Satsang is a compound Sanskrit word that means “keeping the company of the Self.” The Self, Awareness, is the true nature of everyone and one keeps company with it by continually meditating on it in many ways. One of the most effective methods involves discussing non-dual teachings with someone who has realized his or her identity as the Self, to get clarity with reference to Self inquiry. The satsangs posted here are the questions of many people around the world who are interested in enlightenment and find that Vedanta is their preferred means of Self knowledge. Since I am a teacher of Vedanta, a time tested means of self inquiry, I am qualified to reply to these questions.Search & Read
ShiningWorld Reader
Shaktipat Guru
John: Hi there. I’m from Australia and was wondering whether James does shaktipat.
~ Thanks
Sundari: Hello, John. James is a qualified teacher of Vedanta, which is the science of consciousness based on a proven and valid means of knowledge capable of removing ignorance of your true nature. The guiding principle of Vedanta is that only knowledge, not experience, can remove ignorance from the mind. A shaktipat guru is someone with a superabundance of spiritual energy. By hanging out with such people one often experiences enlightenment.
Unfortunately, all experiences have a beginning and an end. Experience such as shaktipat is inspirational at best but will not remove ignorance unless self-knowledge is present and the mind is qualified to receive it. And one important fact needs to be taken into account: all experiences are in time, so shaktipat, nirvana or samadhi can never become a permanent or continuous experience.
For enlightenment you need self-knowledge and for that you need a teacher and scripture. You need to be taught how to discriminate yourself from John, your reflection in the subtle body. Most shaktipat gurus transfer energy into people and awaken their faith in God – they do not teach. They talk about moksa indirectly in general but are not adept at showing you how to remove your ignorance of yourself. Shaktipat gurus take you as the person that you think you are and communicate to you in that way. But you are not actually that person. You are actually the self, limitless awareness.
If you are interested in liberation, then subjecting the mind to self-inquiry into the true nature of reality is what you need, not more experience. This is because Vedanta reveals to you that you are only ever experiencing awareness; you just have an ignorance problem that prevents you from fully appreciating your true nature – so you have a knowledge problem, not an experience problem.
While many people receive shaktipat from having contact with James, he is not a shaktipat guru. He is the self, teaching the self using a valid and independent means of knowledge to do so, which is Vedanta.
~ Namaste, Sundari