scripture and instructional texts today makes it possible for a non-hindu to benefit from hindu philosophy and practice without the necessity of being named as an hindu.

[sarabhanga]

And, quite frankly, I am tired of hearing objections that Hinduism is too exclusive by requiring a Guru. What is the Christian position on this? I am sure that most Christians would assume that (without a Christian name, i.e. not born in a Christian family) to be truly considered as a Christian one must at the very first opportunity be Christened. And Christening or Baptism is NOT something that can be done alone! Reading the Bible would be a good start, but non-Christians must be Christened to be truly Christian. And the same traditional rule applies for Hinduism.

[srivijaya]

the ready availability of hindu scripture and instructional texts today makes it possible for a non-hindu to benefit from hindu philosophy and practice without the necessity of being named as an hindu.

Dear sarabhanga,
Thanks for the encouraging words. Yes, I share your dismay at the 'exclusive' mindset of many 'religious' people. My background is Buddhist but I'm beyond the pale for most of them as I have drawn from both Mahayana and Theravadan teachings. I have been told by some authoritative moderators on Buddhist sites that I can no longer be counted as a Buddhist due to this (and due to the fact I no longer have a guru - it's a long story).

Now add to the mix some very interesting experiences in meditation which demonstrated beyond any doubt that the Shaivite teachings are correct, then I'm well out of the frame for just about any religious purist. I can't ignore what has manifested to me, it would be dishonest and would be a denial of my meditative work.

From my own side, it's not a problem, as I am trying in any case to abandon self-identification and I feel no need to label myself in any way. Within Samhadi, the discursive mind ceases and peace and bliss are found. I have no use for any labels then. I am glad to shed them.

I think any over-identification can create anticipation for an expected 'result'. In all cases we can never imagine the result - only experience it when it manifests. I never believed in Shiva and Shakti until I witnessed their play within samhadi. I can say it was the most awesome thing that has ever happened to me. Quite unexpected. Something for which I did not seek but have been honored to receive.

Quite where that leaves me, I don't know. In any case Buddhist purists don't like it at all but I continue to meditate, study and keep an open mind.

Namaste

[sarabhanga]

Namaste SriVijaya,

When the ardhanArIshvara yugalam is ultimately identical with yab-yam or yin-yang, I cannot see why such a vision should worry the buddhist community.