Sat1176

Read this post on Facebook. Enlightening read.
 
ANHAD SABAD
Anhad means continuous or nonstop. Sabad in Gurbani means the utterance of God. So Anhad Sabad means Divine Utterance which is still going on in the universe. It is not an utterance in the physical world where sound is produced by striking two material parts which dies as the energy that produced it is used up fighting the resistance of the media in which it travels. Anhad Sabad started in sunn, the materially void infinite space and is still going in sunn which encloses the whole universe: "Antar sunnun bahar sunnum tribhavan sunmusnum" p-943. It is this Sabad that created the universe:"Ek kwaa-ay te sab hoaa” p-1002" and it is with this Sabad that it is destroyed and created again:
"Utpat parlo sabday hovay. Sabday he phir opat hao-vay" p-117.
God is fully expressed in Anhad Sabad and it is also called Naam in Gurbani. Naam carries in it Divine Hukam/ Will, Divine Plan of creation, preservation and destruction, Divine Intelligence/ Wisdom/ Consciousness, Divine Laws and everything what God is. It created everything and is in everything:
"Jeta keeta teta Naaon. Vin Naavain naheen ko thaaon” p-4.
Naam or Anhad Sabad stays in every creation of God as Soul. So God extends into us as Sabad or Naam. Guru Nanak calls this Sabad as His Guru: “Sabad Guru surat dhun chela” p-943. 

It is to this Sabad, Gurbani is advising us to connect to  hear our Creator or Father and it is with this Sabad that we link with Naam which cleans our mind and we can connect with God Himself. Without this Sabad everybody is in spiritual darkness and Sabad enlightens the mind:
"Jeean andar jeeo Sabad hai jit Sauh milaava ho-ay.
Bin Sabday jag anher hai Sabdey pargat ho-ay." p-1250
This Sabad can be heard by taking our consciousness inside where it resides. The only way to do it is to silence our mind form its thoughts of the physical world or Maya. Naam Jpana is means to do that. This is done by cyclic utterance of Gurmantar and listen to it attentively till our surti is lost into the chant of it and we disconnect from our thoughts and land into sunn or mentally quiet state where Naam or Sabad reside. Even a short experience in that state is very relaxing and peaceful. If practiced in the company of experienced practitioners one will soon start hearing the Anhad Sabad in your ears (can be mistaken for tinnitus problem). The sounds generally heard are: ringing of bells, flute, chirping of birds in the morning, sounds of crickets in nature in the evening, rebab, sitar, drums, your own heart beat etc. 
When these sounds are heard in sunn state it is direct link to Sabad or Naam. It is then that our mind start getting cleansed up of dirt of Maya and getting closer to higher spiritual stages. We are advised to hear these Sabads:
"Mun dhovo Sabad laago Har sio raho chit laa-ay." p-919
As the mind gets further cleansing by regular Japna, it will start hearing Sehaj Dhun- a high frequency sharp low volume note which goes on all the time. This happens when mind reaches third sunn or dasam duaar or doorway to enter divine mansion. At that point all other nine doors of the body are closed and the tenth one is reached where Anhad Sabad goes on day and night and is heard by following the Guru's advise:
"Nau dar thaakay dhavat raha-ay. Dasvain nij ghar vaasa paa-ay.
Othay Anhad Sabad vajay din raatee. Gurrnatee Sabad sunaavania." p-124
When time comes for union with God Anhad Sabad changes to Toor (sound of long horn played outside Gurdwaras and temples) "Binvant Nanak Gur charan laagay vaajay Anhad Tooray"p-917, followed by Naad, a loud low frequency humming sound before you are let into Sach Ghar or Divine Mansion: "Anahad Banee Naad vjaaia p-375".  When mind makes entry into Sach Ghar, Anhad Sabad changes to Panch Shabad which welcomes the child of God to His House; who is the Emperor of the entire universe:
"Vaajay panch Shabad tit ghar subhaagay" p-917.
Mind then is fully awakened to its spiritual self by the Sabad.
"Dhun upjee Sabad jgaaia." p-1039
Free from bondage of Maya, mind sees nothing but Parkaash or Divine Light/ Jot and finally meets Beloved Lord:
"Pargati Jot milay Ram Piaray." p-375
Even  Gurbani reaches the Gurus through Sabads. They translate the meaning of Sabad into local language for people to understand it and practice on it. God's language is not Punjabi but Sabads the meaning of which only the Gurmukhs understand it:
"Sabde upjay amrit bani Gurmukh aakh vkhaavania:"
 

I am not sure if you guys will read this reply now as this post id more than 10-12 yrs old. 
According to a tape of sant ishar singh ji rara sahib, 4 types of smadhis are there:
 
1. Shabad roop- saaVikalap: means its withh shabad and with though waves also, example , u r chanting gurmantar and thinking about God also,( more or less but there are thought waves)
2. Ashabad roop- saaVikalap:
in this u r not chanting any mantar but only thinking about God, 
3. Shabad roop- nirVikalap:
its when u r chanting a mantar( by tongue or by mentally by baikhari or by madmaa or by praa or by psanti) but there is absolutely no thought waves, all the thought are merged in shabad, no other thoughts.
( the rom rom avashtha can approach upto here, in this there is no thought waves but yet there is one thing that is shabad)
 
4. This is the 4 stage of samadhi, no kathavachak tells this way baba ishar singh used fo tell sangat, most kathavachaks says that this avastha a person can live only 7 days or 5 days but according to sant ji its
Ashabad roop-nirvikalap
means no shabad no gurmantar no light no thought waves, complete sunn, sant ji also used to say that  its to hard to say what exactly is this stage, they said no idea what this stage is, only who approach can feel

May have watched this before but this time recognised loads of gems baba ji disclosed in this video.
 

Here's something interesting I picked up recently. How does one know when your ready to progress from Baikhari Bani (verbally), Madhma (whisper) to doing it with internally with the voice of the mind (Pasanti)?

Start of with Baikhari i.e. doing it loudly until your mind is listening and not off wondering thinking about other things. Ensure your eyes are closed otherwise your mind will try and leave through the eyes and start looking around and your attention will be outside. You will know your mind is present because it will come to sit behind the two eye lids. Make it recite and focus on the sound of the gurmantar. You will be breathing through the mouth in Baikhari and Madhma stages. I do not believe it is physically possible to inhale and say Wahe at the same time. You can however still pull in the navel with Wahe, but it will not be synchronized with the breathing, this will just happen normally.

So,

Say “Wahe” pull navel in
Say “Guru” release navel i.e push back out

Stage 2.
If you feel you mind is becoming steady begin to lower the volume to a dull whisper so only you can hear it. (Madhma)

Continue with Baikhari and Madhma until your mind becomes steady thought free and your mind is listening to the shabad.

You should not need to focus your eyes on the trikuti. This will all happen naturally when the shabad/parkash begins to manifest itself. You should not force it. Learn to just listen to shabad and the sound of your own voice and stop the mind from wondering. (Very difficult to do).

Note when reciting WaheGuru, there is a slight pause (about 0.75-1 second) between saying Wahe and Guru.

When doing Madhma (whisper) you might find yourself going internal with the simran, i.e. no sound from the mouth and it beginning to synchronize with the breath and becoming swas swas simran.

Wahe (inhale) and (hold - about a second) say Guru (exhale).

This will have the effect of balancing the air flow between the two nostrils and help still the mind further.

Occasionally close the mouth and breathe through the nostrils. If you feel that both nostrils are active, which you can also check by placing your finger underneath your nose, then this is the ideal time then take your simran internally. (Didn't know that was possible as I thought only nostril is active at any given time.)

Stage 3. – Pasanti

Cease any speech and do simran synchronized with the breath and voice of the mind and listening with the inner ears.

Inhale into chest + pull in stomach/navel (very slightly) + “Wahe”
Hold (about a second)
Exhale + release stomach/navel + “Guru”

Some people do extreme thrusts with the stomach which is wrong and can have the adverse effect of your navel pulsating on its own which is not good. It will evoke too much agni in the pit of your stomach which is not good.

As your mind become more and more still your head will begin to relax and drop. Keep the jaap going on internally and try and stay awake rather than falling asleep.

The more and more simran your do synchronized with the breath the more you will learn to do it subconsciously, i.e. auto pilot, ajapa jaap.

As you mind goes deeper and deeper within, you might see different coloured lights. These are associated with the 5 primal elements/chakras.

Listening to Sant Hari Singh's explanation of letting it all happen automatically is another approach. :-)

I in no way profess to be an expert in the subject matter but in fact a absolute beginner who is looking for guidance to progress on this path. Like other people on this forum I believe that there shouldn't be so much secrecy behind simran. I am sure there are so many others out there like me desperate to be shown the way who are not in the regular service of mahapursh or affiliated with a single Jatha, although have satkaar for all. I am therefore merely sharing any knowledge I am gaining and posting it on this forum. The choice is entirely yours whether you choose to utilise any of it should you find it useful.

May have watched this before but this time recognised loads of gems baba ji disclosed in this video.
 

Read this post on Facebook. Enlightening read.
 
ANHAD SABAD
Anhad means continuous or nonstop. Sabad in Gurbani means the utterance of God. So Anhad Sabad means Divine Utterance which is still going on in the universe. It is not an utterance in the physical world where sound is produced by striking two material parts which dies as the energy that produced it is used up fighting the resistance of the media in which it travels. Anhad Sabad started in sunn, the materially void infinite space and is still going in sunn which encloses the whole universe: "Antar sunnun bahar sunnum tribhavan sunmusnum" p-943. It is this Sabad that created the universe:"Ek kwaa-ay te sab hoaa” p-1002" and it is with this Sabad that it is destroyed and created again:
"Utpat parlo sabday hovay. Sabday he phir opat hao-vay" p-117.
God is fully expressed in Anhad Sabad and it is also called Naam in Gurbani. Naam carries in it Divine Hukam/ Will, Divine Plan of creation, preservation and destruction, Divine Intelligence/ Wisdom/ Consciousness, Divine Laws and everything what God is. It created everything and is in everything:
"Jeta keeta teta Naaon. Vin Naavain naheen ko thaaon” p-4.
Naam or Anhad Sabad stays in every creation of God as Soul. So God extends into us as Sabad or Naam. Guru Nanak calls this Sabad as His Guru: “Sabad Guru surat dhun chela” p-943. 

It is to this Sabad, Gurbani is advising us to connect to  hear our Creator or Father and it is with this Sabad that we link with Naam which cleans our mind and we can connect with God Himself. Without this Sabad everybody is in spiritual darkness and Sabad enlightens the mind:
"Jeean andar jeeo Sabad hai jit Sauh milaava ho-ay.
Bin Sabday jag anher hai Sabdey pargat ho-ay." p-1250
This Sabad can be heard by taking our consciousness inside where it resides. The only way to do it is to silence our mind form its thoughts of the physical world or Maya. Naam Jpana is means to do that. This is done by cyclic utterance of Gurmantar and listen to it attentively till our surti is lost into the chant of it and we disconnect from our thoughts and land into sunn or mentally quiet state where Naam or Sabad reside. Even a short experience in that state is very relaxing and peaceful. If practiced in the company of experienced practitioners one will soon start hearing the Anhad Sabad in your ears (can be mistaken for tinnitus problem). The sounds generally heard are: ringing of bells, flute, chirping of birds in the morning, sounds of crickets in nature in the evening, rebab, sitar, drums, your own heart beat etc. 
When these sounds are heard in sunn state it is direct link to Sabad or Naam. It is then that our mind start getting cleansed up of dirt of Maya and getting closer to higher spiritual stages. We are advised to hear these Sabads:
"Mun dhovo Sabad laago Har sio raho chit laa-ay." p-919
As the mind gets further cleansing by regular Japna, it will start hearing Sehaj Dhun- a high frequency sharp low volume note which goes on all the time. This happens when mind reaches third sunn or dasam duaar or doorway to enter divine mansion. At that point all other nine doors of the body are closed and the tenth one is reached where Anhad Sabad goes on day and night and is heard by following the Guru's advise:
"Nau dar thaakay dhavat raha-ay. Dasvain nij ghar vaasa paa-ay.
Othay Anhad Sabad vajay din raatee. Gurrnatee Sabad sunaavania." p-124
When time comes for union with God Anhad Sabad changes to Toor (sound of long horn played outside Gurdwaras and temples) "Binvant Nanak Gur charan laagay vaajay Anhad Tooray"p-917, followed by Naad, a loud low frequency humming sound before you are let into Sach Ghar or Divine Mansion: "Anahad Banee Naad vjaaia p-375".  When mind makes entry into Sach Ghar, Anhad Sabad changes to Panch Shabad which welcomes the child of God to His House; who is the Emperor of the entire universe:
"Vaajay panch Shabad tit ghar subhaagay" p-917.
Mind then is fully awakened to its spiritual self by the Sabad.
"Dhun upjee Sabad jgaaia." p-1039
Free from bondage of Maya, mind sees nothing but Parkaash or Divine Light/ Jot and finally meets Beloved Lord:
"Pargati Jot milay Ram Piaray." p-375
Even  Gurbani reaches the Gurus through Sabads. They translate the meaning of Sabad into local language for people to understand it and practice on it. God's language is not Punjabi but Sabads the meaning of which only the Gurmukhs understand it:
"Sabde upjay amrit bani Gurmukh aakh vkhaavania:"
 

I also like to do simran lying down on the sofa but do find myself nodding off and then awaking again 30 or 60 minutes later.. My problem is that I like to meditate at the end of the day which isn't the best time because you don't know if you fell asleep do to a tranquil mind or tiredness kicked in.

The same concept is reinforced in his book Prabhu Simran.
In Sikhism there is a general talk about the union of God's Name and mind (or consciousness). Universal Guru, Guru Nanak
Dev ji Maharaj has preached to conjoin voice with attention (Dhun and Dhian). Attention is consciousness and voice or sound is shabad (God's Name). Attention or mind or consciousness is to be conjoined with God's Name:-
dhun meh dhiaan dhiaan meh jaaniaa guramukh akath kehaanee.
The meditation is in the music, and knowledge is in meditation. Become Gurmukh, and speak the Unspoken Speech.
To conjoin attention or mind with sound, in reality, means to listen the voice. Listening only is uniting attention. The truth is that without attention, one can not listen also. One person is speaking and the other person is listening. Suddenly the listener says to his companion, "please repeat it I have not heard." But why he has not listened? He replies that his attention went elsewhere. So if the attention is not in· the voice/sound, then one can not
listen:-
matt vich ratan javaahar maanik jae eik gur kee sikh sunee.
Within the mind are gems, jewels and rubies,if you listen to the Guru's Teachings, even once.
One can become sage, spiritual guide, god or yogi by listening and all sins are erased and supreme bliss is acquired.
Naanak bhagataa sadaa vigaas.
o Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
suniai dookh paap kaa naas.
Listening-pain and sin are erased.
During collective meditation by sitting in the congregation song ofHis Glory is to be listened. Even if the meaning of the song (Shabad) is not understood, even then attention is to be engrossed in listening so that the Shabad may enter the inner self through the ears.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji declares like this about individual meditation:-
Tongue may pronounce God's Name and ears should listen.
Morsel of food will enter in the body through the mouth and will become a part of the body after digestion as marrow, meat, blood and physical strength. Food is to be prepared by hands and is to be eaten by the mouth.
GOD's name is to be pronounced by the mouth and it will enter in the mind through the ears. When the Shabad (God's name) enters the inner most consciousness through the ears, then it manifests as a divine virtue and gets converted into spiritual power and it takes the form of ecstasy (~: Vismaad) and become contemplation which is the highest state of meditation. By keeping feeling of faith in the mind, God's name is to be pronounced and sung with the tongue and is to be listened through the ears:-
gaaveeai suneeai man rakheeai bhaao.
Sing, and listen, and let your mind be filled with love.
dukh parehar sukh ghar lai jaae.
Your pain shall be sent far away, and peace shall come to your home.
If we pronounce God's Name with the tongue but do not listen with the ears, then this pronounced name flies away in the air. Then it is like this that the food is prepared by the hands but is not eaten by putting in the mouth. Food is not taken inside, but is kept in the hands only. In this way a person is not satiated and the physical strength will diminish. If the tongue says Waheguru, Waheguru, but the ears do not listen, then Waheguru mantar will not become a part of the soul and the spiritual power will not be attained. The pronounced name of God (Gur Mantar) has to be listened by the ears. It is easy to pronounce, but it is difficult to listen the pronounced Word. It is our job to prepare and eat food, it is our responsibility. But it is not within our power that the food eaten by us may become blood and physical strength. It is beyond our responsibility. As the Nature's principle converts food into blood, in the similar way, the meditation done by us gets converted into supreme bliss.

Ajapa japa
 
Mantra has been referred to as a boat which carries one to the other shore. When one enters the ocean of the mind as described above, mantra is the boat which helps one journey through the unconscious, on the way to the Self within.
Mantra has by now become the dominant thought in the mind. The thousands of other thoughts are not as strong as they used to be, and the student has learned the skills of letting go and witnessing. With those skills in place, mantra automatically rises to the surface as the dominant thought. There is no battle between thoughts and mantra. The mantra is automatically going on, on its own, repeating itself. One simply “watches” it with attention. The mantra has a leading quality to it. By just paying attention to it, and following it wherever it goes, it will lead us.
This leading quality is very important. To find out where it is trying to lead us, we must follow it. It is trying to take us somewhere. If you internally “say” your mantra, and then stop, you will notice that the feel of it remains and tries to take you somewhere. If you will allow your attention to stay with it, in an inquisitive way, you will find that it carries you to the place of silence. It’s actually going very deep, right to the center of consciousness, but we usually don’t allow it to lead us quite that far. But the point is this: we need to keep following, trying to find the place to which the mantra is trying to lead us. It’s like being in a forest, hearing the sound of an animal in the distant bushes, and then trying to follow that sound until we find the source of it. We just keep listening, paying attention, and following.
Japa is sometimes described as the repetition of a mantra. Ajapa japa is sometimes described as the automatic, internal repetition of the mantra. But there is a deeper meaning to ajapa japa. A word Swami Rama often uses when discussing mantra is “remembering” the mantra. And remembering does not mean speaking or talking, whether externally or only in the mind. He explains that one should “listen” to, or “hear” the mantra. One should allow the mantra to “arise and repeat itself.” This means taking a stance of paying attention to the mantra which is already there. He even explains that by mentally repeating the mantra, the mind then repeats many things (which is not how you want to train your mind).
Advertising people are well aware of this principle. They create a catchy tune which a person hears a few times, and then automatically repeats internally. You do not use will power to cause the advertising tune to come up; it’s just there, like it or not. A meditator wants the mantra to arise, rather than the advertising tune. The meditator then wants to then pay attention to that mantra which has arisen. The meditator wants to watch it, listen to it, hear it, feel it, and become completely absorbed in it. It does not require an act of will to cause the mantra to come, to be “repeated.” It is already there. All you have to do is notice it, pay attention to it, and follow it.
A mantra has four bodies, or koshas. Outermost is the word and its meaning; next is feeling, then constant awareness, and finally soundless sound, or silence. The mantra will move past the quality of just being a word and one will experience the feeling associated with the mantra, and a constant awareness, which then guides one towards silence. All sounds, including mantras, arise from silence and go back to silence. This is where the mantra is trying to lead you, if you will allow it to do so.
Sometimes one can think that they are forgetting their mantra when they notice that the syllables start to drift away. What might be happening, is that the mantra is leading you inward, past the level of verbal language. But, not understanding this, the student might get concerned and try even harder to hold on to the verbal level of the mantra. The student might “repeat” the mantra with more intensity, or intentionally faster, so as to not “forget” the mantra, when what is needed is to allow the mantra to do its job, which is to lead you inward towards silence.
 This notion of “feeling” and “awareness” might be more easily understood by thinking of some person you love (or someone you dislike). How do you remember that person? Do you have to repeat their name over and over? No. You remember the “feel” of the person inside of you, and if the emotion is very strong, it might be a “constant awareness.” In this constant awareness, the name of the person may come and go, but the awareness is always there. A parent of a new-born baby is constantly aware of that child, though not actively thinking of the name of the baby.
 It is this constant awareness that is the real meaning of ajapa japa. In meditation, you make that awareness the object of meditation. It then carries you, fully awake and alert, through the ocean of the unconscious. And when you choose to observe the ocean, the mantra remains your boat. Done internally, it is meditation, Done externally, it is meditation in action. They are both ajapa japa.

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.”

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.

You beat it with the gurmantar. You make it sit still and listen or do the Jaap, so it doesn't have the audacity to even think about things in the first place. Try it and you will very quickly realise how sneaky it is.
It is however good practice to tame it slowly over time rather than after the event because by then it's too late. However also show it some love occasionally. There are many encouraging and pleasing pangtis in gurbani that one can read and reflect upon. 

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

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

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.

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.

I'm being super lazy and need good kick up the backside. Time to get on the road again back home to our Father.

Glad I read ang 456 again.

Make the effort, O very fortunate ones, and meditate on the Lord, the Lord King.
udam karahu vadbhaageeho simrahu har har raa-ay.

O Nanak, remembering Him in meditation, you shall obtain total peace, and your pains and troubles and doubts shall depart.
naanak jis simrat sabh sukh hoveh dookh darad bharam jaa-ay.

Chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe; don`t be lazy.
naam japat gobind nah alsaa-ee-ai.

With each and every breath, worship the Lord in adoration; meditate on the Lord God in the mouth of your your mind.
saas saas araaDh har har Dhi-aa-ay so parabh man mukhee.

Prays Nanak: may I meditate on the Lord`s lotus feet, and not be lazy in chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe.
naanak pa-i-ampai charan jampai naam japat gobind nah alsaa-ee-ai.

The Purifier of sinners is the Naam, the Pure Name of the Immaculate Lord.
paavan patit puneet naam niranjanaa.

By the healing ointment of the Guru`s spiritual wisdom, one meets the Immaculate Lord God, who is totally pervading the water, the land and the sky.
gur gi-aan anjan parabh niranjan jal thal mahee-al poori-aa.

Wherever the Saints worship the Lord in adoration, there He is revealed.
jah jah sant araaDheh tah tah paragtaa-i-aa.

God blends Himself with His devotees in His natural way, and resolves their affairs.
parabh aap lee-ay samaa-ay sahj subhaa-ay bhagat kaaraj saari-aa.

In the ecstasy of the Lord`s Praises, they obtain supreme joy, and forget all their sorrows.
aanand har jas mahaa mangal sarab dookh visaari-aa.

Was listening to Giani/Bhai Paramjit Singh Ji Khalsa (Anandpur Sahib Wale) live on SikhChannel last night and must say I was really impressed with this guy's katha. His topic was naam simran. I will record it and put it up because it was a very inspiring Katha. This guy is very outspoken and was not afraid to tell the sangat off on numerous occasions.

There was one point he made which really caught my attention when he was asking the sangat to jap. Someone sitting in the sangat decided to accelerate their jaap and became engrossed in their own mast like you see on some occasions. Bhai Sahib stopped the jaap and made a very important point. He said not to jap so fast like that because your surti will not be able to latch on and keep up. He said once someone else was doing the jaap in this fashion so he asked him what stage he had achieved in the time he had been doing sirman. The person replied he hadn't achieved anything to date. Bhai Sahib gave the analogy of peddling on bike very fast but the chain is broken so in fact your not going anywhere. He said its the same with simran when done in that fashion. Your japping so fast that your speech has gone off in its own direction and your mind/surti was not focused and was left behind to do it's own thing. That is why nothing is being achieved.

Key point : Keep the simran slow so that the surti can hear each recitation clearly and stay latched on for the ride.