Comprehesive 9 Day Spiritual Test I Challenge You to Take
Test Your Spirituality
A few months ago I had written the popular post Test to Determine Your Spiritual Growth, which provided a simple technique with which to determine your spiritual state and progress. This article, however, is going to provide a far more comprehensive and challenging test to determine your level of spiritual evolution. This 9 day program is actually designed to destroy Karma and is considered one of the greatest programs to accomplish that, but, another way to approach this program is to see it as a true test of your spiritual progress.
This test emerges from the South Indian Schools of Yoga and was designed by Maharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri. I came upon it first in the Karma Manual written by Dr. Jonn Mumford. The official name for this spiritual test is Karma Shakta Kriya. Here is Dr. Mumford’s quote regarding the passing of this profound examination…
9 Days to Change Your Life: Karma Manual
Dr. Jonn Mumford
Chapter 12: 9 Day Karma Clearing Program
“If you can do this for nine days, you will experience nine days of amazing unconscious material – you will prevent Agami Karma (un-sprouted Karamic seeds) from being watered and converted to Prarabdha Karma (sprouted unavoidable Karmic consequences). Best of all you will emerge, like a butterfly from a cocoon, a more powerful, sensitive, insightful human with an increased sense of purpose, destiny, self-mastery, and satisfaction!“
Need I say more? A word of advice though. This test is not easy! It is rare that anyone is able to pass it perfectly. I challenge you to take it if you feel ready. I will start it myself in the near future and maintain it for the 9 days required. I will record my progress in the comment section below and invite you to do the same if you like.
9 Day Test of Your Spiritual Evolution (aka: 9 Day Karma Clearing Program)
The test comprises of the following 11 disciplines to be done daily for each of the 9 days. My version is only slightly different from the original.
1. No media news input for the entire 9 days: Take a break from global gossip.
- No newspapers
- No internet news
- No radio
- For Television see #2 below
2. No Television of any kind: Take a break from staring at the box and escaping from yourself and your life.
3. No communication of dissatisfaction: You may do anything you wish to try to bring about the changes you need to, but, you may not express any dissatisfaction regarding any aspect of your life during these 9 days.
4. No Criticism of any kind: Very similar to discipline #3 is this requirement – no criticizing anything… person, object or activity.
5. Witness Thoughts & Actions: This will actually start to happen naturally as a consequence of the above disciplines (which build up immense psychic pressure). Don’t allow anything to happen without awareness. Many articles on this website explain this art of witnessing in greater detail. To read more about it you are check out The True Meaning of Laziness.
6. Wake up Earlier: You are to wake up 1 hour earlier than you normally do. To help you with that and understand its benefits you can read the following article The Secret of How to Become an Early Riser.
7. One Major Meal Only: This requirement in conjunction with the above disciplines is designed to cause deep seated emotions to surface, thus giving you a rare chance to observe deeper aspects of your being. This one meal should also only be a vegetarian meal.
8. Daily Mediatation: Meditate everyday for minimum of 20 minutes between dawn and dusk. I suggest choosing Zen Meditation Technique, Ajna Chakra Meditation Technique or So Hum Meditation Technique all of which are available on this website.
9. Do Something That you Dislike: The important aspect of this discipline is that the activity which you pick to do, is not just something you dislike, but, is also something that is not essential for you to do. This will help you build willpower.
10. Selfless Act: The act of kindness should be done without anyone having any knowledge of the source. So you are not getting any overt credit for your goodness.
11. Review & Recall: Review your day entire either backwards or forwards and pay special attention to emotional situations and decisions you made. Study yourself in this way and reflect on the actions you took. See where you would have done things differently had you applied your higher self. This activity is item #7 in the article 10 Things Your Should Do Everyday for a Happy, Meaningful and Good life, which you will find has many of the elements that are also a part of this test. In fact, once you take this test you will incorporate many of these disciplines into your daily life and find you are meeting most of the requirements set out to help have a Happy, Meaningful & Good life.
Conclusion: This test is a real opportunity for you to not just evaluate your spiritual prowess, but, also to make incredible progress on the spiritual path. Often we end up just reading about things, this test is a chance to really act and do something very unique and beneficial. So take up my challenge and go for it. I want to wish you the very best on this 9 day adventure of yours.
Feel free to post your experiences with this test in the comments section below, I think that would help and inspire others trying this difficult test as well.
Interesting article! Most of the things we actually do but still most of them are done in wrong ways. I helped and I vented my anger over society’s indifference on facebook well i had no intention to prove that im right or hv been good but needed to tell the world how people can be indifferent to animals especially. I guess I did wrong next time I will shut my mouth. Vegetarian is it very important? I eat non-veg almost daily..and if i stop also i need to give details to my parents why im not eating and this meditation/cleansing process is something personal i didnt want anyone to know.. they wont even bother anyway and most probably ridiculising me. Im not in good terms with my family esp my mum as she’s been always doing harm to me in every sphere overprotective, insulting and blaming me well i didnt want to but i kinda developped a negative feeling which please! Dont ask me to remedy.. i did before but it did more harm than good to me. In short i need a good guidance .. life is set on flames and badly need someone to fan the flames. Thank you
I was very glad to see your newsletter arrive again recently as I was uplifted by the pages I’ve read of your kriyas, and your e-book too.
This is a comprehensive challenge for focusing spiritual development that I will try, to improve on self control and consistent practice.
Thanks for really inspiring ideas Anmol, Jane
i am in my 7th day.and it is effective.
I practice most of these daily anyway… but I need more discipline to follow the rest. I wonder if I switch my phone off for 9 days, how it will impact me! I want to follow this challenge but religiously! I want to adhere to every single one… especially willpower as I lack a lot of willpower. Gradually, things will become easier I think
i notice I have been doing many of things listed in the article already but do need to work on others. I am happy to start this test as of today and make these points a part of my daily life :-)
Thank you
I am currently on the second phase of the retreat and it has been quite challenging but also very educative. Just in case this affects anything I have begun my quest towards meditative awareness with conjunction with this retreat. The one thing I realised immediately is the burst of energy however I Am still a bit skeptic as to whether this energy will last its like a drug high but way better and more concentrated Should I be sleeping less is this normal ?
Hey There. I discovered your blog using msn. That is a very neatly written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to learn extra of your helpful information. Thank you for the post. I will certainly return.
I am following all the above suggested things… for the last few months..
rgrds Ooma
I’m already on this 9days spiritual retreat. I’m learning to be with myself at all times, being aware of all my thoughts and actions every moment. It’s a beautiful experience.
I have noticed that since committing to my spiritual practice, I’ve started to cut down on TV automatically. When my parents are watching a show I’ll automatically do yoga, pranayama or meditation quietly in the background. I’ve been really surprised at how much TV people actually watch!
Anmol,
I went to cross the road and almost got splashed by roadside splodge by a person in a BMW who looked possessed.
I purchased a product which was in a large box and apon opening realised the product inside was a third of the size, so challenging…