Spiritual Experiences

Spirituality is a science in which knowledge is attained through spiritual practice and the spiritual experiences (anubhutis) resulting thereof. An experience beyond the five senses, mind and intellect is known as a spiritual experience.

Alleviation of distressing energy problem’s intensity by God’s grace and chanting*

On May 19, 2000, I went to work as usual. While working, my right arm started feeling heavy and had a tingling sensation in it. I had been typing more than usual for the past ten days, so I attributed this sensation to the overuse of my hands. However, as the problem persisted, I started perceiving something negative associated with it. Even so, I continued normal use of my right arm. Neither resting the arm nor chanting* as much as possible through the day helped much. Towards the latter part of the day, I felt that my lower limbs, too, were getting heavy, for which I didn’t have any physical explanation and was convinced that the problem was spiritual in nature. So, I continued chanting Lord Datta and Lord Ganapati’s Names.

Upon returning home, my wife told me that while she was at the grocery store, someone had hit her car in the parking lot, damaging both the doors on the right. By the Guru’s grace, a witness to the accident had come forward with all the necessary details as soon as she returned to the car. Thanks to the witness’ help, she was able to get the insurance details from the person who had hit her car. While my wife was narrating this, I still kept feeling quite unwell. So, I asked her to perform a ritual (called drushta) of taking mustard seeds and salt in the hand while imploring our family deity to rid us off any distressing energies. At the end of the ritual, there was a foul smell upon heating the mustard seeds.

Even as I typed this, my right arm experienced a similar sensation of heaviness and numbness, which was absent earlier.

- A Seeker.

[The foul smell was due to the distressing energy absorbed by the mustard seeds. Certain objects have the property of absorbing distressing energy. Hence, when such objects are used in rituals that cast out distressing energy are then discarded into fire, they give out a foul smell, indicating that the person was, indeed, a victim of distressing energy.

Performing such rituals aids in removing obstacles that one might experience in both everyday and spiritual life.

-Editor.]

Fulfilment of worldly desires when priority given to spiritual practice

Recently, as I was walking on the street in a so-called bad neighbourhood, I happened to notice a man who seemed to be quite negative in nature. His behaviour prompted me to think that he was being manipulated like a puppet, by negative forces. This incident made me think that I have to stay focused on Sat (on God). In a sense, it made me cling further to God. Thus, even a seemingly negative occurrence can turn out to be positive, since it can remind us to stay focused on God.

- A Seeker.

[As the seeker in the above-described spiritual experience noted, even negative experiences can help us in the long run, if they bring us closer to God. To progress spiritually, it is critical that we learn to seek God in every situation, be it good, bad or neither. Having such an attitude will surely expedite our spiritual progress.

--Editor.]

*If one is not currently doing any spiritual practice, or to complement one's current spiritual practice, one can begin with the simple, but powerful spiritual practice of chanting or constantly remembering God's Name according to one's religion. Chanting also acts as a useful complement to any spiritual path one may be already following. It is a practice recommended for the current times by Holy texts and Saints of all religions.

Seekers in the initial stages of spiritual practice (less than one year) can repeat The Name of the Lord as per their religion (refer to Issue 3 Clarification of Doubts section for details).
Seekers who have been doing regular spiritual practice for over a year or so can determine the appropriate chant for them from the experiment given in Issue 124, Message to Seekers section.