There is no formal ‘diksha’ or initiation in the Datta Tradition. This is because the Datta Tradition is not actually a ‘thing’. The tradition is not composed of a group of people who sit around in thrones and call themselves the elders or gatekeepers or some sort of hidden mystical truth. It is not a physical institution with a logo, tax number, bank account, and board of directors or ‘spiritual leaders’. Neither is it based around a specific text, texts, or set of esoteric rituals and structured spiritual practices.
The Datta Tradition lives within us. The Datta Tradition cannot be separated from the essential energy of existence that animates everything. Neither can it be separated from the fundamental intelligence of life that makes everything in creation happen the way that it does.
In the Datta Tradition, the real initiation is simply ones connection to oneself—to the silent, intelligent energy that operates us and everything else from behind the scenes. As means of facilitating this process of reconnecting to ourselves, masters emerge. These are beings who have walked the path, who are already established in themselves. They serve as living roadmaps and powerful, potent portals to the essence of the tradition. Whether we connect to such a being, or we connect to ourselves, there is no real difference. Eventually, by being connected to a genuine master, we will find ourselves. Likewise, even if we are not connected to any masters—if we are one of those rare and fortunate ones who are able to dig within to discover their essence without any guidance—we will automatically become connected to all of the embodied and disembodied masters of the tradition.
Initiation begins with connection. Connection begins with attraction. In order to get connected to a master of the Datta Tradition, we must first be attracted to them. This means that we must feel some sense of resonance with who they are, what they are saying, and what they are doing in the world. Their words or presence must have some sort of tangible impact on us. We must get the feeling that this is a being who is capable of guiding us forward. When this happens, we can read their books or articles, listen to their talks, do their practices and meditations, and eventually, if we wish, find a way of meeting them and interacting with them personally.
Eventually, a point may arrive when the connection with a master just ‘clicks’ and we start to feel deep down that this is the right guide for us. When this happens, connections becomes absolutely natural. The naturalness of the connection is based on our strong sense of conviction that this is the right being to guide us. This conviction is developed through genuine experiences of transformation that occurs through interacting with such a being and the wisdom that spontaneously flows out of them. If there is any such thing as initiation or diksha in the Datta Tradition, it occurs when this profound moment of recognition or alignment happens with the presence of the master.
Initiation is not something that is simply dished out or sold on the Datta Tradition. Either it happens, or it doesn’t. Many people seek initiations because they are searching for quick boosts to their spiritual evolution, they are desiring the status of being an ‘initiated one’, or they would just like to have some sort of tangible proof for being on the spiritual path. All of this kind of activity is just timewasting masquerading as real seeking. A real seeker is not one who cares about collecting initiations. A real seeker is one who is actually yearning and longing for transformation within. And it is a fact that such beings will always find themselves in the right place to evolve. The Datta Tradition always assigns a qualified guide to such beings to assist them with their journey. This is a law in the Datta Tradition.
So for those who are seeking initiation, I would say from the heart: first seek genuine transformation, and then the genuine connection, and the genuine initiation, will seek you.
This is not the easy answer that many people want to hear. But I have no interest in endorsing more illusions and superstitions that people can use to pretend they are waking up when are simply looking to enter another dream.
Love always,
Jack
