September 17th 2014 Lesson 183
I call upon God's Name and on my own.
- Intention: To repeat God's Name as many times as possible today. God's name is holy, but no holier than yours. To call upon His name is but to call upon your own.
- Practice: Repeat God's name slowly again and again and still again. Become oblivious to every name but His. hear nothing else. Let all your thoughts become anchored on this. No other word we use except at the beginning, when we say today's idea but once, then let God's Name become our only thought, our only word, the only thing that occupies our minds, the only wish we have, the only sound with any meaning, and the only Name of everything that we desire to see; of everything that we would call our own.
- Application: Sit silently, and let His Name become the all-encompassing idea that holds your mind completely. Let all thoughts be still except this one. And to all other thoughts respond with this, and see God's Name replace the thousand little names you gave your thoughts, not realizing that there is one Name for all there is, and all that there will be.
Turn to the Name of God for your release, and it is given you. No prayer but this is necessary, for it holds the all within it. Words are insignificant, and all requests unneeded when God's Son calls on his Father's Name. His Father's Thoughts become his own. He makes his claim to all his Father gave, is giving still, and will forever give. All little things are silent. Little sounds are soundless now. The little things of earth have disappeared. The universe consists of nothing but the Son of God, who calls upon his Father. And his Father's Voice gives answer in his Father's holy Name.
Insights/comments:
- In the Vedic tradition of ancient India, the repetition of the Name of God is known as Japa and it is central to the practice of Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of devotion to God). Its purpose is to bring one's mind in accord with that of the Divine. Of all the practices for attaining enlightenment, this is the easiest and the most effective because it brings the aspirant into deeper and deeper awareness of his unity with the Divine. In the Bhagavad-Gita (song of the God) Krishna tells Arjuna:
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me. -- Gita: 9.34
One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God. -- Gita 18.55
- "The name of God is holy, but no holier than yours" essentially reminds us that we can also repeat our own name, for all names are in truth the name of God Who's essential character is omnipresent. God's presence is ubiquitous, present in you, me, everyone, and everything. So to call on your own name is to call on God's, and to call on a brother’s name is to call on your own and on God’s as well.
I and my Creator are One. 
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