Letter 5 ~ Quietness of Heart

There are two things that are essential to Pilgrimage in India. One is patience and the other humility. The deep kind. If you don’t have them, and you are willing, India will teach them to you. If you do have them She will test them and make them stronger. If you resist – well, as the movie line goes: “resistance is futile.”

Our beloved Daya Ma tells us that humility is perpetual quietness of heart. Make up your mind now to be in that joyous and peaceful state ...in the Quiet Heart...while there. Like bathing in the Ganges when all your karma is removed – until you step back on the banks, where it jumps back on you – while in India you can be as though in the Ganges; free from the worldly responsibilities and roles of this lifetime for a few weeks– they will all be waiting for you when you get home. Use this time to dive deeply into the Quiet Heart and let that joy bubble up in boundless gratitude, and surrender to a close and quiet walk with the Divine Beloved of your soul, and the spiritual growth your heart is seeking.

Ritual and ceremony abound in the temples of India and, especially for Kriyabans, it can seem shallow and archaic; even lacking in true understanding. But, the vibrations of trust, faith, love, honor, gratitude, and worship are there. And if with humility and patience you tune into those vibrations, they will magnify your own depth of attunement with Truth.

Bowing down – there is a lot of that that goes on in all temples (including YSS). Sometimes there are physical protocols that may seem uncomfortable or insincere to follow, but here is how I reconcile these: although the deities may not be mine, I bow in honor of all those who have come to the temple with trust in God and to offer the Divine their love. And when I bow before these sometimes strange altars or statues of deities, I pray that my heart may be made more pure and humble, concentrating on only Love.

It is not necessary to understand or be able to follow the steps or meaning of the various pujas; just give thanks that these souls are searching and loving instead of blowing themselves up for some political cause of this Mayic plane. Honor them as fellow souls searching for the Divine Beloved.

I always go forward for the blessing of the temple pujari (priest) which is usually given by either a red powder mark (tilak) he places on your spiritual eye, and/or prasad or holy water, both of which you are supposed to ingest, but I generally take the holy water (which is given in your right hand) and move it from close to my lips up over my forehead and let it go on the top of my head. Do not drink the water! The prasad is generally ok to eat, but I usually keep it and give it to the first beggar or bullock I see.

Let us consider the beggars for a moment. Yes, to our standards, their condition is deplorable. But, Jesus said the poor will always be with you; Guruji said much the same thing. But our hearts go out, also as they should, so what to do?

Do not give eye contact. They and the hawkers are very persistent. Do Not Give Money. They don’t get to keep it most of the time. The children are especially exploited by the “beggar’s mafia.” Carry apples, oranges, or bananas to give. Give money to a reputable organization who will use your donation to help the poor. YSS does much charitable work throughout India. Silently pray for the beggars when they are begging from you and again in your next meditation.

Remember, Guruji said that Rajarsi did more good for the world and the work by his meditation than by all his millions. Find your bubble of peace and let it envelop you, letting the seeming inequities of the world pass by like turbulent waters in the river of life, while you “float on the breeze of bliss” with perpetual quietness of heart.

🙏

With you in Guruji's Perfect and Constant Care,

Brenda

QuietHeart.India@gmail.com