Lucky

Agree, it is all about love and the longing to merge/meet your maker.

If the greatest love you have...more than anything else in this world....more than your family...partner...kids...even more than every aspect of your own welfare.....and even people that devote or sacrifice their own lives for just causes like dharam,creation or nature........if even more than that ,your love is for the satguru and the satguru only.....then I'm more than certain that,that person gets all the blessings of a wadbhagee.......all the grace needed...

It is all too easy for many of us to get lost and stuck in jugtees, techniques, chakras,... dasam duar.....which jatha to have amrit from...which sant to listen to.....etc...etc....but if we don't have that ultimate longing and thirst, then these methods and adapted principles become of little use...........We have to have that innocent and ''no holds barred'' longing of love like Bhagat Dhana where sacrificing the mind, body or soul is not even questioned.

It is ALL about love. All the drops in the ocean that we are, are all held and maintained by love. As drops, we just just get cased and lost in individualities of ego. But the force that maintains us and the only force we ever need to hold in order to get us to the source.... is all 'Love'


Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Johnny Depp in a movie with Marlon Brando.......
He says....''There are only four questions of real value in life,...
- What is sacred?
-Of what is the spirit/soul made?
-What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for?

The answer to each is the same: only LOVE !

from my experience the greatest way to improve meditation for the purpose of waheguru realization is Love....thirst....and surrender...

Sri Guru Nanak dev ji said...if you want to play this game of love with me.....
so many sights and sounds to entice us in this world...yet the soul thirsts for waheguru...like a husband missing his wife...like a wife missing her husband...a mother missing her child..

this to me is the true driving force...

all methods, techniques are still in the realm of maya...love goes beyond...my love will be heard by waheguru, my thirst will be felt by waheguru, the rest is in His hands...and so comes the surrendering to his Will..surrender everything..and with it Ego will start to lose its power on you...

just my thoughts ji..

I agree with Sat,..no one is going to give you approval on how intimate you can or cannot be. This is a matter between the pair of you and your relationship with each other and Guruji..........I'm sure you are mature enough to make appropriate decisions without the roll of dice or 3rd party approval.
In the eyes of sikhi, the marriage begins with anand karaj..............as Jaikaraa has said above, the civil marriage is just for the state and a display of two parties joining in a marriage contract. A union with God doesn't even come into it like anand karaj does.

The rest is up to both of you with how far you go in intimacy, because it has different meanings according to different people.
Some people don't see any serious connection or closeness with some kissing and snogging, but some may see or feel it as a serious physical connection....some may even feel any physical connection as something serious!.
......What it means to both of you and where you draw the line is what counts.......
....It's about your own 'minds' and 'consciousness'...............
...... Only you two can decide if any doubts may exist about some actions that may lead to a guilty conscious or not.
If your consciousness suspects some foreseeable guilt, then you know where you stand !

You should try and do saas saas with whispering the gurmantar and then go into silent and mental.
Some people can do it straight away and some can't... we all have to play around and see what works.
I know what you mean about not making noise and waking house up because I also like to keep it 'low key' and also helps me in keeping steady to get that absolute stillness.

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.”

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.

story of my life .lol.

miles to go...

Good Q&A

Q. I have read that it is best to receive a personal mantra from a teacher rather than choosing one for oneself. Is this true?

A. Receiving a personal mantra from a teacher simply means receiving direct guidance from that teacher. It saves you time and it keeps you free from doubts regarding the validity of the mantra. But if you have some doubt about the teacher, then receiving a mantra from that teacher is worse than choosing one from a book.

Most seekers have very little knowledge of mantras. All they know is that a mantra is a potent sacred sound and that it has the power to guide the mind inward. With this much knowledge, people decide to find a mantra. In my interactions with students, I have learned that a large number of such seekers are not very sure about what they believe about mantra. They come to me for a mantra. I give them the one I think best, then they verify that mantra by reading books, surfing the Web, or talking to other teachers. Then they come back to me to share their discoveries: “I’m confused,” they say. “I met a teacher from India who told me I should practice some other mantra and I don’t know who I should listen to,” or “The meaning you told me for my mantra is not the same as the meaning I found in a dictionary,” or “I came across a mantra that I really like. Can I practice with that one instead of with the one you gave me?” In such situations, I hear quite clearly what that person is really asking—he’s asking, “Can I trust you?”

What that student doesn’t understand is that he doesn’t have trust in his own knowledge. His discovery regarding mantras and the teacher is still demanding verification. The vacuum can be filled only by gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics of mantra, the illuminating energy it contains, its source, the process of transmission, the prerequisites for receiving and retaining a mantra, and the proper method of imbibing it. For every science there is a definite course curriculum and methodology for studying it. And the study of every science demands perseverance, patience, and discipline. But in relation to mantra science and its practice, we don’t feel that sustained perseverance or discipline is really necessary.

So it is necessary that you receive a mantra from a competent, honest, and disciplined teacher. A true teacher will ensure that you cultivate perseverance and discipline, for without it the mere practice of mantra will not bear the desired fruit. If you don’t believe in the value of perseverance and self-discipline, then choose a mantra from a book or simply log on to the Internet.

Q. But what if an authentic teacher is not available?

A. Don’t worry about finding an authentic teacher. Start with anybody who seems to be honest and sensitive. Your own desire to learn more about yourself, and the mantra’s role in this exploration, will help you discover the next level of teacher. Practice is the key to your personal growth. Prepare yourself, and you will always find what you need. Without that preparation, even if you happen to meet an advanced master, the two of you will not be able to communicate. Despite your best efforts you could not convince a university professor to come and teach you graduate-level courses when your mind is ready only to learn through the poems of Dr. Seuss. And even if you did, either he would have to come down to your level and teach only that which you can comprehend, or he would have to wait until you grow much nearer to his level so you can study with him the subject he is so well qualified to teach. Your own growth will guide you to the right kind of institutions, traditions, teachers, and adepts.

Mantra for Your Mind

An ancient yogic text, the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, likens the process of reciting a mantra (mantra japa in Sanskrit) to uncovering the inner essence of something. Much like pressing sesame seeds yields sesame oil, churning milk produces butter, or digging a well exposes water, the sages say, the power of repeating a mantra reveals something deeper within each of us than what we see on the surface.

According to this Upanishad, mantra japa is akin to lighting a fire with fire sticks. When two sticks, aranis, are vigorously rubbed together, they ignite—a metaphor for inner awakening.

Making one’s body/mind the lower arani and the mantra Om the upper one, practice meditation as if you are rubbing two fire sticks together, and in the process unveil the inner Self which is hidden within you. (1.14)
Thus, says the text, reciting a mantra uncovers the experience of Being.

What Is a Mantra?
Using mantra meditation to uncover our essential being sounds great, but what exactly is a mantra? A mantra is a sound that has, as the ancient sages say, one foot in this world and one foot in a world that transcends ordinary sensory and psychological experience. The foot located in this world resides in the mind, where the mantra is first recited and then gradually internalized—like the words and melody of a favorite song. The other foot of the mantra is para, or beyond.

Mantras are not simply mysterious formulae nor are they meaningless or alien sets of sounds. Each mantra collects the energies of inner life—your motivations, aims, and desires—and elevates them to a new level. Eventually the practice of mantra leads to a fusion between the mind of the practitioner and the transcendental reality the mantra embodies.

A devotional experience as well as a conceptual one, every mantra contains an element of reverence for the Infinite. This can be found in phrases such as “we worship,” “we revere,” “we bow to,” and “we cherish” found in many mantras. Mantras also contain within them the name of the Infinite as a way of expressing one or more aspects of the Divine’s presence. As in most spiritual traditions, a variety of names embody the concept of the Infinite—Father, Mother, Lord, or Source of Healing. But in mantra japa, none of these terms is meant to externalize God or to replace a meditator’s religious affiliation. Instead, each name points to an aspect of the Indescribable as a vehicle through which a meditator can realize his or her own essential nature.

In addition to the name of the Infinite, many mantras incorporate a “seed sound,” a bija mantra, that captures in very concentrated form aspects of potential spiritual energy. These sounds are woven into mantras and add to their potency. They are, it is said, devices for linking the mind to such qualities as strength, health, peace, and happiness. With practice, these qualities emerge in the mind to guide and protect a meditator.

The Lower Stick
The first step in mantra meditation grooms the body and the mind to receive the mantra. This “lower stick” preparation comprises a series of steps, each assisting in the process of collecting and focusing mental energy.

1. Your body. Select a posture you find both comfortable and steady. Classically, only a few postures are considered appropriate for meditation, but if you’re just learning—or have any injuries—you may need to find a more comfortable alternative. You can, for example, sit against a wall or in a chair to help you relax your physical effort and focus on what is occurring in your mind.

2. Your breath. Once you rest your body, focus on your breathing. By smoothing and softening the breath, you can reduce emotional tensions. In the process, see if you can find the pace of breathing that is natural and just right for you. Then your breath can become the relaxed focus of your attention.

3. Your mind. Finally, as a prelude to engaging with a mantra, feel the breath continuously flowing in and out of your nostrils. By training your mind to rest in this single sensation, other senses relax and turn inward, helping you gather together mental energies that are otherwise easily dissipated.

Thus, by resting your body, deepening your breath, and centering your attention on the breath in the nostrils, you prepare the way for mantra meditation and establish a solid foundation—a stable lower stick—for practice.

The Upper Stick
Once the body and the mind are primed, you’re ready for the “upper stick,” the actual sound of the mantra, which will protect, nourish, and guide your mind. Because a mantra focuses attention within the mind itself, it offers a simple alternative to distracting thoughts and emotions and creates a sense of inner distance, acting as an alambana, a meditative support for the mind.

A common mantra to start with is the so’ham mantra, which is associated with the flow of the breath. To practice this mantra, recite the sound so with the inhalation and the sound ham (pronounced “hum”) with the exhalation, letting the mantra sounds flow through the entire length of the breath. These sounds magnify the cleansing and nourishing qualities of each breath and soon become a deep source of nurturance. A literal translation of so’ham is “I am who I am” or “I am That.”

Breathing and the so’ham mantra are profoundly linked in meditation, but that doesn’t mean you should alter your breathing pattern to link it to the mantra. In fact, you should maintain the natural pace of your breath when you practice; otherwise the mantra will disturb your breathing, and your nervous system will no longer remain relaxed. Preserve the natural flow of your breathing, and you will find that you can rest in the sound of the mantra far more easily.
Refining the Mantra Flow

While the so’ham mantra coordinates with your breathing pattern, most mantras do not. Mantras such as the Gayatri mantra, the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra, or any of the initiation mantras given for personal practice soon separate themselves from the breath and find their own pace, creating a strong mental focus with little awareness of body or breath. That’s when the mantra becomes the upper fire stick—repetitively rubbing against the lower stick of the body/mind.

The pace of a mantra changes with practice. It may start slowly, gradually increase in speed until it seems to flow effortlessly, and finally pulse so quickly that you are no longer articulating the sounds of the mantra clearly. This change in pace is one of the ways in which a mantra “leads.” When the sound of the mantra flows smoothly in the mind, the process is termed japa, mental repetition. When it begins to flow even more rapidly as a kind of effortless pulsing, it is known ajapa-japa.

For all mantras—with the exception of the so’ham mantra—using a mala (a string of beads) is a useful adjunct to practice. A mala serves two primary purposes—it measures your practice (one mala marks 100 repetitions) and it helps maintain the focus of your attention. When your mind wanders, your fingers on the mala serve as a gentle reminder to return to your inner focus.

An Essence Emerges

Parroting a mantra is not the goal of mantra practice. While the pace of your mantra recitation may vary from slow to fast, remember to do it with full attention. The key element of practice is to let your mind rest in the sound of the mantra. When you meditate, use the early stages of practice to relax and anchor your body and breath. Then refine your focus, let the sound of the mantra arise, and rest in it.

It is true that a mantra confines the mind—that is part of the discipline of meditation. By centering your mind in a mantra and allowing the mantra sound to fill the space of your mind, you can set other thoughts and mental processes aside and stabilize your attention. Although the journey is gradual, you will sense that little by little the effort to confine the mind in this way actually produces quite the opposite effect.

During periods of mantra japa, despite the fact that the mind remains occupied by the repetitive sound of the mantra, a deep inner silence is awakened. You will begin to sense that you are, in essence, something more than your mind’s activities, something more than your mind. You are a silent witness, an enduring presence, and a fountainhead of joy. At that point, your mantra will be more than a simple resting place for your mind. It will provide the strength to support you over the winding meditative journey ahead.

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

Hi Orchids,
Sat Sree Akal,
would like to answer your questions below, according to Gurmat.

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

Yes. gurmantar we refer to is 'Wahe-Guru'
Gurmantar can also be called Guru-shabad.....(the Guru's shabad)

However, PLEASE NOTE....my understanding is that ''Guru-Shabad'' and ''Shabad-Guru'' terms are not really interchangeable.

Guru-Shabad = Guru's shabad(shabad from guru) or gurmantar (waheguru)
Shabad-Guru= the Shabad that is itself the Guru..... the anhad, the dunn,the reverberation heard with sukham(subtle) sareer....Guru Nanak ji says ''Shabd-guru surat dhun chela''....(((My guru is the the shabad dhun sound vibration and I am it's following disciple.)))
.

Just acknowledge them and let them be.
These sounds are normally experienced along the journey and are 'AIR" sounds basically......meaning they are still maya/illusion.
Remembering that the guru of maya is Pavan(AIR)....pavan guru pani pita.....
This is the reason we have to conquer and go within 'air' as part of simran...ie.use of breath in saas graas and saas saas.

Like I say, just acknowledge them but at the same time keep the main focus on gurmantar. If you encounter times when these sounds may just surface and grab your attention, then start the gurmantar jap.

Ragmaala,

You might also find the following information useful:

We should meditate by chanting the gurmantra (wahe-guru) while walking, sitting and standing, with our attention on our voice. By doing that the imbalance of the air gets corrected. Then our thoughts stop and our mind enter Sehaj (intuitive peace).

In the initial stages of meditation, we have to separate our mind from air and have to get absorbed in Sunn. Our mind should go into Sunn again and again by meditating to balance the air. Then we move to the next stage.

As per gurbani.

khatt naem kar kotharree baandhhee basath anoop beech paaee ||
The house of the mind is made of six rings, and placed within it the incomparable thing (Naam) inside it..
kunjee kulaf praan kar raakhae karathae baar n laaee
The lock and the key to the door of our mind’s home are made of air (the breath) and the Creator did this at no time at all.
SGGS 339

Let me point out that that balancing the air. i.e. both nostrils are open at the same time is no easy task to achieve. I've been practicing this for quite some time and I still can't get it to open on demand.

I will also say that one should not rush straight into internal simran if you cannot focus and hear your jaap externally and internally. The primary objective of doing swas-giras simran (out aloud) is to 1) learn to hear the jaap coming out of your mouth which in turn will help stop the thoughts of the mind because it is focused on the gurmantar. 2) To help balance the air in your left & right passages. If you rush in straight to internal simran with out doing sass-giras (out aloud) or sass sass (madhma -wisper) then your air won't balance on its own unless your meditating at the time your body naturally shifts from one side breathing to the other.

Another important fact I only recently learned was that sass-sass simran should not be done with short breaths. Quite often we rush our mantra and indirectly our breathing. Sass - sass should be done slowly and naturally. Both inhale and exhale should be the same length and "Wahe" part of gurmantar should be the same length and the "Guru". Sometimes we can say Wahe fast be elongate the "Guru" or vice versa. This is not balance.

This is also useful information:

If we fail to stay introverted (i.e. eyes closed looking inward) , the mind cannot look inside, and cannot unite with Waheguru. We also fail to open the door to the castle of our mind and the Naam of God does not appear inside of us. This is why it’s important to close our eyes in meditation and keep the mind introverted. We will only progress in the introverted state. When we are extroverted (i.e. looking out with the eyes), we should look at things with our impartial vision. This means to look at both forms of Waheguru– things with form and the formless. Form is known as Sargunn and the formless is known as Nirgunn. While introverted we can’t see outside and only the formless (nirgunn) remains.

Nirgunn: The empty space all around us. All the planets are in Nirgunn. It is the subtle form of God.

Sometimes I felt I could not always close my eyes yet inside I had the yearning to do simran. So I took this concept on board and put my dhyaan in the empty space between objects. i.e. the air in front of me. If you start appreciating this fact that Waheguru is in the space all around you then everywhere you look you see that empty mirror like space i.e. Waheguru. It gives your mind a reference point at which to focus your dhyaan and you feel your jaap has a direction. You don't want to be moving the eyes around looking all over. Just look straight ahead but don't look at an object. Look at the empty space. Slowly your eyes want to close by themselves.

Ideally one should definitely close the eyes when doing simran as per the instruction:

Those who close off the nine gates, and restrain the wandering mind,
nao dar thaakay Dhaavat rahaa-ay.

come to dwell in the Home of the Tenth Gate.
dasvai nij ghar vaasaa paa-ay.

There, the Unstruck Melody of the Shabad vibrates day and night. Through the Guru`s Teachings, the Shabad is heard.
othai anhad sabad vajeh din raatee gurmatee sabad sunaavni-aa.
SGGS 124

WaheGuru

Meditation means different things to different people. To some, it suggests periods of quiet self-observation. To others, it means breath awareness or thinking reflectively. In the yoga tradition, a key element of meditation is the repetition of a sound or a prayer—a mantra—which focuses the mind and becomes a source of inner balance and well-being.

The process of mentally repeating a mantra is called japa, which literally means “muttering” in Sanskrit. With practice, japa becomes well rooted in the mind, and the sound of the mantra flows continuously from moment to moment. It may flow slowly, linked to the breath. Or it may flow at a moderate pace, disengaged from the rhythm of breathing. After considerable practice, the mantra may pulse very rapidly—its syllables no longer carefully articulated. In this case, meditation with the mantra flows without exertion. This phase of practice is called ajapa japa, or effortless repetition.
The mantra becomes audible without mental exertion, and the inner space of the mind is filled with its sound.

Adepts sometimes refer to this phase of meditation as “listening to the mantra.” The mantra becomes audible without mental exertion, and the inner space of the mind is filled with its sound. The resulting practice is effortless and delightful—but it occurs only after considerable experience with a mantra. How can you cultivate ajapa japa? And what is happening in the mind when your mantra sweeps along in perpetual motion? Let’s have a look.

Mantra Practice
If you have never practiced mantra meditation before, the process of reciting a mantra may appear rather mechanical. But the repetition of a mantra is anything but robotic. With regular practice you will find that japa practice will lead you to a much deeper understanding of yourself as you encounter new layers of your mind. Wants and hopes, duties and obligations, ideals and aspirations surface in your awareness. From meditation to meditation, life unfolds under your inner gaze, asking you to witness it in its entirety.

A mantra serves as a kind of centering device during this process. It offers a resting place for the everyday mind. It collects distracting energies. It brings spiritual insights forward, so that you can integrate them into daily life. Just as great music transforms a listener, a mantra gradually lifts and transforms your mind.

Three Steps to Ajapa Japa
You can use a variety of mantras for meditation. Some meditators are given a personal mantra by their teacher. Others choose to use one of the great Vedic mantras such as the Gayatri mantra (“May my mind be guided by divine light”) or the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra (“May the Lord lead me to freedom from fears and attachments”). You may also recite a prayer such as the Christian invocation Kyrie eleison (“Lord have mercy”) or the Buddhist mantra Om mani padme hum (“May the blessed union of practice and wisdom awaken”). No matter the mantra, its sacred sound can help you progress through both the japa and ajapa japa phases of practice.

Generally speaking, you can progress through three phases of japa practice by doing the following. First, link the mantra sound (or a portion of it) with the flow of your breath. The fusion of breath and mantra makes your concentration stable, reducing the mind’s tendency to wander. Linking the mantra with your breath also slows the pace of mental repetitions, giving you time to patiently witness your concentration process.

Next, let go of the breath and focus your attention on the sound of the mantra alone. Once you disconnect the mantra from the breath, the mantra will begin to pulse at its own moderate pace. Breathing continues to flow smoothly, but awareness settles in the mantra. This shift results in a more refined concentration process. Your mind rests within itself, without the support of an external object (the breath).

Finally, as the mind becomes familiar with the sound of the mantra, it will naturally begin to pulse more quickly and effortlessly. This phase of practice becomes increasingly subtle, turning into ajapa japa as the mantra gains momentum. When the mantra is reverberating very rapidly, you may sense it more as a pulsation of energy than as the articulation of syllables. Nonetheless, the mantra is present, and you remain centered in it.

Overcoming Obstacles
Unfortunately, the mind has an uncanny knack for losing its focus during periods of japa, letting the mantra slip out of awareness and leaving a tangle of distractions in its place. Using a mala can be very helpful in enhancing concentration at this stage. A mala is a string of 108 beads used to count the repetitions of your mantra during meditation. One round of the mala equals 100 repetitions of the mantra (8 of the mala’s 108 beads are “given away” as a sign of humility and a recognition that your mind likely wandered from its concentration several times). Depending on the practice, your daily meditation session might include two, three, or more rounds of a mala.
To further refine your concentration during japa, weave the sound of one mantra repetition into the next. As one repetition of the mantra ends, let the next one arise. If the space between repetitions is eliminated, then fewer thoughts emerge from the unconscious to distract the mind and carry it away. But don’t force the effort to link one mantra repetition to another. Instead, make smooth transitions from one mantra repetition to the next, so that the chain of sound in your mind flows naturally, easily, and without pause.

Over time, your focus on a mantra will imbed its sacred sound in you more securely.
Despite your best intentions, your efforts to reduce mental distractions could become woefully tiresome to you were it not for the fact that, even in the earliest stages of practice, concentration results in a peaceful and pleasant mind. Over time, your focus on a mantra will imbed its sacred sound in you more securely. When you meditate, it will return to your awareness with greater ease and increased energy.

Signs of Progress
The unbroken flow of sound created by weaving one mantra repetition into the next is a prelude to ajapa japa. With regular practice, the pace of repetitions will increase. Concentration will deepen. Repetition of the mantra will occur with an effortless momentum in your mind. The mantra will reverberate more rapidly than usual and will seem to continue in the background, even when other distractions occupy your mind. During this phase of practice the mantra whispers incessantly.
The mantra arises, stays for a time, and then moves on, much like a passing encounter with a friend on the street.

Another sign that you’re progressing toward ajapa japa is when your mantra begins to surface in your mind at unexpected times. The mantra may come to you while you are washing the dishes or driving. It happens without any real effort. The mantra arises, stays for a time, and then moves on, much like a passing encounter with a friend on the street.

Eventually, a time comes when you can hear the mantra sound whenever you like, simply by closing your eyes and relaxing. Ajapa japa becomes a deep source of peace and calmness—a center of well-being.

The Flow of Ajapa Japa
As delightful as ajapa japa sounds, be aware that the mind will still become distracted during its practice. (In fact, if the mind is not well grounded, distractions will arise with almost the same ease as the mantra!) How can you anchor your concentration at a deeper level? How can you train your awareness to truly rest in its focus? The key is to learn how to center your mind in ajapa japa, using the same skills that you practiced in earlier stages of meditation:
Rest your attention in the mantra, allowing other energies to pass through your mind without engaging in them. Continue to smoothly weave one repetition of the mantra into the next. Use a mala to deepen your concentration. Relax into the flow and speed of the mantra, whether its pulse is slow, medium, or fast. Center your heart, your devotional self, as well as your intellect in the mantra. If distracting thoughts dislodge your attention, slow your japa down until you can refocus with more stability. As you follow these steps, japa will evolve into ajapa japa. A moment will come when you will naturally set your mala down and let your mantra emerge as an effortless pulsing of sound. Relaxing in this spontaneous flow, your mantra will cradle your mind in its embrace, a deep center of awareness.

This is not a sudden process. If you are looking for instant enlightenment, you won’t find it here (or, most likely, anywhere else!). But cultivate ajapa japa and your mind will become deeply focused and relaxed. Along the way you will uncover a natural source of happiness and well-being within. In the end, your mantra will become something more than a sound. Its presence will hold you, lift you, and comfort you—the embodiment of Spirit, made audible in you.

Source : https://yogainternational.com/article/view/advanced-stages-of-mantra-meditation

i think the seeing of light occurs when the inner eye/third eye starts to activate.
usually during Simran the mind is filled with light of various colors, Purple is often seen when attention is placed towards the third eye, and i think once you start making more progress towards Waheguru, this light start to get whiter and whiter

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

Gurmukh has said that there are various sounds that can be heard internally, for instance, when the breath (pavan) pierces through the Chakras it produces a ringing sound. However, these sound will not take you anywhere. I too in early stages was very confused to what i was hearing. It is referred to as Poan the Shabad. Good thing to know is that your mind is becoming introverted, keep dhyan on simran (Gurmantra), keep going deeper until eventually your mind will rise up the sukhmana channel to the tenth gate from where Shabad/Naam is heard.

Head should be straight and balanced for optimum benefit.
From what I understand so far...... In early stages, in order to help you get deep.... you need to have a good uniform balance both with physical and subtle body.
In later stages when you are in complete silent jap and body is relaxed, you feel weightless, elevated, nirgun and totally antarghat.....then you won't even notice how your head is sitting..... and I believe that most of the time it can sit forward or backward.
It's only when you come out of the meditative state that you should notice how you were sitting.

There are a few tips for helping to maintain the straight, balanced and erect position to start with.....and my first suggestion would be to focus on keeping your back straight and in upright position.
There are people that may disagree with what I'm suggesting and say that it doesn't matter.... but I'm just advising on my own experiences and how I noticed many times that my simran was much more maximized on days that my whole body was balanced or when I had come back from yoga class.

My 2 little tips would be
1) Try and imagine a string attached to the top of your head.....Imagine that string is being held and pulled as if you a puppet and that the doer is puling that string upwards towards him....just let your head go upwards along with the string. !!!.......voila ,,,,your head,neck and back should all be straight and in line.
2) If you keep noticing that your back keeps arching... then try and stick the bottom of your bum base out backwards as if you doing that
'twirking' thing whilst sitting. This should also help if you got a stiff and aching back from sitting.

Seriously... this whole balancing and sitting straight thing has been more than beneficial for me.

I would suggest that you try and maintain these postural techniques throughout your day.
I know we get cozy and sloppy on couches all too easily, but these are quite negative in the way they affect our body energies.
The head will still drop into some resting position, but your awareness and correction techniques will have a much more positive effect in my experience.

A very good post !
You know I searched high and low when I was trying rom rom/ ajapa jap and tried various techniques from little extracts taken from mixed and jumbled sources.....If I had come across the above, then that would have been a fantastic piece of help !

I've just got 2 small additional comments that came to my attention whilst reading the above, and these are based on my experience and some info that I have picked up.

Firstly, the below technique(in quote box) is what I would suggest for members that have difficulty in transitioning fromsilent saas saas to rom rom synchronising with pulse.
I know that many of us have a problem in trying to start rom rom at the stage when trying to jap with own pulse.
I did exactly what it says in the article above before I felt ready to do synchronizing stage of rom rom jugtee.....and it definitely helped.
I used this as an additional jugtee in between the transition.



The 2nd comment is just a little caution and explanation so that one is not led astray.


With regards to this part of weaving the sound of one mantra to the next,..... I don't advice this is done in saas graas or saas saas... as it may confuse one into thinking so.(the above is done when not japping with breath)

I would suggest that when we are japping with breath then we should have that split second/moment pause between 'WAHE' and GURU' and the next 'WAHE'.......
The reason for this is that although yoga references are excellent sources of info, we have to remember that our goal is simran and the main difference between our jap and their jap is the shabad and the naad (although nidra yoga focuses on same naad)

The shabad I am talking about is the shabad that we want to hear as a result of practicing saas graas & saas saas.....the anhad, the naad, the toor, the celestal sound that we want to hear vibrating and vajda within us. So, in this regard I think that it is important that we listen to our own jap and also try to listen to that little SILENT PAUSE.

TRY THIS-
Do wahe-guru jap with breath, even if it's silent and if you feel that you are not listening or finding it hard to force yourself to listen.... then just try listening for that moment's pause of stillness after 'wahe' and after 'guru'..... you will soon notice that because you are listening for that gap of silence at the end, it makes your mind listen to the whole jap with dhyiaan !!
Therefore, you will be listening to the Dhun of gurmantar which will eventually lead you to hear the dhun of naad.

Ajapa jap is not quite understood until it manifests. After repeated efforts of 'Gaviyeh(chanting) and Suniye(listening).... there comes a day where it just activates by itself.....all with his kirpa.

Wahe-Guru

You should try and do saas saas with whispering the gurmantar and then go into silent and mental.
Some people can do it straight away and some can't... we all have to play around and see what works.
I know what you mean about not making noise and waking house up because I also like to keep it 'low key' and also helps me in keeping steady to get that absolute stillness.

A very good post !
You know I searched high and low when I was trying rom rom/ ajapa jap and tried various techniques from little extracts taken from mixed and jumbled sources.....If I had come across the above, then that would have been a fantastic piece of help !

I've just got 2 small additional comments that came to my attention whilst reading the above, and these are based on my experience and some info that I have picked up.

Firstly, the below technique(in quote box) is what I would suggest for members that have difficulty in transitioning fromsilent saas saas to rom rom synchronising with pulse.
I know that many of us have a problem in trying to start rom rom at the stage when trying to jap with own pulse.
I did exactly what it says in the article above before I felt ready to do synchronizing stage of rom rom jugtee.....and it definitely helped.
I used this as an additional jugtee in between the transition.



The 2nd comment is just a little caution and explanation so that one is not led astray.


With regards to this part of weaving the sound of one mantra to the next,..... I don't advice this is done in saas graas or saas saas... as it may confuse one into thinking so.(the above is done when not japping with breath)

I would suggest that when we are japping with breath then we should have that split second/moment pause between 'WAHE' and GURU' and the next 'WAHE'.......
The reason for this is that although yoga references are excellent sources of info, we have to remember that our goal is simran and the main difference between our jap and their jap is the shabad and the naad (although nidra yoga focuses on same naad)

The shabad I am talking about is the shabad that we want to hear as a result of practicing saas graas & saas saas.....the anhad, the naad, the toor, the celestal sound that we want to hear vibrating and vajda within us. So, in this regard I think that it is important that we listen to our own jap and also try to listen to that little SILENT PAUSE.

TRY THIS-
Do wahe-guru jap with breath, even if it's silent and if you feel that you are not listening or finding it hard to force yourself to listen.... then just try listening for that moment's pause of stillness after 'wahe' and after 'guru'..... you will soon notice that because you are listening for that gap of silence at the end, it makes your mind listen to the whole jap with dhyiaan !!
Therefore, you will be listening to the Dhun of gurmantar which will eventually lead you to hear the dhun of naad.

Ajapa jap is not quite understood until it manifests. After repeated efforts of 'Gaviyeh(chanting) and Suniye(listening).... there comes a day where it just activates by itself.....all with his kirpa.

Wahe-Guru

Yep, I guess he's just trying to promote and obviously trying to get white folk in.
Like Bhagat says....'' Non-Sikh-->Non-Sikh dressed like Sikh-->Sikh with pub, cut beard, marriage dress-->Sikh''

He's still sikh to some scale, but if full bearded amritdhari sikhs don't want to class him as some level of sikh, then they are just talibanising sikhi.

Im not sure why he put the wedding outfit on....maybe wearing that with turban and kirpan is the most 'sikh' he has ever felt physically....especially if your a mona.
(When i was mona and got dressed like that for my wedding, it was the most 'royal like singh' feeling that could ever be expressed in my aura at that time!)

The problem is that we let prejudice govern our ego's too easily... the first glance of the news above....we see the word sikh,...then we see pub... then we see the dress up and immediately start nodding our heads!..tut..tut..
The guys not promoting sikhi, he's trying to promote the fact that he appreciates and understands the gora festive season and that this should help bring in some more custom for his business.

Besides, how else does he describe himself or wants the gora to their family?
......Not going to want goray saying ''we going to that pub run by pakis".... or "the brown asian guy's pub''
Most goray are pretty much aware if the brown asian belongs to hindu, muslim or sikh culture and that's how they will label him and his family.

Sikh is the descriptive term that is used to differentiate from muslim and hindus in this sense. It's a good identifier and way for them to categorize the brown asian guys
This is why some goray understand that sikh cultures are different and try adapting to western life and contribute to society whereas pakistani muslims would rather drain the welfare systems.
This is how most of them perceive us differently and appreciate the positive impacts we have made for the economy.

And besides, if he were full amritdhari ....then there would certainly be some questions to raise but we are just jumping the gun here because the word sikh was used !
And Dalsingh is probably aware of just how many full amritdhari sikhs in UK own off-licenses and newsagents.
(for those of you outside UK...off-license is liquor store and newsagents sell tobacco)