Spiritual Exercise

Spiritual Exercise of the Week Unruly Thoughts

In contemplation, as the mind responds to different
stimuli, thoughts crop up continuously.
Watch these thoughts as they arise. Soon you will be aware of
thoughts following so closely one upon another that they resemble a
river. Gaze
unperturbed at the interminable flow of thoughts as if you were sitting
on a
riverbank watching the water flow past.
Do not try to stop any thought process at this stage, just rise
above it. The effort to stop a thought from arising inevitably creates
other
thoughts. Leave unshaped any concept or idea which appears; become
indifferent
to these thoughts, neither trying to stop them nor fall under their
influence.
Work from the Atma Plane, the Soul region, unconcerned with what the
mind has
to say or how it acts.
Imagine the mind is like a small child looking with interest at a

toy. The mind is nothing more than a small child which sometimes
becomes unruly
and wants attention. Handle the mind as you would a small child.
This stage is called the first resting place. If you are
successful to this point, you will have attained freedom from the mental
tyranny of thoughts and be ready for greater spiritual tasks.

Spiritual Exercise of the Week the Purifying Sound

Close your eyes and look to the Spiritual Eye. Sing HU, an old and
secret name for God. It is one of the most powerful words for spiritual
upliftment that I can give you.
As you sing HU, listen for the Sound. The Sound may be heard in
any number of different ways. It can be like a train going by, a bird,
buzzing
bees, sometimes a flute, or even guitars. The way you hear It just
depends on
where you are.
These sounds are the action of the Holy Spirit, the ECK, as Its
atoms vibrate in the invisible worlds. The Sound you hear is the
vibration at

the particular level to which you are attuned at the time.

Imagine the Sound purifying you, removing the impurities of Soul.
It will bring you an understanding of how your actions have caused your
problems. It will also give you an indication of what you can do to
unfold and
how to figure out the way to do things right.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekCreative Process

To solve problems, work with the creative cycle in ECK. When you
come up against something, try to put it into a question.
On the other planes, sometimes the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master
sits at a table with the rest of the ECK Masters, and they talk things out.
According to the way we regard ECK Masters, any one of them ought to
be smart enough to handle anything that goes on. So why do they talk
things out?
This is simply an educational process. We learn what a Master does and
how he works with the ECK, or Divine Spirit. How do you work with
the ECK? It's easy to say, "Just let the ECK take are of it," then sit back
and wait. But that is not always going to work. A better way is as
follows.
First, figure out what's wrong and say, "Something's going wrong. This
is the title I've given to what's going wrong. Now I would like an answer
for how it can go right."
Next, contemplate on the problem and look at it from every angle. You
may talk it over with everybody who's got the least bit of knowledge

about it. Eventually, if you ask a good question, the answer is going to
suggest itself. At some point, it's going to become very clear what to do.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekTraining the Imagination

The imaginative faculty within yourself is like a muscle. You're going to
have to train it day after day. What you are actually doing is learning
how to become aware and observant of yourself in a different state of
consciousness.
One way is to go to different places in your imagination. Maybe you'll
want to re-create a plane ride: I'm sitting in the airplane seat. What do I
see? What do the people look like? What happens when I walk down the
aisle? What is on the food tray?
As you go through the day, you'll find yourself looking at objects and
making mental notes, because that physical information about the
dresser or the clothes in your closet will be helpful when you sit down in
your chair and try to visualize it for Soul Travel.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekFront of the Line

Visualize yourself where you are right now, then chant HU and imagine
yourself where you want to be. Do this spiritual exercise for a few
minutes, putting all your attention on it. Then relax and release the
situation to the Holy Spirit, the ECK.
A man in Africa used this technique when the clinic where he brought
his very ill son was completely full. After four hours of waiting, he
began to wonder if he'd ever get to see the doctor. His son was getting
worse by the hour.

When he tried this technique, he saw himself walking with his son to the
front of the long line to see the doctor. He even imagined going through
the doors into the room where the doctor treated his patients.
Not long after the man began the exercise, a new doctor came into the
waiting room from outside. He saw the ECKist's son lying on the sofa.
The boy had just begun to sweat heavily.
Walking over to the boy, the doctor asked, "Whose son is this?" "He's
my son," said the ECKist. "I'll see him right away," said the doctor. "He
may be very sick."
When you do this technique with purity in your heart and release the
outcome of the situation to the ECK, you can bring about great changes
in your life.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekInstinctive Ability

Understand how the ECK works: If It gives you some knowledge on
how to sidestep a problem and you listen, then It will give you still
another insight on how to run your life even better.
On the other hand, if you get lazy, if you say, "It couldn't have meant
that," and you don't act on it, the ECKthe Mahantawill try again.
But when you get out of the habit of listening, the voice of the Inner
Master is harder to hear.
For this reason, I strongly encourage you to continue the Spiritual
Exercises of ECK. Even when it seems they are not working, you may
notice that your life is going more smoothly. When you stop the spiritual
exercises, you lose the ability to know instinctively what you should do
to run your life in the best way.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekMeeting the Light Giver

Imagine that you are walking along a path that you're very familiar with.
Along one side of this walkway are lampposts topped with large globeshaped lights. One of the lampposts has a ladder leaning against it. Go
over and climb the ladder. Using the cloth and window cleaner that you
brought with you, polish the glass globe very carefully, so that when the
light goes on, it will shine through clearly.
Focus your attention on what you are doing, and really get into it. As
you polish the globe, know that you are moving and expanding in your
consciousness. Eventually a darkness will fall, because Soul is moving
into areas It knows nothing about; and where there is no knowledge,
there is no light. This applies only in the lower worlds as you work with
Soul Travel.
As you notice that it's getting dark, an automatic sensor switches the
light on. You want to use this light to guide you as you continue your
walk on the path to God, but you can't very well carry a lamppost in
your hand. So what you do now is visualize the thing getting smaller and
smaller, until it becomes something you can conveniently hold in your
hand.
Now resume your walk. But remember, there may be things along the
path, such as the wind, that will try to put out the light. It's best to be
prepared for anything. Make sure your pockets are packed with extra
batteries, matches, wicks, fuel, and flintswhatever your light needs. If
the light goes out, don't worry about it; just relight it.
Some people like to visualize unplugging an electric cord and switching
to batteries. This symbolizes letting go of the silver cord. Now you are
working with a self-contained battery pack, and you can go anywhere
you want. But in case the batteries run down, you can always go back to
the natural elements and use flints on the material you find around.

Like attracts like and light attracts light, so just keep walking and
looking for another light. Somewhere on the path you will notice an
individual coming toward you, totally illuminated with a silvery white
light.
As he moves nearer, you will see that it is the Light Giver, the Mahanta.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekA Gateway to Soul Travel

If you are interested in Soul Travel, you can try this technique tonight in
the dream state. Before sleep, close your eyes and place your attention
very gently on the Spiritual Eye. Then sing HU, and fill yourself with
love.
This feeling of love is needed to give you the confidence to go forward
into an unknown, unexplored area. One way to fill yourself with love is
by calling up the warm memory of a past occasion that filled you with
pure love.
Then look inwardly for the individual who is your ideal at this time
whether it is Christ or one of the ECK Masters. In a very gentle way, say,
"I give you permission to take me to the place that I have earned for my
greatest spiritual unfoldment." And then silently or out loud, continue to
chant HU, God, or another holy word.
Try to visualize yourself walking into the inner worlds, and know that
the individual who comes to meet you is a dear friend.
If it doesn't work the first time, do it again and again. The spiritual
exercises are like physical exercises: before your muscles grow strong,
you have to exercise them a number of times; it doesn't always happen
in one try. It's quite likely that if you take up an exercise routine for
thirty days, you're going to be stronger than you were at the beginning.

It's the same way with the spiritual exercises. The purpose of the
Spiritual Exercises of ECK is simply to open a conduit or a channel
between yourself and the Holy Spirit, which we know as the Audible
Life Streamthe wave that comes from the heart of God. From the
moment you begin singing HU and looking for truth in this particular
way, whether you are conscious of it or not, changes are being made in
you.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekCount Your Blessings

An ECK Higher Initiate wanted to be more open to love. He asked me if
there was a special technique for greater surrender that would bring this
about.
There is a technique, but unlike other spiritual exercises, it does not have
a beginning, middle, and end. This technique involves attitude, and it is
one that must be lived. In a word, it's called gratitude.
Throughout the day, contemplate on all the blessings in your life. The
power of gratitude opens the heart to allow love to enter. But once the
love comes in and we receive the gifts of Divine Spirit and of life, the
way to keep the gifts flowing is to be grateful.

Spiritual Exercise of the Week A Way to Fill Yourself with

Love
If you wish to approach God, you must first be filled with love.
If you are filled with fear, frustration, or any of the lower negative states,

you will have nothing but failure.

One way to fill yourself with love is by recalling the image of
something from the past that brought great happiness to you.
Read a passage from Stranger by the River to open your
heart. Then in contemplation, ask yourself, "Where is the key to
love?" Imagine something or someone you love. Use this as a conductor
of love.
As Soul, place yourself above the Time Track. Notice all of the
truly happy moments from your life. Visualize the happiness as waves
rolling
upon a beach. Then collect some of it, and going forward on the Time
Track, sprinkle
the living waters of this happiness throughout your present and future.
Leave it there to bring forth the gifts of Divine Spirit later.
Now slowly return to the physical with the knowledge that happiness
and love
await you both in the present and in the years to come.
If we want to keep the blessings of life coming to us, we must
learn to be grateful for what we have and for whatever is given. This
gratitude
begins to create a series of events for our spiritual bene

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekViewing Difficulties

This exercise allows you to see why long-lasting or hard-to-solve
problems are still with you.
In contemplation, look at your problem and ask yourself which of these
viewpoints you hold about it.
1. You view the problem as a battering ram. When it approaches, you fall
over backward, flattened to the ground.
2. You view the problem as a vital, valuable lesson which will teach you
something. You believe it will become a spiritual springboard to give
you the necessary incentive and energy to climb up and out of your
present situation.
Your attitude about your problem holds the key to whether your
experience with it will be easy or difficult, long or short.
Those people who have spiritual success don't say, "Oh, no!" and fall
down when a problem comes up. They look to see the reason or lesson
behind it. They ask the Mahanta, "What can I learn from it? How has it
made me stronger?"

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekA New Slant

People often get more intense with their spiritual exercises when things
appear to go wrong. Why? Perhaps because they want to force
something in their life to go where they feel it ought to go. Or, the going
is more tough than they expected.
Do a spiritual exercise anyway when all goes wrong. However, do it
with a new thought in mind.

Ask the Mahanta, "What is thy will?" Then chant HU and put your full
attention on the problem, for the Master will show how you can grow
spiritually by meeting the problem.
When you go to sleep at night, tell yourself, in a very relaxed way, "I'm
not going to worry or think about the spiritual exercise. If the Inner
Master wants me to have a certain experience, great; but I'm not going to
be trying. I'm just going to get some rest."
Then look into the inner vision, and chant yourself to sleep. This will
relax some of the tension or fear you might be feeling about Soul
Travel.
For some of you a certain exercise will work. Others of you will find
other ways to do your spiritual exercises. Experiment.
As you do the spiritual exercises, set up enjoyable things to do on the
inner planes. If one technique doesn't work for you, then modify it, adapt
it, experiment. Do whatever you can and enjoy yourself.
Spiritual Exercise of the WeekAround the Room
This spiritual exercise uses the imaginative body.
Take a seat in a chair. Make yourself comfortable. Then say, "I shall go
for a short walk in the Soul body." Close your eyes, and look into the
Spiritual Eye in a soft, sweet, gentle way. Sing HU for a minute or two,
and then imagine yourself getting up.
If I were doing this contemplation, I would say, "I will get out of the
chair in the Soul body and walk in front of the table. I will become very
interested in the things around me, such as the color of the tablecloth, the
flowers, and the vase.

"While the physical body is still in contemplation with its eyes shut, I
will walk in the imaginative body to look at the curtains. I will touch the
curtains and notice how nice this beautiful yellow cloth feels."
Become curious, and decide to see what's beneath the curtain. Observe
the floor beneath the curtain, and pay very close attention to every little
detail.
Now go over to the door, and turn the knob. Notice what the doorknob
looks like. Before you open the door, say, "On the other side I'm going to
see the Inner Master." Then open the door. Sure enough, he's there, and
he says, "Are you ready to go yet? Let's take a walk outside."
You and Wah Z take a walk and look at the sights along the way. Strike
up a conversation with Wah Z. Don't bring up heavy spiritual subjects
yet; just talk about something ordinary.
Whenever you're ready to return, say, "Wah Z, why don't we go back to
my room now? I'd like to see myself sitting in the chair." Walk back to
your room. Throughout this experience, try to remember to sing HU or
your secret word every so often.
Open your door, walk into the room, look over at your body, and say,
"I'll see you later, Wah Z. I'd better sit down in the chair and get myself
together again."
Then end the spiritual exercise by returning to your chair and opening
your eyes.
As you practice this, Soul is becoming used to going beyond the
physical body. At first it's only imagination, but the practice of this
spiritual exercise will strengthen the experience. One day you will find
yourself in a higher state of consciousness exactly as you had seen
yourself in your imagination.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekBypassing Barriers

To get around barriers on the road to God, an individual must find the
Sound and Light, the most certain way to spiritual freedom. A simple
contemplative exercise to help one do that is this: At bedtime, shut your
eyes and look at a blank screen in your mind. This screen is located at
the Spiritual Eye, which is slightly above and behind the eyebrows.
Breathe deeply several times, then sing God or HU softly for twenty
minutes.
To add variety to your contemplations, look at the letters E-C-K, which
signify the Holy Spirit. Whatever name you choose, sing it daily. This
word may be sung aloudor silently, if you do not want to disturb
another. It is often enough to mentally invite the Mahanta, the Living
ECK Master to give you a Soul Travel experience during sleep. No harm
will come to you, for a Soul Traveler of the Far Country is always there
to watch over you.
Before contemplation, think of some person you love, or of some happy
event. This feeling of love or goodwill is necessary for travel in the Far
Country. Soul Travel is the first step to God.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekLaw of Reversed Effort

If you feel you are trying too hard to accomplish something, consider the
Law of Reversed Effort. This law is a practical law of nature concerned
with the use of the imaginative powers.
It goes like this: The more you concentrate on putting your imaginative
powers upon something, the less you are able to do it. Or, the harder one
struggles to avoid something the more it will be attracted to him.

For example, when one is trying to ride a bicycle and avoid hitting any
rocks on the road, he is so conscious of hitting the rocks he'll probably
do so. Or if a person tries to walk across a small plank from one building
to another at the tenth floor, his mind would be on falling, not on
walking.
This law is concerned with imagining and feeling. The negative thoughts
are apt to be more effective than the positive, because the negative
usually has more feeling with it.
Take your goal into contemplation and focus on relaxing, letting go the
negative feelings associated with not achieving this goal. Set up a
positive image about the goal, then put feeling with it. It's that simple.
Spiritual Exercise of the WeekSetting Goals
First choose something you want in your life or pick a problem that
needs to be dealt with. Then set clear goals.
Second, ask yourself the following questions. Your goals must pass four
tests: (1) Are they specific? (2) Are they realistic? (3) Can the results be
verified? and (4) Do they give a date for completion?
Next, of course, you must begin working toward your goals in your daily
life. As you do this, you can also use visualization or daydreaming to
help you. First picture the goal clearlywhat you want to do or be in
your life. Then fill the picture with unbounded love, because love is the
true creative force that removes all limitations.
Practically all famous or successful people in the world have done this.
The ECK Masters have set the goal of God-Realization and becoming a
Co-worker with God for the chela of ECK. Holding this picture with
love can pull you through rough times.

Spiritual Exercise of the Week Imaginative Techniques

Soul Travel occurs in two ways. One form is experienced as the apparent
movement of the Soul body through the planes of time and space. It is
not really movement, because Soul already exists on all planes. What
seems to be movement, or travel, is simply Soul coming into agreement
with fixed states and conditions that already exist in the lower worlds.
This explains the imaginative technique for Soul Travel. You imagine a
scene, and you are there in the Soul body. It may feel as though you are
moving along very quickly, and this is why it is perceived as travel.
Actually, it is the process of changing the setting around you.
To practice this, you can take a scene from your memories and control
the actions in it. For example, imagine the sea beating against a beach.
Now try to see the sea as being as still as lake water. Try it on things you
know by stilling or stopping actions. You may experience a rushing
sound, like wind in a tunnel, and the sensation of moving incredibly
fast.
The other form of Soul Travel is the expansion of consciousness. This is
closer to the state of true personal revelation or enlightenment that we
are looking for in ECK.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekAvoiding Daily Karma

As karma surfaces, it works out through the weakest point in our body.
As quickly as we can release our attachment to whatever is hurting us,
the karma can pass off. This way we stay balanced.

When I was a chela in ECK, the Master once showed me how to make
less daily karma. He stressed the importance of words in everyday

speech. Comparative words such as almost, nearly, and pretty near used
too often make us seem indecisive to the people we live and work with.
I began to substitute more direct speech.
He also told me that the overuse of demanding words such as should,
ought, and must belong in the vocabulary of a person who desires
control over others. People sense that and shy away from him. That
aversion is karma.
Thereafter I began the process of learning how to recast most sentences
along simpler, more direct lines. You can do this too, as a spiritual
exercise to avoid making more karma.
But such modifications as better word selection are really cosmetic
changes. Daily karma is resolved best through this one simple change:
Say and do everything in the name of the Sugmad, the ECK, or the
Mahanta. Then your life will begin to turn around for good.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekTaking a Spiritual Break

If there is any moment during the day where you need a little boost,
declare yourself a vehicle for God. It'll help you through a lot of things.
If you want to bring yourself closer to the ECK, say, "I am a vehicle for
the SUGMAD, the ECK, and the Mahanta." Then begin your day with
joy. Know that everything is being accomplished as it should be.
If things seem too much for you, you can also close your eyes for a
moment and imagine yourself taking a golden spiritual shower. The
shower is the Light of ECK. Imagine standing beneath this stream of
Light which is bringing you surrender through divine love.

And remember, you can get through the biggest things if you go moment
by moment.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekPatience and Commitment

One of the most common stumbling blocks for the new ECKist is
impatience. For the more experienced ECKist, it is often commitment.
After doing the Spiritual Exercises of ECK for just two or three weeks,
someone will write in and say, "I must be doing something wrong. I'm
not having any experiences. My life seems to be worse than before."
Say you're going to study to be a doctorand it's a profession worthy of
putting your whole attention into for an entire lifetime. How many
would expect to become a doctor or be good enough to perform intricate
surgery after only two weeks?
It takes longer for some. Others have done the groundwork in other
lifetimes, and they pick up the spiritual exercises more quickly.
An excuse that twenty minutes a day is too much time to spend on the
Spiritual Exercises of ECK shows little self-discipline. This is like the
fellow who talks of becoming a writer but gives all sorts of reasons why
he does not write. The truth is, he is simply not committed to writing.
Is the ECKist committed to the expansion of consciousness?

Spiritual Exercise of the Week Declaration

You will find this declaration useful as a protection:

I declare myself a vehicle for the Sugmad.
Wait a brief moment while you feel the stream of Sugmad enter your
being. It is a certain distinctive force.
I declare myself a vehicle for the Sugmad and the ECK.
And then wait a moment until this flow of ECK fills Soul. You'll feel an
entirely different current come through.
I declare myself a vehicle for the Sugmad, the ECK, and the Mahanta.
Again, still another energy comes through, this one happy and light, like
a little lamb dancing along on musical feet.
This is the consciousness that can help you relate to people, in an
everyday way, a connection to the high principles of ECK and the
Sugmad. Then go forth to meet your day with confidence, because the
Mahanta is always with you.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekConsultation with the

Master
Visualize yourself sitting in a large room, waiting for a consultation with
the Mahanta. As you wait, look about the room. Note the furniture you're
sitting in and other pieces about you. There are several ECKists around
you that you may recognize and chat with a bit before you are told that
you can go in.
The door opens, and you see yourself go into the inner room and meet
the Mahanta. You have about fifteen or twenty minutes to talk about
whatever you want, before a knock will come on the door to signal that

you have a few more minutes to wrap it up. Then the door will open, and
someone will say, "It's been nice you could be here," and escort you out.
Another person is then led into the room.
By practicing this exercise, you can arrange this private time to meet
with the Mahanta on the inner planes.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekRestoring Harmony

Whenever somebody is making it difficult for you at work, simply sing
HU quietly to yourself. Let the other person vent his rage, and just wait
and see what the ECK will do to work out the situation.
You'll find that you know what to say or not to say, when to speak or be
quiet, when and how to keep out of the individual's way, or whether it
will be necessary to appeal to the person's supervisor to get him off your
back.
When you run into these things, by all means sing HU to open yourself
as a channel for God. You don't use the HU to change the other person's
state of consciousness; you use it for your protection.
It surrounds you with a blanket of white light, and whatever is thrown at
you must return to the sender. The person who attacks you often finds
himself so busy with his own problems that he no longer has time to
continue his attacks on you.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekBroom Technique

When you feel that the negative powers are preventing you from
carrying out something important, you can use this technique to clear
your path. For example, say you are on an airplane about to leave for an

ECK seminar when a distant storm front causes the air traffic controllers
to reroute traffic. The following technique can neutralize the Kal, or
negative, force in many situations.
This is a visualization technique. Sit back in your seat and shut your
eyes. Inwardly sing HU, the ancient name for God. Then, in your
Spiritual Eye, see yourself at two locations: (a) in the stranded airplane
and (b) safely at the airport of your destination.
Next, mock up an image of a long-handled broom. While continuing to
chant HU, sweep a clean path in your imagination between points A and
B.
Then act "as if" you were lord of your own universe. Through the inner
channels, have the air traffic controller clear the flight for takeoff.
Be careful with this exercise because there is a fine line between the
spiritual and psychic arts. The difference is this: Never manipulate
anyone to fit your projects by invisible energy. If, however, you have
entered into an agreement with an organization (such as an airline) and
something there sidetracks the carrying out of your arrangement,
consider it an intrusion into your psychic space by the Kal power.
Say, for instance, your travel agent gets you a ticket for a flight to
another city. Your ticket is paid for, the flight is scheduled, and you are
seated on the plane. In the meantime, the negative power generates a
storm to stall your plane's departure. This is a valid case in which to try
this spiritual exercise.
When not to use it: On the spur of the moment you plan to fly
somewhere on vacation. At the airline counter an agent informs you the
flight is sold out. Do not try to conjure up the secret forces to induce the
ticket agent to find you a seat.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekBest Sleeping Techniques

for Soul Travel
There are three main steps to prepare yourself for Soul Travel in the
dream state:
1. Arrange your schedule to get as much sleep as needed to be fresh in
the morning.
2. For a few minutes before sleeping, read from one of the ECK books
to signal your intent to pursue spiritual activity during sleep. I
recommend The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, Book One or Two, or Stranger by
the River.
3. At bedtime contemplate upon the image of the Mahanta, the Living
ECK Master. In this spiritual exercise, give an invitation to the Master
like this: "I welcome you into my heart as my home. Please enter it with
joy."
Then go to sleep as usual, but leave the eye of Soul alert to the coming
of the teacher. Look for me, because I am always with you.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekWhat Is HU?

Singing HU or chanting your secret word enhances your life and gives
you strength. HU is a holy name for God which will lift you into the
higher worlds.
But the name itself has even more meaning behind it. I would like to
recommend a spiritual exercise which will be very beneficial to you in
finding it out for yourself.
As you chant each long, drawn-out HU outwardly, keep asking inwardly,
"What is HU?" Repeat the question mentally as many times as is
comfortable for you, maybe two or three. In other words, with each
outward HU, you are asking within, "What is HU? What is HU? What is
HU?"

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekSeminar Dreams

Sometimes you will find yourself working on the inner planes in settings
very much as we find at an Eckankar seminar. Maybe you are acting as
an usher, working in the higher worlds.

You are carrying out some act of service to the ECK out of love. You act
out of love for that Sound and Light of God which has filled you.
To attend an Eckankar seminar inwardly, do this: Before sleep go into
contemplation and visualize whatever you can about the seminar, using
the description you've read in the preregistration brochure. Put yourself
on the inner planes and say, "I am seeing myself with my friends at the
ECK seminar. I'm seeing myself in the audience listening to the
Master."
If you wish to consciously serve in this way, give yourself a silent
command before sleep. Then let the matter rest in the hands of Divine
Spirit.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekThe Spirit of Love

The spiritual exercises work best when done with goodwill, a feeling of
happiness in your heart, and with joy in expectation of seeing the
Mahanta.
On the inner planes, the Mahanta is the representation of the Sugmad,
which is often seen in the form of the Living ECK Master. If you can fill
yourself with love, you have a very good chance of being successful in
Soul Travel.
How do you invoke the spirit of love? You can do it in any number of
ways.
For instance, when you go into contemplation, you can put your
thoughts and mind upon a past experience where you were filled with
love. This will set the tone for your state of consciousness. Then begin
chanting one of the secret names for God or your personal word.

You are the one who must set the tone of love and let it fill your heart.
Your whole being has to be filled with love, not from the head, but from
the heart. And then, as you make your preparations to go inwardly, you
say to the Inner Master: "Mahanta, please take me to the place that is
right and fitting for me at this time. I put myself in thy hands."
Spiritual Exercise of the WeekListening
When you get out of the habit of listening, the voice of the Inner Master
becomes weaker and weaker. Not because he is speaking in a quieter
voice, but because you have turned down the volume control on the
inner instrument of Soul.
There is a stream of consciousness from the mind that constantly goes
through you. Chanting your word or HU keeps the stream pure. People
who stop chanting or stop the spiritual exercises can all of a sudden fall
into depression and negativity. They don't know why.
It happens because that stream of consciousness, the play of the mind,
has become polluted.
The singing of this sacred prayer song or name of God purifies the
thoughts which lead to your actions. It makes for a happier, more
harmonious life.
You'll find by listening more and practicing the spiritual exercises every
day that upliftment comes gradually as you are ready for it.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekShow Me Love

If you don't know anything about ECK, the main tool you have to work
with at this point may be prayeryour communication with God. If you
are sincerely interested in truth, in knowing who you are and why you
belong here, ask God in your prayers: "Show me truth."

If your heart is pure, the Lord will bring truth into your life. But don't
expect it to come in a way that fits your expectations; it may come in a
different way. It may come through the gift of a book or by way of a
person telling you one small step that you need to take before you can go
to the next step.
And so you can pray to God. Just say, "I want truth," or "Dear Lord, give
me knowledge, wisdom, and understanding." But the greatest thing you
could ask is: "Dear Lord, give me love."
Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding are only the attributes of God.
But when you have love, you have the whole thing. We seek first the
highest, most divine, most sacred part of something which is nothing
other than our own inner being. And with this come the attributes of God
and the spiritual liberation, which is something no baptism can ever
bring.
When you ask for truth with a pure heart, Divine Spirit will take you one
step closer to coming home to God.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekMahanta, I Love You

This spiritual exercise can be done while falling asleep, silently chanting
HU or your personal word.
Start with a simple postulate, something very open and easy such as,
"Mahanta, I love you." Then quietly, in the background of the mind,
begin to sing HU. Just let it run on spiritual automatic. But automatic
doesn't mean letting it turn into a meaningless mental repetition. Rather,
in a very real sense, you remain conscious that the HU is rolling within
you.

If you wake up in the middle of the night, you can spiritualize your
consciousness by briefly putting your attention on the Mahanta, even for
a second or two.
Know that you do this because you love God. You love the divine part
within yourself. In this gentle, unpushy way, you become the lover of all
life.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekJourney on an Ocean of

Light
Tonight when you go to bed, close your eyes and locate the Spiritual
Eye. It is at a point right above and between the eyebrows. Now very
gently look for the Light, which can come in a number of different
ways.
At first you may see just a general glow of light that you think is merely
your imagination. It might appear as little blue spots of light or as a ray
of light. Or it could look like a beam of light coming through an open
window from the sunshine outside. The white light may also show up in
any number of ways.
As you look for the Light, chant your secret word or HU, a name for
God which has a power greater than the word God for many people.
Watch as this Light turns into an ocean of light. Then, as you see It turn
into an ocean, look for a little boat that's coming to shore very near
where you are standing. At the helm is the Mahanta or one of the ECK
Masters, who will invite you into the boat. Don't be afraid; just get in.
When you get to this point, allow any experience to follow that may. Set
no limitations on it. You may end up in a video arcade, or you may end
up near or inside a Temple of Golden Wisdom. Or you may have an
experience of the Light and Sound of God coming directly into Soul.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekCombining Contemplation

and Dreams
A simple method of moving into the higher states of awareness is to
combine contemplation and dreams. Find a quiet place for
contemplation.
For a period of fifteen or twenty minutes a day, shut your eyes and put
attention upon your Spiritual Eye. This is the spiritual organ of inner
vision. It sits between the eyebrows, about an inch and a half in.
Look gently at an imaginary screen between the eyebrows and softly
begin to sing Jesus, God, HU, or Mahanta.Wah Z is also acceptable.
Look for a Blue Light upon the inner screen. This is the Light of God.
There may not be this Light, but you may hear a Sound. The Sound is
the other manifestation of the ECK, or Holy Spirit. It can be almost any
sound of nature or musical instrument that you can imagine. The Light
and Sound, when they appear, are assurance of your contact with the
Word of God.
The second part of this exercise is for the dream state. Prepare for sleep
by singing one of the words given above. This is to set into motion an
affinity with the Sound Current, the Holy Spirit. For a few minutes, sing
the word you have chosen. When you are ready for sleep, imagine that
you are walking in a park or watching a quiet sunset with someone you

love. A loved one can open our heart and dispel any fear. Love is
necessary if one is to enter the awakened dream state.
Finally, keep a diary of whatever comes to mind in contemplation or
during your dream state. A mutual confidence will develop between your
inner and outer selves, and the two techniques above will help
accomplish that.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekFour Disciplines of ECK

During your day, practice these spiritual disciplines.
1. Cleanliness of mind. Let no words which would pollute the air
enter into your mind. Look upon everyone as creatures of God, for
they, like yourself, are temples who shall eventually become Coworkers with God. Fast continuously from all Kal (negative)
thoughts which could infect your mental state and consciousness.
Through this you learn the powerful awareness of the presence of
the Living ECK Master, who is with you constantly.
2. Patience. This is the greatest discipline of all the spiritual works of
ECK. By patience you can endure life, hardships, karmic burdens,
slander, and the pricks of pain and disease. Keep your mind
steadfastly upon the Light of God, never swerving, never letting up
on your attention to the goal of God-Realization.
3. Humility and chastity. As you come to know these attributes in
your life, you learn all your responsibility belongs to God, not to
anyone nor anything within this physical realm. Your loved ones,
family, and relatives are images of God, mirrored in this worldly
life and embodiment to serve the Sugmad, the Supreme Deity.
Realize that humility is opposite to the ego. Do not let a false
concept of your worth to the Master and to the Sugmad stand in
your way to reach the heavenly states. Know that vanity is only a

trap of the negative power, Kal Niranjan, and you will become a
fool if you let yourself be enslaved by Kal.
4. Discrimination. Learn to discriminate between all things, that
there is no good nor evil, no beauty nor ugliness, and no sin. These
are all concepts of the mind, the dual forces in the matter worlds.
Once you recognize and understand this, you will then be free of
Kal traps. You will be ready to

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekThe Sound Room

Go into contemplation and find yourself on the inner planes with Wah Z,
the Inner Master. He takes you to a room in a beautiful Temple of
Golden Wisdom. He says, "This is the sound room. Would you like a
sound healing?" You say, "Sure."
He tells you to climb on the big stone table in the center of the room. As
you lie there, the Sound currents of ECK begin massaging your inner
bodies. This relaxes you, and the transformation begins. After a little
while you feel the Sound Current raise you off the table toward the
ceiling. You pass through a small opening into higher states, where the
Sound Current is much more refined.
Feel your troubles or pain gradually leave you until they are all gone.
Then come out of contemplation.
When the healing occurs, it brings balance to the inner bodies. It may
take some time to filter to the physical, and your life tomorrow might
not be easier than it was today. But at least now you know about the
sound room at the Temple of Golden Wisdom and can ask to go there
whenever you need to.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekUsing Light for Healing

In your spiritual exercises there are two things you can use for healing.
One is the orange light, and the other is the blue light. You may wish to
experiment with them. Some people are successful in this kind of
healing, and others are better off seeing a doctor. It depends on you.

The orange light is mostly for the physical body. Go into contemplation
in your usual way, whether you sit up or lie down. Using the imaginative
power, which is the God force or the seeing power of Soul, shut your
eyes and visualize the Audible Life Stream. This is the pure white Light
of God, a composite of all the colors.
Now visualize a ray coming off of It. It's very much like using a prism to
see the spectrum of colors.
The ray you see is orange, which applies to physical health. With your
eyes closed, visualize this orange stream coming through you. Just let it
flow to the area in your body that is diseased, afflicted, or injured. You
can do this for twenty minutes.
This is a healing technique. But you do it only for yourself; don't go out
and blast orange light at other people.
The blue light is another way of healing, but it is for the inner bodies
the Astral, Causal, Mental, and Etheric. These are the bodies of the
psychic worlds below the Soul Plane.
Here again, you use a technique similar to that of the orange light. And
I'll repeat this: Do it only for yourself, never for another person.
Close your eyes, and visualize the blue light coming into the heart
center. This light is known as the Blue Light of the Mahanta. The

Mahanta Consciousness is the highest state of consciousness known to

man. The blue light is for the calming and healing of the inner man
your emotions and your mind. Along with this technique, get plenty of
physical rest.
The blue light is not something that is created out of the ethers from
some source alien to yourself. It comes from your own God Worlds, and
you are now becoming aware of it.
Let this healing Light of God come in and work on the area you feel
needs help. Or just let It flow into the Spiritual Eye. As It washes and
cleanses the impurities, It will start to uplift you from the materialism
and karma that you have created for yourself through ignorance of God's
laws.
A true spiritual healing first heals the spiritual condition that caused the
symptoms to appear in the physical body. You have to understand that
when you use the orange light, it may not bring a miraculous healing,
such as the reshaping of limbs, or anything like this. But it may lead you
to a better doctor.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekThe ECK Way to Pray

There are a lot of people who pray to God in the wrong way. They want
others to do things their way, so they use prayer to control others and
bring about their own wishes. It's like a basketball team praying together
before a game: "Dear God, help us win." Meanwhile, on the opposite

side of the court the other guys are busy doing the same thing. What
kind of prayer is that?
When you ask God for help, you can say, "I am aware of the situation
and the problem, and I want your help in whatever way you see fit." This
is the attitude of the ECKist. You look to see what you, yourself, can do
to make the thing work; how you can overcome your own problem.
When you practice this, you are learning, unfolding, getting experience
to become a mature Soulsomeone fit to be a Co-worker with God.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekChanting Gopal Das

Sit in an easy chair with your eyes closed, and chant the word Gopal.
Gopal Das is one of the guardians of the Temples of Golden Wisdom. He
guards the fourth section of the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad. This is the holy
book for those who follow Eckankar.
The word is chanted in two syllables. It is a sacred name and must be
sung as GOH, then pahl.
Keep this up with a clear mind, and you will suddenly find yourself out
of the body. You will be accompanied to the Temple of Golden Wisdom
where you can listen to Gopal Das speak on the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekA Gentle Exercise before

Sleep
Try doing this spiritual exercise each evening before you go to sleep.
Close your eyes, and sing HU or your secret word for five minutes.

Then just before you go to sleep, say to the Mahanta, "Please take me to
the place where I can learn whatever is important for my spiritual
unfoldment. Take me to a Temple of Golden Wisdom."
Or say, "Let me see what it's like to Soul Travel; you have my
permission."
If you can establish the Golden Heart, which is actually the viewpoint of
Soul, you'll find it easier to have inner experiences and let go of the fear.
If you have fear in Soul Travel, you have fear in other things, and it's
holding you back in your life.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekReminder

If you wish to Soul Travel while you are asleep, remind yourself of this
several times during the day. For example, say to yourself, "Tonight I
will Soul Travel in my dream."
Your mind will accept ideas that are repeated more readily than ideas
that are not repeated.
Visualize the kind of dream you want to have as though it were already
happening. After you have pictured the dream, picture its results. Try
playing a movie scene in your mind of how you will feel when you have
the advice or help you seek from the Dream Master.

Spiritual Exercise of the Week When You Have a Busy

Day
When you have a job that doesn't leave time to do the spiritual exercises
regularly, or at the same time each day, here is a technique to try.

Chant your secret word or sing HU quietly to yourself. Do this for a

while during the day and as you go to sleep at night. If your schedule is
such that it doesn't allow time for you to sit up and do the twenty-minute
spiritual exercise, you can also do a technique that I have used fairly
often myself.
Just before you go to sleep, you can say to the Inner Master: "I give you
full permission to take me to the place that I have earned or where I can
learn something." Then go to sleep, and don't give it another thought.
The Inner Master will begin working with you in the dream state. Often
you will find that as your consciousness changes, your outer
circumstances may change too. It may take a couple of years. This is the
physical world, and often it's very hard.
But the ECK Masters begin working with us where they find us. In the
spiritual works, we begin at the point where we are. We can wish for all
the leisure time in the world, but the fact is, we have to really look at
where we are and then consider what we are going to do in our own
circumstances.
The ECK will take us one step at a time inwardly, and this will reflect
outwardly in some way. Your life may not be easier, but it will certainly
become more adventuresome.
Spiritual Exercise of the WeekListening for God
Try this simple spiritual exercise to help you hear and see the two
aspects of God, the Light and Sound.
Go somewhere quiet. Sit or lie down in a comfortable place. Put your
attention on your Spiritual Eye, a point just above and behind your
eyebrows. With eyes lightly shut, begin to sing a holy word or phrase,
such as HU, God, Holy Spirit, or "Show me thy Ways, O Lord." But fill

your heart with love before you approach the altar of God, because only
the pure may come.
Be patient. Do this exercise for several weeks, for a limit of twenty
minutes each time. Sit, sing, and wait. God speaks to you only when you
are able to listen.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekA Way to Build SelfConfidence

If you should have your real strength of character marred by a lack of
self-confidence, use this technique to build yourself up again.
First find the spots in your aura or personal atmosphere that are selfconscious, shy, timid, or overly sensitive. These tend to attract people
who impose upon your weakness. With a mental command, ask those
people to move out of your way. Mentally demand respectful attention.
Next build up the opposite qualities of mind and character to replace
these self-conscious qualities. Fill yourself with positive courage so that
the positive force you generate can actually be felt when you pass
through a room.
Adopt the mental attitude and personal atmosphere of a person with
great confidence. Always be direct and positive in your approach to all
things. Put all your spiritual force behind your smile, your replies, and
your thoughts.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekThe Living ECK Master's

Image

In your inner vision, put the image of the Living ECK Master in front of
you like a screen. Imagine that all thoughts, words, actions, and feelings
flowing from you must pass through this screen. Likewise, all things
coming toward you must pass through the image of the Master.
A chela who tried this exercise wrote, "I was given a job to do at work.
Within two hours I felt shaky and got upset. Then I remembered you had
said to hold your image in mind and let you do for me. Within thirty
minutes I had completed the job and put the papers on my employer's
desk. He congratulated me for my efficiency and industry."
The image of the Living ECK Master acts as the matrix for the Holy
Spirit to come flowing through, lifting you into the higher planes, and
giving you greater love.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekTraveling beyond Fear

If you feel fear when practicing Soul Travel techniques, begin your
contemplation with this thought: I love the SUGMAD with all that is
within me.
What happens if you love someone or something with your whole heart?
Fear is pushed out of your mind! Therefore, go into contemplation,
putting a thought into your heart about something you did once that
made you happier than you've ever been before.
This takes practice of course, but trust the Mahanta and chant your word.
He will be near you for your protection at all times.
I hope that this will help you get over your fear. It is quite a natural
thing, but you will see it growing less powerful as you keep on with your
spiritual exercises.

Spiritual Exercise of the Week Giving Something Back to

Life
If you do the spiritual exercises and get more of the Sound and Light of
Divine Spirit flowing into you, what are you going to do with it?
Mostly people just like to contemplate, enjoy the inner experiences with
the Light and Sound, and sit like bumps on a log.
There is little reason to learn how to move with the expansion of
consciousness unless you are going to do something with it. You can't
spend your life in contemplation of the higher truths without doing
anything to bring a little light to your fellowman.
One way to start is this: Simply give back some service of love to the
world, your friend, your neighbor; and it may be simply by doing a good
deed every day that no one ever knows about.
The farther you go in your ECK initiations, the more you will find
yourself serving, helping, and being among people. You'll carry the
message of the Light and Sound of God in whatever way is needed at a
particular time. Sometimes you'll do this without even talking about
ECK. The ways of ECK are often quiet. When you are being used as a
channel, you may never know exactly what was accomplished through
you.
There is no greater joy than working as a Co-worker with God. Giving
something back to life when you have the ECK coming in is absolutely
essential for spiritual survival.
The future will require more love, more compassion, and more
understanding. Energy used in service to God and mankind is better than

time spent in judgment of one another. Love is the key to spiritual

freedom.
Do you want the secret of love? Then note these words from The
Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, Book One: "Love does not come to those who seek
it, but to those who give love." Contemplate sweetly on love, and the
wisdom of God shall find you.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekWatching Yourself Fall

Asleep
Every night before retiring, relax on the bed. Watch the process of going
to sleep. Keep your attention on the point between the eyebrows, the
Spiritual Eye.
As your body relaxes and your mind settles down, that change in
viewpoint takes place which we call sleep. Maintain the attitude of
awareness. You will note your body getting quiet and your thoughts
settling down. Hearing is often the last to leave the human
consciousness. You will be detached on the borderline state, as though in
a dream.
Then you will come into another state of beingness. This is characterized
by a clarity of mental vision. It is not an unconscious state like a mental
fog, but a level of awareness beyond the limits of normal human
expression.
This viewpoint may last a moment or for several hours. With practice it
may last through the whole night.
To hold on to this lucidity, you need to maintain a delicate balance
between not becoming too emotional and not forgetting that you are
dreaming.

What has happened? As the body rests, you awaken in the Atma Sarup,
the Soul body. You find yourself in eternity, overcoming death. This is
the freedom which is spoken about so often in Eckankar.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekThe ECK Way to Pray

There are a lot of people who pray to God in the wrong way. They want
others to do things their way, so they use prayer to control others and
bring about their own wishes. It's like a basketball team praying together
before a game: "Dear God, help us win." Meanwhile, on the opposite
side of the court the other guys are busy doing the same thing. What
kind of prayer is that?
When you ask God for help, you can say, "I am aware of the situation
and the problem, and I want your help in whatever way you see fit." This
is the attitude of the ECKist. You look to see what you, yourself, can do
to make the thing work; how you can overcome your own problem.
When you practice this, you are learning, unfolding, getting experience
to become a mature Soulsomeone fit to be a Co-worker with God.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekMore than Just Getting By

Pick one day a week where you will do more than just get by. On that
day put your whole heart into taking care of your family, your work, and
yourself.
So many people spend their lives just trying to get by. That's all they
really want to do. A person like that isn't material for God

Consciousness; his cloth is different from one who is striving for the
highest spiritual states.
People of the Golden Heart care about things. They are filled with love,
they finish what they start, and they like to see it done well.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekDoorway to Heaven

Everytime you walk through a doorway today, whether at work or at
home, know that on the inner planes you are walking through a doorway
to heaven. And that is every doorway, as long as you recognize this in
your consciousness.
For example, suppose you have a difficult meeting with your boss or coworkers. As you walk through the door into the meeting, know that you
are entering the room with a newer, higher consciousness.
When you get inside the room, pause a moment and ask yourself, How
is my higher awareness going to affect me? Will I be more relaxed?
More tolerant and patient? Will I trust Divine Spirit to provide me with
the answers and guidance I need?
If you experiment with this technique, you will find it changes your
viewpoint and lifts you higher and higher in awareness throughout the
day.

New Spiritual Wisdom on Dreams Booklet from Sri

Harold Klemp
Awaken to the highest meaning of your dreams! This new booklet,
Spiritual Wisdom on Dreams, by Sri Harold Klemp, is a great
guidebook to our world of dreams.

Harold Klemp writes: A person who learns to dream well can usually
take everyday life in stride, because dreams give him or her a perception
that others cannot help but notice. An understanding of dreams can
steady us for the surprises of the day, and so aid us in learning to manage
stress with more foresight and grace.

This booklet holds a treasure of spiritual keys and tools to unlock the
wisdom of our dreamsto help us solve problems in our daily life and
move us closer to G

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekWatching Your Dreams

The dream world and its people are real. It is only our recall and
understanding of it that are incomplete. Our link with the inner worlds is
usually through dreams, but illusion can make our memory of inner
events faulty.
What about the dream people who appear to be just symbolic parts of
ourselves? Let's start with the waking dream. The Mahanta uses it to
give someone a spiritual insight from an experience in his daily life. The
Master draws on the individual's experiences with real people and real
events to point out some personal truth.
Apply the principle of the waking dream to your dream world. The
people you meet there are Souls, just like you. However, the Mahanta
can turn your experiences with them into an open window of
understanding, to unlock your desires, needs, and goals.

Keep a journal of your dreams, and begin to note any parallels between
them.

Spiritual Exercise of the WeekBeach walk with Rebazar

If you would like to try a Soul Travel exercise, here is an easy one that
should let you meet the ECK Master Rebazar Tarzs or enjoy a short
journey into the heavens of God.
Picture yourself on a beach, walking in the sand at the edge of the water.
The warm waves wash about your feet, and a light spray from the ocean
leaves a refreshing mist on your face. Overhead, white gulls sail silently
on the wind.
Now breathe in as the incoming waves wash toward you on the beach.
Then, on the outgoing breath, sing Rebazar (REE-bah-zahr) softly in
rhythm with the waves returning to the sea. Do this exercise for twenty
to thirty minutes every day. After you are skilled at this exercise,
Rebazar will come and give you the wisdom of God.
If you live near the seashore, walk along the beach to get a feeling of the
sounds of the ocean. Or imagine the feeling of sand under your feet, the
ocean spray, and the many blue-green waters that reach the horizon. Use
your impressions from the seashore in your daily Soul Travel exercise.
You may not ever see Rebazar or another ECK Master on your short
Soul Travel journey, but someone is always near to lend a hand, should
you need it.

At first, you may feel that you have only met Rebazar in your
imagination, but in time and with practice, you will find that he is every
bit a flesh-and-blood individual, even as you are.