Man creates God in his own mould!
(Taken from Swamiji's talks on the Shiva Sutras at the ashram, January 2005)

You experience God according to your own experience of yourself. Whatever you lack, you worship. You worship the idol which will be the fulfillment of your Being. For instance, if you are a poor man, you start worshipping Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. If there is lack of knowledge, you worship Saraswathi. If there is lack of confidence, you worship Durga and Kali. If you are in a highly elevated state of consciousness, you experience God in that fashion.

Man stays in the seven chakras. If you are in the lowest level, that is the muladhara chakra, you are caught in lust and desire. You worship a God who can grant all your boons. That is why God is understood as a giver of boons throughout the world and is very popular. People are caught up in fantasy, expectations and desires and whoever fulfils these become their God. The moment they miss giving a single boon, the Gods will get dethroned!

Next is the man who is caught in the Svadhisthana chakra (fear). You worship the God who gives confidence, who you believe will take care of you - you go behind the idols that have many weapons and many hands. You experience God as a protector.

The third level man stays in the Manipuraka chakra (worry). You continuously worry and and remain confused. You worship the God who gives clarity and peace. You will want idols that radiate peace.

Next is the man who lives in the Anahatha chakra (attention need). Here, you are attracted towards the God which showers love on you. You worship the God who gives emotional fulfillment.

Next, if you are raised to the level of the Vishuddhi chakra (the urge to be unique), the God of creativity or Energy appeals to you. You experience God as the creator.

If you are centered in the Agna chakra (Ego), you are locked in ego. Somebody in the egoless state attracts you – Rishis, Seers, Sages, Prophets and Masters attract you. The egoless man becomes your idol.

That is why I say - Man creates God in his own mould! You simply relate to God or the Masters from these six levels; a relationship doesn’t happen - you simply reduce them to mere mortals. You have a concept in your mind and you are demanding from them that concept - it is simply a monologue. In the Agna chakra, the dialogue starts. Only in the Sahasrara chakra (gratitude), the communion happens! If you understand that you are actually relating to your Gods and Masters from these chakras, and that you need to go beyond this and catch the transcendental expression of the Divine, all your problems will dissolve!

When you are in the Muladhara chakra, the Master drills into you, like a crowbar. At a little higher level, he is like a knife penetrating you. At the level of the Sahasrara chakra, he is like a fragrance! If you are alert and aware, the Master can transform you. Allow me to enter into you like a fragrance when you are established in the Sahasrara chakra. You just need to be passive for the alchemy to happen. I am not going to give you any rules or restrictions. I am going to radiate ecstasy, bliss and fragrance. If you are alert and aware, you can catch the smell and experience it!

My love and blessings to you to reach the state of Nithyananda or Eternal Bliss!