I’m in a 28 day Deepening process here in India… I’m at the Oneness University, ground zero and home base for the worldwide Deeksha ‘Oneness’ movement, guided by Bhagwan and Amma, an Indian couple revered by hundreds of millions of Indians (and many thousands from around the rest of the world)…
I met Bhagwan yesterday; he seems incredibly present, graceful and funny… qualities I appreciate in someone who can assist me in my awakening process… I felt a lot of lightness around him, and was already delighted with the energy, information and intent of the program I am immersing myself in…
The term ‘Awakened’ means many things to may cultures. Here, in this ashram, it appears to mean someone who is no longer attached to the mastications and resulting suffering of the mind. (I like the sound of that!).
I learned a new distinction yesterday. ‘God Realized’ is someone, like Ramakrishna Paramahansa, who is so in love with God, so single-mindedly immersed in God, that they, (yup, only in India) become imbued, infused and one with God…
Wait a minute – that’s what I want!!!
We were given a metaphor… the awakened person, when they get hungry, still has to go and find food. The God-Realized person, when they get hungry, well… they are so in love with God, so imbibed with the Beloved, that food comes searching for them!
Count me IN! As of yesterday, I have switched majors! My intent is for God-Realization, and I pray to God that I graduate; the sooner, the better!
Sending you Love and Blessings from India!
Joe
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
i love your posts, joe. here’s a story that perhaps you’ve heard and that i’d love to share here with your readers, which illuminates the difference between awakening and god-realization, and also makes me feel like it’s all about going fully into god-realization from the gate!
there were two saints in the same region of india. one was fully awakened but not god-realized and the other was fully god-realized but not awakened. the fully god-realized saint had miracles happening around him all the time. he could ask for anything and god would give it — healing for someone, weather change, food for his belly, etc… the awakened saint was free from the mind and was fine with everything as it was. to him all was perfect and there was no suffering, so he felt no need to ask god for anything to change. one day the god-realized saint paid the awakened saint a visit. The god-realized saint asked the awakened one to describe his state. The awakened one described his experience of everything being perfect, the stillness inside, the fact that he did not suffer at all. He told him of all the years and years of sadhanas/practices and meditations and yoga and prayer that he did before arriving at this state. the god-realized saint listened deeply and felt a desire well up within. he was someone deeply in love with god and who allowed god to do everything for him. he still suffered in his life, however, and in hearing about this state of no suffering, he said, “God, give me this state that this saint before me is speaking of!”
And immediately, he was awakened!
Joe,
Your comments aren’t that far off from what you’ve told me in the past.
I sense internally you are receiving clarity of what you’ve intuitively always known. It did me good to read your words … a reminder of who we really are, what is possible … and that we are all one with our Source.
No more striving … for in our one-ness with God (Source) we are free to attract anything we wish.
In Unconditional Love
James
Hi James! Yes, Oui! Si! We are free to attract whatever we wish, including our inner Divinity! Great to hear from you! Love, Joe
Hi Malaena! What a beautiful story, I love it! Yes, God Realization is the full monty for me! Bring it on, beloved Oneness, bring it on!!! :)
Thanks for sharing the story!!! XOXOXO Joe