The Power of Love

If one thinks of the way things work in the world, of how complex our environment is, and how many different forces are at work, one has to ask: can I as an individual take credit for anything at all? If we set ourselves a goal and we pursue that goal with all the resources at our disposal, what are the realistic chances of success?

Looking at the bigger picture, to the extent that we are able, we can easily see that the complexities of life make the outcome of our efforts unpredictable at best. Sometimes one can see just how much the outcome of our actions is affected by circumstances and forces totally outside our control. At best we can hope to influence it, but it would appear that the casting ballot lies in other hands.

Since we have the inestimable blessing of initiation by the perfect living Master of our time, we can safely assume that he, at least, is aware of the bigger picture. (In a very real sense he is the bigger picture!) Knowing the whole picture puts him in a situation of control. But what do the Masters do? Do they assume control? Do they shape and mould the destinies of humanity? No, they say: ‘Sweet is the will of the Lord.’ The Masters of all the ages have advocated living in the will of the Lord by saying “He knows best.”

And how do we live in his will? This is less obvious, since it follows that if we are to live in his will, we must sacrifice our own will. So how do we surrender our will? Is it even possible?

The nearest parallel in our experience is that of love. When we really and truly love people, we want to please them. We want to do what’s best for them. When we find ourselves in love with another being, we automatically find ourselves less concerned with what is going on with us and more focused on the object of our affections. Only in the state of love does the ego automatically take a back seat and become subservient to the will of the Beloved.

It is not possible for us to consciously submit our will, to eliminate our ego; it is simply not in our capability. But in the state of love these things occur automatically. So perhaps we should abandon our efforts to eliminate our egos and live in his will. Instead we should focus on what will create that love within us, and release that latent power within us.

Both Maharaj Charan Singh and Baba Ji have told us that the love is there already; it just needs to be uncovered, like a light bulb that is wrapped in dark cloth. Our long association with body and mind has totally wrapped us in layer upon layer of karmas and desires. And until these have been dealt with, that inner light will not shine, and that love will not manifest.

But when we turn to our Master within, when we attend to our meditation and approach the eye centre, whether we succeed or not, love begins to dawn. As that happens, ego fades and weakens and our one growing desire is to please him. And how do we please him? By doing as he asks, by meditating and living the Sant Mat way of life.

Life sometimes really seems to be like a carpet that is rolling out in front of us, and rolling up again behind us. Past and future have an almost perceptible unreality about them, which should leave us with questions about the ‘reality’ of the present – the present which seems so tangible and undeniable that we tend to believe in it.

But our Master has taught us differently. It is all the Lord’s play-the shadow-show of our karmas, a projection of our fond delusions. So let us simply love him – while we toil under his direction to find our way to his feet.