Sat1176

I've been trying diaphragm breathing over the last few days. It takes quite a bit getting used to but once you do get the hang of it does feel much more smoother and more relaxing. You also have much more control and can try and slow the breathing right down, But it is taking my dhyaan away from the Gurmantar as I try and continue to breath like this. Sushsumna breathing is much more difficult to achieve. My root of the nose feels very cold if I do get it going, as if that area is beginning to freeze up there. But not sure if I'm loosing connection to my senses as described. Maybe I'm not going deep enough or it's not exactly 50/50 yet.

Sushumna Awakening According to the yogic scriptures, there are 72,000 nadis, or energy channels. Among them, ida, pingala, and sushumna are the most important. As long as the mind is outward, only ida and pingala remain active. But when the mind is calm and tranquil, sushumna, the central channel, is awakened. The joy derived from the mind traveling through the sushumna channel is unique; it cannot be compared with any sensory pleasure. Because of that inner joy, the mind loses its taste for worldly pleasures. Sushumna application is the most important factor in spiritual practice. The moment sushumna is awakened, the mind longs to enter the inner world. When the flow of ida and pingala is di¬rected toward sushumna, and distractions are thereby removed, meditation flows by itself. According to our school of meditation breath awareness is an important step for the awakening of sushumna. Although the word sushumna cannot be adequately translated into English, it signifies the state of an undisturbed and joyous mind. When the breath starts flowing freely and smoothly through both nostrils, the mind attains this state of joy and calmness. Such a mental condition is necessary for the mind to travel into deeper levels of consciousness, for if the mind is not brought to a state of joy it cannot remain steady, and an unsteady mind is not fit for meditation. The process of awakening the sushumna is possible only when a student starts enjoying being still by keeping the head, neck, and trunk straight. This means that the student does not allow any uneasiness to occur in the three cords along the spinal column—the central, sympathetic, and para¬sym¬pa¬thetic ganglionated cords. The sushumna nadi is centrally located and travels along the spinal canal. At the level of the larynx it divides into an anterior portion and a posterior portion, both of which terminate in the brahmarandra, or cavity of Brahma, which corresponds to the ventricular cavity in the physical body. The ida and pingala nadis also travel upwards along the spinal column, but they crisscross each other and the sushumna before terminating in the left and right nostrils, respectively. The junctions of ida, pingala, and sushumna along the spinal column are called chakras, or wheels, and just as the spokes of a wheel radiate outward from the central hub, so do the other nadis radiate outward from the chakras to other parts of the body. In other words, the chakras are junctions of other nadis with the three main nadis: sushumna, ida and pingala. Ida and pingala, situated on each side of the spinal column, are joined at a point opposite the forehead, between the eyebrows at the ajna chakra, where one finds a small but significant ganglion called the ganglion of Ribes. Ida goes around this ganglion to the right and terminates in the left nostril. Pingala goes around it on the left side and ends in the right nostril. In passing along the posterior side of the spinal cord, these two channels change their positions several times, alternating left and right, and meet again below at the ganglion impar located in front of the coccyx which corresponds to the muladhara chakra. These channels communicate repeatedly with sushumna throughout its course. There are only two or three techniques for applying sushumna: 1) concentrating on the bridge between the two nostrils, 2) doing pranayama breathing practices and applying jalandhara bandha (the chin lock) and 3) meditating on the chakra system. Breathing practices to awaken sushumna may include nadi shodhanam and kumbhaka. Also, use of mantra helps to awaken sushumna. It should be understood that sushumna application is the only methodical way of preventing the dissipation of the mind. When sushumna flows, the occasion is unsuitable for external actions, and only meditation and contemplation should be done. When the breath is in sushumna, intuitive knowledge is received well. The application of sushumna is very important: without it, deep meditation is not possible, and without deep meditation, samadhi cannot be accomplished. To apply sushumna, the accomplished yogis concentrate on the bridge between the two nostrils above the lip and allow both nostrils to flow freely. Such advanced yogis do not use any external pressures on any part of the body to change the flow of breath. The aspirant who has learned the correct method of meditation and who has control over the wandering of his mind can easily apply sushumna willfully through concentration on the flow of breath, and can attain the deepest state of meditation—samadhi. At this stage, such aspirants no longer need to use the fingers. The knowledge of turiya is easily accessible by applying sushumna. Sushumna application and the awakening of kundalini are two main aims of yoga science. Without knowing the method of awakening sushumna the joy of meditation cannot be experienced. Pranayama is important in gaining control over the mind, and the application of sushumna is important for deepening meditation. The first step in sushumna application is learning to change the flow of breath with your mental ability, according to your wish and desire. There are many mechanical methods described in books by which you can do this, but they are not actually helpful; they are not really recommended. To really accomplish this process, you must learn to create a relaxed focus on the right or left nostril. If the nostril is blocked, but not due to some condition like sinusitis, then when the mind focuses on it, that nostril will become active because of the focus of the mind. When you have learned to change the flow of the nostrils with your mind, then after some time, a time comes when both nostrils begin flowing evenly. This may take some months or perhaps a year, depending on your capacity and the burning desire within you. When the nostrils flow evenly, the mind cannot worry, because it is disconnected from the senses. Mind does not know how to worry then. It attains a state of joy called sukhamana, the joyous mind. That state of mind is conducive to deep meditation. This is an accurate and effective procedure for you to follow, and it is important not to rush or be impatient. To begin the process of sushumna awakening, the meditator is prepared to focus the mind on the breath as it is felt between the two nostrils. The goal is to focus awareness on the flow of the breath, where it can be perceived at the nostrils on inhalation and exhalation. When you focus the mind on the center between the nostrils, you will soon discover that both nostrils are flowing freely. When both nostrils flow freely, that is called sandhya, the wedding of the sun and the moon, or between pingala and ida. Once this experience can be maintained for five minutes, the student has crossed a great barrier, and the mind has attained some one-pointedness. Then the mind becomes focused inward. For meditation, the finest of all breathing exercises is sushumna application. When you learn how to apply sushumna, there is no way for your mind to go anywhere but into the inner journey. According to the ancient yoga manuals and the science of yoga, there are three important points in the inward journey. The cream of the yoga science is to learn first to apply sushumna; next to awaken kundalini and lead her to the highest dimension; and then to attain the knowledge of the Absolute. This is the entire purpose of the yoga system. Application of sushumna and awakening of kundalini are the two most important aspects of yogic practice before union between jiva and Shiva is accomplished. When sushumna is applied, the yogi feels a sensation of fire going to the brain as if a hot current of air is being blown through a tube from its lower end to its upper end. With the force of pranic energy, the muladhara and swadisthana chakras vibrate, and the primal force is fully awakened. When the students of meditation learn to apply sushumna, then they really start practicing meditation, and meditation becomes a joyful experience. The student can notice when his breath starts flowing freely through both nostrils, and this symptom is an indication of sushumna awakening. In samaya, which is the highest of all yoga paths and tantra, sushumna awakening after bhuta shuddhi (internal and external purification) is the first requisite. Then kundalini is awakened, and in the third step it is led to sahasrara and not allowed to flow again to the lower levels of consciousness. The science of breath actually ends with sushumna application. It is the method by which you establish harmony between the two aspects of breath. During that time, both nostrils flow freely. Without sushumna application, meditation, the inward journey, becomes difficult, so you should learn the method of sushumna application. When you attempt sushumna application, ask your mind to focus at the nose bridge. Let your thoughts come and do not be afraid. You are trying to discipline your conscious mind, which is only a small part of the whole mind. In the Kathopanishad, the King of Death says, “There are innumerable nerves and veins in the physical system, and among them the most important is that which goes upward through the spine. That one is called sushumna. It travels through the spinal column and leads to the highest heaven as conceived by the yogis. One who can enter sushumna at the time of death can attain Brahman, the highest goal of life. All other paths are paths of rebirth. From sushumna, the yogi ultimately reaches the highest consciousness of the Supreme Lord. By yogic practice, the yogi can commune with Parama Shiva, seated on the sacred throne of the thousand-petalled-lotus. Sushumna is the key point of liberation. From the sahasrara or crown chakra, he rises finally to the realm of the absolute Brahman.”

Good Q&A Q. I have read that it is best to receive a personal mantra from a teacher rather than choosing one for oneself. Is this true? A. Receiving a personal mantra from a teacher simply means receiving direct guidance from that teacher. It saves you time and it keeps you free from doubts regarding the validity of the mantra. But if you have some doubt about the teacher, then receiving a mantra from that teacher is worse than choosing one from a book. Most seekers have very little knowledge of mantras. All they know is that a mantra is a potent sacred sound and that it has the power to guide the mind inward. With this much knowledge, people decide to find a mantra. In my interactions with students, I have learned that a large number of such seekers are not very sure about what they believe about mantra. They come to me for a mantra. I give them the one I think best, then they verify that mantra by reading books, surfing the Web, or talking to other teachers. Then they come back to me to share their discoveries: “I’m confused,” they say. “I met a teacher from India who told me I should practice some other mantra and I don’t know who I should listen to,” or “The meaning you told me for my mantra is not the same as the meaning I found in a dictionary,” or “I came across a mantra that I really like. Can I practice with that one instead of with the one you gave me?” In such situations, I hear quite clearly what that person is really asking—he’s asking, “Can I trust you?” What that student doesn’t understand is that he doesn’t have trust in his own knowledge. His discovery regarding mantras and the teacher is still demanding verification. The vacuum can be filled only by gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics of mantra, the illuminating energy it contains, its source, the process of transmission, the prerequisites for receiving and retaining a mantra, and the proper method of imbibing it. For every science there is a definite course curriculum and methodology for studying it. And the study of every science demands perseverance, patience, and discipline. But in relation to mantra science and its practice, we don’t feel that sustained perseverance or discipline is really necessary. So it is necessary that you receive a mantra from a competent, honest, and disciplined teacher. A true teacher will ensure that you cultivate perseverance and discipline, for without it the mere practice of mantra will not bear the desired fruit. If you don’t believe in the value of perseverance and self-discipline, then choose a mantra from a book or simply log on to the Internet. Q. But what if an authentic teacher is not available? A. Don’t worry about finding an authentic teacher. Start with anybody who seems to be honest and sensitive. Your own desire to learn more about yourself, and the mantra’s role in this exploration, will help you discover the next level of teacher. Practice is the key to your personal growth. Prepare yourself, and you will always find what you need. Without that preparation, even if you happen to meet an advanced master, the two of you will not be able to communicate. Despite your best efforts you could not convince a university professor to come and teach you graduate-level courses when your mind is ready only to learn through the poems of Dr. Seuss. And even if you did, either he would have to come down to your level and teach only that which you can comprehend, or he would have to wait until you grow much nearer to his level so you can study with him the subject he is so well qualified to teach. Your own growth will guide you to the right kind of institutions, traditions, teachers, and adepts.

Mantra for Your Mind An ancient yogic text, the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, likens the process of reciting a mantra (mantra japa in Sanskrit) to uncovering the inner essence of something. Much like pressing sesame seeds yields sesame oil, churning milk produces butter, or digging a well exposes water, the sages say, the power of repeating a mantra reveals something deeper within each of us than what we see on the surface. According to this Upanishad, mantra japa is akin to lighting a fire with fire sticks. When two sticks, aranis, are vigorously rubbed together, they ignite—a metaphor for inner awakening. Making one’s body/mind the lower arani and the mantra Om the upper one, practice meditation as if you are rubbing two fire sticks together, and in the process unveil the inner Self which is hidden within you. (1.14) Thus, says the text, reciting a mantra uncovers the experience of Being. What Is a Mantra? Using mantra meditation to uncover our essential being sounds great, but what exactly is a mantra? A mantra is a sound that has, as the ancient sages say, one foot in this world and one foot in a world that transcends ordinary sensory and psychological experience. The foot located in this world resides in the mind, where the mantra is first recited and then gradually internalized—like the words and melody of a favorite song. The other foot of the mantra is para, or beyond. Mantras are not simply mysterious formulae nor are they meaningless or alien sets of sounds. Each mantra collects the energies of inner life—your motivations, aims, and desires—and elevates them to a new level. Eventually the practice of mantra leads to a fusion between the mind of the practitioner and the transcendental reality the mantra embodies. A devotional experience as well as a conceptual one, every mantra contains an element of reverence for the Infinite. This can be found in phrases such as “we worship,” “we revere,” “we bow to,” and “we cherish” found in many mantras. Mantras also contain within them the name of the Infinite as a way of expressing one or more aspects of the Divine’s presence. As in most spiritual traditions, a variety of names embody the concept of the Infinite—Father, Mother, Lord, or Source of Healing. But in mantra japa, none of these terms is meant to externalize God or to replace a meditator’s religious affiliation. Instead, each name points to an aspect of the Indescribable as a vehicle through which a meditator can realize his or her own essential nature. In addition to the name of the Infinite, many mantras incorporate a “seed sound,” a bija mantra, that captures in very concentrated form aspects of potential spiritual energy. These sounds are woven into mantras and add to their potency. They are, it is said, devices for linking the mind to such qualities as strength, health, peace, and happiness. With practice, these qualities emerge in the mind to guide and protect a meditator. The Lower Stick The first step in mantra meditation grooms the body and the mind to receive the mantra. This “lower stick” preparation comprises a series of steps, each assisting in the process of collecting and focusing mental energy. 1. Your body. Select a posture you find both comfortable and steady. Classically, only a few postures are considered appropriate for meditation, but if you’re just learning—or have any injuries—you may need to find a more comfortable alternative. You can, for example, sit against a wall or in a chair to help you relax your physical effort and focus on what is occurring in your mind. 2. Your breath. Once you rest your body, focus on your breathing. By smoothing and softening the breath, you can reduce emotional tensions. In the process, see if you can find the pace of breathing that is natural and just right for you. Then your breath can become the relaxed focus of your attention. 3. Your mind. Finally, as a prelude to engaging with a mantra, feel the breath continuously flowing in and out of your nostrils. By training your mind to rest in this single sensation, other senses relax and turn inward, helping you gather together mental energies that are otherwise easily dissipated. Thus, by resting your body, deepening your breath, and centering your attention on the breath in the nostrils, you prepare the way for mantra meditation and establish a solid foundation—a stable lower stick—for practice. The Upper Stick Once the body and the mind are primed, you’re ready for the “upper stick,” the actual sound of the mantra, which will protect, nourish, and guide your mind. Because a mantra focuses attention within the mind itself, it offers a simple alternative to distracting thoughts and emotions and creates a sense of inner distance, acting as an alambana, a meditative support for the mind. A common mantra to start with is the so’ham mantra, which is associated with the flow of the breath. To practice this mantra, recite the sound so with the inhalation and the sound ham (pronounced “hum”) with the exhalation, letting the mantra sounds flow through the entire length of the breath. These sounds magnify the cleansing and nourishing qualities of each breath and soon become a deep source of nurturance. A literal translation of so’ham is “I am who I am” or “I am That.” Breathing and the so’ham mantra are profoundly linked in meditation, but that doesn’t mean you should alter your breathing pattern to link it to the mantra. In fact, you should maintain the natural pace of your breath when you practice; otherwise the mantra will disturb your breathing, and your nervous system will no longer remain relaxed. Preserve the natural flow of your breathing, and you will find that you can rest in the sound of the mantra far more easily. Refining the Mantra Flow While the so’ham mantra coordinates with your breathing pattern, most mantras do not. Mantras such as the Gayatri mantra, the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra, or any of the initiation mantras given for personal practice soon separate themselves from the breath and find their own pace, creating a strong mental focus with little awareness of body or breath. That’s when the mantra becomes the upper fire stick—repetitively rubbing against the lower stick of the body/mind. The pace of a mantra changes with practice. It may start slowly, gradually increase in speed until it seems to flow effortlessly, and finally pulse so quickly that you are no longer articulating the sounds of the mantra clearly. This change in pace is one of the ways in which a mantra “leads.” When the sound of the mantra flows smoothly in the mind, the process is termed japa, mental repetition. When it begins to flow even more rapidly as a kind of effortless pulsing, it is known ajapa-japa. For all mantras—with the exception of the so’ham mantra—using a mala (a string of beads) is a useful adjunct to practice. A mala serves two primary purposes—it measures your practice (one mala marks 100 repetitions) and it helps maintain the focus of your attention. When your mind wanders, your fingers on the mala serve as a gentle reminder to return to your inner focus. An Essence Emerges Parroting a mantra is not the goal of mantra practice. While the pace of your mantra recitation may vary from slow to fast, remember to do it with full attention. The key element of practice is to let your mind rest in the sound of the mantra. When you meditate, use the early stages of practice to relax and anchor your body and breath. Then refine your focus, let the sound of the mantra arise, and rest in it. It is true that a mantra confines the mind—that is part of the discipline of meditation. By centering your mind in a mantra and allowing the mantra sound to fill the space of your mind, you can set other thoughts and mental processes aside and stabilize your attention. Although the journey is gradual, you will sense that little by little the effort to confine the mind in this way actually produces quite the opposite effect. During periods of mantra japa, despite the fact that the mind remains occupied by the repetitive sound of the mantra, a deep inner silence is awakened. You will begin to sense that you are, in essence, something more than your mind’s activities, something more than your mind. You are a silent witness, an enduring presence, and a fountainhead of joy. At that point, your mantra will be more than a simple resting place for your mind. It will provide the strength to support you over the winding meditative journey ahead.

Keeping the Zzzz Out of Meditation. Have you ever reached a quiet moment in your meditation only to find yourself falling asleep? Virtually all of us have dozed off during our practice at some point. The boundary between sleep and meditation is easy to cross—and once traversed, heads bob, spines wobble, and minds wander through personal wonderlands. Handling the sleepiness in our heads can be a challenging task—made more difficult by the hold that sleep has over us. Sleep’s power is that it satisfies our need for genuine mental downtime. It helps us forget ourselves and leaves us refreshed. “Oh sleep! It is a gentle thing, / Beloved from pole to pole,” writes Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Nonetheless, sleep is the meditative distraction par excellence. It steals us away just as the most tranquil moments of meditation are unfolding. How do experienced meditators manage it? Swami Rama, the meditation teacher who founded the Himalayan Institute, often reminded students that when a fool falls asleep, he wakes up a fool; but when a fool reaches the heights of meditation, he is transformed. Swami Rama’s point was that meditation is an elevation of consciousness, not a diminution of it. He wanted students to be clear that the intention of meditation is self-transformation, not sleep. While most of us know that sleeping is not meditation, that doesn’t seem to prevent us from drifting off when the urge arises. Once triggered, the compulsion to sleep can be extraordinarily powerful. What’s more, a wide range of factors influences it. A full stomach, congested bowels, lack of movement, lack of fresh air, sleep deprivation, and periods of emotional stress all can contribute to feelings of drowsiness. Managing sleepiness, it turns out, requires our full attention. Developing a Meditative Perspective Meditation allows us to explore the encounter with sleep in detail. In meditation we observe the subtle shifting of consciousness. More important, according to the sage Patanjali, we gain a measure of control over it. The aspiration of every meditator is to gain mastery over the fluctuations of the mind. This is accomplished through relaxed concentration—the conscious settling of the mind in a resting place—and by gaining inner distance and detachment from the passing activities and objects of experience. The great problem with sleepiness is that it makes it difficult or even impossible to concentrate. It is, itself, one of those objects of experience passing through the mind. Just as the mind is about to rest and focus, sleepiness slides in. It magically erases the object of concentration (most often the breath or a mantra) and replaces it first with some rather strange and dreamlike images (hypnagogic imagery) and then with a vague feeling of nothingness. Dreamless sleep doesn’t completely shut operations down, but it comes close. It immobilizes the body and involuntarily rests the senses and mind. If we follow Patanjali’s advice, we’ll need to treat dreamless sleep as a vritti, one of the operations of the mind that must be controlled. If we follow Patanjali’s advice, we’ll need to treat dreamless sleep as a vritti, one of the operations of the mind that must be controlled. That means recognizing the symptoms of sleep and choosing not to let them overwhelm us. In sleep, the mind abandons all other conscious functions and dwells on the experience of nothingness. The qualities of dullness, stupor, and inertness (collectively known as tamasic qualities in Sanskrit) dominate us during sleep. As they approach, the mind perceives them and, like the memory of other pleasures, resorts to experiencing them again. For a time, the body/mind embodies tamas. Llike other operations of the mind, sleep is a distraction during meditation. Difficult as it is, our job as meditators is to recognize and observe our sleepiness, but not to embrace it. But like other operations of the mind, sleep is a distraction during meditation. Difficult as it is, our job as meditators is to recognize and observe our sleepiness, but not to embrace it. If we treat it like other distracting thoughts, the mind will let it go and gradually return to an alert, concentrated state. Sleepiness, like other thoughts, feelings, and sensations, is a passing wave. In meditation we are learning to ride that wave without letting it crash over us. This is the fundamental strategy for working with sleep in meditation. Pre-Meditation Tips The power of sleep, unfortunately, is real, and easily magnified. The commitment to step back from the brink of slumber requires the ability to recognize and manage factors that foster sleepiness. For example, if you have just eaten before sitting down to meditate you can count on at least 45 minutes of lethargy. That doesn’t mean that you can’t meditate during that time, but you won’t be anywhere near your sharpest while your energy is being funneled into digestion rather than concentration. This explains why meditation manuals advise waiting two to four hours after a full meal before meditating. The way you select and prepare food also dramatically affects the clarity of your consciousness. Food requires heat for digestion, and if you have not supplied that heat through a cooking process, you will have to draw it from your own body. Although individual constitutions vary enormously, too much raw food, particularly high-fiber greens, raw nuts and seeds, and dried fruits with an abundance of concentrated sugars, can sap energy rather than supplying it. Fatty foods require extra time to digest as well. Inadequately cooked foods are yet another problem, as are foods that are stale, heavy, overcooked, or loaded with sugar. The outcome of overindulging in these foods will be an overwhelming sense of lethargy and a fuzzy mind. Food is not the only factor that thickens the mantle of sleepiness. Lack of sleep is a major contributor, too. The trick is to get to bed early enough to provide adequate rest. Bedtime is generally under our control, but rising times often are not. It makes sense, then, to work on getting to bed on time, because a sleep-deprived mind will inevitably look for opportunities to catch some zzzz’s during the day. And since meditation is undoubtedly the best moment it will find, if you do not manage your bedtime you can anticipate trouble ahead when you sit. There are many other factors that increase the urge to sleep. To manage them, we need to wring out the tamas in our systems in one way or another. That can mean purposefully getting more exercise, bringing order to the clutter that surrounds us in our meditation room, opening a window to let in some fresh air, or cutting back on stimulants, such as coffee, that rebound when their effects wear off. The Hub of Concentration Sleeping in meditation is a powerful sign of lethargy and fatigue. It signals that we need to watch the way we are handling our energy levels. Tamasic impulses need to be managed over the long run, and when fatigue or lethargy alerts us to an imbalance, it’s important to give it our attention. In the end, sometimes the best way to manage sleepiness is simply to sleep. A 10-minute nap after lunch, or an occasional early bedtime, may be just what your meditation needs. It can soothe the otherwise irresistible pressure to nod off. Finally, you can take the edge off the tamas while you meditate—not by resisting it but by cautiously approaching and accepting it. During meditation, a deep sense of stillness combined with relaxed breathing will partially satisfy your need for sleep. That doesn’t mean using meditation as a recurrent chance to doze. The key to feeling more refreshed is to make your breath the hub of concentration. Breath awareness—focused attention on the flow of the breath—makes it possible to meditate while simultaneously resting. Using breath awareness, you can deeply relax your body, nervous system, and mind. One of the most powerful and pleasant methods for doing that is to combine the rhythms of breathing with the mantra soham (pronounced so-hum). As you feel the movements of your breathing, inhale as you mentally say the sound so, and exhale as you mentally say the sound hum. Let the sounds flow smoothly and easily in your mind, merged with the natural pace of your breathing. Swami Rama sometimes said that like the glowing ember of a fire that is concealed by layers of ashes, a sleeper—your own being—waits within. As you recite the sounds so and hum in your mind, he said, imagine that they are ever so lightly blowing away the ashes of tamas and little by little uncovering this Spirit in you. As you continue, be patient with the urge to sleep and allow time for it to pass. Let the so-hum mantra fill you, giving your body and mind a thorough rest. Remain in the quiet center of your awareness, and, without raising your inner voice, let the presence of the mantra gradually dispel your fatigue. But if your head starts bobbing, then put “restoration of energy” at the top of your to-do list. Bedtime is fast approaching.

The Science of Mantra Meditation Those who meditate are seeking to explore their interior life, the unknown inner levels of their being, for the goal of meditation is to become aware of the center of consciousness within. In order to attain this goal, meditators need to pursue a systematic and methodical technique in order to achieve deeper and deeper levels of inner experience. In such an approach, meditators must first quiet and balance the functioning of their physical body. Next, they must make the breath serene. And then they begin the process of making the mind tranquil. Eventually, they seek to go beyond all the levels of the conscious and even the unconscious mind and establish themselves in their essential nature. This inward exploration is not like the way we look at the external world, when we examine the things around us. We have all been taught to explore and study the objects of this world by our parents and in schools, but the techniques we have learned will not help us to explore the inner world. For this, we must use the precise and exact science of meditation or we will merely waste our time and never attain our goal. The practice of meditation is an exact and precise technique for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within. The word “meditation” has come to be used loosely and inaccurately in the modern world. It is not daydreaming, fantasizing, or letting the mind wander and indulge itself or travel into its past grooves or habit patterns. The practice of meditation is an exact and precise technique for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within. It is not a part of any religion; it is a science, which means that this process follows a particular order, has definite principles, and produces results that can be verified. Meditation, or dhyana, is a one-pointed state of internal focus which is effortlessly maintained for some time. The goal of meditation is to experience a state beyond the mind’s levels of thinking, feeling, and analyzing. To achieve this, we must create a state that is still and one-pointed so that the mind becomes silent. When the mind is silent and no longer distracts us, then meditation deepens, and finally we attain samadhi, the awareness of the highest state of consciousness. In the ancient tradition of meditation, the science of mantra is a precise and technical process that meditators follow in order to attain their goal. Without the benefit of a mantra, it would not be possible for them to make this inner pilgrimage to the deepest level of their being. That is why mantra is described as either a raft or a bridge on which meditators cross over the river of life and eventually reach the other shore—the state of highest consciousness. Without the help of this powerful technique, our journey would be futile because we would be unable to penetrate and fathom the various levels of the mind and finally reach our goal. The path of meditation is distinct and different from the paths of prayer and contemplation. In prayer, seekers establish a dialogue with the Divine Force and thereby purify the way of the soul. In contemplation, seekers use the conscious mind to examine and consider some principle or concept such as peace, truth, or happiness. Then they allow their minds to assimilate this principle by considering how they can apply it to daily life. Serious students can use all three techniques. There is no conflict between these paths; they are simply different processes. In meditation, the goal is to go beyond the mind and experience our essential nature—which is described as peace, happiness, and bliss. But as anyone who has tried to meditate has experienced, the mind itself is the biggest obstacle standing between ourselves and this awareness. This is why using a mantra becomes so important. Without its assistance, students can meditate sincerely and faithfully without fully experiencing its benefits or even making much progress despite their efforts. The mind is undisciplined and unruly, and it resists any attempts to discipline it or to guide it on a particular path. Thus, many sit for meditation and experience only fantasies, daydreams, or hallucinations. They never attain the stillness that distinguishes the genuine experience of deep meditation. From Silence to Silence A mantra is a word, phrase, sound, or set of words that seekers use, according to precise guidelines, when they practice meditation. A mantra is a word, phrase, sound, or set of words that seekers use, according to precise guidelines, when they practice meditation. This science is both subtle and profound. It leads to a state in which the meditator allows the mantra to repeat itself internally in the deepest and most subtle way possible. The goal is to give the mind an internal focus, or point of concentration, so that it does not continue its normal, scattered pattern of mental activity. If followed properly, this technique allows the mind to quiet itself and become still. In the ancient tradition of meditation, it was said that mantra and meditation are like two sides of the same coin. Certainly there are some techniques that do not use mantra as a way of deepening the meditative state, but these are generally limited to breath awareness—and such techniques can take students only so far. They cannot help them to attain the highest state. But when students meditate on a particular mantra and make a conscious effort to focus the mind on that mantra, this finally leads the mind to silence. All sounds proceed from silence; the mantra leads the student back to that silence which is called samadhi, nirvana, or the state of tranquility. Thus, among all the methods of meditation, mantra is the most profound and advanced. Students often wonder whether any word or sound can be a mantra, and if they can select a mantra for themselves from a book or by using a word or phrase to which they are attracted, such as the words “peace” or “love.” Actually, the authentic mantras were not invented or developed by any person; they are sounds that were received and experienced by the great sages in states of deep meditation. They are not part of any particular language or religion; they are profound, precise sounds that are eternal and universal. When the sages came back from their deep states of meditation, they conveyed the sounds they had received to those students who were prepared to hear them, and it is these revealed mantras that helped the aspirants to attain the highest levels of deep meditation. The power and significance of a mantra does not result from its literal meaning, but from the power of its subtle vibrations. The power and significance of a mantra does not result from its literal meaning, but from the power of its subtle vibrations. (It is actually the subtle vibrations of the mantras that have the power to encourage and facilitate deeper experiences of consciousness.) But this process cannot be explained or really understood until it is experienced personally at some level. For modern students, this is probably the aspect of the science of mantra and meditation that is most difficult to comprehend. Unfortunately, in the modern world we have become dependent on knowing and experiencing things only through the analytical aspects of the conscious mind. But the conscious mind learns through the external senses alone and thus thinks and “knows” in a very limited and superficial way. This is why modern students often assume that the power of their mantra is due to its literal meaning, and they sometimes maintain their sensitivity to the mantra on this level alone. But actually, there are four levels, or koshas, of a mantra. Its literal meaning is only the most primary and external level at which it can be perceived. The feeling of the mantra is the next, more subtle level; it is followed by its deep presence, or internal awareness. Finally, and most profoundly, the mantra is experienced as soundless sound. The goal of the meditator is to let the mantra deepen to this level. And that is why a personal mantra is not uttered aloud or chanted. Soundless Sound No person “gives” another a mantra, but a mantra may be imparted on behalf of a larger spiritual tradition by an experienced and competent teacher to a sincere student who is prepared to receive it. This process is never a part of any business or economic transaction between the student and the teacher, and if the teacher is authentic, there is no taint of personal gain, ego, or selfishness in it. Receiving a mantra is only one part of a special and unique relationship between teacher and student. It exists wholly on a spiritual level. Unlike the other relationships we experience in our lives, it has no mundane, personal purpose. Those who study texts and scriptures can certainly find mantras listed in books, but only an authentic and appropriate mantra, given to a prepared student by a qualified teacher, can help that student attain the goal that he or she is seeking. In many ways, the role of the teacher who imparts a mantra is much like the role of a physician who knows a patient’s diagnosis and the appropriate medication for that condition. But even though a mantra may be authentic, if it is given to a student for whom it is not appropriate, it may be of no benefit, or may even cause problems for the student. Thus, those who are serious and sincere in their desire to meditate are advised not to experiment with practices found in books. They should prepare themselves to receive such a teaching by working to purify their body, senses, and mind through preliminary practices. Eventually, it is said, sincere students will find a qualified teacher who has practiced and experienced what is being taught. The superficial teachers so common in the modern world do a disservice to the tradition of meditation by disillusioning many students and making them wonder if there is any authentic living tradition. Qualified teachers still exist; if students have a strong desire to progress, they will eventually find what they are seeking. To be beneficial, a mantra must be appropriate to the student’s level of attainment, personality, desires, and attitudes, and when it is imparted it must be used in a precise and specific way. Mantras are not spoken or muttered on the gross physical level, with the mouth, tongue, and voice box. Instead, they are first heard mentally and then allowed to become increasingly subtle and fine. The goal is to eventually achieve a state of constant, effortless awareness called ajapa japa. There are two types of sounds: those which are created by the external world and heard by the ears, and those inner sounds which are called anahata nada, unstruck sounds. These do not vibrate in quite the same way that sound vibrates in the external world, and they have a guiding or leading quality which carries the meditator to the center of silence within. Mantras that are used in meditation do not obstruct or interfere with the flow of the breath; instead they help to balance and refine the breath. This leads to a unique and special state in which the sushumna nadi, or subtle channel, is active and the breath flows freely and equally through both nostrils simultaneously. This is different from the normal functioning of body, breath, and mind when either the left nadi (ida) or the right nadi (pingala) is active and the breath is dominant in one or the other of the nostrils. When students succeed in activating sushumna, and the breath flows evenly through both nostrils, breath and mind function in complete harmony. This special state is ideally suited for meditation, for when it is achieved the mind becomes completely inward in its focus. As the mind becomes inward, it disconnects from the external senses, and then meditators will experience a flow of thoughts, impressions, and emotions coming forward from the unconscious mind. This is the storehouse of all the impressions of our lifetime, and they have created deep grooves in the unconscious mind that can be disturbing. The purpose of mantra is to help us to go beyond these grooves and create new, beneficial channels. The mind then begins to flow spontaneously in the new grooves created by the mantra and becomes concentrated, one-pointed, and inward. As the mind centers on the mantra, the other impressions, memories, thoughts, and emotions of both the conscious and unconscious mind become still. Once students have received a mantra, they should practice meditation with it for some time and bring it to increasingly subtle levels of experience. Sometimes, however, modern students become impatient after practicing the mantra for only a few weeks or months, and feel that they are making no progress because they cannot see any dramatic or immediate external changes as a result of this practice. Some conclude that their mantra is not the “right” mantra, and seek other practices. Others simply discontinue their practice, discouraged by what they see as lack of progress. This is like the impatience of small children who plant tulip bulbs in September, and then want to dig them up two days later because they have not yet seen any signs of a flower. You should work with the mantra with full dedication and deep feeling for some time. Patience is essential in the practice of meditation. You should work with the mantra with full dedication and deep feeling for some time. Eventually, it becomes like a loyal friend who will never abandon you and is always there to help you. That is why teachers sometimes tell their students that dependence on any external person or object will always disappoint them at some time, but seeking solace and comfort from the mantra will always be helpful—especially during those times in every human life when loneliness and doubt exist. When you begin the practice of meditation on a mantra, you are systematically working to make the more remote levels of your own inner experience successively deeper. This process has two aspects: It refines and purifies the existing impressions of the mind, and at the same time, it cultivates and deepens the experience of the mantra. Because most people have not yet acquired much awareness of the deeper levels of themselves, it is not easy for them to observe and appreciate the changes that are taking place during this process. But as you continue to practice meditation on the mantra, the internal process that is taking place will eventually reveal itself. As it does, you will begin to know yourself as you really are.

Meditation Is Not What You Think! You want to attain a state of happiness that is free from all pains and miseries. Yet you constantly live with fears, concerns, strain, and struggle. Why? Because you do not live in the moment, you are not fully present and aware. Your inner and outer conflicts prevent you from dealing with the situations that come before you and living in harmony with those who are close to you. These conflicts keep you from accomplishing the tasks that you have placed before yourself. Meditation is not what you think, for it is beyond thinking. Meditation is a definite process for resolving conflicts. It is the simple and exact process of becoming aware of who you are. It is learning to know yourself as you really are. Meditation is a practice of gently freeing yourself from the worries that gnaw at you, so that you can be free and respond to the needs of the moment, and experience the joy of being fully present. Meditation is not what you think, for it is beyond thinking. You do not meditate on your problems in order to solve them, but through meditation you see through the problems you have set up for yourself. The World Within Meditation is a practical means for calming yourself, for letting go of your biases and seeing what is, openly and clearly. It is a way of training the mind so that you are not distracted and caught up in its endless churning. Meditation teaches you to systematically explore your inner dimensions. It is a system of commitment, not commandment. You are committing to yourself, to your path, and to the goal of knowing yourself. Meditation is not a ritual belonging to any particular religion, culture, or group. It is a method of knowing the one reality from which all religions spring. For example, the Bible clearly says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Learning how to be still is the method of meditation. And if you meditate regularly you will find that you have become more calm, yet alert to what is needed in the present moment. Most people associate calmness with passivity, but the peace that meditation brings releases energy. Worry and preoccupation dissipate your strength. Meditation frees the energy that has been bound in your mental discord so that you can apply yourself one-pointedly to whatever you decide to do. Meditation will lead your mind to become more concentrated, so that you can fully focus on whatever you choose. Because of this, those who meditate will learn almost anything more easily and more quickly. From childhood onward, you are taught to examine and understand things in the external world, but nobody teaches you to look within and understand the mind and its various states. All of your training has been to know the outer world, and to become skillful at manipulating the external world for your own benefit. But unless you learn to know yourself, whatever you do in the external world will not produce the results you want. If a tire is out of balance, no matter how wonderfully it was designed in other respects, it will not function properly. Unless you achieve inner balance, no matter how much you know about performing in the outer world, you will fall short of your goals. Meditation is the means of achieving this inner balance. Those who have examined the objects of the external world understand their transitory nature and know that life has more to give. Then they start searching within themselves and conducting “inner research.” Meditation is a systematic technique of inner research. It is like a ladder with many rungs which finally leads to the roof, and from there one can see the vast horizon all around. Meditation will lead you to a state of inner joy. You think that pleasure comes from your contact with the objects of the world, but there is an inner and finer joy that you have not yet tasted. Those who have been researchers in the external world, who have examined its pleasures and joys, discover that the highest of all joys is meditation, and this joy leads to that eternal joy called samadhi. Such great ones like to keep their eyes partially closed, looking into the innermost light that shines within this frame of life. Meditation will give you a tranquil mind. Meditation will make you aware of the reality deep within. Meditation will make you fearless; meditation will make you calm; meditation will make you gentle; meditation will make you loving; meditation will give you freedom from fear; meditation will lead you to the state of inner joy. If you understand these goals and want to meditate, then it will help you, but if you are expecting to become rich through meditation, then don’t do it. Full Attention Meditation is not a difficult task that you must force upon yourself; once you experience that inner joy you will spontaneously want to meditate as much as you now look forward to outer pleasures. Nevertheless, it is very helpful to establish a routine to your meditative practice. Just as you eat at certain times of the day, and look forward to eating as those times approach, so too, by developing the habit of meditating at the same time each day your whole being—your body, breath, and mind—will look forward to meditating at that time. You should sit down every day at exactly the same time. Establish a specific time for your practice and do your practice every day at that time. The first thing you have to learn is to be still. The first thing you have to learn is to be still. This process begins with physical stillness. According to the tradition that we follow, the asana, or meditative posture, is carefully selected according to your nature and capacity, and you are guided by a competent teacher to keep your head, neck, and trunk straight. After choosing a sitting posture, good students learn to become accomplished in it. After accomplishing stillness with the help of the meditative posture, you will become aware of obstacles arising from muscle twitching, tremors occurring in various parts of the body, shaking, and itching. These obstacles arise because the body has never been trained to be still. We are trained to move in the external world faster and faster, but nobody trains us to remain still. To learn this stillness, you should form a regular habit, and to form this habit you should learn to be regular and punctual, practicing the same posture at the same time and at the same place every day until the body stops rebelling against the discipline given to it. This step, though basic, is important and should not be ignored. Otherwise, you will not be able to reap the fruits of meditation and your efforts will be wasted. You should find a simple, uncluttered, quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Sit on the floor with a cushion under you or in a firm chair, with your back straight and your eyes closed. Then bring your awareness slowly down through your body, allowing all of the muscles to relax except those that are supporting your head, neck, and back. Take your time and enjoy the process of letting go of the tension in your body. Meditation is the art and science of letting go, and this letting go begins with the body and then progresses to thoughts. Once the body is relaxed and at peace, bring your awareness to your breath. Notice which part of your lungs are being exercised as you breathe. If you are breathing primarily with your chest you will not be able to relax. Let your breathing come primarily through the movement of the diaphragm. Continue to observe your breath without trying to control it. At first the breath may be irregular, but gradually it will become smooth and even, without pauses and jerks. Meditation is a process of giving your full attention to whatever object you have chosen. In this case you are choosing to be aware of the breath. Allow yourself to experience your breathing in an open and accepting way. Do not judge or attempt to control or change it. Open yourself so fully that eventually there is no distinction between you and the breathing. In this process many thoughts will arise in your mind: “Am I doing this right? When will this be over? My nostril is clogged—should I get up and blow my nose before I continue? Perhaps I should have closed the window. I forgot to make an important call. My neck hurts.” Hundreds of thoughts may come before you and each thought will call forth some further response: a judgment, an action, an interest in pursuing the thought further, an attempt to get rid of the thought. At this point, if you simply remain aware of this process instead of reacting to the thought, you will become aware of how restless your mind is. It tosses and turns like you do on a night when you cannot fall asleep. But that is only a problem when you identify with the mind and react to the various thoughts it throws at you. If you do, you will be caught in a never-ending whirlwind of restless activity. But if you simply attend to those thoughts when they arise, without reacting, or if you react and attend to the reaction, then they cannot really disturb you. Remember—it is not the thoughts that disturb you, but your reaction to them. It is not a sound that disturbs your meditation, but your reaction to it. Meditation is very simple. It is simply attending. You can begin by attending to your breath, and then if a thought comes, attend to it, notice it, be open to it—and it will pass. Then you can come back to the breath. Your normal response is to react to all your thoughts, and this keeps you ever busy in a sea of confusion. Meditation teaches you to attend to what is taking place within without reacting, and this makes all the difference. It brings you freedom from the mind and its meandering. And in this freedom you begin to experience who you are, distinct from your mental turmoil. You experience inner joy and contentment, you experience relief and inner relaxation, and you find a respite from the tumult of your life. You have given yourself an inner vacation. The Foundation for Peace This inner vacation is not a retreat from the world but the foundation for finding inner peace. You must also learn to apply the principle of attending in your worldly activities so that you can apply yourself in the world more effectively. Through practicing meditation you can learn to be open to what comes before you in the world and give it your full attention. Ordinarily, you react to the experiences that come before you in the world in much the same way that you react to your thoughts. If someone says something negative to you, you become upset or depressed. If you lose something, you react emotionally. Your mood depends on what comes before you and, as a result, your life is like a roller coaster ride. You react before you have fully experienced what you are reacting to; what you see or hear immediately pushes a button. You interpret that according to your expectations, fears, prejudices, or resistances. You short-circuit the experience, and thus you limit yourself to one or two conditioned responses. You give up your ability to respond to a situation openly and creatively. But if you apply the principle of meditation to experiences that come before you, you can fully attend to what is taking place. You can attend to your initial reaction without reacting to your reaction: “Oh, look at how threatened I feel by that.” You need not deny your reaction. Let yourself be open to experiencing it and it will move through you and allow other spontaneous responses to also come forward, so that you can select the one that is most helpful in that particular situation. In this way meditation is very therapeutic. It not only leads to inner balance and stability, it also exposes your inner complexes, your immaturities, your unproductive reflexes and habits. Instead of living in these and acting them out, they are brought to your awareness and you can give them your full attention. Only then will they be cleared. Patient Practice Competent teachers instruct students in how to be free from external influences and how to follow the primary steps, so that the body, senses, and mind are prepared for meditative experiences. If the preliminaries are ignored, then students may waste years and years hallucinating and fantasizing, simply feeding their egos and not attaining any deeper experiences. But there is one serious problem. Modern students are like children who plant seeds in the evening and early the next morning wake up and start digging up the seeds to see what has happened. Of course, nothing has happened; the seeds are still there so the child covers them up again and pours water on them. Then, in the afternoon, the child wants to examine the seeds again. Let the seeds of your practice grow; give your practice some time to develop. It takes time to see results; be gentle with yourself. Have patience and do your practice systematically. Every action has a reaction. It is not possible for you to do meditation and not receive benefits. You may not notice those benefits now, but slowly and gradually you are storing the samskaras (impressions) in the unconscious mind that will help you later. If you sow a seed today, you don’t reap the fruit tomorrow, but eventually you will. It takes time to see results; be gentle with yourself. Meditation means gently fathoming all the levels of yourself, one level after another. Be honest with yourself. Don’t care what others say about their experiences—keep your mind focused on your goal. It is your own mind that does not allow you to meditate, and your untrained mind is like a garbage disposal. To work with your mind, you’ll have to be patient, you’ll have to work gradually with yourself. I sometimes hear students say, “I have not attained anything; I have been doing meditation for thirteen years!” Are you sure that you have been doing meditation? Or did you sit and sleep or dream or think? For thirteen years you have been thinking about many other things in the name of meditation; you think about your work and your boyfriend or girlfriend. You sat for all those years in meditation but you did not really meditate, and then you complain that nothing has happened to you. Do not give your mind space to wander when you meditate, but go step by step in the process. Train yourself. First, pay attention to your posture. Learn to sit correctly. Do your practice systematically. Then work to eliminate the mental and emotional obstacles. If meditators probe the inner levels of their being, exploring the unknown dimensions of interior life, and if they have learned a systematic and scientific method that can lead them to the next state of experience, then they can go beyond all the levels of their unconscious mind and establish themselves in their essential nature. Soundless Sound During deep meditation, the ancient sages heard certain sounds called mantras. In the Bible, it is said that those who have an ear to hear will hear. When the mind becomes attuned, it is capable of hearing the voice of the unknown. The sounds that are heard in such a state do not belong to any particular language, religion, or tradition. According to our tradition, which is a meditative tradition more than five thousand years old, mantra and meditation are inseparable, like the two sides of a coin. All the existing spiritual traditions of the world use a syllable, a sound, a word or set of words, called a mantra, as a bridge for crossing the mire of delusion and reaching the other shore of life. Mantra setu is that practice which helps the meditator make the mind one-pointed and inward, and then finally leads to the center of consciousness, the deep recesses of eternal silence where peace, happiness, and bliss reside. There are sounds that are created by the external world and heard by the ears, and sounds heard in deep meditation. The latter is called anahata nada, the unstruck sound. Inner sounds, which are heard in deep meditation by the sages, do not vibrate in exactly the same way as sound vibrates in the external world. They have a leading quality. They lead the meditator toward the center of silence within. The following simile can help in understanding this: Imagine that you are standing on the bank of a river and you hear the current as it flows. If you follow the river upstream, you will come to its origin. There, you will find that there is no sound. In the same way, a mantra leads the mind to the silence within. That state is called “soundless sound.” The mantra imparted by a teacher to a student is like a prescription given to a patient. There are innumerable sounds, each with a different effect. The teacher must understand which best suits a particular student, according to his or her attitudes, emotions, desires, and habits. A mantra has four bodies or koshas (sheaths). First, as a word, it has a meaning; another more subtle form is its feeling; still more subtle is a presence, a deep intense and constant awareness of it; and the fourth or most subtle level of the mantra is soundless sound. Many students continue repeating or muttering their mantra throughout their entire life, but never attain a state of ajapa japa—that state of constant awareness without any effort. These students strengthen their awareness, but meditate on the gross level only. Those who go beyond this stage use special mantras that do not obstruct and disturb the flow of breath, but help regulate the breath and lead to a state in which the breath flows through both nostrils equally. In this state the breath and mind function in complete harmony and create a joyous state of mind. When students attain this state, the mind is voluntarily disconnected from the dissipation of the senses. Then they have to deal with the thoughts coming forward from the unconscious mind, that vast reservoir in which we have stored all the impressions of our lifetime. The mantra helps one to go beyond this process, creating a new groove in the mind, and the mind then begins to spontaneously flow into the groove created by the mantra. Finally, when the mind becomes concentrated, one-pointed, and inward, it peers into the latent part of the unconscious, and there, sooner or later, it finds a glittering light. Mantra is the means. Meditation is the method. In my own practice I sit down and observe my whole being listening to the mantra. I do not remember the mantra or repeat the mantra mentally. Instead I make my whole being an ear to hear the mantra, and the mantra is coming from everywhere. This will not happen to you immediately in meditation, but when you have attained or accomplished something, it will. Then, even if you do not want to do your mantra, it is not possible to avoid it. Even if you decide that you do not want to remember the mantra, it will not be possible. Finally, even the mantra does not exist; only the purpose for which you repeat the mantra is there; you are there. The mantra might still be there, but it exists as an experience that overwhelms your whole being, and is not separate from you. The mantra might still be there, but it exists as an experience that overwhelms your whole being, and is not separate from you. The most important role mantra plays is during the transition period that every human being will experience. A dying person’s senses do not function properly. He gradually loses the sense of sight, the tongue mumbles words that cannot be understood by others, and he is unable to express the mind’s thoughts in speech or actions. This painful and pitiable situation frightens the mind of a non-meditator. But if one remembers the mantra for a long time in such a state of loneliness, the mantra begins to lead him, and this miserable period of loneliness and agony is over. The mantra becomes his leader. Only one thought pattern is strengthened by remembering the mantra, and when it is firmly established it leads the individual to his abode of peace, happiness, and bliss. The Art of Joyful Living So never give up! Accept meditation as a part of your life, just as you eat, sleep, and do other things; make it your goal to have a calm mind, to have a one-pointed mind, to have a tranquil mind. Do not give that up. Meditation leaves a clear indication on your heart, which is reflected on your face. When people speak to me, I can easily tell whether or not they meditate or are even capable of meditation. Their face is the index of their heart. You can attain the highest state of samadhi through meditation. Then you are here, yet there; you live in the world, yet above; you include all, and exclude none. When the day arrives that every man, woman, and child practices meditation, we will all attain the next step of civilization and realize the unity in all. Liberation can be attained here and now, and that experience is the ultimate goal of human life.

Meditation is a word that has come to be used loosely and inaccurately in the modern world. That is why there is so much confusion about how to practice it. Some people use the word meditate when they mean thinking or contemplating; others use it to refer to daydreaming or fantasizing. However, meditation (dhyana) is not any of these. Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state. It is the means for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within. Meditation is not a part of any religion; it is a science, which means that the process of meditation follows a particular order, has definite principles, and produces results that can be verified. In meditation, the mind is clear, relaxed, and inwardly focused. When you meditate, you are fully awake and alert, but your mind is not focused on the external world or on the events taking place around you. Meditation requires an inner state that is still and one-pointed so that the mind becomes silent. When the mind is silent and no longer distracts you, meditation deepens. Turning Inward From childhood onward, we have been educated only to examine and verify things in the external world. No one has taught us how to look within, to find within, and to verify within. Therefore, we remain strangers to ourselves, while trying to get to know others. This lack of self-understanding is one of the main reasons our relationships don’t seem to work, and why confusion and disappointment so often prevail in our life. Very little of the mind is cultivated by our formal educational system. The part of the mind that dreams and sleeps—the vast realm of the unconscious which is the reservoir of all our experiences—remains unknown and undisciplined; it is not subject to any control. It is true that the whole of the body is in the mind, but the whole of the mind is not in the body. Except for the practice of meditation, there is no method to truly develop control over the totality of the mind. The goal of meditation is to go beyond the mind and experience our essential nature—which is described as peace, happiness, and bliss. But as anyone who has tried to meditate knows, the mind itself is the biggest obstacle standing between ourselves and this awareness. The mind is undisciplined and unruly, and it resists any attempts to discipline it or to guide it on a particular path. The mind has a mind of its own. That is why many people sit for meditation and experience only fantasies, daydreams, or hallucinations. They never attain the stillness that distinguishes the genuine experience of deep meditation. We are taught how to move and behave in the outer world, but we are never taught how to be still and examine what is within ourselves. When we learn to do this through meditation, we attain the highest of all joys that can ever be experienced by a human being. All the other joys in the world are momentary, but the joy of meditation is immense and everlasting. This is not an exaggeration; it is a truth supported by the long line of sages, both those who renounced the world and attained truth, and those who continued living in the world yet remained unaffected by it. Meditation is a practical means for calming yourself, for letting go of your biases and seeing what is, openly and clearly. It is a way of training the mind so that you are not distracted and caught up in its endless churning. Meditation teaches you to systematically explore your inner dimensions. It is a system of commitment, not commandment. You are committing to yourself, to your path, and to the goal of knowing yourself. But at the same time, learning to be calm and still should not become a ceremony or religious ritual; it is a universal requirement of the human body. How to Cultivate Stillness Learning how to be still is the method of meditation. The process of cultivating stillness begins with the body. In the yoga tradition, you are guided by a competent teacher to keep your head, neck, and trunk straight while sitting in a meditative posture (asana). When you have learned to be comfortable in this posture, you should form a regular habit of practicing in the same posture at the same time and at the same place every day. Find a simple, uncluttered, quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Sit on the floor with a cushion under you or in a firm chair, with your back straight and your eyes closed. Then bring your awareness slowly down through your body, allowing all of the muscles to relax except those that are supporting your head, neck, and back. Take your time and enjoy the process of letting go of the tension in your body. Meditation is the art and science of letting go, and this letting go begins with the body and then progresses to thoughts. Once the body is relaxed and at peace, bring your awareness to your breath. Notice which part of your lungs are being exercised as you breathe. If you are breathing primarily with your chest you will not be able to relax. Let your breathing come primarily through the movement of the diaphragm. Continue to observe your breath without trying to control it. At first the breath may be irregular, but gradually it will become smooth and even, without pauses and jerks. Meditation is a process of giving your full attention to whatever object you have chosen. In this case you are choosing to be aware of the breath. Allow yourself to experience your breathing in an open and accepting way. Do not judge or attempt to control or change it. Open yourself so fully that eventually there is no distinction between you and the breathing. In this process many thoughts will arise in your mind: “Am I doing this right? When will this be over? Perhaps I should have closed the window. I forgot to make an important call. My neck hurts.” Hundreds of thoughts may come before you and each thought will call forth some further response: a judgment, an action, an interest in pursuing the thought further, an attempt to get rid of the thought. At this point, if you simply remain aware of this process instead of reacting to the thought, you will become aware of how restless your mind is. It tosses and turns like you do on a night when you cannot fall asleep. But that is only a problem when you identify with the mind and react to the various thoughts it throws at you. If you do, you will be caught in a never-ending whirlwind of restless activity. But if you simply attend to those thoughts when they arise, without reacting, or if you react and attend to the reaction, then they cannot really disturb you. Remember—it is not the thoughts that disturb you, but your reaction to them. Paying Attention When you meditate, you give yourself an inner vacation. Meditation is very simple. It is simply attending. You can begin by attending to your breath, and then if a thought comes, attend to it, notice it, be open to it—and it will pass. Then you can come back to the breath. Your normal response is to react to all your thoughts, and this keeps you ever busy in a sea of confusion. Meditation teaches you to attend to what is taking place within without reacting, and this makes all the difference. It brings you freedom from the mind and its meandering. And in this freedom you begin to experience who you are, distinct from your mental turmoil. You experience inner joy and contentment, you experience relief and inner relaxation, and you find a respite from the tumult of your life. You have given yourself an inner vacation. This inner vacation is not a retreat from the world but the foundation for finding inner peace. You must also learn to apply the principle of attending in your worldly activities, so that you can apply yourself in the world more effectively. Through practicing meditation you can learn to be open to what comes before you in your daily life and give it your full attention. Ordinarily, you react to the experiences that come before you in much the same way that you react to your thoughts. If someone says something negative to you, you become angry or depressed. If you lose something, you become emotionally upset. Your mood depends on what comes before you, and, as a result, your life is like a roller coaster ride. You react before you have fully experienced what you are reacting to. You immediately interpret what you see or hear according to your expectation, fears, prejudices, or resistances. You short-circuit the experience, and thus limit yourself to one or two conditioned responses instead of responding to a situation openly and creatively. But if you apply the principle of meditation to experiences that come before you, you can fully attend to what is taking place. You can attend to your initial reaction without reacting to your reaction: “Oh, look how threatened I feel by that.” Let yourself be open to experiencing your reaction and it will move through you and allow other spontaneous responses to also come forward, so that you can select the one that is most helpful in that particular situation. In this way meditation is very therapeutic. It not only leads to inner balance and stability, it also exposes your inner complexes, your immaturities, your unproductive reflexes and habits. In this way meditation is very therapeutic. It not only leads to inner balance and stability, it also exposes your inner complexes, your immaturities, your unproductive reflexes and habits. Instead of living in these complexes and habits and acting them out, they are brought to your awareness and you can give them your full attention. Only then will they clear. Signs of Progress Have patience and do your practice systematically. Every action has a reaction. It is not possible for you to meditate and not receive benefits. You may not notice those benefits now, but slowly and gradually you are storing the samskaras (impressions) in the unconscious mind that will help you later. If you sow a seed today, you don’t reap the fruit tomorrow, but eventually you will. It takes time to see results; be gentle with yourself. Meditation means gently fathoming all the levels of your being, one level after another. Be honest with yourself. Don’t care what others say about their experiences—keep your mind focused on your goal. It is your own mind that does not allow you to meditate. To work with your mind, you’ll have to be patient; you’ll have to work with yourself gradually. Some of the most important benefits of meditation make themselves known gradually over time and are not dramatic or easily observed. At first you may see progress in terms of physical relaxation and emotional calmness. Later you may notice other, more subtle changes. Some of the most important benefits of meditation make themselves known gradually over time and are not dramatic or easily observed. Persist in your practice and you will find that meditation is a means of freeing yourself from the worries that gnaw at you. Then you are free to experience the joy of being fully present, here and now.

4 Ways to Improve your Meditation The mind is the greatest of all mysteries. Upon unveiling this mystery, all mysteries are unveiled. The mind is the source of all misery and happiness. It is the source of both bondage and liberation. The more you know about your mind, the greater the mastery you will have over the world around you. Your whole life can be a meditation. The mind is an energy field. It is the finest manifestation of nature. Nature has deposited its entire bounty—all potentials, capacities, and intelligence—in the mind. The mind is endowed with all creativity, imaginable and unimaginable. It has the capacity to create anything it wishes. It has enormous space to store its unlimited experiences and keep them as long as it likes. The mind also has the capacity to fool itself. It can recollect its past deeds at will, or go on living in a state of forgetfulness. It has the capacity to dwell on one single thought, one single idea, and one single object, or it can brood on multiple thoughts and ideas. The mind has the capacity to flow in the external world and go on running from one object to another. It also has the capacity to turn its face away from the external world, and flow inwardly toward the center of consciousness. It can function as the best friend of the body and soul, or behave like their worst enemy. Therefore, nothing in life is more important than understanding your own mind and its relationship to oneself and the outside world. To learn to know yourself, you need to take a few minutes for yourself every day. Many people think that meditation is the right solution, and I agree, but most people understand only one part of meditation. In meditation, you sit down quietly and repeat your mantra. During that period your mind remains one-pointed, but after that your mind goes back again to its same previous grooves. This is not the full process of meditation; the full process of meditation is a whole-life process. Meditation means to attend. It means paying attention to the whole of life. It should not be a strenuous act; it should not be forced. Your whole life can be one of meditation. From morning until evening you can meditate, either unconsciously or consciously, and if you do that meditation well, it will bring many benefits. People often ask how they can do this. My method is to ask myself to consider some question that is on my mind. Once, when I was young, my master asked me to consider where I got my questions. When I told him they came from within, he replied, “Then the answers are also there. I can give you the answers another way, but the answers are there.” So from wherever the questions arise, there are also the answers. Early in the morning, right after I get up, I go to the bathroom and prepare for meditation, and then I sit down. This is the calmest period of the day, when my mind is quiet. Everyone’s mind remains calm at this time, because at that hour the mind is not so external in its focus. I ask my mind what I have to do, and then I set up a dialogue with myself. When all the thoughts have gone through my mind, then I start to remember my mantra. You often try to remember your mantra from the very beginning, but there are thoughts waiting for your consultation and you do not pay attention to them. So the thoughts are coming and going in your mind while you are trying to repeat your mantra, and the more the thoughts come, the more you repeat your mantra. The result is an inner battle. That is not helpful; you need not do that. If you use the technique described here regularly and faithfully, and apply it sincerely, you will be able to really enjoy your meditation. Meditation is important. But preparation for meditation, the cultivation of an attitude of readiness for meditation, an awareness of what you should do after meditation, and an understanding of how you should continue this meditation during the whole day, are also important. You need to put this teaching into practice in your daily life. 1. Engage in Self-Dialogue At the very beginning of your meditation practice, have a gentle dialogue with your mind. Sit down quietly and ask yourself, “What do I want?” At the very beginning of your meditation practice, have a gentle dialogue with your mind. Sit down quietly and ask yourself, “What do I want?” You will learn many things when you enter into this kind of self-dialogue. You will come in contact with your inner states. You will learn about the subtle aspects of your mind, your own conscience—and you will see that you are training yourself in the process. The aim of your self-dialogue should not be primarily related to the things you have been doing in your life, at your office, or in your family. Your task is to cultivate a positive relationship with your mind—a relationship in which questions about the purpose of life can be fruitfully raised. You must ask yourself what your purpose is. Otherwise, you are killing the inner teacher within you, and this is the greatest of all sins in life. Let your mind be a friend. When you talk to a friend you accept some things and do not accept others. Establish a relationship with your mind on the same basis, and do not listen to the mind’s temptations. Listen to its suggestions, good ideas, and advice, and learn to observe what type of mind you have. When you do this, you will find that there are two types of desires: the simple daily wants, and the higher desires. The two types of desires are mingled together. When you sit down to meditate, you think, “I need this thing; I need that thing; my car is old; I want a new car.” These are mundane things, but do not allow yourself to suppress these desires by reacting: “Oh, what am I thinking? I should not think like that!” That is not helpful; instead, let the thoughts come before you, and become an observer of your own mind. Do not try to escape; do not be afraid of your thinking, no matter what kind of thought arises. Every time you sit to meditate, first remember the spiritual power of your practice. Recall the strength of the meditative traditions that inspire you. Examine yourself sincerely and ask yourself if you want to meditate, to explore, to know yourself, and to form new habits of living. Then, inspect within to see what is good and what is not good for your practice. Ask yourself if the thought that is coming to you is helpful for your meditation or not. In this way, your meditation will be guided by the higher forces within you—and not led off into fantasies and wish-fulfillments. There are three aspects to a human being: animal, human, and divine. The human being is like an angel that has fallen down. He is distracted by the charms and temptations of the world, and identifies himself with them, thus forgetting his essential nature. The goal of introspection is to see the images in the mind through the lens of the divine—and thereby restore the knowledge of one’s essential nature. 2. Practice Witnessing Often, although you start to inspect within, you do not have the capacity to continue. You are swayed by your thoughts and identify yourself with your thought patterns. The wisdom to decide what is useful in the mind is not there. If you have not cultivated your spiritual resolve, your sankalpa shakti, then you will discover that your thoughts control you. You will see that you are far too easily distracted by the images that come into your mind. Your mind will create many fantasies and images, one after another. These images—the objects of imagination—are the result of what you have known, heard, thought, studied, or fantasized about. When thoughts arise, you either start to worry or start to enjoy your imagination. So the first lesson is to simply allow thoughts to arise and then to go away. When thoughts arise, you either start to worry or start to enjoy your imagination. Both kinds of thoughts are actually the imagination at play. Do not form the habit of merely enjoying your thinking process and indulging in it without bringing it to action; such daydreaming is dangerous. Many people do that; they enjoy and indulge in their imagination, but that is not the same as creative imagination. Creative imagination is that process by which you imagine something, and then when it is helpful you allow it to be expressed through your actions. So the first lesson in this practice is to simply allow thoughts to arise and then to go away. The second is to bring back before yourself that which is important. The thoughts that are colored by your interest are those that motivate you to act, and not all thoughts have that power. Not all of your thoughts need external expression, so allow them to arise, decide if they are creative or helpful, and then later express those that are useful. Your thoughts are not mere thoughts; they are people—identities within you. You are a world in yourself. You are a universe, and all your thoughts are people. Just as people are born and die, so too, thoughts are born and die. Some thoughts create great grooves or imprints in your mind. They live on in the unconscious. Those thoughts are called samskaras. The unconscious mind is the vast reservoir of all of our experiences of the past. The subtle impressions of our every thought, speech, and action are deposited in our unconscious mind. It is nature’s most comprehensive database. Nothing in this aspect of the mind is inert and dead, and yet, we call it the unconscious mind. Why? Because people do not normally have conscious access to this part of their own mind, nor are they aware of what lies within it. This so-called unconscious mind is like the basement of your house where years ago you stored your belongings, but for a long time you haven’t had a chance to visit. Over the years, you even forgot what you had stored there. In this long interval, your basement flooded several times, the plumbing and electrical systems became dysfunctional, and mice and other animals took over the space. Today, you have a hard time entering this dark and musty basement. You have neither the convenience nor the capacity to take an inventory of your long-deposited belongings. For all practical purposes, you have abandoned your basement, but it is still your basement. Long-forgotten belongings sitting in your basement are your belongings. When you move to your next house, it is your responsibility to dispose of those belongings or to take them with you. In either case, you have to enter your basement. You cannot escape your past. You cannot escape the fruits of your past deeds. You must face them. Your lack of awareness regarding the contents in the basement of your mind does not make those contents vanish. In your ignorance, you may go on proclaiming that they don’t exist, but sooner or later, reality hits. Then you realize that the vast storehouse of your past, in its own right, is fully conscious, very actively alive. Those impressions exert their influence on you, regardless of whether you are awake or asleep, conscious or unconscious. You can eliminate those thoughts if you know how. You can obtain freedom from your samskaras, from the impressions that you have stored in the storehouse of merits and demerits, the unconscious mind. You have the power to do that. If you could not, then human endeavor would be of no use. Quite often, we know what is right and yet we do not feel motivated to do it. We also know what is wrong but we do not know how to stop doing it. This happens because the contents in the unconscious mind keep influencing our conscious mind—its thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is only when we begin to meditate that we realize how vast our unconscious mind is and how potent are its contents. To understand the mystery of life and bring a lasting transformation within and without, we have to dive deep into the depths of our own unconscious mind. The process that allows you to peek into your unconscious mind is called self-study or introspection. To understand your unconscious mind, you have to be alert and observant and work with yourself gradually. Do not be harsh with yourself. The mind is like a river; you cannot stop its thinking. If you try to create a kind of dam or reservoir in it for some time, like a beaver trying to stop the flow of the river, eventually there will be a great disaster. So do not try to stop or suppress your thinking. That’s a bad way to try to understand or control your mind. The way to work with intruding thoughts is to let each one come, whether it is good or bad, and become an observer. Start observing your own mind. Simply decide that whatever comes, you will not be disturbed. Realize that this thought, whatever it is, cannot disturb your whole life. To think otherwise means that you believe you are weak and that the thought is powerful. When you become accustomed to witnessing, you can develop the habit of being more balanced, of losing your destructive sensitivity and reactivity to both positive and negative things. 3. Obtain Your Own Grace To truly witness your thoughts you will need to travel even further toward the source of life and light within you. Your mind is the finest instrument of your personality, and yet you will discover with practice that the mind is not everything; something else gives power to the mind. There is a source that you cannot see with the mind. At some moment you will learn to leave behind body consciousness, breath consciousness, sense consciousness, mind consciousness—and finally go beyond all of them. At such a moment, you no longer identify yourself with the objects of your mind or the objects of the world. That moment reveals a state of equilibrium, of tranquility. In that state you become the inner witness, not through some internal self-effort, but because that is who you are. There are four types of grace. The grace of the guru, the grace of the scriptures, and the grace of that which is divine are the first three. But these three help you only if you have your own grace. Now, however, your state of mind is enveloped by dust. If you simply shake off the dust, your mind will be clean, so you should make a sincere effort. When you have made effort with all your strength and willpower, help comes from above. That is the descending force. When you have used all your own ascending force, then the descending force of grace comes. The grace of the Divine is light. The sun is there, the moon is there, and all the lights of the world are there. The moment you obtain your own grace, this divine grace is there as well. The path leading to such heights is the path of the inner journey. Embarking on this journey you will learn to know yourself and the unknown levels of your life. It will make you creative and brilliant. It will lead you to the silence from where wisdom flows, that fountain of life and light that flows with all its majesty. If you know how to use the mind you can be successful within and without. Then you can really learn to enjoy life. Then life is complete. 4. Revitalize Your Practice If you want to become a serious student of meditation, the first thing that you have to learn is to get out of bed the moment you wake up. If you want to develop your mind and become a serious student of meditation, the first thing that you have to learn is to get out of bed the moment you wake up. If you are awake, but you remain in bed, it is because there is a coloring of tamas, laziness or inertia, in your personality. Your mind will say, “Oh, it’s Sunday, I don’t have to work, let me stay in bed.” That’s a bad way of training yourself; it’s a bad way of teaching your mind. Regardless of whether it’s Sunday or Monday, you should get up. Otherwise, you are wasting time and energy, and at the same time you are forming a bad habit that affects you on both the physical and mental levels. Rise, wash, and finish your morning ablutions—and then do something useful. Do not remain idle and inert. Lethargy and sloth result from not doing things on time, not forming habits which are helpful to you, or not having control over your appetites. Training the physical habits in this way has a direct result in training the mind. This is an important secret of life: if you remain idle without doing something useful, your mind thinks scattered and random thoughts, and wastes its energy. A thought is like an unripened fruit that is not yet eaten by anyone. Ripening the fruit means bringing a positive thought into action. Those who are great, successful, creative, and dynamic know how to bring all their good thoughts into action, and how to give shape and form to their creative thinking process. Positive, dynamic people conduct their duties well because they have established coordination between their thoughts, speech, and action. Do not be afraid of the word “discipline,” because to make progress you need to train yourself. In this kind of training, books can’t help you; nothing external can help you. You have to understand yourself. You need to ask yourself how you think, why you are emotional, and what the problems are with your mind. You need to consider why you often do not do what you really want to do. Put these questions to yourself, and you’ll find the answers. Through such training and self-discipline you can truly understand yourself. And when you apply all your resources, intelligence, and understanding to exploring your interior self—the modifications of your mind and your internal states—it will be a fascinating experience. Source : http://yogainternational.com/article/view/4-ways-to-improve-your-meditation

His name is Santpartaap Singh ji and he was given that name by Sant Isher Singh ji. People often break up the Sant and Partaap when in fact they are both part of his name. Baba ji is a very down to earth person so you won't get him displaying or saying anything like that.. Rest depends on how close you get to any mahapursh.

No I do understand , I just don't want you to compare yourself to me. If I do too little I don't want you to do the same. You have to do as much as you can. If that means doing a routine then fine or as much as you can throughout the day is also good. It is not my place to say do x hours a day if you haven't started with 5 mins. Start from something manageable and work yourself up from there. Mind has to also build focused stamina. It doesn't come over night. You have to train the mind like an athlete.

Don't worry about my routine, you just worry about yourself and do as much as you can.

No I have not been blessed with Amrit yet and I have not attained any high avasta and struggle to jap naam everyday. What ever little experiences I have had has been with WaheGuru's grace and japing of the gurmantar "waheguru" even which I have not directly recieved from the panj pyare. So in that regards, I am also a thief! But on the other note when was the Lord or his name only been for one particular group. Waheguru resides in us all and is everywhere. The problem is we cannot see him in ourselves or in others. I am a manmukh through and through and a paapi like no other. Poeple say a lot of things to get someone to take Amrit, and you can believe what you wish. But the bottom line is one should partake in the amrit ceremony out of love for their Guru. I hope one day I too will have that much love in me where I can surrender my mind, body and soul before the Guru. I try not put so many barriers or conditions in my head that if i don't do this or I don't do that I won't get this or I won't get that. I already have enough thoughts in my head as it is, that I can't always even hear the word waheguru, when I say it. My mind takes so many flights of thoughts. If I start adding even more views like this then I'm piling on even more dirt and barriers to an already filthy mind and I have given up before even starting. We can worry about Nirvikalap samadhi when we get there. I don't even know how to listen to the Gurmantar without the mind wondering occassionally and doing its own thing. Nirvikalap samadhi is long way away. I can tell you I have seen monay lads japping waheguru and reaching higher avasta then someone wearing full bana with all their shastar on display. I don't mean any disrespect towards them but being an Amritdhari does not always grant you the boon of being spiritually adept. Yes one may have enrolled in the school of gurmat but have they started studying now? The point I'm trying to make is without offending anyone is, don't always judge a book by it's cover. The moment we all close our eyes and start to make the inward journey to find Waheguru we are all alone in that dark place with only our mind, awareness, thoughts and gurmantar for company. We leave all external things behind. That is when the true spiritual battle begins. If one is Amritdhari then good for them as they are blessed. However not being an Amritdhari should not be an excuse for not remembering Waheguru and trying to do some kind of bhagti. God bless

Dearest Sukhpreet ji, I have had dreams in which I have seen mahapursh and some I have met physically, I can't say I'm very close to any and that I have a personal relationship with them. Yes I do try and attend sangat of any that I can. What I do not know is if visions in sleep were just dreams or actual visions of some kind. I try not to dwell on that stuff anymore. My focus now is only the gurmantar and anhad bani that Sri Guru Granth sahib ji stresses upon so much. I have also heard stories of people having darshan in meditations, then riddhiasiddhia started, then those same beings started harassing the meditator. So I am not so keen on that side of things. Yes certain groups do place a lot of focus on sargun darshan and each have their own path. I have great respect for all but I like to focus on the path of shabad guru surt dhun chela as that is what works for me. My understanding of Bhanwar Guffa is that it is a tiny passage/tunnel that leads from the agya chakra between the eyes up to the top of the head. One can only enter this tunnel when they see the light of the bindu, dot or mustard seed. It is a very high avasta. This is way beyond my own practical experience so can't really say much more as it's only theoretical knowledge. Glad you feel motivated by everyones posts here. This forum is blessed with loads of naam jappan wali rooha and we are all here to help and share with each other. Please do start walking on the path towards Waheguru and we truly wish you every success. WaheGuru

Being veg or non veg is your personal decision. Why do you wish to put more restrictions on yourself. If you feel guilt inside then that will do you more harm then good, so be veggie if you wish. But do the jap with a free mind.

See if you can still hear it if you go in another room or another property.

Your asking the same question quite a few of us on this forum asked when we experienced these sounds. Keep going with your simran and meditation and see where it takes you. Do the sounds change over time... Are you awoken in the middle of the night with a super loud one or even when your meditating. You will certainly know when the strong ones appear. But if I were to hazzard a guess I would say your inner ears of the mind are activating.

Ragmaala, You might also find the following information useful: We should meditate by chanting the gurmantra (wahe-guru) while walking, sitting and standing, with our attention on our voice. By doing that the imbalance of the air gets corrected. Then our thoughts stop and our mind enter Sehaj (intuitive peace). In the initial stages of meditation, we have to separate our mind from air and have to get absorbed in Sunn. Our mind should go into Sunn again and again by meditating to balance the air. Then we move to the next stage. As per gurbani. khatt naem kar kotharree baandhhee basath anoop beech paaee || The house of the mind is made of six rings, and placed within it the incomparable thing (Naam) inside it.. kunjee kulaf praan kar raakhae karathae baar n laaee The lock and the key to the door of our mind’s home are made of air (the breath) and the Creator did this at no time at all. SGGS 339 Let me point out that that balancing the air. i.e. both nostrils are open at the same time is no easy task to achieve. I've been practicing this for quite some time and I still can't get it to open on demand. I will also say that one should not rush straight into internal simran if you cannot focus and hear your jaap externally and internally. The primary objective of doing swas-giras simran (out aloud) is to 1) learn to hear the jaap coming out of your mouth which in turn will help stop the thoughts of the mind because it is focused on the gurmantar. 2) To help balance the air in your left & right passages. If you rush in straight to internal simran with out doing sass-giras (out aloud) or sass sass (madhma -wisper) then your air won't balance on its own unless your meditating at the time your body naturally shifts from one side breathing to the other. Another important fact I only recently learned was that sass-sass simran should not be done with short breaths. Quite often we rush our mantra and indirectly our breathing. Sass - sass should be done slowly and naturally. Both inhale and exhale should be the same length and "Wahe" part of gurmantar should be the same length and the "Guru". Sometimes we can say Wahe fast be elongate the "Guru" or vice versa. This is not balance. This is also useful information: If we fail to stay introverted (i.e. eyes closed looking inward) , the mind cannot look inside, and cannot unite with Waheguru. We also fail to open the door to the castle of our mind and the Naam of God does not appear inside of us. This is why it’s important to close our eyes in meditation and keep the mind introverted. We will only progress in the introverted state. When we are extroverted (i.e. looking out with the eyes), we should look at things with our impartial vision. This means to look at both forms of Waheguru– things with form and the formless. Form is known as Sargunn and the formless is known as Nirgunn. While introverted we can’t see outside and only the formless (nirgunn) remains. Nirgunn: The empty space all around us. All the planets are in Nirgunn. It is the subtle form of God. Sometimes I felt I could not always close my eyes yet inside I had the yearning to do simran. So I took this concept on board and put my dhyaan in the empty space between objects. i.e. the air in front of me. If you start appreciating this fact that Waheguru is in the space all around you then everywhere you look you see that empty mirror like space i.e. Waheguru. It gives your mind a reference point at which to focus your dhyaan and you feel your jaap has a direction. You don't want to be moving the eyes around looking all over. Just look straight ahead but don't look at an object. Look at the empty space. Slowly your eyes want to close by themselves. Ideally one should definitely close the eyes when doing simran as per the instruction: Those who close off the nine gates, and restrain the wandering mind, nao dar thaakay Dhaavat rahaa-ay. come to dwell in the Home of the Tenth Gate. dasvai nij ghar vaasaa paa-ay. There, the Unstruck Melody of the Shabad vibrates day and night. Through the Guru`s Teachings, the Shabad is heard. othai anhad sabad vajeh din raatee gurmatee sabad sunaavni-aa. SGGS 124 WaheGuru

Meditation means different things to different people. To some, it suggests periods of quiet self-observation. To others, it means breath awareness or thinking reflectively. In the yoga tradition, a key element of meditation is the repetition of a sound or a prayer—a mantra—which focuses the mind and becomes a source of inner balance and well-being. The process of mentally repeating a mantra is called japa, which literally means “muttering” in Sanskrit. With practice, japa becomes well rooted in the mind, and the sound of the mantra flows continuously from moment to moment. It may flow slowly, linked to the breath. Or it may flow at a moderate pace, disengaged from the rhythm of breathing. After considerable practice, the mantra may pulse very rapidly—its syllables no longer carefully articulated. In this case, meditation with the mantra flows without exertion. This phase of practice is called ajapa japa, or effortless repetition. The mantra becomes audible without mental exertion, and the inner space of the mind is filled with its sound. Adepts sometimes refer to this phase of meditation as “listening to the mantra.” The mantra becomes audible without mental exertion, and the inner space of the mind is filled with its sound. The resulting practice is effortless and delightful—but it occurs only after considerable experience with a mantra. How can you cultivate ajapa japa? And what is happening in the mind when your mantra sweeps along in perpetual motion? Let’s have a look. Mantra Practice If you have never practiced mantra meditation before, the process of reciting a mantra may appear rather mechanical. But the repetition of a mantra is anything but robotic. With regular practice you will find that japa practice will lead you to a much deeper understanding of yourself as you encounter new layers of your mind. Wants and hopes, duties and obligations, ideals and aspirations surface in your awareness. From meditation to meditation, life unfolds under your inner gaze, asking you to witness it in its entirety. A mantra serves as a kind of centering device during this process. It offers a resting place for the everyday mind. It collects distracting energies. It brings spiritual insights forward, so that you can integrate them into daily life. Just as great music transforms a listener, a mantra gradually lifts and transforms your mind. Three Steps to Ajapa Japa You can use a variety of mantras for meditation. Some meditators are given a personal mantra by their teacher. Others choose to use one of the great Vedic mantras such as the Gayatri mantra (“May my mind be guided by divine light”) or the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra (“May the Lord lead me to freedom from fears and attachments”). You may also recite a prayer such as the Christian invocation Kyrie eleison (“Lord have mercy”) or the Buddhist mantra Om mani padme hum (“May the blessed union of practice and wisdom awaken”). No matter the mantra, its sacred sound can help you progress through both the japa and ajapa japa phases of practice. Generally speaking, you can progress through three phases of japa practice by doing the following. First, link the mantra sound (or a portion of it) with the flow of your breath. The fusion of breath and mantra makes your concentration stable, reducing the mind’s tendency to wander. Linking the mantra with your breath also slows the pace of mental repetitions, giving you time to patiently witness your concentration process. Next, let go of the breath and focus your attention on the sound of the mantra alone. Once you disconnect the mantra from the breath, the mantra will begin to pulse at its own moderate pace. Breathing continues to flow smoothly, but awareness settles in the mantra. This shift results in a more refined concentration process. Your mind rests within itself, without the support of an external object (the breath). Finally, as the mind becomes familiar with the sound of the mantra, it will naturally begin to pulse more quickly and effortlessly. This phase of practice becomes increasingly subtle, turning into ajapa japa as the mantra gains momentum. When the mantra is reverberating very rapidly, you may sense it more as a pulsation of energy than as the articulation of syllables. Nonetheless, the mantra is present, and you remain centered in it. Overcoming Obstacles Unfortunately, the mind has an uncanny knack for losing its focus during periods of japa, letting the mantra slip out of awareness and leaving a tangle of distractions in its place. Using a mala can be very helpful in enhancing concentration at this stage. A mala is a string of 108 beads used to count the repetitions of your mantra during meditation. One round of the mala equals 100 repetitions of the mantra (8 of the mala’s 108 beads are “given away” as a sign of humility and a recognition that your mind likely wandered from its concentration several times). Depending on the practice, your daily meditation session might include two, three, or more rounds of a mala. To further refine your concentration during japa, weave the sound of one mantra repetition into the next. As one repetition of the mantra ends, let the next one arise. If the space between repetitions is eliminated, then fewer thoughts emerge from the unconscious to distract the mind and carry it away. But don’t force the effort to link one mantra repetition to another. Instead, make smooth transitions from one mantra repetition to the next, so that the chain of sound in your mind flows naturally, easily, and without pause. Over time, your focus on a mantra will imbed its sacred sound in you more securely. Despite your best intentions, your efforts to reduce mental distractions could become woefully tiresome to you were it not for the fact that, even in the earliest stages of practice, concentration results in a peaceful and pleasant mind. Over time, your focus on a mantra will imbed its sacred sound in you more securely. When you meditate, it will return to your awareness with greater ease and increased energy. Signs of Progress The unbroken flow of sound created by weaving one mantra repetition into the next is a prelude to ajapa japa. With regular practice, the pace of repetitions will increase. Concentration will deepen. Repetition of the mantra will occur with an effortless momentum in your mind. The mantra will reverberate more rapidly than usual and will seem to continue in the background, even when other distractions occupy your mind. During this phase of practice the mantra whispers incessantly. The mantra arises, stays for a time, and then moves on, much like a passing encounter with a friend on the street. Another sign that you’re progressing toward ajapa japa is when your mantra begins to surface in your mind at unexpected times. The mantra may come to you while you are washing the dishes or driving. It happens without any real effort. The mantra arises, stays for a time, and then moves on, much like a passing encounter with a friend on the street. Eventually, a time comes when you can hear the mantra sound whenever you like, simply by closing your eyes and relaxing. Ajapa japa becomes a deep source of peace and calmness—a center of well-being. The Flow of Ajapa Japa As delightful as ajapa japa sounds, be aware that the mind will still become distracted during its practice. (In fact, if the mind is not well grounded, distractions will arise with almost the same ease as the mantra!) How can you anchor your concentration at a deeper level? How can you train your awareness to truly rest in its focus? The key is to learn how to center your mind in ajapa japa, using the same skills that you practiced in earlier stages of meditation: Rest your attention in the mantra, allowing other energies to pass through your mind without engaging in them. Continue to smoothly weave one repetition of the mantra into the next. Use a mala to deepen your concentration. Relax into the flow and speed of the mantra, whether its pulse is slow, medium, or fast. Center your heart, your devotional self, as well as your intellect in the mantra. If distracting thoughts dislodge your attention, slow your japa down until you can refocus with more stability. As you follow these steps, japa will evolve into ajapa japa. A moment will come when you will naturally set your mala down and let your mantra emerge as an effortless pulsing of sound. Relaxing in this spontaneous flow, your mantra will cradle your mind in its embrace, a deep center of awareness. This is not a sudden process. If you are looking for instant enlightenment, you won’t find it here (or, most likely, anywhere else!). But cultivate ajapa japa and your mind will become deeply focused and relaxed. Along the way you will uncover a natural source of happiness and well-being within. In the end, your mantra will become something more than a sound. Its presence will hold you, lift you, and comfort you—the embodiment of Spirit, made audible in you. Source : https://yogainternational.com/article/view/advanced-stages-of-mantra-meditation

Was just reading "Forgetting the way of Love" and came across the following which is relevant to the stage of seeing colours. Gurbani tells us: He has no form, no shape, no color; God is beyond the three qualities. roop na raykh na rang kichh tarihu gun tay parabh bhinn. SGGS 283 Like our mind is attracted to this colorful world, we also are attracted to the colors of the elements on the way to our home. If you put your dhyaan on the trehkuti different colors will appear. These colors such as red, green, white, yellow and black are the colors of the various elements. These elements revolve around Naam. Those who focus on these colors during meditation mistakenly believe they have become enlightened. In ignorance, we continue to look at the colours and if we focus intensely different forms begin to appear. For example, if the mind is focused on the Gurus, Jesus, different demi-gods or holy books Maya will create these forms and put us into an illusion. We mistakenly believe we have reached a high stage or have reached the tenth door. In Gurbani we have been explained that God has no color, cast, creed, shape, or size. Reaching the stage of these colors does not mean we have reached our final destination. The area where the colours appear is known as the city of illusion or Gandharab Nagari (Harchanduari). It too is a net of Maya. The way of spirituality based on Naam is different from this city of illusion. We need to leave these colours behind both in the material and subtle forms. Initially when starting meditation, do not focus on the trehkuti. Gurbani explains that at the tenth door are the divine words or the divine music (anhad Shabads or anhad bani). There is no color, pictures or forms there. Gurbani has changed our path from Maya (illusion) to Naam. For example, a child can be distracted all day with colorful toys and different games and it will forget to eat its food. Similarly, the mind watches the colorful acts of Maya and forgets about its food. The mind that is stuck in these illusions does not want to leave Maya and reluctantly falls asleep. People may believe the mind of such a person has gone to Smaadhi and they presume they have attained a high spiritual stage. But Guru teaches us that this is the last stage of Kaal and it has to be crossed by Naam. After crossing this stage we can enter the Tenth Door and then true enlightenment begins. That light will be the light of our soul, which has been explained to us in Gurbani as: Within the Gurmukh is intuitive peace and poise (Sehaj); his mind ascends to the Tenth Sky of the Akaashic Ethers. gurmukh antar sahj hai man charhi-aa dasvai aakaas. No one is sleepy or hungry there; they dwell in they dwell in the peace of the Naam (word of God). tithai ooNgh na bhukh hai har amrit naam sukh vaas. O Nanak, pain and pleasure do not afflict anyone, where the Light of the Supreme Soul, illuminates. naanak dukh sukh vi-aapat nahee jithai aatam raam pargaas. SGGS 1414

Explained here: http://www.swamij.com/guru-chakra.htm

Taken from Vaaran Bhai Gurdas ji http://searchgurbani.com/bhai_gurdas_vaaran/vaar/1/pauri/2 ਪਉਣ ਪਾਣੀ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੋ ਚਉਥੀ ਧਰਤੀ ਸੰਗਿ ਮਿਲਾਈ। Paoun Paanee Baisantaro Chauthee Dharatee Sangi Milaaee. Air, water, fire and earth was put together. ਪੰਚਮਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਆਕਾਸ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਤਾ ਛਟਮੁ ਅਦਿਸਟੁ ਸਮਾਈ। Panchami Vichi Aakaasu Kari Karataa Chhatamu Adisatu Samaaee. The fifth element sky (void) was kept in between and creator God, the sixth one, invisibly permeated among all. SGGS Ang 415 This mind is born of the five elements. ih man panch tat tay janmaa. Ang 491 Listen to the sermon of the Lord, O mind, and enshrine the Shabad of His Word within your mind. har kathaa toon sun ray man sabad man vasaa-ay If your intellect remains stable and steady, then doubt shall depart from within you. ||1||Pause|| ih mat tayree thir rahai taaN bharam vichahu jaa-ay. ||1|| rahaa-o Enshrine the Lord`s lotus feet within your heart, and your sins shall be erased. har charan ridai vasaa-ay too kilvikh hoveh naas If your soul overcomes the five elements, then you shall come to have a home at the true place of pilgrimage. panch bhoo aatmaa vas karahi taa tirath karahi nivaas. The body is formed from the union of the five elements. panch tat mil kaa-i-aa keenee. Know that the Lord`s jewel is within it. tis meh raam ratan lai cheenee. More: Our body is made of five elements (water, air, fire, earth, and ether/akaash). Guru Arjan Dev Ji in Sukhmani Sahib very elaborately describes the technique to transcend the Five Elements. Air element: Guru Ji tells us how to concentrate the mind and transcend this element. The atmospheric air sometimes flows gentle and is at other times fast and stormy. The Pawan Tat (the air element) within the body behaves the same way. Its flow rises and ebbs. The unsteady behavior of air disturbs our mental equilibrium. We need Guru’s Shabad (Gurmantra) to steady and focus our mind in the vortex of wind within. Gurbani elaborates: As a home is supported by its pillars, so does the Guru's Shabad support the mind. (SGGS 282) Water element: As a boat is needed to cross a river; so, is the Guru’s Shabad needed to ferry mind across the water element within this body. Gurbani says: As a stone placed in a boat can cross over the river, so is the mind saved, grasping hold of the Guru's Feet (Gurmantra). (SGGS 282) Fire element: To protect ourselves from the atmospheric heat, we seek shelter in the shade. We do have the element of fire within the body. Guru’s shabad provides shady shelter to our mind and protects it from the heat of the fire within. Gurbani says: Where there is awesome and terrible heat and blazing sunshine, there, the Naam of Truth will give you shade. (SGGS 264) Dharti Tat (earth element): As we need light to go through darkness; so we need light of Guru’s Shabad to see our way through the darkness of this earth element within. Gurbani says: On that journey of total, pitch-black darkness, the Naam of Truth shall be the Light with you. (SGGS 264) Sky element (ether): Space is infinite and distances very long. Embarking upon a long journey we need food and water for survival. To complete this long journey within the inner space, we need Guru given food of Shabad. Gurbani says: On that path where the miles cannot be counted, there, the Naam of Truth shall be your sustenance. (SGGS 264) Bhai Gurdaas has also written on the subject of overcoming the influence of the five Elements. Gurmukh goes beyond air, water, fire, earth and sky.

Here you go

Very deep calming waheguru simran. https://soundcloud.com/veermanpreet/evening-simran-in-london-on-14-dec-2014

Some inspiring pangtis to make you want to jap Waheguru Waheguru Waheguru... Ang 692 Says Kabeer, listen, O mortal: Renounce the doubts of your mind. kahat kabeer sunhu ray paraanee chhodahu man kay bharmaa. Chant only the One Naam, the Name of the Lord, O mortal, and seek the Sanctuary of the One Lord. kayval naam japahu ray paraanee, parahu ayk kee sarnaan. Within my mind is the wealth of the Lord` hamrai man Dhan Raam ko naamaa. The One who pervades the Universe also dwells in the body; whoever seeks Him, finds Him there. jo barahmanday so-ee pinday jo khojai so paavai. Ang 696, The Lord has kept this jewel hidden within my mind. mayrai man gupat heer har raakhaa. Ang 699 Chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, Har, Har. har har gun govind japaahaa. Conquering mind and body, I have earned the profit of the Shabad. man tan jeet sabad lai laahaa. Through the Guru`s Teachings, the five demons are over-powered, and the mind and body are filled with a sincere yearning for the Lord. gurmat panch doot vas aavahi man tan har omaahaa raam. The Name is a jewel - chant the Lord`s Name. naam ratan, har naam japaahaa. Meditate on the Lord of the world - meditate within your mind. jap jagdees japa-o man maahaa. Ang 700 Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the light of millions of suns shines forth, and the darkness of doubt is dispelled. naam japat kot soor ujaaraa, binsai bharam andhayraa. Peace and tranquility, poise and pleasure, have welled up within my mind and millions of suns, O Nanak, illuminate me. saant sahj sookh man upji-o kot soor naanak pargaas. This is a very deep pangti, how many of us really think or see like this? Now I'm beginning to understand once why a mahapursh explained in the advanced stages seva of waheguru is not only done with jaap but also using the eyes. Serve the Lord forever; use your eyes, and see Him ever-present everywhere. kar fakar daa-im laa-ay chasmay jah tahaa ma-ujood. The True Creator Lord is diffused into His creation; He is not just the dark skinned Krishna of legends. hak sach khaalak khalak mi-aanay si-aam moorat naahi.