By George A. Boyd ©2006
Simran is a repetition of a mantra with an aim to unite
the attention with the spirit. This practice is disseminated by all teachers
who initiate in the Sant Mat tradition on the 2nd Transcendental Path
(T2).
Here the simran consists of five "charged names" of
the major forms of the Divine encountered on this spiritual path. Successful
practice of simran in this tradition results in the attention becoming
fully focused on the spirit behind the two petalled lotus. This center
has been referred to as tisra til or do dal kanwal.
Simran is actually part of Nada Yoga. Nada Yoga consists
of
(1) Focusing attention on the spirit (Surat
dhyan)
(2) Withdrawing sensory and mental currents to the
seat of the spirit (Pratyahara)
(3) Traveling as the spirit through the channels
of the Nada and opening those channels (Udgit)
On T2, there are two Nadamic channelslight
and sound. After the sensory and mental currents have been collected at
tisra til, the spirit moves upward into the light channel. They then do
a second method to move the spirit through the channel of the sound, which
they call bhajan.
Opening the channels of light and sound to the
same nodal point beyond the current level of spiritual evolution of the
ensouling entity on T2 produces transformation, which is the unfolding
of the ensouling entity and its vehicles. Nada Yoga is the major form
of transformation in each of the Transcendental Paths, T1 through T7.
Difficulties
in Practicing Simran
Practitioners of simran sometimes encounter difficulties
in achieving union with their spirit on T2. As a result, they make little
or no progress in Nada Yoga at this level. Among the difficulties they
experience are:
(1) Their attention is stopped at an inner
center or gate, and they are unable to move beyond this point.
(2) They become absorbed in a deep unconscious stratum
of the mind, which triggers dreaming sleep or unconsciousness.
(3) Their attention is distracted by physical discomfort,
emotional issues, or thinking, and they cannot transcend into the Superconscious
bands of the mind.
(4) They repeat the mantra mechanically from memoryin
this case the mantra operates in the Subconscious mind and does not
uplift the attention from the waking state of awareness.
(5) They focus intently on the darkness in front
of the forehead to repeat the simranthey discover that this practice
stimulates the movement of their astral body to other physical locations
(astral projection). Their attention travels with the astral body to
this other locale, but they do not move upwards into union with the
spirit.
(6) They become strongly focused in the feeling center
of the Conscious mind, where the meditator becomes absorbed in prayer,
devotion and love for the Master. They spend their meditation engaged
in prayer and invocation.
(7) They repeat the mantra without interest or attentional
focus, which put them in a dream-like state of reverie. This is a light
hypnotic trance state in which the meditator may encounter the fantasies
of the unconscious mind, and mistake these states of imagination for
genuine spiritual experience.
(8) They do not sit in meditation long enough for
their attention to unite with the spirit at tisra til. The demands of
employment and family responsibilities do not allow them to devote sufficient
time to the practice. [Sant Mat teachers ask their students to do two
sittings of meditation: one hour each of simran and bhajan upon awakeningrecommended
between 4am and 6amwith a second half hour of simran to be done
at lunch break or in the early evening.]
To counter these problems meditators
experience, we will discuss specific measures to overcome each of these
obstacles. Before we do this, however, we will first discuss the mantramic
process, so you can be clear about what happens when you repeat a mantra
with your attention. After we have given you some ideas to overcome these
obstacles, we will suggest a method drawn from Raja Yoga that may help
you to more successfully lift your attention to the seat of the spirit
at tisra til.
Understanding
the Mantramic Process
A mantra may be characterized
by the effect of its use [see "Differences
between Types of Mantras"], its origin on the Great Continuum of Consciousness
(GCC), and the track it takes through the multiple Planes of its effective
range. We will discuss some of these salient factors that impact the effect
of mantras below.
Mantramic Track
– The track of a mantra may be conceived as an energetic thread or pathway
passing through the inner Planes, as shown in the diagram one below.
Diagram
One – Track of a Mantra through the Inner Planes

Mantramic Origin
– The origin of a mantra is where the mantra's seed energy, or Mantra
Shakti, originates. The track of a mantra ultimately brings the attention
to the origin of the mantra. There are mantras whose origins may be
found in the Subtle, Planetary, Transplanetary, Cosmic, Supracosmic
and Transcendental bands of the GCC.
Effective Range of a Mantra
– The mantra's origin governs the effective range of a mantra. A Subtle
Realm mantra can only lead your attention to the Subtle Realm, whereas
a Supracosmic mantra can draw your attention all the way to the origin
of the Supracosmic Path from which the mantra came.Mantra Target
- The target of a mantra is where it aims to lead your attention. A
mantra can target
- An ensouling entity
- A nucleus of identity
- The seed atom of a vehicle of consciousness
- The form of a god or goddess, or the form of a
spiritual Master on the inner Planes
- A chakra or center within a vehicle of consciousness
- The spirit, as it can be known in one of the twelve
domains of the Nada
- The highest Plane on a selected band of the GCC,
for example, the origin of a mantra in the seventh Supracosmic Chakra
on a particular Supracosmic Path
- A marker on an inner path, e.g., the origin of
the second Plane of seven Planes
- The attentional principle
Mantramic Depth – The track a mantra takes
may be said to pass through a particular depth of the mind.
In diagram two below, Track A passes through
a band of your mind that is consciousthis is within the portion
of the GCC that your ensouling entity and its vehicles have awakened.
Track B follows the current alignment of the ensouling entity and its
vehicles of consciousness. Track C passes through the unconscious zone
of the mind, beyond the portion of the GCC you have awakened.

Track A mantras focus your attention on aspects
of your conscious experiencethese are elements within the portions
of the mind you have already awakened. Mantras of this type enhance concentration
along points on the mantramic thread and promote gaining an intuitive
understanding at corresponding levels of the GCC.
Insights derived from this ascension within the known
resemble poetry: a different insight appears at each successive point
on the mantramic thread, like phrases build upon a basic theme in a
poem.
Type B mantras promote self-knowledge and Soul knowledge
(Gnosis). They focus attention along the axis of being, culminating
with a center of integration. Usually an ensouling entity is the target
of this type of mantra, which brings Gnosis. However, the spirit, a
nucleus of identity or a seed atom of a vehicle of consciousness may
also be targeted, which leads to identification with this inner center.
When a mantra targets the ensouling entity, we call it a Centering
Mantra. When it targets the spirit, we call it a Contemplative
Mantra.
Type C mantras, the most common type, aim to focus
the attention upon a transcendent essence that dwells beyond the cutting
edge of spirituality. This type of mantra can be referred to as a Transcendence
Mantra. There are several varieties of transcendence mantras; based
upon the depth the mantra transports the attention relative to the cutting
edge of spirituality. These are detailed in the table below:
Type of Transcendence Mantra |
Variance from the Cutting Edge
of Spirituality |
Description of this Type of Transcendence
Mantra |
Common octave |
Baseline |
This variety of transcendence mantra is targeted
at an essence on the same spiritual evolutionary path. For example,
for someone whose ensouling entity dwells on the Abstract Mind Plane,
it might guide attention to union with the nucleus of identity of
the 1st Planetary Initiation (Moon Soul), or to a nucleus of identity
in a higher Initiation. Alternately it could track to the origin
of the spirit (top of the 2nd Planetary Initiation), or the origin
of the Planetary Soul in the Nirvanic Flame at the top of the 5th
Planetary Initiation. Common octave transcendence mantras do not
take you out of your current spiritual evolutionary path, but move
your attention into deeper stages of that realm. |
+1 octave |
Low variance |
These transcendence mantras come from the next
octave beyond your current stage of spiritual evolution. For example,
those polarized in the Subtle Realm might use this type of mantra
to focus on essences in the Planetary Realm. Those in the Planetary
Realm would use this type of mantra to transcend into the Transplanetary
Realm to gain union with the Monad. |
+2 octaves |
Intermediate variance |
These transcendence mantras direct attention
to a band twice removed from your current spiritual cutting edge.
In this scenario, if you were in the Planetary Realm, using these
mantras would bring you up into the Cosmic Sphere. These types of
mantras are commonly given by Yogi Preceptor lineages (1st Cosmic
Initiation), by Light Masters (2nd Cosmic Initiation) and Cosmic
Masters (Cosmic Hierarchy). These mantras focus your attention on
one of the nuclei of identity of this realm, or on the ensouling
entity the Astral Soul. |
+3 octaves |
High variance |
This variety of transcendence mantra aims at
spiritual essences thrice removed from your cutting edge. If your
current stage of development is Planetary, this type of mantra would
focus your attention on an essence in the Supracosmic Sphere, three
octaves distant from the Planetary Soul. Here the mantras given
will lead your attention to a Supracosmic seed atom of a particular
Supracosmic Path, or unite it with the ensouling entity of this
realm, the Supracosmic Soul. Supracosmic Gurus bestow this mantra
initiation upon their chelas. |
+4 or +5 octaves |
Extreme variance |
This variety of transcendence mantra pulls attention
to bands of the GCC furthest removed from the cutting edge, all
the way up into the Transcendental Sphere. If your cutting edge
is in the Subtle Realm, it is five octaves to the Transcendental
Sphere; if it is in the Planetary Realm, it is four octaves distant.
These mantras are given out by Sat Gurus of Transcendental Pathsthey
typically focus attention on the spirit. Simran is a transcendence
mantra that focuses attention on the spirit in T2. |
Transcendence mantras draw your attention to
a level above your current station on the Path. The mantramic thread
passes through progressively deeper levels of the unconscious mind, depending
on how much the mantra varies from baseline.
Baseline transcendence mantras tunnel through
those sections of the unconscious closest to the cutting edge of spirituality.
The more octaves separate the mantra from baseline, the more profound
is your immersion in the depths of the unconscious.
For most people, simran, which originates in
the Transcendental Sphere, has an extreme variance from their cutting
edge of spirituality. Working with mantras that have extreme variance
present special challenges because of three factors:
(1) The distance that must be traversed to
reach the focus for active spiritual work is longer, raising the incidence
that a meditator will not go deep enough to contact the spirit, or will
not have enough time to successfully raise the attention to tisra til.
(2) The depth of immersion in the unconscious can
be profound, leading to a greater chance the meditator will fall asleep,
or encounter fantasy material in this band and interact with it.
(3) The expression of love and devotion for
teachers in the Transcendental Sphere requires the greatest emotional
intensitythis intensification of the amplitude of the feeling
center may keep attention preoccupied with invocation, prayer and worship
instead of moving up to the level where Nada Yoga can be practiced.
The innate characteristics of extreme variance
paths introduce these challenges and others. We will suggest specific
remedies for each of the eight obstacles discussed in the section, "Difficulties
in Practicing Simran."
Overcoming
Obstacles in Simran
Here are some specific remedies for the difficulties
encountered in practicing simran.
Trapped at the Gate – to counter getting
trapped at an inner gate, pray to your master to open it to you or use
another mantra just long enough to get on the other side of the gate,
then return to simran. For example, a meditation student who takes the
Mudrashram® Advanced Course in Meditation is given the Mudrashram® mantra, which gives the key to unlock these
inner gates.
Falling Asleep – to avoid falling asleep
in meditation, use the sniff breath method described in the article,
"How to Stay Awake in Meditation."
Disarming Your Distractions – to get
past distractions of the Conscious mind, do present time monitoring
of the sensations, emotions or thoughts (mindfulness) until they pass
away. You may also use process meditation to acknowledge and put away
the issue so you can focus on moving up into the Superconscious.
Mechanical Repetition – to avoid mechanical
repetition from memory or the intellect, use intention to send the words
of the mantra to the attention. When you consciously and intentionally
repeat each word of the mantra, the attention moves deeper until it
reaches a level corresponding to the mantra's origin. With each successive
repetition of the mantra, the mantra moves to the next focal point on
its axis of correspondence [We discuss the axis
of correspondence later in this article.]
Unintentional Astral Projection – Notice
the focal point of attention, wherever it is, and direct the words of
the mantra to that focus. This will move your attention upward. Focusing
in the darkness in front of the forehead, and pulling at that focus
is a method used by schools that teach astral projection. Your aim is
to unite the attention with the spirit, not fly around in your astral
body.
Getting Unstuck from Emotional Flypaper – getting trapped in a feeling center can be overcome by using discernmentlearn
to tell the difference between praying, inner dialog, or invoking the
Master to help you and simply moving your attention. Realize your objective
is to focus your attention on your spirit, to move it up to where the
spirit dwells, not to have a religious service in your mind.
Staying Away from Fantasyland – to avoid
reverie, always repeat the mantra with full attention and intention.
Your objective is to intentionally direct your attention to the specific
location where you can contact the spirit.
Finding a Stitch in Time – when you
are short of time, find a quicker and faster way to move your attention
to tisra til.
One quick method is Surat Dhyanhere
you focus your attention directly on the spirit behind tisra til and
fix it there until your awareness opens up to this level. To practice
this, you must develop powerful intention.
The other method is called Sat Guru Tratakamin
this practice, you gaze into the eyes of your Master, who will pull
your attention into the spirit, then pull your spirit upward.
For this
passive method, you must develop great receptivity. The Master's glance
will sweep the crowd and find you in a lyrical momentyou must
take full advantage of that doorway and let your attention become fully
absorbed in the beam of energy sent by your Master.
If you miss this
doorway, you will spend hours in longing and miss this opportunity to
get a quick boost into the Beyond. [This method presumes you have ready
access to the physical presence of your Master.]
Augmenting
Simran - Lessons from Raja Yoga
To successfully unite your attention with your
spirit, consider that you are moving up the axis of correspondence on
each Plane. Your objective is to ascend consciously and rapidly to tisra
til, where you will reach the focal point where you can practice Nada
Yoga.
If you direct your attention to each focal point on that axis of
correspondence, you will climb the ladder of the names of God and reach
the entrance to the higher worlds on T2.
Applying a Raja Yoga model to transcendence mantras,
an alternate method for doing simran can be described.
(1) As you repeat the entire mantra, your attention
will become focused on the first focal point on the axis of correspondence.
This is called fixation or dharana.
(2) Instead of immediately repeating the mantra
again, allow your awareness to open to this point, while you monitor
the content arising from the conscious and unconscious zones of the
mind at this level. You are inwardly alert, and curious to see what
is there. This is called contemplation, or dhyana.
(3) Allow your energy to flow into this point
so your attention feels oneness and stable abiding. This is called union
with the object of meditation, or samadhi.
(4) Repeat the mantra again, moving to the
next point on the axis of correspondence. You repeat dharana, dhyana,
and samadhi for this level, before repeating the mantra again.
(5) Continue this process until your attention
is united with the spirit behind tisra til. You will feel your energy
withdraw into the spirit. The spirit's experience will enter your conscious
awareness. Then the spirit will seem to travel upward into the channels
of the Nada.
At first, the spirit will move up through the
inner channels of the Nada, and then your attention will follow it.
As you become more comfortable with this practice, you will just keep
your attention on the spirit's feet, and then you will witness the phenomena
of the inner path as the spirit moves through the channels of light
and sound.
(6) Once you are able to stay with the spirit
as it moves, you can use a more advanced technique from Raja Yoga called
microconcentration to augment your experience of your spirit.
Once you can hold your attention on its feet
readily, move up into its heart center, where you will feel its love,
devotion, purity and virtue.
Next move your attention into its throat centerhere
you will experience the spirit speaking its inner truth, which is called
satsang.
Next move to the point between the eyebrowshere
you will become aware of the spirit's thoughts, and you may become aware
that your spirit is repeating simran with the tongue of thought.
Finally, move to the brain center of the spirit,
which will allow you to fuse with the spirit and become fully identified
with it.
(7) As the spirit moves up through the channels
of the Nada through the lower bands of the first Plane, the Astral,
it will meet the guide form of the Master within at the eight petalled
lotus (Asta dal kanwal).
At this stage, the guide form of the Sat Guru
will move in front of you on the Path, then pull your spirit up to this
point. Continue to contemplate the spirit, but listen to any dialog
between the guide and the spirit. This may be audible or telepathic.
In audible dialog, you will hear the
spirit and the inner Master speaking to each other this is mediated
through the throat center.
In telepathic dialog, you will hear
the exchange of question and answers or directives from the Master
within as if you are listening to your own thoughtsthis comes
through the center in the forehead.
You may also experience the sweet communion
with the spirit just being with the Master, exchanging lovethis
is mediated through the heart center.
(8) As you become familiar with traveling with
the guide form of the Master, at some later state you will actually
contemplate the Master's form. Mirrored in this form you will experience
the origin from which the spirit was born. This will culminate in a
sense that you are merging with the Master; there is a perfect oneness
and attunement established between the Master and your spirit.
The Axis
of Correspondence for T2
When the dense accretions of karmic matter that
make up the unconscious zone of the mind are removed, you can clearly
visualize the axis of correspondence for T2. These 39 focal points, starting
with first octave above waking awareness to the seat of the spirit are
described below.
Band of the Mind |
Focal Point Number |
Description of Content |
Conscious
|
1 |
Physical body awareness - a point on the upper
surface of the bladder |
2 |
Feeling awareness center - the form of consciousness
at this center, which may be seen to engage in prayer., invocation
and worship |
3 |
Mental awareness center - the 15th order of analogical
reasoning |
4 |
Egoic awareness center - the origin of the ego,
in the node of surrender |
5 |
Gate of the Conscious mind, light channel - this
is the doorway to the Subconscious mind |
Subconscious |
6 |
Seed atom corresponding to T2 behind the Personal
Unconscious band |
7 |
Two petalled lotus chakra of the Subconscious
mind |
8 |
Astral brain center of the Astral Body - this
focal point corresponds to the 992nd orb of 1008 |
9 |
Causal Body center - Track of the Wahi Guru 7
path on the level of the causal body |
10 |
The center of the 8th torus of purpose |
Metaconscious |
11 |
The perceptual chakra center of the etheric body
- this center allows you to visualize your actual behavior |
12 |
The seed atom of the conscience - this brings
remembrance of the moral standards of Sant Mat, and allows you to
compare your actual behavior with the ideal standards of behavior.
This focus promotes introspection. |
13 |
The concrete mind - brings remembrance of the
instructions for doing meditation, scheduling meditation, and planning
travel to be with the Master |
14 |
The intellect - this brings reflection upon the
philosophy of Sant Mat, and thinking about its precepts |
15 |
Agya center - a point where the thought stream
of the Master enters the personality on the Plane of the Self. At
this level the personality is made aware of the overshadowing presence
of the Master, and that there are no secretsthe Master knows
everything you are thinking, feeling and doing. |
Subtle |
16 |
Mythological bands - A point slightly below the
Fountainhead center in the Lower Subtle Realm |
17 |
The 49th nodal point of the Lower Astral Plane,
the node of surrender |
18 |
Intellechy - a band corresponding to T2 in the
upper reaches of the Intellechy |
Planetary |
19 |
Psychic Realm - a vortex on the Superreflective
Ether corresponding to the presence of the T2 Sat Guru |
20 |
First Mesoteric Initiation - A form of the T2
Sat Guru slightly below the vortex of the Holy Spirithere
the Master appears as a saint |
21 |
Second Initiation - A form of the T2 Sat Guru
slightly below the vortex of the Word beneath the abode of the Ascended
Masters |
22 |
Third initiation - a band corresponding to T2
on the Ancient Wisdom Plane |
Transplanetary |
23 |
Adi Plane - A form of the T2 Sat Guru slightly
before the vortex of the Planetary Logos |
24 |
Solar Evolutionary Chain - A form of the T2 Sat
Guru slightly before the vortex of the Solar Logos |
Cosmic |
25 |
First Cosmic Initiation - the form of a Bhakti
Yoga Preceptor in the abode of the Yogi preceptors |
26 |
Second Cosmic initiation - a band corresponding
to T2 on the Mental Plane |
27 |
Fourth Cosmic Initiation - A band corresponding
to T2 |
28 |
Cosmic Stellar Realm - an eight pointed star
corresponding to development in T2 slightly below the Cosmic Logos |
Supracosmic |
29 |
The gate of the Wahi Guru 7 Path |
30 |
The highest Plane of the Wahi Guru 7. The mantra,
Akaal Sat Nam Wahi Guru, resounds here. |
Transcendental |
31 |
Gate of T2 |
32 |
The chakra at the base of the spine in the Pinda
zone of T2 (4 petals) |
33 |
The chakra at the navel in the Pinda zone of
T2 (6 petals) |
34 |
The chakra at the solar plexus in the Pinda zone
of T2 (10 petals) |
35 |
The chakra at the heart in the Pinda zone of
T2 (12 petals) |
36 |
The chakra at the throat in the Pinda zone of
T2 (16 petals) |
37 |
The chakra at the medulla in the Pinda zone of
T2 (4 petals) - this corresponds to the faculties of memory, imagination,
reflection and discernment, and the identity state of the ego. |
38 |
The chakra at the point between the eyebrows
in the Pinda zone of T2 (2 petals) - the mantra, Sat Nam, resounds
here. |
39 |
The presence of the spirit in the channels of
the Nada behind the two petalled lotus - this is tisra til. This
is the first focal point in the Astral Plane |
If you meditate successfully using simran, you
will climb each rung of this inner ladder and merge into the spirit on
T2.
Similar axes of correspondence can be constructed
for each Supracosmic and Transcendental Path. Raja Yoga augmentation
can similarly be utilized for mantramic or visualization methods advocated
by these paths.
Slippery
Rungs on the T2 Ladder
There are several focal points on this axis of
correspondence that bring challenges for aspiring meditators.
They must transcend the feeling center (2)
by detachment and discernment.
They must find a way to move beyond the gates
of the Conscious mind (5), or risk being trapped at this portal.
They must avoid triggering astral projection
when they focus on the astral body in the Subconscious mind (8).
If they seek to seek to gain union with the
spirit, they must rise above the personality functions of the Metaconscious
mind (11) to (15); otherwise they will spend their meditation time doing
introspection and thinking about the path.
They must be wary of being seduced by the beautiful
fantasies of the Psychic Realm (19) when they encounter the form of
their Master in the Superreflective Ether, or they might get lost in
the whims of their imagination.
They must discern the differences between the
reflections of the Path in the Supracosmic Sphere (29) and (30).
Finally, they must surmount the chatterbox
four petalled lotus (37) at the medulla centerthis center seems
diabolically determined to keep the attention absorbed in memories,
fantasies, reflections, and ruminations about identityand enter
into blissful union with the spirit.
Those that chose to perform spiritual work outside
their cutting edge of spirituality do risk creating imbalances [see "The
Cutting Edge of Spirituality" and "On Avoiding
Imbalance."]
If these zealous meditators are nonetheless
willing to abandon integral principles of spiritual development and dedicate
themselves whole-heartedly to pursuit of their spirit's aspiration for
union with the Divine Source at this level, we hold they should do this
expeditiously and effectively. If these intrepid devotees of their Sat
Guru are not going to spend lifetimes pursuing this aim, we believe it
is important that
(1) They learn to rapidly ascend to the seat
of the spirit
(2) They open the channels
of the Nada by udgit [In this practice, the spirit opens the unawakened
or unconscious portions of these Nadamic channels to the next nodal
pointthis produces unfoldment of the ensouling entity.]
(3) They rapidly press on
as quickly as possible to union with its origin.
We also advocate that meditators understand clearly
what they are trying to achieve by their meditation practice and use effective
methods to achieve those aims.
When meditation is used correctly,
it produces results and they make quick progress.
When it is not used correctly,
meditators are entangled in a variety of inner obstacles that hold them
back from their goal.
We hope that the discussion in this brief treatise
will assist those using simran to more effectively reach the level where
they can make conscious, steady progress on T2.
We also hope that it will help those using similar
methods in Supracosmic and Transcendental Paths to better understand the
use of transcendence mantras, so they may utilize them more effectively
on their own path.
Finally, we hope that our readers, who are not
initiated into Sant Mat or other paths that use transcendence mantras,
will better grasp the types of meditative practices that are used on Supracosmic
and Transcendental Paths and the effects of mantras upon the attention.
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