Hi there. If I had thought that I had hung up my hat, well I am back writing another post. It was hardly hours ago that I wrote in the last post, I would take a break from writing. But something of interest came up that opened up my understanding further as I waited for my car to be repaired this morning. I wanted to share it with my readers too. What could I do while waiting, but to begin writing? For I do not browse the web and net aimlessly to kill time. I just cannot do it. I cannot sit passively watching reels upon reels of trash that are uploaded or shared these days. We have become slaves to this one tiny palm-sized gadget, the smartphone. If the elders in those days upon waking up looked at their open palms, we these days wake up and look at this glaring screen in our palms. We just cannot seem to leave it behind or look away even for a moment. Just look around us and we shall see ourselves in others. This is one thing that we seem to share alike. Take a count on how many sit around or walk, gazing not on the road or up ahead or to the skies or the nature that surrounds them. We see children playing and having great fun at the park, and we see the adults accompanying them, who are supposed to join them in the fun, staring at this gadget. If in the past our joy and pleasure after a hard day at work was, sadly though, not in returning to the family, wife, and children, but the TV box that delivered continuous hours of entertainment, this small gadget in our palms has taken its place and practically taken over our lives too, these days. Our joy and fun it seems come out from this tiny gadget that brings the world to our fingertips. Yes while there is equally a whole world of information on the net that has come to replace physical books too, we have to learn to be selective in what we follow, read, or watch and not go on watching all that is shared and streamed continuously. As my time has to be used for something useful and productive, I am selective about what I watch or whom I follow. It should be informative, constructive, and life-changing.
Sending my car for service to the foreman who had just opened up for business for the day, he went about with his routine prayer to the deities paintings that he had placed at several altars at his worship and also across the road. I inquired about this practice of worship to the "Lesser Deities" or "Siru Deivam". We shared some moments talking about their world and their souls. An interesting thing that caught my attention was how the foreman came to place an altar of these deities, Madurai Veeran and Kali in his home too. I learned that the reason he and most likely others too were asked to place a painting or statue and worship these deities at home was if and when their houses were sitting in the path of these deities when they made their rounds. It is akin to the elephants that are said to have a good memory keeping to the same path all year round, crashing into and bringing down barriers, and constructions laid later by man and obstructions in their way. So when the elephants came gate crashing at Kallar ashram as most likely it was on its path too, Mataji upon consultation with others had a granite statue of Lord Ganapathy installed on the premises and worshipped. The story goes that when we sit on the path of these deities traversing their route who are known to travel in a straight line, as they do not maneuver the bends, curves, or obstacles, which was news to me, we are subjected to their wrath. So is it that we hear of uncalled visitations into the homes of people, and freak accidents on the road when they cross our path or rather when we sit on it or cross their path.
Now I understand the encounter my office colleague had with a deity many years back. He, his cousin, and his friend were having some beer one night in an open restaurant. His cousin left to pee some distance away. When he returned he wasn't himself. While his friend made a dash for it, my friend could not leave his cousin behind. The deity in his cousin asked that my friend deliver him to a temple that he kept pointing to. As my friend saw no temple in the vicinity, the deity sat in his car and began to show him the way. But he kept saying go straight all the while, often raising his voice for not following. My friend explained that he could not go straight as there were turnings, bends, corners, and numerous obstructions. Eventually, he saw a temple and they got off. He asked that my friend light up the camphor and immediately left his cousin's body. Now it is pretty obvious that these souls and deities travel in a straight line.
My wife some time back had discussed with Agathiyar, telling him that she could not bring herself to make offerings for the dead. Agathiyar explained that we do not need to make offerings and don't need these offerings. But those who had carried many desires and had wants that never saw the light of the day or were never fulfilled have to be appeased. They have to be given these offerings. I came to understand from my foreman friend who has been living and working with the Chinese community since 17 years old, that the Chinese community has got it right in getting to appease their ancestors' souls by burning mock cars, houses, and cash, all in paper, for their use in the afterlife. This brings us to accept what our community does, serving whatever the dear and dead loved to eat, days after their death and annually and a day or two before Deepavali.
All these make sense now. The subject of souls and their travels is truly intriguing. We can understand this gross world to a certain extent but trying to fathom the subtle and invisible is a challenge. Most gurus do not dwell on this subject but prefer to solve our day-to-day challenges. But Agathiyar wants us to prod the subject of souls and understand its workings. By this, I guess we will come to accept everything visible and invisible. I guess that is the reason I for one who drew a line between the "Siru Deivam" and I told them "Let us not cross paths" was made to receive them in my home and places I went to, with Agathiyar telling me that they too were his creation and not to sideline them. Just as in any administration or organization, there is the rank and file so is it with their realm.
The world of the Gods is truly amazing. If the above was a journey traveling the external, when we initially connect with them through external worship and Puja, and external rituals and later move within taking up Yoga, amazing changes take place in this gross and physical body. A reversal takes place whereby we begin our journey back to being a child in all manner. When Agathiyar said the soul or Atma after building this dwelling to house itself and the breath stays with the child, from 1 to 5 Varagai, a time frame that I am not familiar with before the Atma is veiled, this seemed interesting as I grew up hearing the story from my mother that Lord Brahma, who determines our fate, speaks to the child revealing and giving a day by day account of his or her life's events. This is why we see all sorts of emotions in a newborn. The child smiles, cries, etc in his sleep. The elders always warn us not to press the soft spot on the head. We feel this spot throbbing when we place our palms gently on it, remembering not to press it. Some time back, a reader from Kerala shared the following belief that was prevalent in her homeland.
In kerala (maybe you heard abt or too) special attention with reverence is given to the new born babies' top of the head. The portion where the skull is not closed.. we say that the soul connects to you through that pit. When Agathiyar told this I thought about it..
When the fetal skull closes the conversation with God ends. Science describes the skull of a child as follows.
The fetal skull contains cranial bones that have not yet joined together. The spaces that lie between the large cranial bones (the frontal bone, the parietal bone, the temporal bone and the occipital bone) are the membrane-bound fontanelle. This is why new borns have a "soft spot" on their head.
The anterior fontanelle is the largest of the fontanelles. It forms a "diamond-shape" structure and can take between 12 and 18 months to form the coronal suture that joins the frontal bone to the parietal bones. The anterior fontanelle closes at about 12-18 months and is larger than the other.
The posterior and sphenoidal fontanelle appear more "triangular-shaped" and close within a couple of months. The posterior fontanelle will close to form the lambdoidal suture that joins the occipital bone with the parietal bones.
The sphenoidal fontanelles (one lying laterally at each side of the cranium) will close to form the squamosal suture. The squamosal suture is bordered anteriorly by the frontal bone, superiorly by the parietal bone, posteriorly by the squamous portion of the temporal bone, and inferiorly by the greater wing of the sphenoid bone that joins the temporal lobes with the sphenoid.
(Source: https://www.scientistcindy.com/the-skull-anatomy.html)
Though nothing of this makes sense to me as I cannot imagine it by just reading it, the skull is said to give way, and the opening that was once in the infant in the beginning, but closed up as the ego in us was strengthened by our personal likes and dislikes, practices, habits, and external causes, reopens by the grace of the divine and the divine practices given and undertaken. The crown of the head begins to throb. A swirling sensation is felt that is equally cooling too. Sakthi the volatile energy that is both constructive and destructive, which created this gross body and the Tattvas in us and went into hibernation in the Muladhara, upon awakened by the grace of the divine and Yogic practices or by other means, rises up to meet Arujothi or the Effulgence that comes within through this soft spot. The Arujothi that comes within to meet its other half the Sakthi at the Crown Chakra, Sahasrara, where the union takes place is then engaged in the dance of Siva and Sakthi. Next is Atma Darisanam where the Soul that traveled with us and maketh us into who we are both physically and spiritually comes before us revealing its form as the guru and guide. We taste God. The individual is charged with Divine Grace. Gnanam dawns as the Prapanjam becomes accessible. Beyond this, only the experience of Brahmam exists. This is Samadhi.
This subject was brought up when one of the foreman's assistants who accompanied him to come to my assistance when my car tires were punctured beyond repair when I went over nails presumably thrown on the road some time back. His assistant who did not fail to notice the extraordinary growth of my hair between the time he saw me last then and today, enquired about it. I told him that yes it was growing at a fast rate and that it was black now. To the question, as many who know me and saw me asked, why I did not crop my hair, I just brushed it aside saying let it be. But the truth is that Agathiyar had told me before the advent of the pandemic itself when he dissolved the AVM group in September of 2019 and asked me to go within, not to let anyone touch my head. But during the lockdown barbers were not accessible and since Agathiyar had said thus, my wife would give me a crop.
But on 22 August 2022, I felt an "explosion of energy" in my belly as I woke up and stretched in bed. It felt like I had stretched a nerve below my belly button. I felt nauseous and my whole body became numb to the fingertips. Then a sudden swirl of energy was released in my abdomen bringing on a cold feeling throughout my body. I had to pee and ease myself. For fear that I would pee in bed, I got up to go to the toilet. I fell twice but picked myself up. It soon subsided. Towards night the top of my head was cool. The next day, I woke up to go to the loo but I could not piss. I fainted again. I called my wife asking her to bring the peacock feathers over and brush my body. My body became numb from the shoulders down. I lay like a log on my bed. I could not move an inch of my body. But I was aware of what was happening to me. I asked myself if this was what a dead body would feel like.
Seeking answers to what had taken place, we placed a request before Agathiyar to clear the air. And he did. He told me the following. There was nothing to worry about. Previously he had told me that energy had stagnated what I understood to be at Svathisthana. Tavayogi told me that our effort is only till this chakra. They have to come and lead us on from there. It was released now. But since the chakra was activated late in life the blood is affected. The blood count will tip the scale. He gives a warning to all of us. When the chakras are activated late in life it would have some adverse results on our bodies. When the heat of tapas increases in our body, blood flow will be less bringing on numbness. This would result in urinary and excretion problems. As it worried me and my wife, Agathiyar asked to go for a Medical checkup. He asked to seek allopathy treatment. He did treat me too by dipping my hands into a bowl of lukewarm water to the accompaniment of my family chanting the Arutperunjothi mantra. He ran his hands along my back and spine, placed his hands on my head, and applied the sacred ash over my body.
Agathiyar even spoke of death in the event it happens. Death is another doorway to another journey says Agathiyar. "Do not be afraid of death. It is but another door to another journey. One who invites death is a Siddha. There is much I need to carry out through you. Enough of my praise. Write about your bodily experiences. Let your writings be about the changes taking place in your body. Let your readers know the changes that take place in the body if they come to worship the light and seek to merge with it. My wisdom shall be your experience. Experience first and I shall clarify the experiences later. Experience is knowledge to you. Nothing is beyond experience."
The doctor gave me a clean bill of health. Agathiyar removed the fear in me though both he and Ramalinga Adigal had told me not to fear on numerous occasions. Though I knew a cleansing process was going on within I needed assurance that it was not a medical problem or problems that crop up with old age. When I ask him for an easier approach, Agathiyar tells me that there is no easier way to attain or merge with the breath, the sensation, the vibration, the magnetism, the Prapanjam, and the Jothi. With a little effort from us, the Siddhas shall aid us further. Then the energies will do the rest. Agathiyar surprised me by saying that my gurus should have come to my assistance. But as they are engaged in his work, they have asked Agathiyar to come to our needs. The Siddhas never abandon us in times of need.
The swirling sensation felt for several weeks in the abdomen just below my navel was regularly felt in the crown of my head but with a lesser intensity in the days to come. A chill and swirling went on irrespective of my daily activities these days. It was more intense each time I brought my attention to it. I guess this is what Agathiyar meant when he said I shall feel a magnetic wave arise. A couple of days later, it seemed more like a flowering of petals and was blissful. Following the flowering in the crown that went on without my effort, participation, or action, I asked Agathiyar what I should do further. His reply was to do nothing and that it shall do its work. But I am time and again told not to lose my cool and get angry for it shall bring me down from this state and it shall all be a wasted effort.
So, thenceforth, I even told my wife not to give me a haircut. Thus this is the reason for growing my hair long.
Just as I completed the draft sitting at the workshop, I received a message from a reader.
If it shall be a real break from the blog, I guess Agathiar appa is teaching me and may be some other ardent readers too - to let go of attachments to your blog aiya. Acceptance takes time, but as how the (AVM) Whatsapp group desolved and finally I came to acceptance, this shall happen too. Thank you so much for your blog entry aiya. Looking back, It have change me and my perspective all together to better way.
I thanked her adding that Agathiyar was known to throw surprises.
Muruga tqvm ma for being an ardent follower. But knowing appa he is known to throw surprises.
And she replies,
I will be watching out for the surprises. As I always mention, u are a lighthouse.