Naam Simran semantically means meditation. The foundation of Sikhi is uttering the name of God, which leads to one-pointed on the Infinite presence within all beings, things and actions. So why dedicate one’s time to Simran? Constant remembrance brings us closer to God’s presence and releases us from our karmas.
This sadhana is done by finding a comfortable posture and meditating on the Name of God by uttering a mantra that awakens the powers that lie dormant within our body. Just as food and nutrients are essential to sustain the physical body, Naam is the nourishment for the soul. I am sure no one wants to be trapped in the rebirth of the 84 million species (chaursi lakh joon). It is said that it is only in human form that it is possible to achieve this goal by walking on the path of liberation. People with problems, seekers, the needy and those who are filled with love tend to walk on this path. Some may disagree with this belief and not even take the initiative.
Remembrance (yaad) is gradually converted into a state of no-thought, i.e. total merger. Here, the disciple is detached from all worldly directions and is merged with the Immortal Being. His super-thought (surat) is detached from the visible world and is totally merged in the Invisible Power. According to Gurmat philosophy, this is the ultimate state of Naam Simran. There are numerous obstacles in this path; the biggest obstacle being our own mind. The mind generates streams of both positive and negative thoughts (sikalp and vikalp) and is collectively the reservoir of all of one’s actions (Sanskaar.) Our soul carries these Sanskaar along with it through all its incarnations. Our karmas generated throughout our past lives leave their impact in the form of the tendencies of positive and negative thoughts which dominate our mind. Mastery over these tendencies, and the ability to use one’s neutral mind (Shunya) is essential for one who wishes to walk on the spiritual path.
Simran is the double-edged sword whose strength enables us to master these forces of kam, krodh, lobh, moh and ahankar. As one works through the karmas and achieves the use of the neutral mind, the Divine Force emerges from within this very mind, which attracts the mind to the source of its own origin - the Creator of all. As this Divine Force becomes powerful, the forces that pull us away from neutral consciousness begin to dissipate. The worldly mind thus gradually gets converted into a spiritual mind. A person whose mind has thus been converted and become pure is called a Gurmukh.
It is worthwhile to gain an insight into Naam Simran, its process and the method (jugati) through which it is achieved. Simran is one of the four pillars of a spiritual life: Simran, Sewa, Bani and Bana. Sewa is selfless service to the community without any need of recognition. Lots of devoted people do sewa without even being noticed and such sewa goes along with Naam Simran. The selfless service is done with deep humility, low profile and the person serving the community does not even want to be acknowledged for his contribution. I have seen it with my own eyes and witnessing such offering, one can only observe and strive to emulate it.
Sadhana means a practice of self-discipline that allows one to express the Infinite within one’s self. It is a time each day to notice the patterns that lead away from higher consciousness and to transcend those patterns. It is a conscious activity. We consciously choose to rise up, to exercise the body, and to meditate. Each day is a different because every 72 hours all the cells of the body totally change. Sickness comes and goes. Motivation waxes and wanes, but through all the flux of life and through all variations of the mind and heart, we consciously choose to maintain a constant and regular practice.
As Yogi Bhajan said: “Everything will happen when Sadhana is instituted and you will come out as a winner; you will come out victorious.” The one who does sadhana builds himself such a powerful personality that he can automatically conquer everything. Guru Nanak Dev Ji says: “Man Jeetai Jag Jeet.” Master your own mind and you will conquer the world. In the Western world, with some exceptions, people are trapped in the hustle and bustle of their own routine giving no time to sadhana. Their focus has been shifted away from the Divine to the mundane. It is incredible that in India children as young as six or seven do sadhana each day for hours. They look relaxed and free of any signs of stress. They are able to achieve both academically and spiritually.
Firstly, let me focus on the definition of Naam which literally means ‘Identity.’ Naam is a collection of sounds or Shabads, and these Shabads are essential in the purification and liberation of soul. The word ‘Naam’ is a summary expression for the whole nature of Akal Purukh, which is God. Naam is the bringer or precursor of liberation, a means to release the soul from the circuit of birth and death, and with Naam one obtains liberation from the cycle of transmigration. It also brings peace during one’s living existence and one has the experience of blissful subjective feelings of joy and ecstasy (Anand.) Naam Simran, is essentially an internal experience of remembrance of one’s True Identity which is one with the One in everyone – a joyful state indeed. Naam is usually a chosen Shabad from the Guru Granth Sahib and it can take the form of Waheguru or Ik Onkar, or SaatiNaam. Some people may use mantras such as Ram, Om, Hari etc; etc.
The act of Simran is on one hand related to the act of surati (sruit), hearing and listening to the Word (Naam, sabda), and on the other to the function of smriti i.e. consciousness which means retention in one’s awareness of what has been heard. The notion of Naam Simran is thus similar to that of surati-sabda. The practice of Naam Simran or Naam japna is acquired by devoutly repeating the sacred mantras from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji or a verse which helps the devotee to internalise the Shabad on his own, according to his faith. It is more easily practiced within the congregation of like-minded people (char yari.) This brings peace, wipes out the ego’s domination over the mind and cleans the sanskars acquired over the years.
Meditation is a progression of deep contemplation of the divine mystery with relaxed focus and regular breathing. Meditation progresses in stages. First comes concentration (Dharana) in which we begin listening to the sound of the Naam. During this stage distractions arise and the mind tends to wander. That is normal. It is a constant process of allowing the mantram to filter the thoughts that arise and one’s attention comes back to the sound current. After a while, the distractions (physical and mental) receed into the background and become insignificant. Passing this hurdle one enters the stage of deep absorption (Dhyana.) During Dharana, the mind becomes unidirectional, while during Dhyana, it becomes deeply identified and engaged with the object of attention. That is why Dharana must precede Dhyana, since the mind needs focusing on the Naam before a connection can be made. If Dharana is the contact, then Dhyana is the connection. It is a state of deep realization.
According to Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Naam is the key to emancipation (mukti) and the means of attaining it (jugati); God’s Name is the fulfilment (tripati) and enjoyment (bhugati). He who repeats the Naam suffers no setback. Some may disagree, but the person who experiences it will confirm it. God’s Name is the devotee’s distinction and repeating God’s Name, the devotee wins honour. As the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji clearly states, Naam is that Omnipresent Existence which manifests itself in the form of creation and is the source and sustenance of all beings and things. To the atheist, this will all seem meaningless and will lack credence. I prefer to not waste my time convincing anyone, as I would rather spend the time in meditating in His Name which gives me happiness, tranquility and peace.
The word Naam is normally discussed in in the context of the term Shabad Guru and is closely linked with Hukam, which is God’s command. From Shabad comes Naam which implies Truth. Truth as expressed by the Guru is the Shabad, whereas Truth as received by the believer is Naam. As Guru Nanak Dev Ji refers to Naam:
The one in whose heart is embedded the Name of the Lord is the True teacher. He it is who illumines the mind of the devotee with Naam. The mysteries of Naam are only recognised by those who practice it and without it everyone is poor. It is the light, jyoti which dispels all darkness.
Living the Sikh Way of Life,, the concept of Naam represents a discipline leading to God realisation and words used in this context are nadir, daya, Prasad and kirpaa which is translated as Grace or blessing. The person who understands Naam and obeys the Guru lives a life which will eventually achieve the blissful serenity of union with the Divine. Those who have achieved this stage will only advocate nothing else but meditating on Naam. Faithful cultivation of Naam lifts the devotee to that sublime level known as mystic experience by far transcending the power of expression. It is this expression which frees him forever from the cycle of transmigration and confers on him the gift of eternal, internal bliss.
Simran forms the basis of Sikhi. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji describes the different aspects of Simran and significance of Simran in experiencing God. The benefit lies in the practice of Simran itself, and like everything in life, it is difficult to get started, but once established as a habit, it becomes an integral part of one’s lifestyle. Iinternal bliss and deep neutrality and stability grows from within and Simran becomes addictive and thus forms part of his daily practice and routine - a routine that inspires others and makes the person think creatively. Guru Arjan Dev Ji said:
Having studied the Shastras, Smritis and Vedas, the saints say there is no salvation without Naam. No one has achieved abiding bliss without Naam.
Simran is actually the ladder leading to God. It is hard to climb heavenward without Naam. Some great Masters conceive Simran to be the essence of worship. It is through Simran that one begins to walk on the path leading to experiencing God. Simran is the soul’s journey to ethereal regions, which transforms us from baseness to sublime joy. The divine knowledge (Gyan) one acquires through Simran becomes an integral part of the individual and enables him to face any challenge. As Guru Amar Das Ji stated:
Naam is the only thing worthy of Praise. Without Naam, we are nothing. Worldly position and wealth are fleeting things, they come and go.
Simran washes and purifies the mind and helps us to concentrate. The wandering mind is feeble and is full of distractions; the concentrated mind is strong and capable of deep contemplation. Simran sharpens concentration and creates a deep yearning to experience God. Simran helps one to be at home with one’s Self which gradually results in a distaste for worldly pleasures and joys. It creates a wondrous ecstasy in the soul, and the greater the joy, the greater the aversion to sensual pleasures. The concentrated and focused mind understands and realises the soul and the Infinite Soul. Simran saves the mind from wavering and derailment and stabilizes its concentration. Simran tends to keep God’s attributes constantly in the mind and thus permeates our being; it lightens and calms the mind, exterminates the illusion of egoism or selfishness, and makes the mind at one with God.
The two methods of Simran are the Guru’s Shabad and Naam. Gurbani transforms and purifies the ideas and help us to understand the teachings of the Gurus. Thus, when one concentrates on the Shabad, our baser thoughts are purified and we are then blessed with heavenly sights, which produce an ecstatic feeling. Gurbani draws us close to God, and Naam unites us with Him. The earnest spiritual seeker must practice Naam. The Sacred Word gives us glimpses of our inner self and the awakening of the chakras (energy vortices in the body), a vision of peace and beauty of that realm of the spirit. It is Naam alone that can tune us to take our abode in it. Those who seek to dwell in God’s realm must experience Naam. The soul is inspired by the Gurbani and Naam helps the Atma (soul) to connect with the Parmatma (Universal Soul.)
The daily recitation of Gurbani eventually leads to reading it mentally which paves the way for the practice of Naam. When one repeats a verse from the Gurbani, its sense becomes rooted in our mind; the mind is moulded and the actual frequency of thought is changed. Sacred words from the Bani comfort and soothe. As Guru Arjan Ji’s Bani says:
No scorching wind can harm me for I have sought refuge at God’s feet. Around me is God’s fortress, No pain can affect me. I adore God, who has created me. His name heals me. I dwell on Him alone. The Protector has protected me. All my woes are over. Says Nanak, His Grace is upon me and God is here to soothe me.
Many people do not understand the potency of Naam. One has to practice it to derive the maximum benefit. How can you explain to someone what a strawberry tastes like if they have never tasted one? We cannot know the taste of something we have never tasted. The best way to thoroughly understand Naam is to experience it. The initial stages are so difficult that few people are drawn to it. Even if we have no experience of God, by repetition of His Name the experience comes and divine attributes are slowly assimilated by us. It is a peculiar quality of our mind that if something impresses us profoundly, and if we aspire to be shaped in the same pattern, we are gradually moulded accordingly.
The best time for Naam Simran is in the ambrosial hours (Amrit Vela.) That is early morning before dawn breaks, and this will depend on where one lives. Practicing Naam at this ambrosial time there is perfect silence and calm in nature, and the attuned mind can connect to the Infinite without any disturbance. It is the time when the birds chirp and enjoy the. It is believed that at this time, the transcendental or absolute, aspect of God predominates in us. One should strive to get up at this time and if this is not possible, then the early morning hours and also dusk are the next best. Once one gets into the routine, one becomes accustomed to it and Simran becomes a part of life and life becomes part of Simran. A break in Simran, as Guru Gobind Singh Ji said is tantamount to the agony of dwelling near the hole of a cobra. As Guru Ram Das Ji says in the Bani: That soul alone is acceptable to God who never forgets Him. Sleeping and waking, they who never forget Him, They alone are perfect.
