Meditation: Talking to God

Other books by the author

Poetry books written in Panjabi

and Urdu (Shahmukhi)

Uchhalda Samunder (Crazy Ocean)

Trihaaya Samunder (Craving Ocean)

Ik Muthi Asmaan (Heaven in Hand)

Aalmi Parvaz (Worldly flight)

Aalmee Saaj, poetry in Panjabi

Translation in English of poetry books

Bliss of Life

Narrative Books

Chit Nu Tikhanay Rakhiye, in Panjabi

Rab de Darshan, in Panjabi

AuthorHouse™

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Phone: 1-800-839-8640

© 2012 by Dr.Tara Singh Aalam. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 01/04/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4678-8198-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4678-8197-5 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

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This book has been updated and translated by Jasvinder Singh Dooa and Kamaljit Kaur Dooa from the Punjabi book ‘Chit Nu Tikhanay Rakhiye’

Cover design by German Lomuoio

Contents

Other books by the author

*

Thank You

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Foreword

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Reference

Dedication

In loving memory of Saints and Meditators, with the blessings of Sant Baba Nand Singh Ji and

Sant Baba Isher Singh Ji of Nanaksar,

Jagraon dist. Ludhiana

*

Thank You

I have learnt from my teachers, if you want to grasp or achieve something great then you should have a truly great master. I feel this world is a home, we should all pray for home peace. This book is for all to read and the message should be engrained in our minds. This book is not for the shelf so read and share the message with as many others as you can. This book is a collection of the teachings of spiritual persons, philosophers and devotional poets, yet this book is purely for humanity and not for any particular religion. It spreads the fragrance of peace, love and universal unity. If we will feel God to be everywhere, in every moment, omnipresent, in different shapes and colours then we will automatically meditate and always feel intoxicated in the spiritual ocean of love, and full of unique spiritual wine. My religion is love. My life is a soul and the soul is the child of God, and my God is always with me. Thanks, thanks, a bundle of thanks.

Yours,

Dr Tara Singh Aalam

Acknowledgements

I am deeply thankful to Ranjit Singh Rana, the chief editor of the monthly magazine of ‘Sahib’, who again and again encouraged me to write the Panjabi version of this book.

A special thanks to Jasvir Singh Matharu, Image 22–chairman of Guru Nanak Universal Sewa UK and its members. Also to Inderjit Singh Matharu, Image 22, Taj Seehra, Panjabi Roots, Dr Harjit Singh Sidhu, Dr Harsharan Kaur Sidhu, Harvinder Singh Grewal, Tarsem Singh and Prem Kaur Dhenoa, Manvinder Singh Sagoo, Pardeep and Mrs Kiran Tripathi.

I am also thankful to Jasvinder Singh Dooa and Kamaljit Kaur Dooa who translated and updated this book from the original book in Panjabi. And also to Mr German Lomuoio for his time and effort in designing the front cover.

If in this moment of thank you I don’t mention my family, especially my life partner, Sardarni Amarjeet Kaur Aalam and my daughters, Gurpreet Kaur Aalam and Simar Kaur Aalam for all their support, then the message will remain incomplete.

Foreword

Big ocean in the glass, knowledge in brief dialogs. Collection of knowledge from many philosophers, prophets and many great writers. Meditating all the time within your body and soul. Always work, always look and talk with God like his dearest and nearest relative. I felt and learnt easy meditation automatically like my on going breath. This book has been updated and very keenly translated by Jasvinder Singh Dooa and his wife Kamaljit Kaur Dooa from a Panjabi book, ‘Chit nu tikhanay rakhiye’, written by Dr Tara Singh Aalam. My big desire, this philosophical book should be translated in many more languages. This book gives us the great message, God is one, we should be one and live together, with love, peace, unity and also to live cooperatively with each other. I believe whoever will read this book, he will grasp the truth, peace of mind, love, concentration, oneness, meditation and easy emerging within himself constantly.

Virendra Sharma MP

London Ealing Borough

Foreword

"The mortals business is with his own mind; one who disciplines his mind attains perfection.

Only the mind can deal with the mind; says Kabir, I have not met anything like the mind."

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji p342)

What better words than those of Saint Kabir, can more succinctly sum up the very heart of the message that Dr Tara Singh Aalam is conveying to his readers. Peace of mind is a topic discussed in many places and through many mediums yet has eluded mankind since the very beginning of time.

Dr Aalam–a well known interfaith writer and noteworthy poet–has talked on this topic with great zeal and depth drawing upon experiences and knowledge gained over a lifetime of company amongst enlightened souls. From a young age he had the opportunity to learn from some of the foremost Sikh Saints of the twentieth century including Saint Baba Isher Singh Ji of Nanaksar, Saint Mangal Singh Ji, Saint Baba Sadhu Singh Ji, Saint Baba Ram Singh Ji, and Saint Baba Gurdev Singh Ji.

From his Homeopathic practice in West London, he provides both medicinal and spiritual succour to people personally and through his writings. It was from here in 2010 that he suggested the writing of this English translation for their well know Punjabi book ‘Chit nu Tikhanay Rakhiye’. This book was a compilation of a series of articles for a Punjabi monthly magazine, entitled ‘Sahib’ covering numerous aspects of spirituality and was compiled and printed by the magazine’s chief editor, Mr Ranjit Singh Rana.

There was much demand from an English speaking audience for this book. It was for me a very daunting task, but with their patience, love and encouragement, this book has now found its way in to your hands. Much effort has gone into ensuring that this translation–or rather interpretation–remains faithful to the original text. On a personal note, our many meetings and discussions during the writing of this book provided me with opportunity for introspection and self-reflection for which I am eternally grateful.

It should be noted that though this book has a strong foundation in Sikh philosophy and teachings yet is not at all sectarian in outlook. This book is intended for all those who wish to use it as a guide for their own spiritual development and practice. Drawing upon the teachings of great Holy Scriptures such as the Gita, Koran, Bible, Sri Guru Granth Sahib and writings of numerous other great saints, it emphasises that above all religions and spiritual methods is ONE God, who belongs to ALL.

This then forms a basis from which one can understand their true self, and rein in the wild horse of our minds thus commencing the penultimate step towards the supreme union of our inner being with the Almighty, All Pervading Lord. It is our hope and prayer, that this message of love for all and devotional worship to ONE God can come through in bringing together and unifying all of humanity.

Jasvinder Singh Dooa

1

The unwavering mind

In the whole world, they are very few whose minds are calm, quiet and unwavering. How so ever we perceive the mind, the fact remains that only that persons mind will not wander aimlessly, upon whom the true Lord glances his grace. In this world the most beautiful, most pure, greatest and also the most necessary vocation is to develop a steadfast and unwavering mind. For this great undertaking, there exists immense knowledge and numerous organisations and institutions that exist to explain, share and show how to silence the mind, and yet there are so few who can explain how to achieve this state of mind that has eluded so many over the ages. There are many fake persons who claim to know this state of mind, and yet there are so very few teachers that have achieved and can teach from experience of what it means for the mind to be at inner peace from where one can experience the bliss within. We have systems and curriculums for successful academic educations that lead to qualifications useful in our working lives, but we have not managed to provide such a system through our religious and spiritual institutions to provide to the congregations.

Our minds have become so immersed in our external environments that it does not even have time to think about itself. We have become lost in the rush and humdrum of life, with all it’s colours, hues and desires that it presents us. In fact, instead of focusing internally for a better state of mind, we have become accustomed to searching outside for every little thing we need, want or desire. We have no time to contemplate on Gurbani (Gurus teachings) or to listen to the words of spiritually enlightened beings, and in the endless pursuit of our happiness mankind has created so many things, gadgets and otherwise, that we have lost touch with nature and the environment.

If for a moment we focus inwards, we will hear our souls screaming and shrieking out loudly in pain; mine, mine and nothing else can be heard. The hymn singers, religious scholars and writers, preachers and committee members are all engaged in outdoing one another. If any one of them does their job well, it appears that God dances to their tune. As their praises and respect increases, they forget the real giver of all. The creator was testing, and in bouts of vanity, they sung louder and the greed for wealth, praise and respect became destructive and all consuming.

Blessed is Baba Nand Singh Ji! When a raagi (professional hymn singer) would do a good performance, the congregation praises of him would increase then Baba Ji would say, "Raagi Singh, the divine reunion did not happen and time has been wasted. All your musical training, your knowledge and expertise of raags¹ will be of no use in obtaining the grace of the Guru. Remain humble, for humility is the key. You were reading the hymn ‘This life is dedicated to you (God)’ yet your mind was busy wandering outside and away from God, so how was your life being dedicated? To the congregation you are busy saying that you hadn’t yet started singing on the higher notes, otherwise the effect would have been greater! Raagi Singh take your consciousness to the high notes." The raagi would leave in awe of what kind of saint Baba Nand Singh Ji is and how he is able to grasp, read and understand another’s mind. Bhai Sujaan Singh, who was Baba Ji’s resident raagi, told of many such incidents in his time.

Baba Isher Singh Ji would say we have friends, they will come of their own accord; let’s keep our minds centred and focused. This is what it’s all about: to remain aware and rigidly control the direction of our thoughts and minds from its aimless wanderings. Only then will it remain calm, centred and steady. The technique is straightforward yet no one actually sits in self-analysis and introspection. Whatever technique one has established to aide them, they believe this to be new and innovative and also the superior and correct way!

All claim to be students and continually learning, yet casual conversations alone has them ready to preach. Then you can ask of as many spiritual medications, methods and techniques and their wisdom will flow like an endless river. Even the most ignorant and devoid of spiritual experiences are able to talk as if they lived in the presence of the divine. Talk is cheap! And all this emphasis on different techniques and methods does not help in silencing our minds but instead further exacerbate an already confused and cluttered mind.

Those engaged in a daily spiritual discipline, who regularly devote time to quieten their minds and focus on the creator and are engaged in this practice at every waking moment, they speak little and give their opinions even less frequently. To speak little, eat little, sleep little and dress in a non-ostentatious manner, these are all the external vestiges of a person whose mind is quiet and undisturbed.

The saints and spiritually enlightened beings explain the Gurus words in very straightforward and simple terms, removing all confusions and doubts. Spiritual research and practice with pride is dangerous. Some with a desire of quick spiritual ascension resort to occult practices, mantras and tantras and in their haste and impatience often fall astray. Yet, on the other hand, you have sharp tongued, argumentative individuals who demand logic and reason. For them, what cannot be visibly demonstrated, perceived by the senses or proven just does not exist. They forget that faith, throughout all the ages, has prevailed–being tested time and again by generation after generation of mankind. Those who lean on the pillars of patience, contentment and faith, taking support of the one universal infinite creator, are imbued in the bliss of divine reunion.

From ‘Ik Ongkar’ to ‘Nanak hosi bhi sach²’, Guru Nanak Dev Ji has outlined a