Know

October November December • 2009

Shabd
The Eternal Song
 Know

Table of Contents

The Master’s Words

4 The Master Leads Us to God
8 The Moment You Find Your Self,You Find God

Special Feature
10 The Living Master

Theme Section

Shabd
The Eternal Song

14 Shabd, the Indissoluble Union of the Master and the Disciple

15 Shabd: What It Is
16 The Magic of Mystical Poetry
18 How Sound Meditation Keeps Us Safe
20 Ocean of Life, Land of Bliss
22 Short Prose on Shabd
23 The Master Walks With You Hand in Hand
24 Listen Within
25 The Healing Power of Sound
26 The Soul´s Plea to the Mind

Edition Naam
28 Songs of Love

Natural Living
30 Delicious, Nutritious, and Good for the Soul

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Copyright © 2009 Know Thyself as Soul Foundation, International

visit our website at www.editionnaam.com SPECIAL FEATURE 2
 We l c o m e

to the October-November-December
2009 edition of Know Thyself magazine. The
theme of this issue is Shabd, the Eternal Song.

Sant Baljit Singh described the steps necessary to achieve success in

meditation and to realize God in oneself. He revealed this information in the
satsang “The Four Steps to God.” This satsang, presented by the Master to the
participants of the Start Afresh Retreat last summer, was recorded and is available on
DVD. The printed version can be found in the January-February-March 2009 issue of
Know Thyself.

The past two issues of Know Thyself featured the first and second steps, seva and simran.
The Master said that one should do seva while engrossed in simran, the holy remembrance
of God. After seva and simran comes the third step: Shabd or Sound. While listening to the
Sound, the soul is being prepared for the last step, surti (surat) or consciousness at the third
eye center.

The benefits and joys of the Inner Sound are experienced when one practices meditating upon
it. Sant Kirpal Singh explained how the Holy Sound impacts upon the soul:

To relieve the mind from the outgoing senses, it must be attuned to the sweet symphonies of
the inner music of the soul, the Word, reverberating in and through all. As this is eternal, so
also will be our attachment to it and we will know no change and no pain. The mind will no
longer wander away to external objects once it gets steeped in the strains of the Eternal
Song. With its help, the world-weary soul rises into the higher spiritual planes.
~Sant Kirpal Singh, The Jap Ji (2002, p. 33)

In the first satsang in this issue, “The Master Leads Us to God,” Sant Baljit Singh
explains that the Master connects us with our spiritual source through the Light
and Sound meditation. To have a strong and complete connection with this
life-giving energy, some things are required of us. This talk describes what
we need to do to nurture our inner connection of Light and Sound, a
supreme gift from God.

In the second satsang, “The Moment You Find Your Self, You
Find God,” the Master provides practical and inspiring
guidance for achieving
regular meditation. 3

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The Master
Leads Us to God
Sant Baljit Singh

Master is an embodiment of God’s spiritual energy.

When we surrender, he serves as a divine link
connecting us through meditation and guiding us on
our journey back to God.

O n the spiritual path we are required to do some-

thing; there are no shortcuts. Your intelligence,
education, and intuition cannot help you. None of
these can show you the way out. This path is for simple
people, not for those with complex minds. Those with
complex minds question a great deal, which makes it
difficult for them to follow the Master.

The Master is not like anything we have ever encoun-

tered. He is a living source of spiritual energy, like a live
wire or a fireball. He radiates energy all around him,
and you can feel it if you are not protecting yourself. If
we are insulated by lust, greed, anger, attachment, and
ego, we cannot feel the Master’s energy. How can you
enjoy the cool, refreshing rain if you wear a raincoat?

In the same way, if you want to feel the energy of the

Master, you have to shed these covers of lust, anger,
greed, attachment, and ego. One by one, we should
get rid of these. When we are fully prepared, we will
feel the energy and be attracted.
A magnet has little effect on a rusty piece of iron
covered in dirt. Yet the moment you clean away the
rust and dirt, the piece of iron instantly snaps to
the magnet. They come together at once because the
magnet strongly pulls the piece of iron toward it, and
nothing is between them to prevent the attraction.
When we are clean inside and out, we cannot remain
unattracted and unattached to the Master. The Master is a
source of energy, full of energy, nothing else. If you have
an electrical conductor and a lamp, and you connect the
two, then the lamp will begin to glow. It is that simple.
You are like a lamp, and the Master is a powerhouse. The
Sound and Light current are the two wires connecting
us to the Master’s powerhouse of energy. When we are
connected to that powerhouse, we glow and come alive.

4 THE MASTER‘S WORDS visit our website at www.editionnaam.com

However, if there is even one cover shielding us, we
cannot feel the intensity of the Master.
Whenever you sit in meditation you may feel the interfer-
ence of the negative power, as you call it. That power has
five strong agents called lust, greed, attachment, anger,
and ego. Ego does not allow you to respect others, not
even your Master. Ego inflates you and makes you think
that you are the only one important, and so you disregard
the others.
“Strait is the gate and narrow is the way.” What does this
mean? That only thin or slender people can go through
this narrow gate and others are not allowed? No, it means
that you cannot find your way back to God if you are
inflated with ego of any kind, whether of money, knowl-
edge, or anything else. God is not against material riches
or anything else. The problem is that your attitude toward
wealth causes you to become inflated in your mind and
ego, and this does not allow you to go toward God.
visit our website at www.editionnaam.com THE MASTER‘S WORDS
Master is a very precious gift to have with us physically.
Yet Master is not the body. You will only come to know
the real Master when you go inside and find him there.
However, that will take time.
There are a few people who think they are seeing the
Master inside when it is actually a form taken by the
negative power. These people prefer to remain under the
illusion so that they can feel that at least they are seeing
something. They do not even try to verify whether it is a
real experience or not.
The Master knows who is having true experiences. When
Master appears inside, it is Master paying you a visit. He
knows whom he is leading and whom he is visiting. Just
as you also know very well where you went today and
whose house you visited.
So there is no need to inform the physical Master about
your inner experiences. People sometimes do this to gain
5
some special recognition. There is no need because Master
already knows.
You have been given a tool to test all inner appear-
ances—the power of simran. No shape or form taken by
the negative power can stand before the simran and it has
to disappear. Only the positive power can remain. Yet, as
I said, some people do not want to test their experiences
because they enjoy seeing what they are being shown,
even if it is from the negative power. They are happy with
that, and then they have ego about their inner experiences.
Such people need to verify their experiences with the
outer Master.
Master knows everything, and he leads you. Even when
he is leading you along the way, you will not come to
know the whole truth about the Master Power or even the
Master. No explanation can be given about the Master.
This physical body is God’s home. Just as you run your
own house without your neighbor telling you how, you
also need not be concerned with how God uses your
physical body. For example, as long as God is using my
body, I will go on receiving his instructions and will do
my level best to follow them. When I leave my body, I
will go wherever he takes me. I need not be concerned
about it.
Once you have surrendered to God, the matter finishes
there; then it is no longer your responsibility or concern.
When two kings fight, one ultimately loses or surrenders
to the other. Then whose responsibility is it to take care
of the kingdom of the one who surrenders? In the same
way, when I have surrendered everything to the wishes
of God, why should I be concerned afterwards? God will
take care of everything.
So we must bow before the wishes of God and surrender
to him. Instead, we make offerings from our pocket,
from our hard-earned money, to the churches, temples,
or other places of worship. When we make an offering,
we are giving a part of whatever belongs to us, but we
are not surrendering. Surrendering is giving our whole
soul to God.
6 THE MASTER‘S WORDS visit our website at www.editionnaam.com
You cannot be accepted by God in parts, so complete
surrender is necessary. Unless you surrender fully, you
will never even get a taste of what you are looking for.
We should surrender in front of Father God and let him
decide our course of life. Parents wish the best for their
children and try to provide it for them. When I surrender
to God and accept him as my Father, will he not do the
best for me? He will. Moreover, he is the source of every-
thing and has no shortage of anything. He can provide
for us in all areas of life much better than we can.
You are sitting here today, which is proof that you have
not yet come out of the cycle of birth, suffering, and
death. You were here before, and still you are here. Had
you done the best thing that you could for yourself, you
would have merged in the ocean of love with Father God.
You would have become one with the One. Everything
else you do keeps you bound to the material world. You
have been trapped here for birth after birth, undergoing
suffering and more suffering, dying again and again. Let
us hope this story will end one day. Only you can put a
full stop to it—no one else can.
So please do your best. God is waiting for you and looking
forward to having you come back to him. That is why he
sends you the Masters and saints to tell you about the
reality of life and provide you the way back to your true
home. You can end your suffering now and also end his
wait. It is up to you, and it is in your capacity.
Have firm belief in the Master and follow his instruc-
tions. Even a little bit of ego will prevent you from
bowing to the Master. You are not able to see God, so
where can you bow? You can only begin to feel God and
apprehend him in the body of the Master. That is the
beginning. You have to love the Master and respect him
in order to love and respect God. Tomorrow you may
reach the highest level of realization and become equal
to the Master, but do not forget that your accomplish-
ment will only be because of the Master.
Everything in this world has a system. Most organiza-
tions have by-laws, regulations, or constitutions. Even
to run a small industry, one needs rules and regulations.
The universe also exists under its own laws. God has
cosmic laws to run his universe and his home. We must
follow these.
When you feel attracted to God or want to see him, your
first glimpse is only in the form of Master. You need to
carefully understand something about this. The Master
could be sitting with his eyes closed, not listening or
talking, but still he knows everything that is going on.
He is called a Master because God has provided him
with powers that assist him in his work. Even though
you cannot see these powers, they are working for the
Master. They keep him aware of all that you are doing
and all that is happening.
So the Master tells you the way, connects you back to
God through the Light and Sound current, and leads you
within. Have full faith in the Master, follow him, and do
what he says. Otherwise, you are living an endless story,
cycling through births and deaths. You do not know
how many times you have been through this cycle of
birth and death before now. The body dies, not the soul.
The soul is eternal. So follow the Master. Your wish and
will is to be his wish and will.
Ultimately, what do you want? If you want to reach the fifth
plane, you will need to leave the physical body. The body
cannot go there, only the soul can. Ultimately the soul will
return there. So why fear death? The soul never dies.
Unfortunately, the immortal soul is trapped in one body
after another, and suffers from this situation. The soul
wants liberation, but the mind wants the world. The soul
wants to go back home, but the mind wants to continue
wandering in this world.
We are souls and should go back to our source. We can
only go back the same way that we came down. When
we descended, we took on a super-causal body, a causal
body, an astral body, and a physical body. On our journey
back, we have to shed these bodies. We will leave the
physical body on the physical plane, the astral body on
the astral plane, and so on.
visit our website at www.editionnaam.com THE MASTER‘S WORDS
Master tells you the way and leads you there. He awakens
you and makes you realize yourself. He does so many
things for you. So do as the Master tells you.
Master says, “Meditate!” So let us meditate and connect
our self with God.
[After meditation]
We are together for another two days, but when you go
back to your homes, I request you all to continue medi-
tating. As I have said more than once, meditation is
nothing but doing nothing. However, there is something
special about this particular form of doing nothing. It
needs a certain quality and also perfection.
Perfection will come with practice, so do not worry about
that. Today, one may be imperfect, but with practice, one
will become perfect. So continue to practice.
Sitting daily for meditation will become a habit after
some time. Once a habit is formed, you tend to enjoy it
and find it hard to give it up. Whatever you enjoy, you
will do a lot. So it is very simple. Continue practicing
your meditation, and it will become a habit. When you
start enjoying it, you will want to do it for the maximum
amount of time.
During this retreat you have been given a foundation.
You must build on it when you go back home. Life in
the material world is a struggle, but do not let go of the
foundation that you have built here. Keep on adding to
it daily, even if it is only a small amount. One day it will
grow into something very big. So continue with your
practices.
Copyright © 2009 Know Thyself As Soul Foundation, International
(Talk given August 5, 2005, Lighthouse Center Oregon, USA)
7
The Moment You Find Your Self,
You Find God
Sant Baljit Singh
M aybe throughout the day you have been waiting
for the evening to arrive. If you have been enjoying our
evening meditation sessions together, then you will
certainly look forward to the evening.
There are other activities scheduled for you during the
day, but these are just to prepare you for the meditation. In
other words, attending this retreat is like going to a garage
or a workshop where you are tuned up or repaired.
When you are at home there is a tendency to be less disci-
plined, and gradually you lose your good habits. When
you come here for a retreat, in the beginning you may not
enjoy it because so much is asked of you: “Be here at this
time; go there at that time. Now do this; then do that.” The
purpose of all this, however, is to help you to form new
habits. It’s about learning. So whatever you do during the
day is just to prepare you perfectly for the meditation in
the evening.
While you are here you should follow all the retreat guide-
lines implicitly, keep the disciplines, and participate in the
scheduled activities because these will help you develop
good habits for your betterment. You should cooperate
with the local organizers and help them in any way you
can, as this will enable them to serve you better.
We have gathered here with one goal: to realize God within
and be one with him. This goal has been mentioned many
times over the ages in different words by different people;
but how many have achieved it? Very few; you can count
them on your fingertips. Nevertheless there is nothing
difficult in what the saints have asked us to achieve.
Everybody says, “I want to find God.” At this retreat, a
few excited souls have also told me that they want to find
8 THE MASTER‘S WORDS visit our website at www.editionnaam.com
God. However, we can only find something if it is lost.
God has supreme knowledge of everything, and he is
certainly wiser than we are. How can God get lost so that
we need to find him? In fact we are the ones who are lost.
We have become lost in this world.
So just reverse the process: Instead of trying to find God,
try to find yourself. The moment you find yourself, you
will find God. That’s why the organization that has orga-
nized this retreat is called “Know Thyself As Soul.” This
means that you don’t know who you really are. First,
you need to know yourself as soul. You know yourself
as something else, not as a soul. So, you are the lost one,
not God. Don’t try to find God, try to find your self. I am
telling you what I have personally realized. You will find
God the moment you find yourself, because you are a
small version of the living God.
To find the kingdom of God within is to find God. He is
within, not far away. You don’t have to search for him.
You only have to concentrate within. Throughout the ages
your attention has only been outside. You never went
within.
Father God is always there within, waiting for you to be
one with him. He is hoping that you will come back one
day and is looking forward to your arrival. Although
their methods may be different, all of the saints tell us one
thing: to go within. The journey is inside. We frequently
go on outer journeys to other countries. This inner journey,
however, is the shortest possible. How far do you have to
go? You only have to go within. It’s just a tiny distance to
go within and you are taking ages for that!
So let us travel a little again today. Make yourselves
comfortable.

[After meditation:]
Every day our meditation is different but it is getting
better, and that is what we want. There must be steady
progress. Rome was not built in a day. So don’t worry;
keep putting in effort. There should be steady progress,
even if it is slight. One step a day will take you to your
destination.
Much can be said about meditation, but one of the most
important things about meditation is patience. The body
and the mind might refuse to cooperate. Sometimes the
heart too refuses to take stress and is not willing to coop-
erate. However, the cooperation of the entire body and
the mind is essential. As I said in the beginning, it’s only a
matter of creating a habit. When you meditate daily, try to
sit straight and bring your body and mind in line. Try to
make them obey you. When everything falls in line then
you will achieve what you are looking for. I’ve reminded
you time and again that it’s not really difficult. It’s all
about daily disciplined practice. Sometimes you’ll be able
visit our website at www.editionnaam.com THE MASTER‘S WORDS
to put in two hours, sometimes more time; but whenever
you can find time, sit for meditation.
Do whatever you need to do in your daily life, but keep
your priority clear. Make it very clear in your mind that,
whatever you do in your daily life, you are only doing it
in order to meditate. Your prime goal should be medita-
tion, and everything else should be secondary. You need
to do things just to maintain your body, and meditation
can only be done while you are in the body. So all your
worldly activities must be considered as a support for
meditation.
Engrave this permanently in your mind: You are doing
everything to do meditation. Set your priority, and
schedule your daily life accordingly. So whenever you
have time for meditation, you must do it!
Maybe until now you have seen nothing inside; however,
at any time the curtain can be lifted and you will start
seeing something. For example, a room may have been
dark for ages, but the moment a lamp is lit, the darkness
is gone. Do you think the darkness will say, “I won’t leave;
I’ve been here for 250 years”? It has to go.
Believe me, it can happen any day, so don’t get discour-
aged. Keep a positive attitude. Don’t discourage yourself
by counting the number of years and hours you’ve been
meditating. This makes it clear that you are sitting in
meditation with expectations. When you have expecta-
tions it means that your mind is active, and when your
mind is active, you can’t meditate. Do the meditation
without thinking about the result. Let it be in the hands of
God. We only have to follow his will. We should do what
he wishes us to do.
That is all for today. Enjoy your evening in any way you
like. Pranaam to you all.
Copyright © 2009 Know Thyself As Soul Foundation, International
(Talk given July 27, 2005, Lighthouse Center Oregon, USA)
9
 Please enjoy this circular from Sant Thakar Singh, originally released on February 15, 2005, which wonderfully
emphasizes the need for a living Master and demonstrates the loving care Sant Thakar Singh took to introduce
our present living Master, Sant Baljit Singh.

10 SPECIAL FEATURE visit our website at www.editionnaam.com

 The Living Master

Sant Baljit Singh

“For practical help and guidance on the physical level,
and to find the divine radiance which helps our soul,
we always need the company of the living pole…”

visit our website at www.editionnaam.com SPECIAL FEATURE 11

 T rue is the Lord, True His Holy Word;

His love has been described as infinite.

Men pray to Him for gifts, which He grants untiringly.

When all is His:

What can we offer at His feet?

What can we say to win His love?

At the ambrosial hour of the early dawn,

Be you in communion with the Divine Word

And meditate on His Glory.

Our birth is the fruit of our actions;

But salvation comes only from His Grace.

O Nanak, know the True One as immanent in all.

He can neither be established nor created;

The Formless One is limitless, complete in Himself.

Those who worship Him are honored;

Nanak, ever sing of the Treasure-house of all virtues.

Let us sing of Him and hold communion with the Word,

with hearts full of loving devotion;

For then shall all sorrows end and we be led joyously Homeward.

The Master is the Song Eternal, the Word personified.

Guru Nanak, quoted by Sant Kirpal Singh,

The Jap Ji (2002), pp. 90-92

12 Shabd, the Eternal Song visit our website at www.editionnaam.com

 ion.
Meditation on Nad or the Sound Principle is the royal road to salvat
Hansa Naad Upanishad
Sant Kirpal Singh, Naam or Word (1981), p. 40

flow.
O God, lead my soul to that blessed place, wherein the symphonies
Maulana Rumi
Sant Kirpal Singh, Naam or Word (1981), p. 135

else but Shabd.

A true Master brings the message of Shabd and talks of nothing
from above.
Hail as a Master Divine he who can draw down the Celestial Music
Paltu
Sant Kirpal Singh, Science of Spirituality (2007), p. 20

his own way;

on, each in his own place and in
All Masters are worthy of adorati t.
o is embedded in the Sound Curren
But Him alone would I worship, wh
Sant Kabir
ituality (2007), p. 20
Sant Kirpal Singh, Science of Spir

nce at that
of love aw ak en, then pay obeisa
Lord and feelings focus on the inner
Sound Current
he reve r yo ur heart yearns for the t, or attentively
Whenever and w that very momen
g the praises of the Lord ards.
very place. Begin to sin
by w ithdraw ing your attention upw
dy consciousness
and rise above bo
Sant Baljit Singh
ve and Devotion”
“The Lesson of Lo
ia.
Nawan Nagar, Ind

Shabd The Eternal Song

visit our website at www.editionnaam.com Shabd, the Eternal Song 13
Shabd, the Indissoluble Union
of the Master and the Disciple
S o it is the God-in-man who can link us with God. In other words, one who
has established a contact with God can show us the way to effect this contact for
ourselves. Thus, God in the garb of man is the Guru of all. When Guru Nanak
was questioned on this subject, He replied: Verily, it is the holy Word, Shabd, or the
Sound that is the Master; and the soul in man permeating through and through the phys-
ical body, is the disciple. Now what is meant by Shabd? The absolute God is Ashabd
(Wordless); but when He comes into expression, He is known as Shabd (Word).
The Gurbani tells us: With one Word, the whole creation came into being. Again
Gurbani says: It is from Shabd that the whole creation comes into being and ultimately
gets absorbed into it, and it is through Shabd that regeneration takes place.

This manifested Power-of-God which is the substratum of the entire creation

is called Shabd. This Shabd then is the Jagat Guru or the Master-power. This
very question was put to Kabir: “O Kabir, Who is the Master and where does
the disciple reside? How did the two get together in an indissoluble union?”
He replied: “My Master is in the Beyond, while the disciple is in the body. Both
of them got together by means of Shabd, and now there is no fear of separation
between the two.” So the Master of all the world is the Shabd-power or the holy
Word. Guru Gobind Singh has put it succinctly: He who is one and the same in the
beginning and the end is the manifested Power-of-God, the Shabd, and that is the real
Master.

~Sant Kirpal Singh

The Night is a Jungle (2000), pp. 248-250

14 Shabd, the Eternal Song visit our website at www.editionnaam.com

SHABD: WHAT IT IS
The subject of Shabd is such that we cannot do
justice to it by discursive reasoning. All that
HOW CAN WE LISTEN TO THE
can be said is that “Shabd” implies the Power
of God that has created and is sustaining
SOUND PRINCIPLE?
the various grand divisions, divisions and
The next natural question is how the Shabd can be contacted and
subdivisions of the vast creation of God. It is
attuned with. The saints tell us that we can listen to the Sound
a current from the Ocean of Consciousness
Principle if we can introvert and stop listening to the outer
and is characterized by Sound-vibration. In
sounds of the world around us. In other words, we must learn to
other words, it is a live and active principle
recede into our own Self by a process of inversion and become a
which, emanating from God, is enlivening
Pure Self by releasing the soul from the prison of the facts of life,
all creation. It is the instrument with which
before we can qualify the Self for Self-realization, which comes
God creates, controls, and sustains His vast
by listening to the Sound Current. A holy communion with and
universe. It acts as a life-line between the
practice of the Sound gradually disenfranchises the soul of all
Creator and His creation and serves as a
that is of the world and reveals that love, life and light are the
golden bridge between the two. The divine
basis of all creation. We have, in brief, to stop the energy flowing
currents, like the ethereal waves of a radio,
out through the sense-organs, particularly the eyes, ears, and
are spread out in the atmosphere in all the
tongue, and concentrate it at the still-point in the body, the center
directions of the compass, giving out delec-
of the soul, leaving the mind high and dry, before we can listen to
table strains of music. We, however, cannot
the Music of the soul in Its fullness.
catch the ethereal vibrations and listen to the
divine melody until we get in tune with the
Infinite by adjusting our mental apparatus. Close down the three outlets and attend to the ceaseless Music, O
Therefore we become etherealized more and Nanak! in the deep silence of the soul, there is a perpetual light with no
more as we come in tune with the heavenly sunrise and sunset.
music. Shabd is the connecting link between
God and man. In brief, Shabd alone is the true ~Sant Kirpal Singh
religion—a binding force that rebinds us to Naam or Word (1981), p. 151
our Source. All the powers of Nature depend
on and work through this Shabd or the
Sound Principle. The Pranas or the vital airs, SHABD: ITS BLESSINGS
that are the source of all energy—electrical,
mechanical, magnetic or atomic—and are the Shabd brings in untold blessings. It is the powerhouse of all
most active agents in the physical-material energy or force in any form, from Pranas down to electricity
plane, are but an outer manifested form of and magnetism. Every form of life is the manifestation of Shabd.
the Shabd. Like the electric waves with which All that is, is of Shabd and nothing is that is not of Shabd—life-
the whole atmosphere is charged, Shabd in current pulsating in and out of space. Those who commune with
its most subtle form pervades everywhere in Shabd and live in and by Shabd are verily the children of the
Its fullness and is thus the Creator. Supreme One, the life of life and the light of light. Shabd is the
very Bread of Life which comes down from Heaven for all those
~Sant Kirpal Singh who hunger after righteousness and the very Water of Life for
Naam or Word (1981), pp. 128-129 those who thirst after Self-knowledge and God-knowledge. True
love, wisdom and power are the greatest gifts that one gets by
basking in the sunshine of Heaven’s Light.

~Sant Kirpal Singh

Naam or Word (1981), p. 175

visit our website at www.editionnaam.com Shabd, the Eternal Song 15

 The Magic of
Mystical Poetry

T hroughout time, the songs, prose, and poems

that relay the experiences of love and longing and

Seek the wisdom
that will untie your knot.
Seek the path
the soul’s journey home have inspired and intrigued
that demands your whole being.
human beings. What is it about the words of the Leave that, which is not,
world’s renowned saints and mystics that touches us so but appears to be.
Seek that which is,
deeply? Is it the truth that shines through their words,
but is not apparent.
the beautiful way they describe the soul’s journey and

purpose on this earth, or the feeling of remembrance ~Maulana Rumi

(Death Before Dying—The Sufi Poems of Sultan Bahu;
they offer to those who seek a spiritual connection?
translated by Jamal J. Elias; University of California Press, 1998)

16 Shabd, the Eternal Song visit our website at www.editionnaam.com

Mystical poetry touches us to the core of our
being. We humans are all on a journey to
discover the treasure that lies buried within
us. These poems remind us about this journey,
speak to us about our true and eternal home,
and give us hints of how we can find our way.
Whether the poems are from Hafiz, Nanak,
or Rumi, or from the writings of Sant Kirpal
Singh, Sant Thakar Singh, and Sant Baljit Singh,
the words ring true to those whose hearts and
souls are awakening from a long slumber.
In powerful and expressive words, the mystical
saints teach us about love, nonviolence,
meditation, service, and humility. They
describe the happiness and bliss we can find
when we take to heart these teachings. The
poems unfold in unique and creative ways,
telling us about the inner Sound, the spiritual
Master, and the soul’s journey within.
My fingers and my hands
Never move through empty space,
For there are
Invisible golden lute strings all around,
Sending Resplendent Chords
Throughout the Universe.
I hear the voice
Of every creature and plant,
Every world and sun and galaxy—
Singing the Beloved’s Name!
I have awakened to find violin and cello,
Flute, harp and trumpet,
Cymbal, bell and drum—
All within me!
From head to toe, every part of my body
Is chanting and clapping!
~Hafiz
(I heard God Laughing: Renderings of Hafiz;
translation by Daniel Ladinsky; Paris Printing, 2004)
visit our website at www.editionnaam.com Shabd, the Eternal Song 17
Each poem is a jewel, revealing another
aspect of universal truth presented in the
poet’s unique flavor. Each poem appeals
to different people in different ways, but
the core message remains the same.
To know ourselves as souls, to live a good
and honest life, to serve and love others, and
to meditate and know God are themes found
throughout mystical poetry. Readers discover
concepts such as the Inner Master and the
Sound Current in poems by mystics from many
cultures and traditions. This emphasizes that
these ideas are open truths for humanity, rather
than the exclusive teachings of one group
or another. Coming together from different
beliefs and backgrounds to appreciate our
common spiritual heritage as human beings
is at the core of the Master’s teachings.
If we can enjoy what the mystic poets say, we
may be inspired to integrate bits and pieces
of their wisdom into our daily lives. Their
exquisite poetry gives us a taste of the peace
and oneness exemplified by the great souls who
have walked amongst humanity. The powerful
love behind their words calls to our hearts
and souls to awaken and find the Source.
Where heart is, love is also.
He who dwells in love,
dwells in God, God in him.
There is only one person
for you in this world
and that is God in Master.
God is working in him,
blessing us in everything.
But our cup is not upright,
it remains always downward.
So knock at the door;
it will be opened for you.
Whatever you ask, it will be given.
~Sant Thakar Singh
(The Subject of Heart; Edition Naam, 2004)
How Sound Meditation
Keeps Us Safe
Sant Thakar Singh

W hen you attune yourself with the Sound, in the

beginning you will find that the mind, which is charged
negatively, will not be able to accept this Sound. The
mind will evade the Sound, will wander here and there
and will not attend to the Sound. It will not like it, and
you will feel like getting up and ignoring it. That is due
to the control of negative impressions upon your mind;
they will not like what is coming to you. But keep on
sitting, and after some time you will find that the mind
is much more receptive to the Sound and some taste
is there, sweetness and peace are there. Some love is
also available from the Sound.

Then the mind will begin to like it, because the mind’s
likes and dislikes are according to its desires. The mind
wants respect, sweetness, peace, and love, and when
these are available from inside, then it will ignore what
is from outside. Outer love and outer peace are tempo-
rary and not so strong, but love, peace, and sweetness
from the inside are very strong. After some time you
will be completely cleaned and charged with the posi-
tive power. You will have a stock of goodness that will
remain with you. Anything that comes from the nega-
tive atmosphere of the outer world can be kept away
and nullified by this stock of goodness. This will save
you.

18 Shabd, the Eternal Song visit our website at www.editionnaam.com

 This method that is given to us is the best, the surest,
and the most practical. It is not so difficult. We, the
people of this world who are engaged very much in
worldly pursuits, have not much time. If we are initiated
by a competent Master, then we are connected with
this highest and strongest life-giving impulse of Sound
and Light. This is the way that we can save ourselves
in this age…

This meditation on Sound and Light has the effect of

burning away all the impressions of the karmas, even
those done in past lives. Those karmas that are still in
your stock from past lives, or from what you have done
or are still doing in this life, will all be nullified. Then you
will not be left with any kind of karmic burden, good or
bad, but you will have only blessings from God. You
will be able to enjoy these, and these will remain with
you. This is a good stock, really workable and practical,
and from which you can benefit…

The Sound and Light have the competency to make us

clean, and then we are totally free of any kind of adul-
teration from the outer world, and we are again right
side up. So this is the way that we can live safely in
this world.

If you are connected with the holy links of Light and

Sound, even if killers, burglars, drunkards, or other
negative people come around you, they will be unable
to affect you or control you. Instead, your positive
power will have an effect upon them.

From Live the Life of Soul

(Edition Naam, 2005; pp. 155-156;
edited for Know Thyself magazine)

visit our website at www.editionnaam.com Shabd, the Eternal Song 19

Ocean of Life, Land of Bliss
T he light of the sun,
the moon, and the
stars shines bright:
The melody of love swells
forth, and the rhythm of love’s
detachment beats the time.
Day and night, the chorus
of music fills the heavens;
and Kabir says:
“My Beloved One gleams like
the lightning flash in the sky.”
Do you know how the moments
perform their adoration?
Waving its row of lamps,
the universe sings in
worship day and night,
There are the hidden banner
and the secret canopy:
There the sound of the
unseen bells is heard.
Kabir says: “There adoration
never ceases; there the
Lord of the Universe
sitteth on His throne.”
20 Shabd, the Eternal Song visit our website at www.editionnaam.com
The whole world does its
work and commits its errors:
but few are the lovers
that know the Beloved.
The devout seeker is he
who mingles in his heart
the double currents of love
and detachment, like the
mingling of the streams
of Ganges and Jumna;
In his heart the sacred water
flows day and night; and
thus the round of births and
deaths is brought to an end.
Behold what wonderful rest
is in the Supreme Spirit! and
he enjoys it, who makes
himself meet for it.
Held by the cords of love, the
swing of the Ocean of Joy
sways to and fro; and a mighty
sound breaks forth in song.
See what a lotus blooms there
without water! and Kabir says
“My heart’s bee
drinks its nectar.”
What a wonderful lotus it is,
that blooms at the heart of
the spinning wheel of the
universe! Only a few pure
souls know of its true delight.
Music is all around it, and
there the heart partakes of
the joy of the Infinite Sea.
Kabir says: “Dive thou into
that Ocean of sweetness:
thus let all errors of life and
of death flee away.”
Behold how the thirst of
the five senses is quenched
there! and the three forms
of misery are no more!
Kabir says: “It is the sport
of the Unattainable One:
look within, and behold how
the moon-beams of that
Hidden One shine in you.”
There falls the rhythmic
beat of life and death:
Rapture wells forth, and all
space is radiant with light.
 There the Unstruck Music is
sounded; it is the music of the
love of the three worlds.
There millions of lamps of sun
and of moon are burning;
There the drum beats, and
the lover swings in play.
There love-songs resound, and
light rains in showers; and the
worshipper is entranced in the
taste of the Heavenly nectar.
Look upon life and death; there
is no separation between them,
The right hand and
the left hand are the
one and the same.
Kabir says: “There the wise
man is speechless; for this
truth may never be found
in Vedas or in books.”
I have had my Seat on
the Self-poised One,
I have drunk of the Cup
of the Ineffable,
I have found the Key
of the Mystery,
I have reached the
Root of Union.
Travelling by no track, I have
come to the Sorrowless Land:
very easily has the mercy of
the great Lord come upon me.
They have sung of Him as
infinite and unattainable:
but I in my meditations have
seen Him without sight.
That is indeed the sorrowless
land, and none know the
path that leads there:
Only he who is on
that path has surely
transcended all sorrow.
visit our website at www.editionnaam.com Shabd, the Eternal Song 21
Wonderful is that land of rest,
to which no merit can win;
It is the wise who has seen it, it
is the wise who has sung of it.
This is the Ultimate Word:
but can any express its
marvelous savour?
He who has savoured it once,
he knows what joy it can give.
Kabir says: “Knowing it, the
ignorant man becomes wise,
and the wise man becomes
speechless and silent,
The worshipper is
utterly inebriated,
His wisdom and his detachment
are made perfect;
He drinks from the cup of
the inbreathings and the
outbreathings of love.”
There the whole sky is
filled with sound, and there
that music is made without
fingers and without strings;
There the game of pleasure
and pain does not cease.
Kabir says: “If you merge
your life in the Ocean of Life,
you will find your life in the
Supreme Land of Bliss.”
What a frenzy of ecstasy
there is in every hour! and
the worshipper is pressing
out and drinking the essence
of the hours: he lives in
the life of Brahma.
I speak truth, for I have
accepted truth in life; I am
now attached to truth, I have
swept all tinsel away.
Kabir says: “Thus is the
worshipper set free from
fear; thus have all errors of
life and of death left him.”
There the sky is filled
with music:
There it rains nectar:
There the harp-strings jingle,
and there the drums beat.
What a secret splendour
is there, in the mansion
of the sky!
There no mention is
made of the rising and
the setting of the sun;
In the ocean of manifestation,
which is the light of love, day
and night are felt to be one.
Joy for ever, no
sorrow,—no struggle!
There have I seen joy filled to
the brim, perfection of joy;
No place for error is there.
Kabir says: “There
have I witnessed the
sport of One Bliss!”
I have known in my body
the sport of the universe:
I have escaped from the
error of this world.
The inward and the outward
are become as one sky,
the Infinite and the finite
are united: I am drunken
with the Sight of this All!
This Light of Thine fulfills
the universe: the lamp
of love that burns on the
salver of knowledge.
Kabir says: “There error cannot
enter, and the conflict of life
and death is felt no more.”
Sant Kabir
Songs of Kabir (1995), pp. 60-67
 Shabd
Short Prose on
E ternal wealth is of the Naam alone.
All other riches come and go. Fire cannot
burn this wealth nor can thieves steal it.
This wealth of the Lord pervades the very
souls of all and always goes with the soul.
It is found through the Perfect Master
and never falls to the lot of one
immersed in the life of the senses.
Great indeed is the merchant, O Nanak,
who gains the riches of Naam!
Sant Kirpal Singh
The Jap Ji, (2002), p. 79
F rom the turret of the Heaven
a call bids thee Home.
But fallen into the snares thou listeneth not.
No one knows where the
Mansion of the Beloved lies,
But sure enough the chiming of
the bells proceeds therefrom.
Khawaja Hafiz
Sant Kirpal Singh
The Jap Ji (2002), p. 24
22 Shabd, the Eternal Song visit our website at www.editionnaam.com
P ilgrimages, austerities, mercy,
charity and alms-giving, cease to be of
any consequence, when one gets an
ingress into the Til—the Inner Eye;
Communion with and practice of the
Holy Word, with heart full of devotion,
procures admittance into the Inner
Spiritual Realms, washing away the dirt
of sins at the Sacred Fount within.
All virtues are Thine, O Lord; I possess
not one, There can be no worship
without practising the Holy Word.
From Thee has emanated the Bani or Holy
Word, which is the path to salvation;
Thou art Truth, enchanting sweet,
and my mind yearns for Thee.
Sant Kirpal Singh
The Jap Ji (2002), p. 105
O Nanak, may we rise up on
the current of the Holy Naam—the
Divine Word—to Thy Presence,
And wish peace unto all the
world, under Thy Will.
Guru Nanak
Sant Kirpal Singh
The Jap Ji (2002), p. 17
 The Master Walks
With You Hand in Hand

W hen you are in doubt you are not likely to obtain anything. You can get
neither this world nor God. The Master takes away your doubts and
brings you to the true path. He starts to walk with you hand-in-hand,
and by tomorrow you will be running. This will take some time, of course. Today a
child can walk when you hold his hand, but tomorrow the same child can become a
gold medalist by winning a race in the Olympics. The duty of the parents is merely
to help the child learn to walk while holding its hand. Similarly, the Master leads you
by holding your hand. It’s your duty to continue walking, and then you will accom-
plish all. While walking on the path, listen to the instructions of the Master, act upon
them, and keep on with it. The Master will make you understand that you have a
physical body, a mind, and an intellect and that you are also a soul. He will tell you
everything and show you the path to final liberation. He will make you aware of the
Naam or the Word.

“Insane Mind, remember God.” The mind is mad and always wandering around. The
mind makes you dance even when you do not want to do so. You are here today
because you no longer want to dance to the tune of your mind. Although you are
sitting here now, when you go away your mind will make you dance again. Then it
becomes your business again.

I assume that whoever seeks the protection of the Master has seen the world,
tasted it, discerned it, and then given it up. The world does not mean your lands,
homes, shops, livestock, and marital status. The world, which you have created in
your mind, is within you.

The outside world existed before we came here and will remain after we are gone.
Even so, you cannot leave this creation. Wherever you go on this earth, the world
inside of you will still be present.

The mind always wanders outside and never sits within. The Masters tell you to
make the mind understand and to subdue it. Do not listen to the mind, but gradually
divert it to the right way. “O insane Mind, remember God.”

Sant Baljit Singh

“The Golden Opportunity “

visit our website at www.editionnaam.com Shabd, the Eternal Song 23

 Listen Within
W e who are miserable,
the Truth is manifest;
We are only half turned.

Lust for the worldly aspect,

keeps us in unrest.

Listen within;
Master holds our hands in the
darkness and blesses us anyway.
Perfect One!

Master Sant Baljit Singh is pure gold.

Thank you God, You have given us a rare ruby;
One who loves flowers has a tender heart;
Softer than rose petals and sweeter
than jasmine blossom.

Listen within;
Master holds our hands in the
darkness and blesses us anyway.
Perfect One!

It’s the gold in Him.

We are but a drop.

Isn’t it?

Listen within...

24 Shabd, the Eternal Song visit our website at www.editionnaam.com

 The Healing Power of Sound
A few years ago, I developed a serious
infection around my right eye. I had a
fever of 102 degrees, and an unhealthy reddish-
purple color was spreading across my forehead.
I felt upset and prayed to the Master Power for
help. Immediately, I felt a strong urge to go to the
doctor.
The doctor told me that two people in our town
had recently died from meningitis, an infection of
the outer covering of the brain. He said my infec-
tion was deep and similar to those. So he was very
concerned and prescribed an aggressive treatment
of antibiotics. He wished to put me in the hospital,
but I explained that we were very poor and had no
health insurance. I asked if we could do the treat-
ment from home. The doctor reluctantly agreed
and strongly admonished me: If the redness were
to expand any further, if my fever were to go up
any, or if the pain were to increase at all—then I
was to go immediately to the hospital. He said this
kind of infection could result in a very quick decline
and death, and I must take it seriously.
Shaken by what he said, I felt determined to take
careful measurements at regular intervals to be
sure that I wasn’t getting worse. I was trained in
laboratory science and knew how important objec-
tive measures are. When I got back home, I put
a thermometer, tape measure, and pad of paper
and pencil by my bed. I made four columns on the
pad: date and time, temperature, red skin area,
and pain. I took my temperature and measured
the diameter of the red-purple swelling around my
eye. I recorded those, along with my level of pain,
using a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is extreme pain
and 1 is no pain. I decided to take measurements
every four hours, and if anything were worse, I
would go to the hospital.
I felt tired but not sleepy after all of this, so I
decided to sit in Sound meditation for a while. This
felt very pleasant, and I enjoyed it tremendously.
visit our website at www.editionnaam.com Shabd, the Eternal Song 25
I felt so relaxed, as if I were resting on a gentle,
warm ocean, just floating and enjoying the
warmth. Four hours went by very quickly. I had
never meditated so easily!
After this, I felt very refreshed. I took the measure-
ments again. The fever was down one degree,
the redness was ¼ inch less, and the pain was
one number lower. I felt happy!
Now I was tired, so I lay down and slept a while.
I woke up and saw that about four hours had
passed. So I took the measurements again. Not
much change.
Now I felt like meditating on Sound again. Again I
had another very blessed session. The four hours
passed quickly, and I felt refreshed. When I took
the measurements again, everything was again
slightly improved.
Over the next few days, this pattern continued.
Each session of Sound meditation felt sweet and
refreshing, and each one brought a new wave of
recovery. Sleep continued to have a much smaller
impact than Sound meditation. The Masters say
that the Sound meditation is a great medicine
for illness, and my measurements were showing
this. At no time did anything get worse. After
three days, I was remarkably better, although it
still took another week to recover.
The doctor said he had never seen anyone heal
so quickly from such a serious infection. For me, I
knew without a doubt that the Sound had been a
significant part of the healing. The medicines and
doctor were needed too, of course. But I will never
forget the big difference between the measure-
ments after sleep compared to those after the
Sound meditation. This clearly demonstrated for
me in a scientific way the healing power of the
Sound.
 The Soul’s Plea
to the Mind
This is an appeal from the soul,
asking the mind to listen carefully:
“From the day we were separated
from God and came into creation,
I have been your slave and have
ever danced to whatever tune you
chose. I have always been completely
yours—please listen to me for once. I
did not even obey God’s word or the
Guru’s, but whatever you ordered I
obeyed. I read page upon page of
holy scriptures, but threw them all
away and turned my face from the
Lord—just to obey you. Never once did
I become God’s servant; never once
did I serve the Guru; I served only you.
So today I pray you, listen to me.”
~ Sant Kirpal Singh,
The Night Is a Jungle
(2000, pp. 156-157)
26
26 Shabd the
NATURAL Eternal Song
LIVING visit
M y mind has always yearned for a higher state
of consciousness. Spurred on by feelings of discontent and
a sense of sadness, I pursued “things” and relationships,
trying to remedy this impoverished state of being. I always
felt this most acutely at parties or in crowds, when one is
meant to be having fun. “What is wrong with me?” I used
to wonder. “Why am I not happy? What is missing?”
The mind has been compared to an elephant running amok
through the jungle, creating havoc in its wake. The Master
has been described as a great Mahout (the Indian name
for the handler of an elephant). His magic goad, with
which he controls the huge beast, is the Sound Current. By
listening to the Inner Sound, the elephant (my mind) has
stopped its rampaging ways and has acquired some self-
discipline and self-restraint. And living under the directions
of the Mahout has created many positive changes.
Soon after I began listening to the Sound Current, I discov-
ered that this treasure of the Masters has value in both
worlds—the spiritual and the physical. I noticed its bene-
fits immediately. I had been prone to occasional sudden
bursts of irritation that affected my moods. This irritability
would come upon me at any time. Through meditation on
the Sound Current, this changed. I found that by habitu-
ally listening to the Sound, a nourishing balm soothed my
nervous system and a sense of detachment cushioned me
from outer circumstances. People and situations that once
would have perplexed or annoyed me, no longer had the
power to disturb my peace.
visit our
our website
website at
at www.editionnaam.com
www.editionnaam.com
I have always loved to sleep, and getting out of bed early Now listen to your slave, and agree with me:
in the morning to meditate has taken some extra effort.
If I slept past my alarm clock, the first sound that often Rise above body consciousness and
greeted my awareness would be a crow cawing outside
my window. The Masters have described the mind, in yet make your home there.
another metaphor, as a crow, while the soul has been
As you were, so again become;
compared to a swan. I would then ask myself, “Do I want
to remain a crow?” My answer would be invariably “No.”
Why suffer unhappiness and happiness here?
Then I’d jump out of bed to start my morning meditation.
I have come to treasure this part of the day, when the Satguru revealed the secret unto me;
“elephant” takes her morning bath. If she lies very still,
the Mahout will lovingly scrub away the grime and dirt Take the mind as companion and return home.
that have accumulated over time.
I, the soul, am in your power;
I have discovered blessings in the Sound. The Current
holds me gently and gives comfort to my heart. Through Without your help, I cannot contact the Shabd.
the loving attention of the divine Mahout and the merit
of the goad, the elephant has stopped stampeding. If you do not listen to me,
The elephant is still an elephant, but she has given up
Then go into the cycle of eighty-four.
her circus life and performing for peanuts. Crowds no
longer interest her. She is not always happy, but thanks
Now show mercy unto me.
to the gracious Mahout she has tasted bliss, which, the
elephant has to agree, is worth pursuing. And what was Hear my plea; search out that Sound.
missing in my life? God, in the form of Light and Sound.
~Swami Ji, quoted by Sant Kirpal Singh,
The Night Is a Jungle (2000, pp. 167-170)

visit our website at www.editionnaam.com NATURAL LIVING 27

 Songs of Love
Remembrance Through Music
At the end of the year in 1986, about a hundred or so
initiates attended a small retreat with Sant Thakar Singh
in Santa Barbara, California. Perched on the moun-
tainside overlooking the sparkling Pacific Ocean, the
small center was the perfect place to enjoy meditation,
spiritual fellowship, and the delightful presence of the
Master. This two-week retreat spanned Christmas and
New Year’s and was a time of sweetness, joy, magic—and
music.
Each day was filled with uplifting activity. In the early
morning we meditated together, and in the mid-morning
the Master gave a satsang. In late afternoon, all gathered
with the Master to receive his darshan and prashad. And
in the evening, we once again had satsang, followed by
meditation.
One day, which those of us there will never forget, we
arrived for the morning satsang and saw that Master
was seated before a keyboard. Once we were still and
quiet, to our tremendous surprise, he began to play the
keyboard. Most of us had no idea that the Master was a
musician. We were so delighted that we began to laugh
and clap. What followed was a delicious treat for the
ears and the soul. The music lifted our hearts and spirits
and filled us with remembrance of the gift of God.
Each day the Master sang new songs to us, and soon we
were humming the melodies and learning the lyrics. A
few months later, during the Wappinger Falls, New York
retreat (1987), the Master again sang many songs for us.
The songs were played over loudspeakers, and the
retreat participants there also fell in love with them.
We were enchanted by both the words and the
melodies of these heart-to-heart songs of love.
28 Shabd, the Eternal Song visit our website at www.editionnaam.com
During the Master’s 1988 tour, he played and sang during
almost every morning and afternoon satsang. Late in 1988,
the recordings were collected and released on two audio-
tape cassettes, along with a small songbook called Songs of
Love. The songbook contains the words of the songs, both
written in the Master’s own handwriting, as well as in a
typed version. In the years that followed, more audiocas-
settes were released. In 2005, the songs were remastered
on 10 CDs. *
Sant Thakar Singh played many traditional Indian instru-
ments, including tablas, harmonium and the tampura. He
also was gifted with a beautiful singing voice. The songs
that he sang are his original composition.
Western ears do not always appreciate or enjoy Indian
classical music, especially when first hearing it. The
two forms of music are different, with different scales
and presentations. Yet even those not accustomed to the
different sounds of Indian music often begin to appreciate
it after listening to it for some time.
Indian classical music was designed to replicate the
Sounds from the inner planes. In 1988, the Master said:
“Words and songs that come out of a heart that is harmo-
nized with love are charged by God. God expressed
himself in this great and wonderful singing. The sounds
of the different planes are copied in the outer Indian clas-
sical music instruments.” (Sant Thakar Singh; May 11,
1988, Costa Rica)
Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, a poet and composer who was
Asia’s first Nobel prize winner, was well acquainted
with both the Western and Indian systems of music. He
wrote:
* The 10 Songs of Love CDs and songbook, Songs of Love,
are available from Edition Naam.
The world by day is like European music—a
flowing concourse of vast harmony,
composed of concord and discord and
many disconnected fragments. And the
night world is our Indian music: one pure,
deep, and tender raga. They both stir us,
yet the two are contradictory in spirit. But
that cannot be helped. At the very root,
nature is divided into two, day and night,
unity and variety, finite and infinite. We
men of India live in the realm of night; we
are overpowered by the sense of the One
and Infinite. Our music draws the listener
away beyond the limits of every day
human joys and sorrows and takes us to
the lonely region of renunciation which lies
at the root of the universe.

The basis of Indian classical music is spirituality, and each

song the Master wrote was steeped in spiritual yearning
O Great God
and beauty. In June 6, 1988, after singing “Repose in Father
O great God, O great God, glorious One,
God, Lovely” for an audience in Vermont, the Master said:
You know your self, else can none.
This song is a little specimen of how music can raise you up,
and you will forget all worries, problems, and sorrows. Your Created you angels, faithful ones,
depressed mood will be raised and after that, you will feel a To serve your children, lovely ones.
little intoxicated in your own Self. You will not feel anything of
the world and will feel perfect, consoled in your own Self. You You are the Source of fragrance, beauty,
will not need delicious food or fragrant flowers. You will come Blessed to flowers, you in plenty.
out of this world.
In your image holy, man was made,
He went on to say:
To glorify you and your kingdom great.
Something much higher, bigger, beautiful, and more wonderful
is lying unexplored within us. This Indian classical music has its Sun shared Light from the dust of thy feet;
own beauty. It does not take you to the words but towards If you bless me, will I find peace?
its intoxicating mood, which you will enjoy… You will go on
dancing in that mood. Sant Thakar Singh, Songs of Love

Edition Naam USA has

a new home at Lighthouse Center Florida!
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our full services and products. For the latest releases, please visit
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visit our website at www.editionnam.com Looking forward to serving you! EDITION NAAM 29
Delicious, Nutritious,
and Good for the Soul
The lacto-vegetarian diet is one of the foundations of the spiritual path of Sant
Mat. All living beings are part of God’s creation, and eating a diet based on plants and
milk products is compassionate to the animals of this world. Eating plant foods is also
better for the environment than non-vegetarian foods are. So in many ways, eating the
vegetarian diet is compassionate to the earth and the life upon it. Even more impor-
tantly, the vegetarian diet is a boost for the spiritual life.

What we eat goes to constitute the body and the mind. “Sound mind
in a sound body” is a well-known aphorism. We can have neither
one nor the other with an unwholesome diet. A strictly vegetarian
diet consisting of vegetables and fruits, both fresh and dried,
cereals, dairy products like milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc.,
is essential for all aspirants for Truth. We must therefore avoid meat,
meat juices, fish, fowl, eggs both fertile and unfertile, or anything
containing any of these ingredients in any form or in any degree.
Every action has a reaction and flesh eating involves contracting
fresh karmas and thus helps to keep the inexorable karmic wheel in
motion for we have to reap what we sow. We cannot have roses if
we sow thistles.

~Sant Kirpal Singh

The Teachings of Sant Kirpal Singh, Vol. 2 (2000), p. 60

Our attitude and frame of mind as we prepare foods is also important. Sant Kirpal
Singh explained that there are three types of foods:

Satvik Rajasic Tamsik

milk, butter, cheese, rice, energizing foods: peppers, spices, enervating foods: stale
lentils, beans, grains, vege- condiments, sour and bitter things foods, eggs, meat, fish,
tables, fruits, and nuts fowl, and wine, etc.

Out of the above, we should always prefer Satvic or pure foods.

These do a lot of good… Cook the Satvik food with heart engrossed
in sweet remembrance of the Lord. A food cooked like this, with
the mind entrenched in the Beloved and the hands engaged in the
work, becomes manna from heaven and proves a blessing to those
who partake of it.

~Sant Kirpal Singh

The Way of the Saints (1999), pp. 293-294

30 NATURAL LIVING visit our website at www.editionnaam.com

Here are a few lacto-vegetarian recipes. If you would like to share
your own tried and true recipes with the readers of Know Thyself,
please send them to: KT@editionnaam.com.
Enjoy!
Khichari (Rice and Mung Bean Stew)
Easy to digest, this recipe is said to have wonderful
properties for helping the body to rebuild itself. Rich
in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, this dish is
also a good source of complete protein.
2 Tablespoons ghee or butter
2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon sea salt, Himalayan salt, or other nutritious salt
1 cup brown basmati rice (washed and drained)
1 cup split mung beans (washed and drained); whole mung
beans are fine too
6 cups water
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
3 cups of fresh seasonal vegetables diced into ½ inch cubes;
can use squash, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, celery, or any
other vegetables that are seasonal and that you find easy
to digest
Warm the ghee or butter in a large pot.
Lightly brown the cumin, bay, and coriander
in the ghee or butter. Stir in turmeric,
salt, rice, and mung beans. Add water and
ginger. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat,
and simmer covered for 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the vegetables and stir. Cover and
cook on medium low heat until the rice,
mung beans, and vegetables are soft and
well done, about 30 to 45 minutes.
visit our website at www.editionnam.com EDITION NAAM
Broccoli Salad
1 large head fresh broccoli,
cut into bite size pieces
½ cup raisins
1 small red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup plain, unsweetened, nonfat yogurt
½ cup eggless mayonnaise (or yogurt)
Pinch of Himalayan salt
1 cup sunflower seeds, pecans, or cashews
(raw or roasted, without salt)
In a large bowl, toss together broccoli, raisins, and red onions.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey/syrup,
vinegar, yogurt, eggless mayonnaise, and Himalayan salt. Pour
over broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least
2 hours. Remove from refrigerator an hour before serving.
Just before serving, sprinkle with sunflower seeds, pecans, or
cashews. Toss and serve.
Khir (Rice Pudding) With Cardamom and Almonds
Simple, delicious, and sweet. This dish was recommended as part of
the festive evening meal for Guru Purnima, the special celebration in
honor of the Master during the full moon in July.
8 cups (2 L) milk
1 cup (250 ml) uncooked basmati brown rice
1 cup (250 ml) unrefined sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped, unsalted almonds
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground cardamom
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted, sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Bring the milk to a boil over high heat in a 5 to 6 quart (5-6 L)
saucepan, stirring constantly to prevent a skin from forming on top.
Reduce the heat to moderate. Continue to boil for 30 minutes, stir-
ring occasionally. Add the rice and cook for 30 more minutes, stirring
frequently, until the rice is soft and well cooked. Add the sugar and
finely chopped almonds. Stir for 15 minutes over low heat until
the pudding is thick. Remove from the heat. Add the cardamom.
31
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PERMIT NO 16

“
W hy do you wander around in ignorance?
O mind, where are you wandering?
Where are you lost?” This is the way we have to make
the mind understand and bring it to meditation. Meditation is
the true wealth—as I have repeated many times—because your
meditations will go with you. The wealth of meditation will go with you,
but not the wealth of this world. Make a note of it. Everybody in the world is
losing because no one goes after true wealth. What have you earned in this world?
All your palaces, lands, animals, and other physical possessions will be left behind.

Sant Baljit Singh

“The Golden Opportunity”

32 AROUND THE WORLD visit our website at www.editionnaam.com