cientific research is now proving that there are huge emotional and physical benefits to meditation. The Sikh Gurus emphasized this more than 500 years ago. The Sikh way of meditating goes beyond breathing exercises and mindfulness. In this article, we will learn the technique to do Simran through the Vaheguru Mantra.

The Sikh Technique to Meditate

The essence of Simran (Remembering Vaheguru) is that we have an ability within us to feel and experience things. This ability is referred to as the ‘mind’ or the ‘consciousness’. Through this power, we can experience cold, heat, thirst, hunger, or physical pain. Simran has to be done through this same power, the consciousness. This consciousness wanders all around. When doing Simran, we should try not to let it go into other thoughts. When we are reciting Bani (Guru’s Words) or while doing Simran, we need to use our voice to put that energy to work, which is otherwise busy doing other tasks of the body. 

‍

The Word Vaheguru

The word Vaheguru has four parts. So, whenever we utter this word, we must put twenty-five per cent emphasis on each part. The part va is associated with the throat. It should be recited from the throat. The pronunciation of he is below the throat, in the heart. Gu should be said from the palate and ru from the forehead. In this way, the word scientifically complies with our body. When we recite it with love, our body’s distorted and flowing energy starts to become focused.    Once that power of consciousness is settled, we begin to experience the Anand (sweetness/ bliss). When we are beginning our journey, we should do Simran for a minimum of fifteen minutes. Then we slowly start to decrease our volume while we chant and keep on decreasing it further and further. In this way, we will reach our internal self and realize the source of the Shabad (Word/Gurbani) from within us. Then our focus would be on that inner source.

‍

The Results of Simran

We should keep chanting the Vaheguru Mantra internally for as long as our concentration remains. When we keep to this practice, there will come a time when it feels like we have attained a new beginning in our life. Most humans are not aware of this huge potential which lies within their own inner selves. But when someone commits to this practice, the joy and satisfaction they get from doing Simran will surpass all other temporary pleasures of life. The result of attaining such a state is that your inner self won’t feel tired even after working throughout the day. This is because Naam (Connection to the Divine) becomes our powerhouse and liberates us from all types of stresses and anxieties. 

‍

Supreme Role of the Guru 

When committing to the practice of Simran, one must remember that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is our Guru, and where there is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, there is an unseen form of the ten Gurus present. This is the first and foremost belief of a Sikh, that wherever Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is, and even at all other places, our ten Gurus are present not in the bodily form but as a Hond (Being) in the Shabad form. We should know them to be with us, protecting us, helping us, and causing us to chant God’s name. 

‍

Simran is not a form of Yoga. If we decide to chant without the support of Guru Sahib, then it would be like Yoga or other meditation practices. We have to chant with the assistance and support of the Guru, with a true desire to meet God.

‍

The Last Few Tips 

It is good to focus on the last letter ‘R’ of Vaheguru, as much as we can. We can make the first three parts shorter, but the last part should be exhaled slowly and with ease. As a closing tip, I would suggest you to not put too much force or stress, do Simran with ease and contentment. The reason for explaining all this is to convey that Naam (The experience of Simran) is a scientific phenomenon. It is to get us focused and join our minds to the truth. But it is also important to remember that the goal is to move past all these techniques. The next stage is where Vaheguru is just a being who is forever present for us. We can just call out to Vaheguru with our hearts and we don’t need these techniques any more. We can definitely utilize them until our minds are learning how to focus. However, hopefully, after a few months or years of practice, we wouldn’t need these techniques. We can purely call out to Vaheguru with love and surrender.

This article is a transcribed version of the video Simran kive Karna (How should we meditate)? By Giani Kulwant Singh Ji.