Surat Shabd Yoga
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Surat Shabd Simran is a type of spiritual meditation in the Sant Mat tradition.
Etymology
Surat is "attention" or "face", that is, an outward expression of the soul;[1] Shabd or Shabda has multiple meanings including ‘sacred song’, ‘word’, ‘voice’, ‘hymn’, ‘verse’, or ‘sound current, ‘audible life stream’, and the ‘essence of the Absolute Supreme Being’. The Absolute Supreme Being is a dynamic force of creative energy sent out into the abyss of space at the dawn of the universe's manifestation, as sound vibrations. These vibrations continue and are sent forth through the ages, framing all things that constitute and inhabit the universe.[2] Yoga is literally ‘union’, or ‘to yoke’. Etymologically, Surat Shabd Yoga means the ‘Union of the Soul with the Essence of the Absolute Supreme Being’.
Surat Shabda Yoga is also known as Sehaj Yoga – the path leading to Sehaj or
Basic principles
Surat Shabda Yoga is for the discovery of True Self (
Surat Shabd Yoga arose in India in the last several hundred years, specifically in the Sikh tradition (
Movements and masters
Adherents believe Surat Shabda Yoga has been expressed through the movements of many different masters. However, a basic principle of Surat Shabd Yoga's tradition is the requirement for an outer Living Master to initiate followers onto the Path. The movements whose historical Satgurus have died and their successors do not purport themselves to be Surat Shabd Yoga Satgurus, usually are not considered currently to be Surat Shabd Yoga movements, either by their own leaders or by movements with current Living Masters.
Satguru Maharshi Mehi Paramahansa Ji Maharaj is considered the movement leader in the 20th century. He came to an isolated cave of Kuppaghat, Bhagalpur (Bihar, India) and practiced Surat-Shabda Yoga from March 1933 - November 1934. He achieved self-realization and attained ultimate salvation during his practice. He wrote books "Moksha-Darshan (Philosophy of Salvation), "Satsang-Yoga", "Shri Gita-Yoga Prakash", "Raamcharit Maanas Saar-Satik", "Maharshi-Mehi-Padaawali" and "Maharshi-Mehi-Padawaali".
The Radha Soami movement of Surat Shabda Yoga was established by Shiv Dayal Singh (1818–1878) in 1861 and named "Radhasoami Satsang" circa 1866. Soamiji Maharaj, as he was known, presided over the satsang meetings for seventeen years at Panni Gali and Soami Bagh in Agra, India, until he died on June 15, 1878.[3] Accounts of his guru and successors vary, although he gave verbal instructions on his last day as to how his followers should be cared for.[4] According to Radha Soami Satsang Beas, his guru was Tulsi Sahib of Hathras. According to the successors Soami Bagh and Dayal Bagh, Tulsi Sahib [5] was a contemporary guru of the same teachings; but being a natural born Satguru, Seth Shiv Dayal Singh Ji himself had no guru.
After his death, six immediate successors carried on Shiv Dayal Singh’s teachings, including Huzur Maharaj Rai Salig Ram of Peepal Mandi, Agra, and Babaji Maharaj Baba Jaimal Singh of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB). More information on living masters related to Seth Shiv Dayal Singh Ji's lineage can be found in the Contemporary Sant Mat movements article.
- "Naad", "Akash Bani", and "Sruti" in the Vedas
- "Nada" and "Udgit" in the Upanishads
- "Logos" and "Word" in the New Testament
- "Lao Zi
- "Music of the Spheres" by Pythagoras
- "Sraosha" by Zoraster
- "Kalma" and "Kalam-i-Qadim" in the Qur'an
- "Naam", "Akhand Kirtan", and "Sacha ('True') Shabd" by Guru Granth Sahib
The more recently promulgated
Eckankar, an American movement, has many links to Surat Shabd Yoga including terminology, although its American founder Paul Twitchell disassociated himself from his former teacher Kirpal Singh.[7]
The
The MasterPath is another contemporary American movement of Surat Shabda Yoga.
The ten Sikh Satgurus (Nanak Panthis) discuss the inner sound and inner light a lot in their scriptures. The first Sikh Satguru was Guru Nanak, but his master (guru) was Waheguru. These masters teach these two techniques. There is a master, [1]Satpal Maharaj, that teaches four techniques that include these two of inner light and inner music. Altogether He teaches inner light (sight), inner music (hearing), primordial vibration (sense of touch), and nectar (taste and smell).
These correspond to the five senses, and this is how a student turns them inward to experience what is inside of himself. See Vishnu with his four arms and they correspond to these. One hand is holding a circle (chakra) of light, one holding a conch shell for the inner sound (hold it to the ear and a sound is heard), one holding a lotus flower to refer to nectar, and finally the fourth hand is holding a metal club (mace) for the inner vibration (if you hit something with it, it vibrates like a tuning fork). Some people refer to this inner energy as the soul.
The Line of Succession of sikhs
THE LINE OF SUCCESSION FROM KABIR TO PRESENT [11]
From Kabir to present, the Masters of the Divine Science of Light and Sound appear and manifest themselves as an uninterrupted line, through which they transmitted to each successor the one knowledge and the one Power. Subsequently, we can trace an
exact "family tree" from Kabir Sahib (1398-1518) to Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539) and further as shown below:
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਨੈ ਸੁ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਨੈ ਬੰਦਾ ਕਹੀਐ ਸੋਈ॥੩॥ (GGSG-Page No.1350-3)...Saint Kabir
Translation: One who will recognize the Command (Hukam), will know One Lord, we call him the real man.
ਸਚਾ ਸਉਦਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਸਚਾ ਵਾਪਾਰਾ ਰਾਮ॥ (GGSG-Page No.570)
Translation: The True merchandise(ਸਚਾ ਸਉਦਾ) is the Lord`s Naam. Trader Raam is the truth.
Above line in the book "Guru Granth Sahib Ji" verifies that during the true merchandise (ਸਚਾ ਸਉਦਾ) when Guru Nanak Dev Ji fed the hungry saints and he got the Naam from them. Whereas in books when we read the history of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, we find no information regarding true merchandise of Word or Naam of God. This line also verifies that Guru Nanak Dev Ji also interacted with living SattGuru where from he got the Naam.
ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਿਤਗੁਿਰ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ॥੫॥ (GGSG-Page No.72) ..Guru Nanak
Translation: The One "Naam" is the Lord's Command, O Nanak, the "True Guru(teacher)" helped me to guess the lamp (light).
(Here One Naam means One Word, and Hukam also addresses the Naam of God)
ਦੇਹੀ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ॥ (GGSG-Page No.1026)
Translation: The Naam or Word or Kalma, abides deep within the body.
This line demonstrates that the Naam of God is something present in the body. One will get it within his own home i.e body where the spirit lives. Body is the current home of the spirit. After Guru Nanak Dev Ji below are the nine SattGurus (i.e Teachers of truth) of the Sikhs who got the success in the history and lead the community of Sikhs:
Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji (1504-1552),
Sr Guru Amar Das Ji (1479-1574),
Sri Guru Ram Das Ji (1534-1581),
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji (1563-1606),
Sri Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji (1595-1644),
Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji (1630-1661),
Sri Guru Har Krishan Ji (1656-1664),
Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji (1621-1675)
and Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1667-1708).
Variations in movements
Among the exponents of Surat Shabd Yoga and the commonly shared elements related to the basic principles, notable variations also exist. For example, the followers of the orthodox Sikh faith no longer lay emphasis on a contemporary living guru. Different Surat Shabd Yoga paths will vary in the names used to describe the Absolute Supreme Being (
or the prerequisites that must be agreed to before being accepted as an initiate.Notes and references
- ISBN 0-942735-16-1, Ruhani Satsang, (7th ed., 2003): "The whole thing depends upon your attention, or surat as it is called, which is the outward expression of your soul."
- ISBN 0-942735-94-3, 1999; BOOK TWO: SHABD, The Sound Principle.
- ^ "Radhasoami Satsang: Soamiji Maharaj". radhasoamisatsang.org. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
- ^ Singh, Shiv Dayal. (1934). Sar Bachan: An abstract of the teachings of Soami Ji Maharaj, the founder of the Radha Soami system of philosophy and spiritual science: The yoga of the Sound Current. Translated from Hindi to English by Seva Singh with Julian Johnson. (9th ed.) Beas, India: Radha Soami Satsang Beas.
- ^ "WebCite query result". www.webcitation.org. Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses generic title (help) - ISBN 0-942735-94-3
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8160-5458-9. Archivedfrom the original on 2016-12-20.
- ^ “Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains”, US Army, January 18 2009
- ^ James R. Lewis, Seeking the Light: Uncovering the Truth About the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness and its Founder John-Roger (Los Angeles: Mandeville, 1998), p. 71.
- ISBN 9-78-0-415-26707-6.
- ^ Sant Kirpal Singh - Ruhani Satsang USA (1975). "The Night is a Jungle p. 362-366" (PDF).
External links
- Media related to Surat Shabd Yoga at Wikimedia Commons
- Website of Ruhani Satsang USA
- Website of Sant Kirpal Singh Unity of Man
- Website of School of Spirituality