The Power of Thought – Part Three
Thought is the creative force of the universe. In fact the universe is nothing more than energy (Prana) manifesting as form shaped by the underlying power of thought. The ancient Rishis, along with the modern Masters, have all demonstrated the creative power of thought through various “miraculous” feats. Of course these feats were not miraculous at all, because thought itself is unlimited and can never be bound by so-called laws of nature or of science.
Whenever the situation calls for it, these Masters have the power to conjure forth whatever is needed, in order to demonstrate the power of the mind to overcome obstacles or the vicissitudes of life. When the disciple Peter was confronted by tax officials in Capernaum, demanding to know whether they would be paying the customary tribute, he went to Jesus asking what they should do. Jesus responded by saying that they owed nothing to the kings of this world. Nevertheless, he went on to say:
“Notwithstanding lest we should offend them, go thou unto the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” (Matthew: 17:27)
Materialising a coin inside a fish is a modest example of the of power of the mind to manipulate energy into form. When the renowned Rishi Lahiri Mahasaya received his initiation from his Guru Babaji high in the Himalayan mountains, the Master prepared for his disciple a materialisation of truly stupendous proportions.
As Paramahansa Yoganada described in his book “Autobiography of a Yogi“, after a lengthy march along a narrow track that wound its way through towering trees, Lahiri and his companion were suddenly confronted by a stunning sight.
“Before us stood a vast palace of dazzling gold. Ornamented with countless jewels, set amid landscaped gardens, reflected in tranquil pools – a spectacle of unparallelled grandeur! Towering archways were intricately laid with great diamonds, sapphires and emeralds. Men of angelic countenance were stationed by gates redly resplendent with rubies.”
Lahiri Mahasaya was speechless at the magnificence of the panorama that lay before him, and imagined that the long mountain climb had caused him to hallucinate this amazing palace. Seeing the look of disbelief on Lahiri’s face, the disciple who had led him to this place in the mountains explained:
“In tune with the infinite all-accomplishing will, Babaji is able to command the elemental atoms to combine and manifest themselves in any form. This golden palace, instantaneously brought into being, is real in the same sense that the earth is real.”
Lahiri and his companion made their way through archways inlaid with precious jewels, past groups of chanting devotees, until they reached an immense hall. At the end of this hall they saw Babaji himself seated on a golden throne. It was in this lavish palace, situated in the middle of the high Himalayas, that Lahiri Mahasaya received his yogic initiation. Later, when the ceremony was complete, Babaji asked Lahiri to close his eyes.
“When I reopened them, the enchanting palace and its gardens had disappeared. My own body and the forms of Babaji and his disciples were all now seated on the bare ground at the exact site of the vanished palace, not far from the sunlit entrance of the rocky grottos. Although stunned, I looked trustingly at my guru. I knew not what to expect on this day of miracles.”
“The purpose for which this palace was created has now been served” said Babaji. He then lifted up an earthen vessel from the ground. “Put your hand there and receive whatever food you desire.” Lahiri touched the broad, empty bowl. As he did so, hot buttered luchis, curry and sweetmeats appeared. Lahiri noticed that no matter how much he ate, the bowl continued to remain full. Finally, when he had finished eating, the food vanished leaving nothing but the empty bowl in his hand.
The entire manifestation that we call our waking world is thought-formed, just like the palace created to serve the needs of Babaji. The energy that makes up our outer universe is shaped by thought, and is sustained for as long as the thought persists. As soon as we cease to sustain the energising thoughts that make it up, the outer form vanishes, and the energy subsides into the substratum of the Void, that physicists of today call the Quantum Field.
