Know Thy Self - You Must Rise Above Body Consciousness...

What is man's most important task? It is to know one's Self, to
withdraw yourself from outside, from the outgoing faculties, by
stilling the mind and concentrating at the seat of the soul in the
body, which is at the back of the eyes. This is where the soul
recedes at the time of death. It is there that you will have self
awareness, by rising above and forgetting the physical body. When you
rise above body consciousness, you can know the Controlling Power
within you. That is why all Masters enjoined that we must know
ourselves first. Self knowledge precedes God knowledge. When you
become self concentrated, the surat or attention will work wonders,
wherever it may be directed. It is all a feat of the attention. If
you first become attentive, concentrated within your own self by
withdrawing from outside, you will be able to rise above the physical
body and by rising still further, you will have Cosmic Consciousness.
The macrocosm is in the microcosm. We have got the physical body and
must rise above it. We have also got the astral body in which we have
to work in the higher self. Then still beyond there is a plane where
we have to use our causal body. After rising above the physical body,
you will have self awareness. When you rise above the astral and
causal bodies, you will come into your true I-hood. You will see
that "I and my Father are One". The whole thing depends on the
concentration of your attention within yourself. Then whichever way
you direct your attention, you will work wonders.

He who rises above the body is a true Hindu, a true Mohammedan or a
true Christian. There are many schools of thought existing, but we
have to see how many students have reached that goal. That school is
very creditable which turns out suchlike people. So remain in any
formation or school of thought, but the purpose for which you have
joined that school should be before you. That is, to have God
consciousness. You cannot have God consciousness unless you have got
your own consciousness.........Sant Kirpal Singh