7. Question and Answer

1.   What does "Sahaj Marg" mean? What is Sahaj Marg?

The Sanskrit sahaj may be translated as "natural," "simple or spontaneous" and marg or marga means "way" or "path." Sahaj Marg means the "Natural Path," or "

2.   What is the goal of Sahaj Marg practice?

We respectfully submit that the goal of Sahaj Marg is the goal of human life.

This Goal has been given many different names by the great spiritual traditions, yet it does not matter what words we use to refer to the one Goal they all share. Whether we choose to call it "enlightenment," or "moksha," or "becoming one with God," we are finally attempting to describe the indescribable, a stage far beyond the limits of any language.

The actual possibility of becoming one with God or Self is thought to be the highest imaginable attainment for any human being, and with God's grace, it is actually attainable by all His children. Whether we realize it consciously or not, all of us have taken human birth so that we might realize and express our Original Nature, which is Divine. There is no purpose for human life beyond this. In Sahaj Marg the means toward this end is meditation, which regulates the mind, and cleaning, which removes the past impressions and clears the hurdles in the path, made possible by the indispensable divine grace which the spiritual guide or Master pours into the heart of the practitioner through pranahuti or transmission.

3.   But isn't going to Heaven or liberation from rebirth the goal of human life?

As for going to Heaven when we die, this is a matter for religion to debate. Sahaj Marg takes the view of Christ, that the kingdom of God is within. Union with God is far beyond popular notions of heavens and celestial paradises, and as the Lord's Prayer of Christianity hints, when the Father's will is done, this union may as possible on earth as it is in Heaven.

Though some may find this surprising, Sahaj Marg considers liberation from rebirth to be a rather low attainment in the spectrum of human possibility

4.   But how does the idea of Grace play into all this? Do we attain by our "own effort" or by "other effort"?

Both are necessary. You cannot be given a Gift if you refuse to open your hand, and you cannot receive Grace if you refuse to open your heart. All we can do is open the door of our hearts to the Lord, our own Self, whom our ego has kicked out and who now must stand outside knocking on that closed door, closed heart, closed hand, and closed mind. We open and then we wait. Grace will be wasted if it is poured into an unprepared heart, just as milk would be wasted if it were poured into a vessel that had been used to hold gasoline. So some work, some cleaning, is necessary. We prepare our hearts to receive the Lord as we would clean our homes to receive a guest. If you have your back to the sun, Babuji used to say, all you need to do is turn around.

Yet Grace by definition can never be earned; even our tears and love and repentance cannot buy us Grace. Characteristically, Babuji clarified this ancient paradox of Work-versus-Grace with direct simplicity: "Liberation is to reveal oneself before God.

Realization is when God reveals himself. Liberation can be attained by doing abhyas. Realization He may give or not; it is His prerogative."

5.   How long does it take for one to achieve this Realization?

Realization takes an eternity and comes in an instant. It is, as Babuji hinted, a matter of Divine Grace. Though a capable Master could bring someone to the highest level in a matter of days by the force of his full transmission, such an act is forbidden, since it would destroy the physical body of the unprepared recipient. So the gradual practice or sadhana takes place gently and naturally for most over a period of months and years. It is like birth, which happens in an instant, but only after a time of gestation. Premature elevation in spirituality for an abhyasi is as undesirable and dangerous as is premature birth for a fetus.

But when the time is ripe, Grace descends and Realization occurs, as Lalaji said, "in less time than it takes for a tear to come from the eye." Or as Babuji once remarked, "It is only a matter of turning one's head from one side to another." Lalaji is said to have reached this moment after only seven months of practice, yet for Babuji, the sadhana continued for 22 years. The length of time is irrelevant, given the ultimate attainment. Time as we understand it has no relevance in the path of Realization.

6.   Are other motives acceptable in practicing Sahaj Marg? For example, will it cure my physical illnesses? Will it help me with depression? Will it have a positive effect on my career and earning potential? I'm not sure about this "Self-Realization" stuff; I just want peace and relaxation. Is this acceptable?

It is fine to begin practice with all sorts of hopes, goals, and expectations other than the ultimate Goal just discussed. In time, as we evolve in our spiritual practice, our ideas of what is desirable will also evolve. Lesser goals drop away as we become aware of the real goal of our lives. Eventually as we advance we will develop the focus and single-pointedness of mind essential to success in this highest of all human quests, and will begin to understand why our Masters consider the things normally prized by spiritual beginners (peace of mind, wealth, health, worldly power, and so on) to be mere toys compared to the realms possible to the human spirit.

It is a fact that many who have begun Sahaj Marg practice have experienced relief from physical and emotional distress, often in ways they consider "miraculous." Such testimonies abound among Sahaj Marg abhyasis, but they are rarely mentioned in public since it could generate a craze of seekers after miracles or corporeal changes which have little to do with Realization. Such blessings are given by Master to an abhyasi only if they are needed for his or her spiritual growth.

Sahaj Marg is a way of life guided by an inner spiritual purpose. A spiritual practice must give one the ability to face whatever life may present with clarity and equanimity. Thus it often happens that an abhyasi may begin Sahaj Marg only to find that all sorts of difficulties, physical and financial, begin to appear in his life! Worldly difficulties become "divine blessings" as we learn how they can help us in our spiritual goal. Lalaji used to say that three things were necessary in the making of a saint: a little financial difficulty, a little criticism, and a bit of ill health. Such difficulties remind us of the pain of desiring what is impermanent; they cure us of complacency and delusion; they spur us on toward the Real. As Lalaji said, "Afflictions are boons from God. There are many secrets in them." We have only to look to the examples of Lalaji, Babuji, and Chariji to find that even Masters are not exempt from the pains and difficulties of human life.

So while we might begin the practice of Sahaj Marg for other reasons, the sooner we come to appreciate and accept the only real Goal we have been born to realize, the less time we will waste. Meanwhile, our Master, the very embodiment and demonstration of the goal of Sahaj Marg, will patiently wait for us to cease tarrying with diversions and distractions and pursuing impermanent and useless fantasies, to have done with lesser things and seek what is Real.

7.   How can we tell if we are progressing toward the Goal?

Chariji has said that a growing lightness of mind and spirit is the surest test of spiritual progress. No one has said that the journey is without difficulty. Along the way we experience doubts and pain, and it is the not unusual for most of us to feel like quitting the practice a hundred times as we move toward this Goal. This is why a Master's help is so welcome and so necessary. He is there to guide us past the difficulties we create for ourselves, and to show us that our Goal is not far, but near.

8.   I am a Christian. Does this mean I am converting? Should I stop going to church? Can't one be Christian or Hindu or Buddhist and also be an abhyasi? Must I give up my religion?

Taking up the practice of Sahaj Marg does not mean we are converting from one religion into another. Sahaj Marg does not require any of us to give up the external trappings of our religion. We may keep whatever is essential and necessary for our journey. Abhyasis around the world have come to Sahaj Marg from many different cultures and religions. The process of finding a connection with Divinity is internalized in Sahaj Marg, and we should not become afraid if after some time we find that desires to resort to external forms of worship or ritual begin to drop off. What is Real will remain Real, and the essence of our religion will always remain with us. As Babuji said, "Where religion ends, spirituality begins."

9.   I already have a Guru. May I still practice the method of Sahaj Marg? Must I give my old Master up? I feel grateful to him/her.

If people find their practice or current guru to be satisfactory, Chariji encourages them to follow that path to its furthest reach. By the same token, if someone feels that he or she can receive no further benefit from a practice or guru, then it is his or her right and duty to try to find a more effective path. Chariji has said, "But please, only one Marg at a time!"

To this we might add, "Please, one Master at a time." Ultimately the Way and the Guru are inseparable, for as it has been said, "A teacher points the Way; the Guru is the Way." Thus we may have many teachers, but we can have only one Guru, once we really understand the role of the Guru in the life of a disciple. Trying to serve two masters is a disservice not only to our former guru, but to ourselves as well.

In another way, to the degree that a former guru has taught and assisted us, none of us ever has to "give up" such benefit. We may be lucky enough to have learned from many wise teachers or upa-gurus (secondary gurus), and should always feel gratitude and respect for them. When we graduate out of high school into college, it is not an act of betrayal to our high school teachers, but a normal process of growth and expansion.

True gurus exist to serve us, not the other way around. Babuji has written: "I hold it to be the birthright of every man to break off from his Guru if he finds he has made a wrong selection or had misjudged that Guru's capacity or worth. He is also free to seek another Guru if at any stage he finds that his Guru has not the capacity to take him beyond that which he has already acquired. On the other hand, a conscientious Guru must himself, under the circumstances, direct his disciple to seek another more advanced and better qualified, so that the disciple may not in any way suffer progress. This is the sacred duty of a true and selfless Guru. If, however, permission to break off, sought for by the disciple, is denied by the Guru on account of his selfish motives, the disciple is at liberty to break off from him at once and seek another. No moral or religious law ever forbids him from doing so."

10.  How exactly are we supposed to tell if the practice is working? What changes should we expect?

Master has said that the surest test of the effectiveness of a spiritual practice is a growing sense of lightness. Now this "sense of lightness" is by definition a subjective condition. It might be compared to a daughter asking her mother about the experience of falling in love. "How will I know when I have fallen in love?" she might ask her mother. And the mother will smile and say, "Don't worry. You'll know."

Just so, though this sense of spiritual "lightness" may difficult to describe, it is one that can be easily recognized when it is experienced. Even after a short time of practice, many abhyasis often report a dropping away of complexities, a sense of peace, a heightened intuitive ability, a sense of focus and direction.

When Reality is perceived, the response is awe and gratitude. So whether we feel as a kind of background to all we experience a sense of abiding gratitude (or its reverse, resentment and bitterness) can be another sure test for the clarity of our contact with the Real. The one is light, clear, open and free; the other - resentment - is dark, smoky, closed, and bound.

But the most simple and honest way to describe how we have found our chosen path is that after some time, it simply feels right. That for us, no matter that we may continue to doubt and struggle and argue, Sahaj Marg is a "path with a heart."

But understand that whatever conditions arise, whether they are agreeable to us or not, all such conditions will change and pass on. In our spiritual yatra or journey toward the Ultimate, peace will come and go, pain will arrive and depart, until we at last come into what Babuji has described as the unchanging condition, the non-bliss blissfulness, the peace beyond "peace."

Finally, regarding expectations, however, a word of caution: it is almost a rule of spiritual practice that one of the first experiences that comes along is the realization that our expectations are in themselves hindrances and obstacles (as the second line of the Mission prayer suggests) and this realization usually comes when our hidden expectations are revealed precisely because they are not met! We may expect a guru to look and act in a certain way, and the genuine guru will often disappoint and frustrate those expectations. So it is best to simply do the practice and observe whatever arises, including our own expectations. For what we expect to happen will condition (and therefore limit) what actually does happen. This is a truth with any spiritual practice.

So what to expect? Expect nothing. Expect anything. Do, and see for yourself.

11.  I feel that the idea of a Master somehow comes between me and God. Why must we have a Master? Can't everyone go to God directly, without any intermediary?

Babuji wrote, "God is the real Guru or Master and we get Light from Him alone. But as it is extremely difficult for a man of ordinary talents to draw inspiration from God directly, we seek the help of one of our fellow beings who has established his connection with the Almighty. It is quite evident that if a man comes out as a guru or master he has usurped the position really due to God and as such it is nothing but mere blasphemy. [The guru] must, therefore, treat himself as the humblest servant of God, serving humanity in the name of the great Master."

It is true that we can indeed go to the Source directly, without any assistance from a fellow human being, and we are welcome to try whenever we like. But we may come to understand why such a feat is very rare in the long history of the spiritual traditions of the world, and why most agree on the desirability, indeed the necessity, for a Realized Master in human form to assist most seekers in finding their way Home. If we honestly examine the sources of our desire to "go it alone," we may find the very thing that stands between ourselves and reality - namely, the subtle pride in accomplishment and the fear of surrender that are the signatures of ego. It is this ego, not the Master, that "comes between me and God."

12.  But I still do not like the idea of having to depend on some external authority figure and giving them power over me?

This question betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the guru-disciple relationship, which is one of mutual love and respect. A true guru exercises no more "authority" over a student than a grandfather does with a grandchild. In this kind of love, such bristling over authority does not arise in disciples any more than it would among grandchildren.

And yet the Guru is more than a loving grandparent. If we truly realized how difficult the path to Reality before us actually is, how fraught with a thousand subtle traps, wrong turns, dead ends, false "realizations," self-deceit, and outright delusion, we would rush to find a competent guide! Of course, as long as we are happy to remain in the familiar neighborhood of the social religion we were born into by an accident of geography, we need no Guru - we can easily make do with the local priests or rabbis or mullahs, or with our own little lights, for that matter. But if we hope to climb the Himalayas of human possibility, it is a wise idea to find a sherpa! If you wish to know the way, says the old proverb, ask the one who goes up and down upon it.

If you prefer, think of the Master as a spiritual trainer or coach, and try to accept the services he offers in the way you might accept the services, for instance, of a dance instructor. It would be difficult to learn to waltz if we only read manuals about waltzing and never listen to waltz music or see the dance performed. Much simpler and faster to find a dancing master, who can show us in a few steps what we could never learn even from years of reading. The Master embodies the Goal, just as a dancer embodies the dance - and how can we imagine a dance apart from a dancer?

Finally, as for the reluctance to "give another person power over us," do we not already do this almost daily? When we fly in an airplane, we trust our very lives to the pilot, airplane mechanics, air traffic controllers, and others we have never met. We completely surrender ourselves to the care of surgeons when necessary. The same life-and-death trust occurs every time we even drive a car -we must trust every oncoming driver to be skillful and stay in his own lane. Other examples of the necessity of provisional but complete trust are everywhere, from going to barbers to aerobics instructors. Our entire existence is one of interdependence, and if we honestly look at all the aspects of our material life, we would see that there are really no areas in which we can claim to wield complete autonomy or independent determination. So why must we insist on "independence" in our spiritual journey?

13.  How is a Master chosen?

It is said that the Grand Masters select the successor to the present Master. For example, Lalaji selected Chariji as Babuji's successor. Similarly, Babuji might select Chariji's successor. This also would introduce another and most important element of impartiality and deservingness to this system of Spiritual Inheritance. Of course, the mysteries of succession are finally the responsibility of the Masters, and are outside the scope of the work of an abhyasi - even, one might add, that abhyasi determined to become the successor to his Master!

14.  Will all my worldly problems disappear if I do the practice regularly?

The purpose of a spiritual practice is really to realize our full potential as human beings, not to get rid of problems in this life. But it is a fact that many problems which used to arise as a result of our egotism and samskaras stop coming up due to the removal of those samskaras. However, spiritual teachers point out that some troubles and challenges are necessary for our spiritual evolution, and thus will come our way. Since in overcoming them we are strengthening our will and learning to rise above adversity, it is best if they are accepted as aids to our development. Thus, spiritual practice has the effect of strengthening us to face life's problems in a masterly way.

15.  Is it not necessary to be an ascetic(禁欲主义者;苦行者), and to renounce family life, to evolve spiritually?

It is quite the opposite. Family life is considered as the ideal training ground for spirituality. This is where we learn to develop patience, self-discipline, love and sacrifice, all qualities deemed essential for spiritual evolution. Sahaj Marg teaches that every human faculty has its legitimate function and that the proper use of all our faculties leads to a balanced life. Thus there are no dogmas or rigid methods of austerity to be followed.

16.  Do I have to give up my religion to practice Sahaj Marg meditation?

Sahaj Marg teaches that all religions have their roots in the same common ground, which is spirituality. The spiritual impulse is found in all people as expressed in the heart-to heart connection between human beings everywhere. The process of developing our inner life should not be confused with a religious practice. A spiritual practice has nothing to do with religion - nor does it require us to give up the outer trappings of our religion.

According to Sahaj Marg, religion provides the foundation for inner growth by laying down principles of character such as morality, selflessness, brotherhood and compassion. Through meditation we internalize these qualities and make them a living, guiding experience which ennobles our lives, bringing inner peace and security, as well as harmony in shared experiences with others.

You may continue to do the religious practise until you feel the benefits of the meditation, when the practice may just drop off naturally. However, you should try Sahaj Marg to the exclusion of all other spiritual practises, for the method to be truly effective.

17.  What do we do when thoughts interrupt our meditation?

When we meditate, we will of course have thoughts. We are taught not to attend to these thoughts, but to ignore them. Thoughts have no power of their own, but depend on the power of the attention that we give them. So, if we ignore them, they will fall off. By developing the ability to hold this one thought during meditation, we progressively develop the ability to regulate our minds. So, we use the mind to regulate the mind.

18.  Please say more about samskaras? 

Science says every action has a reaction in the physical plane. Spirituality says every thought or action performed with the feeling of 'I' or self-consciousness leaves a trail of subtle impressions in the heart and mind. These impressions, known as samskaras, become the seeds of future thoughts and actions which again lead to formation of more impressions. Repeated impressions of the same kind solidify into tendencies, and then into habits - physical, mental and emotional, -- and eventually we become a slave of these habits. A little self-observation will make us aware of some of our habit patterns. Thus, in a very real sense, we are slaves of our past.

Sahaj Marg believes that it is crucial for a spiritual system to offer a solution for the accumulation of samskaras, which appear as coverings around the human soul. Through the combination of meditation and cleaning practices, we have the opportunity to live and act in the present moment, gradually becoming unencumbered (not妨害)from the thoughts, worries and emotions that color our lives.

19.  How do meditation, cleaning and transmission combine to make us evolve spiritually?

Meditation helps to focus the mind by regulating it, and thus prevents formation of fresh impressions or samskaras. Cleaning helps to remove the effect of past impressions or samskaras. The transmission then fills this void that has been created through the removal of the past samskaras, and divinises us, thus making us evolve.

20. What role does the guide play in our lives?

Sahaj Marg does not ask that we accept the Master as anything other than a guide. It takes time to develop faith in any other person, let alone the Master. The first step is acceptance of the need for a guide or teacher. The next step is the building of trust, through experience. If we keep our hearts and minds open, we will progress spiritually, and come to accept that the Master is serving us, and not the other way around. This will bring about a deep and lasting love for the person who is prepared to give us his all, in his efforts to help us to progress to our goal. Remember, acceptance must come from the heart, and not from the mind.

21. Why is no money charged for Sahaj Marg, and how is it funded?

How can anyone be charged for being given what they already possess? Sahaj Marg says that spirituality cannot be sold any more than the sky can be sold, for no one owns it.

Sahaj Marg is funded solely through voluntary donations, in whatever way people are moved to contribute. There are no paid positions in the organization; all work is done voluntarily.

22. What is so special or unique about this system which sets it apart from other systems? 

The pranahuti method mentioned earlier is the most unique aspect of this system. Prana is not to be confused with breath. It is the Divine Energy or Essence which the guru is able to focus by virtue of his spiritual attainments and pour into the heart of the aspirant. It removes impurities and impressions and transmits into an abhyasi spiritual growth-potential.

Cleaning and transmission employing the same Divine energy are, therefore, the special aspects of this system. Master has also authorized preceptors all over the world to do this work of cleaning and transmission so that this spiritual service is accessible to the largest number of people.

Any aspirant, therefore, has to take a minimum of three introductory sittings from the Master or the preceptor who will carry out the initial cleaning which makes meditation possible. Such sittings are necessary even after one starts the daily practice because there are innumerable layers of samskaras (impressions, impurities, heaviness, complexities) in the heart.

The second unique aspect of this system is that it recognises our worldly commitments and balances them with our spiritual sadhana. We are not asked to renounce possessions but are helped to develop non-attachments in our minds. The system demands minimum time and exertion and is specifically designed for modern human beings, and householders. Sahaj Marg emphatically asserts that a householder's life is the best school for spiritual progress.

The third unique aspect is the extreme simplicity and naturalness of the system and absence of rigid dogma, rituals and mechanical practices.