Q & A

Q: I have question, what is the link between Gayatri Mantra and prana energy. I'm regularly practicing the Pranayama and since the initiation in Gayatri Mantra, my pranic energy is growing and I felt it. Please give some explanation. Is it normal* or I should stop doing pranayama.

A: The resonance of the Gayatri Mantra is the resonance of the One.......the finest undetectable vibration; primordial universal sound. Uni-Verse means One-Song, One-Verse, resonating unto itself. All phenomena are appearing in the One. We can call it God, we can call it consciousness, we can call it (unconditional) Love ...... wherein all phenomena pass, impermanent by nature. They pass without our involvement. Phenomena appear, are permanently in flux, and disappear. This is observed in the breath.......... outgoing..... ingoing...... breathing: impermanence in expression: pranic energy. There is nothing personal..... It is just going on and you may or may not be aware of it..... or through a method and grace, increasingly being aware of it, like in your case. Hence we cannot really speak of "my" pranic energy.

Yes, go on with the breathing practice, if your heart feels so inclined, and don't get rigid in it. Remember that all methods and practices are just doorways to the Absolute unwavering Truth......... True Nature in all experiences. . True Nature expressing in infinite possible experiences.

*When we use the term "normal", we insinuate a standard........ yet all experience is simply what it is: experience. Impermanence in essence empty.

Q: I am doing much much much better since the silent summer retreat in Terre de Sacha.

I have settled my work matters and things are much lighter and easier. Fewer attachments.
As much as I have found such a strong connection and have a much better sense of all the illusions in life and especially because of my connection to you, life feels easier; I still can't help wondering what all this is for?

I don't really know how to find a meaning to anything; I don't know how to motivate myself.
It is everything I was taught to believe in seems to collapse.

I was taught; being materially successful was about the most important thing in life.

I think I'm bored. I don't really know. Everything I used to believe in, or live for, seem so senseless and yet today I also see so much sense in life.
I don't know if I am actually asking you a question or if there is a question to ask.
I feel like I just go through the motions in life but everything can seem so meaningless.

You are bumping on a profound turning point... at first this may feel a bit frightening.

All that we came to "believe" in, all of our conditionings...all seems to lose its taste and we wonder what the heck is the purpose of life anyhow. I would rather call this a phase, instead of a state. The phase will pass... dive deeply into this unknown challenge. Don't be in a hurry. Don't provoke any effect. We are so conditioned that our actions should be measurable, conceptually fit, result oriented. It is an error. Detachment is the Way to revealing True Nature.

Your heart contains a radiant diamond and it is intelligence itself... you cannot own it and you cannot comprehend it. The conceptual thinking cannot rest in it.

We fear spontaneous unpredictability, yet it contains all possibilities eternally.

It is called unconditional love and it is guided form within...by carefully listening to the inner voice without reasoning.

Sometimes I'm wondering what I'm doing in this world... only exhausting the remaining illusions, little expectations and attachments? That might be the way to be "patient"... without even the slightest perspective of another type of life in any future at all... Be patient and wait that slowly slowly, all melts away down here in this world and then......... when all is gone one by one like snow melting in the sun, does any joy remain, at least?

There are days where nothing looks attracting at all any more in this world... and where I'm wondering what I'm running after, with all of these worldly attractions... cinema, friends, money, trying to improve my next environment... Nothing means anything any more and I just wish I would silently disappear into the Ganga and forget everything about all of these worldly plays.

I'm wondering what I'm still looking for in this world... and why I keep on coming back to it... What is keeping me still stuck to illusions and still bound?

I want to be free. Free of other's opinions and expectations, free of conceptualization and disappointment, able to just live my life the best I can, able to simply be free and natural, whether it fits other's norms or not.

Well, isn’t it worth ‘your’ lifetime(s) to patiently see all delusion burn away, isn’t it?

Who cares about thereafter… surrender ignorance slowly slowly (or at once) into the fire of the heart's-desire - the fire of Shiva, the Master’s heart - and see… what is revealed…

There is not such a thing as "other's expectations". Just watch in wonder of how "yourself" is mirrored in "the other,” and what you have to consider before it turns into agitation; pain or pleasure.

Joy has NOTHING to do with getting a "kick" or with what you think feeling alive must look like.

Cross the border of boredom... leave all and everything behind... the outcome is unavoidably empty and potent of creativity by nature. Call it God, call it whatever... it cannot be altered by names. It just is... as it is... same same essence in all of life's ignorance.... boredom or excitement. Genuine joy is inclusive and does not depend on our struggle, nor on "other's expectations." Struggle only obscures True Nature and prevents action in common sense and harmony to be experienced: do what can be done in a given situation naturally, and refrain from activity when there is nothing to be done.

Mindful watching, true investigation... not to react on anything… will reveal joy in time. Joy might not look at all like what you think joy is.

Joy is so precious and still.... so boundless untouchable, and so utterly interwoven in all of life's experiences.... it is the most intimate love-affair, a love-affair beyond attraction.

Q: Since I am pregnant, I am focusing on pregnancy and the education of children.

A question that arises time after time is: We often speak in satsangh about intelligence in the highest concepts. Could we say that the conception (becoming pregnant) is one of the highest concepts because it perpetuates the circle of life and death?

Because it is a concept, that is manifested on the material level. We call it the first dynamic force in consciousness…with a compulsion to survive on an elementary level (eating, drinking, excreting, maintaining temperature, sleeping, procreating….).

When consciousness identifies with a form as a separate entity, the idea of “my child” appears. It has become a “thing” that we have to educate (to our ideas) with all the catastrophic consequences that are seen all around.

The highest concept is unconditional love. Unconditional love is awareness of consciousness in Oneness and is perfect intelligence in itself, permeating all dimensions of consciousness; un-touchable, un-moldable, and essentially empty.

If we welcome our children as pure beings in the manifestation of Perfect Being-ness, we see the possibility of guiding them in autonomy* in unconditional love. Unconditional because we do not impose expectations and conditions on them: we do not mould them to our ideas of how they should be to live up to our expectations. We have respect and full trust in its unique development. “High and low” concepts are not really applicable…. this is Pure Love

The highest-highest concept is the concept that dissolves all other concepts: Self-realization.

I am celebrating our deep love. Namaste, I am celebrating your realization, your union with the Self.

We are working for the realization of the Self and in parallel; we are working for the creation-manifestation in the matter, in human life. At this stage, we have become aware of the great mystery of life, so we wish a comment on your part on these aspects and on this creation-manifestation, according to your experience.

So good to hear from you. Yes we celebrate the wonder of meeting in Truth, meeting in Sacha. It is your good fortune to have heard of the possibility of Self-realization. The union with the Self can never be called "mine," once you see your true nature, you will see it is all...that is inextricable.

We are not working in parallel to anything. Truth is truth is truth... at all times in all things. Can the wave be called different from the ocean? Does the wave have to "work" to be a wave? Or is it a spontaneous occurrence that seems to manifest in multiplicity and seems to have its own name, its own identity? Can the wave be called at any time different form water, however strong or subtle it may appear? This is the great mystery of life…we are appearing seemingly apart from each other, seemingly in an separate identity...When we look deeper we will find only One, ever changing and in flux...appearing from the undetectable essence and disappearing into it, yet being it. Don't try to change the wave, you cannot. Rumi said: "Before I see anything, I see God." This is keeping the eye on the essence, while being in the full experience of life. It needs willingness; dedication and great patience.... continue to investigate.

I am only here to love you and to encourage you. When we recognize this love in meeting ...we recognize indeed heart to heart...One Heart. It is a day to celebrate forever! Love in Light, Jivanjili

Q: I have a question, which has bothered me since long. Would you please help me understand? I want to know: What is more important - love or self-respect? In other words, what should I give first priority, love or my self-respect? Should I sacrifice my self-respect for my loved one?

Secondly: In love there is no “more or less.” Love does not know any division, is boundless, neutral and without any condition. So what we call “love” is based on agreements and disagreements. When we “agree”, we think we experience “love.” When we disagree we experience separation and agony. I call it politics instead of using the word love. It may take lifetimes to really come to understand this, it is a vast topic to deepen and deepen and deepen… we are so upside down conditioned. We have learned that we have to deserve to be “love-worthy,” and to compromise without listening to our inner wisdom. Here we could say that we lose “self-respect," we lose the wisdom to re-spect, to look into the wisdom within our heart.

Once I was sitting along the banks of the holy river Ganges in Rishikesh with my Master ShantiMayi. I asked Her: “What is a sin?” She replied: “The only sin is not to listen to your inner voice.”

Beloved, look deep within and see what prevents you from fearless living according to the intelligence of your heart.

Q: How to deal with disappointment?

A: We don’t “deal” with disappointment, we look where it comes from. We go to the root of these trivial emotions and we will find expectation. It takes discipline and vigilance to come to see this, a lot. Don’t expect anything and be free.

Q: There is something I am considering a lot. ShantiMayi many times said, that all hearts are beating alike. Every physical heart has but its own way of "bumm bumm". It seems that every heart has its own rhythm. - Can you say something to that?

A: It is always wise to consider that what we have heard is not necessarily what is said….so let’s say, you heard Shantimayi say: “All hearts are beating alike.” There can be a lot of misinterpretation already, and we have to take that in account.

All hearts are beating as One. There is One universal heartbeat, bringing seemingly forth all appearances in numerous diversities. Uni means one. Verse means song. So: One song, One heartbeat…in all that comes and goes.

Yet, when we look at the myriad forms coming and going, we see that every appearance has its own uniqueness. Not two leafs on one tree are the same. Not two trees in one forest are the same. Not two forms can be found that are exactly alike or exactly repeated! Also here we see that there is the same quality in all things: in essence One, in appearance unique and therefore also one. Every appearance has its individual rhythm beating in the One Universal rhythm.

Q: I am a 20-year-old girl. Bright and an intelligent student, I am doing my third year engineering in Pune, Maharashtra. I am very religious and have extreme faith in God.

Ever since I started chanting the Gayatri Mantra a few weeks ago, I have noticed a visible dullness in my thinking potential. I cannot do maths calculations as fast as I used to earlier.

I am feeling duller than ever. Though I still have faith in the Gayatri Mantra, is it doing me wrong? Am I pronouncing it wrong? Please reply, as I am very confused and scared.

"I am no whit somnolent; I always hear best with my eyes shut."
(Sir Walter Scott, ‘The Legend of Montrose’)

A: It is always such good news when young people like you get to know the Gayatri Mantra.

Gayatri Mantra appeals to waking up to the intelligence of the universal heartbeat. This heartbeat is freshly beating in all appearances that seem to appear and disappear, completely free and impersonal by nature and in harmony with itself.

In our society we are trained to develop mental intellect (which does not imply intelligence by definition). This kind of training is goal-oriented conditioning and may give surely a bright experience.

When you recite Gayatri Mantra, you fall into the resources of crisp and brilliant intelligence revealed from your heart beyond comprehension. This oneness seems to consist of completely impersonal intelligence that does not know any condition; it is unconditional loving and “The Way” to realizing your True Nature.

Yes, you could call this intelligence God as long as you include all of creation; we are One, undivided in essence. Once you have really seen this, you will come to see that the word ‘faith’ does not even apply. For now…yes…have faith and trust your intuition beyond your fears. Intuition is listening to your inner voice and not letting fear take control. Mother Gayatri is such a powerful doorway to overcome these obstacles and to develop the “ears” to this inner voice! At first you may experience dullness because the familiar stimulation is by-passed. The resonance of the Gayatri Mantra pierces through thick layers of insubstantial concepts, right into the center of the heart. We are “trained” to see up side down…. now you are on your way to come to see right side up.

This is seeing with the eyes shut…

Here you see that indeed you are no whit somnolent (impossible!) and bright already.

Find yourself a good teacher for guidance, encouragement, love and support.

Keep in touch, Prachodayat!

****************************************

A: A heart poring out prayer is a prayer that is poured from the boundless depth of the heart beyond evaluation. You are kind of helpless in it, like a mango is helpless in being sweet. A heart pouring out prayer is completely intimate and by nature impersonal. It could be defined in the purest sense as a prayer that surpasses any ego-istic demand and does not know reason or calculation. Yet it implies a deep wish; it is Pure Love, Pure Being, emerged in One and calling upon One.

Especially in these times, may we pour our heart out in prayer and mantra and let us make a deep wish that wisdom may prevail over ignorance.

A: Having no secret is simplicity. No mask, no attitude, nothing to gain, nothing to lose, nothing to accomplish, nothing to become, no ambition, nothing to know, nothing to not know, nothing behind anything. No secret. So obvious, that we indeed tend to call it a secret! It's funny, it's upside-down, isn't' it? Live this simplicity moment to moment, without losing the eye, ‘I’ from the silence in the heartbeat of life itself. Live this simplicity. It is completely impersonal - means not identified - no opinions, not even attention of what someone else might think of you.

Storms pass, time passes, cultures come and go, sand storms come and go. Even when a pyramid starts to look a little bit aging, it does not care; it has no investment in being there. Careless? No! Care-free like the Fool in complete trust and spontaneity; the eye on the essence. From here the whole dance of life seems to appear, fresh in the moment like the sound of a Zen flute over the mountains in the early morning light.

Q: Since we chant the Gayatri Mantra to benefit all sentient beings equally, how is it possible that it gives us such a huge benefit personally? Because certainly I receive a great blessing whenever I use this mantra. If I am not specifically using it for myself -- only for living beings generally -- why do I receive an even greater blessing than if I used it for "selfish" reasons? I know that if I am feeling ill or unhappy, the best response is to chant Gayatri not for my own problems, but to benefit everyone. Then my own problems disappear too. One of life's great paradoxes, I guess being compassionate and unselfish is the best thing that we can do for ourselves!

In Her precise frequency the mantra appeals to uplifting and waking up the intelligence of the Heart unto itself. By ‘Heart’ is meant the ONE universal (uni=one, vers=song) heartbeat in all appearances, harmonious, inclusive and boundless by nature. In ONE cannot be any paradox. Yet, the painful ‘I-me-mine’ thought is what we call ego-sense (this is how we can say ‘personally’) and gives the sense of separation or being partial. In healing and uplifting consciousness we chant for the whole, not for an erroneous partial ‘I’ thought.

You write: ‘I guess being compassionate and unselfish is the best thing that we can do for ourselves!’

YES!! Yourself is all there is! Chanting the Gayatri Mantra is a blessing in itself, whole and holy.

Q: A question came to mind: since the Gayatri Mantra is going on inside me all the time, should I worry about "joining" the recitation only when I can say 9 repetitions or a multiple of 9? Because it seems to me different from a formal sadhana...I am just adding my voice to the mantra already happening. When using a mala or doing a meditation, I know that 9 is an important number. But should I be considering it when doing "informal" chanting, in the silent moments between the busy parts of my day? Sometimes I only have time to listen for one or two repetitions, but it makes all the difference.

I experience sacred moments all the time, when I can sit still, take a single deep breath, and listen to Gayatri speaking Herself through me. It is a great comfort to know that the mantra is always going on inside me. Today I noticed it when I was sitting at a stoplight in my truck. And also while eating a croissant and drinking grapefruit juice.

A: Chanting the mantra is 9ns is fine for a ‘formal sadhana’ recitation/meditation as written about in ShantiMayi’s book ‘Gayatri Mantra.’

The mantra is occurring naturally in the universe and when we get to know her precise frequency through the syllables, rhythm and meter and are open and sensitive enough, we attune also naturally with her as One. It is a blessing to be able to feel this and we are helpless in dancing along and being taken away. There is no ‘should’ in this nor policy or ‘better’. Let it be as it is. Rejoice!

Questions and answers