Blessed Are the Merciful, For They Shall Obtain Mercy

I think one of most commonly misunderstood beatitude is the one about mercy.

"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)

Most people think that it means to be nice and forgive others. This is part of it, but to truly be merciful to someone else, one has to first have the capacity to help pay the debt. This makes total sense in monetary terms.  I can't walk up to you and say, I forgive your debts. You are now debt free--when you don't have the money to actually do that for them. 

It is the same with spiritual things. Yogananda describes mercy in The Yoga of Jesus as a sort of "fatherly heartache for the deficiency of an erring child."

As we at-one with God we reveal the Father and attributes of God in us. Jesus was the ultimate example of this and he was so gentle and forgiving of his accusers, because he could be. He was elevated and had the capacity to penetrate with love for all.

I agree with Yogananda that only the wise can be truly merciful. And by that I mean those with divine sight, who can perceive wrong doers as souls, and who have the capacity for being helpful, can be merciful. Mercy implies the ability to help. 

I will never forget one line I heard President Gordon B. Hinkley speak to us when I was in college. He looked up at us in the tiered seats of the convention center, a galaxy of young faces, and he said: "You are good. But you need to be good for something." 

It is in the usefulness that mercy becomes a virtue. 

"Mercy expresses itself in usefulness when the fatherly heartache tempers the rigidity of exacting judgment and offers not only forgiveness but actual spiritual help in eliminating the error in an individual." - (Yogananda, The Yoga of Jesus p 79)

He is basically talking about being a teacher and forklift. God loves teachers. In fact, he falls in love with teachers and gives them back help and mercy 100 fold. 

"Persons who continuously develop themselves in every way and who mercifully feel and alleviate the lack of all-round development in others, surely will melt the heart of God and obtain for themselves His unending and matchlessly helpful mercy. " (Yogananda p 80)

 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:" (Matthew 6:14) 

"...a Teacher has to have width of heart, and a deep understanding to know. If you don't know to know, how can you know the Unknown?" - Yogi Bhajan, The Master's Touch p 123

I am trying to find another quote by yogi Bhajan about how God loves and does anything for a teacher but I cant find any. There are about 1000 of them but right now no one specific one is wanting to be found. But I can attest to this. God takes care of teachers. So I guess this post is a call for teachers. If you have already elevated yourself enough that you are no longer surviving day to day, it's time to be the forklift. You don't have to be perfect. Teaching Kundalini Yoga is even more healing than just having a deep daily practice. Teachers get extra bonuses and grace. Ask any of us. It transforms your life. 

 If you are interested in becoming a Level 1 teacher, you can look into a training near you at KRI's website. Click on "View Upcoming Programs" on the left.  If you live near Salt Lake they are starting another training up in the fall. Here is the info. If you live else where, look on the KRI site. There are LOTS of options and more popping up all the time. 

One of my favorite quotes from Yogi Bhajan is this one:

Bless you on your journeys. Sat Nam.