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Introduction: James O'Dea
ОглавлениеImagine, for a moment, that a being of divine perfection were to suddenly manifest in this here and now reality. Visualize this being entering into the state of the world as it is with all its beauty and horror, with all its promise and wasteful ruin. What would you expect of such an emissary of divinity? What kind of message? What kind of miracles? How could such a one help us transform the world from its precipitous decline into greed and ecological disaster?
Would billions of people rush to be followers? Would this great spiritual Master be breaking headline news, hit all the talk shows, be the subject of bestsellers, be listened to by the power brokers, have all the answers to our most pressing questions and fill people with peace and ecstasy? Just how would such a one address all our needs?
Let us say, also for a moment, whatever your religion or spiritual orientation, that the Babaji whose life and words are the subject of this book was such a prefect being who manifested in a cave in the foothills of the Himalayas and lived for a short span of years as a spiritual teacher who attracted the attention of hundreds of thousands of devoted followers from many parts of the world. How would his brief time on Earth match your expectations of a truly great being capable of igniting world transformation?
For a start Babaji did not do the media circuit...or should I say circus? He didn't fly around the world. He didn't establish a new religion. He didn't write a new scripture. He didn't ask people to change their religion. He did not ask them to believe in him, his powers or any of the accounts of his extraordinary self-manifestation. He did not impart a lot of esoteric teachings with complex levels of initiation that require specially inducted teachers and programs of study. So what at all could qualify him as an important agent of spiritual mastery and world transformation? Let's take a look.
At the heart of Babaji's transmission to humanity at this critical phase of its evolution is a sense of deep urgency about the catastrophic disruption of the natural order and the devastating consequences that ensue from such conditions. It's as if we have collectively fallen asleep at the wheel and as a result we are careening over the edge and need to wake up. In a powerfully non-dual way he sees a revolution emerging out of Nature itself that will sweep away 'in fire and water' human civilization caught in a trance of materialist distraction and indolence.
This revolution is to be understood as coming from consciousness itself, not as something merely physical or weather related. This is critically important to understand because we can align our human consciousness with this revolution whose function is to bring about the emergence of a consciousness that will lift humanity — and life on Earth — into an era of great harmony and peace. What can we do to align with this revolution? For Babaji the answer is work!
Not empire building work. Not the work of constructing more elaborate forms of consumption. Not work that is self-centered but work that takes the form of selfless service. Karma yoga, service for others, service for a higher principle than self-gain, gives us access to a divine dispensation which pulls us out of cycles of cause and effect stemming from ignorance. Conscious service executed with spiritual concentration breaks down the separation created by ego and builds an indestructible force of unity. Through karma yoga and emphasis on intentional action, Babaji wanted to set in motion a template for harmonizing human unity and peace. The entire human enterprise must move from competition to collaboration across cultures, ethnicities and religions. This is central work in birthing the new humanity...and demanding work it is.
As Babaji constantly reminds us, this work of collective harmonization takes commitment to constant inner focus on divine attunement but also great courage to face down intolerance and oppression. As a Master of wisdom he radiated the authentic embodiment of his teaching, which requires much more than busy action plans in the world. His work requires a synthesis of inner contemplation and outer action.
Rather than attempting to transform the world by becoming a spiritual superstar he put all those who came to be in his presence to work and although the work could be intense and even physically demanding it was always conducted with lightness of heart. This expression of karma yoga was an expression of joy, not duty or drudgery. But it did — and does — require perseverance and courage.
Babaji refused to create a new kind of spiritual hierarchy, rather his guiding principles were Truth, Simplicity and Love. Indeed, in a world where truth is constantly imperiled, where simplicity is mocked and real unconditional love is scarce, these principles are sorely needed to guide us through the chaos of our times.
As you will discover in the pages ahead, Babaji frequently exhorted people with the word Phuro — which he said meant, `Be inspired.' `Have courage and be inspired.' Truly that is what is needed in these times of gathering strife and chaos: we need deep inspiration to do and to be what is urgently needed for new life on Earth. We cannot do this work alone. We must become a new creation together. Babaji's words and his brief life in his body provide us with great inspiration. This kind of embodied spiritual inspiration will be the very heart of the evolution-revolution that is presently unfolding. Phuro!
James O'Dea,
Crestone, Colorado,
April 2018