Feminine Mysticism and Spiritual Practice

2/26/94

     For a woman there are three points which are of significance in the spiritual journey towards enlightenment.  For a man these points are also significant but their significance is not as important as it is for a women.

     First of all,  when doing sadhana,  when taking the name of the Lord,  there must be a very clear ideation that  I am surrendering my all at the feet of Parama Purusha,  that His effulgent expression is before me and I am giving everything to Him.  This feeling of self-surrender before such a great Entity must be cultivated in spiritual practices both for women and for men also.  But for women it is essential.  When there is surrender,  the heart can awaken and soft and tender feelings of love become expressed.  So when sadhana is done,  begin with the ideation  'I am surrendering everything before my Lord'  and then with a hew of His color embracing the mind sit and do your practices.  In this way there will be maximum benefit from spiritual practices.  It is a part and parcel of spiritual discipline and the Grace of Parama Purusha to realize that He is ever with you and you are ever His. So this is the first point to remember about spiritual practice.

     Second point is, there must not come in the mind the feeling of self-importance.  Do not think 'I am such a great sadhaka. I am calling Him to me.'  Think instead 'He is ever with me, ever showering His Grace upon me and I am opening myself in utmost surrender to receive His loving kindness.  I am giving myself to Him.  When I sit  for sadhana, I know He is with me.  He is ever gracious,  ever effulgent. He never looks away. So now, I am sitting surrendering myself to Him, I am offering myself before Him and as I do so, I allow His Graciousness, His kind affection to come to me, thus my mind is given to Him.'  This should be the approach in sadhana, not  'I will concentrate on Him,  I will make Him bigger in my mind'   No, no it is not like this.  Instead,  you give your mind to Him and let Him do the rest.

     Now, there is a third point regarding sadhana.  When the mind gets a little bit concentrated there often comes a feeling of Blessedness, an ecstatic experiences of proximity.  One feels, 'My Lord is very near.  He is just touching me. My mind is delighted by His presence.  My heart sings.'  In fact the desire comes to raise the hands, to do Kiirtan, to sing the name of God.  The eyes may fill with tears and great sobs come from the chest. All of these experiences are natural expressions of the internal stirring of spiritual love, which is given by His Grace alone.  You do not acquire it, but He reveals Himself to you and establishes Himself in the throne of your heart. This love for the Supreme is only acquired by His Grace.  So, never think anyone has given it to you, or you have achieved it through your discipline and hard work. You have made the house ready,  you have set the chair down and spread the flowers.  But it is He who has chosen to take your invitation and to reside in the innermost chamber of your spiritual heart.  It is He who has chosen to touch your heart, not you that have made Him. It is His whim to do what He does.  You need only receive His Grace. You cannot buy it nor can you earn it.  The lotus blooms in the pond when it is ready.  His love will bloom in you when He wills it. So it is never an impersonal experience to feel  the presence of Parama Purusha. It is His personal touch given to you with love. You remember this and do not let vanity fill you. Be soft and receptive before your Lord and I am thinking surely He will notice such a sweet offering and come to you. So my daughters, be pure of heart, gentle of spirit and surely your soft and open minds will be filled with His  radiant effulgence.