Light From Eternal Lamps–Essays On Practical Spiritual Life–by Swami Nirmalananda Giri
Out of the Abundance of the Heart
“For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
Our mind is a mass of vibrating energies. All of the impressions and traits of our mind are like whirls and waves in water. All our thoughts are modifications of the mind energies. And our so-called personality traits that we think are so firmly established are really nothing more than longer-lasting modifications of these energies. We can say that they are like energy mechanisms within the mind, subject to formation, modification, and dissolution.
Furthermore, the mind has a basic rate of vibration according to the type of energy of which it consists. If we take clay and make a sculpture, it may be art, but it still is clay of the earth. Whatever the shapings may be, objects of wood, stone, or metal are still wood, stone, and metal. It may require some penetration beyond the surface appearance to discover just what the basic material is, but that does not alter the fact of its substance.
Our Lord Jesus is saying this very thing–that although human beings may look alike, they are formed of differing energies, especially in their inmost levels which are symbolically called our “heart.” In Hinduism there is the caste system based on these differences. It is interesting that the word translated “caste” is the Sanskrit word varna which means color. That is because in ancient India people were classified according to the predominant color seen in their mental aura. (Although it is common in Western occultism to simplistically speak of “the aura,” we have many auras–one for each of our various levels of existence, or “bodies.” Thus it can be very misleading to have our auras “read” by psychics, since they may not be able to distinguish–or even perceive–the various auras, but only see one level according to how their own minds are vibrating.) The sages of India could see the color of the mental (manasic) energy of each person so could assign their caste. This was not done by birth, nor was it done until the person was fundamentally developed in his personality. Those who educated the children usually were the ones who did this. Caste is a matter of inner psychology, not one of birth or parentage. In this sense caste is a universal phenomenon, not confined to the Hindu system.
Why is this so important to us?
“Out of the abundance the mouth speaks” is an occult principle. A person’s speech–that is, his voice–conveys the vibration of his mind energy. Although what is heard is an interpretation of neurological impulses, on the subtler levels a vibration is going out from the speaker, entering into the psychic bodies of the hearer, and vibrating within the hearer’s mind. There is no way to prevent this, either. If someone speaks and you hear, the connection is made. This is of course true of all sound, therefore we must be exceptionally careful as to what we admit into the depths of our heart by the gate of hearing.
This is very true regarding music. As we listen, the vibration of the sound, of the psyches of the performers, and of the composer–all three–flow into the depths of our being. It is only wisdom to discriminate about our physical food, and so, too, we must take care about the psychic “food” that we “eat” through the senses–hearing being the most immediate contact of all.
In the context of the esoteric power of speech we understand how Jesus could say: “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
It has been noted by those fortunate enough to spend time with saints that it does not matter what the holy ones speak about–even though it be the most simple and mundane of subjects–their hearers are always uplifted. Conversely, those who are dead inside–however great their claims and publicity to the contrary–convey nothing to their hearers but more deadness of heart. The empty speak emptiness, the dead speak death, and the defiled impart defilement. Those with deceitful minds speak lies even when their words are true.
We need not wonder then how Hitler could lead people astray through his words, silly and shallow as they were. He was imparting his distorted consciousness to them by means of his voice. His speech itself injected his madness into them. The spoken word–completely outside the intellectual meaning–affects us profoundly for good, for evil, or for nothing. Every atom of Hitler’s mind vibrated to evil and that evil became contagious, poisoning those who listened to him. Fortunately, the reverse is true of those who have enlightened minds. Their words are healing and light-bearing.
I know a man who was riding in an auto in Calcutta and heard from a great distance just the faintest murmur of a voice over a loudspeaker. He said that he heard just an indistinct sound that he knew was a voice. Yet he was drawn to it as though from the depths of his heart. He had to find that person who was speaking! Immediately he had the driver turn back and begin following the sound, eager to discover the source. After a while they were able to distinguish that it was indeed a voice speaking. In time they found the place of origin, which was a large gathering of people listening to the discourse of a great Master. That day my friend became the saint’s disciple and his life was changed forever. Although the sound had been faint, the vibration of the voice had entered his heart, and his spirit had recognized that here was the path to life–and responded accordingly.
Once Yogananda spoke very sharply–even harshly–to a (real) disciple, accusing her of things she had not even done, concluding with the command to get out of his sight. Later on other, much lesser, disciples asked how she had felt during the unjust tirade. The disciple smiled radiantly and replied: “I thought: ‘Oh! my guru is speaking to me!’”
Another disciple told me: “He [Yogananda] would talk to us about just the littlest, tiniest, most insignificant mundane things, just idle chitchat seemingly. And yet we would stand there with tears streaming down our cheeks while he was talking to us about something as insignificant as how nice the grass looked, because he was flooding us with divine love through those words.” In contrast the foolish often said: “He never talks to me about philosophical things. Why doesn’t he talk to me about profound things?”
Moses had a speech impediment, but that made no difference. Sri Ramakrishna, too, had a slight stammer. But those who heard His words came to life.
What does all this mean, practically, for us? First, we must be aware of the potential influence upon–and within–us of whomever speaks to us directly or is heard by us involuntarily or by choice. Most of us have had the experience of “feeling creepy” when just hearing some people speak. We feel “dirty” or somehow violated after listening to them, especially if they speak to us directly. And we are right, because we are being defiled by their vibrations flowing into us. There are some whose vocal vibrations can make others physically ill or mentally confused.
Because of this it is necessary for us to be established in the inward consciousness produced by meditation. For that consciousness is like a shield and a filter, deflecting that which is evil and letting in only that which is good. Those who meditate deeply will be protected from invasion by the spoken word. Yet they will be able to feel any negativity that comes near them, even though it cannot touch them.
Even intrinsically harmless bombardment of ordinary speech can be detrimental. As spiritual aspirants we are trying to unify ourselves, to produce in our consciousness a uniformity of magnetism (vibration) which tends upward to higher evolution. Yet through much verbal contact with others we can become a sort of a vibrational hodgepodge. (This is even more true of telephone contacts, for some reason.) When I was young I understood nothing about these psychic matters, but I was very sensitive to others’ vibrations. If I spent much time with a person of strong magnetism I would find that for quite a while after leaving their presence, whenever I would think I would hear their voice inwardly rather than mine. It would be their voice speaking my thoughts within my mind. This was so weird it did not even frighten me. I looked upon it as a personal mental peculiarity. Now I understand that I absorbed so much of their vibration that, like a chameleon, my mind took on their vibration and began to “broadcast” with it. I was so imprinted with their vibration that my inner bodies even took on their voice. That was ended once I learned to meditate.
This is particularly crucial in relation to spiritual teachings and teachers. Even when what appears to be good is being spoken, if it comes out of a corrupt heart of one who is speaking the good for ulterior motives, then that so-called wisdom is defiled and it is poisonous to us. Even when they speak the truth it is a lie. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of the Evangelist John, spoke of those who mixed poison with good words and got the unsuspecting to “sweetly drink in their death.” The fisherman baits his hook with what the fish think is good.
Meditation will help us know what is true and what is false–or a mixture of truth and falsehood, which is even worse. Also, in the presence of a true spiritual teacher the inward turning of the mind arises easily, even spontaneously, but the presence of a false teacher, when strong, makes it hard to turn within. Through meditation we demonstrate the spiritual principle: “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”
All I have said about the spoken word is also true of the written word.
We have been thinking about speech and its vibration, but the same is true of silence. That is, those who are devoid of spiritual life will dislike the very idea of meditation. They will foam and rage, denouncing it as superstition, brainwashing, self-hypnosis, and so forth. Those who can cover it up better will just claim that it is impossible to do and that it will make us abstract and keep us from “loving” and such like. But the message is the same: rejection of the inner life. This is to be expected, because the Bible tells us that bitter fountains cannot flow with sweet water, nor can corrupt trees bear good fruit.
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
From all this we can see that if we would live lives of truth and worth, our hearts must be hearts of truth and worth. And it is the continual practice of mediation that brings truth and worth into our heart, transforming it into the heart of Christ. This is the highest aspect of the Western (Roman Catholic) devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As a saint once said to me: “We must possess the secret hearts of Jesus and Mary. Otherwise we cannot succeed in spiritual life. The Hesychast fathers frequently refer to meditation as “the secret work” or “the hidden work.” Meditation is the rock upon which the structure of our spiritual evolution must be based. No matter how much energy is expended in religious endeavor, if interior life is not the foundation of it, it will fall and be blown away like a house of cards. Spiritual life is real and true only when meditation is its heart.
The first step in spiritual life is to begin working to change the vibration of our own hearts, for we should not want to pollute the world any more than we want to be polluted ourselves. If we do not want our spiritual endeavors to be empty or corrupt, we have to change the basic vibration of all levels of our being, beginning with the heart. This we accomplish by meditation. In time all aspects of our existence will come into harmony with the consciousness produced by meditation and will begin to vibrate with that sacred Light. Further, the Light of Christ will begin to radiate from us, healing and uplifting all around us.
“Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” As has been said, meditation acts as a filter against impurities, as well as a warning system against evil. Beyond any doubt, the first step of purification–and all through our whole spiritual journey–is the practice of meditation, because it will repolarize and transform our inner and outer bodies. All the other disciplines and observances are for the facilitation of that practice.
Since out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, if we make meditation our heart then it is Spirit Who will speak within us, and like Saint Paul we can say: “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”
1) Luke 6:43-45
[Go back]
2) John 6:63 [Go back]
3) A friend of mine experienced it differently–and more maddeningly. She would begin to speak like those who had strong vibrations. Her tone of voice and even accent would change into theirs. This caused them to think she was mocking them, and others to think that she was “putting on.” But she just could not help it. After she took up serious spiritual life this phenomenon stopped. [Go back]
4) I Corinthians 14:32 [Go back]
5) James 3:10 [Go back]
6) Matthew 7:15-20 [Go back]
7) Luke 6:47,48 [Go back]
8) I John 3:3 [Go back]
9) Galatians 2:20 [Go back]
