Unrecognized Divine Eye

It is likely that one may have usage of the divine eye and be totally unaware that it happened. This is due to some faults in practice.

• false expectations
• wrong method
• lack of recognition
• failure to comply with Patanjali’s second sutra about termination of the mento-emotional energy (chittavrittis)
• thinking that one is worthy of the use of the divine eye
• thinking that by getting blessings, grace of association of a great yogi, one can use the divine eye
• having the wrong information about the eye from legends and information from people who became famous yogis

I can now declare that it is hardly likely that any yogi can develop the divine eye usage during the current phase of history. This is due to the lack of subtle perception and the enforcement within the mind of ideas and mental processes which discourage compliance with Patanjali’s stipulations for the practice of yoga.

• False expectations are the most common obstruction to the development of the divine eye. This happens because of arrogance and a high feeling of self-worth, where the yogi feels that he deserves to have the usage of the eye. After reading of its usage by great yogis in legends, stories and biographies, a student may get the idea that he can realize and use the divine eye. This is a false expectation which dominates his meditation and keeps him from ever having the required experience.
• A yogi may have the wrong method for practice of developing and using the divine eye. He/She may use that method for years and still not get one single mystic experience. Yet, because of high hopes, he/she may continue the incorrect practice. Eventually when this yogi gets frustrated, he/she may resort to imagining that he/she has the use of the eye. Then because of a desire to become famous, that person may attract followers and give those persons the wrong method. They in turn may share that invalid process with others.
• The lack of recognition of the divine eye may occur where a yogi has an experience of it but is unable to identify it. He/She may trivialize the occurrence when it happens, such that during the experience, he/she dismisses apparitions or visions as being the normal mental inVisions in the mind, which occur randomly because of the shifty nature of the mind. It is not true that a rendering of the divine eye may only occur with clarity and proper recognition. It can happen that there is the operation of the divine eye happening simultaneously when the normal mental imaging and chaos occurs. A man in a brightly lit city may see a star and also lights from buildings simultaneously but he may not discern that the star is a celestial body as compared to the light on a tall building or the light of an aircraft which moves through the sky.
• The failure to comply with Patanjali’s second sutra about termination of the mento-emotional energy (chittavrittis) is a main handicap for a student yogi. In fact, this problem is ongoing and continues even for seasoned serious ascetic. This is due to the fact that as the psyche is designed, it was manufacturer for the rapid involuntary control of sensual operations by the kundalini life force with the assistance of the involving intellect. These tendencies work against the yogi such that even if he advances in bits and starts, he will invariably find that he slides back to meditation states where his mind is again filled with thoughts, ideas, and images instead of being cleared of that mento-emotional debris.
• Some ascetics begin their quest for yoga or they soon develop it after they were introduced to it with the idea that one is worthy of the use of the divine eye. These yogis are arrogant but they do not realize it. If it is brought to their attention, they become sour in attitude to the practice and towards the teacher, whom they feel deprives them of a natural right to have divine perception. Such persons have the presumption that they are naturally divine beings and should immediately resume a celestial status.
• There are other yogis who think that by getting blessings or grace of association of a great yogi, one can use of the divine eye. These students have no idea about working in meditation to attain divinity. They have no idea that it may take lives to attain a divine body. As far as they are concerned the whole idea of a divine status has to do with being blessed by a deity.
• Some ascetics have the wrong information about the divine eye. Their knowledge about it, is from legends and information from people who became famous yogis. Feeling that this information is the absolute truth, they are unsubmissive to Patanjali and feel that there must be an easier more natural method.