FAQ

By serving and loving the Guru with deep devotion, one can please the Guru and become absorbed in Him (fana-fill-Sheikh). When the Guru is pleased, the Supreme Being will also be pleased and will reveal His true form (the pure light form).

During the period of spiritual practice, the Nad sound is heard by the seeker through the Guru's grace. This sound is often compared to the ticking of a clock or the beating of the heart. It is an inner sound that helps guide the seeker towards spiritual awakening.

True meditation is hearing the Nad sound and seeing the light.

The Mahamantra is the thought that my Guru is the one true God, that He has taken my place, He is the one meditating, He is the one guiding me in meditation, and His meditation is being carried out. After meditation, one should call out from the heart: "O! Supreme Being, may my Guru's divine will be fulfilled.

There are two types of Pind or realms: Gross Realm (Sthool Lok): This is the realm of death, composed of the five elements, which extends up to the Manipura chakra. Its sky is the Heart chakra. The cycle of birth and death continues here. Subtle Realm (Sookshma Lok): Its earth is the heart, and it extends to the Sahasrara chakra. Depending on the state, it manifests in white, red, black, green, and golden light. In Sufi terminology, these are called Kalb, Rooh, Sirr, Rafa, and Akhfi. The Supreme Light, or the Pure Consciousness, is the master of both realms. The Guru uses their power to take the disciple to the subtle realm and helps them concentrate their attention. The ascent begins here, and its end is known only to the Supreme.

The five stages of the heart are as follows: 1. Dead: One who does not have complete faith in God or the True Guru. 2. Ill: One who commits sins. 3. Unaware: One who indulges excessively in eating. 4. Hypocrite: One who is blindly devoted to idol worship. 5. Awakened: One who engages in the worship and meditation of the Supreme Being.

A person who follows the rules set by God, meditates under the guidance of the Guru, and progresses towards liberation (Mukti) is called a practitioner or *Sadhak. A **Sadhak* lives a simple life, does not harbor jealousy, serves the Guru with body, mind, and wealth, and incorporates the Guru's teachings into their life.

The three stages of love are: 1. Fana (Annihilation): The disciple always feels the Guru's presence. This stage is not permanent and there is always fear of change. 2. Wafa (Loyalty): The disciple sees themselves alongside the Guru, with the Guru always present and the disciple's love for the Guru becoming complete. 3. Baqa (Eternal Existence): The disciple sees the whole world as filled with the Guru or the Supreme Being, and nothing else appears to them. In Sufi terms, this is called Fana-ulfana (Annihilation of Annihilation). Such a practitioner is guided by divine beings, and their works are completed by the great saints. The grace of the saints remains with the practitioner at all times. A practitioner in this state can see the saints even with open eyes.

In Sant Mat, it is not necessary to practice physical postures (asanas) to awaken the Kundalini. Through the Guru's grace, the chakras awaken naturally. This is a path of love, where physical practices are not as important as love itself. The deeper the disciple’s love for the Guru, the greater their spiritual progress will be. There is no path other than love; everything depends on love. However, in a general sense, the chakras are described as follows: Muladhara (Root Chakra) Svadhishthana (Sacral Chakra) – These are used in Kundalini awakening within Yoga and Tantra traditions. They are related to worldly desires. Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra) Anahata (Heart Chakra) – This is located at the heart center. It has five parts: Kalb (heart), Ruh (soul), Sar, Rafee, and Asfi. Their colors are golden, white, red, black, and green. Vishuddha (Throat Chakra) – This is located at the throat. Ajna (Third Eye Chakra) – This is located between the two eyebrows. Sahasrara (Crown Chakra) – This is located at the top of the head. An unauthorized person, after becoming a Guru, may describe these chakras to their disciples by hearing or reading about them. However, they themselves have not crossed these stages and cannot lead their disciples through them. True saints guide their disciples with their own abilities. Sant Mat begins at the Heart Chakra. The disciple’s love and the Guru’s willpower, arising from that love, open this chakra. The disciple begins to experience it themselves: "Until you see it with your own eyes, do not believe it by mere words." In Sant Mat, it is believed that if the disciple feels vibrations and ecstasy throughout their body, their Kundalini is functioning correctly, and they are progressing spiritually. In this practice, love and association with the Guru are absolutely essential for the disciple; everything else happens automatically through the Guru's grace. This continues to happen. Without love and association, Nada (sound) and *light* can never be generated. The saint opens the disciple's Kundalini according to the disciple's condition and eligibility, and its movement becomes either upward or downward. The disciple remains unaware of this, preventing the arising of ego and protecting them from Maya (illusion). The saint, with attention to Nada and light, provides the disciple with a mantra. In the Heart Chakra, the disciple hears the Nada and sees various colors of light. They experience that they too are a part of this light, and this is their true goal. With this awareness, the mantra is given, and the upward journey begins.

Shaktipat can be done by the Guru either through intention or grace. The Guru performs Shaktipat in the following ways: 1. Through willpower (mental influence). 2. Through the gaze. 3. Through touch. Based on the level of spiritual power (spiritual state), the Guru can elevate a disciple’s position. The different levels of the Guru’s spiritual authority are as follows: (1) The Guru, with their spiritual power, can elevate those in a lower state, lifting them by one level and awakening their inner voice. (2) The Guru can elevate the disciple from any state, whenever they choose. (3) The Guru can only perform Shaktipat in a specific situation, not at all times. (4) The Guru can perform *Shaktipat* at will, regardless of whether they are in a specific situation or not. (5) The effect of *Shaktipat* will only occur when the Guru has firmly decided, otherwise, it does not. (6) Whether the Guru decides or not, the effect will still occur, but they can stop it whenever they wish. (7) The Guru remains unaffected by whether the effect takes place or not, staying in their own state of bliss. (8) *Shaktipat* only stirs internal emotions, but it does not affect the disciple's behavior or character. (9) The effect of *Shaktipat* leads to both internal spiritual growth and moral conduct. (10) Merely through the Guru's presence, the disciple can make internal progress and begin walking on the spiritual path.

Surrender yourself to a saint, and the Master will take care of everything for you.

It is a prayer offered selflessly, from the heart, without any desire for personal gain.

- Prakriti: It is everything that is visible in the world, which is created, destroyed, and constantly changes. - Purusha: It is the Supreme Soul or its form, which has the power to elevate the soul from the illusion (Maya) and unite it with the Supreme Light. It never changes and performs its work through a physical body, often through a saint.

The Supreme Being is the pure ocean of light, the creator of this universe. Nothing happens without His command, and by merely witnessing His presence, the soul attains liberation.

By serving and loving the Guru with deep devotion, one can please the Guru and become absorbed in Him (fana-fill-Sheikh). When the Guru is pleased, the Supreme Being will also be pleased and will reveal His true form (the pure light form).

1. They can hear the sound of *Naad* (divine music) with their ears. 2. They are not disturbed by hatred (enmity) or emotional attachment (love) and treat everyone with humility. 3. They understand that all the good happening in their life is due to the Guru's grace, and the bad is the result of past karmas. 4. One should have the thought that practices like Japa (chanting) and meditation are of a lower level, and the Guru's essence is above these. There should be a desire to surrender all actions to the Guru. 5. A firm belief should arise that there is no God except the Guru. 6. One should be convinced that by the Guru's grace, no worldly power can harm or benefit them. 7. The seeker begins to have visions of great saints and Mahapurushs and starts receiving guidance from them. 8. Their way of living begins to have an impact on others. 9. Good thoughts begin to reside permanently in their heart. 10. The heart becomes extremely soft and always prays for the well-being of others.

A Bhandara should be held for a saint who is liberated while still alive and has attained the highest spiritual state within their physical body. Only a disciple who has attained such a state and is capable of performing a Bhandara for their Guru can do so, and this Bhandara is accepted by the Guru.