Some Instruction on Daily Meditation Practice in Sant Mat
The practitioner, if he sits for meditation, always must keep his/her head, neck and spinal cord (back) completely straight. The respiration process will naturally become slowed if one sits straight, and thus it is a helping factor in meditation and Jap [simran]......
Meditation Done Three Times Per-Day, Plus Before Sleep
Sants/yogis have fixed times of meditation. Those times are: 1) in the pre-dawn, i.e. three hours before sunrise, 2) after taking a bath during the day [mid day], and 3) during the evening (after the sun sets). Meditation done at these three time is called Trayakaal Sandhyaa (thrice-daily meditation). A practitioner must sit for meditation in these three times, and also should do Maanas Jap (repeating the Guru-instructed mantra [simran]), or Maanas Dhyaan (involving mind in visualizing or seeing the Master`s radiant form inside), while doing worldly work.
In the evening just before going to bed, the practitioner should sit in meditation for two to four minutes and then go to sleep. A practitioner can continue Maanas Jap or Maanas Dhyaan or keep his/her vision straight inside with closed eyes laying in bed.
This practice protects one from terrible, unpleasant dreams, and on the other hand the practitioner can be benefited with the appearance of sages/sants or Satsang in the dream state. The appearance (seeing) of sants/sages in the dream state is an indication of spiritual-upwardness (progress). A meditation practitioner who does meditation in pre-dawn very carefully, should not take a heavy meal in the night. Meals should not be hard-to-digest. Easily digestible meals and that also are light in amount should be taken in the night so that the practitioner can get up early at the pre-dawn time. This habit keeps the body sound and healthy. Most reverent Guru Maharaj (Maharshi Mehi) says, "Sound mind lives in sound body and worship is done only by the sound mind." So, a practitioner should control his/her meals.
A practitioner should close both eyes and mouth at the time of meditation. If he/she would be speaking and seeing the outer world with open eyes, he/she could not do the practice of meditation. Upon closing the eyes one sees darkness inside, whether he/she belongs to a certain creed, caste, country, or one is young, child, old, male, female, scholar or illiterate. This darkness has not been created by human beings or gods. This darkness has been created by the Supreme Sovereign God.
There are three layers (coverings) over the Jeeva atmaa (Individual Soul). Those are: darkness, light and sound. Darkness is the shadow of the light. This darkness is the first layer on the Jeeva (individual soul) whom all beings see. One who crosses this layer of darkness through a special form of meditation sees the inner light within oneself. This inner light is called Aatma-Aalok (Light of the Self) or Brahma-Prakash (Divine Light). On achieving it, the Divya-Drishti (Divine Eye, Third Eye) opens completely. While mentally gazing into the darkness that one sees with eyes closed, one should repeat the guru-instructed mantra [simran]. This process is called Maanas Jap [simran]. While doing this, neither the lips nor the tongue are oscillated. Instead, the mantra (an alphabetical name given by Guru) is repeated within by the mind. This Jap is actually a kind of meditation. Repeating the mantra through the mind is for the purpose of calling the Ishta ([one`s Ideal], tutelary deity, Most Beloved, Satguru) near oneself. So, Jaapak (the practitioner who does Jap) should perform Jap with great love. He (Ishta, Guru) becomes happy and merciful if one does Jap with immense love and devotion, and he appears at his desire.
The practitioner who does Jap [simran] sitting in a secluded place with the right method and immense love, becomes the excellent devotee.
Sant Charan Das says:
"Sakal shiromani naam hai, sab
dharman ke maahi |
Ananya bhakta wah jaaniye,
sumiran bhoolai naahi ||"
[Name (Jap) is the crown of all and
has been described in all creeds.
Know that person as the superior
devotee who never forgets Jap.]
By doing Jap, the mind and heart become devotionally pure, morale is uplifted. One gets strength in inner meditation -- Japaat Siddhi (Divine power after getting perfection in Jap [simran]) is obtained. By doing Jap, so much sanctity begins to flow within the body and mind of the practitioner (Jaapak) that the note or wave of Jap (mantra the practitioner chants) penetrates whatever the practitioner touches.....
If the Jaapak (practitioner of Jap) repeats the Jap while doing worldly work as well as practices Jap sitting in a secluded place with love and faith, he/she begins to see Divine visions, or hear auditions in the Inner Sky (the region within where darkness normally appears when one`s eyes are closed).
Courtesy--
Shri Bhagirath Baba, From A Spiritual Discourse on the Bhakti of the Inner Light and Sound of God, Maharshi Mehi Ashram:
