Techniques of Knowledge

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The techniques of Knowledge as taught by Prem Rawat, known as Maharaji to his students, comprises four techniques that he claims will help his students direct their senses within to experience inner peace. Students often describe the experience as "going within."

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[edit] Descriptions

Two religious scholars describe these techniques, that originally were called "Light", "Sound", "Name" or "Word" and "Nectar", in somewhat different terms:

The Dutch religious scholar and Christian minister Reender Kranenborg wrote that the techniques are officially secret and described them as follows: light meditation means that one closes one's eyes and presses with the thumbs on the eye balls with as a consequence that they move towards each other. After some time one sees the light. Kranenborg says that the original intention of this meditation, as it is practiced in Tantrism, is the opening of the 'third eye' between the eyebrows on the forehead, but only after long training.; sound meditation means that one closes the ears by pressing on them with the thumbs, with the hands on the temples. After some time one hears the noise of blood and finally heavenly music. Kranenborg writes that this technique is a sabda-brahman-meditation in which one assumes the eternal vibrations that form the basis of the universe and form the divine; nectar meditation means that one tries to get one's tongue behind the uvula. If one succeeds then one can taste the nectar. Kranenborg writes that this exercise comes originally from yoga in which is it is a part of elaborate breathing; name meditation consists of following the breath going inside and of using mantras during exhalation i.e. hamsa and soham which means respectively 'swan' (the divinity) and 'I am that' (that is the divine). Kranenborg writes that this exercise is related to the 'japa-' or mantra-yoga that we also encounter at the Transcendental meditation and the Hare Krishnas.[1]

According to Kranenborg, the now defunct new religious movement Divine Light Mission that was led by Maharaji in the 1970's was special because the four meditations had been taken out of their context and had been greatly simplified.[2]

The American religious scholar J. Gordon Melton, describes these techniques as follows: "These four techniques reveal the means of experiencing the divine light, sound, word, and nectar. To experience the divine light, one places the knuckles on the eyeballs, a process which produces flashes of light inside the head. To discover the divine sound or music of the spheres, one plugs the ears with the fingers and concentrates only on internal sounds. The third technique involves concentration upon the sound of one's own breathing. Finally, to taste nectar, the tongue is curled backward and left there for a period of time. Once learned, these techniques are practiced daily."[3]

While Hunt, Kranneborg and others refer to these techniques as being secret, Maharaji only asks practitioners to promise "not to reveal these techniques to anyone. Let other people go through their own journey, and when they are ready, like you, they can get it. There are no shortcuts to it. There are shortcuts to many things in life, but there is no shortcut when the heart is going to be the judge. The heart cannot be talked into anything. The mind can be convinced, but the heart has to feel the real thing. Let people prepare. Then they, too, can have the techniques when they are ready."[4]

[edit] Experience

Jeffrey K. Hadden cites Maharaji in saying that "Knowledge is a way to be able to take all your senses that have been going outside all your life, turn them around and put them inside to feel and to actually experience you... What you are looking for is inside of you."[5]

Stephen Hunt writes that the major focus of Maharaji's teaching is on stillness, peace and contentment within the individual through the practice of these techniques of Knowledge, which include four secret meditation procedures. The process of reaching the "true self within", according to Hunt, can only be achieved by an individual but with the guidance of a teacher. Practitioners do not see themselves as members of a religion, rather, as adherents of a "a system of teachings that extol the goal of enjoying life to the full". [6]

Glen Whitaker, former national organizer of Elan Vital in the UK, says "That which we seek is already within us. The process of reaching it is one of learning to experience what is already there. It is one the individual needs to perform for him — or herself, with the guidance and help of the teacher".[7]

According to George D. Chryssides, this Knowledge was based on self-understanding, providing the practitioner with calmness, peace, and contentment, as the inner-self is identical with the divine, and that Maharaji emphasizes that Knowledge is universal, not Indian, in nature.[8]

The experience of Knowledge is described by practitioners as highly internal and individual. The techniques are to be practised privately, with no social structure or hierarchy related to their practice. According to students, there is no liturgy or social obligation involved, but Maharaji instructs them to practise the techniques daily for at least one hour to fully benefit from them. They also say that the techniques are universally applicable and their practice has no impact on or relationship to a student's gender, race, sexual orientation, economic status or national origin. Elan Vital, the organization that succeeded the Divine Light Mission, also states that practice of Knowledge will not affect a person's religion.[9]

[edit] Origins

The techniques of Knowledge were taught to Prem Rawat by his father, Hans Ji Maharaj, who learned them from Swarupanand, his teacher. The website "Maharaji.org" (1999) included the traceable story of "Masters" that according to Prem Rawat, referred to the techniques of Knowledge since 1780, including Totapuri, Anandpuri Ji, Dayal Ji, Swarupanand Ji, and his father Hans Ji Maharaj[10]

According to David Barret, these techniques have some similarities to techniques in Sant Mat derived movements and may be derived from Surat Shabd Yoga[11]. Kranenborg also writes that the techniques of Knowledge originated from the Surat Shabda Yoga or Sant Mat, the Path of the Sound Current.[12] This alleged relationship to Surat Shabd Yoga or Sant Mat is neither denied nor acknowledged in any literature from the organizations that support Prem Rawat's work, or by Prem Rawat himself.

[edit] Knowledge sessions

In his early days in the West, Prem Rawat or his instructors (called Mahatmas in India) conducted these sessions face-to-face with small groups, and these techniques were referred to as "Light", "Sound", "Name" and "Nectar"[13]; Maharaji now refers to them as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th techniques. [14] According to George D. Chryssides, this Knowledge was based on self-understanding, providing the practitioner with calmness, peace, and contentment, as the inner-self is identical with the divine, and that Maharaji emphasizes that Knowledge is universal, not Indian, in nature.[15] Jeffrey K. Hadden cites Maharaji in saying that "Knowledge is a way to be able to take all your senses that have been going outside all your life, turn them around and put them inside to feel and to actually experience you... What you are looking for is inside of you."[16]

As of the 2001 the techniques are taught via a multimedia presentation made by Maharaji. It is available in more than 50 languages (of which he speaks five himself: English, Hindi, Nepalese, Spanish and Italian. The other languages are dubbed). In this presentation, Maharaji explains the techniques step-by-step, demonstrating them in ample detail, to ensure that these are understood and practised correctly. The process takes 2 1/2 hours, of which one hour is dedicated to practicing the techniques, 15 minutes each. Before the presentation starts, people can hear Maharaji asking for three promises: a) to keep in touch, b) to give Knowledge a fair chance, and c) to not to share these techniques with anyone. He then asks attendees to stay and receive "the gift of Knowledge" if they agree with these three promises.[4]

The Knowledge sessions are facilitated by volunteers that operate the video equipment and ensure the comfort of the attendees and assist them if needed. Knowledge sessions are available throughout the year in most Western countries mainly during weekends. In India, due to the large number of people, there are Knowledge sessions every day of the year. In special cases such as people in hospitals, or bed-ridden, etc, these volunteers go to these people to conduct the Knowledge session at their convenience.

As of 2005, there is a self-paced process of preparation, called "The Keys," that must be completed before a person is taught the techniques of Knowledge. Going through the Keys process involves watching video materials in which Maharaji helps the person develop the understanding necessary to learn the techniques of Knowledge. [17]

Wim Haan, who belonged to a critical movement within the Roman Catholic Church wrote in an article while he was a student of theology at a seminary in a small town in the Netherlands that receiving Knowledge involved a formal initiation that the aspirant had to keep secret and that he believed that the reason for the secrecy was a direct connection between the techniques, the initiation and the need to live a life of devotion to Rawat. Haan, who did not receive the techniques of Knowledge, also wrote that the fact that other groups may also use the same techniques would probably not help to increase the interest in them. Haan wrote this article based on observations of the Dutch branch of the defunct DLM between 1980 and 1981. [18]

[edit] See also

Prem Rawat (Maharaji)
Techniques of Knowledge | The Prem Rawat Foundation
Elan Vital | Criticism of Prem Rawat
Hans Ji Maharaj | Divine Light Mission | Divine United Organization

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kranenborg, Reender Dr. (1982) Oosterse Geloofsbewegingen in het Westen/Eastern faith movements in the West (Dutch language) ISBN 9021049651
    Dutch original "De methodes van de vier technieken zijn officieel geheim. Maar geheimen blijven moeilijk bewaard en ook deze vier technieken zijn bekend. Ze zijn bij de Divine Light Mission vrij simpel.
    De 'meditatie van het licht' houdt in dat men de ogen sluit en met de duimen op de oogballen drukt zodat deze naar elkaar toe gaan en als het ware ‘het derde oog’ geopend wordt. Na verloop van tijd ziet men dan het licht. De oorspronkelijk bedoeling van deze oefening, zoals die in het tantrisme beoefend word, is inderdaad het openen van ‘het derde oog’ tussen de wenkbrauwen op het voorhoofd, maar dan wel na een lange en zware training.
    De ‘meditatie van het geluid’ houdt in dat men de oren met de duimen dichtdrukt, met de handen op de slapen. Na verloop van tij hoort men het geruis van het bloed en tenslotte hemelse muziek. Oorspronkelijk is deze oefening een sabda-brahman-meditatie, waarin men uitgaat van de eeuwige trillingen die de basis van het universum vormen en het goddelijke uitmaken. De filosofie van de ook in Nederland aanwezige Radha Soami Satsang is hierop gebaseerd.
    De ‘meditatie van het geluid’ houdt in dat men de oren met de duimen dichtdrukt, met de handen op de slapen. Na verloop van tij hoort men het geruis van het bloed en tenslotte hemelse muziek. Oorspronkelijk is deze oefening een sabda-brahman-meditatie, waarin men uitgaat van de eeuwige trillingen die de basis van het universum vormen en het goddelijke uitmaken. De filosofie van de ook in Nederland aanwezige Radha Soami Satsang is hierop gebaseerd.
    De ‘meditatie van de nectar’ houdt in dat men met de tong achter de huig probeert te komen. Wie hierin slaagt proeft de nectar. Deze oefening komt oorspronkelijk uit de yoga, waar ze een onderdeel vormt van de uitgebreide ademhalingsoefeningen.
    De ‘meditatie van het woord’ bestaat hieruit dat men de adem naar binnen volgt en bij het uitademenen mantra’s gebruikt: hamsa en soham, resp. als betekenis hebbend ‘zwaan’ (de goddelijkheid) en ‘dat ben ik ‘ (namelijk:dat goddelijke). Deze oefening is verwant met de ‘japa-‘ of mantra-yoga, zoals we die ook tegenkomen bij de Transcedente Meditatie en bij de Hare Krishna’s.
    Op zichzelf zijn de vier meditaties niet uniek. Het speciale van de Divine Light Mission is dat ze losgemaakt zijn uit het verband waar ze in passen en verregaand vereenvoudigd zijn."
  2. ^ Kranenborg, Reender Dr. (1982) Oosterse Geloofsbewegingen in het Westen/Eastern faith movements in the West (Dutch language) ISBN 9021049651
    Dutch original: "Op zichzelf zijn de vier meditaties niet uniek. Het speciale van de Divine Light Mission is dat ze losgemaakt zijn uit het verband waar ze in passen en verregaand vereenvoudigd zijn."
  3. ^ Melton, Gordon J., Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America (1992) pp. 143-4, Garland Publishing, ISBN 0-81531-140-0
  4. ^ a b The Keys website. Three promises. The Prem Rawat Foundation. Retrieved on Sept 2006.
  5. ^ Hadden, Jeffrey K. and Elliot III, Eugene M. Divine Light Mission/Elan Vital in Melton, Gordon J. and Bauman, Martin (Eds.) "Religions of the world: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of beliefs and practices" pp.428, ABC-CLIO (2002), ISBN 1-57607-223-1
    "The meditation techniques the Maharaji teaches today are the same he learned from his father, Hansji Maharaj, who, in turn, learned them from his spiritual teacher [Sarupanand], 'Knowledge', claims Maharaji, 'is a way to be able to take all your senses that have been going outside all your life, turn them around and put them inside to feel and to actually experience you... What you are looking for is inside of you.'"
  6. ^ Hunt, Stephen J. Alternative Religions: A Sociological Introduction (2003), pp.116-7, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 0-7546-3410-8".
    The major focus of Maharaji is on stillness, peace, and contentment within the individual, and his 'Knowledge' consists of the techniques to obtain them. Knowledge, roughly translated, means the happiness of the true self-understanding. Each individual should seek to comprehend his or her true self. In turn, this brings a sense of well-being, joy, and harmony as one comes in contact with one's "own nature." The Knowledge includes four meditation procedures: Light, Music, Nectar and Word. The process of reaching the true self within can only be achieved by the individual, but with the guidance and help of a teacher. Hence, the movement seems to embrace aspects of world-rejection and world-affirmation. The tens of thousands of followers in the West do not see themselves as members of a religion, but the adherents of a system of teachings that extol the goal of enjoying life to the full."
  7. ^ Ibid. The New Believers pp.327
  8. ^ Chryssides, George D. Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements pp.210-1, Scarecrow Press (2001) ISBN 0-8108-4095-2
    "Maharaji progressively dissolved the Divine Light Mission, closing the ashrams, affirming his own status as a master rather than a divine leader, and empahasizing that the Knowledge is universal, non Indian, in nature"[...] "This Knowledge was self-understanding, yielding calmness, peace, and contentment, since the innermost self is identical with the divine. Knowledge is attained through initiation, which provides four techniques that allow the practitioner to go within.
  9. ^ FAQs about Knowledge Elan Vital website, August 2005. Retrieved November 2005
  10. ^ Maharaj.org: Masters (1999). Retrieved on 1999-01-01.
    "Even though references to the technique of Knowledge are made earlier than 1700, this is the traceable story so far"
  11. ^ Barret V. David The New Believers: Asurvet of Sects, Cults and Alternative Religions" (2003), pp.327, Octopus Publishing Group , ISBN 1-8440-3040-7
  12. ^ Kranenborg, Reender Dr. (1982) Oosterse Geloofsbewegingen in het Westen/Eastern faith movements in the West (Dutch language) ISBN 90-210-4965-1
  13. ^ Lewis, James R. The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects and New Religions (1998) pp.227-7, Prometheus Books, ISBN 1-57392-226-6.
    "Initiation into the yoga occurs through a process referred as "giving knowledge" during which an instructor introduces new members to four yogic techniques which reveal the means of experiencing the divine light, sound, word and nectar."
  14. ^ Frankiel, Sandra S. in Lippy, Charles H. and Williams. Peter W. (Eds.) Encyclopedia of the American Religious Experience p.1521, Charles Scribner's Sons (1988), ISBN 0-684-18863-5 (Vol III)
    "[Maharaj ji] emphasizes a form of meditation that generates a powerful experience of inner light, sound, sweet tastes and vibrations
  15. ^ Chryssides, George D. Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements pp.210-1, Scarecrow Press (2001) ISBN 0-8108-4095-2
    "Maharaji progressively dissolved the Divine Light Mission, closing the ashrams, affirming his own status as a master rather than a divine leader, and empahasizing that the Knowledge is universal, non Indian, in nature"[...] "This Knowledge was self-understanding, yielding calmness, peace, and contentment, since the innermost self is identical with the divine. Knowledge is attained through initiation, which provides four techniques that allow the practitioner to go within.
  16. ^ Hadden, Jeffrey K. and Elliot III, Eugene M. Divine Light Mission/Elan Vital in Melton, Gordon J. and Bauman, Martin (Eds.) "Religions of the world: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of beliefs and practices" pp.428, ABC-CLIO (2002), ISBN 1-57607-223-1
  17. ^ The Keys Retrieved November, 2005
  18. ^ Haan, Wim (Dutch language) De missie van het Goddelijk licht van goeroe Maharaj Ji: een subjektieve duiding from the series Religieuze bewegingen in Nederland: Feiten en Visies nr. 3, autumn 1981 (Article is based on the Dutch branch of the Divine Light Mission) ISBN 90-242-2341-5. Note: Haan was part of a critical movement within the catholic church.

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