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Beyond Karma ......A Life Of Grace


Mahesh 'Matt' Krishnan:

a disciple of Dr. Nithiyanandham since 1985 shares his experiences and spiritual philosophy grounded in the tradition of our guru Dr.Nithiyanandam.
The Master is waiting for you to follow him
Every passing year, the spirit of Christmas continues to renew my faith. I believe that Doctor and Christ have a deep relationship and that their life was their message. Some years ago I had written about the fact that the authentic Christmas season, even in present times, lasts 13 days from Dec 25th to January 6th. Like Christ, Doctor was a man of few words, but when he spoke it became an experience of illumination rather than a mere conceptual understanding. I can recall that being physically near Doctor brought a stillness to my unruly mind and a vastness dwarfed any analysis I was dealing with. Questions vanished and answers poured. The good news is that Doctor's effect and continued presence are there if you simply think of him. Let me share with you some of my experiences and insights.

Since my initiation 20 years ago, I believe I have lived under the laws of our Guru's grace. This is true for all disciples whether they recognize it immediately or not. Once we have surrendered to the Guru our pre-existing nature and tendencies - our previous karma and it's consequences - are absorbed and altered by the guru. As an embodiment of the Almighty the Master is able to custom arrange events for our good so that we can make spiritual progress faster. Most often it manifests miraculously as perfect solutions at the perfect times which come effortlessly - such as a wonderful marriage, an ideal job, a beautiful house or a big problem solved. However, such rearrangements of karmic effects by the Guru for each individual may sometimes also involve the other side - difficulties in material, social or health conditions. It is a package deal. These accelerated gifts and challenges are precisely what the spirit needs to awaken and align itself to the divine and make progress in the one area that matters – the soul seeking divinity. Only after surrender to the Master does a truly meaningful and purposeful life begin, even though it may unfold mysteriously.

KARMA

Unless one discharges one’s responsibilities that one owes to each member of the family, one would not have completed the Karmic cycle. Running away from this means nothing but acquiring more Karma.

BAKTHI

Bakthi is not an accessory. Bakthi is God. One cannot reach God through Bakthi, because it itself is God. Bakthi and God are not separate. It is the pundits and deluded fools who claim so. It is not the baktha alone who rejoices in bakthi. God verily rejoices in it. One cannot attain anything through Bakthi because it is everything.

PEACE

Peace is doubtlessness. It is neither comfort nor maturity. It is neither calmness nor tranquility. It is one’s natureless nature that which is above knowledge, but that into which all this comes and falls like a river. To appease those who are agitated for a while, is to demonstrate the real natureless nature; but even that is one small step below peace.

For, in peace, there is no demonstration. Appeasement is the capacity to induce Samadhi in others. One can give Samadhi to others but not peace.

To peace through prudence.

Peace is not an achievement; it is an attainment through refinement.

A million suns cannot dispel the darkness that resides in the heart of every flame.

Knowledge is transcended so that peace shall descend.

Lift up the knowledge that lifts you up, so that the last leap is easy.


The main attribute of our Guru's grace is that our awareness, also known as consciousness, undergoes a profound transformation starting in meditation. It is the difference in view between someone looking up from the base of the hill versus someone's view from the top. Perspective changes the experience. Perspective also alters priorities and ambitions. When you are able to observe a point of view higher than your own, your ego is slowly melted in the flame of this divine consciousness (Anand Jothi) to become an ever expanding light that accepts rather than rejects, includes rather than excludes. Those who were primarily driven by hard intellect become more aware of the softness of heart and those who are more emotional and heart oriented become more capable intellectually. A fusion of head and heart occurs which is the fine balance we need, to live a life of peace and yet remain active. This daily experience of pure awareness of divine play all around us caused by the guru is what has been described as the yogic experience since ancient times – also known as living with the source. We all have this great privilege thanks to Him.

Once you are living with the source, through this guru given consciousness of the divine play, you are living more in the present moment. Your awareness is fully absorbed in the infinite details that you are able to observe around you and there is no reason to worry about the future or fret about the past. Being part of the matrix of space and time as humans on earth, we still need to and are able to plan our activities adequately. The only difference is that we keep our plans flexible and adjust to reality as needed without the burden of disappointment or anger. We become capable of effective effort when we perform without the sense of doership - by being fully absorbed in the perfection of the task at hand.

Living in the present moment also leads to fewer but higher quality thoughts and intentions. Good thoughts are no doubt wonderful. We could not function without them. Scientific analysis and problem solving thoughts and ideas are great – so long as they are objective and not driven by personal worry. However, most of us have an excess of wasteful personal thoughts – a recycling of past events or pondering of future concerns. This leads to missing the present moment of joy and opportunities. Living with an open heart and mind means being receptive to infinite possibilities in the present moment and being spontaneous in response. There are no doubts when there is no conflict in our minds and all our actions become His actions through the purity of our intention.

The pivotal point of faith in followers of Christ is that He has washed away their sins with His blood. This is the same as what we understand in Doctor bearing our karma. When I think of why our Master willingly accepted limitations, criticism and many other difficulties, only one reason seems to make sense. To bear the burden of others. Any Master would hope his disciples would also grow to be capable like him.

So what does bearing the burden really mean? It is simply unconditional love. To be loving whether we are loved back or not. This love may be seen in the form of patience, softness of speech, a compassionate glance, sincere listening, a caring touch, tolerating abuse, writing a letter of concern, celebrating someone's success and so many more ways - whether reciprocated or not. The more we are capable of unconditional love, the more we experience unconditional happiness. The secret is that giving love brings you even more happiness than receiving love. Happiness which does not get altered with circumstance is the true goal of spirituality. Such lasting happiness is only found by spiritual means and not material means. Since true happiness is collective, it is ever expanding and is experienced as peace. In short, once you know yourself you are comfortable in dealing with others and the world - as it has all become a reflection of yourself. This has been my observation of Doctor's life and the experiences he has provided.

Once it is experienced we know that unconditional happiness is our natural state of being. Because of years of conditioning and misunderstanding that our survival depends on depriving someone else we have lost the ability to give of ourselves fully. This is the greatest revolution needed in the world - a leap in evolution - reversing the survival instinct. The less you wish to survive as a separate identity, the more everyone thrives as One. Love your neighbor as yourself and heaven on earth is yours. This is what has been taught by the Rishis and through the lives of those such as Christ and Doctor.

PS – Before I started typing today I simply touched Doctor's photo and I could not stop typing for the past two hours. This is the output of that touch.

With much love,
Mahesh
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