398. Baba Shiva Rudra Balayogi

His teachings are simple, but profound: You have forgotten your Real Self. You are that abode of Supreme Peace. Through meditation, devotion and selfless service this illusory ego can be removed, and your true immortal nature of Supreme Peace and Permanent Happiness realized. His Holiness Shri Shivarudra Balayogi (affectionately known as Baba Maharaj) is a Self Realized Yogi - one who has completed the path of Yoga and attained union with the Supreme Consciousness. A direct disciple of Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj, He entered His Guru's service at the age of 19 and was later initiated into Sanyas, a monastic life of pure devotion and service. He was placed in charge of the Dehra Dun Ashram where He spent 20 years absorbed in intense spiritual practice, combining selfless service, devotion to His Guru and deep meditation. Following the Mahasamadhi (the passing from this world's physical form) of His Guru in 1994, Shri Shivarudra Balayogi was initiated into the spiritual practice of Tapas, in which He meditated for an average of 20 hours a day continually for the next 5 years. The culmination of this was the attainment of the goal of all spirituality - Self Realization, the permanent union of the mind with the Supreme Peace of Infinite Pure Consciousness. He now travels the world carrying on His Guru's mission of teaching dhyana meditation, true devotion and selfless service. Baba Maharaj is the embodiment of gentleness and compassion. His life itself is His teaching: devotion, selfless service to humanity and unrelenting effort in striving for spiritual perfection. Shri Babaji offers initiation, freely and without obligation, into the technique of dhyana meditation which He used to achieve Self Realization. He engages audiences worldwide with His profound spiritual insight, drawn from deep personal experience rather than scriptural study. His teachings are the purest form of the sublime philosophy of Self Realization taught by the ancient Sages of India. Website: shivarudrabalayogi.org Books: His Master's Grace: The Tapas Experiences of Shri Shiva Rudra Balayogi Maharaj The Peace Within Viveka Choodamani: The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination Shiva Hara Gurudeva The Path Supreme Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded 5/1/2017 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Baba Maharaj 00:03:45 - The Guru and the Yogi 00:07:44 - The Beginning of Spiritual Inquiry 00:11:39 - Meeting Guru Shivabalayogi 00:15:28 - Joining the Bangalore ashram 00:19:19 - Divine Experiences and the Role of the Guru 00:23:00 - The Value of a Self-Realized Guru 00:27:07 - The Guru-Disciple Relationship 00:31:12 - Finding the Right Guru 00:35:10 - Kanakadasa's Test of Faith 00:38:47 - Tapas: Burning the Habits of the Mind 00:42:39 - The Meaning of Tapas 00:46:31 - The Guru's Manifestation 00:50:09 - The Three Stages of Manifestation 00:54:08 - Surrendering to Swamiji's Blessings 00:57:36 - Retaining an Ego after Enlightenment 01:01:20 - The Divine's Intelligent Work 01:04:55 - Tapas and Detachment 01:08:54 - Gradual Shift of Attention to Your Own Self 01:12:42 - The Importance of Practice 01:16:19 - The Mechanics of Jangama Dhyana 01:20:02 - Watching the Mind 01:23:48 - The Awareness of the Self 01:27:42 - Fixing the Gaze on the Tip of the Nose 01:31:33 - The Usefulness of Samadhi for Spiritual Bypassing 01:35:11 - Overcoming the Past and Planning for the Future 01:38:48 - Becoming a Self-Realized Soul 01:42:09 - Finding Balance Between Surrender and Determination 01:45:35 - The Role of Spiritual Teachers in Self-Realization 01:49:32 - Cultivating the Mind and Practicing Spirituality 01:53:06 - Expressing Gratitude and Well Wishes