Shiv Dayal Singh, also known as Soamiji Maharaj, formed a
modern Hindu religious community in the city of Agra in 1861.
Tulsi Saheb, a devotional (bhakti) saint who lived in that
area, had inspired Soamiji's family, and Soamiji's teachings show the value of
that encounter.
The significance of a spiritual teacher (guru) and the
practice of a spiritual discipline known as surat shabd-yoga are the two
foundations of Radha Soami philosophy.
Contact with a guru is the single most significant aspect in
a person's spiritual growth, according to Radha Soami teachings, and spiritual
advancement is contingent on total submission to the guru's grace.
It is critical for a devotee (bhakta) to be affiliated with
a "genuine guru" (satguru), since such a person not only has access
to the holy, but is also regarded a manifestation of the divine.
Surat-shabd yoga focuses on connecting the devotee's spirit
(surat) to the Divine Sound (yoga) (shabd).
The Supreme Being emits a Divine Sound that is constantly
present.
Due to their concentration with worldly matters, most people
are unable to hear it, but with appropriate training and dedication to a real
guru, anybody may become attuned to the Divine Sound and vibrate in harmony
with it.
The Radha Soami Satsang has divided many times since Soamiji
Maharaj, generally over disagreements over spiritual authority.
Given the Radha Soami's focus on the satguru as the Supreme
Being, schisms were almost unavoidable due to conflicts over spiritual
succession—in effect, disagreements over the identity of the Supreme Being.
It also seems that many of these schisms were fueled by
arguments over considerably more commonplace issues like power, position, and
property.
Various Radha Soamis branches have created effective
missionary activities and centers in Europe and the United States.
Sudhir Kakar, Shamans, Mystics, and Doctors, 1991; Lawrence
Babb, Redemptive Encounters, 1987; and Mark Juergensmeyer, Radha soami Reality,
1991 are also good sources of knowledge.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
