God's Name is the Foundation for a Spiritual Way of Life: Simran Practice

Kirpal Singh: "Simran is the first step of the spiritual ladder." "By Simran of Holy Names, we get rid of the thoughts of the world. One feels the presence of God." "Simran bestows happiness, peace and bliss, and leads us to a state of super-consciousness." "Simran is a weapon against all dangers. It acts as a password to all spiritual planes. It gives strength and sustenance to the body and mind during trouble and affliction, and brings the soul near the Master." "Remembrance of God is the main thing before us to find the way to Him." "Simran gives pleasure and removes pain. By doing the Simran of the Lord, one merges in Him."  

 

Baba Ram Singh: "It is Simran only which helps us to focus our attention from this world outside and come to the Tenth Door and go within. So, we should do as much of Simran as possible. When we are eating, or when we are walking, or doing other mundane activities, we should continuously keep our mind focused on Simran. And that will help us to more expeditiously move on this Path."

 

"Simran" is a term which means "Remembrance", the spiritual practice of remembering or being mindful of God by repeating his Name or Names. Devotees sing or chant various names for God. Higher spiritually, and more "within" is the practice of "manas jap", the mental repetition of God’s name or names "with the tongue of thought" -- in other words, chanting names of God within one’s mind. The Sants have always placed much greater emphasis upon mental Simran over vocal chant, as it takes one further within via the Third Eye Center.

 

Definitions of Simran: "Repetition of names or thoughts; in Sant Mat, the simran [or remembrance] of worldly thoughts is controlled through the Simran [remembrance] of the Five Charged Names, repeated by an initiate throughout the day and when sitting for meditation as a means of collecting the thought currents at the Third Eye Center; Simran is also used as a password of sorts to higher planes and protection from Negative Power influences." (Glossary, Satsang Discourses of Baba Ram Singh)

 

These sacred names that are to be repeated are revealed to the spiritual seeker by a living master (Sant Satguru) at the time of their initiation into Surat Shabd Yoga, the Path of Meditating Upon the Inner Light and Sound of God.

 

What is the practice of the Name (Simran)? It is a form of interior prayer by which a person learns to keep his or her attention always in God, in every circumstance and situation, at all moments, through day and night. It is a form of inner remembrance that leads to a heightened awareness beyond the limitations of the physical world and the portals of death. Through meditation on the Name (Naam Bhakti) one learns to draw one’s attention away from the outer world.

 

There is however, more to Simran than the repeating of sacred names. Simran must be approached with the right attitude, the right spirit, for one’s intent determines how successful the practice will be, and what effect it will have upon one’s consciousness. Simran has never been intended to be a dry or lifeless mantra practice. The path of the Sants is a Bhakti path, a path of love and devotion for the Supreme Being. Thus, the true Masters have always instructed their students to repeat God’s Name with love and devotion, as a lover calling out to one’s Beloved, the Lord of Love.

 

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhaswami,

James Bean

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