How does the urge for spiritual development, the urge to be free from sam'sa'ra (world of opposites), the urge to know God, arise?

Human beings, especially in youth, have a deep need to explore both the external and internal world with no particular purpose other than to soak up different experiences and vibrations through the gateways of the senses. This exploration may go on for quite some time. Sooner or later, in a year or in a few lifetimes, we tire of this exploration.

A time comes in our lives when everything looks bleak and depressing. A promising relationship portends only years of washing dishes and petty arguments. Food is tasteless, books seem to offer nothing new. A new career seems like an uphill trudge. Money buys things, none of which are truly satisfying. The world has been tried and accepted but life no longer brings meaning, satisfaction or happiness. Life seems to lead nowhere.

As an empty feeling rises in our hearts, the world ceases to attract us. It loses its allure and begins to look dull. We conclude that we have failed in the search for happiness in this world and stop looking for water in the desert. Such is the way our soul summons us to begin the journey to our Divine home.

Since this worldly life is all we know up to this point, we start searching for that something unknown that we faintly perceive in our hearts. We talk to friends and visit churches and ashrams in hopes that there will be an answer to the prayer: "Oh, Most High, if you really exist, please, lead me to the right path."

At this point, our condition must be carefully examined. A soul's longing for its home must be carefully distinguished from escapism or depression due to failure to achieve worldly success. Depression should be treated by a clinician-a psychiatrist or therapist-but a soul's longing is a call for a spiritual teacher to appear.

When you have thought enough, when you have suffered and learned enough, your prayer for guidance will be answered. "The teacher appears when the student is ready." You will meet a teacher who can transmit a certain spiritual knowledge in an effective way to you. Such information will move you beyond your thoughts and feelings into the spiritual world. The Sanskrit name for this transmission is diiks'a', or initiation.

Actually, the English word initiation is a vague and incomplete translation of the Sanskrit term diiks'a'. The English word, though rightly implying a commencement of something, does not convey the idea of a cleansing process, which one must undergo before and during one's journey. (Henceforth in this text, we will use the term initiation instead of diiks'a' for readability. Likewise, we will use the term meditation to refer to the system of meditation practice learned through initiation, as opposed to the insight meditation technique, which is recommended as a preliminary practice.)

Diiks'a' is derived from the initial syllables of the Sanskrit words diipajina'na (pronounced Deepuh-g-'yuh-nuh) and ks'aya, which means light of knowledge and purification respectively. Thus the process of initiation leads to the attainment of the light of knowledge and the destruction of accumulated sam'ska'ras (karma). Walking a spiritual path without initiation is like going on a journey at night through a dense forest full of wild animals. It is wise to bring a lamp with you. The light of knowledge is this lamp. (It is also a weapon of discrimination.)

Receiving the initiation gives the impetus to, and is a catalyst for, the disciple to advance along the spiritual path through conceptual understanding of the mystic meaning of mantra (mantra caetanya) and by the incantative impact of mantra (mantra'gha'ta). The incantation (mantra) strikes at the divinity sleeping at the base of the spine, i.e., kundalini at Mu'la'dha'ra Chakra, and awakens it. The ascent of awakened kundalini purifies the mind and the body. It is concurrent with destruction of sam'ska'ras, and its other name is spiritual progress. The light of knowledge (diipajina'na) specifically shows the disciple the direction to take on the path. Spiritual progress cannot happen prior to initiation because the light of knowledge is unavailable.

Some individuals think that they have received initiation, though they have neither met a kula guru, given the oaths at his or her feet, offered the teacher's fee (gurudaks'ina'), or received mantra caetanya and diipajina'na. It is true that some people do receive initiation in a dream, in a vision or through direct intervention from God. (The latter may appear as an accident.) But such cases are extremely rare. Even great spiritual masters such as Milarepa and Ramakrishna sat with a teacher for initiation. When people say that they have been initiated by these rare methods, they are probably deceiving themselves. It is more likely that they are unable to trust a real teacher in flesh and blood. If the initiation has not been sought (and accepted), it might be unpleasantly conspicuous evidence that the person is not ready for, or seriously interested, in the progress on the path.

As difficult as this may be for some of us to hear, for the majority of us, there is no initiation without a guru. Most people need the guidance received through initiation, because the kundalini shakti needs to be awakened in each life anew. Of course, each of us retains the memories of our past lives' spiritual accomplishments, and, interestingly enough, these memories both deceive us into thinking we already know the way and draw us to our teacher who will show the way.

But it is important that we do not confuse the memories of the past with the reality of the present. Working with a competent teacher is the only way how to be sure that you are not deceiving yourself. The human mind is a devious devil. If you do not think so, then you definitely need a teacher to show you...

Sages of the past faced a peculiar dilemma: how to transmit spiritual knowledge, which cannot be communicated in common human interaction, for instance in words or actions? It is said of this situation that "the disciple is deaf and the guru is dumb."

These wise men designed a process of initiation whereby the guru infects the disciple with a seed of spiritual knowledge that has been skillfully concealed in the mantra received during the initiation. As the disciple repeats the mantra correctly and with reverence, this seed duly grows into a full-sized tree of spiritual realization.

A mantra transmitted through initiation is not just a mantra-it is a siddha mantra, a perfected mantra. It has been used to attain God-Realization by one or more great yogis. Therefore, it carries the vibration of that accomplishment, which will greatly assist you in your own journey to success. There are several perfected mantras, but not every mantra is perfected mantra. Having received a perfected mantra from your teacher, you really do not need anything more. The mere repetition of such a mantra will bring eventual results.

Initiation is the confluence of the student's faith and the guru's grace, whereby a student becomes a formal disciple. By receiving tantric initiation, a disciple-to-be makes a commitment to, and permanently accepts, both the teacher and his meditation system. In fact, initiation binds a student to the guru and his or her system of practice. This is a very serious matter, as there are grave consequences if you decide to quit the practice and leave the path after receiving initiation. For the thoughtful, determined student this is in no way negative news, but rather an incentive and the foundation for achieving the long-term benefits of initiation and the spiritual path itself, benefits both definite and profound.

Tantric initiation is like a spiritual marriage between guru and disciple. The two become linked through the power of initiation. Even if you attempt to dissolve the human relationship, it is merely delayed and must be taken up and continued in another life, until the disciple has achieved Self-realization.

The sophisticated mantra meditation technique received through initiation is much more powerful than the insight meditation technique that I recommend as a preliminary practice (and that is effective by itself, albeit a bit slow acting). Initiation aggressively forces mental impurities to the surface. It is sure to bring up a storm to unyielding beliefs, inefficient thinking and deeply held emotions. It will shake you loose from your attachments as an earthquake shakes rocks loose from a mountain. You may see some dear relationships collapse. You may be forced to change professions. That is why I demand that a candidate be clear about his or her decision to receive initiation. I also demand that a canditate consider very carefully the time that he or she accepts initiation. That is why I recommend that people practice insight meditation for a while, both as a preparation exercise and as a way to clarify to yourself your true intentions.

Tantra refers to qualification for initiation as adhika'ra, which means specific entitlement or spiritual qualifications. The term implies both student's readiness for initiation and his or her spiritual and personal compatibility with the teacher and his system of meditation. The student must prepare him or herself and become ready, but once ready, he or she is entitled and can demand initiation.

In recent years, Western society has developed a myth that anyone can do anything regardless of his or her innate capacity, preparation, or attitude. Being determined and eager is very important on the spiritual path, but it is not the sole thing, and certainly not everything.

Traditionally, teachers look for certain traits in a disciple-to-be. A student should come from a good family, be pure of heart, focused on achieving the highest human attainment (God-Realization), be benevolent and service minded, cautious in his or her thoughts and actions, and free from conceit. The disciple should be eager to serve the teacher and his mission and demonstrate in practice that he or she is ready for sacrifices required for service to Self (meditation practice) and service to humanity. (Meditation will quickly become dry without an outlet for love that develops through its diligent practice.) Finally, the candidate should be ready to give up his or her plans (both small and large) in order to yield to the teacher's instructions.

Of course, all the requirements for readiness can be dismissed by the guru for some esoteric reason, such as the merits of the meditation practice performed in the past, the preexisting teacher-student relationship or special dispensation from God.

Personally, I prefer low-maintenance people-those who are independent and motivated enough to persevere on their own. A question persists in my mind as to whether or not a dependent personality type is mature enough for a path worthy of being called spiritual. Perhaps dependent persons need to experience some maturation, or even psychological counseling, before soliciting tantric initiation.

After receiving initiation including several additional meditation lessons that follow, you do not need to have much if any contact with your teacher but to do your practice sincerely. Success is assured. There is a legend of a young man who came to a guru for initiation, which he received. He then retired to a distant cave for practice. Twenty years later, he came back as a realized master to offer thanks to his teacher whom he did not see for twenty years. Tantra values and rewards independence.

My master's method of initiation is straightforward and to the point. By removing most of the ritualistic embellishments common to most tantric traditions, he pared down the initiation process to its bare essentials. His contribution to tantra is, thus, very significant.

The process of initiation and meditation techniques are generally kept secret from public. The secrecy of the process is required to ensure that powerful (and, thus, dangerous) knowledge does not fall into hands of those who are not trained to use it correctly and safely. The secrecy of the meditation techniques themselves ensures that the disciple will not lose the energy that will develop through continuous meditation practice through frivolous talk with persons who need not or should not be taken into confidence.

In essence, the process of receiving the initiation consists of three parts. First, you firmly grasp the hand of God by solemnly promising to bring harmony into your life through nonviolence and a compassionate, serving attitude. Second, your teacher imparts a sophisticated mantra meditation technique that you will practice for the rest of your life.

The third and last component of initiation is the most important. You request the Supreme Being to hold your hand. This is done by offering your loyal love and service to God, your teacher and his work. If this gift of love and service is offered with no reservation, God will take special responsibility to guide you, i.e., He will securely grasp your hand and pull you into His lap. This gift to God and guru is called gurudaks'in'a' or teacher's fee. If you don't take this last step, you will be on your own-without direct intervention of the Divine. The spiritual path is treacherous without God's direct help, for His grasp will not fail.

This brings us to the issue of the cost of receiving initiation. Initiation is offered free to qualified individuals-no financial or material value has to pass from disciple-to-be to guru.

The initiation, however, is incomplete without the offering of the gurudaks'in'a'. This Gift has two aspects, because it has to be offered both to the Guru as the Universal Teacher Principle and to the guru as a human being. The gurudaks'in'a' is really your life itself, because God is your only Guru and He already owns you anyway. You offer your life back to God, by doing sa'dhana' (spiritual effort) day and night, through devotion (Bhakti) and selfless love toward all beings (Seva), through sincere spiritual practice and service work, respectively. And the small picture: you serve your guru by contributing to his teaching, mission and organization and to him or her personally (making sure that both food and mortgage are paid for). Naturally, you must also take reasonable care of yourself and your obligations to your family, etc.

Let me emphasize that tantrik initiation is impossible without the person of the tantric guru, whose importance must not be in any way underestimated but must be appreciated by the prospective disciple. The guru, as a person representing the Universal Teacher Principle, should be rewarded accordingly and plentifully. The teacher is God's gift to you! Thus, it is the duty of the student to participate in the maintenance of the material welfare of the teacher and his or her mission, both as an act of love and as a repayment for the debt created by receiving initiation.

Let me put gurudaks'in'a' in a nutshell. By giving yourself to God through love and service, you are securing His active participation in your evolution. When God receives your offerings, he is under an obligation, a covenant, to deliver you from the troubles of duality. Your external life may not change immediately, but His is a very real promise that will help you greatly on the spiritual path. Since initiation is a life-transforming event-in fact greater than birth or death-the practical expression of gurudaks'in'a' should reflect this fact.

We can shed additional light on gurudaks'in'a' by explaining how it brings the destruction of sam'ska'ras (karma). According to the natural law of karma, each action has a corresponding reaction, which is equal in degree to the original action, provided the three fundamental factors of time, place and person remain unchanged. The reaction is usually of greater magnitude than the original action, because there is always a change in these relative factors. The more the delay, the greater the interest to be paid on the reaction to the original action. After a few hundred human lives, the debt to be paid may be truly momentously huge!

However, after receiving initiation, even if there is a change in the relative factors of time, place and person, the payment of extra interest will not be necessary (and in some cases the principal will also be significantly reduced). God always considers how His devotees can be freed from the burden of their accumulated karma and achieve liberation. After all, He is the Father of everyone, the sinner and the virtuous-it is His duty to think of the spiritual well-being of His children. Thus, the Supreme, knowing that His devotees cannot carry such a heavy load of sam'ska'ras, takes their sins without their permission-He steals them because He loves them so much. One of the names of the Lord is Hari: "He who steals sins of His devotees."

I like giving initiations! On one hand, it takes enormous energy (and a great deal of training) to connect to the Universal Teacher Principle Who, in fact, imparts the initiation. On the other hand, the beauty and bliss of the Supreme Presence are indescribable. I may pray, meditate, strive, beseech, cajole, and God will show His sweet face only once in a while. When I give initiation, however, He has to come-not for me, but for the disciple-to-be. I get the side benefit of His adorable company! When I give initiation the vibration in the room becomes so powerful that I feel inspired for days afterwards. The room itself becomes charged with spiritual energy, making it particularly suitable for deep meditation.

What is not pleasant about giving initiation is that I take on sam'ska'ras that must be removed to elevate the initiate's vibration, so that the student is able to receive initiation and then practice meditation. Since I am a reasonably experienced and strong person, I am usually capable of digesting most of the student's karma. Sometimes, however, I experience strange thoughts and weird dreams that reveal a few naughty secrets about the disciple. I may even fall sick for a while, especially if I give several initiations in a row. Overall, however, processing someone else's karma is a positive phenomenon, because I process and release some of my own sam'ska'ras along with that of the student.

I used to crave giving initiations for the personal need to experience proximity to God. Now that that need is addressed adequately through other means, I decide to give initiations based on the state of advancement and the need of the person soliciting it. Practically, this means that, if you desire to be initiated, I am a bit more difficult to approach.

To sum up, the purpose of initiation is to ensure that you move forward on your Path. After receiving initiation and practicing prescribed sadhana, a sa'dhaka's mind will not be burdened for long because his sam'ska'ras will be destroyed in an accelerated manner. He or she will experience mental peace and advance happily along the path of life. After initiation, it is impossible to go back, because the process ensures that a disciple is gradually purified and that the Light of God burns brighter and brighter within.