Experience Writing as a Spiritual Practice

“Whatever people may say, whatever their interpretations are, experiences are our own. We can truly own only our experiences. No words can truly explain it nor other’s theories can nullify it. There is no need for explanations; and testimonials are usually for re-installing faith in the minds of the people. For the one who experienced it, there is no need to speak. If the experiences uttered will help others to see higher realms and understand unusual possibilities, it’s worth the breath. Faith makes us open to the Divinity. Faith makes us experience. Human mind always likes to reason and judge. Firm faith can move mountains while mind can create limitations and bind one to the lowest states while in reality one possesses the potential for the highest.” Brahmarishi Mohanji

We need to emphasize the benefit of experience writing as a spiritual practice. The process of writing helps one to relive the moments, that usually pass in a flurry in Mohanji’s presence, to uncover the nuggets of grace and wisdom that were showered by Him. This will help the person later in moments of doubt and darkness. Also reading the experience inspires and uplifts others so the writer gets more “good karma” points.

An experience sharing is not a favour to Mohanji and the tradition. It is an expression of a gratitude for the Grace that was received.

The tradition reveals its presence through experiences and testimonials. Case in point – the Sai Satcharita, the Bible and numerous other spiritual books. Hence, this is also the means of the tradition to guide and uplift people and point to the presence of a higher purpose, a higher possibility.

In these times of turbulence, emotions and the associated negativity are at a high. Doubts are rearing their heads and faith is being tested in these times. This is the time to ensure that there is enough positivity injected into the system to ensure that people are not overcome by darkness. 

Do yourself and everyone else a favour, write your experience today before the retreats, meditations, encounters, practices become just another faded memory.

With Love,
Mohanji Team

Reasons for experience writing

M: I have been stressing the point of sharing experiences, mainly because of two matters. 1. To own your experience(s). 2. When you articulate it, it gets re-confirmed or clarified to yourself or your conscious mind. Owning one’s own experience is very important to one’s spiritual progress. How will articulation help? Simple. We are constantly bombarded with tons of information and many comparisons. Each person is unique. We cannot and should not compare the experiences of one another.

But when you start owning your own experiences you will also develop a witness attitude (Saakshi Bhaav). You will start to observe yourselves more than listening to the words of others.

When we read books and hear the opinions of other seekers, we may feel either inferior or superior. Both are harmful. We are ourselves. We are incomparable. We can only start walking from where we stand. So start walking and be happy with your own pace and growth. Never compare with another. We are all like planets rotating around the sun, existing in its realms. Each one of us has our own beginning, end and unique track. Be grateful to existence and keep walking. Divinity is definitely guiding you.

What brought you to spirituality? The innate craving of your own soul for liberation from the endless birth-death cycle. All the Gurus have echoed the same philosophy, in different words and times. The core is the same. It is love. Love without conditions. Love without boundaries. If you are reluctant to share experiences, at least keep a spiritual diary. Note down your experiences with utmost gratitude.

Your mind will need reconfirmations and affirmations at each step, because, we are not immune to the outside world’s influence and opinions. At that point in time, when you will almost be ready to disown your own experiences because of other people’s opinions, you can refer to the diary and take inspiration to move further. Disowning your own experiences is equal to blocking the divine grace. Shyness to recognise and accept your own experiences could also mean that your ego is blocking total acceptance.

Lack of acceptance is also lack of faith in yourself and your experiences. Without faith in your own thought, word and action levels, there is no progress. Not only spiritual progress, there will not even be material progress. Faith in yourself and in God is truly essential.” From “The Power of Purity: Essential Essays & Answers | About Spiritual Paths & Liberation” by Mohanji

The biggest mistake is to deny our own experience

The best master for you is your own soul. If you can follow the guidance of your own soul, you have everything whatever you need for this journey of life. Acquired knowledge, accumulated knowledge from others, sometimes is usable, sometimes it is a waste. The biggest mistake we can make is to deny our own experience because of other people’s words or knowledge. Accept your experience with gratitude. Please write it down. It is called spiritual diary. Because sometimes our mind will say it did not happen. You are just lying, or joking. But when you write it, it is there. You cannot deny it. And it makes you more powerful, complete.

The two fundamental mistakes we make every day are we think a lot what other people should do. They have their own intelligence. It is not our business. Likewise, we try to adjust a lot to other people’s command, including compromising our inherent qualities. Waste of time. If we can avoid these two things, we are fine. We are relaxed. There will be no fights.

Denying your own experience hinders spiritual growth

Tendency to swap our own experience for other’s words hinders spirituality. Man stagnates because of constant detours. Any kind of attachment and binding also hinders spiritual growth. This includes habits too. Liberation from everything is the aim. In order to achieve that, we should start accepting ourselves the way we are, with all our deficiencies, pluses and minuses. We should also accept our experiences and own them and be free to express them. It does not matter even if the entire world may laugh at you and consider you as a dreamer. Your own experiences should be cherished and honored. Belief in them is essential to transcend them. This does not mean that you can develop attachment to them. You should accept them as a personal experience and keep walking further. Never care for other’s opinions about it, unless it is coming from a higher master. Once we accept ourselves, we can detach from anything. (From “FAQ about More or Less Everything”)

I say no ownership, but the context where I say “own your experiences” is different. This means, when you have profound spiritual experiences, during meditation or in the company of masters, do own them, nourish them, cherish them. They are your own. That is the point from where you will grow. Mind may have some ideas, borrowed from others. That might hinder your progress by asking you to ignore your own experience and believe in someone else’s. That is a fundamental mistake. We are not another person. His experience is unique to himself. You are yourself. Your experience is unique to yourself. OWN THAT. Be proud of that. Start your journey from that point. You will evolve higher and higher. Information is in the air. When your antenna develops the capacity to decode information that you are eligible for, you will automatically receive it. The guru principle will make sure of that. So, no need to worry. Own your own experience and be proud to talk about it. Do not worry about others who might ridicule you. They are doing so, because your consciousness is unique to yourself and others cannot see what you see. Believe in yourself – Your SELF. (From “In Service of the Guru Principle”)

Cherish your experiences

M: Always bank on your experiences. People can have various opinions and understanding levels because every being is a unique constitution with his/her own understanding and experiences. So when they say, “This is right, this is wrong,“ please understand this is their opinion.Your own experience is the most powerful guiding factor in your life. Your experience is very important for you. Never ever discard your experience for the sake of anything in life. If you do, you disown your own growth or you are discarding your own progress. This should not happen. This is very important to remember. If your experience was good, keep moving ahead with gratitude. Love it and love yourself for whatever experiences you have gone through in life whether it is positive, negative or neutral. Experience is experience. Accept it, live it and move with it. (from Guru Purnima message 2015)

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Q: After I did the Power of Purity meditation, I took a bath afterwards… I went into a different dimension while I was in a bath tub and you were there, but you were doing a completely different thing. It was a completely different life I had! It seemed as it was happening right now.

M: Because time stood still. See, in this physical form time is horizontal, linear time where you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow, next moment. So we have to experience this. But when the linear time goes away and the time is vertical, you see your association with me or my association with you, all these things, and you become aware that I’ve been guiding you since ages. When I say „I“ I do not mean this body, don’t think it as body, then you will never understand the truth. If you think of me as the body, this is a very limited understanding. This body is only for some time. I’ll leave this body, but I have existed always. That’s why I wrote in a blog,“I’m a time rider. As long as time exists, I exist.“

Q: But after the experience the time did not exist and I could remember what time it was, what time I had to go to work, where my work was, I had used my GPS to get there and I looked maybe familiar and I could remember my passport but I made it from the whole day and I worked, but I had my book to remind me of my passport…

M: You must write this down. That is why I always insist, “Please write your spiritual diary.” Because many people do not understand. I have seen some saints saying that this is hallucination. One man told me on Himalayas, “Mohanji, some of these people come to me and tell me these things, these are all hallucinations.“ So I asked him, “Then what is reality?“ He couldn’t answer me. If you have not experienced and others have, that doesn’t mean it’s hallucination. Some people cut it down and arrest you to this life, which is the most dangerous thing to do. That means you will be forced to take more incarnations, because of ignorance. I always tell them, “If you have seen the light, please go further.“ I push them,“…and don’t worry if you fall, I’m holding you, but you walk. Try.“ I like to see people walking on their own. I like to see that happening. Because you are independent by birth. Or before birth. You are independent and free by nature. So keep walking. My job is to make sure you don’t fall down. That is what I’ll do and you don’t have to ask me for it, meet me or tell me. That’s the role which I play.