Contemporary Sant Mat Movements, mostly among the Radha Soami tradition, are esoteric philosophy movements active in Australia, Europe, Latin America and the US, but especially India. These movements assert that Sant Mat shares a lineage with Sikhism and contains elements of thought found in Hinduism, such as karma and reincarnation. They further assert that Sant Mat also contains elements found in Sufism and has inspired and influenced a number of religious groups and organizations. They refer to this spiritual path as the "Science of the Soul" or 'Sant Mat', meaning 'teachings of the saints'. More recently it has been described as "The Way of Life" or "Living the Life of Soul". It incorporates a practical yoga system known as Surat Shabd Yoga.
Contemporary Sant Mat movements claim to incorporate a personal and private path of spiritual development in the common tradition of mystics past and present. They discuss the irrelevance of rituals, priestly class, mandatory contributions, or compulsory gatherings.
Introduction The basic teaching of contemporary Sant Mat, as described by its Masters, is that everything lies inside us and that God is within. The outside world is only an image or a reflection of the inner reality.Singh, Thakar (1989). Newspaper interview, Lagos Nigeria. Reprinted in Heart Of Compassion, Kirpal Light Satsang, 1991 So self-knowledge or knowledge of the higher self and God-knowledge (taken as a practical project rather than a theoretical inquiry) are the topics of Sant Mat.Singh, Kirpal (1955). Night Is A Jungle, Ruhani Satsang Books. Online_version.
Kirpal Singh describes Sant Mat as a synonym for Surat Shabd Yoga, the yoga of the Sound Current, or more simply Shabd yoga, a meditation technique he asserts was taught and practiced originally in northern India.Singh, Kirpal. (1999). Naam or Word. Blaine, WA: Ruhani Satsang Books. Singh writes that practitioners of Shabd yoga position the path as not requiring the physical torture of penance and austerities that marked many of the yogas and spiritual paths throughout the ages. Thus it is sometimes called "Sehaj" (easy) yoga.Singh, Kirpal. Man Know Thyself. Ruhani Satsang Books. Online_version
Widely accepted translations of the Indian term "Sant Mat" are "Teachings of the Saints" and "Path of the Masters". These are both incidentally the titles of prominent works on the subject.Singh, Kirpal (1976). The Way of the Saints: Sant Mat. Sant Bani ashram. .Johnson, Julian (1985). The Path of the Masters: The Science of Surat Shabd Yoga : The Yoga of the audible Life Stream. Radha Soami Satsang Beas. (Originally published much earlier, perhaps in the 1950s.) Another commonly accepted definition of the term is found in Man Know Thyself by Sant Kirpal Singh:
However, terminology, names, and groups are not considered to be of any importance in Sant Mat:
Origins
Sant Mat (literally, "school of the Sants") was a loosely associated group of teachers that assumed prominence in the northern part of the Indian sub-continent from about the 13th century. Their teachings are distinguished theologically by inward loving devotion to a divine principle, and socially by an egalitarianism opposed to the qualitative distinctions of the Indian caste hierarchy and to the religious differences between Hinduism and Islam.Woodhead, Linda & Fletcher, Paul. Religion in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations (2001) pp.71-2. Routledge (UK) "
Geographical reach Contemporary Sant Mat movements exist all over the world.
Radha Soami Satsang Beas, the mission begun by Jaimal Singh at the turn of the 19th century, has its headquarters known as "Dera Baba Jaimal Singh", near the river Beas in northern India since 1891. His master Shiv Dayal Singh had perhaps 500 initiates, and if one wanted to see the Master it was necessary to travel to his home in Agra. His lineage continues at Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh, Agra in India. The Dayalbagh Agra lineage follow Shiv Dayal Singh - Salig Ram -Maharaj Sahab - Kamta Prasad Sinha- Anand Swarup - Gurcharan Das Mehta - Makund Behari Lal and recently (Since 2003 Prem Saran Satsangi. Jaimal Singh had perhaps 2500 initiates and did not travel more than a few hundred miles from Beas while he was a Master. Sawan Singh did not travel outside of India, but is believed to have had as many as one lac (100,000) initiates, some of whom were foreigners. Jagat Singh also did not travel outside India. Charan Singh did travel overseas and the present master Gurinder Singh, travels to nearly 90 countries. Today the Radha Soami Satsang Beas is leading the way forward and encompassing all the teachings of the saints.
Sant Kirpal Singh visited Europe and the United States in 1955 and 1963, and Europe, America, and Latin America in 1972.Ruhani Satsang USA website, Tour reports The various spiritual leaders who claim to lead this movement now frequently travel all over the world.
General tenets The most central tenet is the need to be initiated by a living Master or Satguru ("sat" meaning true and "guru" meaning Master or Spiritual Teacher). "Competent Master" is another common formulation: the Master must be competent in the sense of having been commissioned by God, not just a person who feels like working in the role of a guru:
It is a sad affair that there are thousands of imitators, of false copies, but it doesn't mean that the world is devoid of truth and that a Master is not available to the people...It has always been a law that at least one complete master would be on earth to bring God's truth to the people. One such Master can benefit the entire world just as one sun can glorify and light up the entire world.
Sant Mat practice involves listening to the Inner Sound, contemplating Inner Light, and (eventually) leaving the human body at will - a practice sometimes referred to as "dying while living". The principal intent is to awaken the Soul and unite it with God."My dear souls, I should call you souls because we are from God. It is told to us" 'Your soul bears the seal of God. It belongs to God, give it unto God.' These words from the Bible and other scriptures were told by God himself when he came into the human garb. He came because Man has been misled. God is the only one who has sympathy with these suffering souls. He wants to end their suffering: 'Come back to me. Enjoy perfection, as I am perfect.'" LTLOS, page 1. Sant Mat is a practical and not a theoretical investigation."The present day is an age of the practical life. People do not believe unless there is something practical. So we must have all our Truth in a practical way, and it will appeal to all. This Truth will prevail. Times are changing. This is the only thing that can appeal to everybody. This is the only ground on which all of us can sit together. So I wish each one of you to be practical. Do not try to reform others. Reform your own self." LOK The Ocean of Intoxication.
Contemporary Sant Mat movements claim to be different in a radical sense from other disciplines or kinds of knowledge, which can be taught. It claims to be a meta-knowledge or method of going beyond knowledge and deprecates the mind and mental processes, at all times describing a dichotomy between the mind and the soul, in which the mind is only a negative copy or imitation of the soul."Anyone whose soul is under the mind's influence and control becomes an image of the mind, for he forgets his true self. We call this ego or I-hood for one thinks 'I am everything.' Yet, one does not know that true 'I.' If one has forgotten one's true Self, then who is it that will realize the Lord?" LOK Oh Mind, Listen For Once. The mind is to become still and quiet so that the soul can begin to experience itself."Once, I remember, a very learned pundit came to our Master. I was there. He had a talk with my Master. At the end he said, "Will you kindly initiate me?" He was initiated. Then he told the Master, "Master, I will become proficient within three months. I'll do everything You say and come back." Master said, "All right, what more is wanted?" He came back after six months, and fortunately I was there because I had the privilege to be back with the Master. He said, "Master, previously l had been putting in eight hours a day in worship, and my mind never disturbed me. Now I cannot sit for a moment." You see? It is because in the outward performances, the mind gets food. You light the candle, you offer flowers, then you do this and that. The mind gets food. But in this way, the mind meets its death. He would prefer to go into the mouth of a cannon rather than enter within." LOK Are You The Servant Of Your Mind?
The second essential tenet is the mystical role of the Sound Current:
Prajapatir vai idam-agree asit Tasya vak dvitiya asit Vak vai Paramam Brahma (from Vedas)
In the beginning was Prajapati (the Creator), With Him was the Vak (the Word), And the Vak (the Word) was verily the Supreme Brahman.
Proponents compare this with the verses of John 1 John to assert their special use of comparative religion (seeking the common thread in all religions and esoteric phenomena). Naam or Word , written by Sant Kirpal Singh, explores this theme. It asserts that the Sound Current is the esoteric form of God, which is available to human beings."When we meditate on that light of God and that music, we will find access to God himself. The music we hear in this outer world is the outer expression of that inner music. In the Jap Ji, twenty-seventh stanza, you will find Nanak marvelling at God's mansion...he says that in God's house he found all music, so many instruments, so many kinds and types of songs, and so many singers. Then Nanak further explains that all this universe, the Judge and air and fire and everything there is, is going on because of music....Everything is Music. God is also music and he controls everything with music." And You Will Fly Up To God (see ). p. 36. The Guru, who is a human being, has merged with the Sound Current in such a manner that he is a living manifestation of it, (the Word made flesh).Way of Life, 2002. "'Word made flesh and dwelt amongst us.' The Word God came into this world in human flesh and began to dwell with us. Why? So that the competency of the Word God, who has created everything, maintains everything, and is full God, will work in this world in the same capacity as it works in the highest heavens. " p. 8. However, not just the Guru can achieve this, but all human beings are inherently privileged in this way
Helping factors Beyond the two main tenets, Contemporary Sant Mat movements emphasize an ethical lifestyle and selfless service. They assert that these are not spirituality as such, but are necessary preparation for true spirituality to commence.An Ethical Lifestyle, Selfless Service. Video tape recording, Edition Naam USA. 2000. A self-introspective diary or daily diary tracking ethical lifestyle in five cardinal disciplines is sometimes recommended as a way to self-monitor one's own ethical condition. The five cardinal virtues tracked by the diary are Ahimsa or Nonviolence, Truthfulness, Chastity, love for all regardless of caste, creed, wealth, or intellectual attainments (i.e., Humility), and finally the maintenance of a strict Vegetarian diet. Drugs and alcohol are also to be avoided, as is the company of worldly-minded people.And You Will Fly Up To God, p. 57-75, "The Daily Diary".