DROPS OF NECTAR

THIS SECTION OFFERS EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS "DROPS OF NECTAR" BY PIER FRANCO MARCENARO.




ANECDOTE: MASTER-DISCIPLE

Once there has been a disciple who went to the Master and stated: Master, I even have visible a lot struggling withinside the global that I even have determined to desert meditation and cross and assist others to try and ease their pain". The Master seems at him for a 2d and smiling sincerely stated: "People of the arena go through simply due to the fact they do not meditate and also you need to desert meditation to ease their pain? If all and sundry reflected, the motive of all sufferings could rapidily be eliminated”.

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

Meditation, consistent with the non secular that means of the term, isn't a system of the thoughts, however of the spirit. It is going via stages: the initial one that may be described as concentration, and the very last one that may be known as contemplation. Contemplation includes amassing our interest with devotion in God, and elevating it to one's own focal Center withinside the frame. Mystics, Saints and Masters name this Center with unique names. Christ calls it the unmarried eye (aplus withinside the Greek text, Mathew 6:22) and St. Agustin calls it the "eye of the soul" (Confessions 7:10), even as withinside the East it's far known as the 1/3 eye, or "10th door" with a purpose to distinguish it from the 9 openings of the frame (eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth and the 2 decrease openings) tied to the aircraft of the senses.With the awakening of the "eye of the soul" or internal eye, the human soul can also additionally ponder the Light of God, an enjoy that's not unusualplace to the principal mystics and Saints, each Christians and non-Christians of the East and the Middle East. Thus all of the Scriptures confirm that God is Light. Saint Agustin and plenty of different Saints simply communicate approximately the manifestation of God as Light.The human soul additionally has an internal ear with which it could music into the Divine Power or Word vibrating withinside the complete creation, the sacred innovative Sound. The Divine manifestation (or Holy Ghost), withinside the styles of Celestial Light and Sound, changed into skilled with the aid of using the Apostles at Pentecost (Acts 2:2-4).

AFTER UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING ONESELF, WHAT FURTHER STEPS MUST ONE TAKE UPON THE PATH TOWARD GOD?

                               

Our frame and the bodily aircraft are essential simplest due to the fact they're the residing of the soul: via them one should discover the Way upwards with the aid of using understanding oneself first after which the Divinity. Your solution to the query approximately lifestyles and the want to show inside is consequently exact, and it's far a chunk the precis of the lessons of all of the terrific Masters of the spirit which have come every now and then in unique places.Obviously the information of oneself as indicated with the aid of using the Masters isn't of a bodily or intellectual nature because the actual Self is the divine spirit that lives in each dwelling being. Also the approach for understanding the Self may be none aside from the only of non secular nature. The meditation surpassed down with the aid of using the Masters from faraway epochs which has reached us with their grace is composed in taking into account the internal Light and paying attention to the sacred omnipresent Sound, the 2 manifestations of God Power in expression, so as for the human soul to have the cappotential to "see" and "hear". This is likewise known as the Holy Ghost, Word, Naam, Shabd, etc., with the aid of using the unique Scriptures.


IS PERHAPS MEDITATION THE FOOD FOR THE SOUL THAT THE SCRIPTURES TALK ABOUT? AND IN ORDER TO PRACTICE IT, IS IT INDISPENSABLE TO ACHIEVE A STATE OF INNER ABANDON?

We should observe the Path with a peaceful tranquil spirit. Meditation offers us complete consequences if performed beginning with the right diploma of receptivity. Therefore we should area the entirety on the ft of God and the Master in order that the time we devote to meditation isn't disturbed with the aid of using outside mind or worries. Meditation is the Bread and the Water of the Life that each one the Scriptures speak approximately.

DOES CULTIVATING OPTIMISM AND JOY TOGETHER WITH LOVE AND PEACE HELP DURING MEDITATION?

Inner calm is to be cultivated collectively with love, and it's far helped with the aid of using a everyday application of each day meditations. The problems in meditations can not be conquer via discouragement. The Saints are those who had been in no way discouraged. Only optimism offers us the power and vibrations vital for increasing our recognition and setting us in music with Everything. It isn't the shortage of reviews that generates discouragement however (despite the fact that it looks as if a paradox) it's far simply discouragement that blocks fulfillment of any enjoy. Therefore we need to take a seat down down with optimism, faith, joy, love and cheer: on this manner all our energies will float mechanically upwards and accumulate with out attempt at their focal Center, taking us unexpectedly into the presence of the Light of God.

IS THE EXPERIENCE OF THE HOLY GHOST RECEIVED BY THE APOSTLES SIMILAR TO EXPERIENCES PRESENT IN OTHER TRADITIONS AND CAN IT BE A BASIS FOR MEDITATION?

                    

On the day of Pentecost the Apostles accomplished Divine Knowledge by using the Holy Ghost, or God Power in expression, which manifested itself to them as a flaming Light and a sturdy Sound of wind. This double Divine manifestation, Celestial Light and Sound, is likewise gift withinside the non secular reviews of the principal mystics and Saints of numerous traditions. Nanak, the founding father of the Sikh religion, wrote, "Within you is the Light and withinside the Light is the Sound and that they shall unite you with God." The realistic meditation taught with the aid of using an proper Master is composed in setting oneself into touch with those Divine Principles, Celestial Light and Sound, and staying there so long as possible. The commands for meditation aren't given in element in books. Books typically simplest deliver us a touch approximately the procedure. Meditation commands are historically surpassed on verbally from Master to Master after which correctly imparted with the aid of using them to their disciples.

DID CHRIST TEACH MEDITATION AND IMPART SPECIFIC TEACHINGS ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL PATH, OR DID HE ONLY GIVE A MORAL AND SOCIAL MESSAGE TO HIS FOLLOWERS?

Various Masters from the beyond added a double message. The first one, for the more public, contained teachings of ethical and social person for the betterment of the existence of guy and society. The 2d one changed into reserved for some selected disciples containing deeper teachings of an internal non secular person. This is the cause why Christ affirmed, Many are known as however few are selected, and Buddha stated that amongst tens of thousands and thousands of guys at the Path simplest one reaches Knowledge.In the Gospels there may be no precise reference made to meditation. We recognize that Christ spent a whole lot of time in meditation, for the duration of his live withinside the desert, and he reflected and prayed at night. The unique connection with meditation at the internal eye can not get away to the cautious seeker whilst Christ says "The mild of the frame is the eye. If your eye is unmarried (aplus withinside the Greek text) your entire frame shall fill with Light" (Mathew 6:22). The pass traced with the sacred chrism at the brow for the time being of Confirmation, offers witness to the significance attributed to this focal Center with the aid of using the primary Christians.Christ opened the doorways of internal enjoy simplest to some. On the day of Pentecost whilst the Holy Ghost changed into despatched withinside the shape of flaming Light and the Sound of celestial wind, just a few human beings except the Apostles had been benefited from this non secular enjoy. Contact with the celestial Light and Sound has usually outstanding the meditation taught with the aid of using an proper Master, or Master of the best Order, regardless of what way of life he belongs to

WHAT ARE THE ATTRIBUTES OF DIVINITY AND HOW CAN WE REALIZE THEM?

The attributes that typically come collectively with Divinity are: Light, Love and Life. None of those 3 matters may be summarized in a method or defined. They can also additionally simplest be grasped via private enjoy and collectively they make up an indescribable Truth. Everything that may be defined or enclosed in a shape, a method, etc., won't be attributed to the Divinity.The invitation of all of the Masters previous us changed into to keep away from any symbolism and to now no longer continue to be prisoners of any outdoors exercise which simplest have the intention of growing the primary steps of devotion. Truth isn't some thing to excite your creativeness however, rather, collectively with Love and the Life of the soul, it's far some thing which may be skilled like a sea of indescribable bliss, Knowledge and peace. God manifests Himself to the soul withinside the number one styles of Celestial Light and Sound, with whose touch opens the street to the best Knowledge: Knowledge of one's self and God. The human thoughts as an alternative is answerable for the separation of guy from God because of its nourishment with the aid of using the ego.

IS IT CORRECT TO USE THE TERM MASTER TO DEFINE AN AUTHENTIC TEACHER OF SPIRITUALITY?

                             

The term "Master" withinside the area of Spirituality has been used for hundreds of years everywhere in the global and additionally withinside the Christian way of life, for example, with the aid of using St. John of the Cross, and withinside the case of Master Eckhart, etc. Yet, in positive variations of the Bible we discover the exhortation now no longer to name anyone "Master" (the authentic says "Rabbi") and now no longer to name anyone "Father" (Mathew 23:8-9), however nowadays each of those phrases are consolidated with the aid of using a protracted way of life that has made them almost  irreplaceable.