After studying Hatha Yoga for years with the group I was with, I realized I couldn't make maximum progress on this path without becoming like a monk. People on this path who continued eventually gave up all signs of outward "pleasurable" attachments, such as physical intimacy, pursuit of money and families. This outward renunciation did not suit me so after a few years I continued my search and happened upon "Surat Shabd Yoga", where the renouncing was more inward. This is where I truly learned to "Love."



This "Royal Path" or Surat Shabd Yoga was, for me, heavenly. The Teachers had families, jobs, houses, cars and contributed to society like others. The renunciation was more inward, thus some royalty in the past chose to follow this path so that they could retain their kingdoms.

Surat Shabd Yoga is very simple and natural. You can practice it sitting, or laying down and it is very comfortable. Surat Shabd Yoga is meditation on the Inner Sound and Light, which we all have within us. This Inner Sound and Light, which is always there, has always been there, is something we can tap into. It is actually our Higher Self.

Any practice of Yoga requires one to conquer the mind. This is not the easiest thing to do. The individual mind is part of the ego and it wants to remain in control. The mind for most of us, controls our Soul. The goal is to have the Soul be in control and have the mind follow it, not the other way around. Surat Shabd Yoga give us a natural way to give the mind something to do, by focusing it on the Inner Sound and Light.

Slowing down the mind is like slowing dow a speeding train. Difficult but not impossible. As we practice, Surat Shabd Yoga gradually we get more and more control over it until one day, it becomes the servant to our Soul it was always meant to be.

There are a couple different ways you can practice Surat Shabd Yoga. The first way is to close your eyes and give yourself some words, a mantra, to repeat. They could be any words you choose and feel comfortable with. You can choose love, love, love or peace, peace, peace. You can repeat whatever you want. The second is to focus totally on the Sound and Light within.

Repetition of the word or words gives the mind something to do. It focuses the mind. We do not say the word or words out loud. We repeat the silently, to ourselves, with our mind only. The words should not make us think of some worldly event. They should not make us think at all. The goal is to train the mind to stop thinking except when we command it to do so.

I love meditation. People ask me how can I sit and meditate. It gives me a break from all that's going on. It is very peaceful, very warm, inviting and loving. I personally don't feel anything hectic, fast or mean when I am in meditation. Because it feels so warm and inviting, and I feel so much love, I enjoy it.

We feel Love when we meditate because we come in contact with the source of Love, within us. There is a fountain of Love inside of everyone. We tap into it when we meditate. As we get deeper into our meditation, we start recognizing this same fountain of Love within everyone else. Once this happens, we start understanding that the real meaning of "Love" is total identification with that fountain of Love within all living things.