The Four Sacred Secrets

Introduction
By Preethaji

As I open the doors and walk onto the veranda, I feel the crispness of the air turn moist. The breeze brings the scent of the wet earth from afar. Two large dark clouds gather overhead, unburden themselves, and go their way. Water is flowing from the roof into puddles in the garden. A frog croaks loudly and another answers; soon there is an orchestra of them. My senses are exploding with delight. Bliss is pouring into me from all sides before subsiding into a state of deep calm. My CFO calls from Los Angeles to discuss our upcoming meditation app. The inner stillness continues through the conversation . . . and the words flow.

Why does life not always seem so effortless?

Why are deep, rich, and fulfilling moments in our relationships so few? Why is progress on our climb to achievement so slow and the obstacles so great? Why is happiness so fleeting? We feel a flash of joy when we see our children smile, when we embrace our loved ones, when we hear applause for a job well done. Why does our elation fade so quickly, only to be replaced with anxiety, worry, or doubt?

For thousands of years, human beings have sought answers to these questions. We have pursued countless strategies for awakening to a more beautiful existence. We have worked hard on honing our skills, mastering ancient disciplines and trendy hacks alike.

But has all this strategizing brought us any closer to the lives we dream of? Or is it just yielding temporary results?

To be sure, there is nothing wrong with a tactical approach. But our goal is to help you go beyond the mediocre and awaken to a power that is much greater than any technique you can master—a power that will enable you to create a life of great prosperity and great love. You need only unlock it.

It is the power of a transformed consciousness.

To put it another way, we’re not talking about retraining the mind or embracing better habits; we’re talking about nothing less than transforming the way you experience reality. The way you experience yourself. The world around you. Everything.

Think about that for a moment.

What would it mean to experience life in a completely different way? To feel as if new parts of your brain have been activated and revved up? To see opportunity where you only saw obstacles? To sense that finally time and fortune are on your side?

What would be possible with such a powerful consciousness?

If you are like many of the people we’ve met in the past three decades, you are hungry for such knowledge. Thirty years ago, my in-laws, Sri Bhagavan and Amma, founded Oneness, a spiritual organization dedicated to helping individuals move from survival to living, and twenty years later, my husband, Krishnaji, and I founded One World Academy, our own philosophy and meditation school for transforming consciousness.

It has been two years since my in-laws handed over Oneness to Krishnaji and me, and we have since then merged these two great organizations to create O&O Academy. Our curriculum has helped thousands of people nurture relationships free from hurt, create achievements free from aggression, and live free of fear. It has taught them how to move from separation to connection, division to oneness, stress to calm—and, in so doing, transform themselves as individuals and as members of families and organizations.

O&O Academy is not an ashram for settlers, but rather an organization that engages its students in dynamic learning. You take what you learn here and you apply it to everyday life. We offer courses for teens, young adults, families, spiritual seekers, conscious wealth creators, and leaders who want a “consciousness upgrade.”

Many initially come to Krishnaji and me for exactly the kind of strategic advice I just wrote about, but it doesn’t take them long to realize that all strategies pale in comparison with the insights and the magic that unfold in their lives as a result of awakening to the sheer power of consciousness.

Think of this book as a guide to unlocking the awesome potential of human consciousness. Tragically, most of us have never been taught to tap into this deep source of wisdom. No wonder we spend so much time plotting and planning for happiness or achievement as if they were guests who can never be convinced to stay for a cup of tea!

In the pages that follow, we will share with you four sacred secrets, which will attune you to the great power of consciousness. Each secret is followed by a life journey designed to set you free of all that is preventing you from realizing your dreams, from accessing expansive states of consciousness, and from truly connecting with your loved ones.

The great reward of a transformed consciousness is that you will come to experience a way of being in the world that Krishnaji and I call a “beautiful state.” From such a state, life feels joyful and effortless. Opportunities start to flow into your life with ease. Random strangers become friends and supporters. Help comes to you at every step of the journey. No more do you find yourself feeling stuck. Your intuition is awake.

The insight at the heart of this book is simple enough: there are only two states of being, a suffering state and a beautiful state. One state creates an energy field of chaos around you. The other welcomes harmonious happening into your life. Therefore, the most important choice any of us can ever make is “In which state do I want to live?”

But this idea also presents a question: Once we make the choice, can we walk around in a beautiful state all the time?

No, we cannot. A choice alone is not enough. We must first understand that suffering states are often unconscious and deeply ingrained. They took root in us either epigenetically, prenatally, in our early childhoods, or even in our later years.

Our suffering states prevent us from feeling this sense of wholeness, calm, joy, and courage. But they can be overcome.

If we don’t learn to free ourselves from suffering states, they’ll come back time and time again until our baseline mood is sadness, irritation, or anger. From such wounded places, we cannot create lasting happiness, relationships, or wealth. Even if we use our frustration to drive us forward, our accomplishments bring us little lasting satisfaction. Or, even worse, our rise to the top comes at such a steep price that we find ourselves asking: Was it even worth it?

At that point, meditation, chanting, or vacations can feel like tossing ice cubes into a volcano.

We need more than balms; we need transformation.

We have coauthored this book to share our own experience of the power of the beautiful state as well as the experiences of students of ours who have transformed their lives from the inside out in every aspect, from building lasting relationships to creating satisfying and successful careers. We have deliberately changed the names, country origins, and backgrounds of these students to preserve their privacy while maintaining the authenticity of their insights and experiences of transformation.

As these stories reveal, if you are curious about transforming your consciousness, you will discover a greater sense of effortlessness in living, loving, and achieving. Once you begin to hold these sacred secrets close to your heart, the universe becomes a loving friend, supporting you with magical synchronicities that power you along the way.

Let’s start this journey together.

But before you begin, we would like to make a suggestion: Do not rush through these pages. The Four Sacred Secrets is a book that you will want to return to again and again. It will speak to your soul. The truth behind these words will reveal itself to you more fully with each passing day. You may want to read sections as part of a daily meditation practice or carry the book around with you to help you find clarity during life’s many daily challenges. Make it your own by jotting down notes, questions, and reflections as you read it. Each time you come back to these words, they will have a new lesson to offer.

Pause to reflect on each concept. Take note of any feelings or insights that arise, as well as any coincidences that occur as you awaken to the power of consciousness.