The Living Master

We need to be honest with ourselves about the living Master. Baba Ji often reminds us that the Master is merely a concept to us. Around the world, most followers of Sant Mat have been privileged to attend his satsang or perhaps even to meet him in the course of seva. And if we are truthful with ourselves, we would acknowledge that the being we see is not always the figure we have built in our minds through studying the literature available about the sublime Satguru.

A concept is generally a theoretical idea or general notion but, as we may have experienced when we study holiday brochures, ideas may prepare us but cannot give us the true pleasure of our sun-drenched holiday by the sea.

So we have a mental view of what the Master should be but, when we see him, the being we respond to so easily is neither the concept nor the reality. We see an attractive human being – radiant, quick-witted, kind and full of humour. Even the most cynical would have to agree that the warmth he emits creates a yearning inside and a hope that he could be their personal best friend.

But will we ever see the Satguru? Baba Ji helps us by giving the following advice – given also by those glorious Masters around whom many of our great religions were built and who inspired us in our quest for God: “Attach yourself to the Shabd!” Baba Ji tells us to attach ourselves to the Shabd because only then have we a chance of truly seeing the Satguru. After initiation we should do simran because it draws the soul currents to the point at which we will draw near him inside; and bhajan so we may practise listening to the Holy Name.

Meditate! And when he sees us trying, that inspirational teacher whose presence makes us really want to see him again, might show us a flash of his real self. Then at last our behaviour could approach that of disciples about whom we read in the books – sitting quietly and adoring the eternal radiant wonder of the Master’s face.