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Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn
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First of all, I have never heard about the multi-faceted Big Diamond in the Sky (1000s of facets)before but I like the One Diamond metaphor with its many facets. I may very well use that metaphor myself in the future. As in the well-known story about the Blind Men and the Elephant, each may see the Diamond from a different perspective and hence come up with a different description because they have only seen a part and not the whole. We are on the same page here with the understanding that the various perceptions may also include personal projections such as the bearded man in the robe, the "Blue Boy" with the flute and beads (Krishna, I presume), and so on. In my younger days, I had always envisioned God anthropomorphically as the white-bearded guy in the sky and that actually drew me to Pir Vilayat Khan, the white-haired, white-bearded son of the great Sufi mystic, Hazrat Inayat Khan. It served it's purpose.
Ultimately, as you noted, there is no plurality but "Unity in Diversity" (Somehow, I prefer that to "One" since "One" being the start of counting suggests a second. However, this is a very very minor semantic point.) The "Tree of Life" can obviously have many branches and sub-branches, as we have discussed. The Sun and its rays is similarly metaphorical.
As for parallel universes (both horizontal and vertical), that came upon me in meditation many years ago. It is consistent with the matrix which the Christian mystic Teillard de Chardin described in his mystical visions. It is consistent with stories in the Yoga Vashistha. My teacher also spoke about "time within time" and "worlds within worlds". Other traditions hint at this also. Is it Truth or have I been influenced by what I have read and/or heard? One never knows, eh? However, it's become so repetitive that I accept it as Truth of "that which is" but am open-minded on that subject. (My views and beliefs have changed considerably over the years as more information becomes available through meditation directly or through myriads of other sources.)
Regarding Kirpal Singh, I read his book years ago and, although I tried to find it again, I may have given it away. It's nowhere to be found which suggests that it may not be a part of my life at this point in time. I was very inspired many years ago by Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and subscribed to his Kriya Yoga Lessons many years ago. For some reason, I stopped them and no longer have them. One is drawn to the techniques and methodologies best suited to one's own spiritual unfolding while the other techniques --- as good as they may be and as useful as they may have been at one time --- slowly fall by the wayside. One recalls them, however, when another brings up the subject and one then recalls, "Oh yes ... I did do that at one time too."
There are numerous techniques each of which are appropriately suited to those of different temperaments. My own teacher's meditation book went into many of these techniques and, while I can see value in them all, one does find one's self drawn to particular techniques .... until .... until ... they are no longer needed.
Even then, as in the case of Ramana Maharshi, one may still indulge in such practices as kirtan and bhajans, for example, since, as Ramana once stated, "I can't think of anything better to do at this time and I delight in the stories".
Thanks for the very thoughtful response.
Salutations to Miss Hepburn. Namah Miss Hepburn. Peace.