Mystic Mantra: The three stages of God realisation

God realisation basically has three stages and these three stages can help us find out how far or nearer we are to Him and where we have to lead ourselves towards:

(1) Tasey Vaham: In this first stage of Tasey Vaham one believes that He (God) exists somewhere: may be up in the sky or in heaven or in His own abode. No one knows where exactly He lives. However it is firmly believed that He exists, and He is the creator of the universe.

(2) Tamey Vaham: In this second stage of God realisation, we know who God is! He is clearly perceived and seen before us. With open eyes or in a meditative state We feel His presence all the time around us. Our conviction of His existence gets proven beyond doubt, and thereby faith, devotion and trust get strengthened.

(3) Tvamey Vaham: In this third stage of God realisation we become the God Himself (Enlightenment). This stage comes to those who practice intense spiritual practices (sadhana) i.e. contemplation, comprehension and meditation. The ultimate realisation dawns on us with the feeling that we are, in reality, what we have been searching for. The ignorance of duality and separation from Him is lost and we become one with Him. This state is described through spiritual terms such as self realisation, God realisation, nirvana, enlightenment, etc.
In this state we are freed from the clutches of karma as there is no doer and no receiver of result.

Sadguru Rameshji is a modern age spiritual guru and the force behind Poorna Ananda, a Hyderabad-based centre for spiritual evolution and joyful living. He can be contacted at www.poornaananda.org