Surat-Shabd-Yoga is a mystical discipline practiced by the
Radha Soami religious group that emphasizes the union (yoga) of the spirit
(surat) with the Divine Sound (shabd).
The Supreme Being emits a Divine Sound that is constantly
present.
Due of their preoccupation with worldly matters, most people
are unable to hear it.
Anyone may become attuned to the Divine Sound and vibrate in
harmony with it with adequate instruction and dedication to a real teacher
(satguru).
Con touch with a real guru is the most crucial component of
this path, since only a true guru has access to the divine and is considered an
incarnation of the divine itself.
The single most crucial aspect in a person's spiritual
growth is devotion to a real guru, and spiritual advancement is contingent on
total submission to the guru's grace.
The imagery utilized by Guru Nanak, the first of the Sikh
gurus, and the Nathpanthis before him have a lot in common with this metaphor
of the Divine Sound and human resonance with it.
The excessive focus placed on a guru allows this religious
discipline to be performed by almost anybody, and the majority of Radha Soami
followers are housewives rather than ascetics.
Sudhir Kakar's Shamans, Mystics, and Doctors was published
in 1990; Lawrence Babb's Redemptive Encounters was published in 1987; and Mark
Juergensmeyer's Radha soami Reality was published in 1991.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
