Surat Shabd Yoga or
Surat Shabda Yoga is a form of
spiritual practiceSpirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
that is followed in the
Sant MatSant Mat was a loosely associated group of teachers that became prominent in the northern part of the Indian sub-continent from about the 13th century...
and many other related spiritual traditions. Surat means "
attentionAttention is the cognitive process of paying attention to one aspect of the environment while ignoring others. Attention is one of the most intensely studied topics within psychology and cognitive neuroscience....
," or "face," which is the outward expression of the
soulA soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
,
shabd' is the Sanskrit for "sound, speech"In Sanskrit grammar, the term refers to an utterance in the sense of linguistic performance.-In Indian linguistics:...
means "word" and
yogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
means "union." The term "word" means the “Sound Current,” the “Audible Life Stream” or the “Essence of the Absolute Supreme Being,” that is, the dynamic force of creative energy that was sent out, as sound vibration, from the Supreme Being into the abyss of space at the dawn of the
universeThe Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
's manifestation, and that is being sent forth, through the ages, framing all things that constitute and inhabit the universe.
The etymology of "Surat Shabda Yoga" presents its purpose: the "Union of the Soul with the Essence of the Absolute Supreme Being." Other expressions for Surat Shabda Yoga include Sehaj Yoga (an easy path leading to Sehaj or equipoise) The Path of Light and Sound, The Path of the Sants, The Journey of Soul, and The Yoga of the Sound Current.
Basic principles
Sehaj word states as Guru of love, Guru of Trust, Guru of War, Guru of Time, Guru of Power. The stated purpose of Surat Shabda Yoga is to realize the individual's
True Self (Self-Realization),
True Essence (Spirit-Realization) and
True Divinity (God-Realization) while living in the
humanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
physical body. This
Journey of Soul involves reuniting in stages with what is called the
Essence of the Absolute Supreme Being, the
Shabd' is the Sanskrit for "sound, speech"In Sanskrit grammar, the term refers to an utterance in the sense of linguistic performance.-In Indian linguistics:...
. Attaining self-realization and above also results in
jivaIn Hinduism and Jainism, a jiva is a living being, or more specifically, the immortal essence of a living organism which survives physical death. It has a very similar usage to atma, but whereas atma refers to "the cosmic self", jiva is used to denote an individual 'living entity' or 'living...
n moksha/muktiWithin Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in...
, liberation/release from
samsarathumb|right|200px|Traditional Tibetan painting or [[Thanka]] showing the [[wheel of life]] and realms of saṃsāraSaṅsāra or Saṃsāra , , literally meaning "continuous flow", is the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth or reincarnation within Hinduism, Buddhism, Bön, Jainism, Sikhism, and other...
, the cycle of
karmaKarma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
and
reincarnationReincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
while in the physical body. Initiation by an
Outer Living SatguruSatguru does not merely mean true guru. The term is distinguished from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on...
(Sat - true,
GuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
- teacher) is required, and involves reactivating the Shabd and stationing the Inner Shabda Master (the Radiant Form of the Master) at the
third eyeThe phrase "mind's eye" refers to the human ability for visualization, i.e., for the experiencing of visual mental imagery; in other words, one's ability to "see" things with the mind.- Physical basis :...
(tisra til)
chakraChakra is a concept originating in Hindu texts, featured in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" .Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices...
. The spiritual exercises (
sadhanaSādhanā literally "a means of accomplishing something" is ego-transcending spiritual practice. It includes a variety of disciplines in Hindu, Sikh , Buddhist and Muslim traditions that are followed in order to achieve various spiritual or ritual objectives.The historian N...
s) include simran (repetition, particularly silent repetition of a
mantraA mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
given at initiation), dhyan (concentration, viewing, or contemplation, particularly on the Inner Master), and
bhajanA Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
(listening to the inner sounds of the Shabda or the Shabda Master).
Surat Shabd Yoga
cosmologyEsoteric cosmology is cosmology that is an intrinsic part of an esoteric or occult system of thought. It almost always deals with at least some of the following themes: emanation, involution, spiritual evolution, epigenesis, planes of existence or higher worlds , hierarchies of spiritual beings,...
depicts the whole of creation (the macrocosm) as being
emanatedEmanationism is an idea in the cosmology or cosmogony of certain religious or philosophical systems. Emanation, from the Latin emanare meaning "to flow from" or "to pour forth or out of", is the mode by which all things are derived from the First Reality, or Principle...
and arranged in a spiritually differentiated hierarchy, often referred to as
eggsA world egg or cosmic egg is a mythological motif found in the creation myths of many cultures and civilizations. Typically, the world egg is a beginning of some sort, and the universe or some primordial being comes into existence by "hatching" from the egg, sometimes lain on the primordial waters...
, regions, or planes. Typically, eight spiritual levels are described above the physical plane, although names and subdivisions within these levels will vary to some extent by movement and Master. In this arrangement, Self-Realization is attained in the third heaven level, Daswan Dwar, Spirit-Realization is attained in the fourth heaven level, Bhanwar Gupha, and God-Realization is attained in the fifth heaven level, Sach Kand (Sat Lok). (One version of the creation from a Surat Shabda Yoga perspective is depicted at the
Sant Ajaib SinghSant Ajaib Singh known to his disciples as Sant Ji was born on the 11th of September 1926 in Maina, District Bhatinda, Punjab, India. He is considered a Sant of Surat Shabd Yoga. His Master Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj of Delhi was a disciple of Sawan Singh...
Ji Memorial Site ). All planes below the purely spiritual regions are subject to cycles of creation and dissolution (pralya) or great dissolution (maha pralya).
This cosmology presents the constitution of the initiate (the
microcosmMacrocosm and microcosm is an ancient Greek Neo-Platonic schema of seeing the same patterns reproduced in all levels of the cosmos, from the largest scale all the way down to the smallest scale...
) as an exact replica of the macrocosm. Consequently, the microcosm consists of a number of
bodiesA subtle body is one of a series of psycho-spiritual constituents of living beings, according to various esoteric, occult, and mystical teachings...
, each one suited to interact with its corresponding plane or region in the macrocosm. These bodies developed over the
yugaYuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an 'epoch' or 'era' within a cycle of four ages. These are the Satya Yuga, the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga, and finally the Kali Yuga. According to Hindu cosmology, life in the universe is created, destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years, which is...
s through involution (
emanatingEmanationism is an idea in the cosmology or cosmogony of certain religious or philosophical systems. Emanation, from the Latin emanare meaning "to flow from" or "to pour forth or out of", is the mode by which all things are derived from the First Reality, or Principle...
from higher planes to lower planes) and
evolutionSpiritual evolution is the philosophical, theological, esoteric or spiritual idea that nature and human beings and/or human culture evolve, extending from the established cosmological pattern or ascent, or in accordance with certain pre-established potentials...
(returning from lower planes to higher planes), including by karma and reincarnation in various
statesAn altered state of consciousness , also named altered state of mind, is any condition which is significantly different from a normal waking beta wave state. The expression was used as early as 1966 by Arnold M. Ludwig and brought into common usage from 1969 by Charles Tart: it describes induced...
of
consciousnessConsciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
. The Path of Light and Sound involves the initiate traveling the microcosm
dharmiclyDharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
in consciousness (
soulA soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
) with the guidance and protection of the Outer Living Master in the physical world and the Inner Shabd Master in the higher worlds until the regions of pure spirituality are reached and God-Realization is attained.
Movements and masters
Adherents believe Surat Shabda Yoga has been expressed through the movements of many different masters. However, because a basic principle of Surat Shabd Yoga's tradition is the requirement for an outer Living Master to initiate followers onto the Path, those 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.
The Radhasoami movement of Surat Shabda Yoga was established by
Shiv Dayal SinghSeth Shiv Dayal Singh was born on the 25th august. At the age of five, he was sent to school where he learnt Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Gurumukhi. He also acquired a working knowledge of Arabic and Sanskrit...
(1818–1878) in 1861 and named "Radhasoami Satsang" circa 1866. Soamiji Maharaj, as he was known, presided over the
satsangSatsang in Indian philosophy means the company of the "highest truth," the company of a guru, or company with an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the truth...
meetings for seventeen years at Panni Gali and Soami Bagh in
AgraAgra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, India, until he died on June 15, 1878. Accounts of his guru and successors vary, although he did give verbal instructions on his last day as to how his followers should be cared for. According to Radha Soami Satsang Beas, his guru was Tulsi Sahib of Hathras. According to Soami Bagh and Dayal Bagh successors, Tulsi Sahib was a contemporary guru of the same teachings, but being a natural born Satguru, Shiv Dayal Singh 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
Jaimal SinghBaba Jaimal Singh Ji , also known as "Babaji Maharaj," was the first Satguru of Radha Soami Satsang Beas until his death in 1903. Baba Sawan Singh succeeded him as the second RSSB Satguru....
of
Dera Baba Jaimal SinghRadha Soami Satsang Beas is a spiritual society founded by Jaimal Singh in 1891 at a site called Dera Baba Jaimal Singh on the West bank of the Beas River, Punjab, India....
the present day headquarters of (RSSB),
Radha Soami Satsang BeasRadha Soami Satsang Beas is a spiritual society founded by Jaimal Singh in 1891 at a site called Dera Baba Jaimal Singh on the West bank of the Beas River, Punjab, India....
. More information on living masters related to Shiv Dayal Singh's lineage can be found in the Contemporary Sant Mat movement article.
Sant Kirpal Singh, a contemporary Sant Mat
guruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
, stated that "Naam" ("Word") has been described in many traditions through the use of several different terms. In his teachings, the following expressions are interpreted as being identical to "Naam":
- "Naad", "Akash Bani", and "Sruti" in the Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
- "Nada" and "Udgit" in the Upanishad
The Upanishads are philosophical texts considered to be an early source of Hindu religion. More than 200 are known, of which the first dozen or so, the oldest and most important, are variously referred to as the principal, main or old Upanishads...
s
- "Logos
' is an important term in philosophy, psychology, rhetoric and religion. Originally a word meaning "a ground", "a plea", "an opinion", "an expectation", "word," "speech," "account," "reason," it became a technical term in philosophy, beginning with Heraclitus ' is an important term in...
" and "Word" in the New TestamentThe New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
- "Tao
Dao or Tao is a Chinese word meaning 'way', 'path', 'route', or sometimes more loosely, 'doctrine' or 'principle'...
" by Lao Zi
- "Music of the Spheres
Musica universalis is an ancient philosophical concept that regards proportions in the movements of celestial bodies—the Sun, Moon, and planets—as a form of musica . This 'music' is not usually thought to be literally audible, but a harmonic and/or mathematical and/or religious concept...
" by PythagorasPythagoras of Samos was an Ionian Greek philosopher, mathematician, and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism. Most of the information about Pythagoras was written down centuries after he lived, so very little reliable information is known about him...
- "Sraosha" by Zoraster
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
- "Kalma" and "Kalam-i-Qadim" in the Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
- "Naam
Nāma is the Sanskrit for "name". Spiritually, it is the principal method or tool of meditation, which is meant to unite the soul with the Supreme Soul....
", "Akhand Kirtan" and "Sacha ('True') Shabd" by Guru Granth SahibSri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
The more recently promulgated Quan Yin Method of meditation espoused via the spiritual teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai has notable similarities to Surat Shabd Yoga.
EckankarEckankar is a new religious movement founded in the United States in 1965, though practiced around the world long before with a solid following in China. It focuses on spiritual exercises enabling practitioners to experience what its followers call "the Light and Sound of God." The personal...
, an American movement, has many links to Surat Shabd Yoga, including terminology, although its American founder
Paul TwitchellPaul Twitchell was an American spiritual writer, author and founder of the group known as Eckankar. He is accepted by the members of that group as the Mahanta, or Living ECK Master of his time. He directed the development of the group through to the time of his death...
disassociated himself from his former teacher Kirpal Singh.
The
Movement of Spiritual Inner AwarenessThe Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness is a 501 non-profit religious corporation, incorporated in California on June 25, 1971. Before incorporation, the group was founded in California in 1968 by John-Roger...
, also founded in America in 1971 by John-Roger and now with students in 32 countries, also teaches a similar form of active meditation, called
spiritual exercises, using the Sound Current and ancient Sanskrit tones in order to traverse and return back to the higher realms of Spirit and into God.
MasterPath is another contemporary American movement of Surat Shabda Yoga. The founder and self-proclaimed Living Master, Gary Olsen, contends that several historical figures are
Sat GurusSatguru does not merely mean true guru. The term is distinguished from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on...
of Surat Shabda Yoga as representatives for the eternal Inner Shabda Master. A few of these Living Masters of their times include Lao Tsu,
JesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
,
PythagorasPythagoras of Samos was an Ionian Greek philosopher, mathematician, and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism. Most of the information about Pythagoras was written down centuries after he lived, so very little reliable information is known about him...
,
Socrates Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
,
KabirKabīr was a mystic poet and saint of India, whose writings have greatly influenced the Bhakti movement...
, the Sufi Masters and mystic poets
HafezKhwāja Shamsu d-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Shīrāzī , known by his pen name Hāfez , was a Persian lyric poet. His collected works composed of series of Persian poetry are to be found in the homes of most Iranians, who learn his poems by heart and use them as proverbs and sayings to this day...
and Rumi, the Ten Sikh Gurus beginning with
Guru NanakGuru Nanak was the founder of the religion of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. The Sikhs believe that all subsequent Gurus possessed Guru Nanak’s divinity and religious authority, and were named "Nanak" in the line of succession.-Early life:Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469, now...
, Tulsi Sahib, and the Radhasoami/Radha Soami and offshoot Masters, including
Shiv Dayal SinghSeth Shiv Dayal Singh was born on the 25th august. At the age of five, he was sent to school where he learnt Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Gurumukhi. He also acquired a working knowledge of Arabic and Sanskrit...
,
Baba Sawan SinghBaba Sawan Singh , also known as "The Great Master" or "Bade Maharaji" was an Indian Saint. He was the second Satguru of Radha Soami Satsang Beas from the death of Baba Jaimal Singh in 1903 until his own death on April 2, 1948....
,
Baba Faqir ChandBaba Faqir Chand, was an Indian master of Surat Shabd Yoga, or consciously controlled near death experience. He was the first Sant Mat guru to speak of overwhelming experience of certainty and the subjective projection of sacred forms without the conscious knowledge of the person at the center of...
and Sant Kirpal Singh.
The ten Sikh Satgurus discuss the inner sound and inner light a lot in their scriptures. The first Sikh Satguru was Guru Nanak, but his master (guru) was
WaheguruWaheguru is a term most often used in Sikhism to refer to God, the Supreme Being or the creator of all. It means "The Good/Best Teacher" in the Punjabi language. Wahi means "good" and "Guru" is a term denoting "teacher"....
. The above masters teach these 2 techniques. There is a master that teaches 4 techniques that include these 2 of inner light and inner music. He teaches inner light (sight), inner music (hearing), primordial vibration (sense of touch) and nectar (taste and smell).
These correspond to the 5 senses and this is how you turn them inward to experience what is inside of you. See
VishnuVishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
with his 4 arms and they correspond to these. One hand is holding a circle (chakra) of light. Another is holding a conch shell for the inner sound (hold it to your ear and you hear something). Another hand is holding a lotus flower to refer to nectar and the 4th 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.
Variations in movements
Although all movements of Surat Shabd Yoga will have common elements related to the basic principles, notable variations also exist. For example, before he left his physical body, the tenth
SikhA Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
Guru,
Guru Gobind SinghGuru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
, nominated the
Guru Granth SahibSri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
(a sacred text) as the next and perpetual Guru of the Sikhs. Other movements continue to require a Living Master to initiate students into the Shabda. Movements also will vary in the names used to describe the Absolute Supreme Being (
GodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
), including Anami Purush (nameless power) and Radha Soami (lord of the soul); the
presiding deities and divisions of the macrocosm; the number of outer initiations; the words given as
mantraA mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
s; and the initiation
vowA vow is a promise or oath.-Marriage vows:Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedding ceremony. Marriage customs have developed over history and keep changing as human society develops...
s or the prerequisites that must be agreed to before being accepted as an initiate.