Shabda Yoga, An Introduction

[Guest guest]

James, Sant Mat

Fellowship:<br><a href=santmatfellowship

target=new>santmatfellowship</a><br><br>Sant Mat,

the Path of Inner Seeing and Hearing

<br><br>Surat Shabda Yoga is the meditation practice of the

Sant Mat tradition of India. Shabda Yoga is yoga for

the soul, not the body; no difficult physical

postures or rituals are required. One simply gets

comfortable, looks and listens within with eyes closed while

repeating as a mantra Names of God given by a Living

Master. Although <br>knowing how to find the inner Light

and Sound of God has evolved into a clearly

understood science or method of spiritual practice in India,

mystical experiences of Light and Sound have also been

reported by countless souls in all the great world

religions, east & west, for according to the Masters, the

Divine Light and Sound are <br>within

everyone.<br><br>Though many world scriptures and mystics mention Light

and Sound (Surangama Sutra, Upanishads, Dead Sea

Scrolls, Corpus Hermeticum, Gnostic Gospels, St. John of

the Cross, etc.), these old writings don't reveal a

METHOD that one can adopt in order to reach the same

state of pure prayer or deep meditation so that WE ALSO

can see and <br>hear spiritually. We must find

someone who can reveal this method to us in this day and

age. In Sant Mat, it is a Living Master who reveals to

us all aspects of this practice. This is done at the

time of initiation into Shabda Yoga.<br><br>Shabda is

an ancient Sanskrit word for the Divine Power that

created all things. <br><br> In the beginning was the

Word, the Word was with God, and the<br> Word is God.

(Gospel of John)<br><br>Masters teach that this creative

aspect of the Godhead, called Christ, Tao, or Audible

Life Stream, can be perceived by the seeing facility

of the soul (nirat) as Divine Light, as well as

heard by the hearing facility of the soul (surat) as

Divine Sound or Heavenly Music. Thus, the Yoga of the

Word -- contemplating the inner Light and Sound,

reunites the soul with its Creator during

meditation.<br><br> Seek, all of you, after the Light, so that the

power of your soul <br> that is in you may find Life.

Do not cease seeking day or night<br> until you find

the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Light, which will<br>

purify you, transform you into pure Light, and guide you

into the<br> Kingdom of the Light. (Gospel of Pistis

Sophia)<br><br> Whoever drinks from My mouth will become like Me;

I Myself shall<br> become that person, and the

Hidden Things will become revealed<br> to him. (Gospel

of Thomas)<br><br> Rise above thy mental horizon, O

brave soul, and listen to the<br> Call of Music coming

from Above. (Rumi)<br> <br> From Shabad is the earth,

from Shabad is the sky,<br> From Shabad emanates all

Light.<br> The whole creation rests on Shabad,<br> And this

Shabad, O Nanak, abides in us all. (Guru Nanak)<br><br>

Listen -- perhaps you catch a hint of an ancient state

not quite<br> forgotten; dim perhaps, and yet not

altogether unfamiliar, like<br> a song whose name is long

forgotten, and the circumstances in <br> which you heard

completely unremembered... Listen, and see if you <br>

remember an ancient song you knew so long ago and held

more dear <br> than any melody you taught yourself to

cherish since. ("A Course <br> In

Miracles")<br><br>/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\