Simran: Panacea For Ills

he flow of healing energy from its spiritual source to someone who needs it is called spiritual healing. The treatment works on the body, mind and spirit, which seen as a single unit, must harmonise for good health.

Though, the whole Indian spiritual system prescribes spiritual healing as an important remedy for different maladies, Sri Guru Granth Sahib categorically declares that the panacea for all human ailments and sufferings is Naam Simran (Chanting and assimilating the name of God).

It says, "The Naam is the panacea, the remedy to cure all ills."

It is through regular recitation of Bani, holy hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib, listening and singing it with deep involvement and living a life of piety that love of God emanates within one's soul. Then the meaning of the holy teachings begins to dawn upon the person and the state of mind described therein begins to be experienced.

The Sikh then finds that the Shabad Guru is always with him, forever giving intuitive guidance.

"Diseases and sins are destroyed by hearing the name of God," says Nanak.

Here is a true story of Vasu Bhardwaj, a journalist in Gujarat who was suffering from cancer.

His meditation at Sri Harmandir Sahib with firm belief in Sri Guru Granth Sahib made him completely free from that disease.

In his own words, "I have preserved all the medical reports and X-rays done before and after the Akhand Paath (Non-stop recitation of the holy scripture) and Ardaas (prayer) at the Golden Temple (Amritsar) and they all tell the true story of my miraculous cure.

Ever since this miracle, I am not only experiencing the Guru's vibrations within me but also feel God's spiritual energy within me, which inspires me and guides me in thought and deed.

I am joyfully back, to "cheers and gears of life."

It must be remembered that it is not because of any ritual or superstition, but it was the outcome of deep faith based on involvement in the power of the Simran.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Simran-Panacea-for-ills/Article1-742967.aspx

It all depends how one defines Simran.

Is Simran just chanting, parroting, repeating some 'magical' mantras again and again to get into a trance as any repeated words especially when repeated in unison can make one feel that, or does it have other/different dimensions to it as per SGGS, our only Guru?

Input from all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Tejwant Singh

I strongly believe in Spiritual healing aspect. It does work provided one would be having strong faith on Spirituality. The treatment works on the body, mind and spirit, which are seen as one unit that must harmonize for good health. The person having depression needs the power of healing to restore the balance of the whole person. As the sickness starts in the mind, for patients suffering from Depression the Spiritual Healing is the best treatment. Due to mind body connection, I support the Spiritual Healing aspect in mental disorder factors as well.
Rajneesh Madhok

A quick reply, absent truly thoughtful analysis. But I think the words of Guru Arjan Dev need saying.


ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
सोरठि महला ५ ॥
Soraṯẖ mėhlā 5.
Sorath 5th Guru.

ਮੇਰਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਰਖਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਆ ॥
मेरा सतिगुरु रखवाला होआ ॥
Merā saṯgur rakẖvālā ho▫ā.
My True Guru is not my saviour.

ਧਾਰਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਹਾਥ ਦੇ ਰਾਖਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਗੋਵਿਦੁ ਨਵਾ ਨਿਰੋਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
धारि क्रिपा प्रभ हाथ दे राखिआ हरि गोविदु नवा निरोआ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Ḏẖār kirpā parabẖ hāth ḏe rākẖi▫ā har goviḏ navā niro▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Taking pity and lending His hand, the Lord has saved Hargobind and he is now safe and sound. Pause.

ਤਾਪੁ ਗਇਆ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਆਪਿ ਮਿਟਾਇਆ ਜਨ ਕੀ ਲਾਜ ਰਖਾਈ ॥
तापु गइआ प्रभि आपि मिटाइआ जन की लाज रखाई ॥
Ŧāp ga▫i▫ā parabẖ āp mitā▫i▫ā jan kī lāj rakẖā▫ī.
The fever is gone, the Lord has Himself banished it and saved the honour of His slave.

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਤੇ ਸਭ ਫਲ ਪਾਏ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਂਈ ॥੧॥
साधसंगति ते सभ फल पाए सतिगुर कै बलि जांई ॥१॥
Sāḏẖsangaṯ ṯe sabẖ fal pā▫e saṯgur kai bal jāʼn▫ī. ||1||
From the society of saints, I have obtained all the boons and unto the True Guru, I am a sacrifice.

ਹਲਤੁ ਪਲਤੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਦੋਵੈ ਸਵਾਰੇ ਹਮਰਾ ਗੁਣੁ ਅਵਗੁਣੁ ਨ ਬੀਚਾਰਿਆ ॥
हलतु पलतु प्रभ दोवै सवारे हमरा गुणु अवगुणु न बीचारिआ ॥
Halaṯ palaṯ parabẖ ḏovai savāre hamrā guṇ avguṇ na bīcẖāri▫ā.
The Lord has saved me both in this world and the next one and my merits and demerits, He has not taken into account.

ਅਟਲ ਬਚਨੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਤੇਰਾ ਸਫਲ ਕਰੁ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਧਾਰਿਆ ॥੨॥੨੧॥੪੯॥
अटल बचनु नानक गुर तेरा सफल करु मसतकि धारिआ ॥२॥२१॥४९॥
Atal bacẖan Nānak gur ṯerā safal kar masṯak ḏẖāri▫ā. ||2||21||49||
Never failing, O Guru Nanak, is Thy word. Thy auspicious hand, thou hast placed on my forehead.

Ang 1430

There are at least two levels of understanding in the shabad. First, 5th Nanak is referring to a true event, Hargobind is nurtured into health, and Guru Arjan Dev is relieved by the recovery of his son Hargobind from the fevers of smallpox. The prayer of thanks of a father for the life of his son. Yet, most of the time in Shabad Guru, "fever" is the disease of the mind, the fever of ego. As the father nurtures the son, the jyot nurtures the soul into spiritual health. Is this also a prayer of thanks for a soul rescued from a diseased ego?

No matter which you like, Guru Arjan Dev concludes by speaking of the spiritual gifts given by sangat and his spiritual return of sacrifice to both parabh and to sangat. There is no promise made to retreat into an other-wordly space of chanting mantras or of sanyasi. The never failing "bachan" is the Guru's word. Healing, and thanks and sacrifice happen within the spiritual fold of [God] and the holy congregation, because one lives in the other, and the other lives in the one. Sacrifice to sangat is service to Parabh.

Simran therefore cannot be a matter of meaningless chanting if it is to be a path to health. That is what I believe Tejwant ji is asking. If so, I agree. Our Gurus had both feet planted on the earth, and, in a very real way, lived poignantly with the pain of a sick child, and lived energetically through sacrifice and seva amongst sangat.

Spnadmin Ji wrote:
<<<<<<ਮੇਰਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਰਖਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਆ ॥
मेरा सतिगुरु रखवाला होआ ॥
Merā saṯgur rakẖvālā ho▫ā.
My True Guru is not my saviour. >>>>>>>>>>

Imho the word NOT is....NOT supposed to be there..!!! an inadvertent typo...

Regards Jios..

and now my own 2 cents worth. I heartily agree with Both Spnadmin Ji and Tejwant Ji...
the "Sikh Simran" is NOT a meaningless chnating, mantarism type of ritualistic behaviour shaking heads, muttering lips, various sitting postures, lighting etc etc etc.

A SIKH SIMRAN..is LIVING our Daily LIFE in accordance with TRUTH..in other words TRUTH FUL LIVING. Honesty, fairness, hard work, compassion, a hundred and one similar things have to be Daily PRACTISED in our life in order for a SIKH to claim he/she is doing "Sikh SIMRAN".....Guur Nanak ji showed us the WAY...he worked hard as any typical Punjabi Farmer does...ploughing his fields in the early hours of pre-dawn, cutting down fresh grass etc and bringing it back in wet bales on his own head for the feeding of his milk giving buffaloes and cows - when Bhai Lehnna Ji first came to meet Guur nanak ji sahib, he was given such a bale to carry on his head..Mata Tripta Ji on seeing the rich clothes of Bhai lehnna Ji spoilt by the leaking muddy water form the bale of wet grass on his head, mildly admonished Guur Ji for dirtying the clothes of his guest...BUT Guru Nank Ji replied ..the leaking dirty water is KESAR from Heaven,,perfumed water !!
As all of us know very well that a Punjabi farmer's TYPICAL DAY begins with getting up in the wee hours of the night, milking his cows and buffaloes, taking his twin bullocks and the Plough to the fileds in the early pre-dawn hours, ploughing until the sun is high in the sky. Then engaging in cutting fresh grass to being back home, have his breakfast and then back to the fileds for more ploughing till late at night when another fresh batch of fresh grass is brought back on the head...milking feeding etc. THIS is the Practical SIMRAN Guur nanak ji Practised...hard honest work and sharing the fruits of that with all welcome !! There is absolutley no "evidence" of any special lightings, special seating postures, closing of the eyes like a Bagla, malas and such "dramatic parapherenilaia"...or any special ways of breathing in and out etc etc which are being sold as absolutley essential to any "successful simran"...
Modern Sikhism has been reduced to RITUAL and dramatic behaviour and PRACTICAL HONESTY and Hard work taught in GURBANI has been relegated to the background..and the GURBANI is now regarded as....as essentially for the paid pathees and Ragis to earn a livelihood from reading it mechanically and singing it for profit. This NEGATION of Practcila Gurbani in our LIFE has resulted in a serious LOSS of morality, degradation of Sikhs from Pillars of Truth and Integrity into corrupt lazy good for nothing individuals only thinking of making as much money in the shortest possible period by any means - lawful or unlawful or even criminal.
We must go back to our Basic ROOTS as is taught in Gurbani..Sikhi is apractical way of life and not a meaningless mutter of closed lips and eyes...see no evil, hear no evil say no evil....

Gyani Jarnail Singh said:

and now my own 2 cents worth. I heartily agree with Both Spnadmin Ji and Tejwant Ji...
the "Sikh Simran" is NOT a meaningless chnating, mantarism type of ritualistic behaviour shaking heads, muttering lips, various sitting postures, lighting etc etc etc.

A SIKH SIMRAN..is LIVING our Daily LIFE in accordance with TRUTH..in other words TRUTH FUL LIVING. Honesty, fairness, hard work, compassion, a hundred and one similar things have to be Daily PRACTISED in our life in order for a SIKH to claim he/she is doing "Sikh SIMRAN".....Guru Nanak ji showed us the WAY...he worked hard as any typical Punjabi Farmer does...ploughing his fields in the early hours of pre-dawn, cutting down fresh grass etc and bringing it back in wet bales on his own head for the feeding of his milk giving buffaloes and cows - when Bhai Lehnna Ji first came to meet Guru nanak ji sahib, he was given such a bale to carry on his head..Mata Tripta Ji on seeing the rich clothes of Bhai lehnna Ji spoilt by the leaking muddy water form the bale of wet grass on his head, mildly admonished Guru Ji for dirtying the clothes of his guest...BUT Guru Nank Ji replied ..the leaking dirty water is KESAR from Heaven,,perfumed water !!
As all of us know very well that a Punjabi farmer's TYPICAL DAY begins with getting up in the wee hours of the night, milking his cows and buffaloes, taking his twin bullocks and the Plough to the fileds in the early pre-dawn hours, ploughing until the sun is high in the sky. Then engaging in cutting fresh grass to being back home, have his breakfast and then back to the fileds for more ploughing till late at night when another fresh batch of fresh grass is brought back on the head...milking feeding etc. THIS is the Practical SIMRAN Guru nanak ji Practised...hard honest work and sharing the fruits of that with all welcome !! There is absolutley no "evidence" of any special lightings, special seating postures, closing of the eyes like a Bagla, malas and such "dramatic parapherenilaia"...or any special ways of breathing in and out etc etc which are being sold as absolutley essential to any "successful simran"...
Modern Sikhism has been reduced to RITUAL and dramatic behaviour and PRACTICAL HONESTY and Hard work taught in GURBANI has been relegated to the background..and the GURBANI is now regarded as....as essentially for the paid pathees and Ragis to earn a livelihood from reading it mechanically and singing it for profit. This NEGATION of Practcila Gurbani in our LIFE has resulted in a serious LOSS of morality, degradation of Sikhs from Pillars of Truth and Integrity into corrupt lazy good for nothing individuals only thinking of making as much money in the shortest possible period by any means - lawful or unlawful or even criminal.
We must go back to our Basic ROOTS as is taught in Gurbani..Sikhi is apractical way of life and not a meaningless mutter of closed lips and eyes...see no evil, hear no evil say no evil....

Click to expand...

well said Gyaniji, the sort of effect that can be achieved through meditation on say the word 'tomato', (and yes, you can achieve an effect), is no different to the effects of any meditation. Focusing on Gurbani is not meditation, it is taking the wisdom out of the words and getting closer to that wisdom, not retreating away from a tomato.

I wonder how, in this modern age, our humble farmer is transformed? I personally cannot see how any man can exist in such goodness, especially in a business environment without going bust!

Again if I spoke the truth all the time, every day, I would very quickly go out of business, only because people expect to be lied to, some cannot handle the truth, some need it gift wrapped in cotton wool, clearly we have to use discretion, but once discretion is used on the truth subject, and then used again on the hair subject, maybe a bit on the drink subject, slightly on the honesty subject, where exactly does that leave you? a sikh of discretion, or your own version of sikhism to suit you

The Hollywood "Liar Liar".....showed how truth always is a very difficult thing to practise daily...Yes Harry Ji..its difficult all right...but we have to make an effort...anyway...

harry haller said:

well said Gyaniji, the sort of effect that can be achieved through meditation on say the word 'tomato', (and yes, you can achieve an effect), is no different to the effects of any meditation. Focusing on Gurbani is not meditation, it is taking the wisdom out of the words and getting closer to that wisdom, not retreating away from a tomato.

I wonder how, in this modern age, our humble farmer is transformed? I personally cannot see how any man can exist in such goodness, especially in a business environment without going bust!

Again if I spoke the truth all the time, every day, I would very quickly go out of business, only because people expect to be lied to, some cannot handle the truth, some need it gift wrapped in cotton wool, clearly we have to use discretion, but once discretion is used on the truth subject, and then used again on the hair subject, maybe a bit on the drink subject, slightly on the honesty subject, where exactly does that leave you? a sikh of discretion, or your own version of sikhism to suit you

Click to expand...

Harry Haller ji why does one have to lie? I lied once in my life about fifteen years ago and I have remembered it every day. One question was asked and a lie was given as an answer.

Outside of that I never lied but have not answered certain questions as in no one's business style.

Sat Sri Akal.

Gyani Jarnail Singh said:

and now my own 2 cents worth. I heartily agree with Both Spnadmin Ji and Tejwant Ji...
the "Sikh Simran" is NOT a meaningless chnating, mantarism type of ritualistic behaviour shaking heads, muttering lips, various sitting postures, lighting etc etc etc.

A SIKH SIMRAN..is LIVING our Daily LIFE in accordance with TRUTH..in other words TRUTH FUL LIVING. Honesty, fairness, hard work, compassion, a hundred and one similar things have to be Daily PRACTISED in our life in order for a SIKH to claim he/she is doing "Sikh SIMRAN".....Guru Nanak ji showed us the WAY...he worked hard as any typical Punjabi Farmer does...ploughing his fields in the early hours of pre-dawn, cutting down fresh grass etc and bringing it back in wet bales on his own head for the feeding of his milk giving buffaloes and cows - when Bhai Lehnna Ji first came to meet Guru nanak ji sahib, he was given such a bale to carry on his head..Mata Tripta Ji on seeing the rich clothes of Bhai lehnna Ji spoilt by the leaking muddy water form the bale of wet grass on his head, mildly admonished Guru Ji for dirtying the clothes of his guest...BUT Guru Nank Ji replied ..the leaking dirty water is KESAR from Heaven,,perfumed water !!
As all of us know very well that a Punjabi farmer's TYPICAL DAY begins with getting up in the wee hours of the night, milking his cows and buffaloes, taking his twin bullocks and the Plough to the fileds in the early pre-dawn hours, ploughing until the sun is high in the sky. Then engaging in cutting fresh grass to being back home, have his breakfast and then back to the fileds for more ploughing till late at night when another fresh batch of fresh grass is brought back on the head...milking feeding etc. THIS is the Practical SIMRAN Guru nanak ji Practised...hard honest work and sharing the fruits of that with all welcome !! There is absolutley no "evidence" of any special lightings, special seating postures, closing of the eyes like a Bagla, malas and such "dramatic parapherenilaia"...or any special ways of breathing in and out etc etc which are being sold as absolutley essential to any "successful simran"...
Modern Sikhism has been reduced to RITUAL and dramatic behaviour and PRACTICAL HONESTY and Hard work taught in GURBANI has been relegated to the background..and the GURBANI is now regarded as....as essentially for the paid pathees and Ragis to earn a livelihood from reading it mechanically and singing it for profit. This NEGATION of Practcila Gurbani in our LIFE has resulted in a serious LOSS of morality, degradation of Sikhs from Pillars of Truth and Integrity into corrupt lazy good for nothing individuals only thinking of making as much money in the shortest possible period by any means - lawful or unlawful or even criminal.
We must go back to our Basic ROOTS as is taught in Gurbani..Sikhi is apractical way of life and not a meaningless mutter of closed lips and eyes...see no evil, hear no evil say no evil....

Click to expand...

Gyani ji,

Guru Fateh.

No one could have said it better than you with your wonderful and thoughtful insights.

Please allow me to pitch in my 2cent worth.

Simran= Repeated actions of goodness=Metamorphosis.

In everyday life, no matter what profession we are in, we read and read, learn and learn, practice and practice, so that the goal we are trying to achieve becomes our second nature.

1.How many times do we have to practice in order to drive so that all becomes second nature in a mechanical manner?

2. How many times does a surgeon have to practice on dead/mock bodies till he prefects his/her surgery procedure and this is not mechanical as in number 1 because total focus is needed?

3. How many times does a marathon runner have to run in order to shorten his time for 26.2 miles?

One can go on and on.

So, in order to do anything in the right manner, practice, effort, focus, dedication, discipline are the main tools. And when we do the above with the above tools, then we will see the results. Only in this manner we can reap the fruits of the seeds sown with the above Simran.

Simran means just that. It means to make ourselves better as human beings in all aspects, and SGGS, our only Guru gives us how to sharpen the above mentioned tools which teach us how to make our lives The Simran, itself.

The idea of doing Nitnem or reading Gurbani again and again means discovering something new in it because Gurbani is like a prism and every time we re-read it, it should show us the other angles provided we used the mentioned tools.

But if we keep on parroting Gurbani all our lives without understanding and practicing it in our lives, then we are trying to sow the seeds on a barren arid rock which has no means to make it germinate and when the seeds do not germinate, nothing can be cultivated and reaped.

We will just become the wanderers, lost in our self created labyrinths with no way out, provided we do not become The Simran ourselves.

Tejwant Singh

Ambarsariah Ji,
LIES and LIEING has become such a commonplace occurrence in our society today..I find people lieing even when there isnt the slightest necessity...on the phone..i cna sometimes hear the perosn shouting..just tell him..I ma not home...or I am sleeping..or I ma in the Bath...etc...what sort of example are we setting if we indulge in this..KALYUG..KOORR firsh pardhaan ve Lalo...KOORR is Pardhaan in this Age....as Guur Nanak Ji noted long ago...Lieing is a symptom of a serious malady...our moral strength is nearly gone..TRUTH is a hevay burden most cant bear without collapsing...when Parents lie as a matter of course..they expect their kids to tell them the TRUTH...a sort of Lela chunggeh bhed situation...the COW trying to suck milk form the calf ??..and LIEING is the MOTHER of ALL EVILS....after lies coems cheating, thughhee, criminal behaviour..all the ILLS that make the Mann terminally SICK...Long ago, the WORD of a SIKH carried so much weight....a Sikh Wittness was equal to four non-sikhs...now a days no one trusts even a SIKH....as SIKH criminals cheaters, thieves, embezzlers, liars, goluck chors...murderers, ...traitors multiply in numbers...

Gyani Jarnail Singh ji thanks for your post.

The reference to lying in the following was interesting in hindsight,

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/spiritual-articles/36879-simran-panacea-for-ills.html#post152852

I tried to force truth through some victimless activities but to prevent my persecution I lied. It had no repercussions on anyone since or then.

Sat Sri Akal.