The Source of Authentic Power

According to MCKS, if you want real ‘power,’ you need to go within and practice character-building. If your character is very strong, then you can progress and grow rapidly and overcome any crisis that comes your way in your life very quickly.

So, what exactly is ‘Character-Building?’ MCKS explained that it corresponds to the daily practice of the five virtues taught in Pranic Healing. The virtues are:

1. Loving Kindness & Non-Injury
2. Generosity & Non-Stealing
3. Accurate Perception & Correct Expression
4. Constancy of Aim and Effort & Non-Laziness
5. Moderation & Non-Excessiveness

Notice that these virtues come in pairs – things to do (stuff which is right) and things to avoid (stuff which is wrong). What this means, for example, is that not only do we need to be warm, kind, supportive, courteous, and loving towards others, but we should also abstain from hurting anyone physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. Together, this forms the virtue of ‘Loving Kindness & Non-Injury. Hence, both aspects of every virtue are important and need to be thus balanced.

Since childhood, our parents have taught us to act according to what is “right” and what is “wrong.” Being good, kind, moral, strong, and righteous are defined as the “right” things to do.  A virtue is usually defined as a behaviour trait in any person that indicates high moral standards for what is right.

The virtues are also defined in many spiritual traditions. According to MCKS, “The cardinal virtues are justice, prudence, temperance and courage. These are found in the writings of Classical Antiquity and are often referred to as the theological virtues of the Christian tradition.” In the Hindu tradition, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali define the concepts of Yama and Niyama. These two concepts form the first two limbs of the eightfold path of classical yoga (or Ashtanga Yoga) and create the basics of character-building. Yamas are ethical restraints (things not to do), while Niyamas are lifestyle observances (things we should do). According to Patanjali’s writings, character-building is the first step to spiritual development. Interestingly, MCKS’s Arhatic Yoga is also based on Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga.

So the good question is, why?

Spiritual Connection

MCKS explained it as follows: “The more you develop your virtues, the stronger your connection to God will become.” The word to be emphasized here is ‘connection.’

A connection is a link between two things. Based on the teachings of Pranic Healing, there is an energetic link between us and our Divine Self. MCKS technically called this the ‘spiritual cord.’ This is also known as the ‘anthakharana’ or the ‘sutratman’ (literally the thread of Spirit) in the Hindu Tradition. MCKS explained that the spiritual cord is the spiritual “antenna” that connects the Higher Soul to the Incarnated Soul (The concept of the Higher Soul and Incarnated Soul has been discussed in detail in a previous article titled What is Yoga). The spiritual cord is depicted above in the featured image used in this article.

According to MCKS, the connection between the Higher Soul and Incarnated Soul is strong, and the spiritual cord of the aspirant is wide (like a thick pipe). If the connection between the Higher Soul and Incarnated Soul is weak, the spiritual cord is thin (like a spider’s web). The stronger the connection between the Higher Soul and Incarnated Soul, the faster the student will progress. While the Higher Soul is not perfect, it is pure. The Higher Soul is significantly more developed than the Incarnated Soul and hence is able to guide the Incarnated Soul as it goes through its journey in life. Specifically, according to MCKS, “Light, love, power, and clarity come from a strong spiritual connection.” Therefore, the stronger the connection between the Higher Soul and Incarnated Soul, the smoother life will be.

Based on the teachings of MCKS: “When the virtues are highly developed, this means that the Higher Soul has greater connection or control over the Incarnated Soul and the body. Every time you refrain from unwholesome action, the connection with your Higher Soul increases. But every time you break the virtues, the connection becomes thinner.”

In his teachings, MCKS stresses that the soul is a being of Divine Intelligence, Divine Love, and Divine Power. It is in the five virtues specified by Master Choa Kok Sui that these qualities manifest. While Divine Intelligence finds expression through the virtues of Accurate Perception & Correct Expression, Divine Love manifests as the virtues of Loving-kindness & Non-Injury and Generosity & Non-stealing, and finally, the virtues of Moderation & Non-excessiveness and Constancy of Aim and Effort & Non-laziness are manifestations of Divine Power. Therefore, these virtues help us work in perfect unison with our Higher Soul, our true inner nature.

However, the virtues need to be balanced to a certain degree within us. You cannot only master Loving Kindness & Non-injury and not develop any of the other virtues. If you do that, people may take advantage of you; you could also be treated as a doormat. Likely, you cannot only hope to master Constancy of Aim and Effort & Non-Laziness without developing virtues of Loving Kindness and Non-Injury and Accurate Perception & Correct Expression. Such a person would be a tyrant and a fanatic. Hence, balance is essential.

 

Power through Inner Purification

MCKS taught that “Life is like an echo. What you send out comes back to you many, many times!” This follows from the teachings of the Law of Karma.

Therefore, the mastery of the virtues is also linked to the quality of life that you will have. For example, if you don’t want others to deceive you, then you need to master Honesty. If you don’t want to be a victim of theft, then you need to master Non-Stealing. If you want the ability to “move mountains,” master Constancy of Aim & Effort and Non-Laziness. If you want to be treated nicely by others, then master Loving Kindness. If you don’t want to be harmed, then you need to master Non-injury.

Additionally, mastery over the virtues can give you inner power. Have you, for instance, heard of stories where a holy person had granted a wish to a student by saying “so be it”? The only way that can happen is if the holy person were to have mastered the virtue of Loving Kindness & Non-Injury. When a person has sufficiently mastered Loving Kindness (to the point where he or she is completely incapable of harming anyone physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually), then whatever he or she says will have a tendency to materialize! Likewise, a person who has sufficiently mastered the virtue of Non-injury cannot be harmed even if the person were to walk into a nuclear explosion. As MCKS explained in his workshop Practical Psychic Self Defence, mastery of Loving Kindness & Non-Injury is the ultimate protection from harm or danger. The trouble, however, is that it is not so easy to master the virtues. It needs focused effort and continual awareness. 

Finally, for power of any sort to be authentic power, it has to be permanent. Virtues are a sign of spiritual development and maturity. Once we leave this body, the only thing that we would be able to take with us of any value is our spiritual development. This was discussed in an earlier article through the story of the Queen and her four Lovers. Your spiritual growth and development are permanent and will last for eternity, given that the soul is immortal (if you wish, you may review a previous article on Reincarnation: A Right Understanding for more clarity).

Building a Strong Character

In the MCKS Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga system, there is a lot of emphasis on character building. MCKS explained that spiritual practices and meditations not only harness large amounts of spiritual energy but also serve as a fertilizer, enhancing the growth of all the characteristics of the person. Virtues and vices are thus both magnified when on the spiritual path. Hence, the student needs to be “ruthless” at eliminating character defects and weaknesses. MCKS has written extensively about virtues and character building, and you would be able to learn of these through his books, including:

• Achieving Oneness with the Higher Soul
• Universal and Kabbalistic Meditations on the Lord’s Prayer
• The Spiritual Essence of Man
• Inner Teachings of Hinduism Revealed
• Om Mani Padme Hum
• Inner Teachings of Christianity Revealed
• Golden Lotus Sutras on Compassionate Objectivity

You are highly encouraged to study the many books of MCKS to get a deeper understanding of what each of these virtues means and guidelines for how to practice the development of these virtues.

The virtues are also discussed in detail in a large number of MCKS Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga workshops – starting with the introductory workshops Basic Pranic Healing and Achieving Oneness with the Higher Soul.  Higher techniques to help develop the five virtues are taught in the Arhatic Yoga Preparatory Level.