The Path To An Illuminated Awakening

By Steven M Schorr

The Path To An Illuminated Awakening is a guide book for the aspiring Jiva or incarnated being who is searching for meaning in life and an understanding of how to achieve integration with the Paramatma or Spirit. Based on Teachings gleaned from his previous book "Perceptions of Truth, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali", Raj Agni re-contextualizes, reframes and reorganizes this ancient insight into a pathway for the western disciple, providing understanding and a fresh perspective that will be valuable to all serious students of esoteric thought. This book will be especially useful for those who have read or have an interest in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781631921070

Book preview

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INTRODUCTION

hat an extraordinary privilege to be alive! Physical incarnation is rare, even in this age of seven billion Jivas. We must have utmost respect for life and be eternally grateful for the opportunity to be here. Each breath bears witness to the miracle of existence. We stand in awe of the complexities of life, the body, the intricacies of our senses and how they interact with the world.

Our nature is one of experience. We feel both pleasure and pain. We open our eyes to see and the world of infinite colors, shapes and scenes appears. When we listen, we hear the ecstatic sounds of nature and music fills our hearts. We taste and smell, experiencing the richness of aroma and the flavors that sustain our very existence. We touch and we connect with the earth and each other, chemically, viscerally, and energetically.

The paramount goal for every Jiva is to arrive at the Spirit’s essence knowing that we are that. This is the point of breakthrough when integration with Paramatma/Spirit is achieved. The road is an arduous one. There are many pitfalls, obstacles and impediments along the path leading to an epiphany of understanding and the full integration of sentient consciousness with Spirit. There are many instances of failures, setbacks and regressions. As we ascend, so can we descend. In the spiritually mature Jiva these disappointments only serve to inspire and renew efforts and striving, with greater determination enthusiasm and clarity toward achievement.

Arriving at integration with the Paramatma/Spirit with even a resemblance of purity wil be a.supreme achievement, for it is impossible not to become affected by the journey. Upon reaching the great goal and realizing emancipation we receive our reward of eternal happiness. We become Jivanmuktas, or liberated beings.

On the Path of Awakening

It was an early spring day a little after 3:00pm when my regular up-hill walk home from my 4th grade class at PS103 in Bronx, N.Y. was interrupted by an unusual sensation in which I became aware of a greater presence. It was as if the sky had opened up and all else seemed distant and diffused. The incredible sense of Spirit reached out to me and in no uncertain terms indicated that a connection to a greater awareness was with me. There was a sense of destiny, expansion and of wonder at this. I apprehended the knowing of a greater source of being, my connection to it and also of others who were watching and aware of my presence in this incarnation. A feeling of belonging to a greater understanding and a purpose yet undefined. I felt uplifted and transported into a different state of being, one in which a deeper association with my true nature was revealed.

New York, 1966

In 1966, the New York City counter-culture was abuzz. Born from the jazzy cafe culture of The Beat Generation and fertilized with the explosion of folk rock: Bob Dylan, The Mamas and Papas and the Lovin’ Spoonful, in New York City’s East Village in Lower Manhattan the seeds planted by artists, hipsters and musicians of that era sprouted into psychedelia.

Strange new stores called ‘head shops’ began to pop up on the side streets off 2nd Avenue, like the mushrooms that inspired them. They were replete with flashing multicolored light machines, day-glowing black light posters and the thick smoke of of exotic incense. These sensory experiences seemed to allude to altered states of consciousness.

At 13, I was drawn to this effulgent sensory brew like a moth to the flame. As a city kid recently cut loose to ride the subways at will, I regularly made the pilgrimage downtown to explore this newly created world. The evidence and inner sense was undeniable. The world as we knew it was about to change.

Into this rich cultural brew came the arrival of a new wave of eastern Hindu yogis and masters introducing the ancient teachings of India into the fertile consciousness of the nascent western mind. Swami Satchidananda set up shop on Manhattan’s upper west side teaching his form of yoga called Integral Yoga. He was an impressive man with a lion’s mane of dark long hair and a thick grey beard. I came to learn Hatha yoga from the Yogi himself. Often arriving with a few friends I found myself easily swayed by the unruly behavior of our young group as we would stand on our heads and mock the practice. We were often shown the door. My curiosity, and perseverance did not give up. Eventually the flavor of the Indian yogic way, and the reverence accorded to Swamiji sank deeply into my consciousness.

Then I had a chance meeting with A.C. Bhaktivendanta, known as Prabupad to his devotees. He was the founder of ISCON (the Hare Krishna movement) who introduced Bhakti Yoga to the west. In particular he introduced the chanting of the Maha Mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Ram Ram, Hare Hare. He was to be found at an old storefront on 6th street off 2nd avenue. A diminutive man wrapped in saffron robes, I had never seen anyone like him before. Kind and gentle he led the chanting on my first experience of Hindu ecstatic chant/dance and the tasting of prasad (the sacred food offered to the Deity). This was accompanied by a march down 2nd avenue with Prabupad in the lead followed by Beat poet Allen Ginsburg banging a big chest-held marching bass drum and a scraggly band of devotees of all shapes and sizes behind, wildly singing Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna...

Esoteric Training

By 1968 I was seriously immersed in the study of the esoteric teachings of the Trans-Himalayan Masters, as presented in the books of Alice Bailey and was enrolled in their Arcane School. While an engrossing and complex foundation to any one interested in exploring the concept of the Spiritual Hierarchy, the sheer volume of material spread over her many books (ascribed to a Master named Djwhal Khul also known as the Tibetan) presented a formidable course of study. These Teaching were a further dispensation of the predecessor works of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society, established in New York City in 1875 and later based in Adyar, India.

My studies led me to a visit to the Manhattan based Headquarters of the Arcane School and to their library. What a treasure trove of old esoteric tomes that to my experience had been unknown. Most of the books were from obscure authors and filled with deeply compelling titles and subject matter. I made my way slowly from aisle to aisle carefully examining the titles and searching by intuition. Several aisles in, and placed low on the shelves were a curious series of books that caught my eye. I had been guided to the teachings of Agni Yoga. In that moment a great explosion of awareness and the deep feeling of destiny unfolded in my mind and heart. I felt that I had been led to the ‘inner sanctum’ of esoteric teachings and personally touched and guided by the Masters themselves.

I learned that the teachings of Agni Yoga were taught in the most advanced levels of the Arcane School, and subsequently re-aligned my studies exclusively with those of the Agni Yoga teachings, a path that was decidedly self-initiating.

Agni Yoga

The Teachings of Agni Yoga comprise a series of books of profound esoteric insight, depth and breadth. They are considered to be the ‘Yoga of Accelerated Evolution’ by their adherents. The work is presented in 17 books that were transmitted to Helena Roerich, wife of Russian artist Nicholas Roerich and written concurrently from 1920 to 1941. They cover a very diverse range of subject matter and were transmitted from the Trans-Himalayan Master Morya Lai Singh known to be the guru of Helena Blavatsky, a founder of the Theosophical Society in 1875.

Agni means fire in Sanskrit, the Creative Fire of the Universe. In the Agni Yoga books, Agni often refers to the primordial light and life at the root of the universe, cosmic energy, or the Fire of Space. Fire is a powerful transformative energy. It is psychic energy, and powers the human mind, heart, and especially the flow of creativity.

Agni Yoga teaches that spiritual liberation depends on cultivating an awareness of unity with the Higher Forces so we may be guided and protected by the compassionate enlightened beings of the Hierarchy of Light. Using co-measurement we come to understand the relative importance of relationship with these Higher Beings, and act accordingly.

Agni Yoga transformed my life as I began years of study immersing myself in reading, annotating and reviewing the teaching. Through the instructions of the great Mahatma Master M, my life unfolded under the guidance of the esoteric principles of introspection, self-discipline and application of an ancient lore conveyed in a sequential process allowing ever deeper levels of understanding to manifest in the mind and heart.

India 1996

Brother you have returned exclaimed Jivan, already a very old man and one of the closest disciples of the great 20th century Hindu Saint, Neem Karoli Baba. What took you so long? he said, with great emotion. I felt a deep sense of connection to Jivan and to the Maha Samadhi temple and ashram of this great Saint. He embraced me as a near and dear one, a brother in Spirit returning from a long and arduous journey. How and what did he know?

It was at the Neem Karoli Baba ashram’s Maha Samadhi temple in Vrindavan, India, just as Arti (worship with light) had finished and twilight was almost spent, that I was introduced me to Jivan. We both shed tears of joy at the ‘reintroduction’ on the steps leading to the temple, which housed the ashes of the great Saint and his murti (statue likeness).

Jivan often ran with Baba, accompanying him on his many adventures in the 1940's, 50’s and 60’s mentioned in Dada Mukerji’s book The Nearest and Dearest. He had a genuine connection to Baba, deeply reverent and filled with bhav or spiritual emotion. Each of Jivan’s recollections of Baba were accompanied by his quivering voice and streams of joyful tears.

Jivan had served Baba faithfully and was witness to many of the miracles associated with him. He could attest to transcendent experiences in Baba’s presence, bi-location, his disappearance from sealed rooms, omniscience, the ability to know and change the course of his devotees lives and the extraordinary love and compassion he showed to all. I was profoundly transformed by receiving this gracious warm welcome. My entrance and first experience of the place was preceded years before by a lucid ‘darshan dream’ and now I was astounded by the exacting