Inner and outer vision

There was once a very great spiritual Master who had hundreds of disciples. During the day he was very busy, and it was not always possible to approach him with questions. But in the evening, a few times a week, he would sometimes gather his close disciples around him and they would discuss all kinds of things.

One night, the Master and a group of about twenty disciples were in the Master's room. It was late at night, and the intimate gathering was about to break up. All at once the Master looked at one of the disciples and said, "Gopal, were you at meditation today?"

"Only for fifteen minutes," said the disciple. "Then I had to leave for an appointment."

The Master said, "So, that solves the mystery."

"What do you mean?" asked the disciple.

"I felt your vibration unmistakably, but I didn't see you there outwardly so I couldn't account for it. When I looked at your best friend as he was meditating, at that time I saw only your face. I was pouring my blessings directly into him and he was devotedly receiving them, but instead of his face, I was seeing your face."

"How did that happen, Master?" the young man asked.

"At that time," explained the Master, "your soul and his soul had become absolutely one, full of love, full of oneness. When I looked at him with my physical eyes, I saw his own face; when I looked with my intuitive power, at that time he appeared as somebody else."

"Master," another disciple said, "is this one of those cases when you were operating on more than one level?"

The Master nodded "yes" and the disciple continued, "How are you able to do that?"

The Master said, "It is like this. If I look at you with my physical eyes, I am seeing you clearly, and I am not seeing anything else. But when I open my third eye, everything appears right in front of my vision. When people sit in the front row, sometimes they don't realise I am seeing them clearly with my third eye when I am moving my gaze around the room and do not seem to be looking at them. Some think my gaze is far, very far from them, but because of my third eye, I can see everywhere. That is why I am so disturbed when people in the front do not meditate properly and that is why we now have reserved seats for some meetings.

"Master, do you remember last Saturday's meditation? Were you operating on various levels at that time also? I saw something very powerful in your face."

"Last week at the meeting it was a very, very powerful meditation. I went far, far beyond the soul's world at that time. After the meeting it was very difficult, extremely difficult, for me to come down although I was sincerely trying. When I reached the exit, I was still trying to come down, but even then I failed."

"But Master," one disciple asked, "isn't it dangerous to be walking around the street in such a high consciousness?"

The Master said, "Some spiritual Masters need physical protection when they are in this state of consciousness. If one plans to stay there for a long time, one should do so alone at home, for the slightest earthly sound can be most dangerous at that time.

"Spiritual Masters usually enter into their highest consciousness at night, when the outer world is more peaceful. But again, we are at the mercy of the Supreme's Will. God knows at what time He wants us to elevate our consciousness and, in this case, it was during a meditation meeting that I entered into this state."

As the Master finished speaking, the disciples saw his face change expression, and they knew he was entering a meditative mood. In a few moments the entire room was flooded with Light and Peace. The disciples meditated with folded hands for about fifteen minutes, and then the Master bowed, and the meditation was over.

"Go home, go home," the Master said, for by now it was very late, and morning meditation began at six o'clock. The disciples silently filed out of the Master's room.