Path to Enlightenment: Shri Aarti/Puja, Simran, Satsang, Dhyan, and Seva
Many Gurus have their unique ways to guide us toward enlightenment. Most emphasize four key practices: Seva (selfless service), Simran (remembrance of the Divine), Satsang (company of truth), and Dhyan (meditation). Our Shri Satguru Paramhans DayaluJi also highlights the importance of Shri Aarti and Shri Puja. Let’s understand all in a nutshell.
Shri Aarti and Shri Puja
Shri Aarti and Shri Puja are forms of Bhakti Yog—the path of devotion. Our Shri Satguru Paramhans DayaluJi guides seekers through all four Yog paths: Karma, Dhyan, Gyan, and Bhakti.
Shri Puja is an offering of the heart, mind, and soul to the Divine with love, gratitude, and surrender.
There are three types of Puja:
- External Puja: Offering flowers, light, or incense physically
- Mental Puja: Visualizing offerings inwardly with devotion
- Inner Puja: Offering thoughts, breath, and ego in silence
Shri Aarti is a devotional ritual of offering light to the Divine, often with song or prayer. It helps purify the space within and without. One lamp and one sincere heart are enough to deepen connection, awaken joy, and prepare the soul for inner experience through Simran and Dhyan.
Simran (Remembrance of the Divine)
Simran is the continuous remembrance of the Divine. As Lord Krishna teaches in the Bhagavad Gita, where your mind is at your last breath is where your energy will go. Simran helps keep your mind always focused on the Divine.
There are three types:
- Conscious Simran: Deliberate mental effort
- Spontaneous Simran: Happens naturally without trying
- Sahaj Simran: Effortless, constant vibration of the Divine Naam in the soul
The practice of Simran is the preparation for ending this journey to correct the next.
Naam Jaap (Repetition of the Divine Name)
Naam Jaap is repeating the sacred name given by a Guru, with faith and surrender, leading to liberation. It can be:
- Vaikhari: Loud chanting, good for beginners
- Upanshu: Whispering, inward focus
- Manasik: Silent mental repetition, for intermediate practice
- Ajapa: Effortless, ongoing repetition, even during sleep, is the most advanced form
You can perform Naam Jaap anywhere and at any time. In the beginning, focusing is aided by writing the Naam either literally or mentally in front of your eyes while chanting. Compared to Vaikhari, Ajapa produces more results when done while seated and with greater focus. Chanting half of the Naam while inhaling and half while exhaling is a useful method. Imagine with each breath that the oxygen in your breath is allowing the Naam to travel throughout your body, reaching your blood, bones, and every single cell from head to toe. Another method is with inhalation chanting half of the Naam, raising the energy from the root chakra to the third eye, holding the breath there with visualizing the Guru’s image, and exhaling the other half of the Naam as energy returns to the root chakra with moolbandh. For many other powerful methods, refer to Mr. Sanjiv Malik’s YouTube videos. The goal of Naam Jaap is to eradicate the karma from previous lifetimes.
Satsang (Company of Truth)
Satsang means being with Truth through saints, gurus, fellow seekers, or sacred texts. It can be:
- Physical Satsang: Attending bhajans, listening to discourses, or group chanting
- Spiritual Satsang: Reading and reflecting on holy scriptures
Satsang keeps us connected to the path and eventually leads to inner presence and solitude with the Self.
Dhyan (Meditation)
Dhyan is focused meditation or awareness. According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, it progresses through:
- Dharana: Concentrating on one object (breath, light, guru’s image)
- Dhyan: Effortless, continuous meditation
- Samadhi: Complete absorption where the sense of separation disappears
Dhyan cultivates stillness and one-pointed focus.
Seva (Selfless Service)
Seva means serving others without expecting anything in return. Mr. Sanjiv Malik is very passionate about the idea of giving in any form possible, especially when you are lacking it already. Seva can be physical, mental, material, financial, or spiritual. It is an offering made with love, humility, and devotion. Many hesitate to give, thinking it’s not the right time, place, or person, but the Divine is present in everyone and everything.
