Soulergy 

The harnessing of steam, mechanical, and electrical energy has made tremendous advances possible, but all these developments have been put to use as well for destructive purposes.

Nowhere is this more conspicuous than in the case of nuclear energy. Mankind has entered the nuclear age, and, for the first time, the fire of the gods can be used to consume the entire world. We are living in critical times. We are living, as it were, on the edge of a man-made volcano. One false step and this whole planet we call Mother Earth could be obliterated. There is a form of energy of which we have so far been unaware or have ignored. The peace and harmony which can save this strife-torn world is dependent upon our finding its source. Just as other forms of energy exist in the material world, this form exists within us. It is an energy which is the source of all other energies and is inexhaustible. By tapping this source, a rapid and spectacular development occurs, resulting in the complete transfiguration of the human subject. It has the power to convert the human into the divine. Unlike the different forms of material energy, it is purely positive in character. It cannot be used for destructive purposes. It can only work for the good of man. This form of energy lies not outside ourselves, but within us. I have coined a word to describe this energy. I call it soulergy, for it is born of the soul. It is also called innergy. Whereas "energy" comes from without, "innergy" comes from within ourselves. We seldom think of saints and mystics as specialists in the domain of energy, but we have to turn to them to understand and master this illimitable source which is within each of us, and which alone can save humankind and this beautiful planet of ours. Saints, seers, and prophets have been teaching us from times immemorial that God, in His Absolute state, has neither form nor name. He is beyond conception and beyond description. Of course, we can only speak of ultimate reality in terms of metaphor. He may be described as an infinite ocean of blissful consciousness. The saints and mystics tell us that God, who was One, thought of becoming many. This impulse led to a vibration which manifested in the Light of God and Music of the Spheres. Both of these manifestations combined are referred to as the holy Word in the Bible, as Kalma in the Muslim scriptures, as Naad, Shabd, and Naam in the Indian scriptures, as Sonorous Light in the Buddhist scriptures, as Sraosha in the Zoroastrian scriptures, as Tao in the Chinese scriptures, as Logos by the ancient Greek philosophers, and as Baang-i-aasmani by the Sufis. The scriptures of the world are filled with references to Light and Sound. In fact, if you bear this in mind, you will notice that in the places of worship of various religions, there is the symbolic use of Light and Sound.

The Word or Naam is the most direct manifestation of the Creator and is purely spiritual. As it descended, it brought forth realm after realm into existence - the supracausal, the causal, the astral, and the physical realms. It also created humanity and all other species of life. Mind, which originates in the causal realms, and matter, which accounts for the building blocks from which our universe is constructed, are both creations of this Supreme Power. Living in the physical world, we think of ourselves as being made of mind and matter. But saints and Masters remind us that mind and matter themselves are a creation of spirit. They tell us that while we have made tremendous advances in the material and intellectual spheres, we have woefully neglected the spiritual sphere. That is why, in spite of our spectacular progress, we are often frustrated and unhappy, and whatever we do seems to end in disappointment and disillusionment.

We have failed to recognize that we are essentially spirit. Unless we develop ourselves on the spiritual side, we cannot find inner peace and lasting fulfillment. As Sant Kirpal Singh used to say, "The saints come to tell us, `Man, know thyself.'" They enable us to realize our true identity and to develop it. They teach us a means whereby we can tap this unlimited source of spiritual energy. We have identified ourselves with mind and body, and unfortunately we have ignored our most important element, the soul. Actually, it is the soul which gives life and power to our mind and body. The saints help us to be reborn into the world of spirit. Our soul should have been in control of the mind, and our mind should have been in control of the senses. Now we are experiencing just the reverse. Any sensuous attraction beguiles the mind. When the mind is lost in these sensuous pleasures, the soul also goes the same way; but the saints and seers have been imploring us to learn the art of inversion. We have the fountainhead of the Water of Life within us and when we are able to taste a drop of that nectar, our immortal nature is revealed. The saints give us a practical method whereby we can analyze ourselves, separate the soul from its entanglement with the body and mind, and transcend this limited physical consciousness. They give us a direct experience of the Light of God and the Music of the Spheres on the day of initiation. We then enter into higher and still higher regions until we return to our Source – and become one with it. This, they tell us, is the supreme goal of life. Their purpose is nothing short of enabling us to move from death to immortality, from darkness to light, from being limited individuals to becoming conscious co-workers of the divine plan. Saints throughout the ages have spoken of learning the art of dying while living. What does this mean? They are, in reality, saying that it is both possible and desirable to realize the immortal nature of one's soul in this lifetime. Thomas a Kempis has said, "Learn to die so that you may begin to live." Similarly, the Muslim scriptures say, "Die before physical death." Many of the Indian mystics speak in the same vein. Thus, Kabir said, "The death of which other people are afraid is a source of joy for me because it brings about the reunion of my soul with the Creator." Since all energy springs from the spirit, the saints invite us to tap this infinite source of soulergy. They give us a practical firsthand experience of contacting this innate energy. The harnessing of this soul-force, they tell us, brings about the most profound transformation.