Unwrap the Gift

The cry of the soul for peace and happiness has forever been misdirected by the mind, leading us to seek our objective in hollow worldly recreation and temporary relationships. As a result, many times we have departed from this world carrying the burden of regret and repentance.

When we come into the fold of a true Master, we are made to understand the nature of this cry, which has to do with the longing for our source; the yearning to go back to our real home. Through initiation, we are given the rare opportunity to learn how to silence the mind and empower our soul once again, allowing our consciousness to explore the realms of eternal peace that lie beyond this illusory world.

The Master ‘injects’, as it were, his consciousness and Light into the soul of the disciple at the time of initiation. This injection of his own consciousness and Light permeates the disciple like leaven and produces a new spiritual consciousness and Light as the practice of Nam is continued.
_{Maharaj Sawan Singh, Philosophy of the Masters, Vol. V}

In the holy scriptures, it has been said that the gift of initiation is the greatest gift of all for it is through this precious gift, if practised sincerely, that we are able to come face to face with our true Father. The question is, can we grasp the value of what we have received?

Gratitude is what instantly wells up within us when we receive a gift from someone, and depending on how valuable this gift is to us, we reciprocate accordingly.

We may receive a beautifully wrapped box with a silk bow and a greeting card containing a heartfelt message. Guessing from the feelings of the person who gave us this gift and from the appearance of it, we conclude that it must be something truly special. But can we ever know the value of this gift if we do not unwrap it?

We are grateful for our initiation. We most definitely cherish our Master’s presence in our lives; we find great solace when we feel his guiding and protecting hand over us. Moreover, we also find fulfilment in pursuing a goal that we know is truly worth striving for.

But the fact is, true gratitude and appreciation will only come when we realize or experience the actual contents of the gift we have received.

This disciple wishes profoundly that it could come within the power of human words, either spoken or written, to convey a proper sense or estimate of the wealth we have come upon through initiation into Sant Mat. But the story can never be told. It must be experienced in the innermost depths of the soul…. The little spark that now draws you on will have become the infinite Light, flooding all your souls with unutterable joy.
_{With a Great Master in India}

Meditation is nothing but an effort to unwrap the gift of initiation that has been given to us by our benevolent Master. Yes, the Shabd is and has always been within us, but the ‘touch’ of the Master on our soul during initiation – our priceless gift – enables us to manifest the beautiful treasures that we possess within.

It is up to us to unwrap this gift by dutifully attending to our meditation and adhering to the principles of Sant Mat. Our Master assures us that what will emerge is something that we could have never possibly imagined.