Sunday, February 06, 2011

40. SIKH SPIRITUAL MEDITATIONS: The Mool



The Sikh spiritual meditations are a subtle powerful change force.  

The change process sets forth the moment the Sikh hears, reads and begins his tryst with Gurbani.
The power of Gurbani has subtle influence on the psyche of the Sikh which initiates the changes in the multifold ways which continue at different levels.

First of all, Gurbani touches the Sikh at emotional level. The shabad Gurbani soothes the nerves, reduces anxiety and fear. Shabad kirtan induces feelings of love, confidence, assurance and oneness of a subtle higher divine force. Shabad kirtan raises the emotional level of the Sikh to experience higher level of feeling.
The Gurbani next imparts knowledge. This knowledge is about the way we have to line in this world and progresses spiritually. The knowledge is a transformer. It makes us view the world spiritually. It makes us change our beliefs towards the true reality that is ‘oneness’. The knowledge is subtle with doors opening as the Sikh progresses spiritually.
Thirdly, the Gurbani induces the change process in us by aligning our thoughts with those of the Guru and takes us through a journey of ever new meditations which brings in new and new spiritual experiments in the journey from the life of separation to the life where oneness is felt, observed, experienced and the jyote swaroop image shines.

Here are some of these meditations which are spiritually transforming:-

THE BASE OF MEDITATIONS : THE MOOL MANTRA

The Mool (Origin) Mantra, as the name suggests is about the origin. It is about nature of the world and that of own self. It is the basic meditation which has levels which keep opening up newer and newer experiences and understanding. All the Gurbani meditation revolves around the Mool Mantra.
The Mool Mantra is:-
Ek oankaar - One Universal Creator God
Sat naam - TheName Is Truth
Karata purakh- CreativeBeingPersonified
Nirabho -NoFear
Niravair- No Hatred
Akal moorath - Image Of The Undying
Ajooni - Beyond Birth
Saibhang - Self-Existent
Gur prasad - By Guru's Grace.

EKONKAR: This one word is at the beginning of SGGSji. The most simplistic translation of Ekonkar is “God is One”.
The very moment Sikh focuses on “Ekonkar” the meaning begins to evolve with more and more insights. The more the Sikh reads Gurbani, there is better appreciation of the vastness of meaning that this single word encompasses and reveals. The word Ekonkar represents the creation and the creator. Ekonkar begins the Sikh’s spiritual journey. The Sikh knows oneness, experiences oneness and is one with oneness.
The Sikh sheds the common notion of GOD, as the experience of vastness unfolds and begins to see oneness.
The meditation on “Ekonkar” is a journey. This journey is a journey of exploration. The letting go of life times of notions on GOD and reality. In this journey we are force to face with the dilemma on nature of reality. The pendulum ever swings as to what is real and which is an illusion. The mind repeatedly keeps its pull towards the comfort accepting what everyone believes. The mind is the first stumbling block that the Sikh has to overcome with the tools that the Guru has provided. The Guru through His grace bestows the Sikh with the fit of simran.
The base of Sikh spiritual meditation is simran. Simran means to remember and repeat. Simran is the basic meditation method which the Sikh makes as part of life. Simran lets the sikh be ever aware of the Guru. Through simran the Sikh keeps alive the change and transformative process with ever awareness of HIS presence.
When the Sikh repeats Gurbani, it is simran. The listening to Gurbani Kirtan is Simran. The Jap of Guru Mantra”Waheguru” is simran.
In the Mool Mantra, the Guru has instructed the Sikh and revealed what the focus of the simran has to be. The word Mantra begins with Ekonkar and has seven words which cannot be exactly translated, only the meaning of these words can be indicated: EKONKAR thus means : There is one God. The universe is His manifestation and there is oneness.

SAT NAAM: this word is composed to two words ‘Sat’ and ‘Naam’ which means ‘HIS’ name and refers to the Divine reality within and bout. The absolute truth is that HE is the only reality. This “truth” is to be ever reinforced through simran so that the developing belief becomes the “truth”.

KARTA PURAKH: Karta Purakh means the creator – the creative force. The creator is not distinct from the creation. HIS Hukam prevails in the creation. The simran is to observe and accept the HUKAM with the creation.

NIRBHAU: Nirbhau means absence of fear. This means that in the underlying reality the fear is an illusion and force that is Maya. The fear is because of duality. The reality is “Anand”. The truth is only LOVE.

NIRVAIR: Nirvair means absence of enmity. Again enmity is because of duality. Simran is to see the illusion so that oneness is observed. How can when all are one, there be enmity?

AKAL MOORAT: The cycle of life and death is a part of creation. The creator is beyond this cycle and “Akal” – one whom death cannot touch. We just cannot go beyond the confirms of this world of relationship. In the world we know happiness through sadness, there is high because there is low. The opposite relationships are all around and an intricate part of our lives. We know life as there is death. How are we to know one who created these and the world we live in? Some connection has to be there with our world. Guruji thus explicitly state HIM to be Akal Moorat. A form or an existence which IS and EVERIS, TIMELESS. There is no Death, just existence.

AJOOIN: Ajoni means ONE who is unincarnated (not having any reincarnation/incarnation). This again is use of a defining way by stating ‘this is not’. There is only ONE and ONENESS. Nothing else. No other second or similar. The world that has birth, death and rebirth is a manifestation – a creation .

SAIBHANG: Saibhang explains the next obvious question. Who created the creator? How the creator came into existence. Another question that arises out of our everyday experiences. Guruji specifies explicitly HE is self-created. HE IS and creates HIM HEMSELF.

GURPRASHAD: Now the last obvious question. How can we know HIM. Where can we find HIM. The answer is in the word,”Gurprashad”- Guru’s Grace. One can know HIM through Guru’s grace only. Only the “Guru’s” “Prashad” can make us find and know HIM. Our shackles of illusion and separateness is thus shattered.

The word “Prashad” is used for a food offered to Guru . In the Gurdwara after the end of worship service Karah Prashad is served to sangat. This Karah Prasad is a kind of sacred pudding which is sweet and a delicacy. This is considered and taken as Guru’s kindness, favor or grace. Spiritually the direction and guidance is of the Guru. This is Guru’s grace and so also the result.
The first real defining direction for the spiritual aspirant, a Sikh is knowing, finding and following the True Guru.
The word Sikh means a disciple. Who is the Guru of a Sikh? We have the Ten Guru’s starting with the First Guru being Guru Nanak Devji and the present ever living eleventh Guru being Guru Granth Sahebji whom the tenth Guru gave Guru gaddi.
The first thing that the learns that the Guru is not the Physical Body but a “Guru Jyote “ that is transferred from one Guru ‘s Physical body to the next and now is within Sree Guru Granth shahebji who are also known as The Shabad Guru.
Has Shabad been throughout the Guru? Guru Nanak Devji in Sidh Ghost bani has stated that his Guru is the Shabad. Right from the first Guru’s time the Sikhs were introduced to Gurbani. The original Gurbani is the Shabad Guru now.
The Sikhs first meditation is seeking of THE GURU.
Knowing THE SHABAD GURU.
Finding and LIVING WITH THE SHABAD GURU.