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Glossary

U

Glossary terms beginning with U.

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  1. Union
  2. Unity
  3. Universal Nature
  4. Universalisation
  5. Utsaha
  6. Sources

Life-current that moves upward from the body to the crown of the head, a regular channel of communication between the physical life and the greater life of the spirit.1

Union

The abiding union is within and that can be there at all times; the outer milana [union] or contact is not usually abiding. There are some who often or almost invariably have the contact whenever they worship, the Deity may become living to them in the picture or other image they worship, may move and act through it; others may feel him always present, outwardly, subtle-physically, abiding with them where they live or in the very room, but sometimes this is only for a period. Or they may feel the Presence with them, see it frequently in a body (but not materially except sometimes), feel its touch or embrace, converse with it constantly—that is also a kind of milana. The greatest milana is one in which one is constantly aware of the Deity abiding in oneself, in everything in the world, holding all the world in him, identical with existence and yet supremely beyond the world—but in the world too one sees, hears, feels nothing but him, so that the very senses bear witness to him alone2

Unity

Unity does not mean uniformity and the removal of all differences. There are some people who talk as if unity in religion, for instance, could not be accomplished except by uniformity. But uniformity of religion is a psychical impossibility forbidden by the very nature of the human mind. So long as men differ in intellect, in temperament, in spiritual development, there must be different religions and different sects of the same religion.

There must be the sense of a community in something dear and precious which others do not possess; there must be an acute sense of difference from other communities which have no share in our common possession; there must be a supreme determination to cherish, assert and preserve our common possession from disparagement and destruction. But the sentiment of unity is not sufficient to create unity; we require also the practice of unity. Where the sentiment of unity exists and the practice does not, the latter can only be acquired by a common effort to accomplish one great, common and all-absorbing object.3

Universal Nature

There is the universal mental, the universal vital, the universal physical Nature and it is out of a selection of their forces and movements that the individual mind, vital and physical are made. The soul comes from beyond this nature of mind, life and body.4

Universalisation

To see all things in the self and the self in all things—to be aware of one being everywhere, aware directly of the different planes, their forces, their beings—that is universalisation.5

Utsaha

It is this zeal for the Lord.6

Sources

  1. SABCL 12 · Commentary II · para 5 ↩
  2. SABCL 23 · Sadhana Through Love and Devotion II · para 11 ↩
  3. CWSA 6 · Shall India Be Free Unity and British Rule · para 1 ↩
  4. SABCL 22 · Planes and Parts of the Being VIII · para 3 ↩
  5. SABCL 22 · Planes and Parts of the Being VIII ↩
  6. CWSA 23 · The Four Aids · para 12 ↩

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