Memory Of Practices

Aida: My dear Sat, I was really touched by Your words to Meera which she posted on the blog where You say: “When wild animals want to catch their prey and attack a group of animals, they attack the weakest animal in that group. This is what happens in maya. If there is the slightest weakness, it really comes after you. And when the jaws of maya have you in their grip, you just want to survive.” (From a private conversation on 2.22.22)
I know over the years, You have somewhat shied away from speaking too much about maya. You have repeatedly stated that You don’t really understand maya. I was also reminded of Your writing in Love & Wisdom where You say “maya maya, undress yourself, so I can see my beloved.” Everything that You have armed us with really does undress maya- since no facet of maya makes any kind of sense. I was wondering if You would want to elaborate anymore on Your words from that quote.
Sat: No I really don’t, because when you read or hear something like that, the effect that it has on you is the best explanation of that quote, talk, etc. If it sounds true then that’s what it is. That is the explanation for you. The more we experience the silence, the less the world and the mind make sense! It just doesn’t and we give up on discovery of something that is temporary and unstable.
Nilu: My dear Sat, last week on our chat we discussed the following quote: “In order to realize the Allness, we cannot go with fractions of that Allness and get attracted to it. This is why the whole teaching, the whole sharing aims at the elimination of all the things we learned before and invites us to silence which is the base. And through the different techniques we also have a chance to taste it with the Trust, Omnipresence, “Are you with me?,” Man or woman, eraser, etc. All of that to give the mind and the thinker memory of what it can be and what we really are, so that it can willingly subside and not put up a fight.” (From U.S. Chat 7.27.21)
When You talk about “memory” here, do You mean the memory of being awakened in the dream?
Sat: Yes, I do. It is the experience you have with your practices; it leaves an impression, like memory and anything else. But it is a good memory; it is a memory that helps the thinking and the thinker to seek its Source, rather than go away from it.
Nilu: So, something in us is still alive and awake in this dream? Is that effortless?
Sat: Well, it appears to be effort through your practices. I don’t know if you guys have experienced when you apply your wisdom more often, it comes to your mind more often to do it. When you don’t do it as often, it comes to your memory less often to help you out. So, in that way, the more you dip in, or the more you remember, the more you are reminded to do it. Does that answer your question?
Nilu: Yes, to me this was really good news - meaning something is still a memory and alive, and therefore easier to reach case.
Sat: Well, memory is not alive. It only becomes alive when you bring it to now. And that is still a memory in now, it is not the actual happening. What I am saying is yes, your Truth, your Existence never goes anywhere, whether you have a memory of it or not; whether you know it or not. But by listening, applying, and experiencing the Truth, what happens is this vicious cycle of being attracted to the information through the senses and the mind decreases. And instead of having a memory of events of life, you now have a source of memories that are pleasant to bring [up]. They are helpful to bring up and into now. That’s all I can say about that.
Meera: There are some days that without any effort or practice, I just feel so empty and maya is seen only as maya; there is no ego. Everything that You are saying is there. Then there are other days that it doesn’t matter how much effort I put in - at best I may be able to do Stop Meditation, but it feels like it requires so much effort. On those days maya looks very real! Is it the grace that makes those days experienced as empty and effortless or is it just the way it is? Is there something that we can do to experience them more?
Sat: I think the grace is in both of those cases. When there are still lingering tendencies, impressions, and habits of reaction and thinking, the repeated thoughts appear to be very powerful sometimes. But when you feel like you are unarmed and you don’t know how to handle it - that is the time that actually pushes you to be more vigilant. Once you commit yourself on the path of Truth, there are times that the mind shows a little bit of weakness and it gets grabbed by all sorts of thoughts and discomfort. First of all, if you don’t look at it as a disaster and you look at it as okayness, it goes away faster.
Eventually you come out of it by some sort of practice, I assure you of that. And secondly when you [do] come out of it, the memory of the bitterness of that experience leaves an impression on you. Where the next time, as soon as you see the weakness, you know this is the time; this is the time to not go with it.
It needs practice and patience. I have always said this is not an overnight journey. But like you said, “sometimes I feel very peaceful, etc,” just remember not too many people can feel peaceful, so that’s your progress!
-Kumud shares about having been quarantined in her room for up to 12 days and then coming out of that experience feeling rushed and overwhelmed by tending to her tasks. By midday she was so exhausted, as her mind had been making things very complicated. Something told her to quiet down, sit in silence, do some inquiry, question her mind, and open up one of Sat’s writings.
The quote she read was: “The way back Home is very uncrowded, very specific, very straight; it needs all your love and concentration. Your love for what? For freedom and concentration to stay on it, they say the road gets narrow; I say the road gets easier. You don’t need more space to roam around, you know how to maneuver on a blade, you don’t need a highway. So that shows balance. People take it as a negative thing, but it really isn’t. It shows your balance, your equanimity, your okay-ness [in situations] that other people cannot be ok [with]. So the world never changes, but you do!” (From Portugal Retreat, p. 120)
Kumud continues by saying that upon reading the quote, tears started coming down, and she just felt such relief and peace. She thanks Sat for everything She does for us.
Sat: Oh that touched My heart, thank you for sharing. What a good thing you did to go back to your room and take refuge in something that is worth taking refuge in and the result was peace! Yes, humanity is brainwashed into doing instead of being and all the teaching stands on the pillar of being before becoming; before doing. We are just learning, like a baby learns how to walk. So sometimes in the beginning there is a fall, but the fall is when you stand up, and [that] adds to being able to walk better, like you did by going to your room.
That also goes with the sharing that Meera had. You taste it. You watched yourself being busy until you were exhausted. Then you went and kept quiet and realized how the mind can make chaos out of nothing. We all fall into it now and then. This is why all the great souls ask that we have patience, forbearance and perseverance. And it always pays off!
Gopi reads the following quote: “If one can stay in silence while active, against the thoughts, the feelings and the emotions, you don’t need self-inquiry; if you can stay in that permanently.” (From Sai Center 2.20.22)
She asks if that state is possible for anyone outside of Sat to remain in. She expresses that her main interest is to have her attention on Stay during her daily activities, so she can have her thoughts, words and deeds aligned while remaining vigilant of her surroundings.
Sat: The more we are conscious, the easier the achieving of what you are saying becomes. This is exactly why I always emphasize that even when you guys go into a deep meditation [or] deep silence, to be conscious; to be conscious; to be conscious. That’s the key! To be alert and feel the silence; taste the silence. Or when you are looking around, roaming around in the day-to-day life, as much as we can remember, to be there. Not to be someplace a few steps ahead, like Kumud was doing before she went to her room.
When the mind starts rolling ahead of the body, mistakes happen. To hurry physically is because your mind is hurrying and then at that time if you can remember to ask “Who is hurrying? What is the goal of this hurrying? How important is where I want to get to?” Just being alert!

US Chat
Memory Of Practices
Mar 1, 2022