1.1.1 Friday Night Session 

There are three ways in which a sadhaka may come close to the Supreme Consciousness. In the first method the sadhaka may do long hours of meditation, contemplating the infinite being in the silence of the mind. Through many years of such meditation, a transformation will occur and the sadhaka shall come closer to their lord.  

Now, in the second approach, there will be meditation but greater influence, greater emphasis is place upon the development of proper ideation. Day and night, 24 hours a day, the sadhaka must contemplate the Divine Entity, contemplate the presence, the experience of that Infinite Entity with eyes open and with eyes closed.  

Now, in the third method the sadhaka will not only contemplate the Divine Entity day and night, not only in silent meditation, but also throughout the day. Not only will the sadhaka be contemplating the divinity, but the sadhaka will also be serving the human beings, the plants, the animals, all the living beings. Day and night are they contemplating what is the nature of each being, of each and every experience, that it is Parama Purus'a manifesting in this world. They contemplate like this, they do meditation upon the great and they spend their time serving others, in large ways and in small. Perhaps they make a small bowl of fruit for a friend or family member, perhaps they build a bridge between two cities. Great or small it does not matter, they are serving others. So these are three ways in which a sadhaka may come closer to the Supreme Consciousness. Of these three ways, the third way is the best because it includes the first two categories. So this is the superior method. One which utilizes meditation, utilizes continual ideation upon the great and service to living beings. These three things, simple as they may be, constitute a profound path to blessedness.   Now, the great yogis may say, one requires knowledge of the scriptures, knowledge of how to do pranayamas, one must do so many tantric exercises, so many pranayamas, so many different kinds of practices, technical practices to raise the kundalini, to develop the mind and body, proper diet, all of these things and they are all very helpful. They are tools to utilize. But the path itself is one of sadhana, service to others and continual ideation. Yes, the asanas are helpful, the pranayamas may also help concentrate the mind, balance the body and mind. But if there is no ideation upon the great, still there will be no progress. So the essential aspect is ideation upon the great, both in silent meditation and in day to day activities. Service to others is also very important.  Now the bhakti may say, "What of devotion? Where is the role of devotion? You have in this path not mentioned devotion." But I say, if one does these three things, one will develop devotion, it is bound to occur. One will develop a love for the Supreme Entity, a warm feeling in the heart and a personal relationship to that Entity. That is the result of doing these above mentioned practices, sadhana, service and continual observance. From these practices come all the rest. 

Now, the great yogis may sit for many hours doing so many practices, but you know sometimes, these people get very puffed up. They think they are far more elevated than the average man or woman because they do so many practices, they sit for so many hours, they have so many complicated technical practices that they do. So they think "Because I do this, I am above the common man or woman." This pride may come in the mind. It is one of the greatest barriers that a spiritualist will face. And so there should be no envy for those people who make a career of yoga and dedicate themselves to spiritual practice and do many technical practices because, though they have been given the grace of these practices to help them, they face their own difficulties.  

Those common people who may lead an ordinary life, a family life and do not have the time for so many complex practices and do not have so many hours to spend in complicated meditation, though they are only ordinary people (they can give some time for meditation and a simple practice will do), these people have no less an opportunity to know the Supreme. You see, if you have accumulated this and that, you have so many Ph.D.'s, so many credentials, so many important papers, important letters behind your name, does this make you great? No it does not. Likewise, if you have so many spiritual initiations, so many different practices that you do, so many pranayamas that you take, so many different things that you do, does this make you a great spiritualist? No it does not. It is not how many Ph.D.'s you have, it is not how many credentials you have, it is not your resume that counts. It is not how many practices you have acquired which you do this, this and this. This does not make you a great spiritualist. There may be a simple boy, a simple girl, they work all day serving others, they hardly have the time to practice, yet when they sit their heart is 100% for God. 100% they give to Parama Purus'a and all day long when they are busy serving the other people, working hard, though they have no time for themselves, still they are thinking always of the Divine Entity and they are treating all beings as if they are great. They have no pride at all. Such a boy, such a girl, though they have no great credentials, no great resume, no initiations and they do not have so many practices (they may not even do the asanas), yet they may make great progress. So spiritual development is not something to be measured by any external yardstick. A man may become a great spiritual leader, may be the head of a church, an institution, an order, may be a monk or a nun, may take so many responsibilities, does that make them more spiritually developed? It has no relevance. What is relevant is not the credentials, not the lifestyle, not the importance of the person in the social order that may be relevant. One may say "Oh he is a great man, she is a great woman. They have great status." In the social order this may be of great relevance, but spiritually it is irrelevant. You know, even the most simple boy or girl of the lowest class who has no great initiation at all, who has no great spiritual practice, all they do is look at the picture of lord and cry, yet this one may be the greatest of spiritualists. Though they have no credentials, it requires none. Parama Purus'a does not need a Ph.D., does not need fine credentials. He does not look at your credentials, he looks only at your heart, at what is inside of you. So being important is of little impression to him. He is not impressed by your social importance. You may say, "Oh look, all the people look up to me. They say I am very important and I have gotten these ten different initiations. I know twenty different practices, I practice them each day. I have gone to this school and that, I have learned so many things, lord look to me first." Lord says, "These things, they are very nice, I am very impressed, you have a very high standing, that is very nice for you, you keep your high standing. It does not impress me." What is it that impresses Parama Purus'a? It is not what you have accomplished, it is the color of your heart. Is your heart pure? Is your love sincere? This is what is of significance. So if you would know Parama Purus'a, it is best to cultivate the innocence of a child, an open mind, open heart and the innocence of a child. These are qualities which allow you to perceive him. If you become puffed up with your own importance, your own development, your own position and status, you will find that he has gone elsewhere because with one who is very self important, that one will become so consumed with themselves that there is no room for Him. The person who is so important will be too important to know Parama Purus'a. So even if a person is in a very high place, even if this person has had so many initiations, or so many different positions, though they may have so many letters behind their name, still if they would know Parama Purus'a, they must be as a child. Be with the heart of a child, open and innocent, then Parama Purus'a will come to them. 

So if the human being is a very simple boy or girl of the lowest class with no standing, no education, nothing of importance, or if they are a very high standing person, it makes no difference. In either case it is the hue of the heart, the color of their mind which is of significance. If the view of the heart is one of devotion to God, is one of simple love, then the Divine Entity is drawn to them. You see, that Divine Entity is ever showering grace upon all beings. There is a continual shower of divine grace. It is only because the human beings have put up the umbrella of ego that they cannot experience this shower of divine grace. If this umbrella of ego is taken down, close the umbrella, put it down, then you become drenched in this shower that is ever falling from that most compassionate entity. And you bathe yourself in this shower of divine grace. But to bathe in this shower the umbrella of ego must be closed down. The arrogance, the self importance, the self engrandizing must be closed and self acceptance must come because you are the child of the great. Being the child of the great, your nature is also great. So you must love yourself, respect yourself and put aside all vanities, all egotisms, all small mindedness. Be as a simple child, open and innocent. Then he will come to you.  

When there is dryness do kiirtan, open the heart in love, then all dryness will pass away, for within every human being there is a bright light, brighter than a thousand suns, effulgent. No one need suffer dryness for within each and every one, there is a wealth and richness beyond all conception. Open the heart, there you will find this love waiting for you. This shower of grace pouring upon you. Release the bondages around the heart and how to do this? Love yourself. Do kiirtan and serve others. The Divine Entity is always with you, always with each and every one. Know that that entity is always there, always giving his graciousness to you. All you need do is turn to him with the innocent eyes of a child, with the open and simple heart of a child. Like the child turns to its mother with open outstretched arms and she will turn to the child, He will be there for you.