Babaji:

Shivratri means the night of Shiva - that night in which you can sing, dance, meditate and soak yourself in the name of Shiva.

In reality, every day is the day of God and every night is night of God. In fact, every moment is God’s moment. In every moment, your focus and concentration must be on God’s name. It should be as integral as your breathing - how you breathe in and out. The name of God should be connected with your breath. 

The night of Shivratri is very auspicious, unique and special. On this night you should not sleep but stay awake. There is a great significance of staying awake during Shivratri. One can celebrate that night in total bliss and joy through dancing, singing or meditating or chanting ‘Om Namaha Shivaya’. 

The importance of keeping awake during Shivratri is that it will allow you to feel your own inner Shiva and connect with Shiva’s Bliss. Enjoy that night as a Cosmic Dance and enjoy that moment. And thereby remain connected with the name ‘Om Namaha Shivaya’. 

On the night of Shivaratri, remaining awake for 12 hours (6pm to 6 am) or 9 hours (10 pm to 7 am) is important. You will connect with the divine name through whatever way you like, Bhajan, sankritan or meditation. It is important for each person to discover the path through which they can most easily experience the joy and connect with Shiva within. The connection that you will establish during this night will be special – it will soak you in Shiva’s consciousness and bring immense joy. 

My blessings are there!

Associate question:  Don’t you feel it is important for busy people like doctors who need work next day next day, is it necessary for us to be awake on Shivratri night and then not able to work next day.

Babaji:

People devote their whole life to work. Sometimes, you have to give time to your own awakening. This awakening refers to the spiritual awakening. 

We say that we are ‘awake’ but this refers only to the physical state of sleep or being awake. Most people are in a state of deep sleep or ignorance (from the spiritual point of view). And this ignorance is why things go wrong and we get into trouble. 

It is important to be awake on this night to connect with the inner bliss. In our daily routine, we take out time to eat food and do other activities. Similarly, to awaken the divinity within - Shiva, Ananda – to connect with that Divinity within, it is equally important to take out time for just one night in the entire year.  

Allow yourself a chance to align with your own divinity. Therefore, staying awake on this night, is not waste of time but an investment in your own awakening.

Question-2: My mother does not allow me to sleep next day of Shivratri, can I sleep next day after Shivratri?

Babaji:

Yes, you can sleep. The body has its own limit and you can sleep. It is not imperative that one has to keep awake during the day, after having kept awake the previous night. 

There are certain people have high amount of energy and they don’t feel sleepy the following day. It is fine for you to sleep next afternoon. To tell you the truth, I too sleep for some time the day after Shivaratri.

Shivratri is the night of (spiritual) awakening. It is good to keep awake during Shivratri, to immerse in divinity and experience the joy of Shiva. Some people may not be able to stay awake due to age or health issues - that is okay. 

Question-3: How do we perform Puja on Shivratri? Should we do only one type of practice, like mantra chanting, Bhajan or meditation?

Babaji :

You can follow any practice on the night of Shivaratri. One can begin by chanting Rudram and then move to meditation as you wish. There is no requirement that only one type of practice should be done. 

Whatever practice you undertake, your focus should be on one Divine energy - whether Nama Smaran or meditation.  I bless you all for this Shivratri. 

Question-4: When I sit and meditate, sometimes things occur to me – are they true answers? Or is it just a play of my mind?

Babaji :

There are few people who get to know or get some indication of what is going to happen in future. This is a phenomenon that happens spontaneously in these individuals due to the energies they have. 

The form you love and feel connected to – it may even be with a statue of any form of divinity. You constantly think about that form and develop a deep connection and love. For some people, the connection is established such that they can understand something that is going to happen in future. They are able to get indications due to this connection and certain energies that are awakened. 

But when we talk about Dhyana (Meditation), it is a practice in which the arising of thoughts or answers is often your own mind. This is because meditation is a practice where no answer comes from within. However, if you do get some answers and these manifest in real life, then it is due to the blessings of your beloved God (or the form one is connected to) and some awakened energies.  Meditation is about silence and stillness, mind drops off in background and no thoughts come and that is the real state of meditation.  

Devotee thanks Babaji for clearing her doubts and mentioned her connection with Swami as her guiding energy.

Question 5: Babaji you could not come in 2018, but When are you coming to Europe now?

Babaji :

I know this year the embassy will reopen and then  I will come. 

Question 6: Being on the spiritual path, I understand that one should avoid non-vegetarian food. But when it comes to vegetarian food, can we eat garlic, onion or consume tea or coffee if we are on the spiritual path?

Babaji :

This answer is that there are three gunas - Tamoh guna , Rajo guna, Satva guna.  In Tamoh guna, heat is produced in the body. This in turn is increases the negative energy. If you observe your routine in a scientific way – then garlic is very important for digestion of food.  

Before that we think about any vegetarian food, we must understand that all food is Divine creation – including onion and garlic. Every food has the divine vibration. We must understand that onion and garlic increases vasanas  (negative energy) in the body only if we are unable to control the energies and emotions that arise within. If you are a beginner at meditation, but are also habituated to consuming large amounts of onion and garlic, then it might be a good idea to lessen the consumption. If you leave garlic and onion suddenly it might upset your digestion. However strictly speaking, these foods cannot alter or stunt your spiritual growth.

It is clear that consumption of non-vegetarian food must be completely avoid in meditation.  

Some of the people who have attained higher states of Sadhana like tantra even consume alcohol and non-vegetarian. However, they don’t allow the tamasic energies to overpower them as they have established themselves firmly in very high spiritual energies. 

I have many special recipes for different yogic kriyas, I will guide you on the food you can eat as well as the methods of cooking.  The process of cooking food is also very important as food is also one form of Satvic pranic life energy.

In the coming days when you will come to ashram for learning special kriyas say for 3 months or 6 months, you will be given special type of foods for different kriyas and sadhanas.   

I have now become a chef also! The way food is cooked is also very important. If you cook your own food, I will guide you how to energize the food with Satvic energy.  Jai Nala Raja (chant while cooking)!

Who is Nala Raja? He is the chef of Gods! As you cook food,  chant with a rosary or just like that in front of food any name such as Rama, Krishna of Aum Namaha Shivaya. Once the chanting is done, pray that this energy from chanting transforms the energy in food that is cooked. This practice helps transform all tamasic properties of food into Satvic qualities. 

None of the body’s desires or thoughts cannot keep you away from your awakening - if you have decided that you will know who you truly are. Nothing can stop you from awakening - it is all in your Sankalpa (intention). You eat onion garlic, there is no problem, but avoid non-vegetarian. More importantly, strengthen your Sadhana (meditation) to know who am I. My blessings to you!

One more thing when we talk about any specific kriya, related to body like yogic kriya, at that moment, it is important to control the types of food we eat. 

Yes our body is created by God in a very unique way. Yogic practices activate the kundalini energy.  In the normal course of life, vasanas (desires) grow until certain age and then they decline. When we do kriya, a lot of energy is generated in our body and that can stimulate our physical energies.  Few people cannot control them hence it is necessary to curtail certain foods.   

When we are talking about meditation, we don’t have to be bothered much about food as mind is involved and mostly the body is kept silent or focused on our mind.   Body and mind yogic kriya need food restriction but during meditation we focus our thoughts and keep it silent and empty.

Question 7: What is third eye meditation?

There are several types of kriyas or paths in meditation. Third-eye meditation, Shambhavi mudra, Kechari mudra are just channels but the goal of all these paths is only one. 

Supoose you have to climb a mountain and there are four possible paths.  You may choose any path that has a short cut or that one which might take a longer time.  

Third eye meditation is one of the many paths where we focus on third eye. Similarly, if we wish to pursue Shambhavi meditation – Shambhavi means eyes like Shiva – our focus is little towards third eye and little towards nostrils. Likewise, Kechari meditation is when we focus on the upper palate by touching it with the tip of tongue. The meaning of Kechari mudra is the one who dwells in sky. Likewise, there are many such paths for meditation. Across all these techniques you focus your entire prana energy on a single point. 

The joy of meditation can be experienced through any of these numerous paths. 

When you start any form of meditation make sure you learn more about it and understand the challenges which you may face learning that meditation. Become aware of all precautions to be taken and you should start practicing under the guidance of a real guru. Please start you practice under the guidance of real Guru.

There are many types of mediations advertised on the internet claiming to bestow many powers. But they are more like a business - they may not be genuine and this leaves the true seeker confused. We all are living in very good times where true Masters have come and are ready to teach us very simple ways to do meditation. A real Master has a bag full of methods for everything from peace, healing etc. based on the spiritual needs of every individual. 

I am very happy to be with you all. So many years I have been waiting, 15 years I have waited - thinking let the right time come. I am ready to teach you all and this will make me very happy. Ashram is not my mission - you all are my mission. Your life is my mission. And I am ready to share my love and everything with you. I am very happy.

Question 8: Babaji you have put a message in the group about love, love is very important, love is very important and love leads to prayer and which says thousand petals of that love yields one drops of prayer, when you such a thing what we have been doing so far! What is that you are trying to tell us?

Babaji: 

First of all, you all are very, very blessed and lucky. Babaji has come to teach you and Babaji has chosen each one of you. All of you need to be aware of what Babaji has said. Think about that. 

Love is very, very important, when you engage in any worldly activity. Think about it – only if you have body you can wear clothes or use make up. None of these activities are possible without a body.  

And all when you have life, love is very important! Don’t think about whether others are giving you love or not. You give love to others. Your duty is to give love to everyone. 

There are so many divisions – Samaj (communities) and many other groups. When there are many groups, there are many perspectives, the mind starts to differentiate across these divisions. Everyone thinks he or she is right and this creates politics. And then all the love disappears. 

Focus on your own duties and responsibilities. When your Guru says love is very important it means it is very important.

So, if you focus on what your Guru says, and are very careful (in your actions) then all your work becomes a prayer. When we love someone, we pray for them. Love is important. 

When you walk with your Guru, be alert and careful – because the Guru is always testing the devotee. No, I am joking – it is not that the Guru is always testing the devotee. 

But seriousness is very important in your Sadhana. Then love and then other things follow. When you become serious (in Sadhana) everything else becomes the Guru’s responsibility.

If sometimes the path is not easy, then surrender to your Guru. He will take care. 

[Babaji accepts the devotees request to come to America.]

Question 9: As it is a working day for me, want to ask about Shivratri, what rituals to be performed like Abhishakam, any special offerings?

Babaji: I have already explained about the puja at night and follow your own way of doing Abhishakum. 

Question 10: Sometimes when we do Sadhana, we feel lazy and don’t feel like doing it. But

How do we do our Sadhana with love and not under compulsion of just doing it? 

Babaji: 

First of all, for doing sadhana you have to discipline yourself and dedicate some time. 

Sadhana is a practice of daily routine, when you give time to yourself and concentrate on specific things. 

Your question is how to find time in your busy life. Well, if you have time, that is ideal. However, if you have no time during the day, simply do Namasmaran. Namasmaran means taking the name of God – you can say Rama, or Krishna or Aum Namaha Shivaya. 

Namasmaran can be done at any time – when you are walking or reading or cooking or doing any other activity. And slowly, you will find it becomes effortless and a joy emanates from this practice.

So, just listen to Babaji’s Sankeertan, it is enough. 

[I am very happy to release my book ‘Khud se Khud Ki Aur’ or ‘The Journey Within’ on Mahashivratri. This is an account of my experiences from my pilgrimages to Shrikhand Kailash]  

Question-11: Babaji you spoke about the Ashram. I have been a long-time follower of Swami. Whenever Swami takes a Sankalpa, we have seen that ashrams are built within a very quickly (in a year or so). Swami himself has written about an ashram in Kangra. Swami said ‘In Kangra I will always be like there, I may not do any-thing, there will be never be any politics it will be only infused with love’. I have seen Swami sitting there - this the incarnation of love. What is the reason for the delay?

Babaji: 

Let us suppose you have been given a special topic to write on. Then you can get some information online (through a Google search) and come out with a nice article in short time. To refer to some sources of knowledge and synthesize that is very easy. 

But when you have write from within (create something new and original) then that takes time. I will very lovingly explain it to you.

You have asked a beautiful question – which is on the minds of many people. 

There are few things that happen due to the will of God. And then there are some are practical considerations.

Let us look at the practical side of things: 

The place where I live is Kangra, is a hilly region and there are very challenging situations with respect to acquiring plain land and building an ashram. 

Some places are very expensive, or small, or far. If you go towards South India or Madhya Pradesh getting plain land is very easy and land is available. In Kangra, a lot of hard work required to acquire a piece of land.

Now if you talk about the will of God, there is a very important part. There are many ashrams. It is important to build a space where people can get out of material world and get in touch with their own self, get in touch with love and get united in such a manner that they do not separate. This space should unite people in their quest for truth. However, for this it will be very important to change the system.

Changing the system requires the original thinking (like creating a book from within). This will require a space where there are no rules, because if I make rules, there will always be the fear of breaking the rules. If there are no rules, where is the question of breaking anything? In one way, this means creating a new age. 

I have waited so long to connect you in this way. If I so wish, I can make a building, hospitals, schools or temples. There are so many ashrams, schools and hospitals.

Everywhere we so many institutes are coming but none of these are bringing change in man’s inner self. 

All these institutions are for the world. But my teaching is different – I am here for each one of you. There is no need for a building, the need is for transformation of the human. I am not interested in making a big building - I am interested in you. 

In five or six years from now I know a lot of changes are going to come. Everybody will be caught up and a lot of other social activities will be happening. And in the noise of this world, you will feel lost. It is at this point that the light from within you will guide you.

I want to ignite that light within you. This takes time. The building whose foundation is firm and strong – that foundation takes time to build. In this world you can teach people how to do seva. But one rarely sees the day when this brings about inner transformation. When one day, you touch your own feet. The day you touch your own feet, the Divinity within you will be so happy – you cannot imagine. 

I don’t need any ashram. I need a space where I can make all of you to connect with one vibration. I don’t need buildings. I need you. Everything else (schools and hospitals etc) will come. When we connect to one name, on energy, one vibration, imagine the joy and bliss that will emanate. 

Think about it - if there is a lot of work going around then how can you focus on your inner self? All ways are leading outside my way is towards the inside. Let it take the time it has to – everything has already been written. 

Everybody wants to connects with Shiva on Shivratri. But not many think, that Shiva is there now on this planet – why not meet and connect with Him directly? This can happen, but we do not think about it. 

It is not lack in devotion, but we do not think about those things that really matter. The ashram will come. It will be built with great simplicity, there won’t be any show off. Everything will come.  And wherever you will see, you will only find yourself. As long you remain asleep (in ignorance) it will be night. The moment you awaken, it is day. 

My work is to give a lamp in your hands. Some children are very stubborn but mother knows how to transform them and I am giving time.  The Ashram that is envisioned nothing is comparable, it will come up with lot of simplicity. The Ashram will not be a place for shopping or making merry it is for those who seek the true inner self, only those people who are in search of inner self  and progress on the path of sadhana will reach here.

My Devotee, I know your sincere prayers to make the Ashram. Babaji /Swami whatever you address all are one and same.  Many of you children are praying for this – and I will definitely fulfill your prayers. Babaji will make this ashram will great simplicity.  

My full life force is now focused on you. I am very happy that now I can share all my treasures with all of you, I have waited so long for all of you and we will meet soon, I myself will come to you.

Every disciple has a great desire to merge with his Guru, similarly  it is my wish that  I want to merge with my disciple. I have seen myself in you. My life, my happiness, my mission is You and only You. Instead of you reaching me, I shall myself come to you and you will find me in your heart. 

I have already reached where I had to, I now expect to reach your hearts. When your hearts are open, I will come myself to you. The moment you think of me, I shall be available for you and it is resolve to be available for you.  I shall always love you, my dear children the day you will open your heart fully for me, that moment I shall come and permanently reside in you and this will be the permanent merger with your true self.  Yes, you are my mission and I am always available to you.

The rule of your birth was only one that to reach back to your Guru, but Guru has changed that rule also now as you are already born and now the Guru will come to you!

Om Namah Shambhave.   Bless you all !