"Awareness is the thread that takes you through the transitions of life."
Radhika Shah Grouven
Author, Mastering Pranayama
The teachings of the Himalayan Tradition are elaborated by Swami Rama of the Himalayas.
This is an extract from the book "Living with the Himalayan Masters, Spiritual Experiences of Swami Rama" published by the Himalayan Institute, Honesdale, USA.
Shankaracharya established an ascetic order 1,200 years ago, though renunciates had already lived in an unbroken lineage from the Vedic period. He organized his orders through five main centres in the North, East, South, West and centre of India. The entire ascetic order of India traces its tradition from one of these centres. Our tradition is "Bharati". Bha means knowledge and rati means lover. Bharati means "he who is the lover of knowledge". From the comes the word Bharata, the land of spiritual knowledge, one of the Sanskrit names for India.
There is one thing unique to our tradition. It links itself to an unbroken lineage of sages even beyond Shankara. Our Himalayan tradition, though a tradition of Shankara, is purely ascetic, and is practiced in the Himalayan caves rather than being related to institutions established in the plains of India. In our tradition, learning of the Upanishads is very important, along with the special advanced spiritual practices taught by the sages. The Mandukya Upanishad is accepted as one of the authoritative scriptures.
The knowledge of Srividya is imparted stage by stage and the advanced student is taught Prayoga Shastra, which explains the practicality and application of the discipline one has to follow for this knowledge. We believe in both the Mother and the Father principles of the universe. That which is called maya or illusion, in our worship becomes the Mother and does not remain as a stumbling block or obstacle on the path of spiritual enlightenment. All of our worship is internal and we do not perform any rituals. There are three stages of initiation given according to our tradition.
At this stage, we do not associate ourselves with any particular religion, caste, sex or colour. Such yogis are called masters and are allowed to impart the traditional knowledge. We strictly follow the discipline of the sages.
It is not possible for me to discuss in detail the secret teachings of Prayoga Shastra for it is said, "na datavyam, na datavyam, na datavyam" - Don't impart, Don't impart, Don't impart unless someone is fully prepared and committed and has practiced self-control to a high degree. These attainments can be verified through the experiences of the sages of the past. In our path, Gurudeva is not a god but a bright being who has faithfully and sincerely attained a state of enlightenment. We believe in the grace of the guru as the highest means for enlightenment, but never as the end. The purpose of the guru is to selflessly help his disciples on the way to perfection.
The knowledge that is imparted by the sages and masters of the Himalayas guides the aspirant like a light in the darkness. The purpose of this message is to awaken the divine flame that resides in the reservoir of every human being. This flame, when perfectly kindled by spiritual discipline, mounts higher and higher into the vast light of truth. It rises through the vital or nervous mind, passes through our mental sky, and finally enters at the paradise of light, its own supreme home in eternal truth. Then the illumined practitioner sits calm in his celestial sessions with the highest of powers and drinks the wine of infinite beatitude. This child of immortality is a child of universal parents, protected all the time by the Mother Divine. This rapturous child of bliss remains divine - intoxicated in delight. He becomes a sage, a sleepless envoy and ever-wakeful guide for those who tread the path. Such a leader on the path marches in front of human people to comfort, help and enlighten them.
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!
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