Contemporary Sant Mat Movements, mostly among the
Radha Soami
Radha Soami is a spiritual tradition founded by Shiv Dayal Singh in 1861 on Basant Panchami Day in Agra, India. p. 90 note 5, Quote: "The date of Seth Shiv Dayal's first public discourse is Basant Panchami Day, February 15, 1861"., Quote: " ...
tradition,
are
esoteric
Western esotericism, also known as esotericism, esoterism, and sometimes the Western mystery tradition, is a term scholars use to categorise a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas a ...
philosophy movements active in the United States, Europe, Australia,
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
, and especially India. These movements assert that
Sant Mat
Sant Mat was a spiritual movement on the Indian subcontinent during the 13th–17th centuries CE. The name literally means "teachings of sants", i.e. mystic Hindu saints. Through association and seeking truth by following ''sants'' and their teac ...
shares a lineage with
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
and contains elements of thought found in
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
, such as
karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...
and
reincarnation
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...
. They further assert that Sant Mat also contains elements found in
Sufism
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...
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
Sant Mat was a spiritual movement on the Indian subcontinent during the 13th–17th centuries CE. The name literally means "teachings of sants", i.e. mystic Hindu saints. Through association and seeking truth by following ''sants'' and their teac ...
’, 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
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
system known as
Surat Shabd Yoga
Surat Shabd Simran is a type of spiritual meditation in the Sant Mat tradition.
Etymology
''Surat'' is "attention" or "face", that is, an outward expression of the soul; ''Shabd'' or ''Shabda'' has multiple meanings including ‘sacred song’, ...
.
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. 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
Kirpal Singh (6 February 1894 – 21 August 1974) was a spiritual master (''satguru'') in the tradition of Radha Soami.
Kirpal Singh was born in Sayyad Kasran, Punjab, in what is now Pakistan. He lived in Lahore during the period of his discip ...
describes
Sant Mat
Sant Mat was a spiritual movement on the Indian subcontinent during the 13th–17th centuries CE. The name literally means "teachings of sants", i.e. mystic Hindu saints. Through association and seeking truth by following ''sants'' and their teac ...
as a synonym for ''
Surat Shabd Yoga
Surat Shabd Simran is a type of spiritual meditation in the Sant Mat tradition.
Etymology
''Surat'' is "attention" or "face", that is, an outward expression of the soul; ''Shabd'' or ''Shabda'' has multiple meanings including ‘sacred song’, ...
'', the
yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
of the
Sound Current, or more simply ''Shabd yoga'', a meditation technique he asserts was taught and practiced originally in northern India. 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
/ref>
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.[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 i
by Sant Kirpal Singh
Kirpal Singh (6 February 1894 – 21 August 1974) was a spiritual master (''satguru'') in the tradition of Radha Soami.
Kirpal Singh was born in Sayyad Kasran, Punjab, in what is now Pakistan. He lived in Lahore during the period of his discip ...
:
:Man is constantly changing or introducing new names and terminologies to describe this Science. The Masters were called Sants, and the nature of knowledge Mat, thus giving us the term 'Sant-Mat', which is at present mostly used to name the Path of the Masters. Other terms, such as Shabd Yoga, Surat Shabd Yoga, Sehaj Yoga, are also used to describe the same Science. In the Sanskrit language, the word 'Sant' means Master of the highest Order, and 'Mat' is a confirmed opinion or statement made by an adept after personal experience. The foundation of this Science, therefore, is the result of a critical study, minute investigation, and the lifelong personal verification of facts based on practical experience of the Self in man. This experience of the Self is something that a competent Master is prepared to give to each individual who approaches him. Sant Mat, therefore, is the teaching, system and path of the Saints.
However, terminology, names, and groups are not considered to be of any importance in Sant Mat:
:The Masters do not attach any importance to names, designations, or the fact that many religious sects, groups and circles, have claimed this Science as their own and named it after their leaders or founders. They look upon these groups as schools where man — the noblest being in Creation — can study with other men as children of one and the same Almighty Father.
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 egalitarian
Egalitarianism (), or equalitarianism, is a school of thought within political philosophy that builds from the concept of social equality, prioritizing it for all people. Egalitarian doctrines are generally characterized by the idea that all hum ...
ism 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
Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) is a spiritual organization in Radha Soami movement. It is headed by Gurinder Singh. The main centre of RSSB is located on the banks of the Beas River in the northern Indian state of Punjab.
Establishment of t ...
, the mission begun by Jaimal Singh
Jaimal Singh (1839–1903) was an Indian spiritual leader. He became an initiate of Shiv Dayal Singh (Radha Soami). After his initiation, Jaimal Singh served in the British Indian Army as a sepoy (private) from the age of seventeen and attai ...
at the turn of the 19th century, has its headquarters known as "Dera Baba Jaimal Singh", near the river Beas
Beas is a riverfront town in the Amritsar district of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Punjab, India, Punjab. Beas lies on the banks of the Beas River. Beas town is mostly located in revenue boundary of Budha Theh wit ...
in northern India
North India is a loosely defined region consisting of the northern part of India. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from the Tibetan Plateau and Central ...
since 1891. His master Shiv Dayal Singh
Shiv Dayal Singh, called by the honorific "Param Purush Puran Dhani Huzur Soami Ji Maharaj" by his disciples and devotees, was born on 25 August 1818 in Agra in the colonial era British India (present-day Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India), and died ...
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 Central Satsang, at Dayalbagh, Agra, in India. Jaimal Singh had perhaps 2500 initiates and did not travel more than a few hundred miles from Beas while he was a Master. Baba 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
Chaudhary Charan Singh (23 December 1902 – 29 May 1987) served as the 5th Prime Minister of India between 28 July 1979 to 14 January 1980. Historians and people alike frequently refer to him as the 'champion of India's peasants.'
Charan S ...
did travel overseas and the present master Gurinder Singh
Gurinder Singh Dhillon, also known as Baba Ji to his followers, is the spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB). He succeeded Maharaj Charan Singh, his uncle, in 1990. The headquarters of this spiritual community, called Dera Baba J ...
, travels to nearly 90 countries. Today the Radha Soami Satsang Beas
Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) is a spiritual organization in Radha Soami movement. It is headed by Gurinder Singh. The main centre of RSSB is located on the banks of the Beas River in the northern Indian state of Punjab.
Establishment of t ...
is leading the way forward and encompassing all the teachings of the saints.
Sant Kirpal Singh
Kirpal Singh (6 February 1894 – 21 August 1974) was a spiritual master (''satguru'') in the tradition of Radha Soami.
Kirpal Singh was born in Sayyad Kasran, Punjab, in what is now Pakistan. He lived in Lahore during the period of his discip ...
visited Europe and the United States in 1955 and 1963, and Europe, America, and Latin America in 1972. 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
''Satguru'' ( sa, सत्गुरु), or ''sadguru'' ( sa, सद्गुरु), means the 'true guru' in Sanskrit. The term is distinguished from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on ...
("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. 6
Technically speaking Sant Mat practice involves listening to the Inner Sound, contemplating Inner Light
The inward light, Light of God, Light of Christ, Christ within, That of God, Spirit of God within us, Light within, and inner light are related phrases commonly used within the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) as metaphors for Christ's li ...
, 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. Sant Mat is a practical and not a theoretical investigation.
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. The mind is to become still and quiet so that the soul can begin to experience itself. The soul has its own internal sources of knowledge, and when properly connected to its inner sources, no outer education or knowledge is required or desired.
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
Prajapati ( sa, प्रजापति, Prajāpati, lord and protector of creation) is a Vedic deity of Hinduism. In later literature, Prajapati is identified with the creator god Brahma, but the term also connotes many different gods, depe ...
(the Creator),
With Him was the Vak (the Word),
And the Vak (the Word) was verily the
Supreme Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
.
Proponents compare this with the verses of John
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
Kirpal Singh (6 February 1894 – 21 August 1974) was a spiritual master (''satguru'') in the tradition of Radha Soami.
Kirpal Singh was born in Sayyad Kasran, Punjab, in what is now Pakistan. He lived in Lahore during the period of his discip ...
, explores this theme. It asserts that the Sound Current is the esoteric form of God which is available to human beings. 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. 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
Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...
, Truthfulness, Chastity
Chastity, also known as purity, is a virtue related to temperance. Someone who is ''chaste'' refrains either from sexual activity considered immoral or any sexual activity, according to their state of life. In some contexts, for example when mak ...
, love for all regardless of caste, creed, wealth, or intellectual attainments (i.e., Humility
Humility is the quality of being humble. Dictionary definitions accentuate humility as a low self-regard and sense of unworthiness. In a religious context humility can mean a recognition of self in relation to a deity (i.e. God), and subsequent ...
), and finally the maintenance of a strict Vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter.
Vegetarianism m ...
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".]
Selfless Service
Selfless may refer to:
* Selflessness, the act of sacrificing one's own interest for the greater good
**Selfless service
* ''Selfless'' (album), a 1994 album by English industrial metal band Godflesh
*''Self/less'', a 2015 film starring Ryan Reyno ...
or Seva means devoting oneself to mental, physical, or financial service to the Guru, and the sangat (or devotees). Mental service means keeping constant remembrance of God by means of repetition of the Mantra (known as Simran
Simran (Gurmukhi: ਸਿਮਰਨ; hi, सिमरण, सिमरन ; from Sanskrit: , ''smaraṇa'', 'to remember, reminisce, recollect'), in spirituality, is a Sanskrit word referring to the continuous remembrance of the finest aspect of ...
) or by other means keeping the Guru in mind. Physical service means doing some physical work, as in the situation where one helps dig a well at an ashram or gives a talk about the Master to the public. Financial service means giving money to the mission of the Master (to his organization) instead of spending it on oneself. The concept of Financial Seva is quite similar to tithing
A tithing or tything was a historic English legal, administrative or territorial unit, originally ten hides (and hence, one tenth of a hundred). Tithings later came to be seen as subdivisions of a manor or civil parish. The tithing's leader or s ...
as known generally in Christianity. Also, just as a very general rule, at least 10% of one's time should be spent in meditation.
Practices
Contemporary Sant Mat movements assert that the "Master" or Guru
Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...
is provided by God as the channel through which God manifests in the world - God is believed to be unknowable and inconceivable, so he has created Gurus as a way in which to be available. Only humans are capable of interacting with a Master, as other forms of life are asserted to be incapable of doing so.
Teachers of contemporary Sant Mat movements claim to teach a spiritual path which is intentionally easier than others described in the ancient scriptures as it requires nothing more than sitting quietly and looking and listening within.
Specifics of this process include connecting one's soul or attention, called '' Surat (soul)'' with the inner Current of Light and Sound of God, the Shabd
''Shabda'' ( sa, शब्द, ), is the Sanskrit word for "speech sound". In Sanskrit grammar, the term refers to an utterance in the sense of linguistic performance.
History
In classical Indian philosophy of language, the grammarian Katyayan ...
. Adherents believe this Sound Current cannot be heard by the uninitiated; it is made manifest at the time of initiation. An essential component of the practice involves sitting still with eyes closed, with one's attention focused at the "third eye center", located between and behind the two eyebrows, while (mentally) repeating one or more mantra
A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...
s given by the Guru to the disciple at the time of initiation. This is called simran
Simran (Gurmukhi: ਸਿਮਰਨ; hi, सिमरण, सिमरन ; from Sanskrit: , ''smaraṇa'', 'to remember, reminisce, recollect'), in spirituality, is a Sanskrit word referring to the continuous remembrance of the finest aspect of ...
(repetition) and its primary function is to still the mind while remembering (or being connected to) the Guru via the mantra he provided. However listening to the Sound Current by plugging the ears with the thumbs and listening at the right side or above is equally as important. Sound is considered to be the source of the Light, and to contain everything required.
The concept of Satsang
A satsanga (), also rendered satsang, refers to the practice of gathering in the company of good people for the performance of devotional activities. It also refers to an audience with a Satguru for yogic instruction. Satsangas are group events, o ...
is also a common thread in contemporary Sant Mat movements' practices. Satsang means literally "gathering of Truth." These gatherings serve as the formal meeting place of the Master and his devotees when he is present in physical form, but also, more often, follow the tradition of early Christianity and take place in the homes of disciples or in any convenient location as times of remembrance of the Master and the need for meditation.
In contemporary Sant Mat movements, not everyone automatically qualifies for Initiation
Initiation is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense, it can also signify a transformation ...
; many teachers require that prospective followers be spiritually “ready”. This was especially true in earlier times, when people made more time available. There are definite criteria for judging whether or not a person is indeed ready for initiation: they must be ready to eschew drugs and alcohol, lead a disciplined and chaste lifestyle, avoid spiritual healing and other forms of meditation, and commit to several hours of meditation per day.
Sects
There are many sects/movements within contemporary Sant Mat movements, with different leaders and varying belief systems. Examples include Advait Mat
Advait Mat or Paramhans Advait Mat is a cluster of panths (groups of disciples) in northern India. It was founded by Shri Swami Advaitanand Ji Maharaj (1846-1919) who is also known as Paramhans Dyal Ji Maharaj. He declared Swami Swarupanand Ji ...
and Radha Soami
Radha Soami is a spiritual tradition founded by Shiv Dayal Singh in 1861 on Basant Panchami Day in Agra, India. p. 90 note 5, Quote: "The date of Seth Shiv Dayal's first public discourse is Basant Panchami Day, February 15, 1861"., Quote: " ...
with following sub-lineages: the Radha Soami Satsang Beas
Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) is a spiritual organization in Radha Soami movement. It is headed by Gurinder Singh. The main centre of RSSB is located on the banks of the Beas River in the northern Indian state of Punjab.
Establishment of t ...
, Radha Soami Satsang Dayalbagh, Radha Swami Satsang, Dinod
Radha Swami Satsang, Dinod (RSSD) is an Indian spiritual organisation with its headquarters in Dinod village in the Bhiwani district of Haryana state. It promotes the Radha Soami sect that was founded by Shiv Dayal Singh on Basant-Panchami day ...
, Ruhani Satsang, and also the Science of Spirituality (SOS) with Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission
Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission is a non-profit, spiritual organization.
It is currently headed by '' Rajinder Singh''. The headquarters of ''Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission (SKRM)'' are based in Delhi, India.
Overview
Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission, hea ...
and Dera Sacha Sauda
Dera Sacha Sauda ("Camp True-Deal"; colloquially DSS) is an Indian non-governmental organization described as a "religious cult" and "non-profit social welfare dera" that was established on 29 April 1948 by Mastana Balochistani, an ascetic f ...
.
The work of David C. Lane
David Christopher Lane (born April 29, 1956 in Burbank, California) is a professor of philosophy and sociology at Mt. San Antonio College, in Walnut, California. He is notable for his book ''The Making of a Spiritual Movement: The Untold Story ...
provides a partial catalogue of various sects related to the Radha Soami Satsang Beas and attempts to study their formation from a socio-economic point of view. Mark Juergensmeyer
Mark Juergensmeyer (born 1940 in Carlinville, Illinois) is an American sociologist and scholar specialized in global studies and religious studies, and a writer best known for his studies on comparative religion, religious violence, and global ...
has also extensively studied groups related to Radha Soami Satsang Beas.
Related movements
The new religious movement Eckankar
Eckankar is a new religious movement founded by Paul Twitchell in 1965. Its membership today is primarily in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The spiritual home is the Temple of ECK in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Eckankar is not affiliated ...
is considered by some to be an offshoot of the Sant Mat tradition. Paul Twitchell
Paul Twitchell (born Jacob Paul Twitchell) (died September 17, 1971) was an American author and spiritual teacher who created and directed the development of the new religious movement known as Eckankar. Twitchell described himself as "The Maha ...
, who founded Eckankar, was an initiate of Kirpal Singh
Kirpal Singh (6 February 1894 – 21 August 1974) was a spiritual master (''satguru'') in the tradition of Radha Soami.
Kirpal Singh was born in Sayyad Kasran, Punjab, in what is now Pakistan. He lived in Lahore during the period of his discip ...
.
The similar to Eckancar American syncretistic Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness was founded in 1971 by John-Roger Hinkins
John-Roger Hinkins (born Roger Delano Hinkins) (September 24, 1934 – October 22, 2014) was an American author, public speaker, and founder of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA), as well as several other New Age, spirituality, spir ...
.
The "Quan Yin Method" of meditation promoted though the spiritual teachings of Ching Hai
Ching Hai (born Trịnh Đăng Huệ;Vietnamese name consisting of three parts in the following order: a family name, a middle name and a given name. 12 May 1950), commonly referred to as ''Suma'' or '' Supreme Master Ching Hai (Chinese: 清海 ...
, a former student of Thakar Singh, also has notable similarities to Sant Mat.
The Elan Vital, formerly Divine Light Mission
The Divine Light Mission (''Divya Sandesh Parishad''; DLM) was an organization founded in 1960 by guru Hans Ji Maharaj for his following in northern India. During the 1970s, the DLM gained prominence in the West under the leadership of his fourth a ...
, founded by Hans Maharaj and succeeded by his sons Prem Rawat
Prem Pal Singh Rawat (born 10 December 1957), formerly known as Maharaji, is an international speaker and book-author. His teachings include a meditation practice he calls "Knowledge", and peace education based on the discovery of personal re ...
and Satpal Maharaj
Satpal Maharaj (born 21 September 1951) is a spiritual master and an Indian politician, serving as the current PWD, tourism, cultural and irrigation minister in the cabinet of Government of Uttarakhand. He was born to Shri Hans Ji Maharaj and ...
, was characterized as part of the Sant Mat tradition. Satpal Maharaj also established the Manav Utthan Sewa Samiti.
See also
* Param Sant Kirpal Singh
* Sant Darshan Singh
* Rajinder Singh (Sant Mat)
Rajinder Singh (20 September 1946 in Delhi, India) is the head of the international non-profit organization Science of Spirituality (SOS), known in India as the Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission. To his disciples he is known as Sant Rajinder Singh J ...
* Sant Baljit Singh Baljit Singh (born October 27, 1962) is a sant and spiritual master in the Sant Mat lineage of contemporary saints.
Initiated by his master, Thakar Singh, in 1998, he began work as a master on February 6, 2005. His teachings include the esoteric ...
* Ajaib Singh
* Sirio Carrapa
Sirio Carrapa (born 12 May 1952 in Borgagne) is an Italian teacher and practitioner of mysticism and Surat Shabd Yoga in the Sant Mat tradition. He was a disciple of Kirpal Singh and Ajaib Singh, and he is acknowledged as a spiritual Master (" Sa ...
* Baba Faqir Chand
Baba Faqir Chand, (18 November 1886 – 11 September 1981) was an Indian master of Surat Shabd Yoga, or consciously controlled near death experience. He was one of the first saints or gurus of Sant Mat tradition to openly speak and write against ...
* Bhagat Munshi Ram
* Thakar Singh
* Kanwar Saheb
Radha Swami Satsang, Dinod (RSSD) is an Indian spiritual organisation with its headquarters in Dinod, Bhiwani, Dinod village in the Bhiwani district of Haryana state. It promotes the Radha Soami sect that was founded by Shiv Dayal Singh on Basa ...
References
Further reading
*
The Radhasoami tradition: A Critical History of Guru Successorship
', by David C. Lane
David Christopher Lane (born April 29, 1956 in Burbank, California) is a professor of philosophy and sociology at Mt. San Antonio College, in Walnut, California. He is notable for his book ''The Making of a Spiritual Movement: The Untold Story ...
, Garland Publishers, New York 1992
External links
Sant Mat, Kabir Panth, and Radhasoami Guru Lineage Charts
Pier Franco Marcenaro - Living Sant Mat Master
;official websites
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Contemporary Sant Mat Movements
Esotericism
Contemporary Sant Mat
Sikh groups and sects