Today I explore some key Sufi teachings compatible with the contemporary mystic or gnostic path called Sant Mat. The Sants and Radhaswamis of the living present highly value the mystic poetry and wisdom of Rumi, Hafiz, Rabia, Sarmad, Hazrat Sultan BaHU, Sanai, Baba Farid and so many other Sufi Faqir lovers of the Beloved, viewing them as being Saints of the highest order. Hear verses of Hakim Sanai on meditating the Mysteries of Creation, connecting with the Subtle Realms of dimensions beyond in what can be called Inner Space, the Kingdom of God within. I focus upon the Inner Sound Mysticism of some of the great Sufi Saints of the ages: Rumi, Fakhruddin ‘Iraqi, Shah Niaz, Hazrat Sultan BaHU, Hazrat Inayat Khan, and Dara Shikoh. An exploration of the vegan verses of Rumi is presented. There is an essay on how mystical schools of spirituality are very fragile and short-lived in this world of illusion, this realm of Samsara, the World of Changes, how usually there are typically only a few generations of living masters and then, after the passing of the last master, a mystic path or branch of a school of spirituality fades from the scene, unless of course it gets hijacked and repurposed, turned into another world religion with a very different focus (zombification). When the latter happens, often the earlier teachings and sacred texts undergo serious edits. What had been a shared knowledge about Inner Sound and Light meditation practices, vegetarian ethics and other key principles might even be reclassified as "apocryphal" or "extra canonical". Although there is an oppressive history of lost teachings of the Sound Current (The Lost Chord), that there are no permanent universities of mysticism on planet Earth, no surviving Pythagorean, or Valentinian gnostic schools of wisdom still with us with roots in antiquity, or a church of the Ebionites with copies of Sayings Gospel Q or the Gospel of the Hebrews, a hopeful message is presented that Life Always Begets New Life. As old mystic paths and sangats fade into the oblivion of time (Kal) they are replaced with new living schools of spirituality -- that it's always been this way. Seneca the Stoic: "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." There are also readings from Dr. Jagessar Das,  the Sar Bachan Radhaswami Prose Book One (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram), Sar Bachan Radhaswami Poetry Volume One (Swami Ji Maharaj), Prem Bani Radhasoami Volume One (Hazur Maharaj Rai Saligram), Tukarama, Russell Perkins (The Stranger of Galilee), and Baba Ram Singh. We conclude with the mystic poetry of Baba Farid the Sufi. Many of his mystic poetry verses are to be found in the Sikh Scriptures, also known as the Adi Granth. (Gurbani)    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com        

"Truth and Love are wings that cannot be separated, for Truth cannot fly without Love, nor can Love soar aloft without Truth." (Saint Ephrem the Syrian)   "Look at God within yourself, how 'God is Light.' For his Nature is a glorious, many-splendored Light. He manifests the Light of his Nature to those who love Him in all the worlds…" (John of Dalyatha, Syriac Mystic)   "To be glorified art Thou, the Father Supreme, born of Thy First-born in the silence and tranquility of meditation." (Syriac Acts of Saint Thomas in India)   "There is a silence of the tongue. There is a silence of the whole body. There is a silence of the soul. There is a silence of the mind, and there is a silence of the spirit." (Abraham of Nathpar)   "Open your ears, and I shall speak to you. Give Me yourself, so that I may also give you Myself." (Odes, 9: 1-2)   "What wonders has your love effected! When someone is still alive he has left this world: though his bodily condition remains with the world's bodily condition, yet his spirit has been raised up towards You, so that for a period of time he is where he knows not, being totally raptured and drawn towards You." (John of Apamea)   Several scholars have made a convincing case that the Syriac mystics were a major influence upon early Sufism. And Sufism, as many know, has been an influence on the Sants of India. There is a demonstrable connection between East & West via several sources (Syriac mystics of the Church of the East in the Saint Thomas tradition, Mazdakism, Manichaeism and other schools of Gnosticism) and the Sant tradition of India.   Sebastian Brock, Scholar of Eastern Christianity and Aramaic-Syriac Saints, has translated many wonderful texts of Eastern Saints such as Isaac of Nineveh, Abdusho (Joseph the Visionary), John of Dalyatha, Abraham of Nathpar, Martyrius, Babai, Philoxenus of Mabbug, Aphrahat, Ephrem, John of Apamea, Jacob of Sarug, and others, in great books such as, The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life, The Wisdom of St. Isaac of Nineveh, A Garland of Hymns from the Early Church (including Odes of Solomon), The Luminous Eye, and several others. "The text-book and pulpit notion that all Christendom is divided between Greek East and Latin West overlooks an ancient and still continuing third stream of tradition: Syriac Christianity. "Cut off from the rest of the Christian world by theological controversy in the fifth century, Arab conquest in the seventh and Mongol invasions in the thirteenth, Syrian Christians continues to celebrate the Christian mysteries, to meditate on Scripture and to apply its teachings to their lives. "Some of them, attempting to realise here on earth their baptismal potential to re-enter paradise, chose a life of asceticism and single-minded devotion to Christ. Their reflections created across the centuries a rich literature. Some passed into the byzantine tradition; some remained unknown to other Christians and have never until now been translated into a modern language. "These Syriac fathers offer the modern heirs of both Latin and Greek Christendom new, yet ancient and enduring insights on prayer and the spiritual life." (The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life, by Professor Sebastian Brock of Oxford University)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Experiencing union with God, the Ocean of Love, via Inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga) is the goal of the Path of the Masters, also known as Sant Mat or Radhasoami. Today, spiritual satsang discourses by Huzur Baba Sawan Singh, Baba Somanath, Sant Kirpal Singh, and Baba Ram Singh Ji, also passages from Christian or Gnostic sources and other mystics of the East. Inner Light and Sound Meditation practice makes it possible to transcend the realm of the five senses and begin to explore the heavenly realms beyond, coming to know our self as a spark of the Divine. (Consciousness)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"Listen, open a window to God and begin to delight yourself by gazing upon Him through the opening." (Rumi)   Teachings of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Sant Kirpal Singh, Baba Somanath, Baba Ram Singh, and Santji: The Third Eye is the Portal to the Heavens and Simran is the Key   "Recognize the Path to your Beloved, O travelers and take the route of the anguished lover in separation. Keep the Master’s grace in your thoughts, and reflect upon his pure teachings. Develop love and devotion with endearment, and keep the thought of the Creator always before you. Try to merge yourself into God like water and water. Fix your mind within by following the Path of the Sound Current. A yearning will arise; make then an intense and anguished call. Repeat the Name of your Beloved, day and night, again and again and again. With care in thought, word and deed, you will cross to the other shore." (Dadu Dayal, the Compassionate Mystic)   References, Subjects, and Sources Include: Philosophy of the Masters, Spirituality, God, Surat Shabd Yoga, Inner Light and Sound Meditation, Meditation, Soul Travel, Dhyan, Bhajan, Simran, Manas Jap, Zikhr, Prayer of the Name, Third Eye, Gnostic, Gnosticism, Mysticism, Mystics, Consciousness, Near Death Experiences, Out of Body Experiences, Inner Space, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of the Heavens, Religion, Spiritual Podcasts, Satsang, Jesus, Christ, Yeshua, Single Eye, Bread of Heaven, Living Waters, Food For the Soul, Surat, Attention, Seat of the Soul, Sound Current, Audible Life Stream, Shabd, Shabda, Path of the Masters, Sants of India, Way of the Saints, Practicing the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence, Interior Prayer, Mental Prayer, Prayer of the Name, Sacred Name, Sacred Names of God, Lord of Love, Theosis, Divinization, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Sant Kirpal Singh, Santji, Ajaib Singh, Baba Somanath, Sant Ram Singh, Sant Bani Ashram, Kabir, Naam, Nam, Bhakti, Love and Devotion, Initiation, Going Within, Contemplative, Union With God   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics. (Education For a More Peaceful Planet)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

In many branches of Sant Mat we have a five-name (panch naam) mantra (five simran words). These are sacred names of God associated with the first five planes, heavenly realms of creation. From the glossary of Sant Mat we read: "Simran means Remembrance: repetition of names or thoughts; in Sant Mat, the simran of worldly thoughts is controlled through the Simran of the Five Charged Names, repeated by an initiate throughout the day, and when sitting for meditation, as a means of collecting the thought-currents at the Third Eye Center. These Divine names are also used as passwords of sorts to higher planes, and provide protection from Negative Power influences." (Repeat the Name)   Today: all about the Five Names of Sant Mat, their proper use as an essential technique to concentrate at the Third Eye Center and go within according to Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Sant Garib Das, from the Satsang Discourses of Sant Ram Singh, as well as there is discussion about the origins and history of the Five Names dating back to the Kabir-Sant Dharam Das line of Masters. Also explored: the Five Sufi Names, and about the importance of the Most High name Radhasoami used by Sant Garib Das (Anmol Vachan) and Swami Ji Maharaj (Sar Bachan Radhaswami Poetry). In Sant Mat mysticism there are not five or seven deities but one God, the one Lord of the Soul  manifesting at the various levels of creation. As Guru Nanak has said in his Morning Prayer (Jap Ji): "There is One God, Truth is His Name." (One Love)   Simran is described as a Bhakti practice to be done in a spirit of love and devotion, with passages on this from Sant Tulsi Sahib and Kabir. (God is Love)   Mention is made of a mystical Jewish Gnostic sect of antiquity referred to by scholars as the Sethians who also had a five-name mantra approach, only using five Hebrew names, which are to be found embedded in certain Nag Hammadi and other texts. Recommended are two books that compare contemporary Sant Mat with mystical Judaism including Kabbalah. The program concludes with selections from the mystical poetry of a mysterious figure called "the Master" and "the Teacher of Righteousness", mystic verses found in the Psalm Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls mainly about the experience of Divine Light, but one might also notice references to reincarnation, the liberation of the soul, the Third Eye, and spiritually hearing the Divine Word or Spiritual Sound. Note: practices associated with contemporary Sant Mat were also known in earlier times by followers of various cousin mystical movements and schools of spirituality that have existed over the centuries. Even ideas that became associated Christianity and Gnostic movements such as seeking out living masters or living ones (Odes of Solomon, Gospel of Thomas), vegetarian ethics, humane treatment of animals (scriptures attributed to Enoch and Isaiah), initiations, baptism in rivers of living water, a new covenant (Dead Sea Scroll texts), genesis interpretations that include a lesser demiurge figure and a sophia wisdom figure (Septuagint, Apocryphon of John), the view that the soul needs to ascend through a series of heavenly regions (Book of First Enoch, Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, Ascension of Isaiah, Ginza Rabba) are ideas developed during the Second Temple period of Judaism. Continuations and interpretations of Judaic ideas were adopted by many sects and spiritual movements during the first and later centuries AD. (Education For a More Peaceful Planet!)   At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

It's as-if those who composed the Gospel of John decided to create a hymnbook. This is about the little-known discovery of a collection of early Christian psalms called, The Book of the Odes, written in Syriac-Aramaic, described by scholars as "some of the most beautiful songs of peace and joy that the world possesses." The Odes got mislabeled, misfiled, misunderstood, misplaced somewhere along the way becoming one of those Lost Books of the Bible. Time to explore this would-be book of New Testament psalms and that is finally gaining long overdue recognition and popularity in the 21st Century. This is one of two podcasts I've devoted to this inspiring collection of mystic-poems  and music -- The Odes of Solomon -- once viewed as a sacred text by Jewish Christians, Syriac Eastern Christianity, various Gnostic movements -- it's quoted in Pistis Sophia -- and other early Christian writings.  (Lost Books of the Bible)   References, Subjects, and Sources Include    Hymns, Psalms, Odes of Solomon, New Testament, Book of the Odes, New Testament Psalms, A New New Testament, Extra Canonical, Scriptures, Lost Books of the Bible, Bible, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Gnostic Scriptures, Early Christianity, Jesus Movement, Early Church, Christianity, Restoration, Gospel of John, Logos, The Word, Syriac, Aramaic, Greek, Coptic, Antioch, Syria, John Community, Johannite, Lectio Divina, Contemplation, Meditation, Sant Mat Radhasoami, Santmat, Sant Mat, Radhasoami, Radhaswami, Satsang,  Essenes, Ebionites, Gnosticism, Mystics, Religion, Mystic Poetry, Spirituality, Spiritual Podcasts, Spiritual Radio, Spiritual Seekers, Search For God, Cloud of Unknowing, Metaphysical Meditations, Paramahansa Yogananda, Confessions of Jacob Boehme, Saint John of the Cross, Nag Hammadi Library, Pistis Sophia, Egypt;   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today during this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast readings from Sant Kirpal Singh's, Spiritual Elixir, Baba Garib Das (Anmol Vachan), Swami Sant Sevi Ji, Don Howard, Jesus (Yeshua, Gospel of Thomas), Baba Ram Singh, and Mystic Poetry of Kabir. "Today's karmas become the fate of tomorrow. According to our last life actions, our mental tendencies are formed in this life. Because of our pure actions we will have the desire to seek the association of Sants (Living Masters) and to meditate." (Swami Vyasnanand, The Inward Journey of the Soul)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today begins with a brief exploration of the history, providing background on a key book of the Sant Mat tradition of India: The Anurag Sagar (Kabir's Ocean of Love). Then there are spiritual satsang discourses based upon this book and related texts on the journey of the soul through the heavens back to God and the meditation practice of the Masters (Surat Shabd Yoga: Bhakti of the Inner Light and Sound). Find out, as best as we can research this rare history, who wrote the Anurag Sagar; what group originally published and circulated it for many generations; how it was also inherited, preserved, and valued as an essential scripture by Sat Saheb, Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, then more recently in Radhasoami: Swami Ji Maharaj of Agra, Baba Jaimal Singh, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, and then spiritual Masters up to the living present. (Namaste'!)   As you listen to today's Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, take a look at these Sant Mat Guru Lineage Charts, the Family Tree of the People of the Anurag Sagar, providing at a simple glance some of the names of Masters I refer to during today's program:  https://santmat.medium.com/guru-lineage-charts-the-family-tree-of-sant-mat-spiritual-masters-by-james-bean-a4d4841070db   Recommended Reading. There are free PDF file editions of the Anurag Sagar available for download online at the Sant Bani Ashram website, also via the Anurag Sagar tab of my Spiritual Awakening Radio website (see link below), as well as at the Internet Archive. (Enjoy!)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami   James Bean   Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts   Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts   Sant Mat Radhasoami   A Satsang Without Walls   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website:  https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

One of the great prolific writers and spiritual architects of Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters, also known as the Radhasoami tradition, is Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram of Agra. Such was his stature that his initiating guru Swami Ji Maharaj (Seth Shiv Dayal Singh) of Agra once said, "I do not know whether I am Rai Salig Ram's guru or he is mine." Today's satsang is based on the writings of Huzur Maharaj including: Prem Patra (Love Discourses, volumes one and two) as well as, Radhasoami Mat Prakash (Light on the Teachings of the Lord of the Soul). Radhaswami Mat Prakash is a spiritual classic written in English by Huzur himself. Being the first Sant Mat book to be published in English it was read by many early spiritual seekers in the US and Canada interested in Sant Mat near the beginning of the Twentieth Century. An emissary and spiritual successor of Huzur by the name of Shiv Brat Lal once went on a long journey giving spiritual talks introducing many to the teachings of the Radhasoami Faith, visiting Lahore, Calcutta, Rangoon, traveling to Hong Kong, Singapore, Java, Japan and even San Francisco in the US, where he gave lectures at two locations in 1911!   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The Nag Hammadi Library represents the prose of the Gnostics, but it is the Mandaean scriptures that give us their poetry! Today, meet the Mandaeans. The story of the Mandaeans somewhat resembles the experience of Native American tribes; may they survive; may their ancient wisdom be shared with humanity. John the Baptist is one of the greatest prophets of Mandaean Gnosticism. According to scholars of Mandaean studies like Werner Foerster, indeed the origins of the Mandaeans do go back to the Jewish tradition of the first century AD, the Nasoraean movement, and the region of the Jordan River. The term "Mandaeans" literally means, "possessors of secret spiritual Knowledge or Gnosis." (excerpted from one of my published articles on the Mandaeans)   The role of the Heavenly Messenger is to communicate the mystic experience of Light to souls and eventually guide them back up to the Place of Light, the Mandaean term for the highest heaven where the Great Life (God) resides:    "From the Place of Light I came forth, from you, Bright Habitation. I come to touch hearts, to measure and try all minds, to see in whose heart I dwell. Whoever thinks of me, of him I think; whoever calls my Name, his name I will call. Whosoever prays my prayer from the earth, his prayer I will offer from the Place of Light." (Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"Although awake from without, you are asleep within, and by greedily envying the goods of others, your Inner Eye has gone deeper and deeper into this slumber... Every human being has a Secret Chamber within himself which is called the 'closet of the body.' [Within the human body is the True Temple of the Spirit.] That is higher than the mind and heart both, and provides mind with understanding to a certain extent, and the heart with feelings of love. This Chamber is the Kingdom of God Within Us. This is the Crest Jewel, The Pearl of Great Price. The Saints, when we come in contact with them, open this Chamber by withdrawing all our attention from outside. The test of a true Master is the fact that in his company, the smallest realm opens up within us, and the Light, Divine Light, the expression of the God-into-Expression Power, is seen... So the God-into-Expression Power is called Word, Naam, Kalma; He is the Creator of all, and has two aspects: Light and Sound. And when Masters come, they contact us with that Power within us, you see? They open our Inner Eye by raising us to some extent above the physical body and outgoing faculties; we begin to see... Guru Amar Das says, 'Everyone does worship but on the sensual plane only; so they get no results which end in salvation. But absorption in the Naam purifies the mind and bears fruit in abundance.' You follow? Words are words; but what those words denote is a different thing; that is the Controlling Power of all creation, permeating all creation, and controlling us in the body too. So, the body is the True Temple of God, in which we dwell, and also that Power which keeps us in the body... You see, unless a man rises above the life of senses, the Inner Way is not open. It is you who have to see. That is why it is said, 'Know Thyself O Man, Know Thyself -- Who You Are, What You Are'... The Master's message is for embodied souls caught in the web of mind and senses, unable to release themselves. Masters make no distinction between religions and sects. Their message is for the whole human race." (Sant Kirpal Singh, excerpted from, The Coming Spiritual Revolution, Sant Bani Books)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

At the beginning of today's satsang podcast, some reflections on how we can be spiritually transformed by associating with the eternal truths and realities, focusing our undivided attention upon these teachings. This association and merger with Truth is called "satsang" by the masters. Different levels of satsang are also defined. On the positive influence of satsang upon our meditation practice, Shahi Swami once said: "It requires air in the form of satsang to ignite the fire of meditation." (Have Satsang, Do Simran and Meditate)   Then we explore the theme of 'We Are Birds of Heaven Journeying Back to Our Beloved' about hansas, birds of heaven, the souls making their journey back to God, featuring readings from the mystic poetry of Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, the Sar Bachan Radhaswami Poetry of Swami Ji Maharaj of Agra, a hymn from Prem Bani Radhasoami by Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram Bahadur, passages from Baba Somanath and Sant Kirpal Singh, then a satsang by Baba Ram Singh. During a recent satsang discourse that took place at a spiritual retreat in India for satsang gatherings, initiations and meditations, Baba Ram Singh described the journey of the soul, how the swan-soul was part of God -- in it's true essence remains part of God -- but as individualized drops from the Divine Ocean, souls have incarnated into various bodies in the diverse planes of creation, eventually reaching the astral realm, and finally incarnating into physical bodies, living various lives in the material plane. He speaks of the soul as having forgotten it's true home, it's true origin, but through the meditation practice it can remember again. One may place their attention within, and make the journey back to God. Swan-souls, hansas long parched for many lifetimes, may once again drink the divine milk, meaning the divine ambrosia, the heavenly nectar or amrit, spiritual sustenance, divine intoxication or bhakti (spiritual love), by going within and communing with God during meditation practice, transitioning away from the illusion of separateness from God, back to the state of Oneness in the Timeless Eternal Realm of Sach Khand, The Ocean of Love, Radhaswami Desh. Then we conclude with a mystic poem of Satguru Kabir: "O Swan-Soul, Where Are You Going?" (Bhakti)   We are all hansas or hansas-to-be as we journey back to the Beloved, the Supreme Being in the Ocean of Love and Oneness. (Prem: Spiritual Love)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Hear a truly delightful story about Jesus and his unwashed disciples crashing the temple as uninvited guests. It's found in an unknown gospel given by scholars the catchy name "Oxyrhynchus 840". Then more Brahman-Pharisee parallels: Sant Tulsi Sahib comes to the aid of a member of the Untouchable Caste known as the Sudras. Other compassionate, inclusive readings are from Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad as well as Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram of Agra. Ritual vs. real spiritual purity today during this Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast. (Happy New Year)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The out-of-this-world spiritual poetry from the Padavali of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans today during this Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast. Padavali recitations, music and hymns are by Madhulata Arya. Recitations and commentary in English are by James Bean. Today we share: "Close Your Physical Eyes and See With the Third Eye", "The Definition Of Sant Mat", "Seven Principles of Sant Mat", "Hail to the Sants", and "O Traveller! Seek the Path That Lies Within You." (mystic poetry)   "O traveller! Seek the path that lies within you, You and your Beloved are in the same body; Your Beloved is pervading everywhere, but not being perceived, Those initiated by the master are able to recognize Him within their bodies... The glittering Point between the two eyebrows [Third Eye Center] is visible, O brothers and sisters! Closing your eyelids, try to see, Let the two currents of vision converge at the central Point between and behind the eyebrows, Fix your gaze and cross the material sphere and enter the Egg of the Universe; The Sky, studded with Stars, looks so wonderful, Light, like an earthen lamp, is visible that illuminates the darkness of the closed eyes..." (Padavali of Maharshi Mehi)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami, Satya Raam, Jai Guru James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The heavens or higher planes are not located in some abstract 'elsewhere' countless light-years away, but rather they are within us, accessed within the temple of the human body, are within all human beings... thus meditation... thus the need to discover the complete meditation practice by which we may access these realms, the Kingdom of God within (Inner Space.)   References, Subjects, and Sources Include: Carl Sagan, String Theory, Michio Kaku, Julian P. Johnson, Path of the Masters, multiple dimensions, bubble universes, cosmic foam, creation, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, George Arnsby Jones, The Pilgrimage of James - An Odyssey of Inner Space, Audible Life Stream, Sound Current, Divine Sound, Hinduism, Shamanism, Buddhism, Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Christian Mysticism, Sufism, Santmat, schools of spirituality, Tree of Life, Gnostic universe, charts of the heavens, Dead Sea Scrolls, Ethiopian Bible, Book of Enoch, Marsanes, Mar Sanes the Syrian, Nag Hammadi Library, Gospel of Thomas, The Unknown Silent One, Nameless One, Soundless One, Anami Purush, Plotinus, The Many and the One, Ocean of Love, Anurag Sagar, Surat Shabd Yoga, Inner Light and Sound Meditation, Ajna Chakra, Third Eye, Seat of the Soul, Rumi, Kabir, Kaivalya, Nirvana, Sat Lok, Sach Khand, Saint Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle, Param Poojya Shahi Swami, Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, Sant Ram Singh Ji Maharaj, If We Do Our Devotion, Then We Need Not Get Disheartened - God Almighty Will Always Send The Saints To Awaken Us, Without Satsang, Sant Mat Is A Very Difficult Path To Tread On, Bhakti, Prem, Spiritual love and devotion, Simran, Dhyan, Bhajan, Enchanted Land: A Journey With the Saints of India, Yogani Mataji, Radhasoami Mat Prakash, Hazur Maharaj Rai Saligram, The Life of Baba Somanath - Saint and Sage of South India, Book of Mirdad; (Peace)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"According to Mataji, what near-death patients experience is only the beginning of a vast sojourn into great universes of light, love and beauty... How can one sit so still, repeat only holy names and think of God constantly? 'By falling in love,' Mataji answered serenely. 'Because when one is truly in love nothing but the Beloved can enter one’s mind. So the secret of Surat Shabd Yoga and of mysticism,' she goaded, 'is not necessarily practice and more practice, but love. To be so devoted to one’s Lord that nothing can stand in the way -- this and nothing else is the truth of Sant Mat,' Mataji stressed..." (Enchanted Land: A Journey With the Saints of India)    The Bhakti Teachings of Yogani Mata Ji (Tripta Devi) of the Radhaswami Satsang Hoshiarpur today during this Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast! (Peace Be To You)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

A Summary of, Introduction to, Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation about: Where God Is, How to Merge With the Divine Through Meditation Practice, The Philosophy of Liberation (Moksha Darshan) According to Maharshi Mehi Paramhans   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami, Jai Guru James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Becoming Free From Illusion - Leaving the Matrix, Merging With the Divine Beloved: This human condition is a story about the limited perception of relying solely upon the outer five senses and being deceived, existing with a severely limited ability to know the full picture, to find what is Real. However, according to the mystics of all generations, there's another means of spiritual knowing, another way of seeing and hearing available to us. There is hope of finding Light in the darkness, and the Music of the Spheres playing beyond, on the other side of silence. In my soul I am free. (Peace Be To You)   The true devotee has an internal focus. The human body is the true "temple of the Spirit". Thus, one closes their eyes and looks within, entering the 'door' to the temple via the Third Eye Center, also referred to as the Single Eye and, the Seat of the Soul. In other words, we have the ability to see and hear spiritually if we did but know it. Instead of allowing these abilities to remain dormant, unused, the devotee develops his or her ability to see and hear spiritually during meditation practice, as revealed in Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters. Sant Kirpal Singh: "The greatness of a Master lies in the fact that when one meets Him, He initiates him into the Mysteries of the Beyond and gives Him first-hand experience of being born anew, and then by regular practice the initiate may transcend into the Beyond at will and enjoy the ineffable sweet symphonies of the Word which no ears have heard and no eyes have seen on earth." (Spiritual Elixir) In the Gospel of Thomas, the Master said to his living students at the time, "I will give you what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no hand has touched, and what has never occurred to the human mind." (Coptic Gospel of Thomas, Saying 17)   "Do the repetition of God's Name and forget Him not. Fulfil the purpose of your birth by practicing concentration. Be steadfast in the remembrance of God. He alone attains who is wakeful. For the devoted disciple of the Master Darkness and delusion are dispelled. He reverts not, and is well-set on the Path." (Sant Dadu Dayal)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today, an Introduction to the Sant Mat Approach to Meditation, the Goals and Methods of Spiritual Practice. (Peace Be To You)   Seven Teachings of Sant Mat: 1) God is Real. 2) God is Love, the Ocean of Love and Compassion. 3) All of the world scriptures teach about the same manifestation of God as inner mystical Light and Sound. 4) Our true identity is the soul, the self, and the soul is part of God and, like God, pure love. 5) During this human existence, we have an opportunity to experience God. 6) The Third Eye is the Seat of the Soul, thus there is the need to look within in order to get in touch with our soul and God. As we experience communing with God's love during meditation -- Surat Shabd Yoga -- we can rise above body-consciousness and explore Inner Space, the "Kingdom of the Heavens" that are within us. "We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, from the Light to Divine Sound, and from the realm of Sound to the Soundless State [Anami, Radhaswami]." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj) The drop merges back into the Ocean of Love. 7) As we get initiated into the Mysteries of the Spirit by a Living Teacher (Master, Sant Satguru), the purpose of our life is fulfilled. Reuniting with God is our reason to be here: "It was for the sake of the God-conscious beings that our True Lord created this earth, and began this play of death and birth." ("Adi Granth") Guru Kabir says: "For millions of years you have slept. This morning, will you not wake?" (Seven Teachings of Sant Mat, from the Sant Mat section of SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com)    "By practicing devotion through these four techniques: Manas Japa (Simran, recitation of a divine name or names), Manas Dhyana (Dhyan, focus on the divine form), Dristi Sadhana (Yoga of Inner Light, Inner Seeing, Inner Light Meditation, focus on the Infinitesimal Point), and Nadanusandhana Yoga (Surat Shabd Yoga, concentration on the inner divine Sounds) - the practitioner consecutively transcends the realms of darkness, Light, and Sound which cloak the Supreme Truth - the Divine Reality." (Maharshi Mehi)   "Make the mind quiet as only a quiet mind can meditate. Don’t understand meditation as a burden, do it lovingly. Don’t pay any attention to the outer sounds during the meditation; concentrate at the Eye Center." (Santji, The Ambrosial Hour)   "If we set a fixed time for our meditation, and we also set a fixed place for sitting for that meditation, then the mind also gets used to it. If we keep changing the time of our meditation, or keep changing the place of our meditation, then that gives an opportunity for the mind to also create havoc with us. And then the mind also reminds us of so many other things that have to be done. And that way, it keeps disturbing us. So, if it is used to sitting at a fixed time, it realizes that, 'Yes, this is the time for meditation,' and then, it leaves us alone for that time." (Baba Ram Singh)   Note: In the Sant tradition, the complete methods and secrets of the full meditation practice are communicated at the time of INITIATION (Diksha) by a living Master (Sant Satguru, Competent, Qualified Teacher) or a representative of a Master. (Jai Guru)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat    

Not A Caveman Fixated on Bugs and Bees After All: John the Baptist's Wilderness Vegetarian Diet - Locust Beans Not Bugs - An Exploration of Early Christian Writings and Scholarly Texts Today on This Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast. Nevermind the old Sunday school notion of John the Baptist being some weird caveman dude dining on bugs! John may have a tarnished caveman reputation of eating locusts and honey out in the wild, but this is really a story about copyists mistranslating a Greek word as "locust" ('a-k-r-i-d-e-s') instead of "carob"       ('e-g-k-r-i-d-e-s'). (Henry Ford: "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young." Albert Einstein: "Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.")   Since my original research on this topic, a couple more early Christian apocryphal writings have come to light, have been made available in English. These add to the surprisingly large collection of vegetarian references in early Christian writings regarding the diet of John the Baptist. New Testament Apocrypha, Vol. III, by Tony Burke was published and some John the Baptist books are included. In one of the earlier volumes there was a John the Baptist text made available for the first time in English that has a vegetarian passage regarding John's diet in the wilderness. Included in the third volume are, The Birth of Holy John the Forerunner, and, The Decapitation of John the Forerunner, both containing plant-based passages about John's diet consisting of "locusts from the tree" (in the Middle east called "the Saint John's Tree", and "Carob Tree") and "wild honey", also "an abundance of bread and wild honey dripping from a rock". Clearly there was an understanding in early Christianity that this was referring to locust beans (carob pods), not insects. Carob pods do look a bit like locusts hanging from tree branches, hence the name. Locust beans can be ground up and used to make a kind of Middle eastern carob flour flat bread. There's a "cakes dipped in honey" reference in the Gospel of the Ebionites. The wild "honey" was not from bees but sticky desert fruit of some kind. So, as you'll hear being documented during this pod...cast, there are all these plant-based references to John's diet coming from many different sources, and scholars have noticed and discussed these: "Probably the most interesting of the changes from the familiar New Testament accounts of Jesus comes in the Gospel of the Ebionites description of John the Baptist, who, evidently, like his successor Jesus, maintained a strictly vegetarian cuisine." (Professor Bart Ehrman, Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew) "His [John the Baptist's] food was wild honey that tasted like manna, like a cake cooked in olive oil." (The Other Gospels, Accounts of Jesus from Outside the New Testament, by Bart Ehrman)   John the Baptist was a prophet with large number of followers in Israel and Transjordan regions. After his passing, several of his successors headed what became various rival Nasoraean (Nazorean) sects, one of those being Jesus and the Jesus movement. "Again Jesus said to his disciples: Truly I say to you, among all those born of women none has arisen greater than John the Baptizer." (Matthew 11:11, George Howard's translation of Shem-Tob's Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, described as "the oldest extant Hebrew version of the Gospel of Matthew")     May the Blessings Be James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"The Father's kingdom is already spread out over the earth, and people do not see it." (Gospel of Thomas) This saying is a lament really, about souls in a condition of spiritual poverty unable to recognize the spiritual reality already here and available. This is the Invisible Spiritual Path We Follow, having a spiritual practice, a form of meditation that pertains to seeing the Unseen Realms with another kind of sight. The heavenly regions are not visible to those limited only to the outer material world of the five senses. In order to have mystic-vision, we're going to need another kind of Eye to be able to gaze into those subtle realms beyond. "The Lord will make the pupil of your eye his home, and your eye will expand to contain the entire universe." (Sant Namdev)  The third eye is the gateway which leads to realms above the purely physical world. It is situated behind and between the two eyes. "The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God's eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love." (Meister Eckhart, Rhineland Mystic)   It is the birthright and evolutionary destiny of each and every soul to participate in the subtle divine worlds within, to become a child of both the outer creation, the cosmos, the universe we see all around us, AND to be a traveler of inner space, the kingdom of the heavens -- the Divine Ocean of Love -- accessed within through a very special kind of meditation of inner seeing and inner hearing. The Sufi mystic Ibn Arabi once wrote in his Bezels of Wisdom: "The Supreme Being brought the Cosmos into being as constituting an Unseen Realm AND a Sensory Realm, so that we might perceive the Inner through our Unseen [facilities] and the Outer through our sensory aspect." We are, in other words, meant to be children of both worlds. (Best Of All Worlds)   "This new life of the Spirit begins from the day of Initiation into the Mysteries of the Spirit... The life of the spirit begins not with the theoretical exposition of the spiritual science but by a practical demonstration on the spiritual plane of the spirit-current made manifest. Here the invisible and inaudible life-stream is made both visible and audible to the Spirit within, converting the atheist into a theist in the true sense of the term. It is imparting the life-impulse and making It throb in every pore of the body. This coming back of the soul to the realization of her true nature and rising into Universal or Cosmic awareness beyond the walls of finitude is the true resurrection or coming to a new birth and a new life. To die in the body while living, is to live in the Spirit." (The Celestial Music, An Introduction to Kirpal Singh, by L. Gurney Parrott)   That last sentence, "To die in the body while living, is to live in the Spirit" is referring to the meditation practice that is followed by those initiated into Inner Light and Sound Meditation on this Path of the Masters. (Go Within)   "We should sit very lovingly in our meditation. We should focus at the Eye Center and do our Simran -- repeat the Simran in the mind. When we do this, the impurity of the mind, which has been cast on the mind by us for eons, for so many millions of lives... that gets washed off." (Baba Ram Singh)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com        

Says Vegan Rumi: "I have existence and I value it so much, so have all the beings on earth and they too, try to preserve it. Then, how can I kill even the tiniest creature just to satiate my palate? Even a seemingly lifeless stone has a degree of consciousness; respect it. To me, even milk is forbidden. Look at all animals as you look at humans. If we consume an animal, its blood and gore will make us act like a slaughterer. We began as mineral. We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten our former states, except in early Spring when we slightly recall being green again." (Rumi, the King of the Sufi Poet-Mystics and often quoted by Sant Mat Masters)   It's quite significant finding these vegan verses of Jalalaldin Rumi, as many would assume or presume Rumi would have followed the more conventional mainstream halal (similar to kosher) diet. And Rumi is not the only example within Sufism of saints advocating vegan or vegetarian values. In the past I've shared podcasts regarding Rabia of Basra, Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, and other Sufi mystics. There's even vegan sayings of Jesus preserved in Sufi circles. But knowledge of these things soon gets forgotten and lost in various traditions of world religions. ("The god of time [illusion] has put a cover over the teachings of Saints and thus concealed them from humanity." - Sar Bachan Poetry of Swami Ji Maharaj)   And not many dairy cows are living blissful happy lives roaming free in the Slovenian countryside or in some idyllic sunny pasture as some might also assume (or would prefer to imagine in order to rationalize defending old customs), but rather end up at the very same slaughterhouses as other factory-farmed animals killed for their meat... when the milk runs dry, when all is said and done. Thus, we must not drink from the tap of illusion (maya) but do the research, become informed by the science pertaining to diet-related diseases, and evolve in our thinking, taking the high road, going in the direction of compassion for all life, both human and animal! (Peace Be To All)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

The earliest references to the story of Jesus Feeding the Five Thousand do not include any mentions of fish, only bread. The early church father Irenaeus, writing between 180 and 188 AD, does not say anything at all about the fish, only bread in connection with this Miraculous Feeding of the Multitude as if the gospels he was reading at the time didn't include anything about fishes with the loaves. The historian Eusebius, Arnobius, and several other early Christian writings also never include anything about "fishes" with the loaves, only the loaves, only the bread. It was originally an account about people being given bread. This has lead to some, including Keith Akers, author of the book, The Lost Religion of Jesus: Simple Living and Nonviolence in Early Christianity (also see his wonderful scholarly book, Disciples), to conclude that the making of this popular miracle story into a fish tale must have taken place sometime after Irenaeus and 188 AD. After that date must be when the final edit took place, when fish got added to the story about the Feeding of the Five Thousand, transforming it into the more familiar version people are acquainted with. Today, we examine the case of the missing fish, as well as textual variations between different manuscripts of the New Testament, including the spectacular example of a vegetarian saying of Jesus present in the Old Syriac-Aramaic Evangelion Da-Mepharreshe manuscripts of the Gospel of Luke but not present in the Greek manuscripts. This is another installment in a series of podcasts documenting the vegetarianism of the original Jesus Movement, also known as the Ebionites, Nasoraeans, grandchildren of the Essenes, Hebrew Christians, The Apostles, the Disciples, Christianity-Before-Paul: the folks in the early church Paul was arguing with about diet, including James the Just (of Jerusalem.)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Traditionally, Sant Mat and the yoga philosophy have advocated the lacto-vegetarian diet: abstinence from meat, fish, fowl, and eggs, but allowed dairy. Vegan means complete abstinence from all animal products and strictly adhering to a plant-based diet: no dairy, eggs, or meat of any kind, or products made from animals. Based on the current cruel practices of the dairy industry in India and around the world that violate the principle of ahimsa or non-violence, plus all the scores of medical studies showing that dairy consumption adversely affects our health and well-being, I believe if they were here today, the classic Saints such as Mahavira, Guru Kabir, Guru Nanak, Tukarama, Ravidas, Tulsi Das, Namdev, Dariya Sahib, etc...  would not only be advocating a vegetarian diet, but a vegan diet. These days, many are making this transition to vegan, including a growing percentage of those following Sant Mat. This is the compassionate direction that the vegetarian movement is headed in. (Vegetarianism is going vegan!)   In the East as well as in the West, the Gnostics and other advanced mystics: those serious practitioners of soul travel, inner Light and Sound meditation, have universally adhered to a plant-based diet. It’s hard to reach more subtle states of tranquility in meditation on an animal flesh diet based on the suffering of other beings. "A man of spiritual intensity does not eat corpses." (George Bernard Shaw)    Today a satsang edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio about the spiritual and ethical reasons for going veg, or better still: vegan. There are readings from Pythagoras, Kabir, Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, Darshan Singh, Kirpal Singh, Sawan Singh, Diet and Spirituality, by Dona Kelley (from Lotus Leaves), and... a document called, "My Visit to a Dairy Farm -- The Reality of Dairy Cruelty -- the Final Destination of Dairy Cows is the Slaughterhouse", published by Pravin K. Shah of the Jaina Education Committee of Jainism (the Vegan Jain movement.)     In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

For many, the term "meditation" suggests merely a practice about attaining a more relaxed state and only represents a series of techniques about stress reduction. For the Initiate of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven however, meditation represents a Portal to the Divine, a Door in the Heavens leading to Realms Beyond, is a Bright Star in a Mystic Sky that turns into a Tunnel of Light or River of Divine Light that flows into the Eternal Ocean of God! (Gnosis)   "A Light of utmost splendor glows on the eyes of my soul. Therein have I seen the inexpressible ordering of all things, and recognized God's unspeakable glory - that incomprehensible wonder - the tender caress between God and the soul... the unmingled joy of union, the Living Love of Eternity as it now is and evermore shall be." (The German Mystic Mechthild of Magdeburg, Flowing Light of the Godhead)   "Now has Divine Light delivered me from captivity, and joined me by gentility to the Divine will of Love" (The French Mystic, Marguerite Porete, The Mirror of Simple Souls)   "Those who transcend the realm of mind and the senses and enter the regions of Pure Spirit come to know, as a Living Reality, that dwelling within all forms of life, human and otherwise, is One Pure Light and Love... though encased in so many types of veils due to karmic impressions." (Baba Somanath)   "This 'Single' or 'Third Eye' provides an ingress into the spiritual worlds - the Kingdom of God - now a lost realm to most of us... Of this inlet or ingress little is known by the people at large." (Sant Kirpal Singh)   Swami Sant Sevi Ji: "What is the glorious destination that we are striving for? When we see darkness with our eyes closed we are in the realm of death and re-birth because we are not aware of our true nature. When we come out of the realm of darkness and enter into the Realm of Light, we will at the same time escape the web of death. If we remain in darkness it is not possible to be free from the cycle of birth and death. Only when we achieve the Inner Light - the Divine Light which represents the glory of the Divine - can we be liberated from the cycle of birth and death." (Peace)   "Seek the refuge of the Satguru, O Dear One, for He will free you from your karmic debt. The entire world is consumed by forgetfulness and confusion. No one appreciates the unique message of the Saints. The unfortunate ones of this world are dominated by Maya [illusion], and they do not attain the Immaculate State. Those upon whom the Grace of the Primal Creator is showered, alone have the desire to drink the Nectar of Immortality." (Baba Somanath)   "So, the point of telling you is that this Path, which has been sent by God Almighty Himself - the Surat Shabd Yoga [Inner Light and Sound Meditation Practice] - that can be attained only by initiation from a True Master... Therefore, all the Masters, at all times, have always talked and sung the praise of Surat Shabd. And that has been the message of the Masters in various yugas [epochs of time]... Therefore, when we are initiated by our Masters, it is necessary for us to get connected with the Shabd [the inner Light and Sound Current] every day - to do our meditation every day. And, by doing so, we are helping our Master to help us..." (Baba Ram Singh)   Asks Kabir: "For Millions of Years You Have Slept, This Morning Will You Not Wake?"   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Today... explaining the rule in Sant Mat about not sharing one's own personal inner experiences with others - why is that? It's all about keeping experiences private, authentic, free from ego and free from outside contamination or mental phantasmagoria, also free of pressures and expectations about what one "should" be experiencing. Everyone is at their own unique level or place in Inner Space. We need only to focus on our own inward journey, stay in touch with That, and keep it real, keep it 100! (Namaste')     Seek To See God Now - Liberation During This Life - Mystic-Poem of Sant Tulsi Sahib   "In this life, the concept of salvation all describe;  To meet the Lord by dying while living [meditation], none discloses.  They all speak of the goal of salvation after death;  How to attain it while living, no one says.  Were they to reveal the method of achieving release while living,  Then alone would Tulsi be convinced of their words.  Who speaks, after seeing with their own eyes,  and teach the method of salvation during life,  They are of the stage and stature of Saints,  for they reveal the quintessence of the soul."   The Expanse Above, from Saint Isaac the Syrian's Spiritual Works, Translated by Mary Hansbury      "By stillness of the body and ceasing from this world, solitaries imagine the true stillness and the withdrawal from nature which will occur at the end of the corporeal world. By means of the mind, the solitaries are united with the world of the Spirit. By means of meditation, they are involved in the expanse above." (Peace)   Awaken to the Resplendent Light Within You - Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, Mystic Verses from the Book of Shabdavali     "Listen, O swan-soul, ascend to your true abode. So says the Master again and again. You do not pay attention to his words; O finish your sorrows and joys and transmigrations. If the deluded soul were to unite with her Source, Never again would she be encumbered by body and mind. From the Source of the Divine Ocean opens a Portal to the Light; O awaken that resplendent Light within you." (!)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

One of the Greatest of Spiritual Masters and Poet-Mystics of Sant Mat in the History of India: Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, today on this edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio, a Sant Mat Satsang Podcast. (Namaste', Sat Naam Sahab, Jai Guru, Radhaswami)   From the "Love Chapter" of Saint Dariya    "Blessed is the eye which is permeated with love. Without love it is like a pebble or stone. Like a gardener without a garden,      the eye remains empty without love. What is the state of a human being without love? He is like one who is denied all delicacies,      and whose mouth is filled only with dust. Without love one does not find the flow      of the Sound Current. But when the flower of love blossoms,      its fragrance is praised by all.   "Many are the paths prevalent in this world Knowing the proper wisdom, work out your own salvation. He who obtains a wise and discriminating Saint, Recognizes the path of salvation.   "The technique of love is truly the root of spirituality. Follow this technique as imparted by the Master. When with his grace the inner lamp is lighted, The true Naam, the support of all, comes to sight.   "Just as the lotus resides in water, It does not come to bloom by water. Only when the light of the sun appears, Does the lotus open its petals, As the contemplative (inner) eye opens to see.   "The spiritual lotus likewise resides in the human body      which is like a pond. Its sustaining water is close to the lotus. But only when love for the Satguru arises, Does the inner lotus bloom, And one becomes a devotee of the Lord's holy feet.   "Without love, there is no spiritual path. The path lives in love.   "With intensification of love, one comes in contact      with the True Sound, And like a lotus in water, abides in its peace and bliss.   "When love and endearment are firmly ingrained, One attains the elixir of Naam, and enjoys its bliss. Being firmly entrenched in love and endearment, And being well-steeped in devotion,      one obtains the true love.   "Without love one does not find the flow      of the Sound Current. But when the flower of love blossoms,      its fragrance is praised by all."   -- Mystic Verses of Sant Dariya Saheb of Bihar   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet. (Peace!)  

By developing a spiritual practice, on demand we are able to find respite from the madness of the world, this turbulent ocean of samsara, gaining our freedom from serving as pawns of a demiurgical, kalistic culture of conflict and agitated minds. (Peace Be To You)   "What our modern world has suffered from most of all is runaway ideology, the agitated attachment to ideas that thereby become the playthings of infrahuman energies. This is the great danger of all ideologies, whether political, religious, or academic." (Jacob Needleman expressing some thoughts about the Gospel of Thomas)   "Solitude is not something you must hope for in the future. Rather, it is a deepening of the present, and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it." (Thomas Merton)   The goal of this Sant Mat Satsang discourse is to shed more light on the meditation practices of the Sants which liberate the soul, provides a spiritual oasis for souls to be free from the agents of the negative power, ever-and-always agitating minds in this world, keeping them off-center so they never get around to going within, finding their true self and exploring the Divine Realms available inside during spiritual practice. (Meditate!)   We must rise above during our meditations in order to ultimately return to the Ocean of Love and All-Consciousness known as God... above this bodily existence, above this material plane, above time or KAL, above mind, above maya or illusion and all these outer planes of creation. As it says in the Greek Gospel of Thomas "we enter into Rest." And as Rumi has written in his mystic poetry, To Him We Shall Return. (Peace)   "If the soul is to see God, then it must see no temporal thing, for as long as the soul is conscious of time or space, or of an idea, it cannot know God." (Meister Eckhart, German Mystic)    This discourse is also deliberately mindful of the lineage of Sant Mat Masters spanning many centuries, tracing this Path of the Masters back through time to Satguru Kabir. (Satnaam Saheb)   References, Subjects, Sources and Segments Include: Rumi, Gospel of Thomas, The Empty Tomb of Satguru Kabir (The Story of Kabir's Body Turning Into Lotus Flowers), Plucking Flowers of Spirituality Within Your Body Through the Meditation Practice of the Sants, The Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love) and Sant Dharam Das), the Prakash Mani Gita on Inner Sound Meditation, Sat Saheb and Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, Maharaj Girdhari Sahib of Lucknow, Swami Ji Maharaj of Agra (Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry), Sant Garib Das of the Radhaswami Satsang, Rohilla, Delhi (book of Anmol Vachan), Baba Jaimal Singh of Beas, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Baba Somanath, Sant Kirpal Singh, Sant Ji (The Light of Ajaib), and Baba Ram Singh's Satsang Discourse on Kabir and Sant Dharam Das - Anurag Sagar commentary: The Saints are Instructed by The Almighty to Fetch the Troubled Souls. "The Almighty has promised the souls who have left Him and into the world of Kal, that if they are in trouble, or if they remember Him, He shall come to fetch them." (Baba Ram Singh on the liberation of souls during this Kali Yuga age)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"A heart devoid of love or affection is as hard as stone, and does not form a suitable receptacle for the light of Heavenly Grace and Mercy... Where pure love dwells there sheds the light of Grace, as it forms a link with the Spirit or Love Current from It's Source, the Supreme Being...  Love or the power of attraction is the basis of the whole creation and the cause of its sustenance and preservation... Every wave of love rising in a lover’s heart brings tidings of goodness and joy from the Beloved, and every thought springing up in such a heart is a harbinger of good works and good services for the sake of the Beloved." (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram Bahadur)   "In a nut-shell, the Radhasoami Faith is a Gospel of Love. Love towards the holy feet of Radhasoami Dayal [Merciful Lord of the Soul], love towards the Guru of the time and love with all the human beings is its cardinal message." (Agam Prasad Mathur, Petals of Love)   "The practice of Surat Shabd Yoga is dependent on the love generated in the devotee's heart for the Supreme Being Radhasoami Dayal [Merciful Lord of the Soul, Anami Purush]. The Radhasoami Faith [Sant Mat] therefore advocates the blending of Yoga with Bhakti [devotion]." (Agam Prasad Mathur)   Sant Mat Devotional Practices   "It should be noted that all the following activities are included in devotional practices (Abhyas)     (1) Sumiran [Simran: Repetition of the Holy Name] (2) Sumiran and Dhyan [Repetition of the Holy Name along with Contemplation of the Holy Form] (3) Bhajan [Listening to the Sound Current] (4) Recitation of holy books or listening to their recital in Satsang intelligently (5) Discussing the principles of the Radhasoami Faith or listening to such discussion (6) Thinking about and reflecting on matters pertaining to the Radhasoami Faith and its practices and pondering them; and (7) Examining the ways of one's mind and senses daily, keeping them under control as far as possible." (Huzur Maharaj, Prem Patra Radhasoami, Volume I)   Huzur Maharaj published the writings of Shiv Dayal Singh as well as his own writings. Huzur was one of the great prolific writers of the Sant Mat tradition of India. I was greatly influenced by his many volumes, especially Prem Patra Radhaswami, volumes one through six, an encyclopedia of Sant Mat teachings, Prem Bani Radhaswami (bhakti hymns and mystic poetry), volumes one through four, Prem Updesh Radhasoami, Jugat Prakash (instructions for initiates), Radhasoami Mat Darshan, Huzur's Letters to Satsangis, and Radhasoami Mat Prakash, which was the very first Sant Mat publication from India to appear in the English language, near the beginning of the 20th Century. (Radhaswami)    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Essential Key Teachings According to the Satgurus in the Sikh Scriptures, the Guru Granth   ONE - Living Masters Having Living Disciples - The Need For The Living Satguru and For Initiation Into the Meditation Practice    "There can be no jnana (true knowledge) without meeting a Master-soul, nor meditation without a first-hand experience." (Guru Arjan Dev, Bhairon M5)   “Meet a Satguru and take his initiation. Surrender thine all and peep within.” (Guru Nanak, Gauri M1)   "Prays Nanak, But for Society of the Saints, the whole world is false." (Gopal Singh translation)   "In the Guru-given Gnosis is contained the wealth of the Lord’s Name, and the Lord’s Name, the Guru imprints in the man’s mind." (Manmohan Singh translation)   “In utter darkness, the Master’s Word (Guru-Mantra) shines forth into Light. In the company of the Master, all are rescued and saved.” (Guru Arjan Dev, Gond M5)   “The Master has given me the perfect Word or Mantra.” (Guru Arjan Dev, Bhairon M5)   TWO - Surat Shabd Yoga, in Meditation Hearing the Unstruck Melody of the Sound Current (Anhad Shabd, Naam, Nada According to the Sikh Scriptures)   Living Masters have always initiated their disciples into meditation practice (Naam Dhan), and this includes the practice of hearing the Anhad Shabd (Unstruck Celestial Melody) within one’s self during meditation practice. "The Unstruck Melody that one seeks to hear, hear it thou in the instruction of the Guru's." (Sri Rag M. 1)   "Within me rings the Unstruck Melody of the Lord’s flute, yea, He in whose presence one's mind is attuned to the Sound of the Inner Music." (Sri Rag, Kabir)   "At the (tenth) door rings the Unstruck Melody. The Lord echoes thus in every heart." (Vadhans M. 5)   THREE - Non-Violence (Ahimsa) in Thought, Word, and Deeds Including Following a Non-violent Vegetarian Diet in the Adi Granth and Other Texts   Shri Guru Nanak Dev abstained from animal food and enjoined against cruelty to animals: "Having prohibited his disciples to drink wine and eat pork, he (Nanak) himself abstained from eating flesh and ordered not to hurt any living being." (Mohsin Fani, Persian Scholar of Comparative Religion, Author of the, DABISTAN-E-MAZAHIB)   "Kabeer says, the dinner of beans and rice is excellent when flavored with salt. Who would cut throats to have meat with his bread?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1374)   "One who does not steal, commit adultery, slander anyone, gamble, eat meat or drink wine will be liberated in this very life (i.e. Jeewan Mukt)". (Guru Gobind Singh, 10th Sikh Guru, Sudharam Marag Granth)   "Living by neglect and greed, the world eats dead carcasses. Like a goblin or a beast, they kill and eat the forbidden carcasses of meat. Control your urges, or else you will be thrown into the tortures of hell." (Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 723).   Bhai Gurdaas Ji said: "They eat meat by cutting throats, what will their own condition be?" (Vaar 24, Pauree 17)   “To take what rightfully belongs to another, is like a Muslim eating pork, or a Hindu eating beef. Our Guru, our Spiritual Guide, stands by us if we do not eat those carcasses. By mere talk, people do not earn Liberation. Salvation only comes from the practice of truth." (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 141)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

"The goal is to catch and rise up on the Sound Current to our Eternal Home. The Saints have only one message to give and that they give in the manner that suits the times. Their message is: "Soul! Thou has forgotten thy Source. That Source is Sach Khand. The Sound Current within you is the way to it, and we guide you to That." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji)    Today, the wisdom of the Great Master Hazur Baba Sawan Singh covering several major subjects central to the spiritual journey of the soul back to God: prayer to, and faith in, the Supreme Being Radhaswami (The Lord of the Soul, also spelled Radhasoami); Each Soul is a Drop from the Ocean of God, a Soul-Drop from the Ocean of Love; A Discourse on the Spheres of Kal, the Demiurge, Ruler of the Lower Planes of Time, Samsara, Impermanence and Illusion, and the Means of Salvation, of the Liberation of the Soul Through the Word, also Known as the Logos, the Shabda, The Sound Current; Why Does Sant Mat Follow Vegetarian Ethics? The Fleshless Diet of Those Whose Goal is God-Consciousness, to... in Spirit... Rise above the Flesh, to Rise Above Body-Consciousness and Make Heavenly Ascents Upwards via the Third Eye Center; The Way of the Sound Current: Our Duty to Follow the Sound Current Back to Sach Khand During Meditation Practice (Surat Shabd Yoga); Hazur Baba Sawan Singh on Our Spiritual Mission During This Life to Find the Pearl of the Soul and the Soul's Natural Habitat: Sach Khand, the Sphere of the Soul, and Ascend Back to that Heavenly Spiritual Realm Again Through The Hymn of the Pearl, The Audible Life Stream, The Holy Stream of Sound, also called The Sound Current, the True Name or Naam of God. (राधास्वामी)   Other texts quoted during today's satsang podcast include: the Gnostic Parable known as the apocryphal Hymn of the Pearl, The Hymn of the Soul, embedded in The Acts of Saint Thomas in India, the 2023 edition of the Sant Mat Glossary, Rumi, Kirpal Singh, Baba Devi Sahab of Hathras and Moradabad, and a saying of Jesus from an unknown Coptic language gospel fragment discovered in Egypt: "Now therefore have faith in the love of My Father." (RadhaSwami)    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

A rarely discussed amazing history of vegetarianism and even veganism in the great world religions and philosophies:    Akhenaten the "Heretic" Egyptian Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, who ruled for 17 years   Hebrew Bible, First Book of Moses: Genesis   Yoga Shastra, a sutra or scripture of Jainism   Bhagavad Gita of Krishna   Srimad Bhagavatam   The Laws of Manu, a kind of "Hindu Torah" or Book of Laws   Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans   Porphyry,  a 3rd century AD Neo-Platonist philosopher   The Vegetarian Prayer of Thanksgiving in the Epilogue of Asclepius of the Corpus Hermeticum, and the same prayer again, as it also turns up in the Nag Hammadi Library of Egypt, the Gnostic Gospels   Early Church “Heresy Hunters” that used to require meat-eating on Sundays as a way to discover who the veg Gnostics were in their midst   Philo of Alexandria's description of veg meals at a Jewish Therapeutae monastic community in Alexandria perhaps related to the Essenes   The Bahai Faith: Baha’u’llah, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi -- prophecies of a vegan future of humanity   Vegetarianism in Islam: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Rabia of Basra, Bawa Muhaiyaddeen and the Sufis   John the Baptist, who ate locust bean (carob) flour, not locusts -- BEANS NOT BUGS   And blessed are the textual variants: the Mystery of the Missing Veg Saying of Jesus found in Luke 21: 34 of the Evangelion Da-Mepharreshe --  the Old Syriac-Aramaic manuscript of the New Testament Gospels but is no longer present in Greek manuscripts. (Peace Be Upon You)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.   

"O Guru Sawan, work Your alchemy on Your disciple Somanath. Touching this iron with the philosopher’s stone, transform it through and through into purest gold. Going beyond the astral and causal realms, I have become absorbed in Your holy lotus feet."   -- Hymn (Bhajan) of Baba Somanath   Hazur Baba Sawan Singhji was very pleased with Somanathji's seva and behavior and initiated him into the path of Surat Shabd Yoga in January 1928. He stayed at Beas for three and a half years, practicing Surat Shabd Yoga and achieved his cherished goal. In 1932, He sought the gracious permission of his Satguru to return to Mumbai. Sawan Singhji blessed him and commanded him to propagate the principles of Sant Mat in South India, where it was almost unknown.   When Hazur Sawan Singh instructed Baba Somanath to leave the Dera and return to South India to propagate the teaching of Sant Mat, He said: "Somanath, the body in which your soul dwells is highly suitable for spreading the teaching of Sant Mat in South India for you have both the understanding of the ways of the people of the South and with the Grace of the Masters have perfected the meditation after passing through every lower stage of the journey. Go and commence the work of Satsang."   Christopher McMahon: "I would like to mention here that it is entirely possible that there have been souls of the highest spiritual order in the Sant Mat tradition living in South India in the past, but they were simply not well-known and could even have come from a different lineage." (The Life of Baba Somanath Ji, Sant and Sage of South India)   "During the time of Swami Ji, the British were in control of the outer life of the Indian subcontinent. They avoided religious persecution and kept communal tensions at bay, and so the Sant Mat teachings could be presented in an open way, unlike in earlier times when Saints often cloaked their teachings in an esoteric language for the sake of avoiding confrontation with religious zealots of all persuasions. It is said,'Those who see God face to face shall all tell the same thing.' The differences come in only because of the means of approach in each case, the language of the time employed, the mode of expression then prevailing, and the intellectual level of the age. Again, these differences are not in essentials but only in non-essential details." (Kirpal Singh)   "O Protector of the lowly ones, most merciful Lord, Self-Existent, Bestower of Light, Somanath has contemplated upon Your lotus feet. Unceasingly, he will sing Your praises. You free all the jivas [captive souls] from the desires and afflictions of this world."    -- Hymn (Bhajan) of Baba Somanath   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Santmat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.    

The great Masters teach that the Sound of God is within everyone -- this Holy Stream of Sound is within every living thing. This is why those given to exploring Inner Space through a contemplative meditation practice, be they from the East or the West, have discovered this Reality playing within themselves. (Go Within) This Sant Mat Satsang Podcast is a spiritual gathering, a satsang without walls, dedicated to exploring this ancient school of spirituality, the Path of the Masters, Mystics, Gnostics, and Saints, today focused upon the spiritual practices of inner seeing and hearing, finding the inner Light and Sound of God present within the soul. The form of meditation making it possible to access the mystic Light and Sound is freely taught and communicated via the guidance of a competent Living One, a Living Master who is fluent in the spiritual experience of not only transcendental seeing and hearing, but also of traversing Inner Space, the Kingdom of the Heavens within, the inner regions, heavens, realms of consciousness beyond the physical-material confines that hold captive the attention of most people. The Sufi mystic and philosopher Ibn Arabi once wrote in his Bezels of Wisdom: "He [the Supreme Being] brought the Cosmos into being as constituting an Unseen Realm and a Sensory Realm, so that we might perceive the Inner though our Unseen [facility] and the Outer through our sensory aspect." We are children of both worlds. We human beings are a Tree of Life with roots in the earth and branches rising into a Mystic Sky! "The planes of heaven are about us everywhere. One has only to know this simple truth consciously, and then we will be free." (George Arnsby Jones, disciple of Kirpal Singh) As with the Gnostic Universe, the cosmos and multiverse of the Surat Shabd Yoga Tradition of Inner Light and Sound Meditation has the lowest or outermost plane being the realm of matter and dark matter, followed by progressively more subtle and luminous astral and akashic or causal regions, also a Universal Mind or Demiurgical (pronounced "Demi-urge-ah-KAL") plane. Above these lower and middle regions of mind and matter are levels of pure spirit, eternal, above time and space, and these are considered to be the True Home or Paradise of the soul, where we prodigal souls came from before the beginning and, full-circle, where we will return to again, as we awaken from the soul-slumber of the ages. "We have come from the Light and will return there again." (Gospel of Thomas and Mandaean Ginza Rabba paraphrase) As Kabir once said, "For millions of years you have slept. This morning, will you not wake?" (Peace Be To You) Today, readings from the mystic divine love poetry of Bhai Nand Lal Ji, disciple of Guru Gobind Singh, The Acts of John (New Testament apocryphal writing), the Sikh scriptures (Adi Granth, Gurbani), Naam Or Word authored by Kirpal Singh, Baba Ram Singh from a January, 2023 collection of satsang discourses on Naam: Sant Mat Meditation of the Inner Light and the Sound Current, the Sufi poets Rumi and Shah Niaz, Ajahn Sumedho on "The Sound of Silence" (from the Buddhist world), also from Anmol Vachan, a rare book of Q and A by Sant Garib Das of the Radhasoami Faith (another spiritual successor of Swamiji Maharaj), Shiv Brat Lal's Radhaswami spiritual classic Light on Ananda Yoga, Kirpal Singh's Spiritual Elixir, and... the mystic poetry of Edmond Bordeaux Szekely. (Namaste')  In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"Blessed are the souls who in today's materialistic world have an inclination towards spirituality." (Swami SantSevi Ji Maharaj)    Today, A Spiritual Talk (Satsang Discourse) by Swami SantSevi Ji Maharaj at Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppaghat, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India   The Seven Stages of Ascension to Heaven According to Swami SantSevi Ji and a Living Spiritual Path Called Sant Mat   1. Praise or Bhakti (singing praises: banis, bhajans, kirtans, odes, psalms, hymns)   2. Prayer (Communion With God -- Conversations With God)   3. Manas Jap (Simran, "Praying Without Ceasing", Mentally Repeating/Chanting the Name or Names of God -- Mantra -- the First Stage of Meditation)   4. Manas Dhyana (Visualizing the Form of the Master * -- the Second Stage of Meditation)   5. Dristi Sadhana (Seeing Inner Light at the Third Eye Center -- the Third Stage of Meditation)   6. Nada Sadhana (Hearing the Inner Sounds -- Surat Shabd Yoga -- the Fourth Stage of Meditation)   7. Reaching Kaivalya: Oneness with Soundlessness, the Nameless One (ANAMI), the Formless Supreme Being, Supreme State, the Ocean of Love (beyond all forms, lights and sounds) -- the Fifth Stage of Meditation -- the Isht or Goal   *NOTE: Visualizing the Form of the Master: “In Kali Yuga no other spiritual activity will succeed. It is only the contemplation of the Satguru’s Form, repetition of the Name of the Supreme Being, and concentration on Shabda [Spiritual Sound] that will be successful and beneficial”. (Soamiji Maharaj)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.libsyn.com    

After expressing some thoughts about war and peace, selected readings from many masters, mystics, and spiritual classics or scriptures of the East & West    1) one of the most mystical passages from the Psalm-scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls composed by the unknown master or right-teacher, who was the founder of the original Essene Community   2) back to eden, return to paradise: a plant-based passage from the Hebrew Book of Genesis on the vegetarian ideal at the beginning   3) readings about Kabbalah -- Jewish mysticism, and meditation in the Hebrew scriptures: "Be still and know that I am God", Psalm 46: 10   "The first century Rabbi Akiva ascended through the seven heavens and the seven palaces in the highest heaven by means of passwords uttered to the angelic gatekeepers. His meetings with God were characterized by luminosity."  (Joan Borysenko, "Seven Paths to God: The Ways of the Mystic")   4) The Five Sacred Mantra Names of the Sethians, a Jewish Gnostic sect of antiquity and their meaning   5) "I am merely a guest born in this world, to know the secrets that lie beyond it." (Rumi)   6) George Arnsby Jones, The Pilgrimage of James, An Odyssey of Inner Space   7) "No mission is of greater importance to a person than the awareness of his own consciousness, the profound significance and purpose of his existence on earth and to find out the path for ultimate bliss, eternal happiness and cheerfulness i.e. the quest for truth." (quote from the Shabd Pratap Ashram website)   8) "Be regular and lovingly devoted to your holy meditations, as that is the central pivot around which the whole sacred teaching revolves and therein an all around development of the soul is granted." (Kirpal Singh)   9) a reading from, Radhasoami Mat Updesh, by Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram Bahadur   10) A Spiritual Seekers Guide, Dayal Sahab, Dayalpuri Radhasoami publication   11) The Saakhi Granth of Kabir, "1008 Kabir Vani" and another passage of Guru Kabir; also, "The Anurag Sagar"/Ocean of Love of the Sant Dharam Das/Kabir Panth   12) Huzur Baba Sawan Singh's parable of, A Man Trapped in a Well Arguing with the Person Above (the Master) Holding a Rope   13) readings from the Surangama Sutra, a Buddhist scripture: "I will appear as a Buddha to teach them the Dharma to liberate them..." and   14) about being rescued by the Light, a passage from, The Book of Faith-Wisdom -- Pistis Sophia, a Gnostic Gospel from Egypt   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Return to the Source, The Path of the Masters, Julian P. Johnson: "The message of the Masters fills the world with hope, and at the same time it offers a rational foundation for such hope. It not only tells people what they should do, but it offers them a definite method of doing it... (Johnson)   "In the march of the ages, cycle after cycle, in every planet where human beings reside, the great Masters are the Light-bearers of that world. Until the end of the ages, they will remain the friends and saviors of those who struggle toward the Light... (Johnson)   "The world has never been without a living Master. Beneath all other impelling forces in the creation, spirituality is the primary cause. That, and that alone, is the driving force that always leaps up to join its source. In every living being, from tiny plant up to man, the spiritual flame of life is struggling upward and onward toward its source of being, and this process and this struggle must go on until the last speck of dust returns to the central fires of Infinite Being... (Johnson)   "...The Divine Spark in each one, always struggling for freedom, striving hard against adverse currents, reaches out a feeble hand toward the Master. In great kindness the Master takes that hand, unclean though it may be. After that, it may require years of patient hard work to build up the character, to strengthen the will and throw off the evil passions." (Johnson)   "The Audible Life Stream is the cardinal, central fact in the science of the Masters. It is the keystone of the arch. It is the cornerstone of the structure. It is the structure itself. And it IS the Path of the Masters. One might say that the Master and the Life Stream constitute the Path of the Masters... (Johnson)    Authored by Julian Johnson in the 1930's, Path of the Masters became a spiritual classic of Sant Mat and remains popular to this day. It's a kind of "theosophical" presentation of Sant Mat and Radhasoami, if you will, and has been a very influential book. Over the decades many have been introduced to this living mystic and gnostic path as a result of encountering Johnson's amazing book, The Path of the Masters. (RADHASOAMI)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Before the main segment, The Opposite of "Not One Of Us" is "We Are All One”, I begin the program by sharing spiritual readings covering various topics from several sources: The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah; a Saying of Jesus from, The Book of the Gnosis of the Invisible God, An Unrecognized Dialogues Gospel Embedded in the Bruce Codex Placed at the Beginning of the First Book of IEOU; also, readings from: The Ghat Ramayan of Sant Tulsi Sahib; Sar Bachan Radhasoami Prose of Soami Ji Maharaj; 1008 Kabir Vani (Saakhis of Guru Kabir); Baba Ram Singh on meditation practice; Saint Isaac of Nineveh; and mystic poetry * of Sant Charandas. (* Bhajans, Hymns)   One of the most mysterious passages recorded in the New Testament is: "'Teacher', said John, 'we saw a man driving out demons in your Name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us *.' "'Do not stop him,' Jesus said. 'No one who does a miracle in my Name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.'" (Mark 9: 38+39) One may wonder who this mystery person was and what unknown sect or faction of the Jesus Movement he belonged to, since the disciples had apparently never encountered him before. (* The Not-One-Of-Us Treatment.)   The main segment is titled: The Opposite of "Not One Of Us" is "We Are All One”, an essay documenting how Sant Mat historically has never been limited to only "one" living master (Sant Satguru) at a time but there have always been multiple lineages of masters alive in the world contemporary with one another. As Hazur Baba Sawan Singh once said: "It is not necessary that there should be only one * Master in the whole world or even in a single country. There have been different Masters in different countries at the same time, and even in the same country. Thus Guru Nanak and Kabir were contemporaries, and so also Dadu and Guru Arjan. But their teaching is the same at all times and in every country." (* The Path is One.)    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com        

One thing that might be rather surprising to most people that can be learned by doing a study of the gospels, acts and other literature of the Hebrew Christians -- the Ebionites -- the Christianity that Existed Before Paul -- is that, rather than some imagined Sunday school notion of a fish market in the village of Galilee being operated by the disciples of Jesus, there is significant evidence that the Original Jesus Movement and well-known apostles became vegetarians. And furthermore, this vegetarianism of the disciples and Jesus Movement is fairly widely known and mentioned by the early church fathers. It's not that this information is coming from recently discovered writings dug up in the Middle East. Rather, these are old texts that have been with us since the early days of Christianity but didn't seem all that meaningful and significant to a pro-meat carnistic population. Vegetarians however would indeed be most interested finding this out! (Peace be to you)    "Jacobus [James], the brother of Jesus, lived of seeds and vegetables and did not accept meat or wine." (Saint Augustine)   "The consumption of animal flesh was unknown up until the great flood. But since the great flood, we have had animal flesh stuffed into our mouths. Jesus, the Christ, who appeared when the time was fulfilled, again joined the end to the beginning, so that we are now no longer allowed to eat animal flesh." (pro-vegetarian early church father Hieronymus [St. Jerome] who apparently read the Gospel of the Hebrews and was influenced by Ebionite views)   "Sacrifices were invented by men to be a pretext for eating flesh." (Clement of Alexandria)   "The steam of meat meals darkens the spirit. One can hardly have virtue if one enjoys meat meals and feasts. In the earthly paradise [Eden], no one sacrificed animals, and no one ate meat." (Saint Basil the Great)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

What a delight it is this week to be sharing with everyone in our satsang community and gathering of spiritual seekers readings about Baba Ram Singh's spiritual search when he was young, his prayers to the Hidden Power, a wonderful name for the Supreme Being, and how he found the Radhasoami Satsang presided over by Baba Somanath, making use of, In the Lap of the Supreme Father, The Biography of Sant Baba Ram Singh. By the way, Hidden Power is a very Gnostic type term for the Supreme Being so I also share from the Nag Hammadi Library of Egypt, and from another ancient Gnostic library further to the East, the Ginza Rabba (Great Treasure) of the Mandaean Nasoraeans, with references to God as the Hidden Great Power, and about the role of the Living One, the Living Master, as being a co-worker of the Divine Plan in the lower planes and material realm to guide souls back to their True Spiritual Home Above, sharing the secrets of spiritual practice and Divine Names with those souls seeking true spiritual freedom. Also today, mystic bhajans and prayers of Baba Somanath, wisdom and guidance from the Radhasoami publications: A Spiritual Seekers Guide, Anmol Vachan of Sant Garib Das, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Prose on the Teachings of Soami Ji Maharaj, Prem Patra Radhasoami and Prem Bani Radhasoami of Hazur Maharaj Rai Saligram Bahadur, as well as excerpts from a January 6th, 2023 Meditation Talk by Baba Ram Singh Ji titled, When We Sit For Meditation In The Frame Of Mind Of Love And Affection, Then It Helps Us To Sit, on how love, devotion or bhakti helps develop high-quality concentration during meditation and is the proper approach to successful Inner Light and Sound Meditation Practice (Surat Shabd Yoga). Being a Lover of the Beloved as well as spending enough time in meditation, according to the Masters (Sant Satgurus), are absolutely essential for getting to have inner experiences and truly exploring the Inner Regions (Inner Space, the Kingdom of the Heavens Within You).  (Namaste', Jai Guru, HU, Satya Raam, Sat Naam Sahib, Radhaswami)    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"One thing which Chachaji did and which will be always remembered was that one day, heaven knows what brainwave he had, he tied up into a bundle many letters of Soamiji Maharaj in His own handwriting, His other papers, as well as many articles of His use, and dropped the bundle into the well at Soami Bagh sanctified by Soamiji Maharaj. He then went to Lala Tote Ram and told him what he had done. Hearing him, Lala Tota Ram gave out a shriek and said, 'O Chachaji Saheb, what have you done?' Chachaji Saheb replied, 'Brother, I know the value of these things. There is no knowing in whose hands these precious things will fall and whether they will be preserved with due care. That is why I thought that I should rather drop them in the well sanctified by Soamiji Maharaj Himself '." (Bhaktmal of the Radhasoami Faith, by S.D. Maheshwari, pages 25 and 26 -- NOTE: "Bhaktmal" means: biographical accounts of Bhaktas or devotees)   Today represents two programs in one. The first part pertains to some Radhasoami history. I explore the mystery of Soami Ji's well, the LOST letters and other documents... what some of them might have been, and the politics behind the destruction of those sacred writings. The second part is a satsang consisting of spiritual readings from the surviving letters of Soami Ji Maharaj, which are very wonderful, spiritually uplifting, containing much authentic wisdom for spiritual seekers and devotees on the Path. (Namaste')   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today we explore: The Goal of Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation: Our Path Back to the Source; The Six Stages of Inner Sound Meditation; The Traveler of the Inner Subtle Path; The Five Precepts or Moral Requirements for Initiation Cultivating Stillness and a Spiritual Way of Life; Also a Word About Vegetarianism, Veganism, and Sant Mat.   "Blessed are the souls who in today's materialistic world have an inclination towards spirituality." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)   "Sant Mat is not the Path of information; this is the Path of Transformation." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)   "We are children of both worlds. We human beings are a Tree of Life with roots in the earth and branches rising into a mystic sky. Meditation is the portal to the realm within and allows us to know ourselves, our original nature." (Agochar)   "Look at God within yourself, how 'God is Light.' For his Nature is a glorious, many-splendored Light. He manifests the Light of his Nature to those who love Him in all the worlds." (John of Dalyatha, Syriac Mystic)   "In meditation, the true condition of the soul is exposed, and God can reveal our failings in order to heal and bless us... If we spend more time in meditation, we can recognize the relationship between the visible and invisible world ever more distinctly and clearly." (Wisdom of the Sadhu, The Teachings of Sundar Singh)   "Saints come into this world and They enlighten us. They remind us of our True Home of God Almighty -- our True Father. They encourage us to go back. And They motivate us to go back. So, we are indeed fortunate to get this human body and get this life. And it is with the Grace of God Almighty that we have the company of the Masters. Now, we should make the most of that and follow the Teachings of the Masters and make the efforts to go back to our True Home... It is, therefore, incumbent on a disciple, once he has been initiated, to prioritize his meditation. He should always keep that to the forefront and do his meditation first, and then all of the other activities should follow that... Morning time is ideal for meditation. But anytime is good if we are sitting for meditation." (Baba Ram Singh)    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

This Path of the Masters Has Been Created By God Almighty. It Has Not Been Created By Any Mahatma or Saint or Sect.   "When our soul came from God Almighty into this world, it came via the Sound Current and, at each plane, it came by the connecting Sound Current into this world. And when the soul has to go back to God Almighty, it will also ascend on this same Sound Current and, plane by plane, it will go back to God Almighty. This Path has been created by God Almighty. It has not been created by any Mahatma or Saint. And God has set this Path for the soul to come into this world and also to go back to God Almighty." (Baba Ram Singh)   "According to Sant Mat, having crossed these realms or levels, we achieve the final goal called Mukti (i.e. salvation). To attain liberation/salvation, Sant Mat does not follow numerous complicated practices, but two essential methods:   1) Drishti Marg (i.e. the Path of Inner Light/Vision) and,   2) Shabd Marg (i.e. the Way of Inner Sound/Transcendental Hearing).   "Unlike other worship methods popular in religions and sects with different names, these two methods are not man-made. God himself is the founder and operator of these methods. Since the beginning God has kept these two methods inside human beings with full qualifications. The way of redemption of jivas (i.e. bounded souls) is available within all human beings." (Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad)   Today, readings from Sant Brahmananda of Rajasthan, Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad, from the Satsang Discourses of Baba Ram Singh, Kabir, Swami Ji Maharaj, Baal Shem Tov (Jewish Mystic), The Gospel of Thomas, Martin Buber, Moses Luzzatto (Kabbalah), Adi Granth (Sikh Scriptures), Mystic Poetry of Sant Janardan Swami of Maharashtra and the Padavali of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans.   Baba Ram Singh: "God Almighty sends these Saints for the salvation of the souls who He had sent into this world and to whom He had said, 'Whenever you call out to Me, I will come to fetch you.'"   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Unaffected by the West, in rural India spiritual paths such as traditional Sant Mat continue to preserve and communicate the wisdom of the Masters about living a spiritual way of life. At the heart of their spirituality is the meditation practice known as Inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga). There are references to this form of meditation dating back to the time of the Upanishads and other ancient scriptures, also more recently with the various Sant movements populated by bhakti poet-mystics and spiritual masters such as Sant Namdev, Guru Kabir, Guru Nanak, Sant Ravidas, Sant Dharam Das, Sant Tukaram, Sant Dadu Dayal, Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, Goswami Tulsi Das, Sant Tulsi Sahib, Sant Radhaswani Sahib up to the living present. Today we explore the teachings of Santji, Baba Devi Sahab, and Maharshi Mehi Paramhans about successful meditation practice and the journey of the soul back to God.  In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

The Importance of Spiritual Gems, Letters from Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji: Here we have letters from a successor of a successor of Sant Radhasoami (Radhaswami) Sahib, looking to the West and communicating with some of the very first initiates (satsangis) in the US and Canada. Spiritual Gems: "The Great Master wrote these letters in response to the questions and queries of his American and European disciples and seekers, so nearly all the questions and doubts that crop up in the minds of seekers after Truth and Reality have been amply dealt with in this volume, which makes it extremely valuable."   "I assure you that I do not mean to neglect any of our American Satsangis. I think I answered your last letter. It may have gone astray. But in any case, you should write to me every few months and give full account of your progress and ask any questions you may wish to ask. I shall be glad to hear of your inner progress on the Path. No doubt you are making some headway and I am anxious to see you go inside, truly, and find the Great Light and Joy which awaits you there." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)   "We are expecting much from America. The average person in America is much nearer to this Teaching than in any portion of Europe. The day will come when your people will turn to Sant Mat... Some day the Great Work there will assume much larger proportions. You may look confidently for it, in your own time. Be ready for it." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)   Other Key Points Made   Sant Mat in America is not a path only for the affluent that can afford to frequently travel long distances. Avenues for learning, satsang, and pathways for initiation for those who qualify must always be available. Nobody left behind.   The language barrier issue: There must always be new satsang material being translated and published in English.    There are not two Sant Mat paths: a Sant Mat "lite" for new age Americans or westerners, and the traditional full Sant Mat for Indians, but the complete Sant Mat for all.   This includes adhering to the vegetarian diet: "I never gave permission to anyone to eat meat in my life. A mother does not administer poison to her own children. In R.S. Faith animal food cannot be allowed under any conditions. It hardens the heart, and makes the soul dull and heavy." (Spiritual Gems, Sawan Singh)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami A Satsang Without Walls https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Spiritual seekers are faced with many possible choices and detours along the way. If the genuine seeker finds spiritual sustenance in the luminous wisdom of the saints and mystics, they will reach the first level of satsang (association with eternal truth) and make serious spiritual progress during this life. With such a developing reverence for the higher wisdom of great souls of the ages, one may eventually encounter a living mystic path in the world of today, discover a living gnosis now, a school of spirituality lead by a living one, a living master (Sant Satguru). Today's satsang podcast features reflections about what is playing out in the vast world of spiritual paths and world religions based on the spiritual classic known as the Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love), how the various planes of creation, states of consciousness and temperaments are all being represented by avatars and archons affiliated with a multitude of paths and practices in the marketplace of ideas, seeking to draw souls to material, astral, causal, or mental regions. Countless are the idols made of wood and stone. Countless are the ceremonies, holidays, and rituals. Countless, the doctrines, the prophecies, sectarian politics and struggles, tethering souls to realms of mind and matter, but what of you, the soul, and the God that is All-Spirit residing beyond these worlds of form and time?   Says Rumi, "Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth."   "Who speaks, after seeing with their own eyes, and teach the method of salvation during life, They are of the stage and stature of Saints, for they reveal the quintessence of the soul." (Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras)   "Seeing that Kal is deluding all the jivas and entangling them in this world and seeing the jivas suffer in this world of Kal, God Almighty sends the Saints into this world to enlighten and awaken the jivas and bring them Home." (Baba Ram Singh)    "Seek to behold the Living One while you are alive, lest you die and seek to see him and be unable to do so." (Gospel of Thomas, saying 59)   "Whoever joins the Immortal becomes Immortal. Whoever delights in the Living One becomes Living." (Odes of Solomon, ode 3)   Today there are readings from: the Gospel of Thomas (both Greek and Coptic manuscripts), the Odes of Solomon, Kabir (1008 Vani, the Ethical Teachings of Kabir), Soamiji Maharaj (Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry), Maharshi Mehi Paramhans (the Padavali), Baba Somanath (a bhajan, mystic poem/hymn), and a satsang discourse by Baba Ram Singh (excerpted from. Seeing The Jivas And Entangled And Suffering In This World Of Kal, God Almighty Sends The Saints To Awaken The Jivas And Bring Them Home, shared during the afternoon of January 20th, 2023).    Says Kabir: "Love is like a deep ocean. Only that lover of God who will dive into it fearlessly shall be able to get the pearl of ultimate happiness. And one who will not be able to muster up enough courage to dive into it, shall remain sitting at the beach. He will remain without love in this world or the next. How will he get the pearls of ultimate happiness then?"   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Says Jayadeva: "In the very beginning was the Primal Lord, unrivaled, the Lover of Truth and other virtues. He is absolutely wonderful, transcending creation; remembering Him, all are emancipated. Within my mind, I chant the Name of the Primal Lord God, the Source of virtue. My vision, that You are I are separate, has melted away."    Sant Jayadeva is one of the earliest Sants known to history. Jayadeva was born during 1170. He's known to the Sikh tradition as Bhagat Jaidev. He was a Sanskrit "loner-poet" who lived during the 12th century and is celebrated for his poetic genius in eastern India. He is the author/composer of the epic poem known as Gita Govinda (The Hymn to the Custodian of Light). Sant Jayadeva is the earliest dated author of hymns that are included the Adi Granth! Today during this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast you'll hear readings from, Unveiling the Garden of Love -- Mystical Symbolism in Layla Majnun and Gita Govinda (Sufi Mysticism and the Teachings of Sant Jayadeva in the Gita Govinda). And then, I share readings from the Mystic Verses of Sant Jayadeva: Gurbani by Bhagat Jaidev in the Adi Granth, one of the earliest known Sants: Hymn # One on Page 526 of the Adi Granth with commentary, followed by the reading of Hymn # Two on page 1106 with commentary.   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

There is a message coming from beyond the stars, a communication emanating from the Timeless Realm to those lost somewhere in time, a gospel calling out to us from outside the multiverse and lower planes of creation. Kabir says, "Where else have you heard a Sound like this?"   The quest of the true spiritual seeker is to remain focused in a realm of endless distractions, to become spiritually awake in a culture of slumber or negligence, to always remember God and our spiritual practice in this temporal region of forgetfulness (maya, illusion, samsara, world of changes). We all have the potential to be successful at reaching our spiritual goals and not talked out of our hopes, dreams and ideals by negative external influences. We are free to find our genuine life purpose following the spiritual path, discovering the wonders of inner Light and Sound Meditation practice, experience the lifting of the heavy burden of karma, and reach the oasis of spiritual rest and repose in the God-worlds of Inner Space, which we all have access to... if we did but know it!    "Baba Ji [Baba Somanath] was a Gurumukh Disciple of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji who, after a long search for Truth, during which He performed many austerities, fasts and difficult Nathpanth yogic practices in the tradition of Gorakhnath, was drawn to the Path of Sant Mat -- the Path of the Celestial Sound Current and Radiant Light. Under the orders of Hazur, He spread the Sant Mat Teachings in the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh from 1933 until 1976 when He left the mortal coil." (BabaSomanathJi org English Language Website Making His Teachings Widely Available to the West)   Baba Somanath was one of the spiritual successors of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, the Great Master of Beas. Today we explore his teachings including satsang commentary on verses of the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, a key Sant Mat spiritual classic. This particular discourse of Baba Somanath is quite informative about the role of the mind or ego acting as an extension of universal mind called "the Kal Niranjan" and also known as "the Demiurge", the negative power, lord of illusion, great deceiver.   Somanath Prays...   "You are the Lord and Friend of the lowly ones."   "Shower Your grace upon me. I have taken refuge in Your shelter, and now to preserve Your honor, Please take me out of the cycle of births and deaths."    "I have fallen at your door -- O, Gatekeeper of the Inner Realms."   "Keep me steadfastly absorbed in contemplation on You. Rivet my attention at the still point between the eyes, And show me the Light of Spiritual knowledge."   "Giving me the support of the Dhun, the True Shabd, Transport my soul into the Great Void. Drawing me upwards on the stream of Sohang Shabd; reveal the vision of the True Realm, Sat Lok, Where divine strains of the veena fill the air."   "Transport me to Alakh and Agam -- the invisible and inaccessible regions. Whoever reaches there, has come to the end of the journey. Regarding me as your helpless child, Merge me into the primal Anami Lok [Nameless Plane, Radhasoami]."   -- Baba Somanath, excerpted from the bhajan, Dina bandhu dina naatha   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://SantMatRadhasoami.blogspot.com    

Today's Program Has Several Segments -- Table of Contents -- Program Outline:   Quotes from the Upanishads;    Bhagavad Gita/Gospel of Thomas Jesus-Krishna Parallels;    Fending For One's Self vs. Following and Getting to Know a Living Spiritual Path;    In a Book I Once Read it Says Books Are Not the Answer -- "You can’t read your way to enlightenment."   In Sant Mat the Centers of Power, the Location or Real Estate Never Remains the Same Forever;    What About Those Who Get Re-Initiated? Have Been Initiated by More Than One Guru?   Sants of Antiquity Long Before the Time of Kabir;    Living Teachers Reveal the Methods of Meditation and Mysticism;    The Definition Of Sant Mat by Maharshi Mehi Paramhans;    In Hinduism and Other Eastern Religions the Main Operating System is The Eight Limbs of Yoga -- Stages of Spiritual Development... and The Five Ethical Precepts;    Initiation Into Surat Shabd Yoga -- Inner Light and Sound Meditation by a Living Master (Sant Satguru);    A Paraphrase or Summary of the Teachings of Maharshi Mehi on the Sant Mat Way of Life;    Seven Key Practices of Sant Mat Mysticism;    The 5 Jewels of Sant Mat;    Sarguna or God-with Form vs. Nirguna, the Way of the Formless God in the Bhagavad Gita of Krishna  -- A Transition from Form to Formlessness;    How A Formless God Communicates With Souls Living in Worlds of Form;    The Radiant Form is the Key to Exploring Inner Space;    The Inner Satguru: God Has Made the Reflection of His Form Available in All Worlds;    The Formless One Assumes Forms In Order to Communicate With Souls in All Realms and Escorts Them Back to the Original Abode of the Beloved;    The Outer Master Guides Souls to the Inner Master. The Inner Master (Satguru) Guides Souls Back to the Formless God;    From Light to Sound, From Form to Formlessness -- Stages of Meditation on the Path of the Masters;    Krishna -- Gita: The Power Between the Eyebrows -- the Third Eye -- The Seat of the Soul;    Recommended Reading: The Hinduism (Vedic) Chapter of, The Harmony Of All Religions, by Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj;     In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"In a nutshell, the Radhasoami Faith is a gospel of love. Love towards the holy feet of Radhasoami Dayal [Merciful Lord of the Soul], love towards the Guru of the time and love with all the human beings is its cardinal message." (Prof. Agam Prasad Mathur, "Petals of Love")   "The practice of Surat Shabd Yoga is dependent on the love generated in the devotee's heart for the Supreme Being Radhasoami Dayal [Merciful Lord of the Soul]. The Radhasoami Faith [Sant Mat] therefore advocates the blending of Yoga with Bhakti [devotion]." (Prof. Agam Prasad Mathur, "Petals of Love")   The Four "SATS", Key Essential Eternal Truths or Realities of Sant Mat:  (1) Sat-Guru [True Master];  (2) Sat-Shabd [True Name and True Sound]; (3) Sat-Anurag [True Love/Bhakti]; and,  (4) Sat-Sang [True Inner and Outer Association With Eternal Truth];   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"You must be ready to accept the possibility that there is a limitless range of awareness for which we now have no words; that awareness can expand beyond range of your ego, your self, your familiar identity, beyond everything you have learned, beyond your notions of space and time, beyond the differences which usually separate people from each other and from the world around them." (Tibetan Book of The Dead)   The Way Out Is Within according to the Masters... a kind of ascension of the soul, not outwardly in the physical realm up in the sky, but an upper ascent that takes place spiritually within the temple of the human body with eyes closed, gazing into the field of darkness lying in front of us. As Master Kirpal Singh once said, "That which sees the darkness without the aid of the physical eyes IS the third eye." What may eventually open up for us within are tunnels of Light and Sound that pass through many inner regions of consciousness. This is the interior voyage of the soul back to the Kingdom of the Heaven.   "How can one sit so still, repeat only holy names and think of God constantly? 'By falling in love,' answered serenely. 'Because when one is truly in love nothing but the Beloved can enter one's mind. So the secret of Surat Shabd Yoga and of mysticism,' she goaded, 'is not necessarily practice and more practice, but love. To be so devoted to one's Lord that nothing can stand in the way -- this and nothing else is the truth of Sant Mat,' Mataji stressed.'"   "So we should consider ourselves indeed fortunate if we have the pangs of separation of God Almighty and of our Master within, and we follow that Path and we do our meditation with love and affection. That way, if we do our meditation daily with love and affection, our mind also becomes purer, the burden of karmas also is lessened, and the mind, which is scattered all over the place, also gets focused within, and the attention gets focused within." (Baba Ram Singh)   "The tenth gate is the gathering point of consciousness. Therein lies the path for our return. The tenth gate is also known as the sixth chakra, the third eye, Bindu, the center located between the two eyebrows... We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, the Light to the Divine Sound, and the Realm of Sound to the Soundless State. This is called turning back to the Source." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj).   "From one step to another the soul beholds strange things which cannot be described in human language. Every region and everything is utterly beyond words. What beauty and glory! How can I describe them? There is nothing here to convey the idea. I am helpless... Love plays the supreme part. It is all love. So says RADHASOAMI." (Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

Through silence meditation we can "step outside the box." Silence speaks volumes. The practice of receiving inner guidance or hearing the Voice or Life Impulse of God in the silence of contemplation is a universal teaching of all great saints and mystics. "Learn to sit still and be mentally still, and the silence thus generated with be more vocal than words spoken and written; and you will have an instantaneous solution not only to your own personal problems but to the problems of others as well." (Sant Kirpal Singh) "To be pure and still means to be open to purity and stillness -- as a result you can intuit the truth." (The Jesus Sutras) "If somehow this mind can become quiet by itself, attainment of true knowledge -- like diamond will become easily possible [everyone in this world is sad and restless because of lack of true knowledge. This true knowledge can be attained only when the mind becomes quiet]." (Kabir)    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Says Rumi: "Sometimes, though rarely, the disciple (of a false guru) because of the sincerity of his quest for God may derive spiritual benefit even from that false guru (literally, ‘the falsehood of the impostor may turn out to be profitable to the seeker.’). Due to his own honest intention he ascends to a higher spiritual region (not because of but despite the pretender whom he imagined to be the ‘soul’ but who turned out to be only ‘flesh’.) Such a sincere seeker may even have spiritual experiences which his worthless guru may not have had in ages." (Mathnawi of Rumi)   Today on this satsang edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio we explore the Radhaswami teachings of Baba Faqir Chand, his commentary on the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry of Soamiji Maharaj and other writings on the journey of the soul from the realms of illusion to the Abode of the Beloved Most High in the Highest of Heavens, also readings from Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, a poem of Rumi, and from a White Paper on the Religion of Sants and Radhasoami Faith published in Agra, which has an entry about the life and spiritual teachings of Baba Faqir Chand.   Baba Faqir Chand: "Many Gurus are concerned with accumulating wealth and fame and their disciples are equally motivated by worldly desires. So instead of being enlightened and liberated, seekers are more and more involved in material things and thus subjected to the cycle of birth and death. When a Guru who is the true practitioner of the Yoga of Light and Sound is found by a disciple who is  truly desirous of being freed from the spatio-temporal world, then and only then the relationship of the disciple and the master has some significance."   Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram: Nothing Without Love: "All Sants, and Radhasoami Dayal in particular, have, in their bani [hymns, mystic poetry], laid great emphasis upon engendering love. The idea is that the task can be accomplished quickly and easily with the help of love. Mere renunciation cannot afford so much advantage, nor can mere comprehension of the Faith confer such a benefit. All activities in the world are going  on because of love and desire. If one does not have any feeling of love or he has no interest in the matter, he can do nothing. For the real spiritual benefit of their Jiva [soul], it, therefore, behooves all Jivas [souls] to develop true love for the true Supreme Being."   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Kirpal Singh: "Simran is the first step of the spiritual ladder." "By Simran of Holy Names, we get rid of the thoughts of the world. One feels the presence of God." "Simran bestows happiness, peace and bliss, and leads us to a state of super-consciousness." "Simran is a weapon against all dangers. It acts as a password to all spiritual planes. It gives strength and sustenance to the body and mind during trouble and affliction, and brings the soul near the Master." "Remembrance of God is the main thing before us to find the way to Him." "Simran gives pleasure and removes pain. By doing the Simran of the Lord, one merges in Him."     Baba Ram Singh: "It is Simran only which helps us to focus our attention from this world outside and come to the Tenth Door and go within. So, we should do as much of Simran as possible. When we are eating, or when we are walking, or doing other mundane activities, we should continuously keep our mind focused on Simran. And that will help us to more expeditiously move on this Path."   "Simran" is a term which means "Remembrance", the spiritual practice of remembering or being mindful of God by repeating his Name or Names. Devotees sing or chant various names for God. Higher spiritually, and more "within" is the practice of "manas jap", the mental repetition of God’s name or names "with the tongue of thought" -- in other words, chanting names of God within one’s mind. The Sants have always placed much greater emphasis upon mental Simran over vocal chant, as it takes one further within via the Third Eye Center.   Definitions of Simran: "Repetition of names or thoughts; in Sant Mat, the simran [or remembrance] of worldly thoughts is controlled through the Simran [remembrance] of the Five Charged Names, repeated by an initiate throughout the day and when sitting for meditation as a means of collecting the thought currents at the Third Eye Center; Simran is also used as a password of sorts to higher planes and protection from Negative Power influences." (Glossary, Satsang Discourses of Baba Ram Singh)   These sacred names that are to be repeated are revealed to the spiritual seeker by a living master (Sant Satguru) at the time of their initiation into Surat Shabd Yoga, the Path of Meditating Upon the Inner Light and Sound of God.   What is the practice of the Name (Simran)? It is a form of interior prayer by which a person learns to keep his or her attention always in God, in every circumstance and situation, at all moments, through day and night. It is a form of inner remembrance that leads to a heightened awareness beyond the limitations of the physical world and the portals of death. Through meditation on the Name (Naam Bhakti) one learns to draw one’s attention away from the outer world.   There is however, more to Simran than the repeating of sacred names. Simran must be approached with the right attitude, the right spirit, for one’s intent determines how successful the practice will be, and what effect it will have upon one’s consciousness. Simran has never been intended to be a dry or lifeless mantra practice. The path of the Sants is a Bhakti path, a path of love and devotion for the Supreme Being. Thus, the true Masters have always instructed their students to repeat God’s Name with love and devotion, as a lover calling out to one’s Beloved, the Lord of Love.   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Also, Being A Spiritual Warrior In A World Of Illusion, Studies in the Anurag Sagar (India's Most Gnostic Scripture)   In a sacred text from India known as Kabir's Ocean of Love (Anurag Sagar) Kal Niranjan, the Gnostic Demiurge, the Negative Power or God of Illusion once said to Guru Kabir:    "I will do something there so that nobody will believe in Your Shabda [Word]. There I will create such karmas and illusions that nobody will find the way out. In every single home I will create the ghost of illusion, and deceiving the souls, I will make them forget. All humans will eat flesh and drink wine, and all kinds of flesh will be their favorites. 0 brother, Your Devotion is difficult -- Nobody will believe it, I'm telling You! That is why I say: 'Don't go into the world now!'"   Says Kabir: "At that time I told Kal, 'I know your deceptions and tricks. Making the souls firm in the true Shabda, I will enable them to remove your illusions. I will make them recognize all your tricks, and by the strength of Naam I will liberate the souls. Those who remember me in thought, word and deed, focusing their attention on the Elementless, such souls will go to the Immortal World, putting their feet on your head. Any brave and wise soul will finish your ego. And very happily that soul will be convinced of the true Shabda [True Word].'   "Hearing this Kal felt defeated and started to think of deceptions." (Anurag Sagar)   On today's Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast, The Cosmic Conspiracy according to the Anurag Sagar, and the way to spiritual freedom and liberation according to The Path of the Masters, The Way of the Saints.   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

THE THREE LEVELS OF SATSANG (Association with the Eternal Truth or God):   * The Third Level of Satsang (Association with the Writings of Sages and Saints);   * The Second Level of Satsang (Association with the Saints/Masters);   * The First Level of Satsang (Association with God);   "Without a Master all scriptures are like the whispering of ghosts." (Sant Tukarama)   Guru Nanak says the True Master (Satguru) unites us with God, gives us a Godward Focus: “That preceptor is worthy who unites the aspirant with God.”   "'Satsang' comprises two words, 'Sat' and 'Sang.' What is 'Sat'? 'Sat' is that which can never be destroyed, and it is the essential element that is indestructible and beyond the limitations of time. And it is the Truth. 'Sang' means association or contact, and this association or coming in contact with Sat or Truth is Satsang. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says: 'Whatever is Truth always exists and is never non-existent. That which is non-Truth has no existence whatsoever.' By association with a pure soul the mind becomes pure and the darkness of attachment is dispelled. In attending to these quotes from different saints it becomes clear that satsang is vital and very necessary for any serious spiritual seeker." (Swami SantSevi Ji Maharaj)   Jai Guru, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

On the Origins of Modern-day Sant Mat: In the beginning there was one Sant Mat Path founded by Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras with Satsang centers in Hathras, Agra, and Lucknow. Sant Tulsi Sahib sent Girdhari Sahib to the city of Lucknow a few years prior to his passing in 1843.  During the period of time between the passing of Sant Tulsi Sahib in 1843 and the passing of Maharaj Girdhari Sahib of Lucknow in August of 1860 -- that seventeen year period -- in addition to doing much meditation, Soamiji Maharaj also was affiliated with, attended and supported the Satsang of Sant Girdhari Sahib in the city of Lucknow.    Girdhari earlier had spent some time in Agra and gave Satsang talks at Soamiji's home. According to Seth Pratap's Biography of Soamiji Maharaj, after the passing of Tulsi Sahib, Soamiji Maharaj had Girdhari move into his (Swamiji's) other house, located in the city of Lucknow. This became a new base of operations, a headquarters for the Lucknow Satsang, very much like the family home at Panni Gali, Agra had served as the place of Satsang for the Tulsi Sahib Sangat there since Soamiji was a small child and even earlier. Another reason for Swami Ji to have a house in Lucknow was that sometimes Swami Ji traveled to Lucknow to attend the Satsangs of Girdhari Sahib.   Soamiji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, Hidayat Namah section: "For a long time the spirit of this faqir (i.e. Soamiji Maharaj Himself) sauntered and stayed there [Maha-Sunn, Great Dark Void] and then under instructions from the Teachers and Guides, moved ahead."   Sant Garib Das commenting on the above verse: "Soamiji in his Discourses has said that his surat descended into the dark regions of Maha-Sunn but could neither locate the bottom or the end of it nor did it feel it worthwhile to go down any further. Thereafter, his surat adhering to the signs as revealed to him by his Gurus ascended upwards. Here Soamiji says that it was the inner Mercy of his Satguru Tulsi Saheb and that of Maharaj Girdhari Das Ji whose Satsang he attended for a very long period of time." (Anmol Vachan)   Soamiji viewed Girdhari Sahib as Tulsi Sahib's successor, supported him, and attended his Satsang. Soami Ji Maharaj treated Girdhari Das as his Guru, as well as donated and "gave substantial material support" to his spiritual mission for "a number of years" according to, The Biography of Soamiji Maharaj, and according to Daniel Gold in, The Lord As Guru: Hindi Sants in the North Indian Tradition.   Professor Mark Juergensmeyer in, Radhasoami Reality observed: "Girdhari Das is described as being the 'chief disciple' of Tulsi Sahib, a term that would usually imply he was understood as his designated successor (Pratap Singh Seth, Biography of Soami Ji Maharaj, p. 108). After Tulsi Sahib’s death, Swami Shiv Dayal brought Girdhari Das into his house, treated him with love, and accorded him respect due to a pious Mahatma.'" (Pratap Singh Seth, Biography of Soami Ji Maharaj, p. 37).   RUMI's Ode to the Unknown Mursheeds, Sages and Guides   "In every age, God’s mercy and pleasure graces their (Saints') pure spirit and breath. The names of lakhs of (cloistered, secluded, hidden) majestic spiritual personages (Saints) whose heads are adorned and distinguished by His grace have remained unknown and unsung because they were the cynosure of God who (must have) felt envious of their spiritual grandeur (and chose to keep them obscure and unhonoured as obscure heroes are unsung)." (Jalaluddin Rumi, The Mathnawi)   Radhasoami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

Like Galileo discovering new worlds through the lens of his telescope, mystics of the East and West (Jewish mystics, Christian Gnostics, Sufis, and in modern times, the Sants and Radhaswamis of India: Path of Sant Mat) have been trying to tell humanity for eons of something quite similar... about another kind of space... Inner Space. The reason why the contemplative state of being is still hidden from most of us is that, unlike Galileo’s telescope, in order to look through this particular lens, we mustn’t focus on the outward sensory impressions, but go in the opposite direction: into Inner Space. Look through the lens of the third eye to access the world of within. But one has to be willing to take the cap off the lens and have a look, to actually do the meditation. If we do follow the methods of meditation practice revealed by the Masters, with the third eye we will behold the Inner Light, Inner Visions, hear the Sound of Silence, the Holy Stream of Sound -- Music of the Spheres, traverse the heavens for ourselves, and return home to the Beloved Lord of Love, the Lord of the Soul.   Today during this Satsang Without Walls some rare passages from the world of esoteric Santism translated from Hindi, the writings of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India and a few of his spiritual successors on this Path of the Masters, Inner Light and Sound Meditation, the Way of the Soul Merging into the Heart of the Beloved, the Ocean of Love in the Nameless Plane (the Anurag Sagar of Sat Purush Anami Radhasoami).    "Only by breaking the bonds of mind, illusion and time is one free from the cycle of transmigration." (Sant Prakash Das)   "Complete Mahatmas, Genuine Saints came to the world in their respective times and kept on emancipating the living beings who were connected with them.  On completion of their time, they left the body as per the will of the Lord and went to the Lord and left their work [their spiritual mission] to the other saints when departing." (Sant Prakash Das)   "The true master practices the spiritual Sound and Light that comes from beyond. By these methods of meditation, the soul becomes introverted through regular practice and hears the melodious Sound within, and the soul reaches where the Sound is emanating from. This is the goal of the practice of Surat-Shabd-Yoga." (Sant Prakash Das)   Within This Body - Mystic Poem of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras   "Within this body breathes the secret essence. Within this body beats the heart of the Vedas. Within this body shines the entire Universe, so the saints reveal. Hermits, ascetics, celibates all are lost, seeking Him in endless guises. Seers and sages perfectly parrot the scriptures and holy books, blinded by knowledge. Their pilgrimage, and fasting, and striving but delude.  Despite their perfect practice, they discover no Destination. Only the Saints who know the body's heart have attained the Ultimate, O Tulsi. Realize this, and you've found your freedom (while teachers trapped in tradition know only the mirage in the mirror)."    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

For many years some scholars and others curious about Sant Mat history have been puzzled by references in Radhasoami literature to a living master that Soami Ji Maharaj associated with and apparently was very devoted to. His name was Girdhari Sahib. However, little was known about this particular Guru, or his actual status in either Tulsi Sahib or the earliest Radhasoami communities... UNTIL NOW. During Part One of this two-part series we'll explore the evidence about Maharaj Girdhari Sahib of the Sant Tulsi Sahib Satsang and his association with Soamiji Maharaj (Seth Shiv Dayal Singh, Sant Radhasoami Saheb).   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Sant Tulsi Sahib's Mystic Poetry, Maharshi Mehi's Mystic Poetry and Hymns (Padavali), Plus Swami Vyasanand on the Five Levels of Love (Bhakti).   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Kabir Says: "Just as a coded document shows the way to a hidden treasure, just so this Bijak shows the way to realize the soul. It teaches such instructive words to the soul, but there is seldom anyone to understand them." (Sakhi of Kabir)   Commentary by Dr. Jagessar Das: "Bijak means a coded document that leads to a hidden treasure. In this Bijak, Guru Kabir explains the path to that hidden treasure that is within, and not visible by the objective senses. He teaches everyone to give up cleverness and argumentation, and become humble and accept the Divine Lord dwelling within."   The term "Bijak" means treasure or treasure-map, in this case the treasure map of Guru Kabir. "Bij" means: the seed or essence. "Bijak" means treasure. The Bijak of Kabir is intended to be a treasure-map to the essence of reality: our soul and God.   In India the Bijak is the most popular sacred text containing the teachings of Guru Kabir, and as such is the main scripture for those who follow the Path of Kabir. Today we explore, "The Complete Bijak Of Kabir -- Guru Kabir's Mystical Teachings on God-Realization", by Dr. Jagessar Das, translating into English and commenting on the entire Bijak of Kabir. This is an impressive work, a true, grassroots "satsang template" of traditional Sant Mat, wonderful to have, featuring all eleven sections of the Bijak in one volume: the Ramainis, Shabdas, Sakhis, and other lesser-known sections.   "The Bijak tells of a treasure, a treasure that doesn't show. The word tells of a creature. Only rare ones know." (Kabir)   From the Principals of Kabir Published in the Earlier Ahmad Shah Translation of, The Bijak:  "To believe in One Avagat, Satya Purush [One God]. His bhakti [devotion, love] should be practiced. Have faith in the Master and in his teaching. True Sadhus should be served. Show mercy and love towards all Jivas [souls]. To abstain from all kinds of meats. No visible object in this world should be worshiped. Do not tell lies. Do not steal. Do not gamble. Do not curse any one. Repeat Satya Nam. Practice bhakti of Satya Purush [God] and teach about him. Hindu, Muslim and any other sect can join Kabir’s religion. Without the knowledge of Sar Shabd [the True Sound], no one can attain jiva mukti (liberation, salvation). Abuse, deceit and jealousy are enemies of jiva mukti. Humility is a great virtue. Give thanks for the gift of the Sat Guru. Without true love of God the practice of bhakti is fruitless. To read the Sat Guru’s words is a great virtue. One should know the Supreme Spirit."   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://www.facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami    

Hazur Baba Sawan Singh on the Afterlife, A Matter of Life and Death: "Coming back here again or going up within after death depends on the tendency of the attention."    Sant Dadu Dayal: "Where you keep your mind while living, to that abode shall you go after death. The soul finds lodging in a place wherein it has hitherto been immersed." (Mystic Poem of Dadu)    According to the Path of the Masters, though the body and brain of the individual will die, the subtle bodies as well as the soul live on. Those subtle bodies include the causal body and the mental body. The thoughts, impressions and attachments of a lifetime that have accumulated are indeed part of one's destiny and also live on. Thus the need to do as much simran and meditation as possible during this life to live in Divine Grace and "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."   Baba Ram Singh: "Do your Bhajan Simran [meditation] every day. Do it for two, two and a half hours every day so that you are able to reduce the burden of your karmas. And also, the Grace of the Master is there with you, and He also reduces that burden for you. That way, at the time of death, we do not have to suffer a lot of these karmas on our body." (satsang discourse, Masters Tell Us, Again And Again, That Life Is Not Permanent)    Santji: "So why do the Saints always emphasize doing Simran [remembrance of God and the names of God]? Why do they make us do Simran? They make us do the practice of Simran so that at the time of our death either we should be doing Simran or we may have the Form of the Master within us. If we are doing Simran, or if we are remembering the Form of the Master, we will go direct to Him." (The Light of Ajaib)    Baba Somanath: "Constantly repeat Naam and Naam alone... Then you will find rest; you will not take birth again." (Bhajan of Baba Somanath)    Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji: "Therefore, a devotee of the Current should never fear death.... His efforts should be to finish his work here and now *." (Foreign Correspondence) * Note: Take this golden opportunity during life to make spiritual progress during meditation here and now.   "Fix your mind within by following the Path of the Sound Current. A yearning will arise; make then an intense and anguished call. Repeat the Name of your Beloved, day and night, again and again and again. With care in thought, word and deed, you will cross to the other shore." (Dadu Dayal, Sant of Rajasthan)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts A Satsang Without Walls  Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Today: 1) A Reflection about the Constellation Orion, the Cosmic Man in the Sky, a Shared Experience of Light For Countless Generations; 2) a Spiritual Discourse from, The Night is a Jungle, by Kirpal Singh: on the Five Thieves, the Five Passions of the Mind That Are Looting While Man Slumbers; and 3) Mystic Poetry & Spiritual Wisdom of Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar on the Journey of the Soul.   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The Sukhmani of Guru Arjan Dev explores Simran (the repetition of names of God and meditation that leads to merging with God), meditation on the Sound Current, the greatness of Saints and Satsang, bhakti: love and devotion, ethics, good deeds, the nature of the mind, knowledge of the Divine, oneness with the Formless Supreme Being, the afterlife, etc...   "Of all the places. the best one is where the Name (Naam) of the Lord resides." (Guru Arjan Dev, Book of Sukhmani, Adi Granth)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

We may find ourselves beginning our spiritual search with only questions, and not have anyone able to answer them. Or we may notice lots of religious or spiritual voices out there pretending to have the answers, and not believing them, not trusting them to be Sure Guides, Sources of Genuine Wisdom, Competent, Honorable Masters, Qualified Teachers. "Cut off have been My people for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6)     We may have had some spiritual experiences such as seeing inner light, colors, stars, or a bright light, or in the silence hearing a kind of sound of the silence ringing in the distance, or perhaps we have memories of such experiences when we were children, maybe at a very young age. If we remember these experiences and ask some religious authority, usually they will look at us funny, tell us, "It was nothing", dismiss our question and tell us to move along. We may walk away feeling like a heretic or weirdo, and for sure are not getting our questions addressed at all in those places.    But instead of having our curiosity crushed by the Negative Powers That Be, telling us to go back to sleep, to forget, WHAT IF INSTEAD we  learn of someone who would be happy to answer our questions, is able to answer our questions, is conversant with Inner Experiences and Inner Space, and could introduce us to new dimensions, new possibilities, whole new worlds?   Today we explore: In Celebration of The Living Ones, Living Teachers, Living Masters, Living Mystics (Sacred books falling from the sky did not create the world religions and spiritual paths. Before there was “The Book” there was the author of “The Book.”); What the Living Master Shares with His or Her Students (with passages from the Gospel of Thomas, Sant Tukarama, and the Ramayana of Goswami Tulsi Das); also Inner Sound and Light Experiences Before Initiation; with satsang discourses from Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, Dr. Jagessar Das (commentary on the Bijak of Kabir), Santji (The Light of Ajaib), Sant Kirpal Singh (No New Faith, Mind That!) Hazur Baba Sawan Singh (Foreign Correspondence), Baba Ram Singh Ji (2016 Meditation Talk: The Ladder Of The Sound Current Connects The Soul Back To God Almighty), and we conclude with a Bhajan (Mystic-Hymn) of Baba Somanath.   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

Satsang is a term that means association ('sang') with the Eternal Timeless Truth or God ('Sat'). Satsang means "association with Eternal Truth" as well as "association with God," and is to some extent comparable to "church" or "temple," but not in any institutional sense. A saying of Jesus in the New Testament provides a good definition of a Satsang meetup: "Where two or three are gathered in My Name, I Am there in their midst."   The format of Satsang can include: someone giving a spiritual discourse, instruction on putting the Path into practice, a video or audio of a Master (Sant Satguru) giving a talk, readings from the writings of the Masters, the reciting or singing of banis, bhajans or kirtans (hymns of worship composed by Sants), and silent group meditation. It's considered the greatest of blessings if it is a Master who conducts the Satsang in person (or in this age of live streaming, via the web).   The effect of Satsang is that of DIVINE REMEMBRANCE, thus, with such a spiritual boost, encouragement and support for the spiritual journey, those who go to Satsang are much more likely to stay-on-the-Path and put effort into their own daily spiritual practice at home. Thus will the life of the Bhakta (lover, devotee, disciple) become more and more God-intoxicated by imbibing the spiritual wine, the nectar of divine love.   Also Covered During This Satsang Podcast: People's Attention Drowning in a New Age Soup: In an Age of Junk-Food Spirituality and Endless Internet Memes, What Satsang is NOT -- Satsang is intended to be an oasis, a refuge from the agitations of the mind, maya/illusion, the labyrinth of the world (and astral plane);   Instructions for Holding Satsang, The Purpose of Satsang, Satsang Apart from Rituals, Subject and Scope of Satsang, Love and Service the Basis of Satsang, according to Sant Kirpal Singh;   Extracts from Letters of Huzur Baba Sawan Singh About Satsang ("The Less Organization, the Better");   Authentic Traditional Satsang Templates True to the Path: "For the subject of a talk, we may take up the hymns from any scripture, preferably from the Masters of the Sound Current. It may be supplemented by apt quotations from the parallel writings of other Master Saints. The Holy Gospels themselves are full of such material as may fit in with such a context. The illustrations from various Masters are essential so as to bring out the essential unity in the teachings of all the Saints." (Kirpal Singh, Instructions For Holding Satsang)   The Three Levels of Sat-Sang: The First Level of Satsang (Association with God), The Second Level of Satsang (Association with the Saints), The Third Level of Satsang (Association with the Writings of Sages and Saints), by Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj;   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Explored today during this spiritual podcast, A Satsang Without Walls, A Sant Mat Satsang Podcast: The Book As Guru? Baba Bishan Das discusses a beautiful scripture from India known as the Adi Granth (Shri Guru Granth Sahib), a huge collection of hymns of praise and love (bhakti). Santji: "I went to Amritsar and bought three copies of Guru Granth Sahib. I had two other friends who were with me and for six months continuously, we three people read that book many times. We studied it and we worked very hard in order to find those lines that would say that 'there can be no Master after Guru Gobind Singh'. However, we did not find those lines and we realized that the statements which we believed in were not there. We came back to Baba Bishan Das and surrendered to him. We said, 'Baba Bishan Das, you are the true one. The words which we thought were in the book are not there. What you have said is true.'"   An Introduction to Santji/Ajaib Singh Ji;   Introduction to, The Light Of Ajaib Book;   The Many References to Sant Tulsi Sahib in, The Light of Ajaib;   Remembering God During This Life;   Getting Up Early to Meditate: Amrit Veela, the Hour of Elixir;   Even Meditating for a Minute is Counted: "Whatever minutes or seconds you are spending in His remembrance are all counted, and He keeps a good account of those moments, that time which you have spent in His remembrance. According to what one has done, He rewards them." (Santji)    Always Meditate. Always Repeat the Names of God. Simran! Do the Meditation.   Initiates As Soulmates: When Man and Woman Agree;   Salvation is by Divine Grace. Our Spiritual Progress is By the Grace of the Masters. When the Student is Ready, the Master Shall Appear, As the Saying Goes.   An Old Friend Wearing a New Coat... Recognizing and Appreciating the Sant Satgurus.   To Bathe in the Dust of the Master's Feet;   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

There's a spiritual saying, an axiom of wisdom, that's been meaningful to millions of people spanning many centuries, scriptures, spiritual classics, languages, nations, and several world religions from West to East, East to West. This saying was quoted by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament but it's been a mystery as to what exactly the source was for his quote. Today, we find out the origin of this saying, and get to hear various versions of this saying as it appears again and again in so many ancient texts, traveling far and wide, passing through Jewish, Rabbinical... also many Christian Apocryphal Writings. A version of it is even attributed to Jesus, and by this I don't just mean in The Gospel of Thomas but in many other sources as well, and I will explore many of those as they appear in other early Christian writings. Other versions also turn up in Egypt, Ethiopia, the Mesopotamian region, in Gnostic, Mandaean, Manichaean scriptures, Suras of the Quran, a couple of Hadiths, and there's even similar versions to be found in the writings of Kabir, Guru Nanak, and other sources in India.   This wisdom saying is central to the spiritual journey as it pertains to The Spiritual Seeing and Spiritual Hearing Capacity of Souls, and being initiated into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Master says, "I will Give You, What the Eye Has Not Seen, What the Ear Has Not Heard" - Solving the Mystery of an Ancient Saying... today on this Spiritual Awakening Radio podcast. I will turn this into a satsang and include related teachings from Kirpal Singh and others... on spiritual seeing and hearing that which is inconceivable to the average human mind, what has typically not occurred to the heart of man.   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today we explore: A History of Simran Practice in the Sant Tradition (Path of the Masters, Panch Naam, Also the Five Names of the Sethian Gnostics), The Many Names of the One Nameless God (Anami Purush);   SIMRAN: Why Sant Mat Masters Teach That Repeating Simran Words (Mantras, Manas Jap) Is Best Done Mentally -- A Mental Chant Done "With the Tongue of Thought", by Swami Vyasanand Baba;   Readings from the Mystic Poetry of Guru Kabir, Sant Dadu Dayal, and Sant Namdev;   The True Spirit of Simran Practice is Love (Bhakti);   Readings from, The Light of Ajaib: Why Don't You Do Simran?   Readings from, The Light of Ajaib: Focus at the Eye Center, and Do Simran Constantly;    "Remember the Supreme Father and repeat His Holy Name as often as you can day and night, whether it be for only a minute or two at a time, and then you will secure greater help and assistance from above." (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, Pilgrim's Path -- RADHASOAMI, Excerpts from Letters To Initiates);   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"Whenever feeling downcast, each person should vitally remember, 'For my sake, the entire world was created.'" (Baal Shem Tov)   The Baal Shem Tov is sort of the "Rumi" or "Kabir" of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), an example of a towering figure and great mystic of one of the schools of spirituality. The ending part, "For my sake, the entire world was created", is a variation of an ancient axiom of wisdom about how a certain number of saints being present keeps the world alive, tilts the balance toward the Light. A version of it even turns up in saying twelve of the Gospel of THOMAS: "The students said to Yeshua, 'We know you will leave us. Who will be our leader?' Yeshua said to them, 'Wherever you are, seek out Yaakov the Just [James the Just]. For his sake heaven and earth came into being.'"   Martin Buber elaborates and expands on this axiom in a way that includes us all: "Every person should know and consider the fact that you, in the particular way that you are made, are unique in the world, and no one like you has ever been. For if someone like you had already been, there would be no reason for you to be in this world." (Ten Rings: Hasidic Sayings, Martin Buber)   Here's a big picture view from the Sikh scriptures of India, the Adi Granth, Peace Lagoon translation: "It was for the sake of the God-conscious beings that our True Lord created this earth, and began this play of death and birth".    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The world presents us with infinite distractions to always keep us off-center, diverting our attention from our spiritual goals, seemingly never able to reach an oasis of peace and tranquility. And within as well, there are many obstacles intended to prevent the soul from making much spiritual progress during this life. This according to the Gnostics and the Masters is the great cosmic conspiracy of the ages to keep souls down, circling round and round on the wheel of transmigration with no apparent means of escape, no end in sight. And changing belief-systems, rituals and theologies, doctrines, or what icons are hanging on the wall won't help either, as these are all confined to the world of mortal minds and matter, just amounting to "rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic", as they say. According to the Masters, the way of escape, liberation and redemption for the soul is not visiting yet more physical temples made of wood and stone, or swapping old religious doctrines for new ones, which still are confined to the same lower planes of creation, but rather to "rise above body-consciousness", to learn the almost lost mystic art of "death before dying", discovering how to transcend body and mind during contemplative meditation practice and connect with that missing element of our existence: what it's like to be a soul or spiritual being! By following the meditation guidance of the Masters we will reach the seat of the soul, the third eye center hidden within us, access the Inner Light and Sound, enter the spiritual realms here and now, and begin our journey back to God.    Friend? hope for the Guest while you are alive. Jump into experience while you are alive! Think... and think... while you are alive. What you call "salvation" belongs to the time             before death.   If you don't break your ropes while you're alive, do you think ghosts will do it after?   The idea that the soul will join with the ecstatic just because the body is rotten -- that is all fantasy. What is found now is found then. If you find nothing now, you will simply end up with an apartment in the           City of Death. If you make love with the Divine now, in the next life you will have the face of satisfied desire.   So plunge into the truth, find out who the Teacher is, Believe in the Great Sound!   Kabir says this: When the Guest is being searched for, it is the intensity of the longing for the Guest that does all the work.   Look at me, and you will see a slave of that intensity.   -- Says Kabir, one of the founding Satgurus of Sant Mat   Today during our satsang podcast: readings from Sant Kirpal Singh (Prayer: Its Nature and Technique); the Gospel of Philip (Nag Hammadi Library); Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj on finding the Light in the darkness; a letter from Hazur Baba Sawan Singh; Spiritual Consciousness (published by Dayalbagh University, Agra); a mystic Sufi poem on dying while living by Hazrat Sultan Bahu; a Sant Mat glossary definition of the word "Simran" -- the sacred repetition of names of God; and a Satsang Discourse by Baba Ram Singh titled, "Surat Shabd Yoga [Inner Light and Sound Meditation] Is The Only Study That Teaches Us How To Die While We Are Living."   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Baba Jaimal Singh, and other disciples of Soamiji Maharaj, were initiated in Soamiji's meditation room at his home in Panni Gali, Agra.    "Swami Ji then began to instruct him [Baba Jaimal Singh] into the theory and practice of Surat Shabd Yoga, and when the instructions were over, asking the youth of seventeen to sit down for meditation, he left the room.   "As soon as Jaimal Singh sat down for meditation, he got lost in samadhi. The night came and passed away, the day broke, but he continued motionless, lost in the inner bliss he had discovered. Another day saw itself swallowed by the night, and the night saw itself replaced by another day, and yet the youth sat lost to the world around him.   "When some forty-eight hours had thus gone by, Swami Ji asked some of the disciples if they knew where the visitor from the Punjab had disappeared. 'We saw him two days ago at the Satsang,' they said, 'but we have not seen him since.'   "Swami Ji smiled and proceeded straight to the little room where he had left his latest disciple and which none had entered for two days. He placed his hand on Jaimal Singh’s head, and when the latter’s soul returned to the normal physical consciousness and he opened his eyes, he saw his Guru beaming at him. 'Do you, my boy, still doubt if your Master be a true Sikh or not?' He asked with a twinkle in his eye." (Kirpal Singh, A Great Saint, Baba Jaimal Singh, His Life and Teachings)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Sant Mat Radhasoami https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Kabir says: "Put all imaginations away, and stand fast in that which you are." Some find themselves on a rare spiritual path, and without much positive feedback or support from friends and family. And Sant Mat advocates an intoxicant free, tea-totaling, straightedge, vegetarian or vegan low-karma lifestyle also at odds with the mainstream. We are attempting to navigate our way through society while following the path, and doing the meditation practice, remaining faithful to it, living a spiritual way of life. The Masters say, "Be free of fear. Be free of anxiety. Follow the path no matter what. Perform Bhakti!"    Studies in the Sar Bachan: With the teachings of Swami Ji Maharaj in his spiritual classic, the Sar Bachan Radhaswami Poetry, "performing Bhakti" means... to follow the path, stay faithful to, and mindful of, the teachings of the masters with love and devotion, doing the meditation practice, and not giving in to the negative influences that we will always be guaranteed to encounter: the adverse belief-systems, opinions and pressures from friends, family, co-workers, and society to not value the path and to not remain faithful to meditation practice. Everyone we meet seeks to pull us towards their beliefs, their state of consciousness, whatever that may be.   "Give up the fear and regard for the world. Fear not friend or foe. Heed what I say, perform Bhakti. It does not matter if your Bhakti is imperfect. Perform Bhakti. Radhasoami graciously declares that you should perform Bhakti in whichever way you can." (Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry)   "Resting in the protection of Radhasoami Dayal [the Merciful Lord of the Soul], one should give up all fears, worries, doubts and reveries. Relying on His mercy, one should become free from care and anxiety. It is only when one becomes care-free in respect of this region, that one will be able to perform Arti [meditation]. This is what the cushion of a care-free state means." (Discourses of Babuji Maharaj)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Sant Kirpal Singh: "As there are landmarks on earth, so there are landmarks in Time. The past and future are like sealed books to us: the one is in the limbo of oblivion, while the other is in the womb of uncertainty. It is only the LIVING PRESENT that is ours, and we must make the best use of it, ere it slips away through the fingers and is lost forever. Human birth is a great privilege and offers us a golden opportunity. It is for us to make or mar the same, for it is given to each individual to forge his or her own destiny as best he may." (Standing at the Crossroads of Time)   For the spiritual seeker and for satsangis, initiates on the Path of the Masters, the letters from the masters provide valuable spiritual guidance about the mystic journey of the soul back to God, meditation practice (Surat Shabd Yoga): mystical experiences of soul travel, inner Light and Sound, and living a spiritual way of life.    Today, a Sant Mat Satsang Podcast consisting of readings from the letters of Sant Kirpal Singh (Instructions For Holding Satsang, Spiritual Elixir), plus also letters from Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Baba Jaimal Singh, Huzur Maharaj (Rai Saligram Bahadur), and Maharaj Saheb (Brahma Shankar Misra).    James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.    

"There can be no happiness for the soul, and no rest to the mind, so long as one does not meditate on God... If you wish to have light, both inside and outside, place the luminous gem of God's Name on the threshold of the inner door with your inner tongue, says Tulsidas." (Goswami Tulsi Das)   Sant Kirpal Singh once said that "Simran is the first step (or rung) of the spiritual ladder." Indeed, simran, the remembrance and repetition of Names of God, is the foundation for living a spiritual life according to this Living Path of the Masters. Reciting the name of God is meant to "actualize the aural [sonic] dimension of [God]'s very being in the mind or heart of the practitioner, an act that is ultimately ontologically transformative." This prayer of the Name allows one to Practice the Presence of God each and every day. Simran (Manas Jap) is also the first practice of Sant Mat meditation, making it possible to concentrate at the seat of the soul, also known as the third eye center, and begin one's spiritual journey exploring Inner Space, the Realms of Within.    Segments of today's Sant Mat Satsang Podcast include: The One God Has Been Given Many Names; Simran is Intended to be a Bhakti Practice of Love not a Mechanical Mantra or Dry Practice; A Word About Vocal Simran; Helpful Guidance on Simran Practice, The Repetition of the Names; Simran Practice Correctly Done; and features readings from: Sant Tulsi Das; the Teachings of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh; Baba Somanath commenting on a verse of Guru Ramdas Ji, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs; Satsang Discourses of Baba Ram Singh Ji on Consistent Daily Simran and Meditation Practice; the Jap Ji (Morning Prayer of Guru Nanak: "Iik Ong Kaar Sat Naam" [Ekonkar Satnaam] ("There is One God -- Truth is His Name."); the book of Anmol Bachan by Sant Garib Das commenting on a verse from the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry of Soami Ji Maharaj on How there is the One God Radhaswami (The Lord of the Soul) Manifesting at the Various Planes or Levels of Creation Not Five gods or multiple gods; also Sant Bani (Mystic Poetry and Hymns) from the Padavali of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans; Sant Ravidas (Raidas); Guru Kabir from the Adi Granth (Sikh Scriptures, Shri Guru Granth, Gurbani); and Sant Eknath of Maharashtra.   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Letters from Masters to their disciples, though originally written to specific individuals in the past, often have a universal quality about them, dealing with real-life struggles along the spiritual journey and so sometimes feel quite personal, as if they are addressed to us as well. Today's program features readings from the letters of Kirpal Singh, Sawan Singh, Baba Jaimal Singh, Soamiji Maharaj, Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, and Maharaj Saheb (Brahm Shankar Misra).   "You need not be afraid of discussing esoteric teachings of the Masters with others. Spiritually illumined do owe much to their less gifted brethren when you can instill faith and right understanding in them out of your own personal knowledge derived from the sacred books published from here and on personal experience gained by meditations." (Kirpal Singh)   "Stand on your belief on solid ground. Let not others' wayward opinions deflect you from the true path you are on. Let not promises of glory by anyone waylay you. Do not come to hurried conclusions, but use discrimination in all your undertakings. Stick to what is Real." (Kirpal Singh)   "The human body is like a radio receiver for listening to the Sound Current [the inner Sound during meditation]. When we tune in the radio, we begin to hear the sound. Similarly, when the Master (Sant Satguru) guides us within, we are able to hear the Divine Music. By adjusting the ‘dial’, we hear various kinds of Sound.” (Huzur Baba Sawan Singh)   "The escape is through the Sound Current." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)   Always Listen to the inner Sound During Meditation Every Day: "If you listen for ten minutes, or five minutes, or four minutes, or two minutes, or even one minute, with love and devotion, millions of sins and obstacles will be removed." (Baba Jaimal Singh)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Selected Quotes from Many Different Spiritual Masters, Mystics, Gnostic Gospels, Scriptures and Spiritual Classics -- A Sant Mat Satsang Podcast -- Spiritual Awakening Radio   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Valentine's Day provides an opportunity, an excuse really, to share these powerful, loving verses of the heart. The poetic words of mystics are directed towards God as the Beloved lover of their soul, yet their expressions are so loving, so blissful, and ecstatic that they are, at the same time, quite romantic and appropriate for Valentine's Day between soul-mates! I believe the soul-to-soul-mate relationship of romance is a kind of 'reflection' of the soul's relationship with God (soul-to-Oversoul), the ultimate pure love from the Ocean of Love.    Today, two Spiritual Awakening Radio podcasts in one. We'll get to some passages from the ecstatic Gnostic poetry of Valentinus of Alexandria (from the Nag Hammadi Library of Egypt) but first... Valentine's Day Verses of Love from Rumi, Darshan Singh, Guru Amar Das, Baba Farid and Hazrat Sultan Bahu the Sufi!   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today during this Satsang Without Walls, this online spiritual meetup, we explore the seven elements of spiritual practice (sadhana, meditation): 1) The Worthiness of a Spiritual Seeker; 2) The Mantra (Simran, Sacred Names) Imparted by an Accomplished Teacher at the Time of Initiation; 3) Without Essential Information No Successful Meditation! (Necessary Knowledge Prior to Meditation Practice); 4) Resolute Practice: A. Japa/Ajapa Japa: Recitation of the Sacred Name or Names given by the Master, B. Manas Dhyana (Mental Focus on the Form of the Deity or visualization of the form of one's spiritual teacher, Sant Satguru), C. Drishti Yoga (The Yoga of Inner Seeing -- Inner Light Meditation), and D. The Yoga of Sound (Inner Sound Meditation practice, Surat Shabd Yoga, Meditating upon the Sound Current); 5) Bhakti: Devotion -- "For the Love of God" as Steve Vai has said; 6) The Merits of Past Lives -- Favorable Winds of Change; and, 7) The Will of God: Divine Grace. Forgiveness overcomes the imperfections of the whole world and the cosmos beyond. The lower realms may be governed by law, karma, destiny, and the cruel hand of fate, but there is Divine Grace from Above that always seeks to bust into the worlds of time and space to liberate souls!    Also today there are readings from: the Padavali (Mystic Poetry, Hymns) of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans (Padavali # 52: "O traveler! Seek the path that lies within you. You and your Beloved Lord reside in the same body"; The Need for a Living Master So We May Be Initiated into the Secrets of Spiritual Practice: featuring Saint Augustine's surprising quote from the Gospel of Thomas! (Saying # 52) on paying attention to "The Living One"; an observation by George Arnsby Jones on the need for the living "guidance of a spiritual adept"; on the role of the living Master according to Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram in his Prem Bani Radhasoami, volume IV; a couple of recent Sant Mat Satsang Discourses of Baba Ram Singh on consistent daily spiritual practice (Simran, Dhyan, and Bhajan); a verse from the Gnostic Gospel of Mary Magdalene; a line of poetry from Darshan Singh's collection known as, Love's Last Madness; Swami Ram Bihari Lal's classic, The Way Out Is IN; and a reading describing the NDE-like (Near Death Experience or Out-Of-Body/OOBE type) meditation practice of Sant Mat according to Yogani Mataji from the book, Enchanted Land.    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Within this temple of the human body, just beyond the field of darkness one sees with eyes closed during meditation, are vast oceans of Light, Sound and Love. Genuine Sant Mat is the spiritual Path of Love (Bhakti) as well as Inner Light, and Sound. It is absolutely essential for the initiate, the disciple, the satsangi, the seeker of spirituality, to be in touch with the Bhakti side of the Path. Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram in his Prem Patra Radhasoami says: "All Sants, and Soami Ji Maharaj in particular, have, in their Bani [hymns], laid great stress upon engendering love. The idea is that the task can be accomplished quickly and easily with the help of love. Mere renunciation cannot afford so much advantage, nor can mere comprehension of the Faith confer such a benefit. All activities in the world are going on because of love and desire. If one does not have any feeling of love or he has no interest in a matter, he can do nothing. For the real spiritual welfare of their soul, it therefore behooves all Jivas [souls] to develop real love for the true Supreme Being."    There are compositions of Guru Nanak, Sants like Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, Dadu, Mirabai, Dayabai, Sahjo Bai, Tulsi Das, Paltoo Sahib, Surdas, Tukaram, Dariya Sahib, Tulsi Sahib, Girdhari Sahib, Surswami, Swami Ji Maharaj, Huzur Maharaj, Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, Baba Somanath -- so many great Saints of the ages, during each generation of humanity. Their mystic poetry and hymns (banis and bhajans) are such treasure-troves of inspiration. These are all voices speaking from that state of being or consciousness that we call "Anurag Sagar", the Ocean of Love, and "Sach Khand", the Timeless Spiritual Realm. These verses of the Saints read like poetry or psalms. Rumi poetry is similar. These Mystics of the East provide very beautiful and Bhakti devotional teachings, the Way of the Lover and the Beloved.    "Sant Mat is not the path of information. This is the Path of Transformation." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)  "As the river enters into the Ocean, so my heart touches Thee." (Kabir)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters,   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://linktr.ee/SpiritualAwakeningRadio    

Mystics have universally taught, East and West, that "the Light of God is within everyone", as George Fox, founder of the Quakers once said. If we can transcend cultural blinders that imply it is impossible for us to see spiritually, mystically or inwardly with the Single Eye, there is indeed hope for us to reunite with the Divine Light, right here, right now, in the present moment, see for ourselves and discover that "darkness is not really dark" (Psalm 139: 12). Once we are open to this possibility, then there is the potential of adopting a contemplative meditation practice that leads to the experience of the Inner Light. There is hope we might be able to temporarily transcend the world of the five senses during our meditations and finally begin our journey exploring the "New World" of Inner Space, the "Kingdom of the Heavens" that are within us, the Kingdom of the Light. "If one is whole, one will be filled with Light, but if one is divided, one will be filled with darkness... there is light within a Person of Light, and it illuminates the entire cosmos." (Gospel of Thomas) "If your Eye be Single, your whole body shall be full of Light." (New Testament) If the energy of our attention is scattered and dissipated into the world of the five senses, when we close our eyes we naturally see darkness, but if our attention or awareness returns to the Single Eye -- Third Eye, the seat of our soul -- Light shall appear. "Do not cease seeking day or night and do not let yourselves relax until you find the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Light, which will purify you and make you into pure Light and lead you into the Kingdom of the Light." (Book of Faith Wisdom, Pistis Sophia)   Hazur Baba Sawan Singh says, "The Masters come and They tell us, They initiate us and They tell us, about the different planes within. They tell us about what are the Sounds within, what are the Lights within in the different planes. They tell us about the path of how one has to transcend across these planes." Baba Somanath: "The darkness in the well of the world is driven away when the Self-Effulgent lamp of Knowledge sheds it Light... Rivet my attention at the still-point between the eyes [Third Eye Center], and show me the Light of Spiritual knowledge... Between the two eyes, be baptized in the Immaculate Light."   On today's Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast a satsang format with the theme of finding the Inner Divine Light, exploring the wisdom of Plato, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Philip from the Nag Hammadi Library of Egypt, the Gnostic Book of Faith Wisdom (Pistis Sophia), the medieval Beguine Christian mystic Mechthild of Magdeburg from her spiritual classic, Flowing Light of the Godhead, George Fox, a Bhajan (Mystic Poem/Hymn) of Sant Namdev, Guru Nanak from the Adi Granth (Sikh scriptures), the Sar Bachan Radhaswami Poetry of Swami Ji Maharaj, Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj from, Quintessence of Yoga: Secret of all Success, Swami Vyasanand from, The Inward Journey of the Soul (Chal Hansa Nij Desh: O Swan-Soul Return to Your Abode), Yogani Mataji of the Radhasoami Faith (Sant Mat), Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji, a long reading from selected Bhajans (Mystic Poetry/Hymns) of Baba Somanath on the Inner Mystic Light of the Inner Regions, Santji, and excerpts from the Satsang Discourses of Baba Ram Singh Ji.   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://linktr.ee/SpiritualAwakeningRadio    

"Without love, there is no spiritual path. The path lives in love. With intensification of love, one comes in contact with the True Sound, And like a lotus in water, abides in its peace and bliss." -- Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar   "The Supreme Being Radhasoami Dayal [Merciful Lord of the Soul] is, the Ocean or Reservoir of Love, and Surat [the Soul], which is His particle, i.e., emanation or current, is also of the essence of love. Therefore, unless love is engendered in the Surat [the attention-faculty of the Soul], it cannot merge into its Reservoir. In other words, the practice of traversing on this path and reaching the Source (which is known as the practice of Surat and Shabd [yoga or meditation]) could never be performed properly or correctly carried on." (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, Radhasoami Mat Sandesh)   "Love is that power that makes God break His own laws in order to serve the devotee. Love is that meditation or method that makes the impossible possible. That which is harsh becomes gentle; the enemy becomes friend; the weak become strong; the concealed becomes revealed. Even though it is said that it takes many lifetimes to realize the Divine, if a devotee performs sadhana [meditation practice] with true, unwavering devotion, then the Divine Will manifest at that moment." (Swami Vyasanand, The Inward Journey of the Soul)   "Without Bhakti [spiritual love] and devotion, nobody can swim across the vast and deep ocean of this samsara [sansaar, world of changes] even if one makes use of lakhs [thousands] of ways and means; but if one takes to the Word and develops love for Shabd [the Sound Current], one will one hundred percent go to his eternal abode." (The Essential Kabir, M.G. Gupta translation)   "How can one sit so still, repeat only holy names and think of God constantly? 'By falling in love,' Mataji answered serenely. 'Because when one is truly in love nothing but the beloved can enter one’s mind. So the secret of surat shabd yoga and of mysticism,' she goaded, 'is not necessarily practice and more practice, but love. To be so devoted to one’s Lord that nothing can stand in the way-this and nothing else is the truth of Sant Mat,' Mataji stressed." (Yogani Mataji, Enchanted Land)   "There never was or ever will be anything but love, expressing itself infinitely." (Sant Jnaneswar of Maharashtra)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://linktr.ee/SpiritualAwakeningRadio    

There has always been a Living Mystic Path of the Masters operating in the world across the many centuries, across the ages of humanity. The Path of the Masters or Way of the Saints is in possession of the key that unlocks the inner door of spirituality: the embodied wisdom of qualified teachers, competent masters, that guide souls into developing their own meditation practice to successfully explore inner space, the path that ascends back to the Supreme Being in the Ocean of Love and Spirit. Here and there, from time to time since the beginning of time schools of spirituality have appeared as Lights in the darkness. Eventually they fade away, or sometimes get commandeered and transformed into more conventional earthly materialistic religions, with their sacred texts edited and their original saints declared to be heretics. As old branches of the mystic tree of life fall to the ground and turn to dust they are replaced with new living branches. "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." (Seneca) Such has been the history of the irrepressible saints and mystics on planet earth, this world of changes (samsara).     Bawa Harnam Singh once asked Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, "'What difference is there between your faith and Guru Nanak's teachings?'   "'None at all', the Great Master replied. Nanak, Kabir, Dadu, Paltu, Tulsidas, Jagjiwan, Shams Tabriz, Maulana Rumi, Khwaja Hafiz, Mansur, Baba Farid, Mujaddid Al Sani, and all other Saints to whatever country, clime or religion they belonged, preached the same truth. The principles, the method, the teachings always remain the same, though the 'key' is transferred from one house to another after some time. It is said that 'God fulfills Himself in many ways lest one good old custom should corrupt the world'. At one time the 'key' to unlock the Inner Door was in the house of Kabir. Then it shifted to Guru Nanak, where it remained for ten generations. Then it went to Tulsi Sahib, from where it came to Swami Ji (Seth Shiv Dayal Ji). This is the law of nature. Change becomes essential after a certain period. You will find that the followers of such great Masters have totally forgotten their real teachings, though it has been only a few centuries since They departed from the world. The method of spiritual exercises, which was the essence of their faith during the time of the previous Masters, is quite unknown to their followers of today.'" (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)   Today on this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio readings from: Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj (Harmony of All Religions), Acts of Peter (New Testament apocrypha), Saint Isaac the Syrian, The Coptic Gospel of the Savior, The Book of Grace (Syriac), John of Dalyatha (Syriac mystic), The Apocryphon of James, and, The Apocalypse of Paul (from the Gnostic Nag Hammadi Library of Egypt), Bar Hebraeus (Book of the Dove, Syriac text), Acts of John (extra-canonical text), Simon of Taibutheh (Syriac mystic), Kirpal Singh (God Power, Christ Power, Master Power), Baba Ram Singh (from the satsang discourse: Once We Come To The Eye Center, The Progress Further In The Inner Planes Is Much Faster), Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram (Prem Bani Radhasoami, Volume Four), and mystic poetry verses from Sant Namdev.    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"God and Love (Bhakti) are one and the same thing... We should understand that Bhakti [Love] is the life or soul of the entire universe... This spiritual path and its destination is Divine Love….. The remover of difficulties is the one spiritual teacher who has given you the secret knowledge (spiritual guidance and experience)." (Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad)    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

RUMI Says: "Everything you see has its roots in the unseen world. The forms may change, yet the essence remains the same. Every wonderful sight will vanish, every sweet word will fade, but do not be disheartened. The source they come from is eternal, growing, branching out, giving new life and new joy. Why do you weep? The source is within you and this whole world is springing up from it."   This satsang podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio contains readings from many spiritual masters, scriptures, and poet-mystics of the East & West, including Gnostic passages from the Gospel of Truth and other writings of Valentinus of Alexandria.   "In the spirit I see all suspended, In the spirit I know everything held: The flesh hanging from the soul The soul held aloft by the air The air suspended from the ether Fruits manifest themselves out of the Depth A child emerges from the womb."   -- Valentinus, Summer Harvest   "I saw a newborn child, and questioned it to find out who it was. And the child answered me saying, 'I am the Word'".   -- Valentinus, Valentinus' Vision of the Word   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com     

Bhakti is a Sanskrit word for love and devotion, and love is the quintessential truth of all religion, spirituality and mysticism. In the New Testament Saint Paul said that "love is the most excellent way." The Bhagavad Gita and the other world scriptures say the same thing. The mystic-lovers of history have taught that "God is an infinite Ocean of Love and each soul is a drop from that Ocean." By approaching simran (mantra, a spiritual exercise of repeating God's Name or Names), prayer, the singing of hymns, or meditation with an attitude of love and devotion (prem and bhakti), we elevate our consciousness. The practice of love brings us into harmony with the Supreme Being, our own true nature, and with all souls in creation.   Bhakti is the Path of Love; it is heart-centered, focused on the cultivation of love between the soul and the Oversoul, between lover and the Beloved. India's Nirguna Bhakti Sants (Saints) are madly in love with the Supreme Being, the Ocean of Love. Their relationship with the Supreme Being is that of Divine romance.   This is a translation of a hymn (shabd) by the 19th century mystic Sant Tulsi Sahib:    "Whose soul is attached to the Word, revels ever in cosmic flight; Revels ever in cosmic flight, and realizing the Lord, plays with Him. The mystery of the Inaccessible and the secret of the scriptures he unravels: He reaches his Home within and its Essence he comes to know; In the lotus feet of the Beloved he sees his true destination. The happily married woman rejoices with her Spouse every moment, O Tulsi, For her soul is attached to the Word, and revels ever in cosmic flight."   The compositions of Sant Tulsi Sahib are bhakti (devotional) in tone, and at the same time allude to the mystical experiences of the soul achieving cosmic flight by becoming attached to the Word -- hearing the Celestial Music of the Spheres during meditation. Through the Divine Word the mystery of the Inaccessible Plane (called by mystics "Agam Lok") is made accessible. Shri Tulsi described his experience of the Beloved Lord as a marriage consummated in mystical union. This merger of lover and Beloved is the final destination of lovers. Sant Dadu, a Master in the Guru Kabir lineage said of this oneness:    "The lover is converted into the Beloved.  That indeed is called true love. Forgetting his own ego, he remains absorbed in the One."   In their spiritual hymns of love and devotion (prem and bhakti) mystic-devotees sing of the power that the Spirit of Love has to transport souls back to the original Home of all souls -- the Ocean of Love and Compassion (Anurag Sagar). By approaching spiritual practice with love, we will be elevated in spirit to places beyond our wildest dreams! And for those who are skeptical of their own ability to experience the Way of the Saints, Swami Ji Maharaj said in one of his hymns:    "It does not matter if your bhakti is imperfect. Perform bhakti! Radhasoami [the Lord of the Soul] graciously declares that you should perform bhakti in whichever way you can. Fear not. He will grant you the Treasure of Love. You will be a recipient of the Gift of Love."  (Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, Vol. II, Agra)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

I remember so well looking at my collection of mystic books and Nag Hammadi codices realizing I had reached a kind of dead-end, a sense that no further progress can be made without contact with a living version of those paths with us now in the Twenty-First Century, a living gnosis now, a living school of spirituality now. The actual spiritual practices, East and West, are typically never written down in old scriptures and mystical texts anyway, but remain private communications only between master and disciple. With past saints we can’t sit at their feet, ask questions, take notes, or learn from them the secrets of contemplative meditation practice. As wonderful as world scriptures and the writings of past mystics might be, they are no substitute for a living spiritual path with us now in the world today, or being mentored by living spiritual teachers in-the-here-and-now. Rather than a vain attempt to figure out the methods of meditation by randomly perusing through old writings and scriptures of those who have left-the-body decades or centuries ago speculating on what their meditation techniques might have been, in Sant Mat (The Path of the Masters) the methods of sadhana (spiritual practice) are directly communicated from one generation to the next via the Living Masters of the time.   "What shall I do? The world sees yet is blind --  It has forsaken bliss and runs after earthly pursuits. It idolizes stones and slaughters divine beings, Adores and worships that which has no life! The living are sacrificed at the altar of the lifeless --  The world sees yet continues to waste precious life." (Sant Namdev)   "The musk is in the deer, but it seeks it not within itself: it wanders in quest of grass." (Kabir)   "During deep sleep we are unable to have any knowledge of this physical body; however, after waking up we recall this body, our relations and possessions. In the same manner, when we are in the three states -- awake, sleep, dreamless sleep -- we are unable to directly perceive our inner self and God. The Saints tell us that there is yet a fourth state, called the Turiya, which is above the others. In this state we can directly perceive our own nature and know the Divine." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)   "So, the path to do that is contained within this human life-form where, with the Teachings of the Masters, we leave the nine doors [of the sense organs] and come to the Tenth Door [Third Eye]. And with the Grace of the Master, we are able to see for ourselves our soul and Jyoti [the Light] within." (Baba Ram Singh)   "I wandered through the cosmos in search of the treasure but found it within me." (Sant Namdev)   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today, a short summary on the origins and history of this spiritual path called Sant Mat. Also explored:   The Mythological Origins of Sant Mat According to the Bijak of Kabir and the Anurag Sagar, another key Kabir Panth text;   The Influence of Gorakhnath and the Nath Yogis;   Saints of Antiquity During the Time of Krishna, Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and Bhagavata Purana;    On the Usage of the Term "Sant Mat" and the Tulsi Sahib Connection;   Who Was Sant Tulsi Sahib's Guru? There Was One Contemporary Living Master Named by Tulsi Sahib: Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar;    Sant Dariya Kabir of Bihar as the Reincarnation of Kabir;   The Panch Naam/Five Names Traced Back to Kabir/Dharamdasi Texts, the People of the Anurag Sagar;   Lineage Clarity. An approximate description of the direct Sant Mat lineage of Masters looks something close to this: Guru Kabir to Sant Dharam Das to Churamani Naam (Dharam Das's son) to Sat Saheb to Dariya Sahib of Bihar (and/or to one of the successors named by Dariya like Fakkar Das, Basti Das, Tika Das or Guna Das) to Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras to his successors... up to the living present.   During the Second Half of the Program, Mystic Poetry: Satsang Readings and Commentary:    Kabir Bhajan Amritam -- Devotional Bhajans: Dharam Das Seeks a Living Master, and Kabir's Reply;   Songs of Kabir;   The Bijak;   Rumi;   Quote from the Shabd Pratap Ashram Website: "No mission is of greater importance to a person than the awareness of his own consciousness, the profound significance and purpose of his existence on earth and to find out the path for ultimate bliss, eternal happiness and cheerfulness i.e. the quest for truth."   The Spiritual Seekers Guide;    The Kabir Book of Prayers;   Julian P. Johnson, Path of the Masters;   Baba Devi Sahib of Moradabad;   Mystic Poetry of Sant Tulsi Sahib;   And a Discourse Based on the Anurag Sagar (Kabir's Ocean of Love): "As long as the soul remains in the body, O brother, practice the Path of Shabda."   In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today's podcast has the theme of "May Captive Souls Be Set Free, Go Within and Ascend", exploring the spiritual practices of Sant Mat that allow extroverted souls who have lost their true identity somewhere in time to go within, find their soul again at the seat of the soul, and begin exploring the Kingdom of the Heavens (Higher Planes of Consciousness), with readings (along with commentary) from:    the Radhasoami spiritual classic, The Way Out Is... IN, by Swami Ram Bihari Lal, successor of Sant Garib Das of the Radhaswami Faith;    The Essence of the Teachings of Mastana Ji, 1891-1960, another great disciple, successor and devotee of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh;    a mystic poem of Sant Sahajo Bai: "Sahajo says: know the true Self, which time cannot destroy";    timeless verses of Meister Eckhart the great German mystic;    The Book of Mirdad: "Let Time Revolve About You; But You Revolve Not With Time";    Saint Isaac of Nineveh the Syriac mystic on meditation and accessing the expanse above;    satsang readings from the teachings of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh on the Methods of Withdrawing Within Oneself in Contemplative Meditation (Simran, Dhyan, Bhajan); also from Sawan Singh Ji on the importance and need for Initiation into the Mysteries of the Heavens by a Living One, a Living Master (Sant Satguru), which is when one fully learns and experiences the secrets of meditation practice, and receives the proper spiritual guidance about the ascension of the soul through the Inner Regions.   Also, I share from the Gospel of Thomas on Finding a Living One: "Seek to see the Living One while you are alive, lest you die and then try to behold that one -- and you will be unable to see." (Yeshua, Saying 52) Rather than attempting to figure out the methods of meditation by randomly perusing through the old writings and scriptures of those who have left-the-body decades or centuries ago speculating on what their meditation techniques might have been, in Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters, the methods of sadhana (spiritual practice) are directly communicated from one generation to the next via the Living Masters of the time.   Also during today's Sant Mat Satsang Podcast are readings from the satsang discourses of Baba Ram Singh Ji on being vigilant in tending to our meditations. "And when we sit for meditation, we should not consider it a burden because this is the true work for which we have come into this life and we should make the most of this opportunity." (Baba Ram Singh)   I conclude with some mystic poetry from: Songs of Kabir in the Adi Granth (Sikh scriptures); Guru Nanak Dev; John of Apamea -- another Syriac mystic; an otherworldly reading from the Canonical Prayer-Book of the Mandaean Gnostics; and finally from the Psalm-scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls containing some mystic verses from the founder of the Qumran community known as "The Teacher of Righteousness". He's also sometimes referred to as "the Master".   "Over mere dust hast Thou wafted Thy Holy Spirit, and hast so molded that clay that it can have converse with angels and be in communion with beings celestial. Mere flesh hast Thou lit with a Light everlasting... My heart was amazed that thus  the Word was revealed to one  with ears unattuned,  and that a wayward heart  was able to grasp these things."    In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The Purpose of Life: "With Swamiji there is no such thing as idle chatter; he talks of the impermanence of the body and the purpose of life -- attaining spiritual enlightenment to avoid samsara (endless rebirth). He reminds me that when I die nothing will go with me; I will have to leave everything behind, except the accumulated spiritual wealth of my personal sadhana [meditation practice]."   "In conversation with Swamiji, he suddenly bursts out enthusiastically with 'Brahma Muhurta!' This, I learn, is the time between 3;00 AM and 6;00 AM known as the most favourable time for Sadhana (one’s spiritual practices). During Brahmamuhurta, so called as it is considered the most auspicious time for meditating on Brahman (God), the mind is calm and less engaged with worldly thoughts, worries and anxieties. Also the atmospheric energy during this time is more charged with sattva (purity), increasing the likelihood one’s practice will go deeper, with the corresponding health and well-being benefits." (India: Glimpses Into Sant Mat Ashram Life: Rishikesh, Sanctuary of Sadhus, Sages and the Occasional Enlightened Master)   Egypt: Members of the Therapeutae order wore white like some Sikhs and Sufis: "... and being clothed in tunics of the most delicate texture, and of the purest white..." (Philo of Alexandria) In the case of most Gnostic groups, and the Jewish Essene sect, we only know them through their writings -- their teachings, not much else. In the case of the Therapeutae no collections of their writings have ever been found, but through Philo of Alexandria we have a fairly detailed description of their daily life and weekly format of worship. (Meet the Children of the Dawn: The Therapeutae -- The First Monastery Mentioned in History, an Ancient Spiritual Community that Once Existed Near Alexandria)   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The Search for A True Master: The Sat Guru, A Competent, Qualified, Genuine, Enlightened Teacher -- This Sant Mat Satsang Podcast is for the benefit of spiritual seekers and satsangis everywhere. Today: a compilation of articles, quotations, and observations about this most important of subjects for spiritual seekers: finding a true teacher (Sant Satguru, Living Master,). This is all about nobody being left behind. No detours and wasted decades. Life is short. We must choose wisely.    "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." (William Arthur Ward)   "It is the mercy of my Satguru that has made me to know the Unknown. I have learned from Him how to walk without feet, to see without eyes, to hear without ears, to drink without mouth, to fly without wings. I have brought my love and my meditation into the land where there is no sun and moon, nor day and night. Without eating, I have tasted of the sweetness of nectar; and without water, I have quenched my thirst. Where there is the response of delight, there is the fullness of joy. Before whom can that joy be uttered? Kabir says: "The Guru is great beyond words, and great is the good fortune of the disciple." (Songs of Kabir, satgur soi daya kar dinha)   "The question then is how to recognize an accomplished guru and one who is not accomplished, or worse, one who is corrupt. The difficulty is that most, being mesmerized by worldly attractions, judge gurus by outward and material achievements, which are a wholly inaccurate measure. The true gurus live a simple life and morally upright lifestyle; they stay away from the pomp and show of the display of power. For example, they do not have expensive cars and opulent mansions. They do not show favoritism among their followers...    "Today’s inept gurus do not pay attention to the tradition of true Sants and are simply intent on increasing the number of their followers... These gurus praise their rich devotees; they are inaccessible to their underprivileged devotees. They even despicably exploit the poor... The false teachers themselves do not know the inner path nor understand the students' dilemma. They cannot tell if the student is making progress or going backward. The untrue guru has no way of knowing. In this way the student becomes unsure and confused on the path of meditation. This is fully the responsibility of the 'guru' to assist when the student begins to stray from the path of meditation." (Swami Vyasanand, from, Rules For Being Guru)   The leader of a spiritual movement must always be the embodiment of Truth (Sat Guru -- Guru of Truth). Without a competent Master, a spiritual movement will not be capable of being an instrument in the world for the Positive Power (God).   "Wisdom cannot be taught by one who has not attained wisdom... The way to wisdom is through a teacher who has seen wisdom." (The Upanishads)   God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The Book of Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love) is a Volume of the Kabir Sagar (Ocean of Kabir), one of several scriptures used by the Sant Dharam Das line of Masters.    "'Hazur [Baba Sawan Singh] one day told Seth Vasdev, whose car is always at Hazur's disposal, that he should read Kabir Sahib's Anurag Sagar (The Ocean of Intense Love). Hazur said that without studying it, one cannot fully understand the difference between Kal (the negative power) and Dayal Mat (the Path of the true and Merciful God), nor can one fully grasp the teachings of Sant Mat.'" (Rai Sahib Munshi Ram, With the Three Masters, Vol. 2, p.187)   Kabir said: "Bowing my Head to Him I started and, Dharam Das, now I have come to you... You are my very dear soul about whom I worried a lot. With the orders of Sat Purush [Supreme Being] I came to you, and made you remember the previous things. I gave you darshan [vision] only because of that. O Dharam Das! this time you recognized me. I will tell you Sat Purush's Words: 'Recognize the Shabda and have faith.'"   "Dharam Das fell at the Feet, and from his eyes the tears came. He grew very excited and said, 'O Lord, You have finished the deception of my soul.' Even after having all this explained to him he could not calm down. He was like a mother who, after being separated from her child, is reunited."   Anurag Sagar: "Oh Dharam Dass! If a person gives up all doubts, meditates regularly on Naam imparted by the Master, and behaves in the manner the saints behave and follows in their footsteps, that is, he listens to the Sound Current within himself, then he can tread the path of saints in search of the Highest Truth. There is a Sound Current coming from the Final Abode and calling you to come. So if you listen to that Call, then you can ascend like saints."   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://linktr.ee/SpiritualAwakeningRadio   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.  

During today's podcast: a reading from the Sukhmani of Guru Arjan Dev found in the Adi Granth/Sikh Scriptures;  Readings and commentary based on, The Light of Ajaib (SantJi) -- a section on the benefits of Simran; Spiritual Teachings of Baba Devi Sahab, and, The Inner Music -- from the Discourses of Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad; Also, readings, explanation and commentary based on, The Padavali (Hymns, Mystic-Poetry,) of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans.   "We do not do enough Simran... If we do Simran all the time, the amount of Simran which we are supposed to do can be done very easily, and after that when we sit for meditation -- since before we sit we would have done our Simran at once our soul will withdraw from the body and we will start hearing the Sound Current by itself. But because we do not place enough emphasis on Simran, that is why when we sit for meditation all our time is spent in just collecting our thoughts, and because we lack in Simran that is why we hardly withdraw our soul from our body."    "Nowadays, what do people do? Whenever they have done a little bit of Simran during the day, and when their mind is a little bit quiet and still, then the Sound Current which they hear is very melodious and they like it, and sometimes they feel a little bit of withdrawal. Other times, when their mind is not quiet and they have not done enough Simran, then no doubt they hear the Sound Current, but still the Sound Current is not able to pull them up."   "If we have done a lot of Simran and if we have brought our soul to the Eye Center, then our soul gets on the Shabd or the Sound which is coming there, which we hear there, and we are able to reach our Real Home. If we hear the Sound Current after perfecting our Simran and after reaching the Eye Center, that Sound Current or that Shabd will definitely pull us up, and we will like that very much." (The Light of Ajaib, SantJi)   "It is the highest duty of every individual to acquire experiential knowledge of this Sound and to investigate or explore the Origin or Source from where this Sound flows out." (Baba Devi Sahab)   "O traveler! If you wish to go alone on the path of the Lord, Look for the path within and do not delay; The four spheres of darkness, Light, Sound and Soundlessness (Anadi, Anami) --  They all lie within the temple of your body." (Maharshi Mehi)   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://linktr.ee/SpiritualAwakeningRadio    

Today I explore the origin of Five Names of Sant Mat (Panch Naam Mantra or Simran Words) and the connection to the Sant Dharam Das/Kabir Line of Masters (the People of the Anurag Sagar, a Kabir/Sant Dharam Das sacred text).   In some branches of Sant Mat and Radhasoami, part of the meditation instructions includes the use of five special names. These particular Five Names serve as the mantra -- sacred names used during meditation practice and simran/zikhr (remembrance).  These names appear in the Sar Bachan Poetry of Seth Shiv Dayal Singh, (Soamiji Maharaj, a.k.a. Sant Radhasoami Sahib, founder of the Radhasoami Satsang).  The consensus is that Seth Shiv Dayal Singh had been given instruction about the use of these Five Names or Panch Naam by his initiating guru Sant Tulsi Sahib.    These Five Names are in fact used by the Sant Tulsi Sahib satsang based in Hathras. Prof. David Lane, accompanied by Prof. Mark Juergensmeyer, recalling a visit to India and an encounter with Sant Prakash Das of the Sant Tulsi Sahib Ashram or Mandir: "...The Mahant we spoke with in Hathras (1978) said Tulsi gave out the Five Names.... He was part of Tulsi's lineage."   So, who was using the Panch Naam Mantra -- these Five Names -- prior to the time of Sant Tulsi Sahib? It's an important question as it may shed further light on the identity of Tulsi Sahib's guru and the origins of this spiritual path called Sant Mat. If Tulsi Sahib did not invent the usage of the Five Names himself, then it's rather likely he was continuing the practice he had learned at the feet of his own Sant Satguru, reflecting an even older tradition of Sants. It would be most informative to know the identity of this earlier Sant Mat path that represents the "people of the Five Names", if you will, those who had these names in their mystic vocabulary during earlier centuries.   The Panch Naam Words Traced Back to Kabir/Dharamdasi Texts   One of the Five Names is nowhere to be found in the Sikh world, however, the third name -- indeed all five of the names of Tulsi Sahib's Panch Naam mantra -- are to be found present in the Sant literature associated with Guru Kabir and Sant Dharam Das. I can not say with certainty when these Five Names were first adopted by a Kabir Sant Satguru (or Sant Dariya's Guru, Sant Dariya, or Sant Tulsi) as a mantra (simran words) in this Kabir line of masters, but I will say that these names, which are associated with the inner cosmology and Sound Currents of the Inner Regions according to the Sants are to be found in certain writings of the Kabir tradition, and in other Sant writings that make use of the literature of this Kabir tradition. The "people of the Five Names" and "the people of the Anurag Sagar" are one and the same community: the Dharamdasis (Sant Dharam Das line of masters). This is the source-group and Sant tradition for the Five Names that existed in India prior to the time of Dariya Sahib, Tulsi Sahib, and Seth Shiv Dayal Singh.   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://linktr.ee/SpiritualAwakeningRadio    

"Santji used to often say, 'Leave a hundred things that you have to do and sit for satsang. And leave a thousand things that you have to do but sit for meditation.' He used to say this because that is the true work that we have to do. That is the true work for which we have been given this precious human life. Sant Ji used to say, 'Just like it is very important for us to eat food and drink water to live -- for this body -- it is equally important for us to provide satsang and meditation for the soul. Satsang is the water for the soul and food is the meditation.'' (Baba Ram Singh)   Today's Sant Mat Satsang Podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio includes readings from Santji and Baba Ram Singh on how Satsang serves as an oasis for the soul. There is a mystic poem of Sant Tulsi Sahib on present-tense access to the heavens -- the way of Mystics -- where the Mystics and conventional religions part company. See my comments below on not placing earthly limits on the Limitless. There is the theme of simran, the invocation of names of God ("Simran is the first step of the spiritual ladder" -- Kirpal Singh), with readings from The Lord's Prayer, a John the Baptist quote from the Mandaean Gnostic Ginza Rabba (Great Treasure), Sant Dadu Dayal, Sant Tulsi Sahib, Kirpal Singh, Baba Somanath, Baba Ram Singh, and we conclude with a mystic poem of Namdev.   Not Placing Earthly Limits on the Limitless     "Theologians may quarrel, but the mystics of the world speak the same language." (Meister Eckhart)   "To seek God without knowing ‘El-Hdoud’ (Sacred Limits) means falling into the net of he who refused to bow down before the Wisdom of God's Appearance in the Adamic Limits, and hence, proposed to set his own limits of what God is. This is what otherwise is known as the most original form of evil that is deeply embedded in the Soul’s method of seeing Reality." (Druze Wisdom)   Commentary   I believe what this is saying is: do not have a limited approach to God and perceiving Reality. Do not limit God by bringing God down to our level of existence. God, by definition, is Limitless, Formless, Infinite, and Timeless. Therefore, to approach the Supreme Being, not with open-mindedness, awe, wonder, curiosity, and flexibility about experiencing Reality in whole new ways quite differently from the familiar earthly existence with the five senses, we just end up filtering these Divine Unknowns through our limited temporal bias and do not benefit.   Conventional religions have it backwards for the most part. Rather than building minuscule temples of wood and stone for the Supreme Being to squeeze into in an attempt to bring heaven to earth, it is we that need to go There. The soul must ascend and go to the Divine Level, to transcend temporal existence via another kind of consciousness.   As Meister Eckhart once said, "If the soul is to see God, then it must see no temporal thing, for as long as the soul is conscious of time or space, or of an idea, it cannot know God."   So yes, stillness: rising above body-consciousness, rising above thoughts and ideas, beliefs, theologies, earthly understandings, temporal bias, in other words, silent contemplative meditation.   "It is in the darkness that one finds the Light." (Eckhart)   "The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; My eye and God’s eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love." (Eckhart)   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://linktr.ee/SpiritualAwakeningRadio  

Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar has the distinction of being the one-and-only living Sant Mat Master contemporary with Tulsi Sahib that Tulsi mentioned in his writings. Therefore, Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras most likely was affiliated with and initiated by Dariya Sahib or one of Dariya's spiritual successors. Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India was born in 1763 and passed on in 1843. He would have been in his teens when Sant Dariya Sahib was still alive -- old enough to have perhaps received initiation from Dariya Sahib or one of his representatives. Sant Dariya was a towering figure occupying some of that space in history between the time of Kabir and that of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras. Sant Dariya passed on when Tulsi was around seventeen years of age. Dariya Sahib appointed several Saints to be his spiritual successors: Fakkar Das, Basti Das, Sant Tika Das, and, Sant Guna Das, also contemporaries with Tulsi Sahib, who likely spent some time in Bihar. Bihar was, and remains, home-base of the Satsang of Sant Dariya Sahib.    Sant Dariya Sahib on the Path of Sant Mat During This Kali Yuga Age   "Sat Purush is the living Lord, and His own son serves as the ladder. That ladder is continued through me, says Dariya. Fakkar Das, Basti Das, and Guna Das are the ladders proceeding from me. Whomsoever they appoint as their successors would also be known as ladders. Thus will my line of succession continue... Those souls who remain in obedience to these successors, shall cross the Ocean of the world.   "How long will this line of succession continue? Kindly relate it to us in your own words, asks Fakkar Das. 'Listen mindfully, 0 Fakkar Das, I explain this to you, says Dariya:   "'As long as the discipline of the Sound Current is preserved unadulterated, The line of succession will truly continue. But when it is mixed with outer rituals and display of external garbs, My Sound Current will part company. My Divine essence will depart, And the souls will go into the mouth of Kal. I shall then come to this world, And shall proclaim the teaching of the Sound Current again. Proclaiming the teaching, I shall found the line of succession [again]. And emancipating the souls, I shall take them to my Abode. For aeons I have been coming, And imparting the teaching of the true Sound Current.'"   -- Hymn of Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

We get to have a rare glimpse of the Great Master Huzur Baba Sawan Singh through the eyes of Harbans Singh Bedi, an initiate of Hazur who attended joyful satsang gatherings presided over by Sawan back during the 1940's.    Other glimpses of Sawan come from his letters, foreign correspondence with spiritual seekers and initiate-disciples in the West. Spiritual guidance from the Master included discussion about the power of unwavering attention at the Third Eye Center during meditation practice, guidance about Simran, Dhyan and Bhajan practices, the value of corresponding and consulting with someone more advanced on the Path, also about the need for everyone interested in the Path of the Masters & Inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga), East and West, to adopt a vegetarian diet:   "Meats, eggs and alcoholic drinks are prohibited... The real Sant Mat, or the teachings of the Saints, and the system of Yoga which they follow is distinct and individual, and it consists of a definite method of going inside of the Kingdom of Heaven and taking possession of that Kingdom. And this is a Universal Science. It is adaptable to all peoples and all lands, and has absolutely nothing to do with climate or particular condition of any country or people. This much I would strongly emphasize... If one understands where and how to find the protein bearing foods, among vegetables and grains and fruits, he will never have any need whatsoever for meats or eggs." Also: "Meats, eggs and alcoholic drinks have to be given up by the practitioner. These articles of diet dull the soul."   Huzur Baba Sawan Singh Ji also provided some introductory meditation instructions for new spiritual seekers to give them a convenient method, a short, daily Jyoti (inner Light) Interim Meditation to help prepare them for the eventual initiation into the full practice given at the time of initiation.   The Great Master said that the ultimate or true peace will never be fully realized in this turbulent ocean of samsara, the outer world of constant change, but is to be found on the Inner Planes accessed during meditation from the inside, in the world of within:   "The Way to Peace lies within. Within us lies the Royal Word, the Sound Current, which mystics have called by various names but which means the same thing. Everybody has to go within himself to attain that peace." And: "The soul must seek Other Planes to find peace. To find peace is the business of the individual. Everybody has to seek it within himself." (Huzur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj)    In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Tulsi Sahib (1763-1843) is viewed as being the adi-guru or founding spiritual master, the "great grandfather" of modern-day Sant Mat and Radhasoami. Most all recent Santmat sects trace their lineages directly back to him. Some believe that Tulsi Sahib, the great Saint of Hathras, never mentioned the name of his satguru in the writings that have survived. For them there is no answer to this question of who his initiating Sant Mat guru might have been. In recent years I have established my own view on this subject and have observed that Sant Tulsi did indeed mention the name of his guru on numerous occasions in the way that most disciples typically have done in their banis and bhajans (devotional hymns, mystic poetry). This name has been there the whole time in the English translations of his writings, and there are many more such references to the identity of this spiritual master if one can access and read all of the Sant Tulsi writings available in Hindi. All we need do is notice this particular guru's name as it appears in the various books attributed to Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India (Shabdavali, Ratan Sagar, Ghat Ramayan and, Padma Sagar).   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, Sat Naam Saheb, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Explored today: a vegan poem from the Syrian philosopher Abu al-'Ala' al-Ma'arri; a vegetarian saying of Jesus from an early Aramaic manuscript of the Gospel of Luke; an observation about the vegetarian ethics of John the Baptist and Jesus made by Prof. Bart D. Ehrman in his highly influential book, Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew; a very pro-vegetarian quote from Saint Jerome, translator of the Latin Vulgate Bible no less; also from Saint Basil the Great; Discussion about the Gospel of the Hebrews and Gospel of the Ebionites; The Golden Verses of Pythagoras on why spiritual paths that seek to rise above body-consciousness advocate vegan or vegetarian ethics; The Sattvic Diet 2.0 For the 21st Century: How the Vegetarian Movement is Upgrading to Vegan Including in Sant Mat and Radhasoami; a mystic-poem of Darshan Singh from Love's Last Madness on the upward pull of evolution and compassion that seeks to reduce human and animal suffering in the world; and an amazing ancient Ode from the Ebionite Jewish-Christian Book of Acts (Recognitions of Clement) praising those in India, kindred souls of faith and gnosis: brothers and sisters "in the Indian countries" following the Way of the Saints (Path of the Masters).   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, Peace Be To You, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio Vegan and Vegetarian Section of the Free Sant Mat E-Library Online:  https://SantMatRadhasoami.blogspot.com/2019/01/vegan-and-vegetarian-ahimsa-non_8.html  

There are references in Krishna Vaishnava texts to Sants. A few of the Rishi Sages who authored certain Upanishads pertaining to the Formless God, Inner Light and Sound Meditation or Nada/Shabda Yoga (some dating back many centuries B.C.E.) also seem to be at the same level as Sants.   "There is no end to the number of Sants [Saints] who appeared in the Yugas [Epochs] of Sat, Treta, Dvapar, and Kali [Yuga]. I sing of the celebrated one I have heard of, and bow my head to all the others." (Jan Gopal, disciple of Sant Dadu Dayal of Rajasthan)   Everyone in contemporary Sant Mat has a clear idea about their own recent history of Masters, at least dating back a few generations. Most trace their lineage of gurus back to Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India. Tulsi Sahib (1763–1843) is viewed as the adi-guru or founding guru, the "great grandfather" of modern-day Sant Mat. The identity of Sant Tulsi Sahib's guru has understandably been of great interest to many students of Sant Mat history. It's quite normal for followers of a spiritual path to be curious about "the family tree" of previous masters, wanting to know where their spiritual path comes from. So, who was the guru of Tulsi Sahib? And who was that individual’s guru? Who was the guru before that? And so on.   I've attempted to do with Sant Mat research what I did which Christianity, lost books of the Bible and Gnostic Gospels, tracing things back to the beginning, collecting and making use of all the texts that are available to arrive at the clearest understanding possible, without regard to orthodoxy, doctrinal conformity or tradition, simply out of curiosity and a love for truth wherever that may lead. Anyone dull of heart and mind, not curious about the history of this family tree of Masters and the ocean of devotional literature, granths, sagars, banis, and bhajans they created, might also not necessarily possess a ruling passion for the teachings and meditation practice of contemporary Sant Mat either. For me, history is not a boring or dry thing. Not at all. Rather it is quite exciting, even spiritual and liberating!   "One thing that all factions agree upon, though, is that Tulsi Sahib consolidated the teachings of nirguna bhakti, expounded the path of surat shabd yoga, and was largely responsible for the popular usage of the term Sant Mat. His teachings are embodied in Ghat Ramayana, Ratan Sagar, and Shabdavali." (David C. Lane, The Radhasoami Tradition)   Commonly used words like "Sant", "Sat", and "Mat", with their roots in Sanskrit, are found in the literature of many spiritual paths originating in India. "Santmat", as a single word referring to the efficacy of following the teachings of Sants does turn up on a couple of occasions in Sant literature during the centuries prior to the time of Tulsi Sahib. It is present in a few verses of Kabir, and is in at least one verse of a poem of Sant Goswami Tulsidas, author of the epic Ramcharitmanas: "Ihaan na pachhapaat kachhu raakhaun. Ved puran santmat bhaakhaun". Clearly however, "Sant Mat" or "Santmat" as the universal name or label for this school of spirituality or Sant tradition begins with Tulsi Sahib. In his spiritual classic, Ghat Ramayan, the term "Sant Mat" was coined by Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras during the 19th Century.   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, Naam Bhakti, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

There is history-based evidence for a Sant Mat family tree dating back many centuries in India, a lineage of spiritual masters existing prior to the time of the Nineteenth Century guru Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras:    1) that are ideological soulmates teaching the familiar form of Sant Mat and Surat Shabd Yoga (Inner Light and Sound Meditation);    2) mention all five of the Five Names (sacred names, simran words used in many forms of contemporary Sant Mat);   3) have a special fondness of the term Kal Niranjan (negative power, an eastern term for the Gnostic demiurge);   4) see the Anurag Sagar (Kabir's Ocean of Love) as an essential or central scripture defining the Path during this Kali Yuga age;   5) and that have inherited a version of history that says "Sant Dharam Das was the successor of Kabir" (as opposed to someone else).   Solving the Mystery of Sant Tulsi Sahib's Guru   There was only one contemporary guru who was a living master during the time of Tulsi Sahib that Sant Tulsi Sahib actually named in his hymns and spiritual discourses: Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar. Sant Dariya and Tulsi's teachings are almost identical, meeting the criteria of the five points listed above. They both even shared a similar physical appearance and manor of dress. So, as Sant Tulsi Sahib was the one contemporary guru named in the Sar Bachan of Soami Ji, and Baba Devi Sahib's name appears in the Padavali of Maharshi Mehi, the one conspicuous contemporary master named and quoted by Sant Tulsi Sahib was Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar. And Sant Dariya Sahib's guru Sat Saheb was associated with -- branched out from -- the Sant Dharam Das/Kabir line of gurus embodying those five essential ingredients listed above, which I write about with more details in my booklet on the Origins of Sant Mat, The Five Names, and the Identity of Tulsi Sahib’s Guru. My take is that most likely Sant Tulsi Sahib was initiated by Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar or one of his successors, thus the Sant Mat family tree, the lineage of masters in earlier centuries comes more clearly into view, and we can know more about where this spiritual path called Sant Mat comes from, this Way of the Saints or Sants, the Mystics of the East.    As I've written, I perceive that the lineage goes back to Sant Dharam Das. So I would say an approximate description of the lineage of this Path of the Masters looks something close to this: Satguru Kabir to Sant Dharam Das to Churamani Naam (Dharam Das's son) to Sat Saheb to Dariya Sahib of Bihar (and/or to one of the immediate successors named by Dariya like Fakkar Das, Basti Das, Tika Das, or Guna Das) to Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, to Sant Girdhari Sahib of Lucknow to his successors including Soamiji Maharaj in Agra... up to the living present.   And while not as conveniently organized into a single easy-to-find volume of banis and bhajans such as the Sikh scriptures (Adi Granth, Gurbani), there are writings from these earlier masters of the Sant Mat family tree that have survived, and that I wish to especially be mindful of and explore on future satsang editions of this podcast, spiritual classics such as: the Kabir Sagar volumes, The Bijak and other Kabir literature, Anurag Sagar, Dariya Sagar, Ratan Sagar, Padma Sagar, the Ghat Ramayan and several others.   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, Naam Bhakti, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The Fifth Through the Eighth Heavens: Nirvana -- Kaivalya -- Oneness -- Sach Khand -- The True Eternal Realm Divided Into Four Sub-sections:   5) Sat Lok (True Realm), Sat Naam (True Name, True Sound), Sat Purush (True Original Being)   6) Alakh Lok (Invisible Realm),   7) Agam Lok (Inaccessible Realm, Nearness,)   8) Anami (Nameless Realm), Radhasoami Lok -- Radhaswami Dham -- The Abode of the Lord of the Soul, Most High Ultimate Reality, "The Eighth" -- Ocean of Love -- Upper Level of Kaivalya known as Shabdatita [Sabtatit] Pad -- Beyond the Sound and Light, the Ultimate Reality of God in the Nirguna or Formless, Soundless State   "Begin meditation with internally chanting or repeating the Guru-mantra-incantation (the charged words given by the Guru). And then try to visualize the radiant form or image of the Satguru in the still darkness of the inner sky (with eyes closed). Follow that with focusing your attention at the seat of the soul within, i.e. at the Third Eye or the Inner Eye or the Til Dwaar, by making the two streams of consciousness in your two eyes converge in a Point."   "When the two currents of consciousness meet in a Point, Divine Light appears within. Then, practice Surat Shabd Yoga (Yoga of Divine Sound) i.e., try to shift your attention to listening to the Divine Sounds or myriads of melodies (Anahad Naad) ringing inside. Listening to the Divine Sound destroys all the agitations and fickleness of the mind."   "Ascending beyond or transcending myriads of sounds, try to identify and tune in to the Quintessential Unstruck Melody, called "Saar Shabd" or "Anaahat Naad" which alone is capable of taking you and merging you into oneness with the Supreme Lord; this is the ultimate emancipation or liberation." (Couplets About Meditation Practice, By Swami Santsevi Ji)   "The tenth gate [third eye] is the gathering point of consciousness. Therein lies the path for our return... We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, from the Light to the Divine Sound, and from the Realm of Sound to the Soundless State. This is called turning back to the Source." (Swami Santsevi Ji)   "In summary, one grasps the central Sounds of the lower realms and progressively is drawn upward to the Sounds of the higher realms. Ultimately, one reaches the center of the Original Sound, the Essential Divine Sound, and thereafter attains the Ultimate State, Sabdatita [Sabtatit] Pad (the State beyond the Sound). The Yoga of Sound [Surat Shabd Yoga Meditation] must be practiced in order to attain the Nameless State. This is fully elaborated and described in the Upanishads and literature of the saints. The Yoga of Sound is the only medium to reach this State, no other. The greatest good is in the attainment of the Ultimate State, the Nameless State." (Maharshi Mehi)   "The State beyond Sound is acknowledged in the writings of saints as the goal of their teachings. In addition, their writings accept Manas Japa (repetition of a Divine name [simran]), Manas Dhyan (concentration on a form of the Divine), Drshti Yoga (fixing the mind on a Point [accessing the Third Eye Center and inner Light]) and Nada-nusandhana (concentrating on the inner Sounds of the different spheres) as means to reach the Soundless State. These four techniques are therefore essential in Sant Mat." (Maharshi Mehi)   Swami Ji Maharaj says, "From one step to another the soul beholds strange things which cannot be described in human language... Love plays the supreme part. It is all love. So says RADHASOAMI."   In Divine Love, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

An introduction to a living spiritual path from India called Sant Mat, the Way of the Saints. The beloved Satguru Swami Sant Sevi Ji was a very advanced, pure soul, and great teacher of traditional Sant Mat. "Blessed are the souls who in today's materialistic world have an inclination towards spirituality." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)   "The individual soul has descended from the higher worlds [the Realm of the Divine] to this city of illusion, bodily existence. It has descended from the Soundless State to the essence of Sound, from that Sound to Light, and finally from the realm of Light to the realm of Darkness. The qualities of the sense organs draw us downward and away from our true nature.    "The nature of the soul (atman) draws us upwards and inwards and establishes us in our own true nature. Returning to our origins involves turning inward: withdrawal of consciousness from the senses and the sense objects in order to go upward from the darkness to the realms of Light and Sound. Another way to express this is to go inward from the external sense organs to the depth of the inner self. The natural tendencies of the soul (atman) are to move from outward to inward. The current of consciousness which is dispersed in the nine gates of the body and the senses, must be collected at the tenth gate.    "The tenth gate is the gathering point of consciousness. Therein lies the path for our return. The tenth gate is also known as the sixth chakra, the third eye, bindu, the center located between the two eyebrows. This is the gateway through which we leave the gates of the sense organs and enter in the divine realms and finally become established in the soul. We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, from the Light to the Divine Sound, and from the Realm of Sound to the Soundless State. This is called turning back to the Source." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, Harmony Of All Religions)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Bhanwar Gupha, the Whirling Cave Vortex, Tunnel to the Fifth Heaven   "The shabd currents in Bhanwar Gupha are so sweet and enchanting, according to the Saints, that souls live entirely off its invigorating nectar, desiring nothing but darshan [vision] of the presiding lord and the manifestations of Light and Sound. Kabir, the most famous of the medieval saints, describes in his writings (or, at least, those attributed to his pen) how hansas (pure spirits) live on spiritual dweeps (islands) with magnificent palaces for transmundane enjoyment. Faqir Chand, in his Yogic Philosophy of the Saints, gives a more psychological interpretation of the meditator's experiences in the fourth region: 'When in the course of meditation man reaches this state of Bhanwar-Gupha he experiences that there was none except his own self. This centre is compared with Bhanwar which means whirl. At this centre a wheel rotates like a cradle. It means that at this centre a wave springs out of the surat of the meditator and again merges in its own source, or say, it rotates around its own source and produces the sound of Sohang-Flute. The Shabd of this centre is so effective that the meditator enjoys the pleasure of being one with the Supreme Soul.'" (Enchanted Land)   Swan-Soul, Heavenly Bird (Hamsa) - Mystic Poem of Kabir:  Tell me, O Swan, your ancient tale. From what land do you come, O Swan? to what shore will you fly? Where would you take your rest, O Swan, and what do you seek? Even this morning, O Swan, awake, arise, follow me! There is a land where no doubt nor sorrow have rule: where the terror of Death is no more. There the woods of spring are a-bloom, and the fragrant scent “He is I” [I Am That, Ana-HU, Soham] is borne on the wind: There the bee of the heart is deeply immersed, and desires no other joy. (Kabir, version by Robert Bly)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

"Do not live even a single day without inner meditation." (Baba Devi Sahab)   When Satguru Baba Devi Sahib was nearing the time of his departure from this ephemeral world for his true destination, satsangis humbly requested him to bless with his parting words. To their request, Baba Devi Sahab had obliged by saying, "Duniyaa waham hai, abhyaas karo", meaning, "This world is an illusion  -- practice meditation." (from the Last Words of Baba Devi Sahab)   Baba Devi Sahab is one of my all-time favorite Saints of the Sant Mat tradition. My pleasure sharing his teachings with spiritual seekers and Sant Mat initiates all over the world. His rare teachings at last appear in English here today, during this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast.    In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Soami Ji Maharaj in Daswan Dwar (Third Heaven) and Exploring the Great Dark Void of Maha-Sunn -- From the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry:   "...There are innumerable palaces made of crystal and diverse spirits inhabit them and are settled there in accordance with the allotments made by the Lord, and they see the peculiar mutual display which is so blissful, and in turn they also establish their own plays and sports. In Hindi, these spirits are described as 'circles of hansas' (purified spirits). The engravings and the designs carved in these spheres are to be seen in order to be believed. The entire dispensation and workshop there is purely spiritual; it is not at all gross or material.   "Spirits dwelling there are characterized by excessive delicacy, subtlety, refinement and purity; they don't have a trace of physical coarseness and impurity. The details of this sphere are known only to the faqirs. ['Full particulars of these regions are known only to Sants' -- Maheshwari translation.] To unfold more about it is not proper and advisable. For a long time the spirit of this faqir (i.e. Soamiji Maharaj Himself) sauntered and stayed there and then under instructions from the Teachers and Guides, moved ahead.   "Moving on and on, the spirit soared up about through an incalculable height and broke into the realm of Ha-hoot or Maha-sunn and sauntered around it. How shall I describe it? For ten billion miles (again, incalculable distance) there is utter darkness. How shall I describe its depth, except to say that for one kharab (1 kharab = 100 billion, i.e. incalculable extent) jojans, the soul descended and yet its bottom could not be discovered; then again it reversed and turned upward, and following the track pointed by the sages, the spirit treaded that path and then it was deemed improper to determine and find out the depth of this dark region.   "The surat [soul] then moved on..."   Commentary on the Maha-Sunn Passage Above by Sant Gharib Das of the Radhasoami Faith:    "Soamiji in his Discourses has said that his surat descended into the dark regions of Maha-sunn but could neither locate the bottom or the end of it nor did it feel it worthwhile to go down any further. Thereafter, his surat [soul] adhering to the signs as revealed to him by his Gurus ascended upwards. Here Soamiji says that it was the inner Mercy of his Satguru Tulsi Saheb and that of Maharaj Girdhari Das Ji [a successor of Sant Tulsi Sahib] whose Satsang he attended for a very long period of time." (Sant Gharib Das, disciple in the inner circle of Soami Ji, Book of Anmol Bachan)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The Kabir Satsang Book of Prayers (Sandhya Path, The Path of Realization) contains some wonderful prayers but also many insightful verses offering guidance about living a spiritual way of life on earth in this human form.    It's actually one of my all-time favorite books from the Sant tradition of India. The Kabir Book of Prayers is another spiritual classic from the same Sant Dharam Das Kabir community that gave us the Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love) and the other volumes of the Kabir Sagar (Ocean of Kabir). As you may know from my articles and podcasts on the Origins of Sant Mat, the Five Names, and the Identity of Sant Tulsi Sahib's Guru, I trace the contemporary Sant Mat guru lineages back to Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar and from there back to spiritual masters associated with the Sant Dharam Das Kabir community. While not as organized into a single volume such as the Adi Granth or Sikh Scriptures, there are indeed many volumes of writings associated with this line of masters that go back to Sant Dharam Das and his successors. Over time, you'll hear many of them quoted on this podcast, as I endeavor to especially be mindful of all the great poetry and prose, the banis and bhajans in the Sant Mat lineage of this Path of the Masters spanning many generations.   Today I also share from the book, Doctor by Chance, Mystic by Choice, Memoir of a Doctor’s Journey from Medicine to Spirituality, by Dr. Jagessar Das, on the vegetarian vegan ethics of Kabir.    "The welfare of others is your greatest duty, the highest of all virtues. Have mercy for all beings."   "He [the Supreme Being] is from the beginning, eternal, in age after age, and Nameless [Anadi, Anami]. As a saint he left his own abode to come into the world. He came into the world and taught the way, and released the souls from Yama (death)."   "The birds, separated at night, meet again in the morning... I am Kabir, and I do not break my promise. My Word has power and is dependable. Whoever climbs onto the chariot of the Word, I will take to the Eternal Abode."   "Give up hopes on others, but have hope on God. Keep the company of holy people, and let truth saturate your entire being. Give up passions and desires, and drink the nectar of God’s name."   "The soul finds drops of nectar flowing. It longs to see God and, on being in His presence, it bathes in the river of tranquility."   -- Selections from the Kabir Book of Prayers   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

The Ascension of the Soul Series Exploring Interior Regions of Light & Sound, the Heavens, Higher Planes, Spheres, Levels, the Various Dimensions of the Cosmos!   "The ascension of the soul, stage by stage, to higher regions can be accomplished with the help of Shabd [Inner Sound Meditation]. Hearing these Sounds, the soul will proceed from one region to another, and will ultimately reach the Highest Region, and enter into Rest."  (Huzur Maharaj, Prem Patra Radhasoami)   "The soul, forewarned, enters the causal plane with care, listening again for the guardian sound, which in this region reverberates like the sound of large drums or rolling thunder, and which may also sound like the rumbling chant of the Hindus' OM, OM, or the Muslims' HU, HU. The light that the soul looks for to guide it takes on a brilliant reddish color in this realm, like that of the sun in a summer sunrise. The soul fixes on these aural and visual guides, and passes by locations where the things of our physical world were created." (Mark Juergensmeyer, Radhasoami Reality)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

In his book, The Inward Journey of the Soul (Chal Hansa Nij Desh: O Swan-Soul Return to Your Abode), Swami Vyasanand provides a superbly detailed account of the various essential elements for success in the inward path to union with the Supreme Being. The components of the inward spiritual path have been elaborated by learned and accomplished Sants of the Sant Mat tradition, including Maharshi Mehi Parmahans Ji Maharaj and Maharshi Santsevi Maharaj. As with the earlier publications, Harmony Of All Religions (Sarvadharma Samanvy), by Beloved Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj, and Philosophy Of Liberation (Moksha Darshan), by Sant Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, with this book, The Inward Journey of the Soul by Swami Vyasanand, I am learning new things about the teachings of the Sants of India, and am grateful to be able to access this advanced wisdom! It is indeed an impressive book providing much needed depth and detail about Santmat principles as well as meditation practice. It makes a huge contribution to understanding this Path more clearly, which is especially necessary for Westerners interested in the Sant tradition, not being fluent in Hindi, to fill in the lacuna or blanks in our understanding. As with the NASA space probes encountering distant worlds -- planets and moons, transforming fuzzy objects into clear view, revealing surface features with sharp resolution -- as a result of encountering this book may spiritual seekers and satsangis around the world come away with a much clearer understanding of the teachings of the Masters.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Introduction to the Meditation Practice, And, The First Inner Region: Astral Plane: Sahas-Dal-Kanwal: Thousand Petalled Lotus   “In the center behind and above the eyes there is an aperture; on this side of it is the material world, in which we are living now; and on the other side is the astral world.” (Huzur Baba Sawan Singh)   "Unlike other yogic disciplines in India, such as kundalini, surat shabd yoga does not advocate breath control (pranayama) or a series of physical postures (asanas/mudras) as part of its practice. Rather, it is concerned with withdrawing consciousness from the nine apertures of the body (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, genitals, and alimentary canal) and transcending the corporeal frame and its limitations altogether. This is accomplished by attaching the mind's attention to an inner Light and Sound which is believed to be radiating behind the proverbial 'tenth door' (the 'third eye' of the Hindus), anatomically located behind and slightly above the physical eyes (Shiv Dayal Singh). When consciousness becomes totally concentrated at this pivotal point 'between the worlds,' the soul, according to the saints in this tradition, leaves the body and experiences in elevating degrees higher regions of bliss." (Enchanted Land)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"When we do the practices enjoined by the Master and experience the Lord within, then our condition undergoes a radical change -- the love within us no longer clings to this outer world, and we are drawn, as if by a magnet, towards the Beloved within." (from a satsang discourse of Baba Somanath, and this podcast is indeed a home for the satsangs of Baba Somanath)   "You have to make it a practice to listen to Satsang every day -- even if you have to listen for only half an hour. And the other thing is to do your Bhajan Simran and Dhyan every day... We have to consistently listen to Satsang every day and consistently do our meditation every day." (Baba Ram Singh)   "When we're involved with outer activities we are working for others. When we meditate we're working for ourselves. We have to work for our soul relentlessly and consistently every day." (from the satsang discourses of Baba Ram Singh)   Today's Sant Mat Satsang Podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio includes readings from the mystic poetry of Kabir, Rumi, John of Dalyatha, The Gnostic Gospel of Judas, an Aramaic-Syriac prayer of John of Apamea, along with satsang discourses of Baba Somanath and Sant Ram Singh.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

There are inner Sounds that one receives instruction from a true Master about at the time of initiation into Surat Shabd Yoga (Inner Sound Meditation, the Yoga of the Audible Life Stream). These Sounds are perceived to come from the right side or center and represent the Ascending Current. Sounds that appear to be coming from the left side are of the descending current flowing downward into the material creation or multiverse. One is instructed to focus on the Sounds of the Ascending Current or Audible Life Stream -- certain Sounds. There are of course many other sounds one might hear, but one has to focus on certain Sound Currents. The reason for this is these Sounds, if focused upon during meditation practice, will keep pulling the soul’s attention up to ever higher and higher levels. These are coming from regions Above. Other sounds, though mistaken for the Sound Current, are interesting, miraculous or even mystical, will not help the Surat-soul to ascend or make spiritual progress.   Sometimes in the news there have been reports about people hearing a mysterious sound that seems to be coming from nowhere. One of these has been called "the Taos Hum." In, Philosophy of Liberation, Maharshi Mehi states that not only are there spiritual sounds associated with the heavenly realms, but there are also many vibrations or semi-subtle sounds associated with the gross-material realm. He says one should not falsely assume they are accessing the real inner Sound Current just by hearing ANY kind of sound that may manifest itself in one's perception during the silence of meditation:   "There are sounds due to gross vibrations in the material body. To meditate on these gross-material sounds and believe it to be as the full practice of the Yoga of Sound shows a lack of knowledge of Yoga." There are gross-material sounds one can hear in the silence of meditation that do not lead one Above, do not lead to spiritual growth, transformation or enlightenment. Swami Vyasanand: "This is because only the Central Sound has the power to attract the consciousness to the center and carry the soul to the center of a higher realm. Other illusory material sounds do not have that magnetism to attract the consciousness to the higher realms."   "Various sorts of Sound Currents reverberate in the human system from which the initiate has to pick up the right one and listen to it, otherwise he will go astray and lose his equipoise. The practical Guru forewarns his disciple and directs which Sound to listen to and which one to discard." (Shiv Brat Lal)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"This is for the exclusive use and guidance of the good and sincere Souls who wish to improve their spiritual vision and explore the Light of the Kingdom of God. It is for those who are not satisfied with the blind captivity of their Souls in this perishable cage that these few hints are given to enable them to realize the spiritual Path that is hidden from their physical eyes." (Swami Ram Bihari Lai, disciple of Baba Gharib Das, a Perfect Saint)   Today, a spiritual satsang featuring readings from a great classic called, The Way Out...Is IN, by Swami Ram Bihari Lal, disciple of Sant Baba Garib Das of the Radhaswami Faith. Also presented is research about Sant Garib Das, who was a close disciple of Soami Ji Maharaj/Seth Shiv Dayal Singh (Sant Radhasoami Sahib), and eventual founder of the Radhaswami Spiritual Science, Radhasoami Satsang at Sarai Rohilla in Delhi.   "Although the disciples of Swami Ji Maharaj reached to thousands in number, yet three of them were most prominent. They were Rai Bahadur Saligram at Agra, Baba Garib Das of Delhi, and Maharaj Baba Jaimal Singh Ji in the Punjab.” (Jaimal Singh's  Spiritual Letters)   “GARIB DAS JI OR GHARIB DAS JI  -- A disciple of Swami Ji, who reached Sach Khand during his lifetime. He was from the Punjab and a brother disciple of Baba Ji [Baba Jaimal Singh]. Though a Saint of the Punjab, he preached Sant Mat in Delhi, where he had some followers. Huzur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji had a high regard for him.” (Jaimal Singh, Spiritual Letters)   "The Word is Soami and Surat is Radha, and this dhar of surat that turns back and merges into the Shabd (Word) sings 'Radhasoami'. When you sing the name 'Radhasoami', you do the simran of the 'Five Names'." (Sant Garib Das, book of Anmol Bachan)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

These mystic or heavenly inner Sounds are always resounding in the soul, thus when one attains a certain level of stillness and concentration, spiritual Sound becomes audible. In truth, the inner Sound is always there, it is we (our attention) who come and go. We gain awareness of the Sound, and this creates the illusion that the Sound has "arrived." When we get distracted or leave off our meditation practice it seems to us that the Sound has "stopped." However, this otherworldly Sound continues, like radio waves flowing through the atmosphere, available to be "tuned in" anytime we wish to listen (do bhajan: listen to the inner Sound in meditation).    Hinduism is very much a religion of Divine Light and Sound; many Indian scriptures and spiritual traditions teach about the universe being created through the Sound of AUM, the ecstasy of hearing the cosmic flute of Krishna, or hearing the Unstruck Melody (Anhad Shabad) of God that reverberates throughout the universe. Yogis of Nada Yoga and Masters of Shabd Yoga Meditation impart to their students knowledge about developing their inner spiritual sense of transcendental hearing.    "The Sound heard internally is a Current which has originally emanated from the Supreme Being and is the means not only of concentrating the will but also of raising spirit entity to the Source from which it emanated... The method for taking back the spirit-entity to its Supreme Source is first to concentrate at the eye-focus [Third Eye], and next to commence its journey homewards by attending to the internal Sound, or in other words, by riding the Life or Sound Current which has originally emanated from the Supreme Source." (Huzur Maharaj on Surat Shabd Yoga Meditation practice in, Radhaswami Mat Prakash -- Light on the Teachings of the Lord of the Soul, Radhasoami Faith)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

The God-Intoxicated Mystic Divine Love (Bhakti) Poetry of Sant Namdev from the Shri Namdev Gathas, Adi Granth, and from the Padavali of Namdev. Sant Namdev is one of my all-time favorite saints, one of the greatest mystic poets and spiritual masters in Sant Mat history. His verses of love will inspire any spiritual seeker to journey back to the Ocean of Love (Radhasoami Desh, Sach Khand, Sat Lok). In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

Today we explore Inner Sound Meditation according to the teachings of Sufism, Jainism, the Sikh scriptures, and the Path of Guru Kabir, along with some valuable insight about Inner Sound Meditation practice by Edward Salim Michael.    "Abstract Sound is called Saut-e Sarmad by the Sufis; all space is filled with it. The vibrations of this Sound are too fine to be either audible or visible to the material eyes or ears, since it is even difficult for the eyes to see the form and color of the ethereal vibrations on the external plane. It was the Saut-e Sarmad, the Sound of the abstract plane, which Muhammad heard in the cave of Ghar-e Hira when he became lost in his divine Ideal. The Qur'an refers to this Sound in the words, 'Be! and all became.' Moses heard this very Sound on Mount Sinai, when in communion with God; and the same Word was audible to Christ when absorbed in his Heavenly Father in the wilderness. Shiva heard the same Anhad Nada during his Samadhi [deep meditation] in the cave of the Himalayas. The flute of Krishna is symbolic of the same Sound. This Sound is the source of all revelation to the Masters, to whom it is revealed from within; it is because of this that they know and teach one and the same truth." (Hazrat Khan, The Sufi Message Series, II, The Mysticism of Sound)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Today: spiritual satsang discourses from Hazur Baba Sawan Singh and Baba Ram Singh, also readings from, The Gospel of Thomas (Yeshua) on the Seven Stages of Spiritual Evolution, mystic poems of Kabir (Rabindranath Tagore's, Songs of Kabir), the Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love), At the Master's Feet, by Sadhu Sundar Singh, Evagrius Ponticus of Egypt (quoted in, The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life), and a quote from, The Stranger of Galilee, The Sermon on the Mount and the Universal Spiritual Tradition, by Russell Perkins.   "The escape is through the Sound Current." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)   "We should listen to our Masters and follow Their instructions. We should also care about our soul and make this effort of going within, sitting for meditations every day, and listening to Satsangs every day." (Baba Ram Singh Ji)    In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, Radhasoami,    James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

"What else is Christ but the Sound of God." (Acts of John) Today, research into the inner Sound mysticism of the Judeo-Christian and Gnostic traditions. Before the Sufi mystics of Islam, in ancient times there were Gnostics: Jewish, Hermetic, and Christian mystics who described hearing Heavenly Sound or Divine Music, and seeing mystic visions of Light and the heavens while in deep states of contemplative meditation.    The Sound of God is within everyone -- this Holy Stream of Sound -- is within every living being. This is why those given to exploring the Kingdoms of Inner Space through meditation, be they from the East or the West, have discovered this Reality playing within themselves.    "The soul-explorer is not alone, for there are those who have traveled the highways of the inner cosmos; far more than one may at first realize." (George Arnsby Jones)   "I heard a noise like wind blowing in my ears and knew it for the Sound of the Holy Spirit which became like the voice of a dove. When the Lord spoke to me I lost all sense of time. I did not know if he was with me five or six hours or only one. It was so holy and full of grace that I felt as if I had been in heaven." (Margery Kempe, The Mirror of Love)   "If you should in this world bring many thousand sorts of musical instruments together, and all should be tuned in the best manner most artificially, and the most skillful masters of music should play on them in concert together, all would be no more than the howlings and barkings of dogs in comparison of the Divine Music, which rises through the Divine Sound and tunes from Eternity to Eternity."  (Jacob Boehme, German Mystic)   "In the beginning was the Logos (the Word), the Logos was with God and the Logos was God." (Gospel of John 1: 1)   "The Divine Logos... is the helmsman and governor of the universe... The everlasting Logos of the eternal God is the very sure and staunch prop of the Whole... But the shadow of God is his Word [Logos], which he used like an instrument when he was making the world... Heaven is ever-making Music, producing in accordance with its celestial motions the Perfect Harmony. ... To such strains, it is said, Moses was listening, when, having become disembodied, for forty days and as many nights he touched neither bread nor water at all." (Philo of Alexandria, On The Music of the Spheres)   "Listen within yourself and look into the infinitude of Space and Time. There can be heard the songs of the Constellations, the voices of the Numbers, and the Harmonies of the Spheres." (Hermes Trismegistus, Corpus Hermeticum of Egypt)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Out of all the apocryphal writings I've collected, I think the Odes of Solomon is the most beautiful, inspiring and inspired. It is the would-be book of New Testament psalms! The Book of the Odes has been described as the first known hymn-book of early Christianity. They have nothing to do with "Solomon" but somewhere-along-the-way got mislabeled and assigned to the genre of Old Testament Apocrypha as the Odes represent one of the earliest of Christian documents near the beginning of the Jesus movement within Judaism and so composed before a time when there were many Jewish or Christian writings associated with a "new covenant", and long before the concept of a New Testament canon or collection of scriptures was conceived of. Thus, this collection of psalms was named in a way that's reminiscent of how some scriptures were assigned names during the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the pseudepigraphical literature. This indicates a very early date of composition. The Odes of Solomon consist of 41 psalms. The Odes are believed to have originated in either Antioch or Edessa in Syriac-Aramaic most likely during the First Century AD. One scholar (James Charlesworth) said of the Odes, "Here are some of the most beautiful songs of peace and joy that the world possesses." The New Testament scholar Bentley Layton says that the Odes were considered to be inspired scripture and were chanted by Christians who lived in Syria and all around Mesopotamia about 2,000 years ago. J. Rendel Harris, the discoverer of one Syriac-Aramaic manuscript of the Odes, said the Odes were eventually included in the Sahidic Bible of Egypt. These ecstatic hymns remind me of Rumi or Sufi love poetry in the tradition of "the lover and the Beloved." They also remind me of the Sikh scriptures (Adi Granth) and mystic poetry of the Sants. Many have adopted the practice of contemplating the verses of the Odes and report being brought to a deeper level of devotion (bhakti); being caught up in a love-affair with God, the Ocean of Love. That's also been my experience.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,   James Bean   Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com     Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.      

"In the beginning was the Word, the OM, Tao, Logos, Music of the Spheres, Songlines, the Song of the Creator..." The Yoga of Sound Series Exploring Inner Sound Meditation (Auditory Mysticism, The Sound Current, Audible Life Stream, Surat Shabd Yoga) in the Sacred Texts of the Great World Religions, Gnostic Traditions, and the Path of the Masters (Sant Mat, Radhasoami,). TODAY: The Introduction, Buddhism, also, The Bahai Faith.   "As you calm down, you can experience the Sound of Silence in the mind. You hear it as a kind of high frequency Sound, a ringing Sound that’s always there. It is just normally never noticed. Now when you begin to hear that Sound of Silence, it’s a sign of emptiness -- of silence of the mind. It’s something you can always turn to. As you concentrate on it and turn to it, it can make you quite peaceful and blissful. Meditating on that, you have a way of letting the conditions of the mind cease without suppressing them with another condition. Otherwise you just end up putting one condition over another." (Ajahn Sumedho)   "It is easiest to hear this Sound when it is quiet, particularly at night-time. Once you have identified this Sound, then you place your awareness on it without wavering. Resting your mind in the Sound, you continue to listen, going further and further into the Sound itself." (Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound,   James Bean   Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://www.spiritualawakeningradio.com/sant-mat    

Discover why these Gnostic Gospels and other writings got purged from the Western world during the Fourth Century. Celebrate the sages of Judaism, Neoplatonism and Pythagoreanism that helped to give birth to all of these amazing spiritual movements of antiquity such as the Essenes, Sethians, Mandaeans, Ebionites (mentioned in the Book of Acts, the Hebrew Christians lead by James the Just -- "Christianity before Paul"), Valentinians, Manichaeans, Cathars, and other groups that once represented "cousin" schools of spirituality that have much in common with living paths of today such as Kabbalah, Sufism, and Sant Mat.   Instead of a wafer-thin New Testament at the end of a very long old covenant, how about a huge treasure-trove of New Testament type literature, including poetry, psalms and odes? Some of the twelve surviving codices of the Nag Hammadi or Gnostic Gospels were organized with a curious New Testament-like format of: 1) gospels, followed by, 2) letters or spiritual discourses, and then, 3) books of revelation (heavenly apocalypses). These revelations consist of the visionary or out-of-body encounters by various Saints soul-traveling through several heavenly realms of consciousness. This almost two thousand year old "time capsule", now known as the Nag Hammadi Library, has set in motion a spiritual revolution.   Before the Sufis, in antiquity there were some who were vegetarians, followed a practice of being "initiated into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens" by a living teacher, and during their meditation practice repeated several sacred names that correspond to various inner regions. Their goal was to spiritually ascend through several heavenly realms in order to return to the timeless Supreme Being in the highest realm. Some called this Being "The Nameless One". There are references to inner Light and Sound. There are also references to a Kal Niranjan type being, a false god or negative power called "the Demiurge". Several Sant Mat authors have written books about the Gnostics and the parallels between Gnosticism and the Path of the Masters.    One of the Gnostic scriptures called "Pistis Sophia" contains many beautiful hymns and prayers. Though reincarnation is mentioned as a reality, the goal of salvation was to liberate souls from material captivity, reincarnation, the wheel of fate, and go back to God again. Souls were given the ability to mystically travel via the Holy Stream of Light. In Pistis Sophia (the Book of Faith-Wisdom) Christ says, "Seek, all of you, after the Light, so that the power of your soul that is in you may live. Do not cease seeking day or night until you find the mysteries of the Kingdom of Light, which will purify you, make you into pure Light and lead you into the Kingdom of the Light."   In Divine Love, Light and Sound,   James Bean   Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Some in the West have encountered teachings about Inner Light and Sound Meditation indirectly and then eventually heard that this form of meditation practice actually is derived from a rare spiritual path from India called Sant Mat (the Way or Teachings of the Saints). Spiritual seekers also may have discovered one of our spiritual classics, the book, Path of the Masters, by Julian P. Johnson, were blown away by it, and wish to learn more. This is a pattern: how many have found this path. I was introduced to Sant Mat this way too.   "While we sojourn in this dark region of matter, we have to deal with the negative power. With him we must contend in our struggles for spiritual freedom. It is his duty to try to hold us here, while it is our duty to try to escape. The resulting struggle purges us and makes us strong, and fits us for our homeward journey. This everlasting fight, this struggle in a welter of pain and blood and heart cries, is designed by the supreme Father to purge us and make us clean, ready for our homeward ascent. Let us never become discouraged. All of this is designed by the Father for our benefit. It is much as if one enters a gymnasium to take exercise. If we meet these difficulties in the right spirit, we shall greatly profit by them. The idea of pain and struggle is to purge us and inspire in us a longing to rise above the regions of pain and shadow." (Julian P. Johnson, Path of the Masters)   "The message of the Masters fills the world with hope, and at the same time it offers a rational foundation for such hope. It not only tells people what they should do, but it offers them a definite method of doing it. In the march of the ages, cycle after cycle, in every planet where human beings reside, the great Masters are the Light-Bearers of that world. Until the end of the ages, they will remain the friends and saviors of those who struggle toward the Light." (Julian P. Johnson, Path of the Masters)   HUUU! May the Blessings Be, In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Radhaswami,   James Bean   Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://www.spiritualawakeningradio.com/sant-mat  

Why the Third Eye? Why We Begin Meditation at the Third Eye Center in Sant Mat… It’s the Seat of the Soul! With the demiurgical or Kalistic systems of conventional religions there's always a sense of running out the clock, that though life is short we should be spending decades upon decades perfecting rites and rituals, or beginning at the bottom of the chakra system of the physical body and slowly working our way up, or waiting to develop super ethical purity par excellence till we become "worthy" before we can truly begin our spiritual journey. But demiurgical systems put the divine realm into an unattainable future state always out of reach of human beings who live lives here in the present-tense. The clock runs out! Not enough "time". The cosmic conspiracy wins again. For the Way of the Mystics however, it is never about "time" (kal) but the attention faculty of the soul, inverting our attention within powered by divine grace. Rather than a never-Kingdom unattainable, for the mystics the divine realm is a now-Kingdom to be accessed in the Living Present moment!   "If those who push you around say to you, 'Behold, the kingdom is in the sky', the birds of the sky would enter it before you. And if they say to you' that it is under the earth in the watery abyss', then the fish of the sea would enter it before you. But the kingdom of God is both inside you and outside you. Whoever knows himself will find the kingdom, and when you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will see that you are children of the Living Father. But if you do not know who you are, you will dwell in poverty and you will be that poverty." (Gospel of Thomas, Saying 3, Zinner translation making use of both Coptic and Greek manuscripts)   Param Sant Tulsi Sahib: "Give up being limited to this habitation of skin. Adopt the practice of repeating the Name of the Supreme Being. Purify and train the attention faculty of your soul in meditation. By means of inner vision recognize the Abode of the Beloved, and unite with the current of spirituality, the Sound Current (Shabd). Penetrate through the Third Eye and arrive at the cave in the inner sky."   "The tenth gate is the gathering point of consciousness. Therein lies the path for our return. The tenth gate is also known as the sixth chakra, the third eye, Bindu, the center located between the two eyebrows. This is the gateway through which we leave the sense organs' gates, enter the divine realms, and finally become established in the soul. We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, the Light to the Divine Sound, and the Realm of Sound to the Soundless State. This is called turning back to the Source." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound,   James Bean   Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

"Sant Mat" can be defined as: "The Teachings ('Mat') of the Saints ('Sants') or Sages" or "Path of the Masters". In India it’s common knowledge that the term "Sant Mat" was coined or adapted by Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras during the 19th-century. "Sant Mat" was adopted and popularized by Tulsi Sahib as a new name for this spiritual path or genre of mysticism, but the Sant tradition, with its many guru-lineages or branches, is a spiritual movement that dates back many centuries to ancient India.   "There is no end to the number of Sants who appeared in the Yugas [Epochs] of Sat, Treta, Dvapar, and Kali [Yuga]. I sing of the celebrated one I have heard of, and bow my head to all the others." (Jan Gopal, disciple of Sant Dadu Dayal)   "I have given out the same true secrets which Sants like Kabir Saheb, Dadu Saheb, Rai Das Ji, Darya Saheb, Guru Nanak, Soor Das Ji, Nabha Ji and Mira Bai have spoken of. They, too, have composed similar hymns describing the bliss of the Highest Spiritual Region, whose glory I also have sung, blessed by the grace and the dust of the holy feet of Sants." (Sant Tulsi Sahib, Book of Ghat Ramayan)   "The names of some of the perfect and true Sants, Sadhs and Faqirs who manifested themselves during the past seven hundred years are Kabir Saheb, Tulsi Saheb, Jagjiwan Saheb, Garib Das, Paltu Saheb, Guru Nanak, Dadu Saheb, Tulsi Das, Nabhaji, Swami Hari Das, Sur Das and Rai Das. And some of the Muslim names are Shams Tabrez, Maulvi Rumi, Hafiz, Sarmad and Mujaddid Alif Sani. A perusal of their writings would give an idea of their spiritual attainments." (Sar Bachan Radhasoami Prose, A Summary of the Teachings of Soami Ji Maharaj)   "Sacrifice to the magnificent Saints like Kabir, Nanak, Goswami Tulsidas and Tulsi Sahib, Dadu, Sundar Das, Sur Das, Swapach, Ravi Das, Jagjiwan, Paltu, etc..., They are all great benefactors, delivering human beings from the fears of the world, Satguru Devi and other Saints are also highly adorable, Maharshi Mehi sings their magnificence and lies prostrate at their sacred feet with faith and love." (Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, Book of Padavali)    Today on this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast Selected Quotes from Many Different Sant Mat Masters and Spiritual Classics Introducing The Way of the Saints, The Path of the Masters - A Production of Spiritual Awakening Radio.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound,  James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Jesus and the Unwashed Disciples Crash the Temple: A Delightful Story from the Unknown Greek Gospel of Oxyrhynchus 840 on the Egalitarian Spirituality of Jesus    Sant Tulsi Sahib comes to the aid of a a Sudra (member of the "untouchable" caste) -- Brahman-Pharisee Parallels -- Another Example of Imagined Ritual vs. Real Spiritual Purity   The Egalitarianism of Jesus, Tulsi Sahib, Baba Devi Sahab, and the Love Chapter of Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram   In Spiritual Freedom,   James Bean   Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/library    

Sant Dadu Dayal was a poet mystic and spiritual Master of Divine Love, Light, Sound, and Nirguna Bhakti (Devotion to the Formless God, the Ocean of Love). He was from Rajasthan. Anyone who studies his teachings will encounter a very genuine, pure version of Sant Mat (the Path of the Masters) with the perfect balance of God and guru bhakti, love and mysticism (Surat Shabd Yoga, inner Light and Sound Meditation). The Dadu Vani, Panch Vani Granth of the Dadu Panth is one of the great scriptures of the Sant tradition of India and it includes the mystic poetry of Sant Dadu Dayal of Rajasthan.    In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Satya Raam, Bandagi Saheb, Peace Be to You, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   God is the Ocean of Love, and Souls are Drops from this Ocean.   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.    

The Kabir Book of Prayers, compiled by Dr. Jagessar Das of the Kabir Association, is in the tradition of the Dharamdasi Kabir Panth literature, from the same Sant tradition that produced the Anurag Sagar (The Ocean of Love).   Today's Sant Mat Satsang Podcast is mindful of Sant lineage clarity, honoring the lineage of the Masters (Sant Satgurus) and its literature during all the different time-periods: Kabir Hymns in the Adi Granth, Bijak, Sakhis, Brahm Nirupan, Kabir Sagar, etc..., Dariya Sagar (Sant Dariya Sahib), Ghat Ramayan of Sant Tulsi Sahib, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry of Soamiji Maharaj, Padavali of Maharshi Mehi, etc..., up to the living present.   "I offer salutation to Satguru Kabir, and bow at his lotus feet; His knowledge is like light that removes the darkness of doubts; With folded hands I offer obeisance at the lotus feet of Satguru Kabir; O Lord and Satguru, the remover of bondage, please give me Divine knowledge."    "God dwells in the fourth state (superconscious), and that is where the liberated saints always dwell through meditation. The perfect guru has shown that abode where, without musical instruments, the miraculous Divine Music (Anahad Nad) plays.   (Eternal Name of God - Sandhya Path - Book of Prayers  Kabir Book of Prayers)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat    

"The Great Creative Current flows outwards and downwards to create, govern and sustain all regions. It passes out from this region somewhat like the radio emanations going forth from a great broadcasting station. It is the Audible Life Stream, the most important factor in the system of the Masters. This Stream permeates the entire system of universes. A thing of great importance to us is that the music of this ever-flowing current, the stream of life, can be heard by a real Master and also by his students who have advanced even a little on the Path." (Julian P. Johnson, Path of the Masters)   In the Sant tradition, the complete methods and secrets of meditation practice are communicated at the time of INITIATION (Diksha) by a living Master (Sant Satguru, Competent, Qualified Teacher) or a representative of a Master (not a past Saint or holy book). A Living Teacher, being fully acquainted with the 'landscape' of Inner Space, is able to impart to initiate-candidates valuable guidance on how to safely make the journey of ascension to the Inner Regions during meditation practice within. This kind of spiritual transmission and the details of Surat Shabd Yoga practice are not found in books, old scriptures of the past, and are not for sale, but are given freely to seekers by a living Teacher.    "The current of Radhasoami Dayal's Daya [The Compassionate Lord of the Soul] is ever flowing, but its effect will not be perceptible, unless the current of devotee’s spirit and mind touches it or mingles with it. This will only be possible, when the mind and the spirit get engaged in Abhyas [meditation practices] with Virah [yearning, longing] and Prem [love, bhakti, devotion]... The Sound heard internally is a Current which has originally emanated from the Supreme Being and is the means not only of concentrating the will but also of raising spirit entity to the Source from which it emanated... The method for taking back the spirit entity to its Supreme Source is first to concentrate at the eye-focus [Third Eye], and next to commence its journey homewards by attending to the internal Sound, or in other words, by riding the Life or Sound Current which has originally emanated from the Supreme Source." (Huzur Maharaj, Radhasoami Mat Prakash)   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat

"This 'Single' or 'Third Eye' provides an ingress into the spiritual worlds -- the Kingdom of God -- now a lost realm to most of us... Of this inlet or ingress little is known by the people at large." (Kirpal Singh)   Satsang is a term in Sant Mat that means association ('sang') with the Eternal Timeless Truth or God ('Sat'). Satsang means "association with Eternal Truth" as well as "association with God," and is to some extent comparable to "church" or "temple," but not in any institutional sense. A saying of Jesus in the New Testament provides a good definition of a Satsang meetup: "Where two or three are gathered in My Name, I am there in their midst."   The format of Satsang can include: a spiritual discourse, instruction on putting the Path into practice, a video or audio of the Master giving a talk, readings from the writings of the Masters, the reciting or singing of banis, bhajans or kirtans (hymns of worship composed by Sants), and silent group meditation. It's considered the greatest of blessings if it is a Master who conducts the Satsang in person (or in this age of live streaming, via the web).   The effect of Satsang is that of DIVINE REMEMBRANCE, thus, with such a spiritual boost, encouragement and support for the spiritual journey, those who go to Satsang are much more likely to stay-on-the-Path and put effort into their own daily spiritual practice at home. Thus will the life of the Bhakta (lover, devotee, disciple) become more and more God-intoxicated by imbibing the spiritual wine, the nectar of divine love.   Satsang is intended to be an oasis, a refuge from the agitations of the mind, maya, the labyrinth of the world (and astral plane), a refuge from all that occupies minds in this land of illusion, from all the outer distractions of the world that occupies people's attention, distracts people from the sacred path.   Today, an exploration of the practice of satsang, also the spiritual senses of inner seeing and hearing (Inner Light and Sound meditation - Surat Shabd Yoga), the Third Eye Center as the Seat of the Soul, and Simran practice, featuring wisdom from Sant Kirpal Singh (Instructions For Holding Satsang, Circular Letters,  Simran - The Sweet Remembrance of God, The Teachings of Kirpal Singh), Hazur Baba Sawan Singh (Gurmat Siddhant - The Philosophy of the Masters), and Baba Ram Singh (Satsang Discourses, plus, The Sant Mat Glossary of Terms). Also there are readings from: Russell Perkins (The Stranger of Galilee - The Sermon on the Mount and the Universal Spiritual Tradition), The Canonical Prayer Book of the Mandaeans (Gnostic), Corpus Hermeticum, Matthew 6:22, Matthew 18:20 (New Testament), Psalm 119:37 (Hebrew Bible), a Manichaean passage (Gnosis On The Silk Road), Rumi (Sufism), The Adi Granth (Sikh scriptures), Sikh Wiki, and a mystic poem of Sant Tukarama of Maharashtra (Jog Gatha).    In Divine Light and Sound, Radhaswami,   James Bean https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat

"I am a bubble of Super-most consciousness. That is what my realization is. This is what I have gained. Now what I feel is that there is One, Infinite, Super-most Element. From IT, when it moves, Sound and Light come out and from that Light and Sound this creation takes place. Cosmic rays and many other types of rays come out of this Light and Sound and all this gross matter is made. So it is the Will of that Supreme Power. Everything is oozing out of IT and is merging back in IT." (Baba Faqir Chand)   Below is the Message of J.L. Chaudhari of the Radhasoami Faith (in the spiritual lineage of Baba Faqir Chand and Yogani Mataji)    "The real message of man’s life is 'Be Man'. The question is how to follow this principle and what should we do to adopt this principle and formula for finding a way to God which is nothing but salvation.   "The only way is to surrender oneself in the Lotus feet of Spiritual Master. After this surrender the disciple and Master become one because a true surrender makes a man free from the bondage of senses, dilution, affection, etc, etc. So far we are under the control of worldly desires the surrender is not possible. So the first step is to be free from worldly desires. But that does not mean that the needs for worldly living should not be fulfilled. In fact needs should be fulfilled and not the desires. If we have taken birth as a human being some food (energy) is necessary for the body to work, but it is not necessary that we always aspire for multi-course meals. It is necessary to put on some cloths to cover the body but not necessary that silk linen is put on. It is necessary that there is a shelter for living but not necessary that a marble fitted house is with us.   "As a human being we have to survive in this world without caring for ourselves much, without looking to the ills of others, rather looking towards ills of ourselves, purifying ourselves first, and then do something for the purification of others. This is the living of a 'lotus' in a pond and that is why the Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, wisdom and intellect, sits on the Lotus. The Lotus flower blossoms in muddy pond, but anyone looking at the flower exclaims, 'Wow! How beautiful the flower is!' The whole world is a muddy pond and we have to survive in the midst of mud like a lotus flower which does not care for mud, but it blossoms for the pleasure and happiness of others. Every morning with the sunrise, the lotus blossoms. This is what we should also follow. The divine power and light emanated by the Spiritual Master makes us to blossom like the lotus flower provided we have full trust and faith in our spiritual Master.   "Sant Mat does not look at the race, the cast, the sect or any other identification for a person. Rather, it looks into the true sense of service, sacrifice, surrender, devotion, determination, trust, belief of person towards the Master and those who have these characteristics they may be belonging to any cast, race, country, direction or of any identification can join this Yoga, but for that a true spiritual Master is a must. I don’t know whether you have adopted some spiritual Master or your are under the shelter of someone as a spiritual Master. If so, please do surrender yourself to him or her for all what you desire to attain and achieve.   "The spiritual Master is not the body rather it is the Divine Light, the Divine Sound, and your own Wisdom, your own Conscious, and your own Perception which is Selfless and without any expectation from any one on this earth.   Radhasoami, James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

Thanks to the innovations of Guru Arjan Dev, Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, and Soamiji Maharaj of Agra, the Path of Initiation into Inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga) has gradually become progressively more and more available to an ever-growing percentage of humanity. "Satsang shall spread far and wide in future." (Last Words of Soamiji Maharaj) "After Swami Ji Maharaj, the floodgates of initiation opened up and many people would be able to get the initiation." (Baba Ram Singh) And the Sant Mat spiritual classic and scripture known as the Anurag Sagar (Kabir's Ocean of Love) predicts that as this Kali Yuga age continues to unfold, the Path of the Masters will be far more well-known and followed than it is at present. But at every step and in each generation of time, Masters have had to intervene and reboot the Path whenever it begins to go off course, "falls into the mouth of Kal", the negative power, the gnostic demiurge or false god, in other words, eaten by illusion. Soamiji Maharaj of Agra once said of spiritual paths: "Without Bhakti [love], they are all hollow and sham, outer husks without a kernel." It is the inner "kernel" or "seed" of Life we’re really after, not developing attachments to institutions or organizations, or going through the motions of holidays, traditions, and rituals, well within the confines of the grinding wheel of transmigration.    "I will make the souls firm in the Shabda of the Gracious Forgiver, Sat Purush. Such souls will be Sahaj [on a natural path]: pure and content. They will do the devotion of the soul, and they will be the abode of pure qualities. By doing the Simran of Sat Purush they will sing the praise of the Immovable Naam. I will send the souls to Sat Lok... Spreading the Nectar of Naam I will awaken the souls. O Dharam Rai [negative power], listen carefully. I will humble your arrogance. By doing the practice of devotion, they will get the passport and I will connect them with the Naam of Sat Purush. The Negative Power can't come near such a soul, and he will bow down to them when he sees their union with Sat Purush." (Anurag Sagar, Kabir's Ocean of Love)     In Divine Light and Sound, Sat Naam Saheb, James Bean https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

"As there are landmarks on earth, so there are landmarks in Time. The past and future are like sealed books to us: the one is in the limbo of oblivion, while the other is in the womb of uncertainty. It is only the LIVING PRESENT that is ours, and we must make the best use of it, ere it slips away through the fingers and is lost forever. Human birth is a great privilege and offers us a golden opportunity. It is for us to make or mar the same, for it is given to each individual to forge his or her own destiny as best he may.” (Kirpal Singh, Standing at the Crossroads of Time)   Kirpal Singh was a spiritual master, prolific writer, publishing scores of books over the years, quoting from most every world scripture, mystic, poet, philosopher, and great master that has ever existed spanning the centuries, very much embodying this same curiosity and inclusive universal spirituality we find present in the teachings of the masters of each generation, of each century.   For those spiritual seekers desiring to be introduced to an advanced school of mysticism and spirituality like Sant Mat, the numerous writings of Sant Kirpal Singh that have been published in English will be extremely helpful.   "Human birth is the highest rung of all creation. It is really a rare blessing which you have got. This has been given to you for attaining Divine Realization and spiritual Perfection. It is a supreme opportunity for striving and obtaining a sublime experience of All-Consciousness. It is to be utilized for this great purpose. The various religions and faiths are so many methods evolved for fulfilling this great purpose of human life. This is the one common basis of all religions. You have been put on the way and given a conscious contact with God-Power residing within you. You have to develop it by regular practice from day to day. To attain this Goal purify your nature by living a good life. Manifest truth, purity, love, selflessness and righteousness in your life and activity. Give up all hatred, eradicate egoism and anger. Eschew violence, pledge yourself to love, sincerity, humility, forgiveness and non-violence. Abandon war. Abandon lust for Power. Fill thy heart with compassion, mercy and universal love. Let the Law of Love prevail amongst you, which should be radiated to all nations and races. Let true religion of heart be the ruling factor of your lives. Love God, Love all, serve all and have respect for all as God is immanent in every form. Preach the Gospel of Oneness. Spread the message of Oneness and live a life of Oneness. There will be peace on earth. This is the mission of my life and I pray it may be fulfilled." (Kirpal Singh)   Today on this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio, the wisdom, writings, and meditation instructions of Sant Kirpal Singh.   All for the Love of Satsang, Wisdom, Radio, and Podcasting,  James Bean https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

Today, a Sant Mat Satsang Podcast featuring readings from a rare Radhasoami (Radhaswami) spiritual classic, Light on Ananda Yoga, by Baba Faqir Chand's spiritual master: Shiv Brat Lal (Sant Daata Dayal Ji).    O August Radhaswami (Lord of the Soul), Thou Living Self and Living Master, Beneficent Father and Mother of All! Be merciful – make us Thine own, And thus save us from the snares of Time. Past are the Golden Age and others, Unknowing of the Heavenly Melody proper,   Yet now art Thou Merciful, in this hard Dark Age, To chant in loud and lucid strains, the Sacred Word, O Lord, having descended into this plane below, Helpest Thou the living entities, To span the Worldly-Ocean across; To cast off the Trinity, and reach the Fourth Abode, Whence the Living Name unfolds, And the Living Mastership.   Bathed in Glory and Effulgent Light, Thy servant tenders this Solemn Petition:   Grant us even The Regionless Region, The Chief Abode, the Sphere of Bliss, The Holy Refuge at Thy Feet, MY LORD!   – A Prayer of Sant Daata Dayal Ji (Shiv Brat Lal) of the Radhasoami Faith   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Jai Sat Naam, Jai Guru, Satya Raam, Radhasoami, Bandagi Saheb, Peace Be to You,  James Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.    

The Padavali, Santmat Mystic Poetry of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans in English, a Sant Mat Satsang Podcast of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean.

Long ago, Giordano Bruno wrote of an infinity of worlds and life in the cosmos: "He is glorified not in one, but in countless suns; not in a single earth, a single world, but in a thousand thousand, I say in an infinity of worlds." As was often the case with the western mystics, he was burned at the stake for sharing his revelations, his "heresy". Such has been the fate of numerous gnostic souls and other mystics. Around that very same time but further to the East in India, Guru Nanak also sang that there are countless earths, spheres, moons, suns oceans, living creatures and beings, millions of skies above skies: "Many millions are the skies and solar systems. Many millions are the moons, the suns and stars. Many millions are the sources of creation and continents. Many millions are the jewel containing oceans. Many times has the universal expanse occurred." And rather than being condemned for his intuitive insights, Guru Nanak is considered to be one of India's greatest spiritual masters and saints. His Morning Prayer (Jap Ji) is sung and recited as sacred scripture by millions.    Today on this Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast we explore the similarities between the empirical, scientific path of astronomy and the intuitive way of the mystics, how both explore space, inner and outer, during the dark hours before the dawn, how both have a lens they use to focus with in order to gaze into realms of subtle light from beyond what is normally perceived, and tune the cosmic radio dial listening for faint signals or sounds coming from beyond the cosmic static. The bigness of the "known" cosmos keeps on getting bigger! Actually, it is our awareness that's growing, seeing more and more of That Which Is. I find astronomy and mysticism have much in common. Like Galileo discovering new worlds through the lens of his telescope, mystics have been trying to tell humanity for eons of something quite similar. The reason why the contemplative state of being is still hidden from most of us is that, unlike Galileo’s telescope, in order to look through this particular lens, the third eye or inner vision, we mustn't be stuck always focusing on the outward sensory impressions, but go in the opposite direction: into Inner Space during contemplative meditation. Look through the lens of the third eye to access the world of within. Tune the inner radio dial, listening for the subtle inner sounds coming from beyond the silence.    "If your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of Light." (Yeshua) "With the Divine Eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu surveys a thousand worlds." (Buddha) "Within this earthen vessel are bowers and groves, and within it is the Creator. Within this vessel are the seven oceans and the unnumbered stars. The touchstone and the jewel-appraiser are within. And within this vessel the Eternal soundeth, and the spring wells up. Kabir says: 'Listen to me, my Friend! My Beloved Lord is within.'" "The Light of one soul is equal to that of sixteen suns!" (Kabir) Rumi says, "We are stars wrapped in skin -- The light you are seeking ... has always been... within."   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound,    James Bean    Spiritual Awakening Radio:  https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page:  https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat

Learning to rise above body-consciousness, knowing yourself as a spiritual being, you are free. As a soul, you experience spiritual freedom. From the early archives of Spiritual Awakening Radio and now shared for the first time with the podcast world, a program dedicated to one of the great spiritual classics of Sant Mat spirituality called, The Philosophy of Liberation (Moksha-Darshan), A Manuel of Sant Mat Mysticism, by Maharishi Mehi , on the Goals and Practices of the Sant Tradition of India , translated into English by Professor Veena Howard .   There are several techniques described, the specific details of which are taught to students at the time of their deeksha (initiation) into the meditation practice:    1) developing a daily routine, the habit of meditating at the same time or times each day; 2) proper posture so that one is truly focused at the Third Eye and remains alert and awake; 3) Manas Japa (Simran), a mantra repetition of a sacred word done mentally; 4) Manas Dhyan, the technique of mentally visualizing a form of God or one's teacher; 5) Drshti Yoga, the technique of focusing upon an Infinitesimal Point (Inner Light Meditation). This Point will eventually blossom into inner Light or visions of Light. One gazes into the middle of the darkness or the Light one sees while in meditation. Think of the Infinitesimal Point as being like a laser pointer or cursor keeping one focused. One passes from scene to scene and vision to vision always looking toward the center; 6) Nada Sadhana (Surat Shabd Yoga, Inner Sound Meditation), the practice of inner spiritual hearing; and, 7th) reaching the State of Kaivalya, Oneness with the Supreme Being in the Pure Conscious Realm. The ultimate goal is to merge into the upper level of Kaivalya known as Sabdatita [Sabtatit] Pad – the State beyond the Sound, the Ultimate Reality of God in the Nirguna or Formless State, also described with terms such as Anami (Nameless), Anadi (Soundlessness), and Ocean of Love.    God is the Ocean of Love.   Jai Guru, Sat Naam Saheb, Radhasoami, Satya Raam, Bandagi Saheb, Peace Be to You, In Divine Love, Light, and Sound,   James Bean   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.    

"Sant Mat" can be defined as: "The Path of the Masters" or "Way of the Saints and Mystics". Sant Mat is a living school of spirituality or mystic path. It has some shared ideas in common and parallel spiritual practices that once-upon-a-time were part of Gnosticism, Pythagoreanism, Platonism, Kabbalah, Christian mysticism, and Sufism. But unlike some cousin schools of spirituality that are associated with earlier centuries, medieval times, and antiquity, Sant Mat is a living spiritual path with us now in the Twenty-First Century, is a "living gnosis now", complete with living mystics and and an intact spiritual practice of Sacred Names, Inner Seeing (Inner Light), Transcendental Hearing (Inner Sound), and the Ascension of the Soul through the heavens (Inner Regions). Masters continue to initiate their students into "The Mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens". As Kirpal Singh once said, "The world have never been without a living Master." But spiritual experience and mystical paths are quite fragile and short-lived in this world of samsara (world of changes and illusion). There is no permanent Institution or University of Mysticism that has survived in one particular location since ancient times, but a decline-renewal process, a continuous pattern of Masters leaving older groups, movements, ashrams or real estate, and emerging in new locations to begin again, to reboot, to reset, to renew the mystic-path on Planet Earth, to keep the torch of spirituality burning bright for another generation or two. Spirituality is the Impulse of Life from the Great Life, the Universal Soul — God — that we as soul are intertwined with, not golden temples, or idols made of wood and stone. God is not attached to any particular geography but lovers of the Beloved are always creating new peaceful safe spaces, oases in the dry deserts of religion (satsang) where only Divine Truth is the focus. The history of Essenes leaving Jerusalem, John the Baptist leaving Qumran, Saint Thomas heading East, Valentinians moving out of Roman cities to create Egyptian spiritual communities in the desert, Tulsi Sahib moving from Poona to Hathras, and so it goes and always has been, an observable pattern of breaking with the past, a time-honored tradition of crisis and renewal, reaffirming one’s mystic-path, making a fresh start in new locations, remaining free to exist in genuineness and authenticity without a hierarchy of scribes and an ever-growing caste of Pharisees running the show, surrounding the Master, blocking him from our view. There has never been an Institution of Gnosis. "Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." (Eric Hoffer) As Seneca once said: "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end." "Another common misconception is that prophets, saints and mystics search for 'new' truth. Rather, what they do is to simply remove the layers of dirt -- of accumulated misinterpretations -- that have corrupted the truth. Then the living teacher will bring forth the very same truth in a new light. The original truth must repeatedly be presented to suit the current age." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound,   James Bean   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat    

The realms described by the Masters are within one’s self. That is to say, it is a journey of several stages that one passes through on the way to the Non-dual Ultimate Reality or Ocean of Oneness at the Top, beyond all illusion. The journey begins at the Third Eye Center, goes up through the Crown Chakra and through many levels beyond. During meditation (surat shabd yoga, out-of-body or soul travel), one passes through the regions. Certain lights, visions or sounds one encounters up this NDE-like “tunnel” inside are used as markers along the way. Certain key visions, lights and sounds, are associated with the astral, causal, mental, ethereal, and spiritual planes above those.   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, James Bean   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat  

"Hazur [Baba Sawan Singh] one day told Seth Vasdev, whose car is always at Hazur's disposal, that he should read Kabir Sahib's Anurag Sagar (The Ocean of Intense Love). Hazur said that without studying it, one cannot fully understand the difference between Kal (the negative power) and Dayal Mat (the Path of the true and Merciful God), nor can one fully grasp the teachings of Sant Mat." (Rai Sahib Munshi Ram quoted in the Introduction to, The Ocean of Love: The Anurag Sagar of Kabir, English translation, published by Sant Bani Ashram)   "First of all I salute the Satguru, Who showed me the Inconceivable God -- Who, lighting the lamp of the Master's Knowledge and opening the veil, made me have His darshan [vision]... Only the connoisseur, who will test the Shabda [Word] and listen to the teachings with full attention and within whom these teachings will dwell, only he will understand this. He within whom the Sun of Knowledge will manifest and remove the darkness of attachment -- only he will understand this. I am telling you this Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love) -- only rare saints will understand... As long as the soul remains in the body, 0 brother, practice the Path of Shabda... The path of the Essential Shabda is subtle, easy and perfect; but only the brave can follow it... The Union of Surat [Soul] and Shabda -- when one gets Shabda, he reaches the realm of the saints. It is the play of the drop and the Ocean. What else can one say? After meeting the Satguru, one understands the play of Shabda and Surat. It is the union of the drop and the Ocean. What else can one say? Giving up the qualities of mind, one should follow the Path of the Master. Such a soul goes to Sat Lok and derives Happiness from the Ocean of Happiness... He who gets the Shabda becomes free of the dirt of birth after birth. The jiva [Soul] who gets the Naam and Simran goes to Sat Lok. The soul who accepts the Shabda of the Master with firmness becomes as valuable as nectar. He goes back to his home with the strength of Sat Naam and his soul sings in peace and happiness." (selections from, The Anurag Sagar)   The Anurag Sagar, Guru Kabir's Ocean of Love, is one of many sacred texts composed and used by the Dharamdasi branch of Kabir Panth, the Sant Dharam Das line of Masters (the People of the Anurag Sagar). The Anurag Sagar is but one of many volumes in a larger collection known as the Kabir Sagar (Ocean of Kabir) consisting of many scriptures with the same question and answer format of dialogues (catechism) between Kabir (the Master) and Sant Dharam Das (the disciple). The Anurag Sagar is an essential text of Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters in the guru lineage of Sant Dharam Das, in the satsangs of Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, and Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras. It remains popular with Radhasoami's as it was greatly valued by Soamiji Maharaj of Agra, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, and is still considered essential reading by their spiritual successors up to the present time.     God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Radhasoami, Peace Be to You,   James Bean   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat    

On this auspicious day, Wednesday, July 13th, 2022 in India is Guru Purnima, Masters' Day, Teachers' Day. Devotees pay homage to their Spiritual Teacher (Sant Satguru) especially on this day. Today on this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast a Guru Purnima Message.    Thankfully, there have been honest, loving, radiant, Godly beings that have graced this planet with their enlightened compassion. They work with those who seek the Path of the Masters and successfully practice Surat Shabd Yoga (Inner Light and Sound meditation) in a way that is almost identical to the Ideal spiritual path described by Swami Ji Maharaj of Agra, Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, and Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, with a rich mystical approach to meditation practice, travelling quite far along in their journey back to God. These initiates have very real experiences commencing with their meditation practice.   "The true gurus live a simple life and morally upright lifestyle; they stay away from the pomp and show of the display of power. For example, they do not have expensive cars and opulent ashrams. They do not show favoritism among their followers... They do not consume prohibited foods (alcohol, animal products, etc...), nor do they instruct their followers for their consumption... They do not pretend to be in Samadhi nor do they put on a public display of fasting. They do not cling to a particular caste and do not favor religious customs. They do not care about their appearance nor try to impress others through their outer appearance." (Swami Vyasanand)   "Another common misconception is that prophets, saints and mystics search for 'new' truth. Rather, what they do is to simply remove the layers of dirt -- of accumulated misinterpretations -- that have corrupted the truth. Then the living teacher will bring forth the very same truth in a new light. The original truth must repeatedly be presented to suit the current age." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)   "One wishing to reach one's home should seek the Satguru’s shelter. This will help one pursue the pathway leading to one’s true home." (Maharshi Mehi)    "Feed your heart in conversation with someone harmonious with it; seek spiritual advancement from one who is advanced. If you seek to know God, sit at the feet of the Saints." (Rumi)   "All Scriptures, Sages, Saints and Mahatmas have laid great emphasis on devotion to a Master, because without devotion all our spiritual practices take us only half-way and do not bring proper results." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)   "The teachings of all Saints are essentially the same. They speak of the 'Kingdom of Heaven' which is within. They show the path and impart instructions to attain it. They do not claim to teach something new or different from what other Saints have taught. Tulsi Sahab declared that he was giving the same teachings as those of Kabir Sahab, Nanak Sahab, Dadu Sahab and other Saints. Tulsi Sahab, for the first time, used the expression 'Sant Mat' or 'The Teachings of the Saints' to stress the basic unity of the teachings of all Saints." (entry for Sant Tulsi Sahib in, White Paper on the Religion of Sants and RadhaSoami Faith)   God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Radhasoami, Peace Be to You,   James Bean   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat    

Says Kabir, "It is the mercy of my true Guru (Satguru) that has made me to know the Unknown. I have learned from him how to walk without feet, to see without eyes, to hear without ears, to drink without mouth, to fly without wings." "I'll give you what no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, no hand has ever touched, and no human mind has ever thought." (Jesus, Saying 17, Gospel of Thomas)   "Saints and sages have unveiled all the mysteries of the spiritual journey and of self-realization in their discourses. All the techniques have been documented in books. But without an Accomplished Teacher, we will not be able to understand the correct technique of true knowledge just by reading... This mysterious path is described in the holy books, but it cannot be found simply by the study of sacred texts. It is found by the grace and guidance of an Accomplished Teacher." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)   "All the world is entangled in meaningless rituals, and knows not the inner workings of God." (Guru Gobind Singh)   "You've ignored the Living One right in front of you, and you've talked about those who are dead." (Jesus, Gospel of Thomas, Saying 52)    "Without a Master all scriptures are like the whispering of ghosts." (Sant Tukarama)   Books falling from the sky did not create the world religions. Before there was "The Book", there was the author of "The Book." Without living Teachers there would be no Torah, no Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, no Sermon on the Mount, no Golden Rule or Gospel of Thomas, no Nag Hammadi Library, no Suras of the Quran, no ahimsa message of Lord Maharvira in Jainism, no sages to compose the Upanishads, no Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita, no Jap Ji of Guru Nanak, no Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu, no Golden Verses of Pythagoras. If there was no Master Shams of Tabriz, there would have been no disciple by the name of Rumi. If there was no Swami Ji Maharaj, no Tukaram, no Tulsi Sahib, no Dadu, no Ravidas, no Mirabai, no Maharishi Mehi, no Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, no Guru Kabir, no Sant Dariya Sahib, no living Masters, there would be no Sant Mat, no students, no initiates, no satsangs to attend, no school of spirituality, no clear and organized system of inner Light and Sound Meditation called Surat Shabd Yoga to be initiated into, nobody to give the initiation, nobody successfully doing the meditation -- no one to expand anyone's horizons and awareness.   "The message of the Masters fills the world with hope, and at the same time it offers a rational foundation for such hope. It not only tells people what they should do, but it offers them a definite method of doing it. In the march of the ages, cycle after cycle, in every planet where human beings reside, the great Masters are the Light-Bearers of that world. Until the end of the ages, they will remain the friends and saviors of those who struggle toward the Light." (Julian P. Johnson, Path of the Masters)   Living Masters And Therefore Living Students (Disciples, Chelas, Satsangis, Initiates,) today on this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio.   God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Radhasoami, Peace Be to You,   James James (at) SpiritualAwakeningRadio (dot) com   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat    

"The soul-explorer is not alone, for there are those who have traveled the highways of the inner cosmos; far more than one may at first realize." (George Arnsby Jones)   "I had no fixed starting place in time and space, for I dwelt in a multi-verse that was co-extensive with all the ages. But my inner world was still limited by the boundaries of creation; I needed the guidance of a spiritual adept, within the physical world itself, to give me new birth into the freedom of eternity." (George Arnsby Jones)   Spiritual satsang readings today from the "Family Tree of Sants", from the literature of the lineage of Sant Mat Masters descending from Guru Kabir, the Path of the Masters. I maintain that the contemporary line of Masters in Sant Mat, and various branches thereof, emanates from this primary line of past Masters (Sant Satgurus): Kabir to Sant Dharam Das to Sat Saheb to Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar to Tulsi Sahib of Hathras and then branching out from various successors of Sant Tulsi Sahib up to the living present. You will always find this lineage of Sants is especially honored here, and the writings of these Masters are often explored.   "O Soul! Who are you and whence have you come? You are a ray from Purush (the Supreme Being) and an inhabitant of the purely Spiritual Region." (Swami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry)   "The truth is, you turned away yourself, and decided to go into the dark alone. Now you are tangled up in others, and have forgotten what you once knew." (Kabir)   "Hiding in this cage of visible matter is the invisible life-bird. Pay attention to her, She is singing your song." (Kabir)   "When the mind becomes calm then the truth is revealed." (Kabir)   "By seeking the path within, one will go beyond the sensory realm…and will attain the State of Oneness." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)   "The natural tendencies of the soul (atman) are to move from outward to inward. The current of consciousness which is dispersed in the nine gates of the body and the senses, must be collected at the tenth gate. The tenth gate is the gathering point of consciousness. Therein lies the path for our return. The tenth gate is also known as the sixth chakra, the third eye, bindu, the center located between the two eyebrows. This is the gateway through which we leave the gates of the sense organs and enter in the divine realms and finally become established in the soul. We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, from the Light to the Divine Sound, and from the Realm of Sound to the Soundless State. This is called turning back to the Source." (Beloved Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)   God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Radhasoami, Peace Be to You,   James James (at) SpiritualAwakeningRadio (dot) com   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat

Satsang Readings and Commentary Based on, Prem Patra Radhasoami, The Spiritual Love Discourses of the Lord of the Soul, Volumes One and Two, by Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram Bahadhur, great teacher, prolific writer and one of the founding Satgurus of Sant Mat in recent centuries.   "A heart devoid of Love or Affection is as hard as stone, and does not form a suitable receptacle for the Light of Heavenly Grace and Mercy...  Where Pure Love dwells there sheds the Light of Grace, as it forms a link with the Spirit or Love Current from It's Source, the Supreme Being... Love is most sublime, having its origin in the Highest Region, the Abode of the Supreme Being. In whatever heart it springs up, It will gradually raise and carry the fortunate possessor of this lofty and noble passion to the Highest Region." (Huzur Maharaj)   Also Readings from:   Radhasoami Mat Prakash, by Huzur Maharaj (the Very First Sant Mat Book Published in English Near the Beginning of the 20th Century);   Sar Bachan Radhasoami Prose, Book One (Book One is a Synopsis of the Teachings of Soamiji by Huzur Maharaj);   The Last Words of Soamiji Maharaj;    Petals of Love, by Agam Prasad Mathur;   The Spiritual Seekers Guide, by Dayal Sahab;   An Excerpt from the article: On the Origin, Usage, and Meaning of the Most High Sacred Name of God “Radhasoami";    Anmol Vachan, by Sant Gharib Das;    "When you sing the name ‘Radhasoami’, you do the simran of the ‘Five Names’.” (Sant Gharib Das, Book of Anmol Bachan)   “No devotee was so near and dear to Soamiji Maharaj as Hazur Maharaj [Rai Salig Ram Bahadhur] was. In his letters to Hazur Maharaj he addressed him as 'Aziz-az-Jan', meaning dearer than self. In ecstasy, grace and mercy, once he said, 'I do not know whether I am Rai Salig Ram’s Guru or he is mine.'" (Petals of Love, by A.P. Mathur)   "Addressing Lala Seth Pratap Singh, Soamiji Maharaj observed: 'The Faith I had given out was that of Sat Naam and Anami. The Radhasoami Faith has been introduced by Salig Ram (Huzur Maharaj). You should let it also continue. Satsang must go on. Satsang shall spread far and wide in future.'" (Last Words of Soamiji)   "This creation is subject to dissolution and everything therein is also perishable. He alone is wise and prudent who has carefully examined the affairs of the world and, finding it liable to destruction and therefore unreal and illusory, has derived real benefit from his human body by performing the practices of Simran and Bhajan and, taking advantage of the gifts bestowed on the human body by the Supreme Lord, has succeeded in taking his Surat, i.e. the spirit which is the most invaluable essence in the creation, to its Original Home." (Prose, Book One, Verse One)   God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Radhasoami, Peace Be to You,   James James (at) SpiritualAwakeningRadio (dot) com   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.     

Introductory Meditation Instructions from Hazur Baba Sawan Singh: "As to any exercises which might help you, until the time of your initiation, I can only suggest at this time that you may sit in meditation, in a quiet place, like your own bedroom or some room as secluded as possible, and with spine and body erect, in a comfortable position, fix all the attention at the center just back of the two eyes [at the third eye], and slowly repeat the word RADHASWAMI ['Ra-Dha-Swam-e'], fixing the mind on the Supreme Being who is your Supreme Father."   Remember, this is the Introductory Meditation, not the full practice learned at the time of Initiation. This is only the beginning.   Inner Light and Sound Meditation: Surat Shabd Yoga means: The Union (Yoga) of the attention faculty of the soul (Surat) with the inner Light and Sound (Shabd) of God during meditation practice.   "The practices which have been taught for purifying the spirit and making it ascend upwards should be performed regularly and with feelings of love." (Huzur Maharaj/Rai Saligram, Prem Updesh Radhasoami)   In the Sant tradition, the complete methods and secrets of meditation practice are communicated at the time of INITIATION (Diksha) by a living Master (Sant Satguru, Competent, Qualified Teacher) or a representative of a Master (not a past Saint or holy book). A Living Teacher, being fully acquainted with the 'landscape' of Inner Space, is able to impart to initiate-candidates valuable guidance on how to safely make the journey of ascension to the Inner Regions during meditation practice within. This kind of spiritual transmission and the details of Surat Shabd Yoga (Inner Light and Sound Meditation) practice are not found in books, old scriptures of the past, and are not for sale, but are given freely to seekers by a living Teacher. At the time of Initiation one vows to practice meditation each day. The spiritual path is a life-long commitment.   Seeking information on how to be initiated into the meditation practice (the Inner Light and Sound of God)? Email me here:  James (at) SpiritualAwakeningRadio (dot) com   God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be to You,    James   Spiritual Awakening Radio Website:  https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Introduction to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation -- Web Page: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat    

"Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." (from the Book of Jude) The Septuagint Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures, made for the Library of Alexandria, was literally "The Bible" of early Christianity, and it included several additional texts (Apocrypha) not found in other Bibles. A translation of it in contemporary English has been published.    Aramaic Was the Language of the Original Jesus Movement: There are impressive Aramaic-Syriac manuscripts of the New Testament that have been translated into English, and even older Aramaic-Syriac manuscripts of the four gospels. Discover the Peshitta, and the Old Syriac Gospels (Evangelion da-Mepharreshe) from Codex Sinaiticus.   Divine Light in the Dead Sea Scrolls: We next turn our attention to the Dead Sea Scroll discovery of Qumran, and hear selections of hymns (psalms) composed by the enigmatic prophet, who was the founder of this community in antiquity, known only as "The Teacher of Righteousness". Also mentioned is the Book of First Enoch, quoted by Jude in the New Testament, and a popular text at Qumran.     The Psalms of Early Christianity Are Back: The book where the Messiah perhaps for the first time begins to materialize, makes his first literary appearance in the first century A.D., is the Book of the Odes. This mysterious collection of ancient hymns written in Syriac, a dialect of the Aramaic language, has been described as "some of the most beautiful songs of peace and joy that the world possesses." These mystical poems and prayers remind me of Rumi and other Sufi poets. Sometimes I refer to the Odes as 'the would-be book of New Testament psalms', and I find the Odes to be a very spiritual book, one of the finest examples of a "lost book of the Bible" that got misnamed, misfiled and misplaced somewhere along the way. And, yes, it was viewed to be scripture in some places, such as Asia Minor, Syria/Mesopotamia and Egypt.   The Author of the Gospel of Luke Said "Many" Had Already Composed Gospels Before He Wrote His: We learn about Sayings Gospel Q, a collection of the sayings of Jesus. Quotes from it were included in several early Christian gospels. We also explore a translation containing over twenty gospels and surviving fragments of gospels from the early centuries A.D.   The Gospel of Thomas, A Wisdom Gospel or Gospel For Contemplative Mystics Seeking A Present-Tense Kingdom of God Here and Now: The Gospel of Didymus Jude Thomas the Twin, a collection of the sayings of Jesus, went missing for almost two millennia until three copies of it were almost miraculously discovered several decades ago: two sections of it written in Greek found at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, and a more complete edition in the Coptic language discovered near a monastery not far from Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt buried under the sands of time in a clay storage jar. This important lost book has been found again. Practically predicting it’s own rediscovery the book of Thomas says: "Know what is before your face, and what is hidden from you will be revealed to you. For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor anything buried which will not be raised." (Saying Five) Also mentioned is the possible inclusion in the Gospel of Thomas of a few sayings of Yeshua from another early Christian scripture known as the Gospel of the Hebrews.    If You Don't Want Your Saints and Mystics, We'll Tak'em! In the West, they might not be known, are not usually quoted, and their names are never spoken. Today we remember a few of the "orphan" saints and "homeless" mystics of Christianity, including those from the almost unknown community called "The Church of the East". Shared are excerpts from the out-of-this-world prayers of Joseph the Visionary.     This Spiritual Awakening Radio podcast includes a list of recommended reading: translations of the scriptures referring to above, anthologies of apocryphal writings, and also mentioned is the book, Disciples, by Keith Akers, a scholarly, rather thorough and impressive documentation of the vegetarianism of the Jesus Movement (Ebionites or Hebrew Christians).   In Divine Love, Light, and Sound, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

During this short podcast you'll catch a glimpse of a rare form of Christianity, somewhat estranged from the Western world perhaps, but very much part of Christianity further to the East since the earliest of days: a rich contemplative tradition of prayer, meditation, and living a spiritual way of life "practicing the presence of God", as Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection once described it. Meditation in the Hebrew Bible: "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10). This passage from the Acts of Peter provides a great description of meditation practice: "Give ear; withdraw your souls from all that appears but is not truly real; close these eyes of yours, close your ears, withdraw from actions that are outwardly seen; and you shall know the reality of Christ and the whole secret of your salvation." Meditation according to Meister Eckhart: "There is a speaking of God in the core of the soul where no creature can enter or speak, for only God lives there and only He speaks. God speaks there when the soul puts aside all that is created, when she silences her powers and gains a vision into the foundation of her pure essence. In this pure and silent soul, God the Father speaks and she hears His Voice." From the Prayers of John of Apamea: "What wonders has your love effected! When someone is still alive he has left this world: though his bodily condition remains with the world's bodily condition, yet his spirit has been raised up towards You, so that for a period of time he is where he knows not, being totally raptured and drawn towards You."    Christian meditation and mysticism does exist -- is a thing -- for real, and we will explore it today during this Spiritual Awakening Radio podcast! Hope you'll join me.   All for the love of wisdom, radio, and podcasting, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

Today on this Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast, three charming parables about beings with limited perceptions of the dimensions of space-time and yet are attempting to comprehend a vastly more complicated multidimensional cosmos: A Man Trapped in a Well Arguing with the Person Above Holding the Rope, Guru Nanak's, "Point My Feet In A Direction Where God Is Not", and India's version of Plato's Cave: The Frog in a Well. We are that frog dwelling in the "well" of our limited understanding, attempting to come to terms with accounts of vast unknown realms beyond. The Master-Power working overhead reaches out to us, attempting to show us the way forward.   There is "level confusion", as it is known, which is when human beings believe they can put God and the heavens into material confines such as temples made of wood and stone here on earth in time and space, or religious organizations residing in buildings of brick and mortar. Humanity tries to make heaven fit into tiny earthy symbolic and ritual spaces rather than taking the natural path of being souls, drops of consciousness, that rise up to the heavenly state and explore it As It Is. In the history of religion, human beings always seem to wish to bring heaven down to the earth-plane rather than leaving attachments and confines behind and ascend up to the heavens As They Are. Kabir says, "The musk is in the deer, but it seeks it not within itself: it wanders in quest of grass." Kabir is advocating the path of exploring inner space through meditation, going within the (true) temple of the human body, saying it is bigger on the inside, with vast heavenly realms of inner suns, moons, stars, and multiverses... and God... and you.   Today, readings from: Songs of Kabir, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, The Book of the Knowledge (Gnosis) of the Invisible God, The Gospel of Judas, The Tao Te Ching of Lao-tzu, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry of Soamiji Maharaj, a spiritual Satsang Discourse of Baba Ram Singh defining what is meant by inner and outer satsangs, also shedding light on the interior voyage of the soul back to it's true home beyond the lower worlds of time (Kal), illusion (Maya) and karma. Through the grace of the masters and the power of the Sound Current, the devotee (bhakta) comes to rest in the Lap of of the Supreme Father, the Beloved Radhasoami. "The soul gets very happy, and it gets connected to the Sar Shabd with the Grace of the Masters, and then that Sar Shabd takes the soul to the Sach Khand." This Sant Mat Satsang Podcast concludes with a hymn of one of the greatest bhajan singers of recent memory: Baba Somanath. "Fix your attention at the third eye. Shake off this false dream; remove duality and evil propensities from your within... The Divine Guru is the radiant form of Light: He banishes all darkness. Just like the moon rising in the night sky, He drives away the illusion of ignorance... See the Truth with your own eyes. In the blink of an eye Maya [illusion] is destroyed, and the light (of the soul) merges into the Divine Light (of Shabd)."   In Divine Light, Sound, and Love, Radhasoami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Today, wisdom from the Masters or Mystics of the East and West on the power of silence to guide our every step, so each step brings us closer to our most noble goals, leading us into a life of love, peacefulness, an enlightened existence. The art of listening in the silence of meditation provides us with countless opportunities to see clearly without the usual day-to-day distractions, perceiving the events of our life from a higher vantage point. Silence allows angels to whisper advice into our ears. It also makes it possible for the authentic self to rise to the surface, introducing a new divine power or grace into this dimension of reality. It imparts insight, and ultimately, wisdom borne out of the depths or womb of contemplative silence gives birth to the realization of the soul itself. Most of the time we human beings are distracted surface-dwellers. We live from the levels of conscious mind and ego, with our attention hopelessly held captive by the turbulence and agitation of our day-to-day circumstances. If we can develop a daily meditation practice, learn to take a break and detach ourselves, allowing some space for the silence to speak to us, we will gain access to a higher wisdom. If we can pause and listen, taking time each day to meditate, this will provide opportunities for angels, the Inner Master-Power or the Great Invisible Spirit to communicate, to whisper into our inner ear.   "Learn to sit still and be mentally still, and the silence thus generated with be more vocal than words spoken and written; and you will have an instantaneous solution not only to your own personal problems but to the problems of others as well." (Kirpal Singh, The Way of the Saints)   "I will come to you in the silence." (Acts of Thomas)   “Silence gives us a new way of looking at everything.” (Mother Teresa)   "To be pure and still means to be open to purity and stillness -- as a result you can intuit the truth." (7th Century Da Qin Scripture of China -- The Jesus Sutras of the Church of the Light)   "Within each of us there is a silence, a silence as vast as the universe. And when we experience that silence, we remember who we are." (Gunilla Norris)   "Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continually return." (A Testament of Devotion, by Thomas Kelly, Quaker mystic)   "Bestow upon us a spirit of knowledge for the revelation of your Mysteries, to come to a knowledge of ourselves: where we have come from, where we are going, and what we should do in order to live." (Book of Allogenes, Gnostic Gospels, Nag Hammadi Library)   "Through the faculty of meditation man attains to eternal life; through it he receives the breath of the Holy Spirit -- the bestowal of the Spirit is given in reflection and meditation." (Abdul-BAHA, Bahai Faith)   All for the Love of Wisdom, Radio, and Podcasting, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts), heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics - education for a more peaceful planet.  

Soami Ji Maharaj was a mystic traveler of the Heavens and described his explorations of Inner Space in his writings. The out-of-this-world mystic poetry of Soamiji Maharaj today on Spiritual Awakening Radio, a Sant Mat Satsang Podcast. This program is all about the life, teachings and Sar Bachan Radhasoami poetry of Soamiji Maharaj (Seth Shiv Dayal Singh, Sant Radhasoami Saheb) of the Radhasoami Faith (Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters). Swami Ji’s verses are quite intricate with layers of meaning, and contain numerous terms for the various heavenly regions, states of consciousness, visionary and auditory experiences he encountered as he was in communion with his Beloved Radhasoami, Supreme Being, The Lord of the Soul. The Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry (Nazm yaani Chhand bandh) is one of the most other-worldly spiritual classics of India, and is based upon Swami Ji’s own inner travels, experiences and spiritual realizations during meditation practice (Surat Shabd Yoga, Inner Light and Sound Ascension, soul travel). Soami Ji even made use of some Persian or Sufi mystical terminology at times, and composed some ghazals in Persian. "Soami Ji’s father and grand-father were Persian scholars." (The Biography of Soami Ji Maharaj) Soami Ji "acquired a working knowledge of Arabic and Sanskrit", earlier in his life for a time taught Persian, and even "wrote a book in Persian." (Radhasoami Faith -- A Historical Study) Swami Ji himself says, "How shall I openly speak of its process (the process of creation in Pinda: the material universes, And: the astral dimensions, and Brahmand: Universal Mind realms -- this best remains confidential), for none can comprehend its secrets and idioms which I will have to have to employ to reveal them."    "O Soul! Who are you and whence have you come? You are a ray from Purush (the Supreme Being) and an inhabitant of the purely Spiritual Region." "Always remember the Lord, and, knowing that He is always with you, imbue yourself with His love." (Swami Ji Maharaj)   "Such is the peculiar efficacy of the Path of Love and Devotion that if you adopt it, it will transport you to the Reservoir of Ambrosia. In the Source or Fountain, i.e., in Radhasoami Dham [the Eighth Heaven], there is absolutely no trace of maya [illusion]. There it is all love and love alone. It is an immense Reservoir of Love, having no beginning and no end."  (Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, Volume One)   Soamiji’s Cave-like Meditation Room-Within-A-Room: "From childhood Soamiji Maharaj used to shut himself up in a small room which is at the back of another room on the ground floor of his house. For light and air there is a small aperture, otherwise no noise can reach within. This room still exists in a renovated form and is considered as one of the most sacred and hallowed of places." (Biography of Babuji Maharaj) "For about fifteen years, Soami Ji Maharaj used to shut Himself up in a room which is within another room [a meditation room within a room of his home in Agra]. He was all the time absorbed in the bliss of Surat Shabd Yoga." (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram) After this period of deep exploration of the inner regions and union with his Beloved Radhasoami in Sach Khand (the Highest of the Heavens), Swami Ji emerged and began his Spiritual Mission of holding public satsang and initiating souls into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens. "In January 1861, Soami Ji started publicly explaining the method of Saints (Sant Mat) to a few people who gathered at his home. This satsang [true association, association with Eternal Truth] continued for nearly seventeen years, during which period about four thousand persons  -- men and women  -- Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sravagis, and a few Christians were initiated by him into Sant Mat (the Path of the Saints), i.e. Radhasoami Path (the Path of the Supreme Being). Most of these were householders; but some (about three hundred) were Sadhus also." (Encyclopaedia of Saints of India, Volume Nineteen: Radhasoami)   Radhasoami,   James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

This is one of my most important podcasts of the last five years. Today we explore the origin, usage, and meaning of the Sacred Name of God Radhasoami (pronounced "Ra-Dha-Swam-e"). There is background shared on the founder and foundation of the Radhasoami Satsang. In addition to some rare history being presented here for the first time, this is primarily a Sant Mat Satsang Podcast mostly consisting of spiritual readings (Satsang Discourses) from various masters, also mystic poetry (Kabir, Sant Tulsi Sahib, Sar Bachan of Soamiji Maharaj and Prem Bani Radhasoami of Huzur Maharaj). The nature of the Supreme Being and the soul are explored, the Bhakti Path of the Lover and the Beloved. There is a discourse defining The Six Key Goals of Satsang, the format for communicating about the vital teachings of the masters on living a spiritual way of life and correct methods of meditation leading one to exploring the Inner Regions and Heavenly Realms. Shared are the Four Essential Eternal Truths ("the Four Sats"), The Seven Devotional Practices of Sant Mat, also, "The Cosmos Is A Symphony of Vibrating Currents or Strings", by Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram.   "The place where people are always talking about the secrets of the path of Surat Shabd Yoga, is true Satsang." (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram)   Sant Tulsi Sahib: "O Jiva [captive Soul somewhere in time]! Give up all blind adherences and beliefs, concentrate within and seek the Supreme Being there, adopting Him alone as your goal. Do ponder over what I say and see for yourself with eyes wide open that there is none in this world whom you can call your own. You should adopt the Supreme Being alone as your prop and support."   Kabir: "Keep on reciting God's name, and you will live pleasantly in the world. With true love as your master, your life-map will change."   "Dariya meditates on the One Lord, and thereby resolves all problems (mundane and spiritual)." (Sant Dariya Sahib of Marwar)   "Resting in the protection of Radhasoami Dayal [the Compassionate, Merciful Lord of the Soul], one should give up all fears, worries, doubts and reveries. Relying on His mercy, one should become free from care and anxiety. It is only when one becomes care-free in respect of this region [the material universe, pinda desh, samsara,], that one will be able to perform Arti [worship, meditation]. This is what the cushion of a care-free state means." (Discourses of Babuji Maharaj)   "The Supreme Father is a vast homogeneous Ocean of Pure Spirit. He is perfect, sufficient in Himself to Himself, in an ecstatic state of love and bliss. Before creation, He alone was conscious. There was none but He to see, and none but Him to be seen. There was only the Lord immersed in His own rapturous bliss. That Limitless Reservoir of Love which alone was in existence, with none to adore or exchange love with Him, was an Ocean of Absolute Bliss (ananda). His primary characteristic is love... He is nothing but a Vast Reservoir of Love and Bliss." (Myron Phelps, Phelps Notes)   "To know the sweetness of the Infinite within us, that is the cause, the reason, the purpose, the only purpose of our being." (Nicholas of Cusa)   "Look for and search for God within yourself, within your own body. God resides inside. Look for him there." (Maharshi Mehi)   Jai Guru, Sat Naam Sahib, Radhasoami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

There are millions of souls in India and around the world that follow the Radha Swami Faith. Today, information about the founder of this spiritual path: Soami Ji Maharaj, the central text, a beautiful collection of mystic poetry and prose known as the Sar Bachan, and about the spiritual teachings and meditation practices of the Radhasoami Satsang!   "This world is perishable and so also is all that pertains to it. A wise man is he, who, having closely examined the nature of existence here, has realized that it is all transitory and illusory, and consecrated his human form by devoting himself to Bhajan and Simran (listening to inner Sounds and repetition of the Holy Name of the Supreme Being) and who, taking the fullest advantage of the various faculties which the Supreme Father has graciously endowed him with, has translated the invaluable jewel within him, which is Surat (spirit) or the essence of his being, to its original abode." (The Teachings of Soamiji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Prose, Book One)   Devotional Practices of the Radhasoami Faith According to Huzur Maharaj in Prem Patra Radhasoami:   "It should be noted that all the following activities are included in devotional practices (Abhyas):   (1) Sumiran (Simran: Repetition of the Holy Name); (2) Sumiran and Dhyan (Repetition of the Holy Name along with Contemplation of the Holy Form); (3) Bhajan (Listening to the Sound Current in meditation). (4) Recitation of holy books or listening to their recital in Satsang intelligently; (5) Discussing the principles of the Radhasoami Faith or listening to such discussion; (6) Thinking about and reflecting on matters pertaining to the Radhasoami Faith and its practices and pondering them; and, (7) Examining the ways of one’s mind and senses daily, keeping them under control as far as possible." (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram)   All for the Love of Wisdom, Radio, and Podcasts, Radhasoami, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

My guest today is Mark Juergensmeyer. Our conversation explores: the spirit of Sant Mat "ecumenism" and dialogue of the historic Spircon conference, the International Seminar on the Religion of Sants -- Radhasoami Faith -- Spiritual Consciousness Studies; also some Sant Mat history speculation on the origins of the Radhasoami Faith: the ashram of the Tulsi Sahib group in Hathras, "the People of the Anurag Sagar" or the "Esoteric Santism" of Sant Dariya Sahib and the Dharamdasi Branch of Kabir Panth.   Mark Juergensmeyer is director of the Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, professor of sociology, and affiliate professor of religious studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is an expert on religious violence, conflict resolution and South Asian religion and politics, and has published more than two hundred articles and twenty books, including, "Radhasoami Reality, The Logic of A Modern Faith", Princeton University Press; "Songs of the Saints of India" (Mystic Poetry of Kabir, Guru Nanak, Ravidas, Mirabai, Sur Das, and Tulsi Das), Oxford University Press; contributed chapters to, "The Sants - Studies in A Devotional Tradition of India", Motilal Banarsidas Books of Delhi.   I've always been supportive of the goals of, The Murar Declaration, which lead to the Spircon event: the universal principles of peace, affection, harmony and cooperation as outlined at the Sant Mat conclave known as Spircon 2010, a historic gathering convened in Agra attended by the leadership and representatives of several branches of Sant Mat and Radhasoami lineages:    "We are all pilgrims treading the same path and desirous of reaching the same destination ultimately. Satsang movement has been started to spread the true religion and peace and tranquility in the world and to draw people towards the Holy Feet of Huzur Radhasoami Dayal. This object can be better served by maintaining mutual affection and brotherly relations among different Centres of Radhasoami Faith and working in cooperation to attain the common goal 'as the object of worship of everyone is the same (i.e. Merciful Radhasoami) and the Original Home of everyone is the same (i.e. the Abode of Radhasoami) and the real teachers of everyone are the same Bani and Discourses of Merciful Radhasoami, obviously then, all should have amity and heart-felt love and affection for each other.'" (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram Bahadur, Prem Patra Radhasoami)   Radhasoami, Peace Be To You,  James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts For An Introduction to Sant Mat and RadhaSoami Spirituality, GO TO:  https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat    

More Lost Books: Post Resurrection Gospels and The Sermon on the Light   There is a very clear Light-motif in the world scriptures, including Western holy books such as the Hebrew Bible, Ethiopian Bible, Dead Sea Scrolls, Zohar, Books of Enoch, New Testament, Nag Hammadi Library, Gnostic Gospels, Pitstis Sophia, Corpus Hermeticum, Mandaean and Manichaean texts, as well as in countless writings of Kabbalah, Syrian, Coptic, Orthodox, Catholic, and other mystics.   Saying of the Resurrected Christ: "Do not cease seeking day or night, and do not let yourselves relax until you have found all the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Light, which will purify you and make you into Pure Light and lead you into the Kingdom of the Light." (Yeshua, Book of Faith-Wisdom -- Pistis Sophia)   "If thine eye be Single, thy whole body shall be full of Light". (Yeshua, New Testament)   "If one is whole, one will be filled with Light, but if one is divided, one will be filled with darkness..." (Yeshua, Gospel of Thomas)   "Close your eyes as in sleep, and look sweetly, lovingly, intently into the middle of the darkness lying in front of you. You will see a dark veil. That which sees the dark veil within, without the help of your physical eyes, is the inner eye.., As you look within, you will see a sky, or blue sky: If you look minutely into it, you will find it studded with stars, or you may see pinpoints of Light. If so, try to locate the big star out of them, and fix your whole attention on that. Then you may see the inner sun or moon. If so, focus all your attention into the middle; it will break into pieces, and you will cross it. Beyond you will see the radiant form of the Master or his Master." (Kirpal Singh, from the Introductory Meditation Instructions)   "The Tenth Gate is also known as the Sixth Chakra, the Third Eye, bindu, the Center located between the two eyebrows. This is the gateway through which we leave the gates of the sense organs and enter in the divine realms and finally become established in the soul. We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, from the Light to the Divine Sound, and from the Realm of Sound to the Soundless State. This is called turning back to the Source." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)   God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

"There is nothing hidden that won't become exposed, and nothing buried that won't be raised." (Jesus, from Saying 5 of the once-buried-but-now-raised Greek Gospel of Thomas discovered at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt)   Covered during this Spiritual Awakening Radio podcast:    1) The Case for the Book of Enoch, called "scripture" in early Christianity, once part of the Dead Sea Scrolls Bible at Qumran, and Enoch remains part of the Ethiopian Bible up to the present time;    2) the King James Version of the Apocrypha;    3) the Would-be Collection of New Testament Psalms called the Book of the Odes;    4) the author of the Gospel of Luke said "many" gospels were being composed back then; and,    5) a discourse based on sayings of Jesus in the Greek Gospel of Thomas and the more recently unearthed Gospel of the Saviour, about one of the key goals of contemplative spiritual practice: the ascension of the soul (spirit).    God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Light and Sound, Peace Be To You,  James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

"We are in physical bodies. We are conscious entities. We are so much tied up with mind and matter that we cannot differentiate ourselves. We have to leave the physical, transcend the astral, go further beyond the causal, super-causal, and reach the True Home of our Father. That is the true destination for each one of us." (Sant Kirpal Singh, The Night is a Jungle)   "O soul, since you took birth into the world you have developed the habit of seeing things, and so your outer eye is open, but the eye which is used to see within became more securely closed. Although awake from without, you are asleep within, and by greedily envying the goods of others, your inner eye has gone deeper and deeper into this slumber... Every human being has a secret chamber within himself which is called the 'closet of the body.' That is higher than the mind and heart both, and provides mind with understanding to a certain extent, and the heart with feelings of love. This chamber is the Kingdom of God within us. This is the crest jewel, the pearl of great price. The Saints, when we come in contact with them, open this chamber by withdrawing all our attention from outside. The test of a true Master is the fact that in his company, the smallest realm opens up within us, and the Light, Divine Light, the expression of the God-into-Expression Power, is seen... So the God-into-Expression Power is called Word, Naam, Kalma; He is the Creator of all, and has two aspects: Light and Sound. And when Masters come, they contact us with that Power within us, you see? They open our inner eye by raising us to some extent above the physical body and outgoing faculties; we begin to see... Guru Amar Das says, 'Everyone does worship but on the sensual plane only; so they get no results which end in salvation. But absorption in the Naam purifies the mind and bears fruit in abundance.' You follow? Words are words; but what those words denote is a different thing; that is the Controlling Power of all creation, permeating all creation, and controlling us in the body too. So, the body is the true Temple of God, in which we dwell, and also that Power which keeps us in the body... You see, unless a man rises above the life of senses, the inner Way is not open. It is you who have to see. That is why it is said, 'Know thyself O Man, know thyself -- who you are, what you are'... The Master's message is for embodied souls caught in the web of mind and senses, unable to release themselves. Masters make no distinction between religions and sects. Their message is for the whole human race." (Sant Kirpal Singh, excerpts from, The Coming Spiritual Revolution)   All for the Love of Wisdom, Radio, and Podcasts, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

The Lord's Prayer of the New Testament is modeled after the Prayer of John the Baptist. “Master, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” (Gospel of Luke) In light of this, today we begin by examining the Lord's Prayer from various translations including some that are rather mindful of the Aramaic roots of the Jesus Movement. We also consult with the Gospel of the Nazoreans. Shared as well during this program is: 1) a Prayer of John found in a Syriac Aramaic manuscript; 2) a vegetarian saying attributed to the Prophet John present in the Slavonic Book of Josephus; 3) another vegetarian saying of John located in the Scroll of John the Baptizer (Drasa d-Yahya); 4) along with several passages from the famous Mandaean Gnostic scholar Ethel Stefana Drower commenting on the vegetarianism of the original John the Baptist sect of the Trans-Jordan known as the Nasoraeans (Nazoreans). And then 5) the main feature of today's Spiritual Awakening Radio podcast: readings from the Hidden Words of John, a collection of wisdom sayings found in the Great Treasure, some ancient manuscripts written in the Mandaic dialect of the Aramaic language. This 'proverbs' or 'sayings' type format of "The Instructions of John the Baptist" reminds me very much of another book from antiquity, and it also happens to be attributed to John's most famous disciple Yeshua: The Gospel of Thomas, "hidden words that the living Jesus spoke." Readers of the New Testament and extra-canonical scriptures of the various early Jewish, Christian and Gnostic sects typically aren't used to seeing many actual direct quotes from John, and yet there are many sayings to be found if one knows where to look. Today's podcast is dedicated to the teachings of the Prophet John (Yuhana) the Baptist, a mysterious "voice crying out in the wilderness."   All for the Love of Wisdom, Radio, and Podcasts, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

Due to a mistranslation of a particular Greek work in certain gospel manuscripts John the Baptist has gained the most unfortunate cave-man reputation of being a bug eater, an eater of locusts. It's supposed to be locust beans ("egkrides"), used to make a kind of Middle Eastern flat bread or cake from carob flour, not bugs ("akrides")! If we examine early Christian writings and learn of the Nasoraean movement the Prophet John was associated with, a wilderness sect operating near the Jordan River apparently related to the Essene branch of Judaism, we will discover references to the vegetarianism of John the Baptist and his disciples (Sabians, a "People of the Book"). Contemporary scholars have also recognized this and written about it. Today on this Spiritual Awakening Radio podcast we'll sort through the evidence, including a surprising number of fascinating passages from ancient sources, as well as learn about "Saint John's Bread" and the "Saint John's Tree" of the Middle East.    All for the Love of Wisdom, Radio, and Podcasts, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

Maharshi Mehi Paramhans and other Sants (Saints and Mystics) of India have done, in the cultural context of Hinduism, what Sufis, Gnostics, and Christian Mystics have often done in relation to their respective traditions: focusing on the esoteric passages and teachings contained in their scriptures. They find mystic jewels or gold embedded in the "mud" of tradition, including references to the all-loving God beyond space, form and ritual. While not paying much homage to institutions or outer temples made of wood and stone, they make the heart of their message a contemplative meditation practice that promotes the exploration of the Light and Sound of Inner Space in the "temple" of the human body.   Jai Guru,  James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat

Guru Kabir is considered to be one of the primary founding masters of Sant Mat spirituality, the Sant tradition. Kabir is also the "Rumi" of India, a wonderful bhakti poet-mystic and lover of the Beloved Lord of the Soul, the Ocean of Love.   Sant Kabir lived during the fifteenth century, raised near Banaras by Muslim parents. He was a weaver, a simple and unlettered man, who earned his living at the loom. It is out of the heart of the common life that he sings his rapturous lyrics of Divine love.   “Kabir” is an Islamic name popular in the Muslim world — it’s one of the “Ninety-Nine Names of Allah” found in the Koran, meaning, “The Greatest”.    Today, Kabir has over twenty-five million devotees in various Kabir Panth and Sant lineages, and is loved by Sikhs, Hindus, Jains, Christians, and Muslims alike. Kabir’s hymns are still sung in the satsangs of various paths all over India and around the world.   Everyone’s Universal Saint, Kabir was:    - a Master or Sant Sat Guru of Surat Shabd Yoga, a founding Guru of Sant Mat and Kabir Panths;   - a musician and poet of Nirguna Bhakti (love and devotion for the One Beloved Formless God);   - a great teacher of Eastern Gnosis (Gnosticism or mysticism);   - peace maker between Hindus and Muslims;   - a social reformer in India who denounced the caste system;   - thought of by many in Islam to be a Sufi Master or Murshid;   - believed by Hindus to be one of the greatest poet-mystics and Vaishnava devotees in the history of India;   - considered a Bhagat by the Sikhs — many of his hymns are included in the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures);   - influenced by Goraknath and the Nath Yogis, and the Nath Yogis of northern India were, in turn, influenced by Tantric Buddhism;   - Kabir’s spirituality is a blend of Prem and Bhakti: love and devotion for the Beloved Lord, the One God (Ek Ongkaar), and mystical, soul travel experiences of a visionary and auditory nature (Inner Light and Sound Meditation, Surat Shabd Yoga).   All for the love of wisdom, radio, and podcasts, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

Today: A Sant Mat Satsang Podcast featuring readings from Kabir, The Gospel of Thomas, Odes of Solomon, the Mandaean Gnostic scriptures, mystic poetry of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India, also Sufi mystics such as Shah Niaz, Hazrat Khan, Hazrat Sultan BaHU, and Rumi; satsang discourses as well from Swami Vyasanand and Baba Ram Singh on how to "live from the Living One" via a contemplative meditation practice known as Surat Shabd Yoga, Inner Light and Sound Meditation. By way of the Wisdom Eye, the Third Eye, one may access Inner Space, the Divine Realms within you and find the Beloved Supreme Being, the Living One, here and now during this present life. Seek To See God Now, Liberation During This Life -- Mystic-Poem of Sant Tulsi Sahib: "In this life, the concept of salvation all describe; To meet the Lord by dying while living, none discloses. They all speak of the goal of salvation after death; How to attain it while living, no one says. Were they to reveal the method of achieving release while living, Then alone would Tulsi be convinced of their words! Who speaks, after seeing with their own eyes, and teach the method of salvation during life, They are of the stage and stature of Saints, for they reveal the quintessence of the soul." Jesus said, "Look for the Living One while you're still alive. If you die and then try to look for Him, you won't be able to." (Gospel of Thomas, Saying 59) God is the Ocean of Love. Jai Sat Naam, Jai Guru, Radhasoami, Satya Raam, In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be to You, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com Living A Life Powered By Spirituality Live From the Living One There is a Divine Voice Calling Out, Summoning Souls to Awakening  

As we get initiated into Shabd Naam by a Living Satguru, the purpose of our life is fulfilled. Reuniting with God is our reason to be here: "It was for the sake of the God-conscious beings that our True Lord created this earth, and began this play of death and birth". (Sikh Scriptures, Guru Granth -- Adi Granth)   During this human existence we have an opportunity to experience God. As we experience communing with God's love during meditation -- Surat Shabd Yoga -- we can rise above body-consciousness and explore Inner Space, the Kingdom of the Heavens that are within us. The drop of soul merges back into the Ocean of Love. Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj: "We travel back from the realm of Darkness to the realm of Light, from the Light to Divine Sound, and from the realm of Sound to the Soundless State."   The Mind is Filled with the Divine Music of the Spheres   "The Lord placed the soul in the body's cave, And the breath held the Music of Life. He made each body with nine gates, (1) With the Tenth Gate (2); remaining well hid. And the Tenth Door was opened to him Who truly loved the Guru's wisdom. And there lives the Lord in His myriad forms, as well as the nine treasures of the Name. His limit cannot be found.   "Says Nanak, the Lord placed the soul in the body's cave and the breath held the Music of Life.   "Listen to this Song of Bliss, you blessed ones, And all your heart's longings shall be fulfilled. You will reach the Transcendent Lord, and your sorrows will depart. All afflictions and sorrows are destroyed at the Sound of the True Word, And my friends, the saints were in ecstasy when the perfect Guru revealed it. Those who speak and those who listen are pure, And they see the All-pervading Lord everywhere. Nanak prays: Attaching to the feet of the Guru, The mind is filled with the Divine Music of the Spheres."   -- Guru Amar Das, from Anand Sahib _____ Notes:   (1) "nine gates": The nine visible orifices of the body.   (2) "The Tenth Gate": The Tenth, or Hidden, Gate of the body: The Third Eye, in essence, is the Portal to inner realms. The Upanishads describe a human being as a city with ten gates. Nine gates (eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth, urethra, anus) lead to the outside world. The Tenth Gate, the Third Eye, opens onto inner worlds: the whole spectrum of levels of consciousness.   God is the Ocean of Love.   Jai Sat Naam, Jai Guru, Radhasoami, Satya Raam, In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be to You, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com    

O Gurudev, give me peace, Give worthy feelings, worthy intelligence. Give mutual cooperation. Give purity to my heart. Let there be pure feelings in my mind. Let there be pure conduct by my body. May my speech be free of falsity and slander. May the sentiment of devotion increase. May my thoughts not be agitated by the ripening of innate karma. May my body and mind be healthy, May my worship be free of obstacles. May I remain in the presence of Saints and be filled with the sentiment of devotion. May I swim across the ocean of samsara, the ocean filled with passion, hate, change and fear. Let there be neglect for wicked persons and compassion for the destitute, Happiness among those of good conduct and friendship with good people. May buffoonery cease and may we delight in the words that lead across samsara [this world of changes]. May we be happy in the study of wisdom; May we keep our minds under control. May we have hope of refuge with the Satguru, May we have no fear of lust and other vices. May we ever yearn for self-awakening and have faith the the words of revelation. May the darkness of ignorance be destroyed; May the lamp of knowledge be lit. May the law of death be forgotten, and immortality be expanded. May there be no harm done to living beings through my words or my actions. May I never feel the least attachment to the objects of my senses. May there always be happiness and the absence of desire. May there be an end to the power of samsara, and a beginning to the knowledge of God.   -- This is such a beautiful, eloquent prayer. It’s something that one could ponder and recite each and every day for life. It’s called the “Prar-thana-pan-chak se” by Rames-var-ananda Saheb, a guru or sadhu in a lineage associated with Guru Kabir and Sant Dharam Das.

This is Intended to Be the Most Comprehensive Collection Ever of Vegetarian References Providing Evidence For the Vegetarianism of Yeshua (Jesus), the Apostles, the Jesus Movement (Hebrew Christians, Ebionites,) and Other Expressions of Early Christianity. The Major Segments Covered Include the Following: Evidence That Jesus and The Original Aramaic Christians Were Vegetarians: Dueling Gospel Traditions — Pro-Meat and Pro-Veg; What About Those Pesky ‘Fishes and Loaves’? Textual Variations in Greek Manuscripts; Was John the Baptist Really A Bug-Eater? Christianity Before Paul (The Original Hebrew Christians or Ebionites) and the Essene Connection -- The Essene Branch of Judaism Not Just Kosher But Vegetarian; Thou Shalt Not Kill: The Biblical Basis For Vegetarianism: A Vegetarian Ideal Described In Genesis and Isaiah; Signing Up Paul to the Vegetarian Cause After All; Uncovering a Vegetarian Jesus (Yeshua) at the Beginning of Christianity: Vegetarian Sayings of Jesus; Jesus Stopping Animal Sacrifice in the Temple; The Vegetarian Apostles (Leadership of the Original Jesus Movement) -- Vegetarian Quotes About the Apostles; Church Fathers And Other Later Voices Affirming the Existence of the Earlier Veg Tradition; Inter-Faith Love! An Ebionite Christian author had very nice things to say about those in India who worship One God, follow peaceful customs and laws, and are vegetarian or vegan. The Gnostics Were Vegetarians; The Vegetarian Prayer of Thanksgiving in the Nag Hammadi Library (Gnostic Gospels) and Corpus Hermeticum; An Academic Scholarly Approach: Credible Ancient Texts Only Please; Texts I DO NOT CITE: What About Those Modern-Day Essene Gospels of Peace? What About Those Groups That Call Themselves Essenes: "Neo-Essene" VS. the More Accurate Term: "Ebionite"; Did Jesus Travel to India? Gospel of Isa, another text I AVOID. Real Wisdom from the East: The Spiritual and Ethical Reasons Why Saints Advocate Following a Non-violent Vegetarian or Vegan Diet; Peace Be to You, James Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

Today our exploration of the Mandaean Gnostic Scriptures consists of three readings from the Great Treasure, also known as the Ginza Rabba, the primary holy book of Eastern Gnosticism. We begin with the story of a soul that finds itself dwelling in a rather anxiety-inducing dark realm and seeks to be liberated from this place before it gets absorbed into that darkness and the soul loses it's Luminescence or Radiance like the other souls that reside here. Then a Light appears in the darkness and communicates a peaceful Divine Message from Above to the soul about it's life-to-come in the world and it's eventual ascension back to it's True Home, the Place of the Light and Life. Our soul is instructed to: "Endure in the world and dwell therein until We are longing for you. When We are longing for you We will reach out and come here to you. We will reach out and come here to you, and We will bring you out and raise you to your Treasure-House (Heavenly Realm)." In the next reading, "The Soul Within Me Yearns For Hayyi (Great Life, Great Spirit, Supreme Being)", we marvel at an all-too-familiar Gnostic cosmology of Heavenly Regions. There is the Earth-realm or material plane followed by Seven Inner Levels or Heavens, and the Plane of Truth that is beyond. The true yearning soul must not be fooled into assuming any of those illusory middle regions to be the Highest of Heavens and True Destination, and thus deceived, detained and prevented from ascending all the way up to The Eighth, the Goal, Ultimate Reality, the Real Home of The Great Life, Hayyi Rabbi, a Mandaic Aramaic sacred name for the True God. The Path of the Masters (Living Gnosis Now, Sant Mat) also has a cosmology of eight Inner Regions with The Eighth, Anami Radhasoami ("Ra-dha-swam-i"), representing the Ultimate Reality where the Beloved Lord of Love resides. This Gnostic Satsang or spiritual gathering online (Spiritual Awakening Radio podcast) concludes with some thoughts about "Sant Mat and Cousin Schools of Mysticism of the Ages": Neoplatonism, Pythagoreanism, Jewish Mysticism or Kabbalah, Hermetic Philosophy, Christian Mysticism, Gnosticism, Sufism, and how Sufism, perhaps with some influence of Manichaeanism, likely served as the major West-East conduit for this otherworldly approach to spirituality to reach India. "From the day when I came to love the Life [God], from the day when my heart came to love the Truth, I no longer have trust in anything in the world… After my soul alone I go searching about, which to me is worth generations and worlds. I went and found my soul  --  What are to me all the worlds? I went and found Truth, as she stands at the outer rim of the worlds." (Ginza Rabba, Mandaean Gnostic Scriptures) All for the Love of Wisdom and Radio, In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat

Background on the Origins and Discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library and Other Gnostic Gospels of Egypt; Wisdom from Wisdom Gospels; also, the Seven Ingredients of a Living Spiritual Path   The History of the Destruction of Wisdom    Muhammad ‘Ali al-Samman’s mother would often grab a few pages of Coptic texts to use them for kindling in the morning to light the family woodstove and make tea, perhaps do some cooking also. No doubt it was very nice tea, brewed thanks to the sacrifice of a few pages of unknown and lost Nag Hammadi pages, perhaps from the Gospel of Mary or lost book of Third Allogenes! The misplacing, forgetting, and random destruction of wisdom is all very much part of the story of Gnosticism on planet earth. But perhaps we can remain hopeful like the author of the Gospel of Thomas: "Know what is before your face, and what is hidden from you will be revealed to you. For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor anything buried which will not be raised." (Saying Five of Greek Thomas)   Meditation   Would you look at that! This passage from the Acts of Peter provides a great description of meditation practice: "Give ear; withdraw your souls from all that appears but is not truly real; close these eyes if yours, close your ears, withdraw from actions that are outwardly seen; and you shall know the reality of Christ and the whole secret of your salvation."   "Look at God within yourself, how 'God is Light.' For his Nature is a glorious, many-splendored Light. He manifests the Light of his Nature to those who love Him in all the worlds…" (John of Dalyatha, Syriac Mystic)   God is the Ocean of Love.   In Divine Light and Sound, Peace Be to You, James Bean https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com  

What is the source of the spiritual path? God is the creator of the spiritual path. God is the source of the inner Light and Sound as well. The meditation practices of inner Light, inner seeing, as well as inner hearing, the inner Sound meditation, are not the property of any particular sect or religion. Baba Devi Sahab: "Unlike other worship methods popular in religions and sects with different names, these two methods are not man-made. God himself is the founder and operator of these methods. Since the beginning God has kept these two methods inside human beings." Today on this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, a production of Spiritual Awakening Radio, readings from: newly translated mystic poems of Kabir, Eugnostos the Blessed from the Nag Hammadi Library on the prevailing philosophies of the world and a higher message from beyond, Soamiji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Prose, Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, Swami Vyasanand's The Inward Journey of the Soul (Chala Hansa Nij Desh! "O Soul-swan! return to your home!"), Param Sant Baba Devi Sahib, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh on Nullifying Karma and Negative Influences Through the Positive Power of the Sound Current, Baba Somanath, The Padavali of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, Yoga of Inner Light and Sound by Swami Achyutanand Baba, Mind is a Thief in the Form of a Friend by Sant Kirpal Singh on the Soundless/Nameless/Wordless State that is the Ultimate Reality at the highest level of Sach Khand (the Timeless Spiritual Realm), Sant Paltu Sahib, and Satsang Discourses on Simran and Meditation Practice by Baba Ram Singh Ji. "Since this Quintessential Vibration or Sound springs forth directly from God, it is imbued with the qualities of God and it bestows its own qualities upon its perceiver also, and has a natural propensity to attract its perceiver (soul) to its Source, thereby effecting the complete merger of the soul into the Supreme Soul that is God. That is why meditation on the inner Sound has been reckoned by sages and scriptures to be the loftiest of all forms of meditation." (Swami Achyutanand, Yoga of Inner Light and Sound) Says Kabir, "From one Supreme Soul Countless others, All of them merge back Into the One they came from. What's so strange About this? That no-one gets it!"

The Hymn of the Pearl is one of the greatest Gnostic scriptures ever composed, one of several hymns or mystic poems embedded in the Syriac Acts of Saint Thomas in India. This hymn is commonly interpreted as a Gnostic understanding of the human condition, that we are spirits lost in a world of matter, and forgetful of our true origin. Our spiritual breakthrough arrives in the form of a revelatory message delivered by a Divine Messenger. The letter takes on a symbolic representation of Gnosis (spiritual, mystical, inner knowledge or knowing). Divine Grace busts into worlds of time and space to free souls from their captivity. The Great Life, the Supreme Being, calls out to souls, summoning them to awakening, guiding them back to their true home or point of origin. The Song of the Pearl is a narrative poem about a prince's quest for the Divine Pearl. Presented in the Acts of Thomas as a hymn sung by the apostle Thomas, The Song of the Pearl is a moving Gnostic tale of salvation, of liberation, of sleeping in error but awakening to Light, a quest for gaining possession of the Pearl of the self or soul and a return to the Light. "When the Pearl is cast down into the mud, it becomes greatly despised, nor if it is anointed with oil will it become more precious. But it always has value in the eyes of its owner. Compare the children of God: wherever they may be, they still have value in the eyes of their Father." -- Gospel of Philip (Nag Hammadi Library of Egypt) "Love is like a deep sea. Only that lover of God who will dive into it fearlessly shall be able to get the Pearl of ultimate happiness in it. And one who will not be able to muster up enough courage to dive into it, shall remain sitting at the beach. He will remain without love in this world. How will he get the Pearls of ultimate happiness then?" (Kabir 1008 Vani) "We are the Pearls of the shoreless ocean, Sometimes the waves and sometimes the sea, We came into the world for this purpose -- That we might reveal God to His creatures." -- Kamal, son of Kabir "In the Name of the Great Life (Hayyi Rabbi), may the exalted Light be honored. The Pearl came, which gave Light to dark hearts. Radiance sought to be. Light awoke and became." (Ginza Rabba, The Great Treasure -- Mandaean Gnostic Scriptures) The Gnostic Hymn of the Pearl, A Mystical Poem About You  -- All Souls  -- Remember Who You Are?  The Hymn of the Soul -- Today on the Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast with James Bean. 

When we close our physical eyes we see darkness inside but as we cross this void of darkness following the meditation practice of the Saints, there is Light. Beyond the silence there is Sound. Indeed, there are many Heavenly Lights, Visions within Visions, Sounds (Music of the Spheres), Mansion after Mansion, Level upon Level in this Inner Space or Kingdom of the Heavens. With the proper guidance of those competent qualified teachers (Sant Satgurus) who have explored Inner Space for themselves, we too can be mentored into cultivating our own successful spiritual practice and communion with the Beloved Lord of Love. Today, a Sant Mat Satsang Podcast featuring readings from the mystic poetry of Sant Namdev, Guru Kabir, Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, the Ginza Rabba and Canonical Prayer Book of the Mandaean Gnostics, and a bhajan of Baba Somanath. There are satsang discourses from Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Sant Kirpal Singh on living in the present moment, and spiritual satsang discourses of Baba Ram Singh Ji. "Always live in the living present -- in the living moment... If you watch your present moment, then everything is all right." (Sant Kirpal Singh) "Be within your body. Light the inner lamp that your within and without may sparkle with Radiance Divine. In it's brilliance let the shadow of your karmas fade." "The Naam helps you steer through this ocean of life and death." (Kabir) "By doing Simran, we are able to reduce the burden of karmas." "The Simran that has been given to us is of a very high order. And where we do Simran, even that place gets purified. At that place, there are no bad influences. No mystical powers also work on you. Neither do the angels of death come and disturb you. Neither does Kal come. And neither does Maha Kal come." "So, therefore, we should listen to Satsang every day. And we should do our Bhajan Simran [meditation] every day. And this is what we have been given this precious life for." "So, it is incumbent for us to do that meditation and do it regularly. That is our true work." (Baba Ram Singh) "Those who accept His teachings, and act upon them with love, gradually return to the purely spiritual Region under His guidance." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh) "O Protector of the lowly ones, most merciful Lord, Self-Existent, Bestower of Light Somanath has contemplated upon Your lotus feet. Unceasingly, He will sing Your praises. You free all the jiva-souls from the desires and afflictions of this world." (Baba Somanath) "She [the soul] is dazed on seeing the refulgence of the Beloved." "Whose soul is attached to the Word, revels ever in cosmic flight." (Sant Tulsi Sahib) 

Many have heard that there were these Gnostic Christians who wrote some other scriptures long ago. So what else do we know about them, their goals, hopes and dreams, spiritual practices, their way of entering into the experience of the Divine Realms of the Heavens? And also today... the world of podcasting, websites, and television has been fairly good about reporting on a few recent discoveries such as Nag Hammadi and the Gospel of Judas, but these very same sources typically have not been reliable at all about writings that were unearthed several decades ago or more, long before the age of the Internet and cable TV! If some of those texts, such as the Mandaean Ginza Rabba, Pistis Sophia, or the Book of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, were unearthed last Tuesday, it would be really big news. But rather, if they've been sitting on the shelves of libraries for decades, maybe even centuries, there's no news at all and they are almost completely ignored. For those who take the time to dig deeper, there are far more Gnostic Gospels and other sacred texts available and already translated into English than most realize. After the exploration of the Ascension of the Soul process of Gnostic spirituality, we'll delve into some of the forgotten gospels of early Christianity, including from various sects associated with Gnosticism. "He who possesses the Five Seals of these particular Names has stripped off the garments of ignorance [the material body and subtle bodies: astral, causal, etc...] and put on a shining Light." (Trimorphic Protennoia) "Blessed is he who has crucified the world and who has not allowed the world to crucify him." (from an unrecognized dialogues gospel embedded in the Bruce Codex) "What wonders has Your love effected! When someone is still alive he has left this world: though his bodily condition remains with the world’s bodily condition, yet his spirit has been raised up towards You, so that for a period of time he is where he knows not, being totally raptured and drawn towards You." (John of Apamea)

In December 1945 a collection of ancient scriptures -- fifty-two books -- was unearthed near the village of Nag Hammadi in Egypt. These texts had been placed in a clay storage jar, sealed, and buried sometime during the Fourth Century AD. Monks who lived at a nearby monastery founded by Saint Pachomius most likely hid them there at the time. They would have been sacred texts once part of the library of this monastic community, one of several Pachomian monasteries operating in Egypt during those days. Rather than confining themselves to only reading the Old and New Testaments or teachings exclusively from Orthodox Christian sources, these monks had a surprisingly diverse collection of writings that can only be characterized as inter-faith and multi-traditional. In other words, they were also studying the scriptures of other teachers, sages, religions and “cousin” esoteric mystical movements of their day. “And there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. There is nothing buried that will not be raised!” (Saying of Jesus, Greek Gospel of Thomas) 

A rare glimpse into the origins of Christianity and Gnosticism. Today we explore the history, the scriptures, the mystic teachings and poetry of the root group, the common ancestor, the earlier original spiritual movement in antiquity out of which emerged the Jesus Movement (Ebionites), the Elkasites, and the Mandaean Gnostics. I speak of the Nasoraeans, the followers of John the Baptist. The Nag Hammadi texts may represent the prose of the Gnostics, but it is the Nasoraean Mandaean scriptures that give us the poetry!

A Sant Mat Satsang Podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio today featuring readings from Beloved Satguru Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj of the Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppaghat, Bhagalpur, Bihar Dist., INDIA. This program serves as an introduction to a living spiritual mystic path called Sant Mat, the Way of the Saints. Beloved Swami Sant Sevi Ji was a very advanced pure soul and great teacher of old school traditional Santmat. "Blessed are the souls who in today's materialistic world have an inclination towards spirituality." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji)

"Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens." (Carl Jung) "Happy is the one who comes to himself and awakens." (Valentinus) "Awakened Souls always draw our attention to the fact that we are being deceived. If at all there is anything true or eternal, it is the soul or the Oversoul." (Kirpal Singh) "Meditate on the True Name, and rise within just like ascending a staircase. Listen to the Music of the Heavens... Ascend on the lifeline of the Sound Current as a spider climbs up the thread." (Baba Somanath) -- Sant Mat Satsang Podcast

A Culture of Love, The Heart of Mysticism: The Way of Love and Devotion (Prem and Bhakti) "In Sant Mat, the Teachings of the Saints, great importance has been attached to Bhakti (love, devotion); it is the sine qua non* of Sant Mat. If there are all other attributes but no Bhakti, then there is nothing." (Maharaj Saheb) NOTE: * sin-ny qua non, an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary; -- Spiritual Awakening Radio & The Sant Mat Satsang Podcast   

So many paths and religions, so little time. In the category of spiritual teachings and influences, the serious Sant Mat devotee must make the teachings of the Masters the top priority, the PRIMARY FOCUS. Otherwise, we just end up hopelessly distracted, pulled in various directions, not properly motivated to follow the guidance of the Masters or find success with our meditation. May we pay the most attention to the most advanced and wisest of voices, and leave the rest behind. Satsang! As Kabir says, "For we are influenced by the company we keep."

"Today's karmas become the fate of tomorrow. According to our last life actions, our mental tendencies are formed in this life. Because of our pure actions we will have the desire to seek the association of Sants (Living Masters) and to meditate." (Swami Vyasnanand, The Inward Journey of the Soul) Today on the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast -- Spiritual Awakening Radio -- readings from Sant Kirpal Singh (Spiritual Elixir), Baba Garib Das (Anmol Vachan), Swami Sant Sevi Ji, Don Howard, Jesus (Yeshua, Gospel of Thomas), Baba Ram Singh, and Mystic Poetry of Kabir.

"Just as the lotus blooms after getting the light of the sun, in the same way the sufferings of the souls from ages and ages are finished after having darshan [vision] of Sat Purush [True Eternal Being, God]."  - Anurag Sagar (The Ocean of Love), a Gnostic Gospel of Kabir

Shall we reexamine the beliefs we have inherited and make conscious choices for ourselves instead? At first the brave seeker of truth may encounter the frustrating detour paths of those who have not seen for themselves and offer no methods of spiritual practice. At the end of the satsang they continue to wait for the real satsang (instruction) to begin. Says Soamiji, "Without a true master and true naam, no soul can escape. Rise up, go home to Sat Lok -- go far beyond the boundaries of Kaal's domain."

Today, another installment in the ongoing Christian Vegetarian Series. Did you know that Saint Jerome, Latin name: Eusebius Hieronymus, translator of the Vulgate Bible, was a vegetarian? Also we explore vegan & vegetarian views found in the Ebionite Book of Acts, also known as the Clementine Homilies and Recognitions, the largest surviving pro-vegetarian Christian scripture of antiquity. It's preserved in a treasure-trove of literature known as the Ante-Nicene Fathers composed before 325 AD. Happy Veganuary!

I am happy today to share one of my favorite scriptures, the Narada Bhakti Sutras, as well as verses on this theme of love for the God of Love from Yogani Mataji, Swami Vyasanand, Baba Ram Singh, and from the mystic poetry of Sant Dariya Kabir. Blessed is the Eye Which is Permeated With Love! "God is Love; each soul is a drop from the Ocean of Love, and the Way back to God is also through Love." (Sant Kirpal Singh) -- James Bean, Spiritual Awakening Radio, and, The Sant Mat Satsang Podcast

Mary Magdalene is the ultimate example of a female apostle (spiritual teacher and leader) in early Christianity. But Mary as well as her Gospel have long-since been neglected and forgotten. As it says in the Gospel of Mary: "You did not see me nor did you know me. You mistook the garment I wore for my true self. And you did not recognize me." Today, we commemorate the return of the Gospel According to Mary Magdalene, and her visions of the Resurrected Christ. In Gnostic scriptures such as the Gospel of Mary, unenlightened human existence is portrayed as a kind of night of the living dead, souls living in a world of sleep caught up in dreams of illusion, trapped in spiritual ignorance somewhere in time, limited to only a couple of dimensions, tethered to material existence seemingly unable to become aware of anything more. One of my favorite passages from Mary is when a liberated soul exclaims: "I was set loose from a world and from the chain of forgetfulness that exists in time!" For the mystic-soul there is no need to construct outward temples made of wood and stone, as the human body itself is already the ideal temple of the Spirit. I’m sure this "Kingdom of God is within you" message of the Gnostic or mystical gospels is one of the reasons why they were not politically useful to some spiritual bureaucrats in antiquity and were banned. Mary's contemplative view of the teachings of Christ is in harmony with the wisdom of countless saints, mystics and masters, that the focus is "within", not elsewhere in the outer world of the five senses, the kingdoms of this world. Thus, contemplative meditation for mystics serves as a kind of heavenly "portal" or "doorway" to the Divine: "I left the world with the aid of another world; a design was erased, by virtue of a higher design. Henceforth I travel toward Repose, where time rests in the Eternity of Time; I go now into Silence.’ Having said all this, Mary became silent, for it was in silence that the Teacher spoke to her.'" (The Gospel of Mary Magdalene)

Seeing Heaven Now: "As the aspirant rises into the higher realms of life, he discovers that this is indeed the only true freedom to which a human being can aspire. It is the freedom from bondage to his lower self, the fears, fantasies, hatreds, preferences and dreams which haunt him as he walks the long road of recurring births and deaths. Man, individually and collectively, can never be truly free on this physical plane of existence; only the individual who has attained higher spiritual consciousness, fulfilling his true birthright, has attained freedom in the most complete sense of the word." (George Arnsby Jones, The Inner Journey of the Soul Back to It's Origin) "So, we should value the importance of our soul and value the importance of the initiation given by the Master and Their Teachings. And, without fail, continue to practice the Teachings every day, do Dhyan, Bhajan, and Simran." (Baba Ram Singh) The Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts are produced by James Bean, Spiritual Awakening Radio.

The complete podcast all about the Gospel of Saint Thomas, a collection of the sayings of Jesus (Yeshua), revealing where this scripture came from, what school of spirituality it represents, even sharing from other related ancient texts of the Syriac-Aramaic Thomas tradition, and exploring the spiritual goals of the contemplative Saint Thomas branch of Eastern Christianity (Church of the East), especially about living a spiritual life, finding the inner Light and entering into the Kingdom of the Heavens, the Kingdom of God, the New World. "Seek to See Him."

The Odes got misnamed, misunderstood, misfiled, misplaced somewhere along the way becoming one of those Lost Books of the Bible. As far as I am concerned, The Book of the Odes, is the greatest extra-canonical or apocryphal scripture of all time. This mysterious collection of ancient psalms known as, The Book of the Odes, composed in Syriac- Aramaic, has been described as "some of the most beautiful songs of peace and joy that the world possesses." We are grateful for the restoration of the Hymnbook of Early Christianity, the would-be book of New Testament psalms! 

Our awareness is rather tethered to the material plane. Our minds are captivated by countless thoughts, worries, anxieties, memories, impressions, and attachments. For there to be any hope for us to make spiritual progress during this lifetime, this time through, we must call upon a Hidden Power, and discover the Grace of the Divine, in order to catapult our consciousness right out of this universe into the vast Heavenly Realms Beyond. As it says in the Gospel of Mary Magdalene: "I left the world with the aid of Another World; a design was erased by virtue of a Higher Design. Henceforth I travel toward Repose, where time rests in the Eternity of Time; I go now into Silence." Meister Eckhart: "If the soul is to see God, then it must see no temporal thing, for as long as the soul is conscious of time or space, or of an idea, it cannot know God." Even as the Hubble Space Telescope had to be placed above the turbulence and distortion of earth’s atmosphere in order to see clearly into the cosmos, so too the mystic needs to rise above body-consciousness and mind to know that Other Realm we also are part of as spiritual beings. The awareness or attention of the soul (surat) must become untethered and free from the temporal world of the five senses, mental images and memories during meditation practice in order to experience that Other Realm of Spirit that we inhabit. Not many are willing to look through this particular "lens" of the Third or Single Eye and see for themselves, taking the time to do this and enter into the silence and stillness beyond the physical, dream, and mental states and, "Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) 

With meditation, the goal of the saints, mystics and masters goes far beyond stress or anxiety reduction. Being centered and calm are the foundation or launching pad for the exploration of Inner Space, the Realms of the Spirit, the Kingdom of the Heavens Within. For some this might mean gaining a subtle awareness of inner seeing and hearing. For others it might be the beginning of a consciously induced near-death experience, soul travel into New Worlds of Light, Love, and the Divine Music of the Spheres.

A Sant Mat Satsang Podcast today providing an overview of the spiritual beliefs and practices of Sant Mat, including introductory meditation instructions. These are not secret initiation instructions but some public domain instructions from Hazur Baba Sawan Singh and Sant Kirpal Singh Ji, what some call the Convenient Method, Jyoti or Inner Light meditation, to give new spiritual seekers some sense of the potential Wonders of Inner Space that are available, the Kingdom of the Heavens that are Within.

The Cosmic Conspiracy, Being A Spiritual Warrior in A World of Illusion, Studies in the Anurag Sagar, Kabir's Ocean of Love, India's Most Gnostic Scripture Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

"Recognize the Path to your Beloved, O travelers and take the route of the anguished lover in separation. Keep the Master’s grace in your thoughts, and reflect upon his pure teachings. Develop love and devotion with endearment, and keep the thought of the Creator always before you. Try to merge yourself into God like water and water. Fix your mind within by following the Path of the Sound Current. A yearning will arise; make then an intense and anguished call. Repeat the Name of your Beloved, day and night, again and again and again. With care in thought, word and deed, you will cross to the other shore." (Sant Dadu Dayal)

Finding Your Spiritual Path and Initiation Into the Mysteries; Also: The Five Precepts of Sant Mat Spirituality, and Purity of Mind and Calmness are the Prerequisites to Seeing the Light and Hearing the Sound Within During Meditation Practice "'Is this path difficult?' I questioned haltingly. 'It can be difficult if your attention is in the wrong place,' answered the holy man. 'If you constantly focus your attention downwards into the manifold attributes of the world, you will become identified with matter. But if you focus your love aspect constantly upwards into the Being of God, you will eventually become merged with the all-embracing love of the Supreme Lord. Love is an inherent quality of the human heart; and it is through love that the most potent truths of all creation are apprehended.'" (George Arnsby Jones, The Pilgrimage of James, An Odyssey of Inner Space)

"The gathering point of consciousness is known as the third eye center located between the two eyebrows. Therein lies the path for our return. This is the gateway through which we leave the gates of the sense organs and enter in the Divine Realms and finally become established in the soul. We travel back from the Realm of Darkness to the Realm of Light, from the Light to the Divine Sound, and from the Realm of Sound to the Soundless State. This is called turning back to the Source." (Swami Santseviji Maharaj)

Seven Stages of Ascension to Heaven, and... Mystic Poems That Best Define This Path of the Masters from: Rumi, Jesus, Sant Kabir, Dadu Dayal, Charandas, Dariya Sahib, and Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India. Spiritual Awakening Radio and the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast with James Bean explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences, the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

Today: finding a restful oasis of inspiration in the teachings of the masters (Satsang); developing a meditation practice that allows the soul to rise above body-consciousness and know itself; how a loving bhakti approach to spirituality leads to the most rapid progress; also, the virtues of a low-karma peaceful lifestyle; the job description of a true spiritual master; and finally, on how the spiritual path, rather than being the invention of some religion or sect, is naturally occurring and available within all human beings if they did but know it. Mystic Poetry of Sant Sahajo Bai: "The world is like an army of stars in the dawn sky. Sahajo says: they will not stay... Know that the world is false, only the soul remains. Sahajo says: know the true Self, which time cannot destroy." "This 'Single' or 'Third Eye' provides an ingress into the spiritual worlds -- the Kingdom of the Heavens -- now a lost realm to most of us...  Of this inlet or ingress little is known by the people at large." (Sant Kirpal Singh) "This is the Path created by God Almighty Himself. It is not a path created by any Mahatma. It has always been the Path and it has existed from the time that the human form first took shape. It is the Path through which, plane-by-plane, the soul has descended from God Almighty by way of the Sound Current and has now come into this current human form. And when it goes back also, it will go plane-by-plane, through the Sound Current. The Path has been there, latent, uniquely within the human form, at all times." (Baba Ram Singh)

Christian Vegetarian Series: The vegetarianism of Saint Ephrem the Syrian explored today on Spiritual Awakening Radio, also selections from Ephrem's spiritual teachings, as well as from other Syriac Saints and Mystics, and the Sants of the East on the experience of the Divine Inner Light. "If your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of Light". (from a Saying of Yeshua, Matthew 6:22)

The Soul is described by the saints as a spirit-entity of brilliant Light that has incarnated Itself into several subtle bodies as well as the physical body. Thus, the Light of the Soul has become covered over with several layers of darkness. But as we follow the contemplative meditation practice of the masters, the Soul comes to know Itself again. It rises above body-consciousness and ascends still further, regaining It's former Luminescence. "If your eye be Single, your whole body shall be full of Light."

A Sant Mat Satsang Podcast today exploring the three levels of satsang (spiritual association) that can help us go in a Godward direction during this life successfully following the Path of the Saints. We explore: The Four "SATS" or Key Essential Eternal Truths or Realities of Sant Mat; The Five Jewels of Spirituality; The Yoga of Love (Becoming a Lover of the Beloved); Having a Daily Satsang at Home; Listening to Satsangs with Rapt Attention; and Rising Above Body-Consciousness Regularly in Meditation.

The Spiritual Teachings and Mystic Poetry of Sant Tukaram of Maharashtra Today on Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean

Today: how the human body is the True Temple of the Spirit; that this life is a Golden Opportunity for the Liberation of the Soul; also, the Seven Stages of Mystic Ascension to Heaven; Ingredients of a Living Spiritual Path: Seven Gnostic-Sant Mat Parallels; the "Womb of Meditation" that gives birth to the realized soul according to the Gospel of Thomas & Syriac Mystics; Quotes from the Sikh Scriptures; and Satsang Spiritual Discourses by Baba Ram Singh on this rare Path of Simran and Meditation Practice. Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

Inner Light and Sound Meditation practice makes it possible to transcend the realm of the five senses and begin to explore the inner regions or realms beyond, coming to know our self as a ray or spark of the Divine. Today, spiritual satsang discourses of Sant Ravidas, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Baba Somanath, Sant Kirpal Singh, and Baba Ram Singh Ji on following this Path of the Masters, also known as Sant Mat or Radhasoami (Radhaswami), and experiencing union with God, the Ocean of Love and All-Consciousness.

The pearl may be lost in the mud but it remains a pearl. On this Path of the Masters meditation practice is not about becoming a soul and attempting to "physically" "travel" across vast inner regions and realms. Rather, it is more accurate to understand this as a process of uncovering the soul or spirit that already is, knowing ourselves as soul, and the Heavenly Abode the soul already resides in, if we did but know it. Paradoxically, we're traveling to where we already are. What's actually doing the traveling in meditation is our awareness, our attention. The attention-faculty of the soul is gradually transitioning from the limited perception of mind and matter, and coming to know itself again, it's true nature, and the Divine Ocean it resides in. The Most Radical Spiritual Idea Ever Conceived About the Soul: The Soul is a Particle, Wave, an Emanation, a Drop of the Supreme Being -- Today on Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean.

An exploration of the origins of the Sikh term "Ekankar", a name for God mentioned in Julian Johnson's spiritual classic, "Path of the Masters", and in the Sikh Scriptures (Jap Ji, the Morning Prayer of Guru Nanak). Also presented today, the origins of the Divine Name "HU" in the mystic poetry of many Sufis, especially the poetry of Hazrat Sultan BaHU and Rumi. Also briefly, a few vegetarian quotes from Masters of the Inner Light and Sound, East and West, today on Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean! "You can not just brush the surface of a culture and pretend that you’ve found an answer. We must turn inward to the deepest of our own roots to find the very best of who we are." (Ravi Shankar)  

Today, a Sant Mat Satsang Podcast titled, Stepping Out of Illusion into Spiritual Reality, on the goals of Santmat Spirituality & Meditation Practice, a production of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean. "In every living being, from tiny plant up to man, the spiritual flame of life is struggling upward and onward toward its Source of Being, and this process and this struggle must go on until the last speck of dust returns to the central fires of Infinite Being." (Julian Johnson, Path of the Masters)

Some background today on The Gospel According to Thomas, the original discovery made at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, and how this collection of the sayings of Jesus eventually became rebranded in the minds of some as a "Gnostic Gospel". There is discussion about the relationship between the Gospel of Thomas and adjacent texts (Q Source Gospel, four New Testament gospels, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of Mary Magdalene, etc...), as well as about who quoted these "Thomasonian" sayings of Jesus in early Christianity.

The sincere seeker naturally may wish to discover a spiritual practice, to learn the techniques that make it possible for them to see and hear spiritually, to explore the realms of God. Yet, many are thwarted at every step by religious voices advocating only rituals and dogma, perhaps even declaring, "There is nothing more that can be experienced during this life". For some, the mystic way is not a lost tradition. There is a living path where such techniques are experienced and shared freely with all.

The meditation practice of Sant Mat and Radhasoami is called Surat Shabd Yoga, meaning: "Union (Yoga) of the Soul (Surat) with the Inner Light and Sound of God (Shabd).” "That eternal Sound is in everyone, but dormant. One has to 'awaken' it with love, devotion, recitation of the Name and meditation. That Sound is unceasing and unfathomable, and is full of bliss... The Eternal Truth ('Sat' or Eternal Word) is hidden in every being. Without the Satguru it does not become known." (Prakashmani Sahib)

Today I dedicate this podcast to a vegetarian saying of Jesus found in the Syriac-Aramaic Gospel of Luke. There once existed a Jesus Movement where vegetarianism was the norm, and so the passage found in this old Luke manuscript is very much in harmony with a whole collection of such sayings attributed to Jesus, the Apostles, the brother of Jesus: James the Just, the Ebionites, and some early church fathers. Today, an introduction to "Christianity Before Paul", the vegetarian disciples, their writings, their teachings about becoming an ethical vegetarian.

Today, an introduction to the spiritual practices of inner seeing and inner hearing, the way of Initiation into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. Today's presentation waxes poetic and draws upon the universal mystic tradition of the ages, East and West, and especially upon the wisdom of this living Path of the Masters in the world of today known as Sant Mat, a term meaning "The Way of the Saints", those master-souls acquainted with the worlds of within, dimensions and domains beyond, inner regions, higher planes, and heavens above, the top-most of which is the true, eternal, timeless, spiritual home of the soul, the Ocean of Love, All-Consciousness, and Divine Grace. 

New reflections on the Gospel of Thomas, a collection of the sayings of Jesus, a wisdom gospel of Yeshua, where its source material comes from, especially the use of the Gospel of the Hebrews in Thomas. There's an exploration of the possibility that both the author of Thomas and Paul in First Corinthians 2:9 quoted from the Gospel of the Hebrews. This podcast features commentaries on sayings one through five from the Greek Gospel of Thomas, especially concentrating on saying two along with the parallel version of the saying in the Gospel of the Hebrews, background on the original discovery of "The Sayings of Our Lord" made in 1897 at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, also commentary on sayings twelve, seventeen, and twenty seven. I delve into the mystery of Tatian's Syriac-Aramaic Gospel Harmony and The Heliand (Saxon Gospel). I make use of apocryphal New Testament type texts, and writings from Syriac mystics associated with the Saint Thomas branch of Eastern Christianity. Then this lengthy deep dive into the Gospel of Thomas becomes a spiritual satsang discourse with selections from the teachings of Kirpal Singh on becoming an Initiate of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens learning to rise above body-consciousness when "the eye becomes single" so that we may see "What the Eye Has Not Seen, and Hear What the Ear Has Not Heard".

"The highest form of religious practice is the creation of spiritual love within the heart. When the living flames of love have been removed from religious movements and sects, these become empty shells and miserable shams. Lasting love can only be attained at the lotus feet of a mystic adept, a living Godman. The teachings of such a saint will not ensnare the aspirant in a web of rites and ceremonies. He teaches only the practical evocation of the power of love that dwells within the soul." (George Arnsby Jones, The Mystic Adept: Love Incarnate)

The role of the Gnostic Heavenly Messenger is to give the mystic experience of Light to souls and eventually guide them back up to the Place of Light, the Mandaean term for the highest heaven where the Great Life (God) resides. The mystical encounters recorded in the scriptures of the Mandaeans may seem at times like ancient near-death experiences (NDE's), the visions of souls who were embraced the Light long ago. 

Like Galileo discovering new worlds through the lens of his telescope, mystics have been trying to tell humanity for eons of something quite similar. The reason why the contemplative state of being is still hidden from most of us is that, unlike Galileo’s telescope, in order to look through this particular lens, the third eye or inner vision, we mustn’t focus on the outward sensory impressions, but go in the opposite direction: into Inner Space. Look through the lens of the third eye to access the world of within. Tune the inner radio dial, listening for the subtle inner sounds coming from beyond the silence. This is how to access the Kingdom of the Heavens, the Inner Space within you. The spiritual path is all about this transformation. Beyond a certain point, when we’ve gone as far as we can go on our own at trying to figure out the mysteries of reality and the cosmos, inspiration can come from others (we trust). The deluxe version of this mentoring process (for a few of us) comes from living and enlightened spiritual masters.

"Die while living”, "I die daily", or "death before dying" are popular sayings used by Saints and Sufi poet-mystics espousing the view that rising above body-consciousness or soul travel via the Third Eye Center during meditation practice is a preparation or rehearsal for the afterlife. Hazrat Sultan BaHU: "Let us die before dying, O BaHU, only then is the Lord attained... Love has inspired me to explore the heavens. From earth it has raised me to the worlds of Spirit." Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

There are numerous vegetarian passages preserved in the Sikh Scriptures (Adi Granth, Shri Guru Granth Sahib) and related Sikh texts  --  quotes from Guru Nanak, Kabir, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Gobind Singh and others. I've also included quotes from Bhai Gurdaas Ji, also a Persian historian and scholar of comparative religion who wrote about Guru Nanak and the early Sikhs  --  how the original disciples were all vegetarians.

Simran is the art of repeating a name or names of God in one's mind (manas jap, chanted mentally, guru mantra) for the purpose of Remembering the Divine -- Practicing the Presence of God. It is a way to remain spiritually awake in a world of slumber, a way to remain centered instead of being thrown off-center by the influence of maya (illusion). In the Path of the Saints and Mystics this spiritual exercise of repeating or chanting Names of God is done not only in meditation practice, but as often as possible throughout the day as a way to spiritualize all aspects of life, inner and outer. In Sant Mat, the simran of worldly thoughts is controlled through the Simran of the Charged Names, repeated by an initiate throughout the day and when sitting for meditation as a means of collecting the thought currents at the Third Eye Center; also used as a password of sorts to higher planes and protection from Negative Power influences. Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts) with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

Today, the Spiritual Seekers Guide and Introductory Meditation Instructions. There is No Spirituality Without Spirit: "So long as you do not experience the withdrawal of spirit within you during meditation, the spiritual path is a myth for you. To attain this experience, you have to perform the spiritual practices with full zest and fervor every day as prescribed by a living master." (Spiritual Seekers Guide)

Life Has Been Wasted if We Do Not Enter the Eye Center -- Sant Mat Satsang Podcast: Some Inspiration Today For Spiritual Seekers Looking For the Way to the Beyond, the Kingdom of the Heavens, the Way That Leads to the Worlds that are Within: Featuring the Wisdom of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, Baba Somanath, Sant Kirpal Singh, Baba Ram Singh Ji, Sarmad the Sufi Saint, Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar, Niloba of Maharashtra, Sant Paltu Sahib, Sant Pippa Saheb, the Adi Granth (Guru Granth), Baba Kehar Singh, Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram Bahadur, Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad, and Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj (Maharshi Mehi Ashram). 

Recommended Reading For Spiritual Seekers on Living A Spiritual Way of Life, and Following a Meaningful Meditation Practice: Brahm Nirupan of Kabir, Mystic Poetry of Sant Tulsi Sahib, Philosophy Of Liberation by Maharishi Mehi, Sar Bachan of Sant Radhaswami Sahib, Radhasoami Mat Prakash by Huzur Maharaj, A Spiritual Seekers Guide, The Way Out Is IN, The Essential Baba Devi Sahab, Harmony Of All Religions by Swami Santsevi Ji, The Inward Journey of the Soul (Chal Hansa Nij Desh) by Swami Vyasanand Ji Maharaj

Meditation, Near-Death Experiences (NDE's), and Out Of Body Travel (OOBE's), The Radhaswami Teachings of Yogani Mata Ji

I begin by sharing this unique arrangement of passages on the theme of spiritual-mystical Light attributed to Jesus found in all of the available ancient texts. I call it, "The Sermon on the Light", since it really does read, and when said out loud, sounds like a spiritual discourse on the theme of Light spoken long ago in antiquity by a spiritual Master to some of his students. Also today, a discourse on how to find your third or single eye. "If your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of Light."

"If your eye be Single, your whole body will be full of Light." (Yeshua​) "In the center behind and above the eyes there is an aperture; on this side of it is the material world, in which we are living now; and on the other side is the astral world." (Sawan Singh) "The inner Light does not come or go. It is always there within. It appears only when we are attuned and concentrated and disappears as soon as there is the slightest dispersion. The Light will not vanish if you just keep your inner gaze constantly fixed." (Kirpal Singh) "Look within yourself with the inner eye. The whole expanse inside is replete with the refulgence of the Divine Light." (Dadu)

A satsang discourse based upon: The Syriac Book of the Odes; The Great Song to Mani, in, The Gnostic Bible: "You Freed Souls from Samsara (the World of Changes), Ignorance, and Gave Wisdom"; The Gospel of Thomas; Path of the Masters, by Julian P. Johnson; Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry; Discourse from Baba Somanath; Inner Light and Sound Meditation Practice According to Yogani Mataji (Disciple of Baba Faqir Chand); Maharshi Mehi Paramhans on Daily Meditation Practice; "The Contemplative Eye of the Soul" from the Corpus Hermeticum; LIVING ONES: Baba Ram Singh on Simran Practice; Swami Vyasanand on "The Traveler of the Subtle Inner Path"; Correct Posture, and Inner Light Meditation Practice by Shri Bhagirath Baba; and, Swami Achyutanand on Inner Sound Meditation Leading to the Ascension of the Soul to the Realm of Anami, the Soundless State, the Many Reuniting With the One. 

A spiritual satsang discourse based on the mystic poetry of Saint Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India, a great spiritual master of the Sant Mat tradition, the founding guru of modern-day Sant Mat and Radhasoami (Radhaswami), also known as the Path of the Masters, those who practice inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga) and devotion (bhakti) to the Formless Lord of the Soul, Supreme Being (Lord of Love).

There's significant evidence that the original Jesus Movement and well-known apostles were vegetarians. And furthermore, this vegetarianism of the disciples and Jesus Movement is fairly widely known in antiquity, mentioned by historians, scriptures, and early church fathers. Today we explore the teachings of Jesus's brother James the Just and the original Aramaic-speaking Christians of Jerusalem: Christianity-Before-Paul.

Today we explore: Why Vegetarianism and Veganism? Thy Will Be Done; Thou Shalt Not Kill; Vegetarian Verses of Namdev; Vegetarian Sayings of Jesus; The Vegetarianism Adopted by the Apostles; The Acts of Philip; Saint Paul; Gospel of Thomas; the Vegetarianism Edited Out of the Unity School of Christianity Statement of Faith; A Glimpse Into the Mainstreaming, Succumbing, the Accommodation Process: As the Ranks Swell with New Converts Bringing Their Meat Diets With Them, the Vegetarian Teachings Get Edited Out.

"Recognize the Path to your Beloved, O travelers and take the route of the anguished lover in separation. Keep the Master’s grace in your thoughts, and reflect upon his pure teachings. Develop love and devotion with endearment, and keep the thought of the Creator always before you. Try to merge yourself into God like water and water. Fix your mind within by following the Path of the Sound Current. A yearning will arise; make then an intense and anguished call. Repeat the Name of your Beloved, day and night, again and again, again and again. With care in thought, word and deed, you will cross to the other shore." (Sant Dadu Dayal of Rajasthan) 

There Is No Permanent University of Mysticism: A Reflection on the Impermanence of Spiritual Movements in a World of Samsara (Changes): All of the organizations associated with mystic-paths like Sant Mat at present, rest assured, will meet the same fate as those of past generations, eventually being replaced with vibrant new gatherings in diverse locations, new budding branches of the Living Mystical Tree of Life to replace the old, same as always -- thank God. Seneca said: "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end."

Three Central Teachings According to the Sikh Masters in the Guru Granth: 1) The Need For A Living Master -- to Receive Initiation from a Living Satguru Into the Meditation Practice; 2) Hearing the Sound Current in One’s Meditation Practice (Naam, Shabda); and, 3) Following a Non-violent Vegetarian Diet. "Meet a Satguru and receive his initiation. Surrender thine all and look within." (Guru Nanak) Spiritual Awakening Radio, and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts With James Bean

In the category of Sant Mat spirituality some might be familiar with the Radhasoami tradition, perhaps paths associated with Hazur Baba Sawan Singh or Kirpal Singh, but there is also the satsang of Maharshi Mehi based in Kuppaghat, Bhagalpur, Bihar, and elsewhere in northern India & Nepal. Today an introduction to the Sant Tulsi Sahib branch of Santmat associated with Maharshi Mehi Paramhans. You'll also hear selections from the mystic poetry and hymns composed by Maharshi Mehi known as the Padavali.

"What your own eyes cannot see, your human ears do not hear, your physical hands cannot touch, and what is inconceivable to the human mind -- that I will give you!" (Yeshua, Gospel of Thomas) "When I arrived, I opened a Path and taught people about the Way of Passage for those who are chosen and solitary, who have known the Father and have pursued Truth." (Yeshua, Dialogue of the Savior) Viewing Jesus (Yeshua) as a Spiritual Master, a Sant Mat Perspective on the Gnostic Gospels and Christian Mysticism Today on Spiritual Awakening Radio.

The mystical utterances of Rumi and other great Sufi Masters speak directly to the heart. They encourage us to see the hidden Light, to discover Divine Secrets, to perceive the Way that lovers can find their Beloved. The Sufis, through their poems and ecstatic revelations are attempting to share their Secrets with the world, or at least with those discerning souls who find their words to be not only nice poetry, but something much more: soul-expressions coming from lovers caught up in the divine bliss of a higher reality.

There is a spiritual core at the heart or center of the world religions: schools of saints, friends of God, lovers of the Beloved, gnostics, solitaries and sufis. Examples of contemplative meditation practice, also Inner Light and Sound experiences present in Christian mystical texts are provided. Masters do not divide the world, nor do they condemn any existing religion or community. They always inspire us to get initiated into the Mysteries of spiritual practice, to go within and see what the Reality is.

One can say the journey is far, that much of the inward journey remains to be traversed...so many planes, so many levels, so many heavens to pass through on our way back to God. There is however, another way of seeing this, whether experienced in meditation or not. Heaven may seem far, and yet, the Reality is that it is near — close by — in our midst, within us, even now, in the living present. We are drops of soul consciousness from the Ocean of Love. We are already in heaven but don’t know it. And, as Rumi might say, this is “the Secret of Secrets”. 

"When the Father, who alone is good, visits the heart, he makes it holy and fills it with Light. And so a person who has such a heart is called blessed, for that person will see God." -- Valentinus of Alexandria "May the Grace beyond time and space that was before the beginnings of the Universe fill our inner being and increase within us the semblance of itself as the grain of mustard seed." -- Valentinus

Kabir says: "For millions of years you have slept. This morning, will you not wake?".   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts), with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet. 

Through the various noble attempts at mystical experiments of consciousness called "spiritual paths" and "religions" human beings have been using meditation practices to unplug from the relentless noise pollution and multitudes of distracting voices of the world in order to reconnect with their inner selves in the pure restful tranquility of silence, tapping into the wisdom from above, gazing through the lens of the third eye, and listening intently to the sound of silence emanating from mystic skies beyond.

Enoch is an example of a category of Biblical literature known as "apocrypha" and "lost books of the Bible". First Enoch was quoted in the New Testament and was part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. First and Second Enoch remain part of the Ethiopian Bible of today. The Books of Enoch were called "scripture" by some in early Christianity. There is also a Third Book of Enoch (Hebrew Enoch). Today, an introduction to the Enoch literature, and we explore the spiritual contents of these important ancient texts that describe the Seven Heavens. The Case For The Book of ENOCH As Scripture (I, II, & III Enoch), and... The Ascension of the Soul, on Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean.

Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram Ji Maharaj was one of the great prolific writers of the Sant Mat tradition of India. I was greatly influenced by his many books, especially Prem Patra Radhasoami, volumes one through six, an encyclopedia of Sant Mat spirituality, Prem Bani Radhaswami (bhakti hymns and mystic poetry), volumes one through four, Prem Updesh Radhasoami, Jugat Prakash (instructions for initiates), Radhasoami Mat Darshan, Huzur's Letters to Satsangis, and Radhasoami Mat Prakash, which was the very first Sant Mat publication from India to appear in the English language, near the beginning of the 20th Century. -- James Bean, Spiritual Awakening Radio, and the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast

At a forum online I belong to someone was asking who their spiritual master is if they have been initiated more than once, have associated with more than one guru, which can happen on this Path of the Masters. The podcast today contains my reply to that question.   Key Words: SantMat, Radhasoami, Initiation, Deeksha, Diksha,   What About Those Who Get Re-Initiated, Who Have Associated With More-Than-One Master? -- The Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, a Production of Spiritual Awakening Radio.   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts), with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

The focus of the bhakti Saints of India (Santmat, RadhaSoami, The Path of the Masters) is not on constructing earthly temples, building organizational structures, or temples of the mind. Rather, they guide their students into entering the Temple of the Spirit. The Portal or Doorway to this Temple is within, at the Third Eye Center. Masters say: "An intense longing to meet the Supreme Lord during one's lifetime is the first and foremost qualification for Initiation. 'Seek, and ye shall find', is the principle'". Being properly initiated into the secrets of meditation -- the Mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens (deeksha/diksha) -- by a living Master is the beginning of the Inward Journey. Then, go and do the meditation. Requirements For Initiation in Sant Mat: Inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga) -- Today on the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, a Production of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean.

Professor Sebastian Brock of Oxford University, Scholar of Eastern Christianity and Aramaic-Syriac Saints, has translated many beautiful, poetic spiritual texts of Eastern Mystics such as Isaac of Nineveh, Joseph the Visionary, John of Dalyatha, and so many more in, The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life, and other spiritual classics of Christian Mysticism and the Contemplative Tradition (Gnosis, the Church of the East). Also today we explore the Jesus Sutras that were discovered in China.

The term "Sant Mat" was coined by Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras. It means, "The Teachings of the Saints" or, "Path of the Masters". Today, I present a summary of my research into the origins of this ancient spiritual path from India, and also attempt to solve the mystery of who Tulsi Sahib's spiritual master was, thus revealing the "family tree", the guru lineage of masters going back many generations. The Origins of Sant Mat, the Five Names, and the Identity of Tulsi Sahib's Guru -- Today on the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast With James Bean, a production of Spiritual Awakening Radio. Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts), with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

"Life is a progression. We progress from childhood to adulthood, from simplicity to complexity, from ignorance to knowledge, from innocence to wisdom and from birth to death. It is the law of life. But there is also a progression from the external life to the internal, from the hustle and bustle of material life to the serenity and silence of internal life. It is in the latter that we experience the beauty of the Self and its connection with Divinity. (Jagessar Das, Doctor by Chance, Mystic by Choice) Satsang spiritual readings from: Doctor by Chance, Mystic by Choice, also, The Complete Bijak of Guru Kabir, with commentary by Dr. Jagessar Das of the Kabir Association. The Wisdom of Guru Kabir and Dr. Jagessar Das Today on the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast With James Bean, a Production of Spiritual Awakening Radio.

The attention-faculty of the soul usually remains dormant in most people, what some call: "The Blind Eye." Mystics portray the typical materialistic society as being a place of sleeping souls unaware of their true identity as soul, and often are even misled by religious voices that speak about a million topics, but unfortunately, how to see and hear spiritually is usually not one of them. Sant Tulsi Sahib says, "Through the ritualism of the pundit, the whole world has been deluded. 'Wake up, wake up!' has been said for ages... For ages and ages, aeons and aeons, the soul has slept; who but the Saints can wake it." Kabir says, "For millions of years you have slept, this morning, will you not wake?" Awakening from the Soul-Slumber of the Ages -- A Sant Mat Satsang Edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean.  

Spiritual Awakening Radio Listener Resources, a Collection of Links for my Libsyn Blog Page. Sant Mat Radhasoami Books , The Free E Library: Main Page , Contents (Sant Mat, Radhasoami, Gnosticism, Christian Mysticism, Veganism, etc...): https://santmatradhasoami.blogspot.com/2019/01/sant-mat-radhasoami-books-main-page-e.html Sant Mat Radhasoami Blog @ Blogspot/Blogger: https://SantMatRadhasoami.Blogspot.com Sant Mat Radhasoami Blog @ Wordpress: https://SantMatRadhasoami.Wordpress.com Sant Mat Meditation and Spirituality @ Medium: https://medium.com/sant-mat-meditation-and-spirituality Spiritual Awakening Radio Website (with embedded players, links to various podcast apps/podcast sites, Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Google, TuneIN, Amazon/Audibles, Pandora, Gaana, MyTuner-Radio, Listen Notes, and so on, Youtube, listener resources, links and buttons to social media, etc..., etc..., etc...): https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com An Introduction to Sant Mat Meditation and Spirituality: https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/sant-mat Free E-Booklet: The Origins of Sant Mat, The Five Names, and the Identity of Tulsi Sahib's Guru, by James Bean: @ The Internet Archive: https://Archive.org/details/TheOriginsOfSantMatSachKhandPDF/mode/1up @ Academia EDU: https://www.academia.edu/38884339/The_Origins_of_Sant_Mat_The_Five_Names_and_the_Identity_of_Tulsi_Sahibs_Guru_by_James_Bean @ Blogger/Blogspot: http://santmatradhasoami.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-origins-of-sant-mat-five-names-and.html @ Medium: https://medium.com/sant-mat-meditation-and-spirituality/the-origins-of-sant-mat-the-five-names-and-the-identity-of-tulsi-sahib-s-guru-by-james-bean-eaa516deccf9 Free E-Booklet: Evidence That Jesus and The Original Aramaic Christians Were Vegetarians: @ The Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/JesusAndTheOriginalAramaicChristiansWereVegetarians @ Academia EDU: https://www.academia.edu/38883734/Evidence_That_Jesus_and_The_Original_Aramaic_Christians_Were_Vegetarians_By_James_Bean @ Supreme Master Television: https://suprememastertv.com/JamesBean-Evidence-Jesus-was-vegetarian.pdf SantMatRadhasoami @ YouTube, Spiritual Awakening Radio including Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/user/SantMatRadhasoami/videos Social Media & Mailing List (Substack, GroupsIO) SpiritualAwakeningRadio Page @ Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/SpiritualAwakeningRadio SantMatRadhasoami Page @ Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami SantMat1 @ Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/santmat1 SantMat @ Tumblr: https://SantMat.Tumblr.com ArchivedShows @ Twitter: https://Twitter.com/ArchivedShows SantMat @ Twitter: https://Twitter.com/Sant_Mat Email Listserv, Newsletter: Light and Sound on the Path: https://santmatfellowship.groups.io/g/main Sant Mat @ Substack: Light and Sound on the Path:  https://SantMat.substack.com BACK to the MAIN PAGE of the Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast Website @ Libsyn: https://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.libsyn.com/website  

Today we consult with not only Matthew 3:4 and Mark 1:6 with their references to "locusts and honey", but also explore the world of early Christian writings as well as scholarly texts. Some who know Greek and are affiliated with Eastern Orthodox Christianity believe that the mention of "locusts" in the New Testament actually refers to locust beans, also known as carob beans. Some describe "Saint John's bread" or "manna bread" as being made of locust bean flour, also known as carob flour, turned into a kind of Middle-eastern flat bread. "In ancient texts the references to 'honey' in antiquity can refer equally to honey produced by bees, or to any number of other sweet substances, including dates, figs, pods, or sap/gum from carob or other trees." (John the Baptist’s Wild Honey and Honey in Antiquity, by James A. Kelhoffer) There is a ‘vegetarian’ depiction of John’s diet in the Syriac Life and Martyrdom of John the Baptist supplying us with some context and it points to the sap in plants as being the natural sweet substance or "honey". The Life and Martyrdom of John the Baptist is attributed to Mark the Evangelist: "So, at once he [John the Baptist] was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he traveled into the wilderness. He was brought up in the wilderness, eating tips of plants and the sap in the plants." The Slavonic edition of the Book of Josephus actually contains a saying attributed to John the Baptist: "I am pure; [for] the Spirit of God has led me on, and [I live on] cane and roots and tree-food." Josephus also describes the desert or wilderness diet of John the Baptist. We also consult with, The Life of John the Baptist by Sarapion; The Gospel of the Ebionites, another name for the Jesus Movement. We learn of their cousins in the John the Baptist sect (Nasoraeans); also about Epiphanius. And we examine the historic record and scholarly analysis of Bart Ehrman; Robert Eisenman; James Kelhoffer; Keith Akers, James Tabor; E.S. Drower; and G.R.S. Mead. We conclude with a reading from the vegetarian Prayer of Thanksgiving from the Hermetica, as well as the parallel version about this agape love feast or communal meal found in the Nag Hammadi Library. 

In this labyrinth of existence we can become quite habituated into remaining as surface-dwellers living inundated by all the outward distractions that life on earth provides. We may ask of ourselves, “Am I availing myself of the spiritual direction and wisdom that comes from within?” Over the centuries contemplative souls have taught that the human body is a kind of temple, and that within this temple are portals that lead to other dimensions, that by looking within this microcosm we may access the macrocosm of the heavens. We are children of both worlds. We human beings are a Tree of Life with roots in the earth and branches rising into a mystic sky.  Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean -- Education For A More Peaceful Planet

There are Living Mystics with us now in the world today, the 21st Century. Sant Mat, the Path of the Living Masters, is quite respectful of the great teachers, the great Saints of the past and the scriptures or hymns they left behind, and you're hear more of them quoted on this podcast than just about any podcast out there. But, the focus of Sant Mat is in the living present. Sant Mat continues to exist because of living masters. Respect goes to past masters, yes... but the work's not done. The work that remains is the spiritual mission of the living masters of the present time keeping the torch, the Light of spirituality, lit for another generation. For Sant Mat, the age of truth and revelation has never ceased. What was true in the past remains true now. What enlightenment was available to others who once lived in the past is also available to us here in the living present.

The Vegetarianism of the Original Jesus Movement (Christian Vegetarianism), Jesus's Vegan Brother James (Who Became His Spiritual Successor), Former Fisherman Peter, the Other Apostles, Syriac-Aramaic Clementine Literature, and the Vegetarian "Yoke of the Lord" Mentioned in the The Didache (The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations) Yeshua said, "Come to me, for my yoke is easy and my mastery gentle, and you will find rest for yourselves." (Gospel of Thomas, Saying 90) One of the "peaceable kingdom" principles of the Jesus Movement leading to spiritual rest included a non-violent, compassionate vegetarian diet. 

"There is nothing more important than meditation. Increase this practice from day to day; never decrease it." (Baba Jaimal Singh)  Teachings of Baba Jaimal Singh of the Radhasoami (Radhaswami) Faith of India today on the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, a production of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean.

From Darkness to Light -- Guidance About Meditation Practice -- the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, a production of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean Today, an introduction to meditation for beginners that also provides a glimpse into the world of advanced practice, inner Light and Sound, the realm of the saints and mystics, East and West, in the various schools of spirituality. "Darkness is no longer dark to me." "There is a sound emanating from beyond the silence."  

In Sant Mat spirituality, meditation is successfully practiced when we keep the proper meditation posture, leave behind all our burdens, thoughts, worries, and worldly distractions behind, and focus all of our undivided attention on going within by way of the third eye center so that we may reach that Sacred Secret Place of the Most High where Divine Grace is flowing. Rising to THE PLACE WHERE GRACE IS FLOWING is a great way of describing the benefit of Surat Shabd Meditation, Inner Light and Sound Meditation, as being a kind of inner baptism or letting the waters of Divine Grace flow over the soul.  The Sant Mat Satsang Podcast is a production of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean.

Today a treasure-trove of pro-vegan, pro-vegetarian, pro-compassion passages, mostly from Buddhist sources, ancient and contemporary, along with quotes from Supreme Master Ching Hai, including: "From Crisis To Peace, The Organic Vegan Way is the Answer"; also a couple of passages from Pythagoras, Apollonius of Tyana, as well as Darshan Singh. Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts), with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.  

Rules For Being Guru, By Swami Vyasanand Ji Maharaj -- The Living Spiritual Path of Sant Mat Based in Bihar, India, Part 4 -- Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, a Production of Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean Program Outline: Mystic poetry of Sant Tulsi Sahib, then Kabir verses along with satsang commentary by Baba Ram Singh, followed by selections from, The Inward Journey of the Soul, the first book in English by Swami Vyasanand, on the Rules For Being Guru. And I close with another reading from the mystic poetry of Sant Tulsi Sahib. "Spiritual seeking has the not-so-modest goal of revealing nothing less than the Divine, the Truth or Ultimate Reality. For far less modest goals than this we would not dare attempt their achievement without a qualified teacher. Our universities and the degrees they confer bear witness to this fact. For example, we would never attempt to acquire the skills of a professional airline pilot with mere reading, nor would we dare take instructions from someone who himself had never flown. Common sense requires that we approach subjects such as aviation or any number of other technical subjects with the help of skillful teachers and tried and true curricula. Why then would we assume that the highest and arguably the most difficult of all goals could be achieved without a teacher or guide?" (Don Howard, Evaluating Spiritual Teachers -- In Search of a Worthy, Genuine, Competent, Qualified Spiritual Teacher)

Reincarnation in Gnosticism, and... Let the Gnostics Be Gnostic -- Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts), with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

"The teachers of the worldly sciences can teach those subjects, but when we come to the SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY, only the accomplished spiritual teacher can give these teachings of the spiritual path. All the wisdom in the sacred texts points to the importance of a teacher. This mysterious path is described in the holy books, but it cannot be found simply by the study of sacred texts. It is found by the grace and guidance of an accomplished teacher." (a quote from: Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj, Book of Sarvadharma Samanvy/Harmony Of All Religions) The Science of Spirituality According to Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj -- The Living Spiritual Path of Sant Mat Based in Bihar, India, Part 3 -- Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, a Production of Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean 

The Goal of Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation: Our Path Back to the Source -- The Inward Journey Back to GOD, by Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj, Today on the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, a Production of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean

Today we explore the various stages of Sant Mat meditation practice according to Beloved Sant Satguru Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj, describing the transition from separation from God in the material outer world of the five senses to the world of Within "Sitting Near God" (Upasana), the ascension of the soul through Stillness or Silence, Manas Jap (Simran, Repetition of Sacred a Sacred Name or Names of God), Manas Dhyan (Visualization of the Form of the Master), Dristi Sadhana (Inner Vision Piercing the Darkness Contemplating the Inner Light at the Third Eye Center), and Nadanusadhana (Surat Shabd Yoga, Inner Sound Meditation, the Yoga of the Audible Life Stream). PODCAST (7-23-2020): The Living Spiritual Path of Sant Mat Based in Bihar, India, Part 2: Meditation Practice According to Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj -- Sant Mat Satsang Podcast Edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean.

The Gospel of Thomas as a Kind of 'Second Coming' of Christ -- Some New Observations About the Gospel of Thomas Today On Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean Fascinating examples of mysterious non-canonical orphan or stray sayings attributed to Jesus in the writings of early Christianity in Syria, Rome, and Egypt that are part of this Other or "Thomasonian" tradition of the sayings of Jesus emanating from Syria... in circulation around the Mediterranean world and Middle East.

Often Westerners lack clarity about the teachings of the Masters. The goal of this spiritual awakening satsang project always is to bring greater access to the teachings and better understanding about traditional, rural, no-nonsense Sant Mat spirituality AS IT IS. Today, a presentation exploring a lesser-known living, contemporary branch of Sant Mat based in Bihar, India (also Nepal) associated with the lineage of Sant Tulsi Sahib, Maharshi Mehi Paramhans and his spiritual successors, with readings about the spiritual journey and meditation practice from Tulsi Sahib, Maharshi Mehi, Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, Shir Bhagirath Baba, Swami Achyutanand Baba, Swami Vyasanand Ji Maharaj, and there's an excerpt from a new paper by Professor Veena Howard titled, Divine Light and Melodies Lead the Way: The Santmat Tradition of Bihar.

Today on this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio we explore a spiritual discourse of Baba Somanath on successfully reaching our spiritual goals, not being talked out of our hopes and ideals, not giving up on our meditation practice, but rather, finding our life purpose following the spiritual path and being a successful practitioner of inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga). This particular satsang discourse of Baba Somanath, based on mystic verses of the Sar Bachan Poetry, is quite informative about the role of the mind or ego acting as an extension of universal mind given the name Kal Niranjan by some, and the Demiurge by others, the negative power, great deceiver or lord of illusion. The quest of the true disciple (satsangi, initiate) is to remain focused in a realm of endless distractions, to be spiritually awake in a culture of slumber or negligence, to always remember God and our spiritual practice in this world of forgetfulness (maya, illusion, samsara). 

"Kal (time, limited mental perception) has entangled people in illusions to such an extent that they have totally forgotten their Real Home." (Anurag Sagar) An Outline of Today's Sant Mat Satsang Podcast: The Story of Ants in a Burning Log -- The mysterious figure of Kabir made his entry into the life of Dharam Das; The Ethical Foundation of Sant Mat -- Ahimsa Values -- The Five Precepts -- Moral Requirements to Qualify For Initiation; Seven Key Practices of Sant Mat Mysticism; Selections from the mystic poetry of Kabir from several sources; Readings from the Anurag Sagar and Baba Kehar Singh's commentary on the Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love), a spiritual classic of the Sant tradition of India: God is Just Behind Our Eyes at the Third Eye Center; Initiation Into Inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabd Yoga) and Protection from Above Following the Path of Sants; A Book of Sant Mat Ethics: "1008 Kabir Vani" -- One of the Most Important Books of Kabir, a review of the book followed by selections: the Guru Verification Process; the Kal Niranjan (Negative Power): "This mind is like an intoxicated elephant;" The Repetition of God's Name; Meditation, Prayers of Guru Kabir; and, closing thoughts.

Vegetarian Sayings of Jesus, Rumi, Rabia & Bawa Muhaiyaddeen in Sufi Islamic Sources Today on Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean You might assume Islamic and Sufi literature would portray Jesus as following a meat-eating halal diet, and that famous Sufi poet-mystics such as Rumi and Rabia would have followed a halal diet too. And yet the surprising reality is Jesus is clearly described as a vegetarian. I also show some noteworthy parallels between certain saying of Jesus preserved in Islamic sources and the Gospel of Thomas. There are actually vegan poetry verses from Jalaluddin Rumi, and Rabia of Basra is described as being vegan as well. Today we explore veg and vegan sayings of Jesus, Rumi, Rabia of Basra, and hear the pro-vegetarian Sufi message of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. Note: Bawa Muhaiyaddeen was the spiritual teacher of Coleman Barks, the famous translator of all those books of Rumi poetry still popular after all these years.   Spiritual Awakening Radio (and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts), with James Bean, heard on various community, public radio stations and the web, explores the world of spirituality, comparative religion, world scriptures and other books, East and West, God, meditation, out of body or near death experiences (inner space), the vegan diet and other ahimsa ethics -- education for a more peaceful planet.

The Clementine scriptures are surviving Jewish-Christian writings from antiquity that represent the teachings of the Ebionites, a movement founded by Christ, and eventually lead by James the Just and his spiritual successors during the first few centuries AD. I was expecting this group to be very legalistic and tribal, believing that only they have access to the true God and spiritual Truth, but the reality turned out to be rather surprising! In Recognitions of Clement, Book 9, Chapter 20, "Brahmans", an Ebionite author has very nice things to say about their brothers and sisters in India who worship the One God, follow peaceful customs and laws, and are vegetarian or vegan. Ebionite One Love. Clearly he sees parallels between his own religion and those like-minded devotees and disciples residing “in the Indian countries.” (India was divided into many separate states or kingdoms 2,000 years ago.) It's one of the most amazing passages I know of in the extra-canonical apocryphal scriptures, as it is a rare example of one religion (Ebionite Christianity) recognizing “Truth” in another religion from elsewhere (Hinduism in India). Imagine that! A rare inter-faith moment in human history. And I just know the Ebionites would have really loved Kabir and the Sants of India that emerged during the medieval period. So I also share some key teachings of the Sant tradition, the Way of the Saints (Sant Mat), the Path of the Masters, very much in agreement with the Ebionites: 1) belief in, and meditation upon, the One God, 2) opposition to the worship of idols (all forms of idolatry), 3) opposition to ritual animal sacrifice in various religious temples, and 4) strictly adhering to a vegetarian (or even vegan) diet as part of their peaceful (ahimsa) ethical foundation for living.  

Today I provide a brief introduction to the Gospel of Thomas... where it came from, what it is, describing it as a wisdom gospel or 'Christ Upanishad', a collection of the sayings of Jesus to be contemplated, leading to revelations and insight. Between a third and half of the sayings attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas are also included in the regular or orthodox New Testament. The rest however are not. Yet some of those sayings of Jesus associated with the Gospel of Thomas also were quoted, far and wide, in other early Christian writings too. I list some of the other texts, scriptures and authors that have quoted these "Thomasonian" sayings of Jesus that got left out of the New Testament. We focus on one such saying, in what other gospels and writings it's also appeared, AND how it even got included in the scriptures of other religions of the East & West! Yeshua says: "I will give you what eye has never seen, and what ear has never heard, and what hand has never touched, and what has never entered into the heart of man." (GoT # 17) This verse also was directly quoted by Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians. This is an axiom of wisdom about being initiated by a living teacher into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens, so other sources are shared exploring what initiation is: The Mystical Theology of Dionysius the Areopagite, The Testament of Our Lord (a Syriac gospel), The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life, and there are readings from the Sant Mat satsang or spiritual discourses of Sant Kirpal Singh, also Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, on initiation as well as about inner seeing and hearing during meditation practice. "This 'Single' or 'Third Eye' provides an ingress into the spiritual worlds -- the Kingdom of God -- now a lost realm to most of us... Of this inlet or ingress little is known by the people at large." (Kirpal Singh)

When describing the story from the gospels about Jesus Feeding the Five Thousand, the Miraculous Feeding of the Multitude, the early church father Irenaeus, writing between 180 and 188 AD, doesn't mention anything about fish, only bread! The historian Eusebius, Arnobius, and some other early Christian writings also never mention "fishes with the loaves", only the loaves. Today, we examine the case of the missing fish, variations between different manuscripts of the New Testament, including the example of a vegetarian saying of Jesus present in the Old Syriac-Aramaic Evangelion Da-Mepharreshe Gospels (Curetonian manuscript) but nowhere to be found in the Greek. This is another installment in a series of podcasts documenting the vegetarianism of the original Jesus Movement (Ebionites, Nasoreans, Grandchildren of the Essenes, Hebrew Christians, The Apostles/Disciples, Christianity-Before-Paul).

Meet the Unknown Guru of Radhaswami: Maharaj Girdhari Sahib, Sant Mat History Research Update; Also: Lost Shabds of Soami Ji Maharaj and Other Mystic Poetry, the Lucknow Shabds The Great Soul Soami Ji Maharaj (Radhasoami) was initiated by Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, India, and after Sant Tulsi's passing in 1843, Soami Ji was affiliated with a successor of Sant Tulsi by the name of Maharaj Girdhari Sahib. Thanks to Pramod for being my contact at the Lucknow Satsang, and Roohi for translating material from Hindi into English. We are blessed to access new verses of mystic poetry of Saints, which helps inspire spiritual practitioners to go within and meditate upon the inner Light and Sound of God. History can be liberating, opening up new vistas of appreciation and avenues of wisdom, as we endeavour to sit at the feet of the Masters.

Today on the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast, the reading of a very special Ahimsa Prayer called the "Prarthana-panchak se" by Ramesvarananda Saheb found in, "Praises To A Formless God," from the Path of Guru Kabir. The word "Ahimsa" means practicing non-violence in thought, word, and deed. This is such a beautiful and eloquent prayer, it is something that one could read and ponder each and every day for life, for it is not in the knowing, but in the doing and the being that we truly embody peace.

The Latest Sant Mat Satsang Podcast Edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean: Today, at the time of this recording, is the commemoration of the 136th birth anniversary of Saint Satguru Maharshi Mehi Paramhans Ji Maharaj of the Sant Mat Tradition of India. Today we remember Maharshi Mehi by reading from his spiritual classic, The Padavali, a collection of Bhakti Mystic Poetry, Hymns and Prose about discovering God within by way of inner Light and Sound Meditation Practice.

Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean: A short recording featuring a couple of verses from Rumi, and an interpretation of those verses from the book, With the Three Masters. The third eye (single eye) is considered to be the "Seat of the Soul" in the human body, and serves as portal or gateway to the Kingdom of the Heavens (Inner Space) making it possible to access our spiritual senses of inner seeing and hearing. In Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters, the spiritual journey begins in meditation at the third eye center: "When we receive initiation from a Saint, practice Naam simran to retrace our consciousness from toes to a spot behind the eyes [Third Eye Center], only then something is accomplished."  (Baba Kehar Singh)

Spiritual readings from many masters, saints and mystics. Featured are readings and commentary based on the spiritual classic: Light on the Teachings of the Lord of the Soul (Radhasoami Mat Prakash), on this Sant Mat Satsang Podcast edition of Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean.

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene presents Mary as not only equal to her male counterparts as an apostolic leader in early Christianity, but also as the primary spiritual successor of Jesus with the most insight and understanding of Christ's message. Mary also described visions of the radiant form of her Master, the resurrected Christ. - James Bean, Spiritual Awakening Radio, Gnostic Series

When I saw vegan verses of Rumi I thought, this is going to make for a great new podcast. It's awesome to be able to claim the King of the Sufi poets for the vegan cause!

Vegetarianism Is Going Vegan; Sant Mat and Veganism; Also: The Oldest Veg and Vegan Quotes on Earth -- Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean

An exploration of vegetarian sayings of Jesus (yes, there are some!), from the Syriac Aramaic manuscript of the Gospel of Luke, other sayings from the New Testament along with sayings from the Ebionite Gospels.

The Karmic Law of the Vegetarian Diet by Hazur Baba Sawan Singh... Also... Changing Your Life Through Simran Practice... And... The Soul's Return to Sach Khand -- Spiritual Awakening Radio with James Bean

The Sound of LIGHT:  Finding the Light and Sound Within You Through Meditation -- Spiritual Awakening Radio With James Bean 

Seven Ingredients of a Living Spiritual Path -- Seven Gnostic-Sant Mat Parallels: 1) living masters/teachers with students (past masters, scrolls, cuneiform tablets or old scriptures are not enough; a living guide is required); 2) a cosmology of several heavens/inner regions/planes/spheres; 3) an understanding that souls can access these realms here and now during this present life (a present-tense Kingdom of Heaven available to souls right now, not a spirituality postponed till some magical date on a calendar or hypothesized future age); 4) an initiation into the mysteries of the heavens, imparting to spiritual seekers the meditation techniques and sacred names; 5) visionary and auditory mysticism (inner Light and Sound, spiritual seeing and hearing) -- descriptions of souls traveling within through various inner regions; 6) they have an ethical code, and this ethical foundation includes a vegetarian diet, then and now; and, 7) The Goal of the teachings and meditation practice is experiencing direct union with God.