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| dikshA |
a human being is also endowed
with the capability of taking charge of this energy, and also direct it, and use it in whichever way one wants to. And the ultimate objective, called mOksha , or liberation, is when one's
energies have risen to the top of the head, called sahasrAra.While one can do this process on one's own, an assist by someone who has mastered this process already, called a guru, is of tremendous help in this regard.
Whichever tool one employs, be in chanting a mantra, performing a ritual, working on the breath, or performing action, if one has the help of someone who has already reached the goal, the process and the path, become extremely clear.
This process called, initiation, is known by the Sanskrit word dIkshA, which literally means, providing vision to see the path.
In this article, let's take a closer look at different kinds of initiations, and their importance.
The word dIkshA, is composed of two sanskrit words, da, and IkshA. da means giving, and IksA means sight.
The process of initiation, or dIkshA, is literally, the process of providing the capability to see.
This is why, you see in some of the dIkShAs a guru, touches the AjnA chakra, or the third eye center, of the spiritual seeker.
This is not always necessary though.
While there are hundreds of different kinds of dIkshAs for different types of situations,all of them fall under five broad categories.They are
Five board categories of dikshA
1. vAk dIkshA
2. sparsha dIkshA
3. samaya dIkshA
4. manO dIkshA
5. shambhavi dIkshA.
There have been so many masters who realized divinity within themselves who laid down many different paths, based on the skills, tendencies,and capabilities of the seeker.Some people are strongly endowed with emotion, while some are strongly endowed with intellect.
Some people find it easier to take charge of external activity in the world, while some are more skillful in taking charge on internal energies of the body.
Each one of us, is differently capabled when it comes to our levels of intellect, emotion,activity, and focus.
If people who have a cutting intellect, are put on the path of devotion, or bhakti, they will lose respect for the process and fall out of it, in no time.
If you ask people with a strong emotional response, to look at everything intellectually, they'll find the entire process, extremely frustrating.
This is precisely why so many different spiritual paths have been laid out by the masters, based on what works best for different kinds of spiritual seekers.
All of these paths ofcourse lead to the same truth.
Ekam sath, viprAH bahudhA vadanti.
एकम् सत् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति
It is one truth, that is presented differently by different mAsters.
Coming to the different types of dIkShAs, the simplest of them, is vAk dIkshA.
- vAk dIkshA
in this process, a guru, reveals the path and the process, either through a mantra, or a demonstration.
The main medium of communication here, is speech or vAk.
This kind of an initiation is most helpful when the tool being given to work on oneself, is a chant.
The disciple is supposed to hear, memorize, and repeat the sound.Even if it is okay for the disciple can chant it out loudly in the beginning, the objective of vAk dIkshA is to internalise this sound to such an extent, that it starts reverberating within oneself as a constant companion.
Continuous practise of this chant, will slowly fructify as mantra siddhi.Since the medium of communication here is speech, this type of initiation, can be set-up by the guru, to be transmitted from one disciple to the next.
The next form of dIkshA, is sparsha dIkshA,
- sparsha dIkshA
where the master touches the disciple, to transmit the awakened energy within his or her own self, into the disciple. This can be thought of as a process of induction. The sparsha, or contact can vary from as intimate
as a hug, to as distant, as being poked with a stick.
There has also been an instance of Ramakrishna paramahamsa, being given a sparsha deeksha, by his Guru Totapuri, by pressing a sharp stone against his forehead. The medium of communication in sparsha dIkshA is touch, and it used to bring the disciple to a state of experience or perception. This form of dIksha, is more immediate in terms of results than vAk dIksha, but it takes a certain intimacy and trust between the master and the disciple.
The next form of dIkshA, is samaya dIkshA,
- samaya dIkshA
where the process of guidance, happens through a ritual.This culture has seen elaborate rituals, using specific objects like copper, silver, and gold, that are extremely good conductors of energy.
These rituals may also use yantras, and processes involving naturally occurring substances that carry a lot of prANa, or life energy within them.
Some simple examples of these are milk, turmeric, camphor, sandalwood, lemons, and so on. This type of initiaion is even more direct than vAk, and sparsha dIksha, as it employs both internal energies as well as external support, to guide the seeker forward. Since the medium of communication here is a ritual, this type of initiation,like vAk dIkshA can be set-up by the guru, to be transmitted from one disciple to the next.
The next two forms of initiation are done at a subtler level, and are hard to express through words.
- manO dIkshA
is the process of initiation that happens at the level of manas, which is not exactly the mind. manas, is seen as a subtler dimension of the
human body, which carries memory. When a seeker is initiated at this level,
the process shines as a light from within, even if the seeker is unaware of it's physical presence.
While vAk dIksha, sparsha dIksha, and samaya dIksha, need the seeker to continuously keep the process up in order to find results, manO
dIksha, takes charge from within, and drives the seeker towards the results.
Finally, the most intimate of initiations is shAmbhavI dIkshA.
- shAmbhavI dIkshA
This can happen only when there is an utmost intimacy between the seeker and the guru, because here, the master imparts a part of their own self, into the seeker.The literal meaning of shAmbhavi, is belonging to shambhu,
one of the forms of lord shiva.
This is also one of the names of goddess shakti.There is extensive praise of the power of shambhavi, across yogic literature.
This process of initiation is kept extremely secretive in the tradition, because this is something that requires a great level of capability,
and commitment from the guru.
It is generally deemed unwise to use this method to initiate seekers who are not committed to uphold the path and the process.
Imparting one's own self into a disciple who may not commit to the path, may even end up harming the Guru.But if a disciple is committed
in the process, there is no quicker way to growth than this kind of an initiation.
This is why shAmbhavI dIkshA is seen as one of the highest forms of initiation.
So, is dIkshA, or initiation important to progress quickly in the spiritual path, yes, it is.
Is it absolutely needed to be on the spiritual path, no, ofcourse not.
It is a question of having guidance and improving effeciency.
A very simple analogy would be, When your objective is to win at the olympics, you can train on your own, but having a coach set a vision for you, and guide you along the process, makes the process less frustrating, more focused, and fruitful.
This is exactly what dIkshA is all about.
namaskaram 🙏