On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of

LALAJI
MAHARAJ
January 25 to February 3, 2023
Kanha Shanti Vanam
 S PECIAL FEATU RE S OF

SAHAJ MARG
Dear friends,

The 150th birth anniversary of Pujya Shri Lalaji Maharaj, a milestone

in our Sahaj Marg tradition, is the perfect time to pause, review, and
understand how Lalaji started this system, and how it has evolved
to become the Heartfulness Movement we see gaining momentum
throughout the world today.

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Our celebration of his birth provides an opportunity to highlight
some of the special features of Sahaj Marg; many were introduced by
Pujya Shri Lalaji, some in partnership with Pujya Shri Babuji. Sahaj
Marg is a dynamic system, and has continued to evolve during the
last 150 years, a period we now call the new dawn of spirituality. The
primary feature of Sahaj Marg is the Master’s unique responsibility
to facilitate the evolution of the seeker. The practices of Sahaj Marg
exist only to help the seeker become attuned to the Master and
receptive to his work.

The special features of Sahaj Marg include:

Balanced Living

Like a bird flying with two wings, or a person using two oars to row
a boat, the Sahaj Marg way of life is concerned with integrating both
the worldly and the spiritual aspects of life. In this balanced state,
the heart is the guiding element of both, functioning like the tail of
the bird or the helm of the boat. At a surface level, our spiritual and
material lives can appear to pull us in opposite directions and be in
conflict with one another, but when material phenomena are seen
from a spiritual perspective, the seeker finds that they exist to support
the spiritual purpose of life.

Seekers are advised not to ignore their either materiality or

spirituality. Instead of asceticism and detachment from the mundane,
seekers engage with the world but from a meditative perspective

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which allows them to remain attached to their spiritual goal
throughout. To make this possible, Sahaj Marg not only offers the
“how” of inner development through spiritual practices, but also
the “how” of behavioral refinement through the 10 Maxims, thus
supporting the two steps of Yama and Niyama in Ashtanga Yoga and
assisting seekers in maintain their connection with the Divine.

In this balanced state, the heart is the

guiding element of both, functioning like the
tail of the bird or the helm of the boat.

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A Practical Method

Religious and spiritual systems generally speak of lofty states – the

Sthitaprajna of Lord Krishna, the Kaivalya of Patanjali, the Love
and Humility of Jesus Christ, and the Peace and Brotherhood of
the Prophet. They speak of what. Sahaj Marg focuses on how – how
to achieve what these great saints and sages achieved. The practical
methodology of Sahaj Marg includes the practices of meditation,
cleaning, and prayer. These practices enable us to be uplifted by the
work the Master performs on us by transmitting divine Grace into
our hearts.

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 The Sahaj Marg meditation method is to
rest one’s mind on the source of divine light
within one’s heart, a process which allows us
to unite with our authentic spiritual essence.

Meditation

Meditation is to rest the mind peacefully on a single object and

become absorbed in that thought. The Sahaj Marg meditation
method is to rest one’s mind on the source of divine light within one’s
heart, a process which allows us to unite with our authentic spiritual
essence. After meditation, we can remain in that meditative state even
as we perform our daily activities. Gradually, the state of meditation
becomes permanent in our lives. To help the seeker meditate deeply,
the Master uses his spiritual capacity to redirect the outward worldly
tendencies of the mind so that they flow inward instead.

Cleaning

Samskaras (mental impressions) are the seeds of karmic bondage

which are stored in the depths of the subconscious. These are
the primary barriers to spiritual growth and freedom. Tradition
holds that, although samskaras can be weakened or strengthened
and made active or dormant, they cannot be removed from a
person’s consciousness. However, Pujya Lalaji and Pujya Babuji
have innovated numerous methods by which samskaras can be

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permanently removed from an aspirant’s system, allowing for any
person to attain spiritual freedom within a portion of a human
lifetime.

Prayer

The Sahaj Marg Prayer is unique. We pray for all to reach the goal
of human life, focusing on our collective spiritual growth. The prayer
contains no sense of begging or demanding anything from God, but
rather, it consists of three statements that relate to our evolutionary
journey. As that journey unfolds, the meaning of those statements
evolves and deepens. Decades of Sahaj Marg practice will not exhaust
the nuances that are found in this simple prayer; our understanding
of the words reflects the stage we have reached. As our consciousness
expands, so does the depth of meaning contained in the prayer.

Spiritual Yatra

The yatra or journey through the spiritual anatomy of the chakras

of the Heart Region, the Mind Region, and the Central Region
has been mapped in four ways, showing that our journey progresses
simultaneously through 13 primary chakras, 23 circles, 7 regions,
and 5 koshas. All this can be experienced firsthand by a practitioner.
The spiritual journey represents the seeker’s individual pralaya, or
dissolution into the original Source, or Center, and the seeker’s
subsequent union with that primary existential principle.

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9 of 36
 Center
Stages of Maya
(Five Circles)
Stages of Ego Central region
(Eleven Circles) (Seven Rings of Splendor)

The March to Freedom

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The Master activates and supports this journey as we proceed from
chakra to chakra. Not only does he purify and awaken each chakra,
but he carries us across the intervening spaces between one chakra
and the next. These are known as buffers or barzak.

While crossing the space between any two chakras, we undergo

some variety of bhoga, or experience. At this stage, self-effort alone
is insufficient to keep us moving, as we become entangled in the
intricacies and experiences of the place, and can remain in limbo
indefinitely. But it does not take the Master long to lead us through
all the chakras – even a second is enough if we are pure and receptive.

Meeting of Dayal and Kaal Shakti

In the past, yogic spiritual training was done either through the Dayal
Shakti method or the Kaal Shakti method, but Lalaji and Babuji
together developed the practice of Sahaj Marg, which integrates
the two. In Sahaj Marg, the spiritual yatra follows the Dayal Shakti
system, in which the journey starts at the heart chakra and progresses
through the chakras of the Heart Region, Mind Region, and Central
Region. However, the daily process of Cleaning, which involves
removing impurities and complexities through the back, involves the
spinal points which are the focus of the Kaal Shakti approach. The
integration of the Dayal and Kaal Shakti methods arose from the
original research of Lalaji and Babuji. For example, Babuji writes:

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 “A person came to me and complained of his passions.
I then began to search for some center on which the will
may be exercised so that the passions may become normal.
I came to know about one center and touched it by the
willpower. Next time when he came, he said that the
passions had come to normal.
Then, said the Master, ‘This is the method of Kaal Shakti.’”

It will be helpful to explore some of these features in more detail. Not

all can be covered here, so we may touch upon others at a later time.

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Yogic Transmission

We often speak of pranahuti or yogic Transmission as the signature of

Sahaj Marg. Transmission is the primary instrument of the Master’s
work and of the seeker’s growth.

On March 7, 1946, Rishi Yajnavalkya intercommunicated with

Babuji, telling him that Transmission was initially discovered by a
great rishi who lived seventy-two generations before Raja Dasharatha
(Lord Rama’s father). That rishi is considered to be the first Raja
Yogi.

Throughout the ages, various levels of Transmission by gurus and

saints continued to exist, but Lord Krishna revealed to Babuji that
true knowledge of this science was extremely rare. Babuji explained
that most gurus and saints do not have the capacity to consciously
transmit the Grace of God to a seeker.

In Sahaj Marg, the living Master is a conscious transmitter who

enables and permits every preceptor to be a conscious transmitter
as well. The system of training is based on the preceptors doing this
work on the Master’s behalf. The capacity to transmit divine grace
from the Center was rediscovered by Lalaji in the late 19th century
when he was still a boy.

Babuji describes Lalaji:1

1
In the Introduction to Truth Eternal.

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 “This Special Personality, who was a prodigy of Nature,
the Ultimate Reality, brought back to humanity the long-
forgotten art of Transmission of the Upanishadic pranasya
pranah, and worked out a novel method of spiritual training
which completely relieved the practitioner of almost all
responsibilities. …

“With him dawned the new era of yogic training through

Transmission, of which he was the Master. He could bring a
man to perfection simply at a glance. It was he who made
it possible that a man could attain perfection in one life –
rather a part of it – leading just a normal family life. He
simplified the method of spiritual training to a great extent
and adjusted it to suit the requirements of the time. …

“The methodology of yogic Transmission brings about a

shift in consciousness. So far there have been extraordinary
results. The effect of Transmission is being studied in a
systematic way, through research on the physiological and
psychological effects of Transmission. Of course, what we
are trying to measure is beyond instrumentation and senses.
How can one measure the subtleness of God?”

We learn from Lalaji in Babuji’s diary entry of October 28, 1944, that
both Lalaji and Babuji were born with this pure Transmission from
the Center without the least touch of maya.

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Source of Grace

Seekers have asked about the source of Grace. Here are some of
Babuji’s replies:

“Tell me now, the air that you are breathing, where is it

contained? I do not think you can reply. The question you
have raised will only be answered if the entire philosophy of
Sahaj Marg is described.”

“It is difficult to answer the question you have asked

about Grace. The word ‘bhandar’, meaning storehouse or

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repository, is so vast in itself. When we use this word, the
whole thing, that is, the Center including the invisible motion
surrounding it, comes to view. That is why it is very difficult
to judge from which point the Grace comes.

“Nobody has paid much attention to one thing: that every

particle or atom has present in it all the centers there in the
circle. Hence, the same Grace can come from an atom that
also comes from the real Source or bhandar. … a person

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 whose condition and connection have become so fine or
focused that he sees Reality in everything can derive Grace
even from an atom.”

“Grace is even finer than ether, so a seeker whose approach

is beyond ether receives their part according to their
approach.”

Role of the Master

The above passages indirectly hint at the vital point that the living
Master is the conduit for divine Grace. The importance of the
living Master’s role in our evolution is also highlighted in Lalaji’s
intercommunication with Babuji on August 15, 1944. After Lalaji’s
mahasamadhi in 1931, his subtle body departed with him. Hence,
he could no longer attend to the subtle bodies of his disciples.
Once Babuji assumed the role of Lalaji’s representative in 1944,
he recommenced the work of attending to them. As a result of the
thirteen-year gap, the associates had developed “curvature,” meaning
that they became diverted from the ultimate goal of life. This tends to
occur when no living Master is present to guide a disciple.

Babuji does note a few years later in his correspondence that the
connection may be kept alive after the passing of the Master if
the seeker develops “adequate receptive capacity.” We see here that
two things are important for spiritual growth: the Grace that is set

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in motion by the Master for a seeker, and the seeker developing
adequate receptive capacity.

The Master’s attention is paramount in launching the spiritual

journey from the heart chakra to the successive chakras that follow.
His attention is even more vital when a seeker moves from one
region to another region. Going beyond the Sahasra Dal Kamal
chakra (SDK), and further toward the state of Satyapad is impossible
without the support of the Master because the advanced devotee
loses any desire to progress. When the Master sees that the devotee
is no longer restless for spiritual progress, he intervenes and carries
the devotee like a mother kangaroo carries her joey. The further we
progress, the more we rely on the Master’s support. This dependence
develops through constant remembrance, a state which emerges out
of meditation. In the state of remembrance, the Grace of God flows
unobstructed.

The Master exists only for others, and he creates preceptors

as conduits to work on his behalf, using the tools of sankalpa
(prayerfully suggesting something into being), Transmission, and
Cleaning. Sahaj Marg is for our collective evolution of consciousness,

Our role as seekers is simple and

straightforward: cooperation with the Master
and his work. Cooperation begins with the three
practices of meditation, cleaning, and prayer.

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resulting in harmony and unity among people from any walk of
life or background. As well as individual practice, Sahaj Marg
centers and trainers offer group meditation at least twice a week,
regular individual meditation sessions, and large gatherings like
this bhandara, all for free. Participation in group meditation is the
simplest and most beneficial way for seekers to receive divine Grace.

The ability to grant spiritual capacity and permit preceptors to do

the work on the Master’s behalf was discovered by Lalaji. There are
currently over 15,000 preceptors worldwide offering Sahaj Marg
training to people all around the world.

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Cooperation

Sahaj Marg practice helps us develop the “adequate receptive

capacity” to which Babuji refers. Our role as seekers is simple
and straightforward: cooperation with the Master and his work.
Cooperation begins with the three practices of meditation, cleaning,
and prayer.

Not only are we given these practices, but we also receive many hints
about the attitudes needed to become more receptive. For example, in
the first of Babuji’s Ten Maxims, we are advised to sit in an upright
position when we meditate every morning before dawn, so that

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the flow of divine Grace descends straight upon us. By sitting in
an upright steady pose, the greatest spiritual benefit is received. In
Maxim 2, he advises us to offer prayer with a heart full of love and
devotion in order to create an inner state of vacuity in the heart. This
automatically induces the Master to direct the divine Grace to flow
into the heart. Constant practice leads to a constant state of prayer
throughout one’s life, a permanent link of devotion, which keeps the
divine Grace flowing. It is Grace which generates the real aspiration
in us. Through practice and the Master’s support, a virtuous cycle of
spiritual progress is created.

Practice involves self-effort to create the inner conditions that attract

the flow of divine Grace. Yet, self-effort alone is not enough, as
it is divine Grace that is really needed for progress, and our inner
impurities and complexities generally make it impossible for us to
attract it by ourselves. During the initial stages of our journey, divine
Grace flows into us only through the medium of the Master in the
form of Transmission. He is not only the conduit of Grace, but also,
in the words of Babuji, “He is the Infinite Ocean of Grace in which
we have all to merge.” Babuji goes on to say, “How that may be
possible under the present circumstances can be made clear by the
following example. Consider yourself to be C and myself as B. Now
C gets himself merged in B, while B is already merged in A. Shall C
not then secure his merging in A, the final goal?”

C = B and B = A,
therefore C = A

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Until the moment of merger, the Master must tailor the correct
“dose” for us so that we can receive and absorb Grace according to
our receptive capacity. He can also direct the Grace for specific work.

An example of the way the Master directs the work was given on
May 22, 1944, when Babuji asked Lalaji, “How is Transmission to be
made to a new entrant?”
Lalaji responded, “Make your current thin, and mark out the point
on the heart, so that the whole wave of the ocean may not rush in.
The current should be made thicker in proportion to the progress
intended to be given to him.”

Another example is Lalaji’s instructions for the training of women

(he gave these instructions at a time when generally only men were
found in the sansthas of northern India). He describes the way of
transmitting to women, including the need for tenderness and
softness in the flow.

When a seeker develops the capacity to draw Grace directly, the

Master’s work is practically over, although he keeps a watchful eye as
a safeguard. Sometimes seekers do receive Grace automatically, and
this usually happens when the Master is induced by the effect of the
jerk offered by the seeker’s thought. The jerk happens because of the
love and devotion the seeker bears for the Master. When a seeker is
completely merged in the Master, everything received by the Master
becomes available to the seeker automatically.

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 When a seeker is completely merged in the
Master, everything received by the Master
becomes available to the seeker automatically.

Today, divine Grace is flowing with full force, a rare opportunity

which may or may not come again for thousands of years. Everyone
receives a share in proportion to their receptive capacity, and it
remains for us to develop that receptive capacity. Practice is the way.

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Dynamism and Potency

Sahaj Marg is a dynamic path. Many people come to this path with
a personal belief system, a fixed mentality which may be applied to
religion or even science. Through practice, we move into spirituality,
which prioritizes direct experience. We can then move beyond
spirituality and approach the unknowable. (This journey is depicted
in our Sahaj Marg emblem. Babuji has described it as moving from
religion to spirituality to Reality to bliss and, finally, to no-thing-
ness.)

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Another example of Sahaj Marg’s dynamism is that the Transmission
of the Sahaj Marg Masters continues to evolve. For example, on
October 25, 1944, Lalaji announced that a new kind of Transmission
started through Babuji, merging the Transmissions of Lalaji and
Lord Krishna. Then, on May 10, 1945, due to a new discovery by
Babuji, Lalaji announced that the system of Transmission was totally
altered, calling the new technique “the quintessence (Sar Tattva).”
Since that time, Transmission has continued to be dynamic according
to the need of the hour. I remember arriving in our Satkhol ashram
for a youth seminar in October 2015 and discovering that in the first
satsangh, the potency of the Transmission had increased tenfold.

Each transmission is precious, and we must learn to absorb it fully.

For this reason, after meditation, we practice AEIOU (Acquiring the
condition that has been transmitted to us, Expanding it, Imbibing it,
becoming One with it, and finally Uniting with it completely).

Every one of our ashrams emits divine Grace since every particle
therein is fully charged so as to benefit anyone who enters. The
Masters are generous, wanting the whole world to share in the divine
Grace.

Each transmission is precious, and we must learn to

absorb it fully. For this reason, after meditation, we
practice AEIOU (Acquiring the condition that has been
transmitted to us, Expanding it, Imbibing it, becoming
One with it, and finally Uniting with it completely).

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Radiation

In addition to Transmission and divine Grace, seekers also benefit

from the radiation they receive while in the company of the Master.
They are relieved of thoughts because they experience the sthita state
of the Master while sitting near him, in the same way that we feel
warm while sitting near a fire. This is due to the radiation of the fine
particles, the paramanus, that are emanating from the Master. In the
physical presence of the living Master, a seeker receives all three –
Transmission, divine Grace, and radiation. Does this mean that we
should try to be physically close to him all the time? That would be
a wrong understanding. Radiation is a temporary effect which is not
transformative in the manner of Transmission or Grace. Receiving
Transmission and Grace depends not on physical proximity to the
Master, but on the level of one’s receptivity, which is created by the
practices of Sahaj Marg.

Initiation

There are various levels of initiation in Sahaj Marg. Introduction

to the system is the first step in a seeker’s journey. At this stage, the
heart is cleaned enough so that the seeker may encounter the divine
light in the heart, and the connection between the Master’s heart and
the seeker’s heart is established. Another level of initiation happens
at a later stage once the state of surrender and complete faith has
developed in the seeker. A still higher level of initiation is possible,

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 Introduction to the system is the first step
in a seeker’s journey. At this stage, the heart
is cleaned enough so that the seeker may
encounter the divine light in the heart, and
the connection between the Master’s heart
and the seeker’s heart is established.

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with God directly, as happened to Pujya Babuji Maharaj. His
example was the first since the beginning of creation.

Purity and Simplicity

Sahaj Marg exemplifies the simplicity of the spiritual path, as God

is simple and the path to Him must therefore be simple as well.

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In Sahaj Marg we remove impurities and complexities at every
stage, resulting finally in absolute purity and simplicity. Sahaj Marg
does not rely on any dogma, as it is based on pure experience.
Understanding the possibilities offered by Sahaj Marg practice can
inspire us to start the practice. External knowledge can be helpful
during our journey, but real knowledge is that which comes from
within, the result of spiritual experience.

Self-Mastery and Oneness with God

The Master aims to create masters, not disciples. Because of his

capacity to direct the flow of divine Grace into each seeker’s heart,
the Sahaj Marg method can lead to the ultimate goal being attained
within one lifetime, rather than taking countless lifetimes, as tradition
holds. Furthermore, the spiritual goal is not samadhi as people
frequently understand it to be; in fact, doses of samadhi are often
experienced during one’s first Transmission. The goal of Sahaj Marg
is complete oneness with God.

The spiritual goal is not samadhi as people frequently

understand it to be; in fact, doses of samadhi are often
experienced during one’s first Transmission.
The goal of Sahaj Marg is complete oneness with God.

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Spiritual Entity

This journey goes beyond our physical existence as Babuji describes in

his book, Reality at Dawn:

“The functions of a mother and of a true Guru are closely

similar. The mother retains a child within her womb for a
certain duration. The Guru too retains the spiritual child
within his mental sphere for a certain duration. During this
period, the disciple, like the baby in the womb, sucks his
energy and gets nourishment from the spiritual waves of
the Guru’s thoughts. When the time matures, the disciple is
born in the Brighter World and thence their own spiritual life
begins.

“If the disciple enters the mental sphere of the Guru,

surrendering all belongings to him, it takes only seven
months to be delivered into the Brighter World. But the
process is generally delayed for a considerable time,
because while in the Guru’s mental sphere the disciple
retains the consciousness of their own thoughts and feelings.
Thus we find that the position of the Guru is much the same
as that of a mother. The conception of the Guru as a spiritual
mother promotes within us the feelings of love, reverence
and surrender, which are the main factors of a spiritual life.”

The entity which is delivered into the Brighter World (the realm of
liberated souls) while we remain incarnated on Earth is known as the

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Spiritual Entity, or S.E. If we are liberated at death, our soul then
merges with our Spiritual Entity in the Brighter World. This is the
culmination of our earthly spiritual journey, but it is the beginning of
new journeys in other spheres.

If we are liberated at death, our soul then merges with

our Spiritual Entity in the Brighter World. This is the
culmination of our earthly spiritual journey, but it is the
beginning of new journeys in other spheres.

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Divisibility of the Soul

In many spiritual and religious traditions, the soul is considered to

be immutable. But Lalaji shows us that the soul is divisible when he
says:

“The Sanskrit word ‘atman’ is formed of ath and ma(na)

n. Ath means movement, and ma(na)n means thinking
and contemplation. That in which there is movement and
thinking is atman. The soul itself is the causal body which
is in seed form and which is a compound substance. The
same thing expresses itself at the physical and mental or
subtle body levels. When it wakes and enters the conscious

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 level, movement sets in in the sense organs and organs of
perception, by the movement of its flow; when it comes to the
mental level (dream state) it remains thoughtful; and when
it withdraws its flow (current) to the state of deep sleep, it
remains absorbed in its original form and enjoys bliss. So,
how can a thing in which there is movement, thinking and
absorption be simple and indivisible? It must necessarily be
a compound.”

If this concept seems far-fetched, ask yourself the following

questions:

What happened when many souls emerged, and continue to

emerge, from the original Source? Is that not an indication of
divisibility?

What is the point of creation unless there is an evolution for

each individual soul before it returns to the Source? If a soul
descends with a potency of X, should it not return with a
higher potency of, say, 100 X?

The Process of Death

Lalaji has provided a detailed description of the sequential process of

withdrawal of life from the various chakras in the human system at
the time of death. He has also shared how Transmission is to be given
at the time of death to support the ongoing journey of the seeker.

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Spiritual Particles

In 1944, when Babuji started to invent methods, with the assistance

of Lalaji from the Brighter World, he developed the theory of
spiritual particles for the advancement of seekers. Lalaji praised him,
saying that “this method is the entire sum and substance of spiritual
training.” During his travels, Babuji would also direct the flow of
divine Grace so as to illuminate the particles in a particular place.
That way, even if the people in that place were not able to benefit
directly from the spiritual work, the illuminated particles would affect
them over time.

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 Lalaji’s offering to this new era of spirituality is
remarkable. His generosity and akhlaaq (character) form
the foundation of the Sahaj Marg system that continues
to evolve, with each Master striving to create associates
who surpass himself and the current possibilities.

This is a summary of some of the specialties of our magnificent yet

simple Sahaj Marg system – its true depth cannot be stated in a few
pages. Lalaji’s offering to this new era of spirituality is remarkable.
His generosity and akhlaaq (character) form the foundation of the
Sahaj Marg system that continues to evolve, with each Master
striving to create associates who surpass himself and the current
possibilities. It is with great joy that we celebrate Lalaji’s birth
anniversary and strive to carry his legacy forward.

With love and respect,

Kamlesh

On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of

LALAJI MAHARAJ
January 25 to February 3, 2023, Kanha Shanti Vanam
On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of

LALAJI
MAHARAJ
25 January to 03 February 2023
Kanha Shanti Vanam