The Stream of Life

Wisdom Teachings
The Flow of Life

All that exists is a flow on the river of existence. This stream emerges as an incessant flow from out of a source and pours out into creation with immeasurable speed. In the East this stream of the Divine Word coming forth from out of the Mother of the World is called Sarasvathi. In the Sarasvathi hymn it says, “Great is the velocity of the Word that flows downwards. Swans go out eternally therefrom. Contemplate upon the sound of the flow. Remain united with this sound.”

Sarasvathi is symbolically represented as a white-clad deity sitting on a swan and holding a seven-stringed instrument in her hands. This is a simple but profound illustration of the truth that the Divine Word governs over pulsation and manifests creation in seven planes. The flow happens as a double movement, from inside to outside and also from outside to inside. It is the pulsation of creation as expansion and contraction; in us it is the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. The sound of the flowing movement of breath is described as HAM-SA, meaning in Sanskrit swan. The repeated rhythm leads from HAMSA to the sound SAHA-AHAM, “THAT I AM”, which finally becomes the humming sound of OM.

When our minds are agitated, we get out of breath and the streams of life thus get disturbed. By regularly observing the rhythm of respiration the gossipy, excited mind slowly gets more silent. The number of breaths reduces and we get more and more inside, into the cave of the heart. While inhaling we can consciously go inside from the tip of the nose. The outward flow throws us out again with the following exhalation. Again and again, we go inside with conscious breathing in order to integrate ourselves with the inner man. In an advanced stage, when mind and respiration are consciously united, we realise that both, mind and respiration, are the outward flowing channels of the one stream of existence.

The double movement is the cause of the two energy streams flowing from the primary source into two opposite directions. The one flow conducts in us the activity of life, the other the activity of consciousness. The seat of life is located in the heart. The seat of consciousness is in the head, but it is also connected with the heart centre which is the meeting place of both streams. The channel for the stream of life is called the golden thread of life; the other, the silver thread of consciousness. The energy of our awareness streams out with the mind through the five senses into hundreds of directions. Through the senses and sexuality energy keeps on draining away into objectivity. If we don’t connect with the inner source we feel like dried out, dull and weakened.

As with a dam water is used for the cultivation of fields, the regulation of the senses and sexuality helps us to use the stream of life for the upward movement. When the energies move up on account of convergence they rise to the throat centre and even beyond, up to the centre between the eyebrows. As soon as the eye of the two-petalled lotus has formed itself there a luminous fluid of grace pours down from the pineal gland, enabling the marriage between the heavenly man and the earthy man.

We can visualise that we sit in the pulsating principle of the heart and envision the head as a sphere of light. Light pours down through a pillar from the head centre via the throat to our seat in the heart. Then we can imagine how, with the help of a deep respiration, we slowly move up to the point where we experience the soul in the eye on the front. In contemplation we see that a lotus unfolds from the eyebrows upwards, the nose forming the stem of the lotus and the eyebrows the two-part leaves. We see the front and the upper part of the heart as a light ball lying inside this lotus. Like a well-cut diamond the lotus has 1000 dimensions and emits radiant light. We can connect ourselves with the reservoir of Light and Love so that each prayer and contemplation fills us with Light and Love. In particular, when we speak the Great Invocation and visualise the outpour of Light, Love and Power, we enable the energies to stream in in a greater measure. However, we have to distribute these energies, and this not just through thinking or speaking, but through action. Only when we create an outflow can the influx continue to flow; without an outflow the afflux stops.

When we don’t have anything to give, we can at least impart hope, good words and a positive attitude. By supporting other people in solving their difficulties we create positive streams in us. They flow from our hearts and get transformed into healing thoughts. Healing establishes the free flow of vital energy. The healing flows are not generated by ourselves, but we receive them via the planetary intelligence. They originate from the planets and especially from the sun. Through the sun rays they get to the optical plane and through the oxygen to the etheric plane. The stream of cosmic love is received on the planet from Sirius, it pours via the Blue Mountains to a holy centre in the Himalayas. When we think of this ashram at that moment we are already linked with it.

Even though energies run constantly, the stream can only flow to us when the channel is good. When we have deposits in our system, the flow of life ceases. On each plane we should observe purification. On the physical plane, besides cleaning the body cleaning the tongue in the morning and defecation are as important as taking a shower. In order to remove emotional and mental blockages knowledge and the related action are necessary. Meditation and prayer create changes in the body structure in a subtle way so that blockages are eliminated and the pranic stream can get distributed all over the entire system. We can support this by mentally travelling through the whole body and ensure that we feel comfortable and the body feels well from top to toe. And also that there are no blockages in our mental attitudes. If the behaviour of others does not correspond to our view of right behaviour we don’t tolerate it and there is a blockage in us. Expectations also form barriers. For a good flow of energies we should dissolve our concepts and float over mistakes or different attitudes of others. When we have compassion love streams and harmonizes the other. Love is a happening and not a doing. If we meet from soul to soul, love flows automatically.

Hindrances are our own productions, they only exist in us, not outside. Inner disorders show as outer obstructions. To be able to overcome obstacles in the outer world our mental patterns have to be restructured. Some people have an idea which works out by itself. Others, however, bring ideas which cause a headache and where, with the very first step, you run against a wall. Right thought coming at the wrong time and not executed properly also obstructs the stream. When we have the right thought at the right moment the stream flows unimpeded. Jupiter has the key for it; his cosmic lord is Ganesha. When we worship his form through the sound of GAM, a restructuring happens through the energy stream. This sound is recommended to all those who want to clear their minds. It is also very helpful to align with the Master and to transfer the purification work to him.

To dissolve blockages it is proposed to live together with others. Where there is a good understanding between people energies flow. Communication enables cooperation and gives the experience of community. The Hierarchy has envisioned dance groups to dissolve rigidities and ingrained patterns. You dance in community so that all connect to the stream. The more the ego dissolves the more we connect with the dance of life and we can receive energy in abundance. The inflow of energy into us is from the super-soul and the personality is no longer a barrier. Firmly connected to the super-soul we stand in the continuous flow of life.

Sources: K.P. Kumar: The Aquarian Cross / notes from seminars. – E. Krishnamacharya: Spiritual Psychology. The World Teacher Trust - Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India.