Archives for December 2013

Tantra and Mysticism – Part Five

The Royal Path is about the study of our nature, the nature of life, and the nature of God.

The Royal Path is one of the gentlest paths because it allows us to unfold at our own pace. When we have a revelation about a weakness or insecurity that we have, it is easy to accept and to make the effort to willfully change. But if someone else points out a weakness or insecurity, we react in an aggressive manner to protect our self from an attack. The Royal Path allows us the path of self-discovery, which is the gentlest way. Not every discovery will be beautiful because we have some samskaras, false ideas, and illusions, but with the willingness to learn and grow, it will still be a gentle process of self-discovery. We begin by accepting the theology that we are created in the image of God. We accept the guidance of the Holy Ones and the Realized Souls as inspiration and examples that it possible to attain our wholistic or Divine nature.

The yoga tradition is about the study of our Wholistic nature. Yoga is not a religion or a religious order. It is a scientific tradition of Physical health and harmony, Astral health and harmony, Causal health and harmony, and realization of the Soul and how we are created in the image of God. The Royal Path includes the practice for the Physical, Astral, Causal bodies, and the Soul. We do right activity (Karma Yoga) for the Physical body, right activity (Bhakti Yoga) for the Astral body, right activity (Jnana Yoga) for the Causal body, and right activity (Meditation Yoga) for the Soul.  We identify with the nature of Satyam, which is what meditation truly is. Meditation is not the repetition of mantras (japa yoga) or concentration. Meditation is when we have the union with our Soul and/or God. There may still be a subtle idea of separateness between our self and God, but with a connection between the Soul and God.

Yoga means connection or union. When we do yoga, we are trying to experience the connection with our Wholistic Self, or the small spirit joining the large Spirit. The techniques and practices of yoga are very simple and easy.  However we have years and even incarnations of creating habits that must be changed.  We have been thinking that we are incomplete and that something outside of ourselves will fulfill or complete us. These habits may be difficult to break, but the process of breaking them is still very simple…we identify with our eternal nature, and with the eternal nature of Satyam, God.

The Royal Path includes techniques on meditation, which will be simple and in harmony with our body and breath. Pranayama techniques allow for recharging and re-identifying with the Christ/Krishna Consciousness, which is the purest form of prana. Pranayama is defined as: the control of life force and identifying with the life force. The Royal Path gives us techniques of how to go beyond the idea of incompleteness (ego). The Mayac sheath and the small ego, or idea of incompleteness (original sin), is our greatest obstacle. The Royal Path is complete with techniques, celebration, chanting, and singing. It provides time to socialize, which allows us to feel connected to fellow travelers on the journey. It provides time for music, dancing, appreciating nature, and enjoying healthy foods, which are all things that make life at the Physical an enjoyable life.

The easiest way to enjoy life and do the Royal Path is to realize that the lower ego is there for our self-development. It isn’t our enemy. It isn’t evil. The ego that says, “I want what I want, when I want it,” is there to protect the Soul, the Causal body, the Astral body, and the Physical body. It protects the bodies in order to unfold and grow as a human being. The ego helps us to develop and evolve as an infinite spirit. We just need to learn to channel it from self-centered to what is self-beneficial and in harmony with all life. It will take study to do this. We need to develop the vision to see what brings us suffering and disappointment, and what brings us joy and laughter.