When we swim in the crystal clear, pure ocean of God, we can see the reflection of our true self or soul. There is no grime or dirt to muddy it. We can see to the depth of the ocean, undistracted by anything that keeps our attention from the calm of the water. Its loving waves lap against us. There are no attractions to lead us away from our peace. Instead of transitory pleasures of the outer world, we enjoy the eternal bliss of God. There is no ill effect from having too much love. When we swim in the ocean of God, we experience ecstasy.
A blissful pool of divine water is within all the time. We can dip into it anytime. When we tap into this pool, we are free from worries. We enter total relaxation. Its soothing waters caress our being, washing away the tensions of the mind and body. When our soul is bathed, bliss also permeates our mind and body. Mind is under control so it does not disturb our tranquility at the level of the soul.
The origin of the word “spa” means “taking of the waters.” On a holiday people often like to go to a spa and swim in a pool or soak in a hot tub to relax. We have our own internal spa fed by the waters of God that soothe our soul. When our soul is soothed, our body and mind are naturally at rest.
If this divine pool is always within us, why don’t we take a swim in it? Unfortunately, we are swimming with the mind. Swimming with the mind is like swimming with the sharks. Its intent is to devour us. If we opt to swim with the mind, the lovely pool becomes muddied. The calm waters turn into a mud hole. It is thick, sticky, and heavy, and it entraps us.
It is like a quicksand. When you step into a quicksand, it pulls down your body deeper into muddy ground. It is a horrifying experience. When we swim in the pool of the mind, this is what happens. The mud pulls us down and on our own we cannot get out.
What has caused the pool to be muddy? The mind is filled with desires that lead us into ego, lust, anger, attachment, and greed. When our pool is filled with the mind, we become stuck. We are burdened with more problems and our lives are filled with stress.
Rather than swimming with the mind, we should swim with God. When we swim with God, we are satisfied. We fall in love with God and lose our ego. We are like those who are so much in love that they forget themselves. We become so lost in God that we lose ourselves and become one with God.
It is said that a salt doll went into the ocean to take a dip. As soon as it stepped into the ocean, it dissolved into the ocean and became one with it. When we are immersed in God, we are like that salt doll. We dive into the ocean of God, and become immersed in it, losing ourselves in intoxication. It is not an annihilation of self, but an expansion of our self to be one with God and eternally permeated with bliss and love that knows no end.
When we swim with God, we do not have any desires for the sensual pleasures of the world, because the love of God is fulfilling. The bliss that permeates the soul when we swim with God is thousands of times greater than any worldly satisfaction.
When we swim with God we are filled with calm. We have no time or interest in judging others, because we are focused on being with our divine Beloved. A verse by Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj says:
Those who are lost in divine intoxication,
Have no time to laugh at the condition of others.
When we swim with God, we have everything and are content. There is nothing of this world that compares with the ecstasy of swimming with God. Our entire being, from the core of the soul, is ravished by God’s divine love and embrace. Who would want to tear oneself away from an ocean of incredible love? No desires of the world can pull us away from that bliss. We realize that everything and everyone of this world is transitory. We know that one day we will pass away, or those we love will pass away. Only the soul and God are permanent. When we lose our attachment for the transitory world and attach ourselves to God, we gain permanent happiness. We realize that when we fall in love with God, we are with a Beloved who will be with us for eternity.
We can swim with God anytime we want. God has sent the Master to teach us how to swim in bliss. We can do so by meditating. Meditation is not just a mechanical process; it is diving into a pool of bliss. We focus our attention into the pool of love between our two eyebrows, and dive in. With our mind still, we plunge into the soothing waters of the divine Beloved and are in pure ecstasy.
Through meditation we plunge into the heart of the ocean and are immersed in the ocean of love.
Even when we are not meditating, we can be swimming in ecstasy. How? We can keep our attention on the divine Beloved all hours of the day and night. While driving, while working with our hands or body, while cooking food, while eating, while exercising, or doing any other activities, we can remember God. When we go to satsang, if we are receptive, we can let the waters of divine love flow into us. Swimming with God fills us with love, and we become the abode of nonviolence, truthfulness, purity, humility, and selfless service. By diving into the pool of God we can swim eternally in bliss.
