SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

ABSTRACT

Is awareness of the existence of God (Truth), all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening?  Accepting the omnipresence of God (Truth) is only a bare beginning; it is only the first gift of the first awakening. If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on. As it does go on, we find that bit-by-bit we can discard the old life -- the one that did not work -- for a new life that can and does work under any conditions whatever, by using the tools in Sabd Guru;

ਸਤਿ ਸਰੂਪ ਰਿਦੈ ਜਿਨਿ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥

ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨ ਤਿਨਿ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਨਿਆ ॥

ਜਾ ਕੈ ਰਿਦੈ ਬਿਸ੍ਵਾਸੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਆਇਆ ॥

ਤਤੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾਇਆ ॥

Sat Saroop Ridai Jin Maaniaa, Karan Karaavan Tin Mool Pachaaniaa, Ja Kai Ridai Bisvaas Prabh Aaeiaa, Tutt Giaan Tis Man Pargattaaeiaa.

One who believes in the Embodiment of Truth with all his heart recognizes the Cause of causes, as the Root cause of all. The essence of spiritual wisdom is revealed to the mind of one whose heart is filled with faith in God.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 285

                            -------------------------------------------------

The terms spiritual experience and spiritual awakening or awareness show that the personality change has manifested itself among us in many different forms of the educational variety because they develop slowly over a period of time. Quite often friends are aware of the difference long before the individual himself notices it. The individual finally realizes that he has undergone a profound alteration in his reaction to life.  He also realizes that such a change could hardly have been brought about by him alone. What often takes place in a few months could seldom have been accomplished by years of self-discipline. With a few exceptions, such an individual has tapped into an unsuspected inner resource, which he presently identifies with his own conception of God.

Most of us think this awareness of a Power greater than ourselves is the essence of spiritual experience. Our more religious members call it "God-consciousness." Willingness, honesty and open mindedness are the indispensable essentials to understand spirituality. There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance -- that principle is contempt prior to investigation.

The mind has to be controlled. The more mastery you have over yourself, over the vagaries of your own mind, the better you are placed for enjoying even this normal world, even if you don't have any spiritual hankering. If all the time you pursue your desires, to bring the mind to a quiet state is difficult. Such quiet states is necessary, for gaining enjoyable experiences from the world, and spiritual experience later, which is the ultimate goal of this life. Many of our problems arise because of a sense of boredom, monotony, pressure, and unfulfilled desires. These are some of the basic causes why the mind is often thrown off its balance, even if there is no major external situation.  A change of attitude is necessary to get a grip over the mind for better results. 

In an objective situation you cannot expect that there will be no bad experiences in life. A man has to learn how not to react at all, to possess inner calmness, and deal with the situation without getting emotionally involved.

It is at this stage that each individual is looking differently at the same situation depending on the stage of his spiritual progress. Most of us spend much of our energy in fretting and fuming. To make decisions we take days and days. When we work we have our worries, our anxieties. A calm, quiet man, once he decides something, can quietly do it without losing his mental poise and balance. This can be achieved with meditation to develop calmness and serenity of the mind. It is the basic training for making the mind purer, along with sitting quietly and calmly daily, and trying to focus on God-The Absolute Principle.

The spiritual attitude is, to find a meaning for every suffering. The moment one finds some explanation, his suffering becomes less intense.  If the spiritual awareness is there as well, he is likely a well-rounded, practical, efficient, spiritual man. The real spiritual experience is so profound that it wholly transforms the character of the individual.

God’s presence can be felt by an individual only through a spiritual experience in a belief system that allows for the possibility that perhaps there is an Unconditionally Loving Higher Power -- a God-Force.  This power represents unfathomable metaphysical Energy, Great Spirit.  This is powerful enough to insure that everything is unfolding perfectly from a Cosmic Perspective in the mind of the individual. That everything happens for a reason.  There are no accidents, no coincidences, no mistakes, and no miracles. Logic is necessary to understand all of this.

"Spiritual emergence, defined by Bragdon, is the process of personal awakening into a level of perceiving and functioning, which is beyond normal ego functioning. The process may at first include one of the following phenomena: acceptance of a personal prayer, out-of-body experiences (OBE), occult phenomena, pre-cognition, clairvoyance, astral travel, mystical experience and perception of auras. At its peak, spiritual emergence is the experience of the ultimate unity of all things, a merging with the Divine which transcends verbal description. This leads to among the positive effects of this process with increased creativity, feelings of peace and an expanded sense of compassion."

As spiritual awakening begins, motivations inevitably shift from the egocentric toward the desire to serve the others. This kind of service is seen as absolutely necessary if the awakening and development are to continue.  Spiritual growth requires a life of service to humanity.

ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਇ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰੇ ਤਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਪਾਏ ਮਾਨੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਲਗਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਲਗਾ ਸੋ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥
Aap Gvaa-ey Seva Karay Ta Kich Paa-ey Maan, Nanak Jis No Lagaa Tis Milai Lagaa So Parwaan.

If an individual eliminates his self-conceit and then performs service, he shall be honored. O Nanak, if he merges with the one with whom he is attached, his attachment becomes acceptable.-----Guru Angad, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page 474-10

ਗਿਆਨ ਰਤਨੁ ਮਨਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਭਇਆ ॥

ਨਾਮੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਸਹਜੇ ਲਇਆ ॥

Gian Rattan Man Paragatt Bheiaa,Naam Padaarath Sehjay La-i-aa.

The jewel of spiritual wisdom is revealed within the mind. The wealth of the Naam is easily, intuitively received.-----Guru Ram Das, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1069-15

Those speaking of “spirituality” rather than “religion” are apt to believe that there are many “spiritual paths” and that there is no objective truth about which is the best one to follow. The goal of “being spiritual” is to simultaneously improve one’s wisdom, will power and communion with God, universe, energy, force, which necessitates the removal of illusion of feeling and thinking at the sensory aspect of a person.

Spirituality or its awareness is preparing your, body and mind, to receive God's inspiration and translating it in your thinking, speech, and in your actions that lead to the formation of virtuous habits that form good character. Spirituality is a two-stroke process. The upward stroke (Transcendence) relates to inner growth and the downward stroke relates towards manifesting improvements (Immanence) in the world, reality around us as a result of the inward change.

Prayer, Meditation, Remembrance of the Word of God, Contentment with the Will of God, Morality, Selflessness, Integrity, Honor, Dignity, Trustworthiness, Restraint, and Deferred gratification of desires lead to spiritual progress with the guidance and use of the tools prescribed in AGGS. The secret is in "understanding the real meaning not literal translation" that is behind the words written there and also in between lines. These words, language and the rituals are merely "tools" for the linear mind's understanding. It is the action on these instructions, which makes the difference.

The development of virtues teaches us that there is no greater penance than patience, no greater happiness than contentment, no greater evil than greed, no greater virtue than mercy, and no weapon more potent than forgiveness.

Without Guru there is no “Spiritual Awareness.” Without faith there is no meditation. Without Truth there is no credit and without capital there is no balance. The best act is Philanthropy; desire to help mankind, without which human birth is accursed. Alms, gifts, penance and sacrifices are not equal to Philanthropy.

The spiritual experience is a personal ecstatic pleasure of the mind which cannot be shown or shared with the others but it does make an impact in the mind of the individual experiencing it because of God’s presence & Grace.

We are all experiencing an evolutionary process of Spiritual Awareness, which is unfolding perfectly according to the divine plan, in alignment with precise mathematically, scientifically and musically attuned laws of energy interaction. We are spiritual beings and are having a human experience. This is the focus of the spiritual experience.

ਅਵਿਗਤਿ ਗਤਿ ਅਗਾਧ ਬੋਧਿ ਅਕਥ ਕਥਾ ਅਸਗਾਹ ਅਪਾਰੀ ।

ਸਹਨਿ ਅਵਟਣੁ ਪਰਉਪਕਾਰੀ ।

Avagati Gati Agaadhi Bodhi Akath Katha Asgaah Apaari.Sahan Avtan Parupkari.

To have knowledge of the dynamism of that unmanifest God is a very deep experience, and to say something of that ineffable God is a Herculean task. Only guru oriented suffer while doing good to others.-----Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 11, Pauri, 2

Conclusion:

Life is a process of growth that is spiritual as well as physical, from one stage to the next.  

A person practices truth and develops virtue, self-control, insight, and self-confidence, and finally the maturity.

Signs of Spiritual Awareness; An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen. Frequent attacks of smiling. Feelings of being connected with others and nature. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment. A loss of ability to worry. A loss of interest in conflict. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others. Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything in return. A loss of interest in judging others but self as described by Guru Angad in Raag Majh:

ਨਾਨਕ ਪਰਖੇ ਆਪ ਕਉ ਤਾ ਪਾਰਖੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥

ਰੋਗੁ ਦਾਰੂ ਦੋਵੈ ਬੁਝੈ ਤਾ ਵੈਦੁ ਸੁਜਾਣੁ ॥

Nānak parkẖė āp ka¬o ṯā pārakẖ jāṇ. Rog ḏārū ḏovai bujẖai ṯā vaiḏ sujāṇ.

O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge. If someone understands both the disease and the medicine, only then is he a wise physician.-----Guru Angad Dev, Raag Majh, AGGS, Page, 148-8