I have learned so much but feel there is also so much more. Is there a special spiritual exercise we can do in order to serve better as ECK leaders—to open to ever greater love, wisdom, and surrender?
You already do so much, but here’s an ECK spiritual exercise to try:
Find a quiet place where you’re likely to be undisturbed for a few minutes. Shut your eyes. Be comfortable. Relax.
Then put yourself in the center of NOW. Watch your mind and its thoughts dance around you. Appreciate them. Let them play. Yes, they are mental creations, but spiritualized, they are your able and willing helpers.
With you is the Mᴀʜᴀɴᴛᴀ. Enjoy this holy moment.
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As we work with you outwardly and inwardly to manifest the pace of growth in our regions, what is the ECK leader’s role or responsibility in that rhythm of growth?
That rhythm is already there, as you rightly say. Like an ocean wave it is never still, but rises and falls, a living thing.
The idea is to ride that wave. You are like a boat borne upon its surface. This rhythm is the ECK Itself, echoed in your heartbeat and breathing.
And always rely on your unerring compass, the Spiritual Exercises of ECK. They offer you a wellspring of guidance.
Your role is to keep the Vahana Marg foremost in mind, giving your heart over to carrying the teachings of ECK to all who will listen.
An ECK leader is a sailor on the cosmic sea. What opportunities lie ahead? What personal growth?
I am trying to impart to you a vision, and a confidence in the rightness of things. Ride the rhythm. Treat seekers with love, because divine love is the longed-for pearl of their ages-long quest.
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I was wondering about the guided contemplations that some chelas like to do. Some go into quite a lot of detail in describing the setting and the experience. Could you give some guidance on this?
What chelas do at home and what they do in a group setting are two different things. At home, alone, they can get into as much detail as they please.
But a guided contemplation for a group should generally stick to one of the exercises in The Spiritual Exercises of ECK, Spiritual Exercises for the Shariyat, Book 1 and Book 2, or one from my other books such as Past Lives, Dreams, and Soul Travel or the Mahanta Transcripts series.
There is a reason for this.
Often the details of a cooked-at-home exercise are too limiting for some person in the group. In the end, he has no experience of any kind. Each individual needs a chance to spread his inner wings as he will and when he will.
Some leaders, therefore, get off track without meaning to with such guided contemplations for groups.
I would also like to thank you for helping me serve those who love the ECK and Its ways. You are key to spreading the ECK teachings.
—Sri Harold Klemp
There are many images given in these Q&As. What spiritual exercise could you create for yourself that would let you spread your spiritual wings in a new way?
“I would also like to thank you for helping me serve those who love the ECK and Its ways.”
—Sri Harold Klemp.
Appreciation is a form of spiritual exercise.
Does life get better by blaming one’s hardships on others, while taking the blessings of life for granted?
God cannot be fooled.
Appreciation of the MAHANTA is a useful skill that makes spiritual life easier.
Paul Twitchell once said, “If Soul is living in eternity, what is the human problem?”
Society often rejects the ECKist, and this is an extra reason why an ECKist has to be contented within.
Those who appreciate the MAHANTA tend to do better spiritually.
Contentment has a multiplier effect.
Ungratefulness is like a delicious meal, that is full of sand.
ECKANKAR is a disciplined and rugged path to follow.
The struggle may or may not be hard, but it is the MAHANTA purifying the Soul.
Hence, it is not in the nature of eagles to eat grass and settle for less.
For the ECK cannot be diluted.
Shariyat Ki Sugmad, page 281 states,
“Most people are no longer alive after they enter the age of maturity. They commit a token self-destruction by stopping their growth and expansion in the spiritual experiences.”
Thank you MAHANTA for the teachings of ECKANKAR.
Hi there,
Your Good morning saying at 6 o’clock at the elevator was so odd and funny situation. Thank you for sharing it to us :^)
Let me answer the blue question. Several years ago, I was broken hard, with no home and money at all. I was afraid of my situation and trembled inwardly. The only thing that could calm me, was the first exercise you’ve gave in this article, Sticking to the moment of Now. I usually orderd myself, “don’t go 5 minutes ahead or ago, be just at Now.” Setting my consciousness in this form was so bless full for me. I felt the present of God at the moment of Now, and understood the omnipresent of IT. I was so good, although I slept in the wilderness area at nights. After a while, I found the secret way that goes through Now to the Holy Sound of ECK. This was the biggest gift that I received from life up to now. These days, I don’t remember those hard situations at the past, or the exercise of putting attention Now. I’m falling in love with the Sound of ECK. It’s all. I owe you for these blessings, and for this love and understanding you’ve given me, because I always knew that you were and are beside me every moment.
Thank you a million dear Wah Z
I’m not a bona fide ECK leader. But do feel my daily responsibility as an ECK chela to prepare myself for encounters and opportunities out in my corner of the world. Blessing the day ahead when I get up, I also add my home and partner, nearby and neighboring souls of all persuasions, friends/loved ones/teachers past/present/future, offer myself as an ECK vehicle, and bless the inner and outer Master and those of the Vairagi order. Later when I walk, I use the time to focus on spiritual words– sometimes softly singing them–and enjoy the nature, animal life and sky, using the time as an extended way to harmonize with the Now. Fortified in this personal way, I feel I’ve prepared the soil of my life to be receptive to whatever Holy Spirit might send my way. Ever grateful for the teachings of Eckankar and all the tools available for spiritual refinement…And the opportunities to serve life as a chela.
I love this attitude, Carol.
It is a kind of total awareness of the inner Master. This is a blessing.
Every day I start a new day like this one. Now, what is my today’s mission to the whole world, to the Sugmad, ECK And Mahanta?
The light and sound are always guidance. It is True guidance and whispering to me what should I say? What should I do now? It is up to me. IT is always there and will be there. It is up to me to listen carefully. Hopefully, I am a good listener.
Thank you Mahanta for love, wisdom and guidance that you give us.
I appreciate
Thank you, dear Mahanta, for your presence and readiness to guide all Chelas at all times from literally tripping off the spiritual cliff – sometimes due to unguided enthusiasm or less understanding or forgetfulness.
When we consider the fact that the understanding and putting to good use of spiritual knowledge, a knowledge not born or bred on the physical planes, is no easy endeavor, it becomes pretty important that we realize the blessings and significance of a living Spiritual Master straddling the inner and outer worlds of our being (the Mahanta) as a teacher and guide.
This certainly helps to preserve the original teachings and keep them free from dilution and contamination.
The presence of the Living ECK Master to lead, guide, inspire Chelas boosts the teachings of Eckankar, leaving them fresh, untangled, and protected from misinterpretations, misrepresentations and personal opinionated mass guidance.
Thus we see the essence of the ECK Master, Lai Tsi’s Contemplation seed:
“Show me thine ways
O Sugmad
Teach me thine path
Lead me in thine truth and teach me …”
Imagine how comforting it is to know that you are never alone!
Thank you dear Mahanta for always fulfilling your promise to be with all Chelas at all times.
Always in Now, Soul is forever linked via ECK to the Sugmad, participating in IT’S growth through Love.
Thank you for the ‘Now’ spiritual exercise. An experience hard to put in words.
I have been a manager of an office – one of 14 in my province – for more than 25 years and aside from one on one contact with a few of the more than 100 employees in the province I told no one about being an ECK cleric or about ECKANKAR. However, about a month ago the other managers and head office senior managers met for a conference. All the managers have had experience in working with clients who have translated due to overdoses. A program leader asked how many of us had that kind of experience. All the managers stated they did. There was an overwhelming wave of grief that washed through the room. The program concluded later that afternoon. The next morning I approached the CEO of the organization and said I noticed what happened yesterday and I had a spiritual exercise I could offer. She was in agreement with me presenting it. So all my fellow managers and senior management learned of and heard the HU. It was well-received. The NOW aspect of this was that it was NOW the right time for me to tell them about HU. Thank you Mahanta for the nudge to see and take this opportunity. I was hesitant at first, but the Mahanta gave me the opportunity and the words to speak about HU.
Adrian,
What a powerful and great direct experience of the ECK in action…NOW!! I’m glad you shared with your organization, and also this experience with readers here.