EXCERPTS FROM LETTERS FROM KIRPAL SINGH
CONCERNING MEDITATION AND WITHDRAWAL,
THE SOUND CURRENT AND ATTENTION

[Part 1] Letter #1

Before sitting for Meditation, Pray to the Master-Power overhead. This will give you Impetus and help.

During your spiritual practices, do not wish for one thing or the other, but sit at the door within, watching intently and minutely and do the mental repetition. The rest is for the Master to do.

We are not to have any feeling of anguish, hurry, or clutching when sitting in meditation.

Sit in any easy pose in which you can sit for a longer period with no tension in the body and do not move hands, feet, or eyes, etc. Close your physical eyes without any tension on the eyes or forehead, and fix your inner gaze on the dark veil between and betwixt the two eyebrows mentally, intently and constantly. Do not turn the two physical eyes inward but just close them as when one is going to sleep and gaze into the middle of the darkness (the veil) as if it were lying in front of you. Let your inner gaze remain fixed, without thinking of the body below or of anything outside. You should also not pay any attention to the breathing going on, in the same manner that you do not pay any attention to the breathing during your outer physical pursuits during the day. While having your inner gaze fixed intently and peering minutely into the center of the darkness lying as if in front of you, do repetition of the five Names mentally, but slowly. If you proceed in this manner, your inner vision will open with no physical body consciousness. Morning and evening, devote at least one hour each time in this way. Do it for some time and you will find progress.

Letter #2

When doing spiritual practices, you should sit in one unflinching posture and do mental Simran only, with your inner gaze fixed. Think of nothing else except Simran. At the time of hearing the Sound Current, listen to the Sound only and do not do Simran while hearing the Sound. Master is at your head and He extends help from within. Regarding any guidance and help required from without for removing difficulties in concentration, etc., they will be most gladly given without any hitch or obligation. I will be glad if any brothers become more successful and able to withdraw from the body, see the Lights, etc., and contact the Master consciously within.

Letter #3

This is just like having an effortless effort. You have to become the inner eye itself. Your job is only to see minutely and with a searching eye into the center of the darkness, while repeating the five Names mentally and slowly, and wait. It is for the Master within to give you results more of less according to the background earned as a result of Karmic reactions. We cannot get higher results by clutching. The very anxiety and impatience themselves stand in the way. Your part is to sit at the door behind the eyes, and knock and it shall be opened unto you.

[Part 2] Letter #4

When you see the Golden Swirl, please fix your gaze in the center thereof and not on the outer edges thereof. Light will sprout forth therefrom and at times it so happens Master's face appears therein. If there are causes that stand In the way of meditation at 3 o'clock in the morning, devote time at night before going to bed, and at other times convenient - soon after rising in the morning or during the day. Adopt any posture convenient, but it must be remembered that the assumed posture must be fixed and not changed, and that one is all of the time conscious and not sleeping.

When you see the stars, find a big star amongst then and fix your inner gaze on that big star. Then that big star will burst and you will find your way through It. Then you will have to cross the moon. If you see the moon, just fix your gaze on it.

Letter #5

A sort of trance-like stupor or similar state of consciousness is not sufficient. The Master prescribes putting in regular time with full devotion to the spiritual practices. Withdrawal of the current from the physical body inevitably follows as a result of Simran or constant repetition of the five Names and by fixing at the same time your inner gaze on the darkness just between the two eyebrows (as if it were in front of you) constantly, minutely penetrating. While doing so, you should neither be conscious of the breathing going on nor of the withdrawal of the spirit current from the physical body. This procedure will give you definite results. Just put in some time and find the change.

Letter #6

For this withdrawal sit in a posture In which you can be quite relaxed and which will be convenient to you for a longer time without any tension in the body or any consciousness of the breathing or of the process of the withdrawal of the spirit current going on. Close your physical eyes and take your attention away from the physical eyes altogether just as when you go to sleep. Without any strain on the physical eyeballs, eyelids, or forehead. Fix the inner gaze (which is quite independent of the outer physical eyes) on the darkness which is betwixt and behind the two eyebrows (as if this darkness were in front of you) minutely and constantly, and, at the same time, without any anxiety or impatience to see things beyond.

Letter #7

The reason why no marked progress is had so far is apparently due to the fact that we have not put in time in the spiritual practices accurately. If we put in time in the following manner, I hope you will have experience by the Grace of the Living Master and you will see the Master face to face by and by. Sit in one posture in any easy pose and do not move. Your entire body should be in a still position without any tension in the body.

You are breathing all the time during the day while working but you are not conscious of the breathing going on then. During meditation let breathing go on as freely as ever: you should pay no heed whatsoever to it. Moreover, you should look with a fixed inner gaze into the darkness, just behind and betwixt the two eyebrows, and continue looking in the center of it minutely and continuously without a break, without any tension in the physical eyes, eyebrows, or the forehead. You should not do the work of an overseer to see how far the spirit current is withdrawn from the body. The withdrawal is the work of the Master who is waiting for us at the tenth door behind the eyes. If we but remain there a few minutes, we are withdrawn there with His Grace. Your job is only to look with a searching inner eye Intently and minutely with no thought of the body below or outside. If you sit at the door, you receive help in withdrawing the spirit current and opening your Inner vision. You should sit in this posture at least a half hour and increase the time to an hour in due course daily in the morning and in the evening.

Letter #8

I am glad that you are feeling much better in the way of spiritual practices. Sometimes in meditation one is apt to fall asleep. This comes about when our gaze is not rightly fixed with a full attempt not being made and we see a void. When you are gazing within, you should gaze intently and constantly within the darkness. This alertness will prevent the sleep from overcoming you. It would be better to have a bath or walk just before sitting in the practices so that you may be wide awake.

Bhajan and Simran, if done with accuracy, bring forth quicker results. I see when men are initiated here that they have the experience in the very first day of initiation, and those initiated by me as well as the senior initiates of my Master are progressing wonderfully under proper guidance and help.

As regards the location of the third eye, it is near to the place where the two optic nerves of the physical eyes meet. That third eye is the inner eye which looks through the two physical eyeballs outside.

At the time of meditation we have to cease looking through the physical eyeballs and fix the inner gaze on the darkness behind and betwixt the two eyebrows as stated above. When we close the physical eyes, there is something which sees the darkness within. That which sees may be called the inner eye.

As regards hearing the Sound Current, It would be better if you would reserve the night time for hearing the Sound Current and the morning time for Simran. When hearing the Sound Current do not do Simran but devote full attention to the inner ear and hear the sound coming from the right while sitting with attention at the eye focus. This will give a clearer Sound.

If time is put in spiritual practices regularly in an accurate way as instructed at the time of initiation, the inner experiences will increase from day to day. One necessary thing is to keep the pose steady for a longer period of time and keep the inner gaze fixed constantly on the Light within. This will insure further progress. Master-Power is overhead and will extend all feasible help.

Letter #9

I appreciate your inner feelings of Love and Devotion towards me. I am glad that you are experiencing real aspects of meditation and I wish you speedy progress. When sitting for practices, please let your inner gaze be fixed on the darkness just betwixt and behind the two eyebrows in a penetrating way just as if to look beyond it, with no thought of the breathing going on (just as at other times during the day) and no thought of the withdrawal process in the physical body. The withdrawal process should be left solely to the good Will of the Master within, with no anxiety or hurry for the higher possibility. This procedure will give you better results.

WITHDRAWAL.-

The first thing is to have complete withdrawal of the spirit current from the physical body. That you will have, if you do the spiritual practice in the right way. Withdrawal up to the heart center shows that you were watching the withdrawal In the body. If you leave off watching withdrawal in the body and stick to the door at the back of the eyes the withdrawal will be complete. It is the feat of the Master. Our task is to stick at the door and do repetition mentally and no third thing. When withdrawn, you see the Light; when coming down into the body again, the Light is gone. True religion starts when you are completely withdrawn from the physical body. A time factor is necessary in order to attain the goal.

The sensory current will withdraw if the spiritual practice is properly explained to and understood by the initiates.

The expression `tongue of thought' used previously means to do repetition mentally. Many disciples of the Master are doing repetition either with the physical tongue or with breathing or while being conscious of the breathing going on. This retards complete withdrawal of the spirit or sensory current from the body. Such people feel withdrawal only up to the lower limbs as breathing starts at the navel and goes up to the mouth. This entails other physical ailments. Also, they feel, as they withdraw, unbearable pains in the body. Moreover, this is the way of Yogis and not the Way of the Masters. This way is time-consuming. The Masters eliminated all of this to suit all types of people - young and old alike .... the Masters effected the withdrawal by concentrating on the Surat (Attention) alone. An experiment can be successful only if it is done accurately. If any of the old initiates are not progressing, that is the result of wrong effort in the majority of cases. They will have guidance, if necessary, upon referring to me.

Letter #10

When looking minutely with the inner gaze, repeat the five Names slowly, not with physical tongue, gullet (throat movements), or heart, but with the tongue of thought, i.e.. mentally. While doing so, you should not do the work of an overseer concerning how far the physical body has numbed, i.e., how far the sensory current has been withdrawn. The work of withdrawing the sensory current is for the Master to do and not for you. Your job is only to fix your inner gaze as directed and repent the five Names mentally without thinking of the meaning of the Names, etc. The rest is to be done by the Master.

By sitting in one pose over one-half hour, the inner vision by the Master's Grace will open, and you will see the Way before you and traverse it into the Beyond. You will be born anew, as explained at the time of Initiation. The Master is waiting at the tenth door behind the eyes, and whoever sits at that place is drawn inside by Him, and his further progress into the Beyond is started. It is for the Master to draw you up. Your part is only to sit at His door (the inner eye focus at the center of the inner darkness) wholly and completely.

When people sit, as explained above, Master helps all of them to experience the withdrawal of the spirit current from the physical body, and their inner vision in opened, they see Light, etc., without exception. If you fix your inner gaze on the Master, sweetly so that you begin to forget yourself, Master will talk to you and you will begin to understand what he says.

When the soul is completely withdrawn, the physical body becomes as if paralyzed. There is nothing to fear, however, for when you leave the spiritual practices, just direct your attention to the physical body, and the sensory current will descend in to the body and resume its work there. Then you can stand up and go about your worldly duties. Do not try to stand up quickly unless the soul current has been resumed in the physical body.

Unless the outgoing faculties are stopped and the mind is controlled and the intellect also becomes stilled, a man can have no experience of the Way to.

When by regular practice at the seat of the soul behind the eyes the soul is concentrated at that seat, the whole physical body below is benumbed and the inner vision opens to give you light within. The tingling and pain is experienced during the withdrawal process whenever we watch the process of withdrawal going on. If you but stick to the sent of the soul behind the eyes (an explained previously) not thinking of the body below or outside and you continue to look, penetratingly into the dark veil between the two eyebrows (as instructed), you will have withdrawal from the physical body without any tingling or any pain whatsoever.

When doing Simran you should not listen to the Sound Current at all, for if this is done, the work of withdrawal remains incomplete and one cannot, as a consequence, transcend the physical body.

Food is for the hungry and water for the thirsty. Thanks to the Almighty that you are on the Way.

Letter #11

Should it feel as though something has touched the forehead whereupon an electric-like shock goes through one dragging one Home, this touch was Master's Hand overhead and competent Power is working. If pain is experienced in the navel and solar plexus, it is due to the fact that one is conscious of the breathing going on in the physical body which results in the withdrawal of the Prana current (Motor current) as well, and this is the cause or all of the trouble and still is the way of Yogis and not the procedure prescribed by Saints. If we are not at all conscious of the breathing going on or of the process of withdrawal of the sensory current from the physical body, the Soul is withdrawn without the least trouble just as a hair is pulled out of butter without the least trouble.

Letter #12

I am glad that you had Initiation and experienced a sense of a Holy Presence. This Presence was the Master overhead working. You also felt a detachment of the body and saw `cloud forms of blue and orange.' Master was ordering you within to let go of the breathing which you could not do as you had formed a habit. This you have to unravel, and now you find your sittings very restful within with no sense of your physical body at all. That shows complete unconsciousness of the physical body or, so to say, withdrawal of the spirit current from the body.

The new men who are initiated by me here do, at the very first sitting, experience withdrawal, inner vision opened, and hear the higher sounds: bells, conch, and thunder, etc. They are enjoined to devote regular time day to day. Those who are putting in regular time, even an hour or so, experience all these whenever they sit. A good number of then have transcended the Big Star, the Moon, and reached Master within and talk to Him. There are a few who can convey messages to the Master at their will and get His replies in a short time. Out of the new initiates there are some who have reached the first plane -- the Sahansdal Kanwal and even crossed it.

The withdrawal of the sensory current from the physical body is painful only when we do not do the practice correctly, as explained. If the practice is done correctly, no pain is felt. The reason for this is that the sensory current which feels pain is completely rivetted at the seat of the Soul behind and betwixt the two eyes, and the Prana currents (the motor currents) are not touched in the withdrawal process -- they are allowed to go on unconsciously working as heretofore.

Some men at Initiation even fall down and have no consciousness of the physical body, and others feel withdrawn. Both remain conscious within of all they see and experience at the time, and they remember even after that. It is no flash or vision (under some influence of the body) but a real withdrawal inside. New and old Initiates are filled with wonder on the day of Initiation to experience and see such things. It is all the Grace of the Master.

The withdrawal of the sensory current, as explained, does not leave any strain on the energy or life principle of man. The withdrawal done along with practice of the Prana current gives excruciating pains and may put a strain on the energy or life principle.

I have been at the Feet of the Master for over 24 years. There has been no such case as that of the withdrawal of the sensory current cutting short a man's life, and I have verified this from Master within even now. By withdrawal in the proper way, a man feels refreshed, buoyant, and blissful, with no reason to speak of strain, etc. Bhajan and Simran correctly done do not shorten a man's life. A man's life is shortened by living a life of the physical senses and giving up to the enjoyments of such a life.

Letter #13

When traversing into the higher planes, the soul experiences Light and Sound. The first step, of course is to withdraw from the physical body and be `born anew' into the Beyond. You will be able to go along the Way inside if you but follow the instructions implicitly which were given to you at the time of Initiation. The Sound and Light meet the traveling soul on the way up. This is the right form of meditation.

If you put in time doing the prescribed spiritual practices, you will withdraw inside and your inner vision will open. The Light of heaven will begin to be visible to you in different colors. This Light is seen when the soul withdraws completely from the body and goes out of sight when we again become conscious of the physical body.

The fact, as you say, that you come to the point of being almost unconscious of your physical body shows that you withdrew from the body to that extent. At that time the Light becomes visible to you and you also hear the Sound of the bell clearly. You have to develop this by giving time accurately in a regular way. Try to fix your gaze constantly, and further things will follow and Master will appear to you in due course.

Letter #14

I am glad to receive your letter and to learn that you had an Initiation experience of opening of the inner Vision and of hearing of the Sound Current. If you are regular in your practices in an accurate way as explained to you at Initiation, you are sure to progress splendidly.

When to soul withdraws, it traverses with the astral body into higher regions and sees figures, etc. At that time you should repeat the five Names. The figures will disappear. Only such persons will stand before you who go to the fifth plane and you can derive benefit from them. The soul traverses here and there and sees many events which are going on elsewhere. But we should not waste our time in engaging ourselves in such things, as this will retard our further progress. If you are regular at putting time into the spiritual practices, you will go ahead and surely meet the Master face to face.

[Part 3] Letter #15

SOUND CURRENT PRACTICE.-

Hearing of the Sound Current will take away the power of ramification of the mind and remove difficulty in concentration. This Sound when developed is heard all through the day, even without closing your outer ears. This keeps the mind from wandering away when you listen to this Sound. During the day, when you are free from work, you will hear the sweet melodies all of the time to control the mind and prevent it from running away. When you are busy in your work, you should do it with full attention, but when free therefrom, you should either hear the Sound Current or do repetition. This will help you in the spiritual practices in the morning and evening.

Letter #16

The Sound will change for the higher Sounds. Sometimes when one is tired and weak as a result of nervousness, fullest results are not derived.

The Sound you hear, i.e., chirping, rumbling, etc., are lower sounds. We should not stick to these Sounds, but we should listen closely whether any higher Sound is coming, and while listening closely, repetition of the five Names should not be done. This will enable you to catch higher Sounds.

With regard to the Sound becoming too strong, leave off the practice of hearing the Sound Current for some time and pay no heed to the Sound. In this way its intensity will be lessened. One thing is to be borne in mind: We should hear and follow the Sound coming from the right only. There are Sounds coming both from the right and the left. You are to listen only to those coming from the right with the inner ears. Those coming from the left side have the debasing effects. We need not confound them with those sounds heard by outer physical ears.

The purpose of hearing the Sound Current within and also that of seeing the heavenly life is to etherealize our inner faculties and thus enable them to contact us with Higher Visions within.

As regards the Sound of Bina, It somewhat resembles the sound of the instrument which the snake-charmers use to play to catch the snakes. Its tune resembles that of a flute -- the difference is that the sound of the flute is shrill compared with that of the Bina -- just as the sound of a violin is shrill when compared with that of the flute -- and the Sound grows more in volume and thicker and continuous as the soul traverses higher. It is a continuous Sound resembling that of a bagpipe.

Letter #17

Regarding the Sound, you are not to listen to or pay any heed whatsoever to the Sound coming from the left side. You are simply to give inner ears to the Sound coming from the right. While doing so, you are to stick to your seat in the body at the back of the eyes and not do Simran along with it nor to direct your attention to the place from where the Sound appears to be coming. If you do so, the Sound will become feeble and die out. While sitting at the back of the eyes, you have only to differentiate the Sound coming from the right. As for the sounds as chirping or cricketing, you are not to adhere to them. Just listen intently for any other Sound as that of the Bell, the Big Bell of a Church, the Conch, or of Thunder or Drum beat. These are higher Sounds and will bring you higher. You are to listen to these Sounds only.

Letter #18

When doing Simran (repetition) the Sound may begin to be heard along with it: or the Simran may be heard as being repeated in the Sound Current to men who are of pure thoughts. At times true-hearted people, who are non-initiates, do hear the Sound, but such a Sound does not withdraw the soul current usually. If it does, the man is in great confusion and dreads what is going to happen.

The power of inner sight (Nirat) and that of inner audition (hearing the Sound Current) both are helping factors. The Sound Current (Shabda) attracts us upwards, whereas the inner sight (Nirat) clears our way up.

Letter #19

As regards hearing of the Sound Current within, you should sit for this practice in the posture already known to you with your physical eyes shut and your outer ears closed. In this practice you are not to do the repetition of the five Names. You should simply listen to the Sound Current coming from the right. You are not to direct your attention to where the Sound appears to be coming from but you are to remain at the seat of your soul behind the two eyes and listen to the Sound Current. You should put in at least half an hour for hearing the Sound Current and increasing this time to one hour in due course. This practice should be done just after your sitting for Simran (repetition of the five Names). You will succeed In hearing the Sound Current with the Grace of the Master.

Various kinds of Sounds are heard inside, out of which the Sounds of the Big Bells and Conch, Thunder and Drum beat are higher Sounds. When these higher Sounds are heard, they may be followed.

The crawling-like sensation felt on the spine need not be paid any heed. You must be careful to let the breathing go on quite unconsciously. In this way this crawling sensation will go off. Such sensations are felt in practicing Laya Yoga, which concerns the awakening of the Kundalini (Serpent Power) through direction of the Prana current to lower ganglia (chakras) in the body. This is the way of Yogis and not the Way of the Saints.

We are not to follow the Sound coming from the left side. You may please keep a regular diary, recording all the failures in your ethical life and the hours put into your spiritual practices for withdrawal and hearing the Sound Current as that will improve matters. You will please adopt the posture best suited to you in which you can sit for a longer time and put in equal time to both the practices. If you sit for the practices regularly and accurately, you are sure to have your inner vision opened and the Sound Current becoming audible.

Letter #20

The Sound Current, when developed, is heard all the time. This will stop the mind from wandering away to outer objects. There are two parts of the spiritual practices. One is for withdrawal of the spirit (sensory) current from the physical body and the opening of inner vision and the other is for hearing the Sound Current. If you should try to do both practices at the same time, the work of withdrawal and the opening of the inner vision will remain incomplete. So when doing Simran, do Simran with the attention at the back of the eyes. And when hearing the Sound Current, you are not to do Simran while sitting with the attention at the back of the eyes.

Fix your inner gaze on the dark veil behind and betwixt your two eyebrows (as if it lay in front of you) intently, minutely, and constantly without thought of the body below or outside and without any consciousness of the breathing going on or the withdrawal of the spirit current from the body. Thus your mind will not wander away. The mind runs away when you cease to look intently at the dark veil. If it runs away, you bring it back and fix your gaze there. A few days accurate practice will give splendid results.

As for hearing the Sound Current, You will please put in equal time for that soon after your sitting for withdrawal. If, however, this is not possible, you may devote time separately for each practice.

While hearing the Sound Current, you are not to do repetition of the five Names. And you are to hear the Sound coming from the right side only while your attention remains at the seat of your soul behind the eyes. The Sound will thus become audible. By hearing the rapturous strains of the Sound Current, your mind will lose its power of wandering away, and you will have peace. As to the time for meditation, you may give any time which is convenient to you, preferably before dawn. If, however, you are not able to give time in the small hours of the morning, you may give time which suits you best.

If you do the spiritual practices In an accurate way, you will lose all fascination for women, etc. If, however, you make it a habit not to look into the eyes of any woman, temptations will not affect you. Self-introspection will also help you to remove the failures in this and all other respects. My best wishes are with you and you will receive help. You are simply to be regular in your daily practices. If you still have any difficulty, you may write to me.

Letter #21

Yesterday was the day of Initiation here. All of the initiates had experience of complete withdrawal, inner vision opened, and Sounds heard of Big Bells and Conches, Thunder and Drum beats. About 15 of them saw Master along with Master Sawan Singh. Out of them, there were people who had not seen or heard about Master Sawan Singh before. They recognized Him only when a photograph was shown to them. There was one also who saw Swami Ji, Baba Jaimal Singh Ji, Master Sawan Singh Ji, and Guru Swaroop. In fact, all of Them are working overhead. There were about 150 old initiates of Master Sawan Singh Ji who were allowed to sit at the second sitting, and they all experienced withdrawal, etc., by the Grace of Master Sawan Singh. It is all His Grace working.

Letter #22

ATTENTION.-

It is not the Light, Stars, or Sky that come and go. When the spirit current is withdrawn from the physical body, we have a view of such things within. But our attention is just diverted from there downwards. It is the attention which recedes after momentary vision and not the Light, etc., that goes out of sight. It is therefore necessary that we should continue fixing our gaze on the Light, etc., coming in view and try to stick to it. In this way, those views will stand before you. The Sky will be there studded with Stars and in their midst there will be a Big star to go through. As regards the sounds of Bell, Conch, Thunder, these are high Sounds and they are to be stuck to. It is not the Sounds that come and fade away. That Sound is continually going on. We hear the Sound at a distance and to catch that Sound our attention is directed to the place from where the Sound is coming. By doing so, the Sound becomes weaker and weaker until it dies out. To insure success you should stick to your seat at the back of the eyes and while sticking there (and gazing into the foreground as in meditation), hear the sound coming from the right and do not follow it to the place from where it seems to be coming. By doing so, the Sound will become stronger and stronger and come nearer to you, and you will hear it as if it comes from above the horizon.

Moreover, you should try to increase the time for both of those practices. In this way you will have quicker and splendid results. Master-Power is always overhead and extends all feasible help at all times. I wish you would put in more time so that Master may appear to you within and you talk with him face to face.

Letter #23

It is appreciated that you feel Inner oneness with the Master inside and surrounded by Shabda (Sound Current) all of the time. In such a state of stillness, man receives impulses from within which are mostly accurate and correct. But there is a vast difference between a man lying at a door waiting and one consciously in the lap of the Master. I wish you may enjoy the latter consciously. You have seen Lights within. That is commendable. This shows your inner vision is opened. But we have to penetrate further to see the Master face to face and talk to Him at your will. This is not very far off for a man who is really after it. Master's Grace comes to help such a man and to give him a lift to realize that state, and my best brotherly wishes are always with true seekers after Truth. In that way a man comes in constant contact with the Master inside and receives conscious guidance in all matters.

If your inner gaze remains fixed constantly and you see minutely, sleep will not come, just as a man who is intellectually absorbed in something or worrying over something loses all sleep. There can be, of course, some helping factors also. When you sit for Simran, do it consciously and wide awake. For that you may have a full bath or wash your hands and feet before sitting, or drink water. If you still feel sleepy, stand up and do a little exercise: stretching, etc., and walk a little, and then sit down. It may be that you cannot rise early. You may have your full sleep and then rise, and then `first thing' after answering the calls of nature, you devote time to Bhajan and Simran. Early hours are the best -- all Saints have talked highly about these hours, but if you are as yet not accustomed to early rising, you may rise at 5, 6, or 7 a.m., and do the practices also before going to sleep at night.

When, by practice, you have control over your Surat (attention) sleep will not overtake you. You will become the Master of yourself -- then you will go to sleep only when you want it. Those who want to progress on the Way should avoid taking more than an average amount in their diet and talking too much.

Letter #24

A brief description of the actual method of inversion to which I refer follows.

The method is the same as that given out by our Hazur Maharaj Baba Sawan Singh Ji, but the majority have not understood this practice thoroughly. Unless an experiment is done in an accurate way, success cannot be guaranteed. I will describe the method in a few words as under:

Sit In any easy pose -- cross-legged or otherwise -- straight and relaxed, without any tension in the body. Close your eyes and leave them as in sleep. Sit in one pose and do not move your limbs, head, or physical eyes. You will see a dark veil within. That which sees the dark veil within without the help of the physical eyeballs is the inner eye. With the inner eye, fix your gaze (without any strain) on that part of the dark veil which is just behind and betwixt the two eyebrows (and not on the outer skin or the bone betwixt the two eyebrows). If you do that (i.e., fix the gaze on the skin or bone), you will have strain on the muscles of the physical eyeballs and forehead and headache and heat in the head will follow. Your inner gaze should fixed and constant without a break, i.e., you look with full attention at that part of the dark veil minutely, and continue looking constantly. In this way the mind will be fixed there and will not run away. The mind runs away only when you cease to look constantly at the particular place.

One should Increase the time of sittings to 3 to 4 hours daily. Do Simran (repeat consciously the five Names) and fix your gaze into the eyes (within) when you see them. If those eyes are of the Master, the full figure of the Master will come before you. If, however, those eyes are produced by the Negative Power, they will disappear when you do Simran. In the case when you see the Stars, you should find a Big Star out of them, and fix your inner gaze on the Big Star which will burst and you will cross it; then you will see the Moon and cross it to see the Master standing on strong Sunlight. If, however, the eyes still stand, while you do Simran, you should fix your inner gaze into those eyes and the Master will appear face to face before you.

[Part 4] Letter #25

PRANAS.-

According to the various workings of it, the Prana is known as five pranas. The five Tattwas (i.e., five essences or elements which may be gross or subtle) are the outcome of the Prana. They are:

Earth, which gives material;
Water, which gives wetness;
Fire, which gives heat;
Air, which gives flow and touch;
Akash (Ether), which gives five senses or intellect.

The location of these in the physical body is as follows:

Earth is in the Guda Chakra (Rectum)
Water is in the Indri Chakra (Kidney -- Generative organ)
Fire is in the Navel Chakra
Air is in the Heart Chakra
Akash is in the Gullet Chakra (Throat)

All of those carry on the various functions of the physical body. At the time of death, the Earth of the Guda Chakra merges into the Water of the Indri Chakra, and hands and feet become cold and inert; the Water merges into the Fire of the Navel Chakra and the Indri Chakra becomes inert and cold; the Fire of the Navel Chakra verges into the Air of the Heart Chakra and the belly becomes cold and inert: last of all, Air merges into the Akash Tattwa and the heart ceases to beat. Dissolution of the Pind (physical body or microcosm) is thus brought about. Similarly, the dissolution of the Brahmand (macrocosm) takes place. These Tattwas become finer and finer in the Astral and Causal and higher planes, and they also become stronger to work more splendidly there. In the higher planes they are called by different names -- details are given in the various Hindu shastras. The five planes were created by the Lord, and in these various planes, the same Lord is controlling the planes under respective names.

Matter, Prana, or Energy, or Force and Mind are then relative manifestations of Brahm (the Power that creates and dissolves the phenomenal world). Prana is really a modification or manifestation of Mind. It is by the faculty of Action that Matter (the five Tattwas) emanates from Prana and Prana emanates from Mind. If Prana is stilled, Mind is stilled. Surat is above Mind. Surat is the General-in-Chief which directs the Mind and Prana in the body and in all directions. If Surat is absorbed or stilled, Mind and Prana are both stilled.

First, Akash Tattwa is manifested from Prana; from Akash, Air is manifested; from Air, Fire is manifested; from Fire, Water and therefrom Earth is manifested. This is the order in which the five Tattwas come into existence.

It is the Gift of the Master if you have fathomed a bit of the Tattwa mystery. All of one's efforts and achievements in this direction are due to the past Sanskaras (Karmic reactions). Try to fathom the realm of Surat and devote more time in Bhajan and Simran which will give more perfection. Then all of the past and the future will be unravelled. Hafiz, a Persian Saint, says:

"It is the time to love the Shabd and the Master.
Try less to find out the mysteries of the cosmos,
as these are beyond the grasp of intellect."

There are two kinds of currents working in the physical body -- one is of the Prana called the "motor current" and the other is of the Surat called the "sensory current". Their functions are different. With the help of the Prana currant such functions as the digestion of food and the circulation of blood to the veins and the growing of hair and nails proceed. Whereas the sensory current gives us the sense of feeling throughout the body. Saints do not touch the Prana current and they let its functions continue to work as they are.

Letter #26

VISIONS (Negative).-

As regards visions: When you rise a hit above body consciousness, you see visions in the astral plane. Do not look at them, but go on doing mental repetition of the five Names. Sometimes even lions and snakes appear. These are not forms of the Master of Love. A snake at times represents the mind. Do not pay any reed to it, it will not harm you. Sometimes Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, and Ego leave us in the form or a lion, or of little children. That is why the Saints tell us:

"If our home be in the sea, and there be fencing
of snakes and lions roaring in all ferocity,
and the Yamas be on guard, the lovers of God
will not stop but go ahead and reach their Home."

These things cannot retard the progress of n soul who is doing Simran of the five Names.

If you hear a voice coming to you, please do not listen to it. These are generally from the Negative (Kal) Power. If the voice comes, ask him to come before you, and when anybody comes to you, do your Simran and, if that stands before you while you are doing Simran, he will be your helper. If it is a voice of the Negative Power, that will go off. Be strong in your Simran; it will remove all difficulties. You will become bold and fearless. You will see within so many rivers, mountains; you cross them by flying over them. Simran will enable you to fly over them.

Psychic phenomena show only the experiences you have on the way up. These are a means to an end and not the goal. The time factor is necessary in the attainment of all things. Regular devotion of time to the spiritual practices in the right way will give you sure progress day to day.

Suppose while sitting in Abhyas (spiritual practices), one forgets to do repetition. In such a case, Mind and Negative (Kal) Power can deceive us. So one should be on guard that one does not leave off repetition (Simran) when withdrawn or in a sitting. If the form of the Master remains while doing Simran, only then should one listen to and take the words of the Master as true. If we leave off doing the Simran, at times, Mind comes up before us in the form of the Master to deceive; or mislead the followers of the Master. Now as the Master appears to one He will answer all that one will inquire of Him.

Concerning the question: "Can one tell in what sort of form the Master appears to one, and if one questions Him, what reply is given by Him?" The answer is that one may be asked to remain conscious when doing Abhyas. If one falls asleep and any reply is given by the Master in dreams, that cannot be all true. When the form of the Master comes in the conscious state and stands even before Simran, whatever He will say that will be all true. No deceptive form will stay while one is doing repetition. One should also not believe in words heard by one while doing Simran unless the form appears and stands before Simran. The Negative Power at times tell so many things without appearing while one is doing Simran, and posts and claims that he is our Master. Such words should not he relied upon.

You have mentioned about the appearance of Master within before-hand. That came up just to tell you that the Master who was to help on the Way is He. There is nothing to be frightened about. When your inner gaze is opened, you will see the same Master more bright and loving. In this way you will be able to go out of the body and contact the Beyond. Soon after sitting as such, you should have a sitting for the Sound Current. The Sound will become more distinct and definite.

Letter #27

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.-

....but at other times of the day you must be fully engaged with your work or, when the mind is off from work, you must do (1) Simran, or (2) hear the Sound Current, or (3) think of the Master. All of these three will give you control.

There are two things to control the ramification of the mind:

1. The first is to fix the inner gaze minutely and constantly (without a break) on the darkness betwixt and behind the eyebrows.

2. The second is to listen to the Sound Current within with inner ears.

If you follow the instructions faithfully as here explained, that will give you a new birth into the Beyond.

Two methods have been given to you for curbing down the ramifications of the unruly mind:

1. Fixing your inner gaze continuously (without tension on the outer eyebrows or forehead) on the dark veil or Light, etc., within. If your gaze is fixed as such, the mind will not run away.

2. Listening to the Sound Current within. In doing so, the power of the mind of wandering away will loosen and the mind will concentrate. Regular practice will insure control over the mind.

Letter #28

Some of the men crossed the Big Star, Moon, and Sun, and saw Master along with Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji. One of them, who had not seen the latter before, was asked to give some conspicuous marks of Hazur Maharaj, and he mentioned a big black mole the Master had on the right side of His face. How convincing is the fact of Hazur's looking after the new Initiates. If you do Simran in the way as explained before, you are sure to have splendid results.

Letter #29

We all who have sat at the feet of Master Sawan Singh are brothers. We should remain in loving contact with each other with full devotion to our Master. As regards the difficulty in having any marked progress on the Path, that can be removed with the help of a practical brother. I would be glad if any brothers come out successful in their spiritual advancement, and if I can be of any help to them. We are not to change the Master or the Initiation, as the Master never dies. He is always overhead looking after the welfare of His children both physical and spiritual.

Letter #30

There are three parts of the Sadhan: 1) Withdrawal of the spirit current; 2.) Opening of the inner vision; and 3) Hearing of the Sound Current. Each part has its own importance. Of course, the Names and Lights are just a means to an end, i.e., to contact with the Sound Current.

Repetition of Names is for the concentration or withdrawal of the spirit current to the seat of the soul in the body. If the spirit current is not withdrawn, the Sound Current cannot take the Soul upward into higher planes. The opening of the inner vision, etc., clears the way before use and the Sound Current attracts us into the higher regions.

A time factor is necessary in all cases. Regular devotion of time in spiritual practices, in an accurate way, will give more progress on the Way.

Letter #31

Any selected and well-advanced Satsangi is at liberty to do all in his power to disseminate the teachings of the Saints -- by personally contacting the sincere seekers after Truth, or in small groups of friends in house-gatherings, etc., and discussing the subject in a constructive way, or by modern way of bringing the Master's message to inquirers. Public lectures are not advisable unless the lecturer is qualified by the Master and holds special authority from Him to do so.

Letter #32

The Power overhead is always busy progressing the inner self of the Initiate ever since he or she comes under His care -- although no progress is apparent to the Initiate. Just as, say, a utensil has dirt stuck to it 4 inches thick. The utensil is being washed and say one inch of dirt is washed away from day to day as we stick to our practices, but the initiate is not conscious of the progress being made.

As regards the entering of the soul into the Brahmand unconsciously, the Master can take the soul to the Brahmand and beyond first with the soul being quite unconscious about it, and then let the soul be conscious of the ascent on bringing it back to lower planes -- so that the beauty of the lower planes may not entangle one's progress.

Letter #33

By doing the spiritual practices you will learn how to live a life without adding any karma to your present one.

Reactions of past karmas have brought us close together in the form of relations, viz., sons, wife, father, mother, brothers, sisters, etc.. We have to adjust our karmic `give and take' in this birth , which we should give most gladly and amicably. They all come off of the same spirit of God, and we should love one another -- without any inner cringing nature.

Letter #34

Each one of us has our respective Sanskaras (karmic reactions) from our past lives. Some are more prepared and the others are less prepared, and some are fresh beginners on the Way. What we have gained in our past lives is not lost but comes to help us as the basis for further development. This accounts for why some progress more quickly than others.

Letter #35

As regards the view that there is some sort of conflict in the Initiation as one had the same before, there was practically no Initiation before or else he could have had some experience in that first instance. Master Sawan Singh used to say that even girls of tender age could repeat instructions for Initiation but the Initiation which is not had by a Master Hand will not give any practical experience. The Initiation received at the hands of a real Master will give some experience at the time and He will be extending all feasible help at all times.

This vision you had was apparently due to the splendid Grace of the Master. You are fortunate. There was no cause to fear. Master does appear In His Effulgent Form and talk to the disciples. That Form did stand even when you were strong in doing repetition. That Form comes nearer and nearer and enters the body of the disciple, hovers around his or her head, or vanishes. When next you experience a similar event you need not fear at all. Of course, do repetition to test the genuineness of the Master. He will caress you and pour blessings on you. Had you looked intently into the Luminous (Effulgent) Figure, you would have recognized the features of the Master.

The appearance of the Master is a real fact. Whatever experience you had is true. Master is waiting for each one of us within, if we but only invert. He gives us Darshan face to face. It is encouragement to the disciples on their way up.

This is the door which when knocked upon will be opened unto you. Your inner vision will open and you will transcend the physical body and be born anew in the words of Christ.

As regards jerking of the legs, it may be due to fatigue, and for that you may try a massage before going to bed. If the spiritual practice is done in an accurate way, all sense of fatigue will be overcome, and the body will be refreshed after resuming of the spirit current in the body following withdrawal.

Letter #36

It is fortunate that you enjoy the blissful regions from the middle of your forehead to the Generative Regions, but that you wish to transcend them. This you consider to be all sensory and mental. You do not say whether your inner vision is opened or you see heavenly Light and traverse the Stars Plane, etc., or whether you have had conscious contact with Master Sawan Singh within. To feel blissful raptures of love and serenity is splendid but to have conscious contact with inner Light and beyond is one that a real seeker should be after. The Way of Saints is quite natural and easier to practice, as compared with others.

Letter #37

SHABD (Sound Current).-

The question concerning the Sound Current, spirit current, Pranas, and Tattwas is rather intricate and lengthy. In a few words an explanation may be given thusly:

Shabd is the Supreme Creator. Soul (Surat) is of the same essence. They are both one and not two. As a drop of the great Ocean of Consciousness, soul was sent down.

In the domain of Brahm, a power of Brahm was attached hereto (i.e., to the soul), which is called Mind. This Mind is of the same essence as Brahm (also called Negative Power).

When coming down between Trikuti and Sahans Dal Kanwal, the Prana Power formed therewith. This place is called `Chitakash'.

Pranas are in themselves no separate entity. They are form by combination of Soul (Surat) with Mind which gave rise to the power of Prana.

When Soul (Surat) devoid of other mates combines with Shabd, all of this show is ended. So long as Surat remains a drop, all of these things trouble it. Surat is separate as well as one with Shabd. The Surat derives all power from the Shabd. Surat is the sensory current which makes us conscious of other things. The five Tattwas have their origin from Brahm where Mind is attached to the Surat. Thereafter (beyond there*) it is not given to a normal man to understand. A man begins to understand the situation when he reaches that plane. The Tattwas grow subtler and subtler until all of the sheaths of `Kal' and `Maya' are shaken off.

(*From Brahm onwards it is all Spiritual Plane, and when Surat becomes One with Shabd, It becomes all Shabd -- no otherness. (Since the mind of man can not comprehend without "otherness" or categories, the situation can only be experienced as the basis for understanding).