“A Self Realization experience that is 100% verifiable.”

M.M., Washington, 10/1/1994

"Well put. I have been practicing Sahaja Yoga for the last two years and have most definitely gained knowledge through direct experience. However, it is the only yoga I know that actually provides union (yoga) with the Divine from the very first day. And via a Self Realization experience that is 100% verifiable.

In years past, a true Master of Yoga (of which there have been very few) would work on his disciple(s) chakras (energy centers) until they were cleansed and balanced. He would then give him his Realization by raising the Kundalini. The Kundalini is the residual life force left over from our creation and resides in the sacrum bone which is located at the base of the spine. This Kundalini energy is a reflection of the Primordial Mother which is the Power of God that does all the living work and creation. She is like your own individual Mother and when awakened, will heal and enlighten your chakras, your brain and fully awaken your spirit, which resides in the heart, and is a reflection of God Almighty.

In Christianity, Kundalini is known as the Holy Ghost (yes, the trinity is actually the Father, the Son and The Mother). The Father is the source of all, but is the witness. The Mother is the creative aspect of God, while the Son is the object of the creation. Hence we are all children of God.

I realize I'm digressing from the point of this newsgroup, knowledge through experience, but I would like to say just a couple of things about Sahaja Yoga before I share my own experiences, which I'm sure many of you will find hard to believe - and yet they happened!

First of all, the founder of Sahaja Yoga, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, has devised a method whereby seekers of truth can get their Self Realization en masse, spontaneously; meaning you don't have to do anything for it, e.g. penances, pay money, study scriptures to no end, etc. I think the following quote of Shri Mataji sums it up best:

"You cannot understand the meaning of your life until you connect with the power that created you. It's my job to help human beings make that connection - then they will do the rest.”

And once you have established the Self Realization (a.k.a. second birth, resurrection) through daily meditation and cleansing of the chakras, you can give the Realization to others - like one candle lighting another.

And now for my own experiences.

It all started by a very earnest prayer to God for a change in my life. I had been seeking and studying religion, philosophy and metaphysics, but nothing seemed to"stick"And really make a noticeable change in lifestyle or behavior.

The very next day I saw a posting on the Internet that Shri Mataji was coming to Seattle to talk about Self Realization and meditation. I guess seeing this posting the very next day was the first of many"coincidences"that I would experience over the next few months.

Shri Mataji gave Self Realization that night in a process that took about 10 minutes. As usually only a few strands of the Kundalini actually make it through all the (usually clogged) chakras, the experience for most people is somewhat subtle or maybe even non- existant. For those that do experience Kundalini awakening, you can feel a cool breeze on top of the head just above the fontanale bone or on the hands. Sometimes it is hot, especially if the chakras are damaged. The chakras (means wheels in sanskrit) start to spin off negativity once they have been pierced by the Kundalini. This feeling of the cool breeze is what Christ meant when he said first you must be born of the water (womb) and then of the wind (Self Realization).

In my case, I felt intermittent cool breeze and hot. Shri Mataji also said our shoulders may hurt if we are feeling guilty (a catch of the Vishudhi, or throat chakra). Well, as I left the hall, my shoulders were really aching but the soreness left after about 20 minutes. This is a typical clear out of the chakra.

I continued to meditate every day, twice a day for about 15-20 minutes as recommended. However, I wasn't really sure if I was feeling anything until about 4-5 weeks later. It is really difficult to describe, but during the meditation that night, I felt like a tornado of energy circulating on top of my head! I was overcome with a feeling of joy, satisfaction and bliss like I never knew existed.

The seven chakras are also mapped via our hands, e.g. the five fingers, palm and heel of the hand. Once you start the cleansing techniques, the chakra"catches"manifest themselves as tingling on the fingertips which are then decoded so you know which chakra needs to be attended to. The causes of these catches as well as the techniques for cleansing and clearing them are taught through the Sahaja Yoga centers.

In the Koran, Mohammed Sahib said at the resurrection time (right now) the lips will be sealed and the hands will speak. It is all built in. We will judge ourselves. We will not go before God like a magistrate and plead our case.

The beautiful thing about Sahaja Yoga is it happens spontaneously, it is all built in each and every one of us, it costs absolutely nothing to do it, and other than the initial Self Realization experience, you are dependent on no one to ascend spiritually. However, I'd like to add that as you become aware of being part of the collective consciousness, you realize that the spiritual ascent is happening collectively, you just aren't dependent on what human beings do"externally"to yourself to achieve spiritual growth.

I've had some pretty amazing experiences on a physical level as well, but they are a byproduct of being connected. The first"experiment"I tried was when I had a sore throat. I circled the throat chakra seven times and held my right had there, with my left hand towards Shri Mataji's photograph. I felt a cool breeze on my left hand and heat coming from my right. After about 5 or 10 minutes, my sore throat was completely gone.

I've had a severe hay fever allergy, which I've had for 24 years clear up instantaneously using Sahaj cleansing techniques. I've had two sinus infections cleared using the cleansing techniques. In the past I had only been able to get rid of sinus infections using antibiotics. I must emphasize that Sahaja Yoga is not a health clinic, but your health improves as a byproduct of meditation and cleansing.

On a mental level, I have a clarity of thinking like never before. My performance at work is at another level. Sounds somewhat arrogant I know, but I have received so much recognition from those I work with it is almost embarrassing.

Emotionally, I am practically stress free. I feel a level of joy and satisfaction like I never new existed. I am so very fortunate to have a profound spiritual experience, everyday - twice! At least.

Once you start to bring down your ego and let go your conditionings, you start to experience absolute Truth. It is our ego and our conditionings that blind us from Truth. The ego and superego (conditionings) are what medical science calls as the left and right side of the brain. We bring down the ego by forgiving others absolutely.

When Christ said, through the narrow gate you must pass to enter the kingdom of God, he was talking about the channel between our over- inflated ego and superego. Christ is the deity that looks over the agnya charka (at the optic chiasma) and by his dying on the cross for our sins or karmas, he opened the cosmic agnya chakra, and he collapses the ego and superego so the Kundalini passes up to and beyond the sahasrara chakra (limbic nerve area of the brain) so we can have our yoga with the Divine All Pervading Power.

While I have talked a little about Christ and Mohammed, the teachings in Sahaja Yoga include and respect ALL the holy scriptures. Truth is truth, nobody owns it, there is only one source of it (God), so why fight over whose truth is best?

One important thing to note, and I cannot emphasize this enough: Spiritual awakening and subsequent growth is NOT a mental process. I'm not saying don't read and study scriptures, but you will never achieve your intended purpose for being here at this auspicious time in human evolution, which is quite simply to become The Spirit, by doing anything on a physical or mental level. You can only perceive the Spirit, your true eternal Self, in a state of thoughtless awareness after the thoughts drop out and the physical sensory inputs are ignored.”

M.M., Washington, 10/1/1994