5 Stages of Meditation, Important Links

Posted on Nov 6th, 2006 by

5 Stages of Meditation, Important Links, The Journey Back to the Soundless God

Important Links

Online Chart Number One -- Subtle Bodies and Inner Regions:
http://www.geocities.com/santmat_mystic/CHART.jpg

Online Chart Number Two, PDF File -- Higher Planes/Inner Regions:
http://www.spiritualawakeningradio.com/chart.pdf

Online Books: Selections from The Harmony of All Religions,
Philosophy of Liberation, and Qualifying a Spiritual Master:
http://www.thewayofsages.com/new_page_7.htm

Online Book: Path_of_the_Masters___Part_1.PDF File:
http://us.share.geocities.com/santmat_mystic/the_path_of_the_masters___part_1.pdf

Online Book: Path_of_the_Masters___Part_2.PDF File:
http://us.share.geocities.com/santmat_mystic/The_Path_of_the_Masters___Part_2.pdf

Online Book: Mystic Bhakti-Love Poetry of Kabir: 100 Songs of Kabir:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sok/index.htm

Eight "Limbs" or Levels of Yoga, Based on the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali:
http://www.expressionsofspirit.com/yoga/eight-limbs.htm

Sant Mat Site at Yahoo Groups: Sant Mat Fellowship Worldwide:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship

Comprehensive Links Page to All Things Sant Mat, Radhaswami -- Surat Shabd Meditation Websites:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship/links

Peace or Shanti

"Each stage of meditation has specific hallmarks to indicate progress. Although the techniques may sound complex, this path is extremely simple to practice as is evidenced by the great numbers of people who have been practicing this meditation since ancient times." (Maharishi Mehi, The Philosophy of Liberation)

The ultimate hallmark or fruit of successful meditation is a genuine, Divine or supernatural sense of peace (Shanti): "Santi [shanti] is a Sanskrit word with several English meanings: peace, tranquility, bliss, etc... The peace which results from some degree of Divine communion is Santi." (footnote on page 7 of, Philosophy of Liberation)

Where We Came From, Where We Are Going

"The individual soul has descended from the higher world [realm of the Divine] to this city of illusion [bodily existence]. It has descended from the Soundless State to the essence of Sound, from that Sound to Light, and finally from the realm of Light to the realm of Darkness.

"The current of consciousness which is dispersed in the nine gates of the body and the nine senses must be collected at the tenth gate (Seat of the Soul, the sixth chakra, also known as the Third Eye, bindu, center between the eyebrows) therein lies the path for our return. This is the act of leaving the gates of the sense organs and becoming established in the soul. We travel back from the realm of Darkness to the realm of Light, from the Light to divine Sound, and from the realm of Sound to the Soundless State [The Nameless One, Ultimate Reality]". (Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj)

Here Are The Stages of Meditation As Taught in Traditional Sant Mat

All of the following spiritual exercises represent a transition from outer to inner, from lower to higher, from physical to mental to spiritual, a shift in one's awareness through several different layers or regions, on the way back to God beyond all these veils of illusion. As Sant Sevi Ji writes: "The natural tendencies of the Soul are to move from outward to inward. The Current of Consciousness which is dispersed in the nine gates of the body and the nine senses must be collected at the Third Eye. Therein lies the path for our return."

In the book, Quintessence of Yoga -- Secrets of Success, published by the Maharishi Mehi Ashram, before the inner stages of meditation is mentioned the practice of japa, the verbal chanting of God's name. One could, at first, do this briefly as a way to relax and settle into meditation practice. Mostly however in Sant Mat meditation, mental or inward chant is perceived to be a thousand times more effective than verbal chant, but if one is so inclined, there can be some vocal chant, singing of hymns or arti at the beginning.

The following is by Sant Sevi Ji's Satguru: Maharishi Mehi, from the book, Philosophy of Liberation (Moksa Darsan).

"The practice involves a specific meditation taught by a qualified Teacher. Meditation has four levels of practice each building on the preceding practice:

Going Within -- Stages of Sadhana (the Inner Spiritual Practice of Meditation)

"The first stage is manas japa", mentally repeating the sacred name "with the tongue of thought" (mantra, simran, zikhr). This is a simple technique and has been widely taught and practiced in the East as well as the West. It has the effect of calming the restless "monkey-mind" and preparing for the following stages of meditation.

"The second stage is the manas dhyana" -- practice of mentally focusing on a specific image -- mentally contemplating or visualizing the form of one's teacher/Satguru is called dhyan or manas dhyana.

"The third stage is known as Drishti Yoga -- uninterrupted concentration of an infinitesimal point" [The Yoga of Light lets one find the Third Eye and access the inner Light, visions or lights of various colors, stars, suns, moons, other visions, or the Radiant Form of the teacher at the Third Eye Center].

"The fourth stage Surat Shabad Yoga (the art of inner hearing -- the meditation of Divine Sound) is focus on celestial inarticulate sounds within, which ultimately leads to the final goal [merging with the Soundless God]."

"The Sounds are somewhat similar to the sounds of: the veena (stringed instrument similar to the lyre), the mridang (drum or thunder), the mrdal (cymbals), the singi (a horn), the sitar (stringed instrument), or the sarangi (similar to a lute).

Also see, the Nada Bind Upanishad, for a list of inner Sounds:
http://www.vedarahasya.net/nadabind.htm

and the Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika on Nada Yoga/Inner Sound Meditation:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship/message/2117

Surangama Sutra of Buddhism as well:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship/message/2059

Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, in, Quintessence of Yoga: Secrets of Success", writes: "Devotee Jaydayal Goyandka taught clearly about the Yoga of Vision or Light and the Yoga of inner divine Sound. To consolidate vision and meditation with closed eyes causes:

1) steadiness of mind,
2) purity of character,
3) inner peace, and,
4) removal of ill-will.

"Closing the ears when we hear the divine Sound within ourselves is the best approach. There is no harm in it. We can include this along with other practices. This practice of inner Sound can go on in the night, because there is no noise at that time and environment is peaceful......When the inner divine Sound merges into the imperishable Supreme Lord, there is the absolute State of Soundlessness (the Ultimate Reality, God, Anadi Purush)."

You may ask, what does it mean to "close the ears"? There is a bhajan technique initiates learn to do just that in order to focus on inner Sound. Also, sometimes people use earplugs to block outer sounds during inner Sound practice. But there is another meaning. Some clarification is given in the book, The Harmony of All Religions, by Sant Sevi Ji, who states that closing the ears is primarily an internal reality that occurs after one's attention has gone within: "When you focus your gaze within ajna chakra then automatically your physical ears will close and the inner ears will open."

Maharishi Mehi from, The Philosophy of Liberation, reveals the final goal of Sant Mat Meditation -- The Fifth Stage that few talk about: merging with the Soundless, Nameless One: "Upon merging the mind with the Sound, there remains only the consciousness, free of the association with the mind. The consciousness free of the mind will be drawn to the flow of sounds, ultimately merging in Soundlessness or the Supreme Sovereign God. The internal practice of meditation ends here: the Supreme God is realized and the work is completed."

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