Spiritual knowledge is a regular science. Just as two and two make four, similarly everything is clean and obvious here also and there is no scope for any kind of modification or change in that.

Sant Kirpal Singh

­How to develop receptivity – II

From the book "Morning Talks" written by Sant Kirpal Singh

1968-01-22, Delhi, Sawan Ashram
Talk available as mp3 at audio.sant-kirpal-singh.org


If ­you ­wish to ­learn some­thing of edu­ca­tion, ­you ­will ­find it ­only in ­the ­schools or col­leges. If ­you ­would ­like to ­have ­some med­i­cine, ­you go to a hos­pi­tal. Sim­i­larly, ­when ­you ­want cloth­ing, ­you go to a ­cloth ­seller. If ­you ­would ­like to ­find ­God, ­then ­you ­must go to a ­true ­Saint or Mas­ter.

­What is a Mas­ter? He is ­Word ­made ­flesh, ­who ­dwells ­amongst us. ­God is eve­ry­where, ­but He is ­made man­i­fest in ­the Mas­ter. Sat­sang is ­called ­the com­pany of ­Sat. ­Sat is Unchange­a­ble Per­ma­nence. It is ­ever exis­tent. ­Our ­soul, ­when ­divested of ­mind, mat­ter ­and out­go­ing facul­ties by ­the pro­cess of ­self anal­y­sis ­becomes ­the ­knower of ­the Con­trol­ling ­Power ­which is ­already ­within us, con­trol­ling us in ­the ­body. ­That Con­trol­ling ­Power, or ­God, is ­within ­each ­one of us. ­But ­our ­souls ­are iden­ti­fied ­with ­the ­mind ­and out­go­ing facul­ties so ­much so, ­that we ­have for­got­ten our­selves ­and for­got­ten ­the Over­self, or ­God. So ­where ­such a ­soul is ­there, ­who ­has ­known Him­self by ­self anal­y­sis, by ris­ing ­above ­body con­scious­ness, He ­sees ­God as I ­see ­you ­and ­you ­see me. ­Such a per­son is ­called a Mas­ter or a ­Saint. ­Wherever He ­sits, radi­a­tion ­will be ­there. Radi­a­tion ­comes ­from ­every ­pore of ­His ­body ­but ­the spe­cial ­place of man­i­fes­ta­tion is ­through ­His ­eyes. ­Eyes ­are ­the win­dows of ­the ­soul. ­His ­soul is intox­i­cated ­with ­the ­love of ­God ­and if ­you ­look ­into ­His ­eyes,  radi­a­tion ­will be ­there.


To ­derive ­full ben­e­fit ­from ­the com­pany of a ­Saint, ­you ­must be ­pure your­self. ­When ­you ­come to a ­place ­where a Mas­ter is sit­ting, ­you ­should for­get every­thing. For­get ­the envi­ron­ment ­around ­you ­and ­who is sit­ting by ­you. ­Just be ­fully atten­tive to ­the ­eyes of ­the Mas­ter, ­which is ­where ­His ­soul ­has ­its ­play. ­You ­must ­become recep­tive to ­derive ­the ­full ben­e­fit of ­the com­pany of a ­Saint. ­Those ­who ­come ­near ­the Mas­ter ­and ­their ­mind is, ­what ­you ­say, toss­ing ­about ­from ­one ­place to ­another, ­and rip­ples ­are con­stantly aris­ing in ­the ­pond of ­their ­mind, can­not ­develop recep­tiv­ity. ­They can­not ­receive ­the ­full ben­e­fit of ­the radi­a­tion ­which ­comes ­from ­the Mas­ter, ­through ­His ­whole ­body ­and spe­cially ­through ­the ­eyes. ­This ben­e­fit ­you ­can ­derive ­even ­when sit­ting thou­sands of ­miles ­away. ­Through a ­radio, ­you ­hear ­what a ­man is say­ing ­from a ­long dis­tance. ­Through tel­e­vi­sion, ­you ­also ­see ­who is speak­ing. ­The ­Word is eve­ry­where. ­Word or ­Naam or ­Shabda ­are ­all ­one ­and ­the ­same. So ­the vibra­tion of ­the ­man in ­whom ­the ­Word is man­i­fest per­meates ­through ­the ­whole ­world. ­Those ­who ­become recep­tive by still­ing ­their ­mind ­and intel­lect, ­derive ­full ben­e­fit. ­Kabir ­says, "If ­the Mas­ter ­resides thou­sands of ­miles ­across ­the ­seas ­and ­the dis­ci­ple ­resides ­this ­side, he ­should ­just ­direct ­his atten­tion to ­the Mas­ter". ­The ­Word is eve­ry­where, ­you ­have ­just to ­become recep­tive. ­When ­you ­become recep­tive, ­you ­will ­derive ­the ­full ben­e­fit of Sat­sang. So if ­you ­want to ­find ­God, ­then go to a ­place ­where a Mas­ter is sit­ting. ­Let noth­ing ­stand ­between ­you ­and ­the Mas­ter, ­not ­even ­His ­body. If ­you ­absorb ­your ­whole atten­tion ­into ­the ­eyes of ­the Mas­ter, ­you ­will ­get ­full radi­a­tion ­and ­have ­bliss-giv­ing intox­i­ca­tion. ­This is ­the quick­est ­and eas­i­est ­way to ­derive ­full ben­e­fit ­from ­the com­pany of a ­Saint. ­When ­you ­become recep­tive, ­you ­will ­get ­higher intox­i­ca­tion. ­The ­world ­will be for­got­ten. ­You ­will ­derive ­more pleas­ure, ­more ­bliss ­from ­the ­Beyond ­when ­you ­become recep­tive, as com­pared to out­side ­things. We ­are con­scious ­beings ­and ­should ­become recep­tive or in con­tact ­with ­the ­Word or ­Naam, ­the ­outer expres­sion of ­which is ­Light ­and ­Sound. ­The ­more ­you ­come in con­tact ­with ­the ­Word or ­Naam, ­the ­more ­bliss ­and intox­i­ca­tion ­you ­will ­have as com­pared ­with any­thing out­side. ­The ­mind ­will be ­stilled.


­The Upan­i­shads ­say, "­What is ­that, by hav­ing ­which, ­you do ­not ­need any­thing ­more". It is to ­come in con­tact ­with ­the ­Light ­and ­Sound Prin­ci­ple of ­the ­Word ­made ­flesh. So ­the com­pany of ­One ­who is ­the ­Word ­made ­flesh is ­called Sat­sang. ­Therein ­you ­can ­find ­the radi­a­tion of ­God ­and ­you ­can ­have it ­even ­from thou­sands of ­miles, if ­you ­become recep­tive. ­That is ­why Mau­lana ­Rumi ­says, "If ­you ­have ­only ­twenty min­utes to ­sit by a ­Saint, ­the ­result of ­the ben­e­fit ­that ­you ­derive ­from ­that ­short ­period can­not be ­had by thou­sands of ­years of ­true pen­ances". ­When ­the ­fire is burn­ing, ­sit by it. ­When ­the ­fire is ­ablaze every­thing is ­burned (i.e. it is ­far ­more effec­tive ­and eas­ier to ­have ­our ­sins ­burned ­away by ­the com­pany of ­the Mas­ter ­than by ­the prac­tice of pen­ances). ­When ­the ­Word ­becomes man­i­fested some­where ­and ­you ­become recep­tive to it,  ­your ­mind ­will be ­stilled. ­You ­can ­reflect ­your ­own ­self in it ­and ­can ­also ­reflect ­God ­within ­you. ­The ­only ­thing ­that ­stands in ­the ­way ­between ­God ­and ­you is ­the ­mind. ­You ­are ­not to ­put in any­thing ­from out­side. It is ­already ­there. ­When ­the tur­bu­lent ­waves of ­the  ­mind ­are ­stilled ­you ­can ­see ­your ­true ­face in it. Do ­you fol­low ­now, ­how to ­derive ­full ben­e­fit ­from ­the com­pany of ­the Mas­ter?


­God is ­found ­not in ­books, as ­only state­ments ­about ­Him ­are ­given in ­them. Nei­ther ­can He be ­found in tem­ples ­made of ­stone by ­the ­hand of ­man. In ­these we ­gather ­together ­only to ­pray to ­God, or to ­thank ­Him ­for ­all ­that He ­has ­given. He ­resides ­within ­you. ­The ­body is ­the ­true Tem­ple of ­God. ­When ­you ­have under­stood ­this, ­then ­where do ­you go to ­find ­Him? ­First ­within ­your ­own ­self. With­draw ­from out­side. With­draw ­from ­the ­mind ­and out­go­ing facul­ties ­and ­come up to ­the ­seat of ­the ­soul at ­the ­back of ­the ­eyes. ­When ­you con­cen­trate ­there, ­your ­inner ­eye ­will be ­opened to ­see ­God ­within ­you. ­But ­you ­can ­have ­His radi­a­tion ­where He is ­already man­i­fest. Sit­ting ­close to ­the ­human ­body ­where ­God is man­i­fest, ­even ­for a ­short ­time, ­will ­give ­you ­quicker ­results. ­That is ­why Sat­sang, or ­the com­pany of a ­Saint, is ­talked of ­very ­highly in ­all scrip­tures. ­The pro­cess is quick­ened by radi­a­tion. ­The ­same ­God ­Power is ­within ­you ­but is ­not awak­ened. It ­will be awak­ened at ­the ­time of Ini­ti­a­tion ­and fur­ther, it ­will be ­given a ­boost by ­the radi­a­tion ­from ­the Mas­ter. ­That is ­why it is ­said ­that ­one lyr­i­cal ­glance ­from a ­Saint ­that is radi­ated to ­your ­soul ­from out­side ­can ­bring ­you up ­into ­your ­own ­self ­and ­you ­will ­see ­the ­Light of ­God ­within ­you. So ­one ­grace pour­ing ­glance ­from a Mas­ter is suf­fi­cient ­for us. ­That ­will ­give a ­boost. ­That is ­what is ­meant by, "­Have ­the com­pany of a ­Saint, ­the ­more ­you ­get ­the bet­ter". ­The ­more recep­tive ­you ­get by sit­ting ­near ­Him, ­the ­more ben­e­fit ­you ­derive. Sim­ply to ­come ­and go ­won’t do. It is recep­tiv­ity ­that ­gives ­you sub­stan­tial ben­e­fit. ­The ­more ­time ­that ­you ­can ­spend in ­the com­pany of a ­Saint, ­the bet­ter. ­Even if ­you ­are ­not in ­the ­direct com­pany of a ­Saint, ­you ­can ben­e­fit by sit­ting in ­your ­rooms, ­even at ­far ­off ­places, by devel­op­ing recep­tiv­ity. ­That recep­tiv­ity ­comes ­only ­when every­thing ­between ­you ­and ­the Mas­ter is ­removed, ­though ­maybe at thou­sands of ­miles ­away. Noth­ing ­should ­stand ­between ­you ­and ­the Mas­ter, nei­ther ­worldly ­things ­nor ­even ­your ­body or ­mind. Sim­ply ­sit ­sweetly ­and ­you ­will ­develop recep­tiv­ity. We can­not under­rate ­the ­value of ­the ­direct com­pany of ­the Mas­ter of ­course. ­The ­more ­you ­become recep­tive to ­Him, ­the ­more ben­e­fit ­you ­can ­draw ­and ­you ­can ­develop it ­even at a ­far ­off ­place. ­When ­you ­have devel­oped recep­tiv­ity, ­only ­then ­will ­you be ­able to ­derive ­more ben­e­fit ­from dis­tant ­places. ­When ­you ­are ­with ­Him ­face to ­face ­you ­get it ­direct, ­and nat­u­rally ­that ­will ­give ­you ­power. If ­you ­develop recep­tiv­ity, ­then ­from thou­sands of ­miles ­you ­can ­have ­the ­same ben­e­fit.


­When peo­ple ­apply ­for Ini­ti­a­tion I sim­ply sanc­tion it ­and ­instruct ­the Rep­re­sen­ta­tive, "­All ­right, ­give ­him a sit­ting." ­The ­man to ­whom ­the sit­ting is ­given ­gets ­the ­same expe­ri­ence as he ­would if in ­direct con­tact. ­This is ­worked ­through ­the ­Shabda or ­Word, ­which is eve­ry­where.

So I ­think ­that ­you ­will appre­ciate ­that ­you ­can ­derive ­more ben­e­fit by becom­ing recep­tive. ­The ­more ­time ­you ­have in ­direct con­tact, so ­much ­the bet­ter. If ­not, ­because it is ­not pos­si­ble to ­have it 24 ­hours of ­the ­day, ­then ­develop recep­tiv­ity by sit­ting in ­your ­rooms. If ­that is devel­oped, ­then ­you ­can go any­where ­and ­still ­have it. So ­the ­Word is per­vad­ing eve­ry­where. It ­vibrates through­out ­the Uni­verse ­and is spe­cially con­cen­trated in ­the ­Word ­made ­flesh. ­One vibra­tion ­from ­Him ­also ­vibrates through­out ­the Uni­verse. It is ­only a ques­tion of becom­ing recep­tive to it, ­that’s ­all. In ­that ­way, it ­makes no dif­fer­ence ­whether a ­man is sit­ting ­here or ­afar. It is a mat­ter ­only of becom­ing atten­tive, recep­tive to ­the ­Word or ­Shabda, ­which per­vades eve­ry­where. ­Where it is man­i­fest, ­that ­vibrates ­and ­that vibra­tion ­goes on through­out ­the ­world. ­You ­know ­who ­the Mas­ter ­truly is ­now? Such­like Mas­ters ­are ­spoken of in ­all ­the scrip­tures.