Baba says, “human beings can conquer death.“

Human beings are mortal, deities are immortal. When a human being changes into a deity, they become immortal. This, God explains, is the secret to conquering death. What makes deities immortal? The answer is: soul consciousness and divine virtues. A soul is eternal, it has no death. It simply leaves one body and takes another, it never dies. Only bodies die. Deities know this secret and embody it. They know who they are: a pure soul, and they stay constantly and naturally in that consciousness. When the body becomes old, the soul happily leaves the body and takes on a new one. There is no sorrow, only happiness. Even family members celebrate the occasion as they wish the soul well on its onward journey. This is why the world during the golden and silver ages is referred to as the land of immortality.

But mid-way through the cycle, souls forgot who they are and started to think of themselves as bodies, that is, they thought of themselves as the roles, relationships, the positions, the status, etc. Because I think of myself as a relationship- as someone’s parent, child, spouse, sibling etc., I am fearful of death because I think of what would happen to my family members if I left, I think of unfulfilled responsibilities; or I am fearful because if I died, I would lose them and then what would happen to me!? This is the soul in the grip of the vice of attachment. Then for others who have a lot of physical wealth and identify based on that, they are fearful of death because they believe they are already in heaven and are not ready to leave the comfort, the name and fame that comes with being wealthy. This is the soul in the grip of ego. Similarly, some souls relish the pursuit of more wealth, more fame, more medals and labels. There is greed and lust. In short, souls forgot who they are and due to that, fell prey to the five vices. These vices caused me fear, worry, become stressed and anxious, depressed… and this in turn caused me immense sorrow and suffering. And as the doctors tell us, these mental illnesses, these burdens that I carry results in a failure of physical health; a healthy person suddenly falls ill, there are strokes, heart attacks, accidents and thereby, a shortened lifespan. And thus, the land of immortality changed into the land of death.

“You are now at the most elevated confluence age“, Baba reminds me. This is in between the land of death and the land of immortality. In other words, this is the short time during which God transforms me from a mortal human being into an immortal deity. How does He bring about this transformation? Through teaching me how to die alive. He teaches me how to die alive from the vices which make me sick and reduce my lifespan. To die alive from the vices is to start living life the way it is meant to be lived – victoriously, with no trace of fear, sorrow or suffering; in peace and immense happiness. The Father says: “I am the Death of all deaths. I teach you how to die in such a way that death can never come to your door. This is Raja Yoga. Through this study, Baba is making you into the masters of the land of immortality.”

He teaches souls and says: “Sit in soul consciousness.” Lesson 1 of Raja Yoga teaches me that I am a soul, not the body and the rest of the study is about embodying that truth. To be soul conscious means that I consider myself a soul and thereby think, speak, act based on the qualities of the soul. I had been thinking, speaking and acting based on the vices in this land of death; I now learn to conquer the vices by emerging the divine virtues that are innate to the soul. In fact, deities are human beings except they have divine virtues because they are soul conscious. Due to their purity and virtuous living, they have long lifespans; there is no untimely death. In fact the term ‘death’ does not exist there. Deities choose their time to leave the old body and take on a new one.

The Father gives me shrimat or elevated directions that I need to follow in order to die alive from the vices and live based on divine virtues no matter what type of soul or situation comes in front of me or what type of circumstance I find myself in. Rather than get bitter, angry, resentful, irritated, frustrated, impatient, jealous etc., I have to remain loveful, tolerant, patient, and a detached observer. I have to give respect even to those who don’t behave respectably. But I will only follow these directions when I first have the faith that it is my eternal Father that is teaching me. Only when I have accepted this new birth- that I am now a child of God, practically– that I will follow His directions. And so to die alive, first and foremost, is to understand that I have been adopted by God; I am now His child and answer to Him: I, the soul, am Shiv Baba’s child. The Father has come to change me from a thorn into a flower. “Constantly maintain this awareness and you will be able to imbibe divine virtues. Pay full attention to studying and to yoga. When you have distaste for the vices you will be able to imbibe divine virtues. Whenever a vice attacks you, remember that you are a thorn and that you have to become a flower.”, He teaches.

My aim and objective is to become Lakshmi and Narayan – God’s most elevated creation. When my aim is so elevated, then so should be my level of effort-making. People will come, situations will come, old sanskars will get in the way…but my job is to stay focused on my aim. When I am focused, then when any vice comes – be it anger, greed, ego..- I will have immense distaste for it and chase it away as if it were an evil spirit; I will nip it right in the bud. “It’s very easy”, the Father points out, “if you just consider yourselves to be souls and remember the Father, your sins will then be cut away. Imbibe divine virtues and you will become deities, the masters of the land of immortality.“