Quote of the Week 17 - Instant Samadhi

"People often come to me for instant knowledge, instant samadhi. They say, "I do not want to do anything. Please, Swamiji, give me ashir-vada (blessing) [may also be a request for shaktipat initiation]." Let me assure you that samadhi is not something that dawns all of a sudden. There is nothing like instant samadhi or instant enlightenment. Many of you think that a guru comes and blesses you and you are in samadhi. This never happens. Many people would like to be enlightened in a second’s time without having to do any preparation. If someone has the power to awaken the dormant power of shakti, the primal force of kundalini, how are you going to handle it if you are not prepared? In the path of sadhana [spiritual work], preparation is very necessary. Preparation does not mean making any physical effort. Preparation means becoming aware of another level of consciousness."
"Consciousness does not dawn all of a sudden without sincere efforts. If you are tired of efforts and if you do not know what to do next, then grace dawns. The greatest power in the world is the divine power of grace. This happens when you are prepared, when you have done your duties properly, and you have completed all the preliminaries. Grace comes and fills the gap you find in human life…That grace comes when you use all your human efforts. That is called the ascending force [human effort; grace is the descending force]. When you are tired and you do not find the way, you say, Now I cannot do anything. I have used all of my resources – my body, with all my little power; my breath; and my limited mind. Now I have reached a plateau. There dawns that wisdom that helps you, that leads you to the other shore of life."
"There is something called shakti-pata that a teacher gives. It is not the mass hypnosis that people use for a gimmick. A guru can give shakti-pata to his prepared disciples. The ascending force comes when they have prepared themselves, utilizing all human potentials. Finally he touches them. What is his touch? The descending force or grace. It is possible, but you have to prepare yourself."
From Samadhi, the Highest State of Wisdom, by Swami Rama