Question:

Dear Didi,

How to show gratitude and absolute surrender to the inner Guru Tattva moment to moment? Is there any prayer that can help?

 

Answer:

The Guru Tattva lies within. The inner environment is naturally an environment of soundless silence, a quiet peace devoid of sound. The inner Guru always guides you in soft whispers. These whispers do not have a language. One cannot appease the soundless silence with words. To meet the soundlessness, only soundlessness can work.

Only silent, long, deep samadhi, is the way to connect to the inner Guru Tattva. There are no shortcuts on this path. Any shortcut, like a prayer uttered by the waker, is only noise. It is outward-directed. Samadhi is inward-directed.

For the layman who could not understand deep meditation or samadhi, the ancient sages devised the ritual of prayer. At least with the excuse of prayer, the seeker closed his eyes and attempted to look within.

• • Once the seeker graduated to a level where he was able to bear the power of inner silence, he was advised first to inquire within.
  • Once he manages to inquire deeply, he gathers the ability to dive into deep meditation.
  • Once he is able to meditate deeply, he develops the skill to touch the silent surface of Samadhi.

That is where the true connection happens with the inner Guru.

Therefore, a beginner of Advaita is advised to move away from words, language, sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell, because all these belong to the external world. The mature spiritual seeker is advised to drop Dwaitam [duality] and move towards Advaitam [non-duality]. Only on the Dwaitam path are there prayers, rites, rituals, worship, chanting, mantras, breathing techniques, postural techniques, etc. These were meant for those who could not understand the deeper level of silence of Samadhi. They were seeking a power outside of the Wakers body-mind. They lacked the capability to transcend the body-mind.

But the ancient sages recognized the mature seekers and advised them to drop all external prayers, rites, rituals, worship, chanting, mantras, breathing techniques, postural techniques, etc and turn within and learn to bear the power of silence. If you have matured to this higher level, I would encourage you to move towards Silent Samadhi step by step.

Remember that complete surrender means Ananya Bhakti. Devotion must be one-pointed towards only the inner Guru Tatva and nobody else outside. True gratitude means listening to and following every soft whisper of the inner Guru. The inner Guru is constantly directing you, quietly. When one is ignorant, one ignores these signals from the inner Guru. The mature one listens. The Guru always speaks in whispers. Shh! Listen! Listen! 

You have been given the wisdom pointer. The ball is in your court now. Move from Dwaitam to Advaitam and listen to the inner Guru. Dive into Silent Samadhi! I am right by the side of the sincere Samadhishta. Keep chugging.

P.S. Beneficial resources:

• • Those looking for Self-Inquiry meditations can benefit from the playlist – https://tinyurl.com/SE-Website
  • Those looking for written wisdom can benefit from the books – https://www.amazon.com/author/ektabathija
  • Those looking for free Samadhi and Meditation mentorship are welcome to join the retreats – https://www.gnyanasangha.com/?gs-register

Happy Samadhi!