by SS Satsimran Kaur, Los Angeles CA
Summer 2010
The good thing about practicing meditation for a long time is that we can see that it works. In the beginning, it feels good. We notice small things like having more energy and, although we might have added time for spiritual practice, the time we have for the rest of the day’s activities actually seems longer instead of shorter.
As time goes on our practice of meditation becomes a pleasant habit, which takes us out of our routines and mundane thoughts and connects us to the essence of our being. Then, we start to identify that essence as the Creator or Creative energy or Universe or Source or God. Often though, we don’t notice how our practice is actually changing us.
We hear about neurons and gray matter and the frontal lobe; when we open science and anatomy books we understand how our life is controlled by these centers, but we don’t always think about how our meditation practice is changing them.
First, we start to “know” things, rather than “believe” them, but we don’t always correlate that to the fact that we have actually done a practice or practices that affect every aspect of our life, because we are changing our brain on the subtle level, which in turn affects how we think and act.
As an added bonus, when our practice includes Simran or constant conscious remembrance of one of the names or aspects of the Creator, either out loud or silently, we lock into the constant reminder of the Oneness of the Creation and the Oneness of the Creation to the Creator.
I am always surprised when I am on a plane that is going through rough weather or when it first takes off and when it is about to land, that I offer a prayer and acknowledgment that all things come from God and all things go to God. The prayer happens automatically for me and certainly takes the burden off the pilot!
The Meditative Mind
When I teach, I often talk about the practice of meditation, using the red light analogy. Practicing meditating is like learning to drive a car. We practice so that when we are not practicing we can have a meditative mind, putting our foot on the brake automatically when we see a red light. Meditation results in us seeing all the metaphoric red and green lights in our life.
By availing ourselves of the technology shared with us by the Siri Singh Sahib, whether a yoga set, or a meditation with pranayam, or by chanting a mantra, or reciting a shabad, or by doing Sat Nam Rasayan or other meditative practices we open the door to our mind.
Thus we can allow the soul to navigate us to a state of awareness of Anand or bliss or God Consciousness, always remembering that God is within and without us. It is this state that we strive for that when consciously achieved will set us free to see and love ourselves and each other.
About the Author
SS Satsimran Kaur is an ordained Sikh Dharma Minister. She has served Sikh Dharma International and the Siri Singh Sahib for many decades. Satsimran Kaur was on the Siri Singh Sahib’s personal staff from 1971 and was his appointment and travel secretary until 1987, when he entrusted her to work with him to create the White Tantric Yoga (WTY) videos. She continues to be General Manager of WTY worldwide and travels as a facilitator as well. She has created the vision for The Yogi Bhajan Library of Teachings and supervises its development.