What Is Anhaad Naad?

[Sherdil]

My question to the spiritual people (and it's a fair question) is how do you know your experiences are genuine, or just a delusion?

Sometimes I feel that you guys are so desperate to have some kind of experience to validate your faith, that you will go to any length to justify that you indeed had such an experience. A short while ago, a member started a thread where he wondered why he gets a pain between his eyes when meditating. A few jumped on the idea that his chakra was opening and he was becoming enlightened, when in fact he was just crossing his eyes too much.

Some claim to have heard ringing or drum beats when listening for the Anhaad Naad. Instead of pausing to look for a rational explanation, I feel that the spiritual people will just get excited and proclaim "Yes! Yes! It's working! Carry on!" As if the whole point of meditating is to hear things that aren't there.

We agree that Maya (the material world) is an illusion, so how can you be sure that your experiences aren't just an illusion as well. I'm sure they feel real, but dreams can also feel the same way. Has anyone ever had a dream where they felt like they were falling? Has anyone ever heard of sleep paralysis, night terrors and hypnotic suggestions?

There are plenty of people in mental institutions who have vivid experiences which they believe are real, with the same convictions that you all do. The same argument can be used: Who are we to say that those people don't really have these experiences?

Gurbani doesn't tell us to have out of body experiences, or hear things. It just says listen to Anhaad Naad. Maybe Anhaad Naad doesn't sound like anything at all. Maybe we "listen" to it in the same way we "listen" to our heart and our mind. In the Kabir ji shabadh we discussed (the one with animals), the elephant and the ox where playing the musical instruments. The mind plays the music, it doesn't come from an external source. It's a poetic illustration.

I am wary of "experiences" because they behave in the same way that Maya does. Maya appears subjectively through the person's eyes. It doesn't beget its own image. The apple is red and sweet by virtue of our senses extracting the redness and sweetness from the apple. I hope this makes sense.

 

[Harkiran Kaur]

Sherdil Ji, I was only 8 yeras old when the experiences started to happen on their own. As a child, I had absolutely no idea what an out-of-body experience even was... As an 8 year old child, I certainly didn't go looking for it, and I would not have gone to lengths to personally 'validate' anything. I was only 8 years old!!! These experiences continued, entirely on their own, all through my teens and even in to my 20's. Not as much any more.

I can't explain to you how I know it was not just 'delusions' as you suggested. I just know. And the only way you can know, is if you experience it yourself. I guess the only comparison I use is to ask you the question "How do you know that what you are experiencing right at this very moment, is not a delusion?" Also, when we dream at night, we use waking up into this reality as our guage to determine that it was a dream right? And that's the ONLY guage we have really... What I am asking is, imagine that this world is just another dream, and when you have an experience like some of us have described, it's like waking up in another reality and realizing THIS was a dream (illusion). Just as you use this reality to guage your dreams at night were not 'real' (and quite possibly they ARE real on a higher level but I digress), we are able to know it was not a delusion, because that reality in the experience was MORE real than this physical reality. So we can use that reality to guage in the same way that you can use this reality to guage you have awoken from a dream... that's the best way I can describe how I just 'know'.

My question to the spiritual people (and it's a fair question) is how do you know your experiences are genuine, or just a delusion?

Sometimes I feel that you guys are so desperate to have some kind of experience to validate your faith, that you will go to any length to justify that you indeed had such an experience. A short while ago, a member started a thread where he wondered why he gets a pain between his eyes when meditating. A few jumped on the idea that his chakra was opening and he was becoming enlightened, when in fact he was just crossing his eyes too much.

Some claim to have heard ringing or drum beats when listening for the Anhaad Naad. Instead of pausing to look for a rational explanation, I feel that the spiritual people will just get excited and proclaim "Yes! Yes! It's working! Carry on!" As if the whole point of meditating is to hear things that aren't there.

We agree that Maya (the material world) is an illusion, so how can you be sure that your experiences aren't just an illusion as well. I'm sure they feel real, but dreams can also feel the same way. Has anyone ever had a dream where they felt like they were falling? Has anyone ever heard of sleep paralysis, night terrors and hypnotic suggestions?

There are plenty of people in mental institutions who have vivid experiences which they believe are real, with the same convictions that you all do. The same argument can be used: Who are we to say that those people don't really have these experiences?

Gurbani doesn't tell us to have out of body experiences, or hear things. It just says listen to Anhaad Naad. Maybe Anhaad Naad doesn't sound like anything at all. Maybe we "listen" to it in the same way we "listen" to our heart and our mind. In the Kabir ji shabadh we discussed (the one with animals), the elephant and the ox where playing the musical instruments. The mind plays the music, it doesn't come from an external source. It's a poetic illustration.

I am wary of "experiences" because they behave in the same way that Maya does. Maya appears subjectively through the person's eyes. It doesn't beget its own image. The apple is red and sweet by virtue of our senses extracting the redness and sweetness from the apple. I hope this makes sense.

 

[kggr001]

My question to the spiritual people (and it's a fair question) is how do you know your experiences are genuine, or just a delusion?

The only spiritual expierience I've had is realization. I don't hear drums or go to another realm or see deities.

We agree that Maya (the material world) is an illusion, so how can you be sure that your experiences aren't just an illusion as well. I'm sure they feel real, but dreams can also feel the same way. Has anyone ever had a dream where they felt like they were falling? Has anyone ever heard of sleep paralysis, night terrors and hypnotic suggestions?

Sherdil ji, if you mean with experiences realization then thats not an Illusion. Because without realization one can't escape/realize an illusion.
It's also about faith in the Guru, the Guru's already told us whats true and whats false. SGGS ji makes us realize the illusion and tells us to not get caught in it. SGGS itself is not an illusion I believe it to be the Absolute Truth.

 

[kggr001]

On first page of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Guru ji writes that lords command can not be described. it's the Guru's expierience they try to explain it by giving examples of what Lord command does.

Same applies for other people who've had there spirtual experience there are no words to describe it you've to expierience/realize it yourself.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Page 1

ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥
Hukam rajā▫ī cẖalṇā Nānak likẖi▫ā nāl. ||1||
O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will. ||1||

ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਆਕਾਰ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਹਿਆ ਜਾਈ ॥
Hukmī hovan ākār hukam na kahi▫ā jā▫ī.
By His Command, bodies are created; His Command cannot be described.

ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਜੀਅ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥
Hukmī hovan jī▫a hukam milai vadi▫ā▫ī.
By His Command, souls come into being; by His Command, glory and greatness are obtained.

ਹੁਕਮੀ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੁਖ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ॥
Hukmī uṯam nīcẖ hukam likẖ ḏukẖ sukẖ pā▫ī▫ah.
By His Command, some are high and some are low; by His Written Command, pain and pleasure are obtained.

ਇਕਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ਇਕਿ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਸਦਾ ਭਵਾਈਅਹਿ ॥
Iknā hukmī bakẖsīs ik hukmī saḏā bẖavā▫ī▫ah.
Some, by His Command, are blessed and forgiven; others, by His Command, wander aimlessly forever.

ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
Hukmai anḏar sabẖ ko bāhar hukam na ko▫e.
Everyone is subject to His Command; no one is beyond His Command.

ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥
Nānak hukmai je bujẖai ṯa ha▫umai kahai na ko▫e. ||2||
O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego. ||2||

 

[Tejwant Singh]

Sherdil ji, if you mean with experiences realization then thats not an Illusion. Because without realization one can't escape/realize an illusion. It's also about faith in the Guru, the Guru's already told us whats true and whats false.

Kggr ji,

Guru Fateh.

In my opinion, FAITH is a wrong word to use for Sikhi. Faith is blind, it is a belief system without questioning.

If Sikhi were any faith or a belief system in which you COULD NOT question, then there would not have been any need for Guru Nanak to reject Janeiu at the very young age, would not have felt the need to throw water to "irrigate" his farm while others were busy "irrigating" the Sun, just to show these blind sheep the meaninglessness of these silly rituals. He would not have rejected Sati, Pilgrimages, Fasting,Dips in holy water for all kinds of cures- both mental and physical and many more other nonsensical rituals that are prevalent in all belief systems and faiths.

Even Guru Nanak showed the true meaning of Aarti to the blind sheep and many other things like the ill of Circumcision, Babarvani, Sidh Gosht etc. etc. These and many other useless rituals that he rejected in order to show us how Sikhi is neither a faith nor a belief system. Both of these require NO QUESTIONING whatsoever.

He made Sikhi stand on its own based on questioning like when he was in Mecca. It is the only pragmatic way of life where reasoning is of the utmost importance hence the repeated explanations and tools our Gurus have given us how to lasso our minds with reason, not with any parroting mantras.

The only Mantra he gave us is to practice goodness within bred with the help of Gurbani again and again in our everyday lives as he did by serving the hungry when his Dad gave him some money to do business, and the best business deal he showed us was to teach the needy how to fish so they can self sustain rather then giving them just the fish to eat. This the reason, one will never see a Sikh beggar, unlike hordes of people in other religions all around the world.

So, as we study Gurbani in order to practice it in our everyday lives, Gurbani instructs us by doing good one can feel good for ever-just like learning how to fish. The rest are all blind faiths, beliefs where if you question, you are more likely to be ex-communicated and/or get killed.

This is the beauty of Sikhi that all of us should cultivate in order to cherish every moment of the only life we know, rather than becoming drug addicted parrots for transitory highs that are ought to dissipate quickly like any drug.

We are taught with the help of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, our only Guru, to reason and question like good Students, Learners, Seekers- SIKHS.

Regards

Tejwant Singh

 

[chazSingh]

When have any of us dismissed anothers experience? I may attempt to be witty about it, but the truth is anothers experience is anothers, I would certainly dismiss any thought of me doing it, but if they wish to do it, good luck, I do not think, in any serious tone, I have urged my own thoughts on another, or my own philosophies. Its not for me, but noji, I have never dismissed.

Akasha said to you
So then, if you agree that you do not know... you can't entirely dismiss those of us who who have had such experiences. Not knowing, or not experiencing it for yourself is not the same as outright disbelief. Am I understanding your position correctly?

And you replied
I have never experienced sex with a gnome, I am still happy to dismiss it lol

I think your reply implies very clearly that you would happily dismiss someone else's experience(s)

I would say good luck to you, personally I think your bonkers, but good luck to you

There is no need for Luck here....only grace.

I don;t mind being called Bonkers...because even gurbani says when you awaken to the Truth the whole world will think you're crazy! lol

Wow Gurbani seems to know everything

But just like Sri Guru Nakak Ji said

'If you desire to play the game of love,
then bring me your head on the palm of your hand,
Having stepped on this path,
give your head and pay no heed to public opinion'



The people who are bonkers are the ones walking around thinking what they see, hear, touch, smell, taste is the ultimate truth...

However, what I do object to, is when folks pass of their own weirdness as word, I take great pains not to, but I am getting rather fed up of all sorts of Vedic concepts being taken as Sikh, you have an opinion, fine state it, debate it great, but don't start preaching it.

We do what Gurbani Says, then We have an experience, and then we find reference to it in Gurbani which tells us we are on the right path

What do you do? other than think everything is Vedic?

It's not my fault we all have a human Body - christians, sikhs, hindus, atheists

It's not my fault Jesus, Gurbani, Budha said the Body is the door to God? That the temple of God exists within you...

Do you not think people from all sorts of religions, ways of life are having similar experiences because we all have a Body? the Same doorwar to God...Hence similarities between religions and practices?

Guru Nanak Came, because all us Egotistical fools start to corrupt the Truth,

People start to Bow to status and take fasts...become even more crazy, then the Truth needs to be re-told....God is within you...seek Him there....so simple...

This is very simple, do I believe that you have the experiences you do, YES, Do I believe Akashaji has out of body experiences, YES, do I have any interest in this, NO!

Am I interested in converting you both so you lose these experiences, NO! Will I continue to make fun of them, YES, can we all learn from each other, hopefully!

Excellent

 

[chazSingh]

Kggr ji,

Guru Fateh.

In my opinion, FAITH is a wrong word to use for Sikhi. Faith is blind, it is a belief system without questioning.

If Sikhi were any faith or a belief system in which you COULD NOT question, then there would not have been any need for Guru Nanak to reject Janeiu at the very young age, would not have felt the need to throw water to "irrigate" his farm while others were busy "irrigating" the Sun, just to show these blind sheep the meaninglessness of these silly rituals. He would not have rejected Sati, Pilgrimages, Fasting,Dips in holy water for all kinds of cures- both mental and physical and many more other nonsensical rituals that are prevalent in all belief systems and faiths.

Even Guru Nanak showed the true meaning of Aarti to the blind sheep and many other things like the ill of Circumcision, Babarvani, Sidh Gosht etc. etc. These and many other useless rituals that he rejected in order to show us how Sikhi is neither a faith nor a belief system. Both of these require NO QUESTIONING whatsoever.

He made Sikhi stand on its own based on questioning like when he was in Mecca. It is the only pragmatic way of life where reasoning is of the utmost importance hence the repeated explanations and tools our Gurus have given us how to lasso our minds with reason, not with any parroting mantras.

The only Mantra he gave us is to practice goodness within bred with the help of Gurbani again and again in our everyday lives as he did by serving the hungry when his Dad gave him some money to do business, and the best business deal he showed us was to teach the needy how to fish so they can self sustain rather then giving them just the fish to eat. This the reason, one will never see a Sikh beggar, unlike hordes of people in other religions all around the world.

So, as we study Gurbani in order to practice it in our everyday lives, Gurbani instructs us by doing good one can feel good for ever-just like learning how to fish. The rest are all blind faiths, beliefs where if you question, you are more likely to be ex-communicated and/or killed.

This is the beauty of Sikhi that all of us should cultivate in order to cherish every moment of the only life we know, rather than becoming drug addicted parrots for transitory highs that are ought to dissipate quickly like any drug.

We are taught with the help of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, our only Guru, to reason and question like good Students, Learners, Seekers- SIKHS.

Regards

Tejwant Singh

Tejwant Ji,

I was reading your response, and i agree with everything you say...live great, help, share, be a productive member of the world...

then came your remarks...
This the reason, one will never see a Sikh beggar
you really ought to travel a little more. I cannot believe i just read this...

then you said
rather than becoming drug addicted parrots for transitory highs that are ought to dissipate quickly like any drug

Wow you really must be 'All Knowing' to make such a comment..

this is like me saying to you "the dinner you had last night was not enjoyable for you"

What a crazy remark that would be, because i have no way of knowing what you experienced whilst eating your dinner.

in the same way...you have NO WAY of knowing what we experience.

oh actually you do...read some gurbani and stop thinking everything is metaphorical...maybe it will inspire you to do the same

Servant Nanak is addicted to the intoxication of the Lord; meeting with the Lord, he finds sublime bliss.

so comical lol

God Bless Ji.

 

[kggr001]

I agree none should've blind faith in anything, my faith came from realization and seeing the beauty of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which made me accept it as my teacher/parent. Since I've accepted Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as my teacher and parent I've faith in it.


But your right, faith isn't the right word. Reminds me of some person telling me years ago "Just have faith in Jesus and everything will be alright"

 

[Tejwant Singh]

Tejwant Ji,

I was reading your response, and i agree with everything you say...live great, help, share, be a productive member of the world...

then came your remarks...
This the reason, one will never see a Sikh beggar
you really ought to travel a little more. I cannot believe i just read this...

then you said
rather than becoming drug addicted parrots for transitory highs that are ought to dissipate quickly like any drug

Wow you really must be 'All Knowing' to make such a comment..

this is like me saying to you "the dinner you had last night was not enjoyable for you"

What a crazy remark that would be, because i have no way of knowing what you experienced whilst eating your dinner.

in the same way...you have NO WAY of knowing what we experience.

oh actually you do...read some gurbani and stop thinking everything is metaphorical...maybe it will inspire you to do the same

so comical lol

God Bless Ji.

Chaz ji,

I am glad you find it comical. I have noticed that you love to nit pick to prove something to yourself. I urge you to share that wisdom with us here please so all of us can learn from it.

It seems you are offended by some remarks of mine in the post as you have concluded that some of my remarks are crazy rather than questioning about them and hence giving the benefit of the doubt, which does not seem to be your forte. Like a good Sikh as you are, please share them with us so we can have a conversation and learn from each other.

Regarding drugs and their temporary highs, I am quite familiar with them because I have been helping the drug addicts for the past 25 years.

Lastly, I am sorry to say that some of your comparisons do not make sense to me as they may make to you but it is fine with me.

Regards

Tejwant Singh

 

[Harkiran Kaur]

Regarding drugs and their temporary highs, I am quite familiar with them because I have been helping the drug addicts for the past 25 years.

I think what he was taking offence at is your comparison of our experiences of the divine (as fully described in Gurbani), being similar to a drug induced high that we are addicted to.

Myself, if it is Waheguru Ji I am addicted to, I am happy to be such an addict.

 

[chazSingh]

Chaz ji,

I am glad you find it comical. I have noticed that you love to nit pick to prove something to yourself. I urge you to share that wisdom with us here please so all of us can learn from it.

It seems you are offended by some remarks of mine in the post as you have concluded that some of my remarks are crazy rather than questioning about them and hence giving the benefit of the doubt, which does not seem to be your forte. Like a good Sikh as you are, please share them with us so we can have a conversation and learn from each other.

Regarding drugs and their temporary highs, I am quite familiar with them because I have been helping the drug addicts for the past 25 years.

Lastly, I am sorry to say that some of your comparisons do not make sense to me as they may make to you but it is fine with me.

Regards

Tejwant Singh

it is great you work with drug addicts...that is a fantastic seva you do...

but how on this beautiful earth can you say , or even know that what I or anyone else experience during our Simran/Meditation

and then compare it to what a drug addict experiences?

how can you with any certainty know what me or anyone else experience in whatever state we are in during when we pour our hearts out during Mediation? and then make the comparison to what a drug user experiences?

Please ji, for the sake of this Sangat, please explain how you are able to do this?

I await your answer ji...

if your answer is that you are 'Assuming' then there is a famous phrase about assumption which i will not share here because it contains some bad language...but it is none the less very enlightening...

you said :

"rather than becoming drug addicted parrots for transitory highs that are ought to dissipate quickly like any drug"

I am not offended, i am just curious how you come to such conclusions i Await your answer

 

[Tejwant Singh]

I think what he was taking offence at is your comparison of our experiences of the divine (as fully described in Gurbani), being similar to a drug induced high that we are addicted to.

Myself, if it is Waheguru Ji I am addicted to, I am happy to be such an addict.

Akasha ji,

Thanks for your input but you are assuming again as mentioned before which has become your second nature. It is for you to sort this out.

All drug addictions are temporary highs and are bad for mind, body and soul- whatever the last may mean to the individuals.

The metaphors used in Gurbani about this are the metaphors for us to learn about what doing good means. Just feeling good by oneself on his/her own is a selfish way and involves me-ism that Gurbani rejects vehemently.

Gurbani teaches us how to become flowers of the Gurmat Garden so that we are capable of emitting our scent in all directions to all, irrespective of anyone's hue,creed or faith sans bias. And this is a very tangible endeavour which is shared with others and more importantly, it is one of the legs of the three legged stool Guru Nanak made Sikhi sit on.

Regards

Tejwant Singh

 

[Harkiran Kaur]

Akasha ji,

Thanks for your input but you are assuming again as mentioned before which has become your second nature. It is for you to sort this out.

All drugs addictions are temporary highs and are bad for mind, body and soul- whatever the last may mean to the individuals.

The metaphors used in Gurbani about this are the metaphors for us to learn what doing good means. Just feeling good by oneself on his/her own is a selfish way and involves me-ism that Gurbani rejects vehemently.

Tejwant Ji,

Respectfully... Have you actually read any of what I posted? About ego? On the very first page of this very thread??

Try Here: http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/199360-post6.html

 

[Tejwant Singh]

Tejwant Ji,

Respectfully... Have you actually read any of what I posted? About ego? On the very first page of this very thread??

Try Here: http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/199360-post6.html

Akasha ji,

Yes, I have. I did when you posted it but it has nothing to do with my post.

 

[Tejwant Singh]

Chaz Singh ji,

The response to your post is the same one I addressed to Akasha ji in the following post:

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-youth/42541-what-is-anhaad-naad-8.html#post199438

 

[Sherdil]

Sherdil Ji, I was only 8 yeras old when the experiences started to happen on their own. As a child, I had absolutely no idea what an out-of-body experience even was... As an 8 year old child, I certainly didn't go looking for it, and I would not have gone to lengths to personally 'validate' anything. I was only 8 years old!!! These experiences continued, entirely on their own, all through my teens and even in to my 20's. Not as much any more.

I can't explain to you how I know it was not just 'delusions' as you suggested. I just know. And the only way you can know, is if you experience it yourself. I guess the only comparison I use is to ask you the question "How do you know that what you are experiencing right at this very moment, is not a delusion?" Also, when we dream at night, we use waking up into this reality as our guage to determine that it was a dream right? And that's the ONLY guage we have really... What I am asking is, imagine that this world is just another dream, and when you have an experience like some of us have described, it's like waking up in another reality and realizing THIS was a dream (illusion). Just as you use this reality to guage your dreams at night were not 'real' (and quite possibly they ARE real on a higher level but I digress), we are able to know it was not a delusion, because that reality in the experience was MORE real than this physical reality. So we can use that reality to guage in the same way that you can use this reality to guage you have awoken from a dream... that's the best way I can describe how I just 'know'.

<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style> Akasha ji delusions can still occur, even if one is not looking for them. Schizophrenics don't seek out the voices in their heads. They hear them on their own.

I don't gauge my reality based on my dreams, nor do I gauge it based on what I perceive it to be at this moment. I define my reality based on my ability to think critically. This is my awakening to my true self and the illusion of Maya. I tend to agree with you on a lot of topics regarding gurbani, but my beliefs are not predicated on any spiritual experiences I have had. I simply use my common sense, which is available to all. Guru Nanak used this same common sense when dismissing the practice of janeau, idol worship, aarti, caste system, etc. This sense of clarity is the opening of the dasam dwaar. This is what is meant by your chakras aligning and your third eye opening. This is the realm of truth, where not even death can touch you. This is where the exalted ones abide. This is where the Anhaad Naad is heard.

 

[Harkiran Kaur]

Common sense is not the same at all Sherdil. Are you saying that dasam dwar is merely common sense? Believe me u will know when you experience it.

 

[Harkiran Kaur]

Akasha ji,

Yes, I have. I did when you posted it but it has nothing to do with my post.

Tejwant Ji you seemed to suggest that spiritual experiences cause me-ism by not focusing on the physical. My post I linked above shows the opposite. Experiences like that actual remove me-ism.

And further the physical world is not the end ultimate goal but is a stepping stone to that goal.

 

[Tejwant Singh]

Tejwant Ji you seemed to suggest that spiritual experiences cause me-ism by not focusing on the physical. My post I linked above shows the opposite. Experiences like that actual remove me-ism.

And further the physical world is not the end ultimate goal but is a stepping stone to that goal.

Akasha ji.,

Please stop assuming things for a change which were never said nor suggested. Show me where I mentioned anything about spiritual experiences which I have always admitted are personal ones only, hence can never be shared nor replicated. But that is not the point of my post anyway. Please stop seeing things that are not in my posts which you have often done.

Thanks

Tejwant Singh

 

[Luckysingh]

<STYLE type=text/css>P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</STYLE> Guru Nanak used this same common sense when dismissing the practice of janeau, idol worship, aarti, caste system, etc. This sense of clarity is the opening of the dasam dwaar.

How do you get from 9 gates/openings to a 10th opening that is 'common sense' ??

This is what is meant by your chakras aligning and your third eye opening.

Who says ??..Where ??.......Prove it please ?......or try and justify.

This is the realm of truth, where not even death can touch you. This is where the exalted ones abide. This is where the Anhaad Naad is heard.

Again......where do you get this assumption from ?
Which shabad ?...which book ?... which text ??

From your earlier reply to Akasha........

My question to the spiritual people (and it's a fair question) is how do you know your experiences are genuine, or just a delusion?

Who is the deluded one looking at a brick wall ?........(in a box!)
How do you know what is genuine when you want to confine yourself in a box(as wonderfully described by Akasha) ?

Sometimes I feel that you guys are so desperate to have some kind of experience to validate your faith, that you will go to any length to justify that you indeed had such an experience.

You feel...?......you feel nindiya.
Don't worry.. I'm not asking for praise either because a gurmukh is above BOTH Nindyia and Ustat (as per gurbani)
Experiencing the divine does NOT require any validation, justification, and of course- approval by people in a box.

Some claim to have heard ringing or drum beats when listening for the Anhaad Naad.

Who told you that you should meditate so that you can hear sounds and be enlightened ??
I have never heard anyone say that in any faith anywhere.

Instead of pausing to look for a rational explanation, I feel that the spiritual people will just get excited and proclaim "Yes! Yes! It's working! Carry on!" As if the whole point of meditating is to hear things that aren't there.

What rational explanation ??
Is anhad heard in the ears ?
Are ears one of the 9 doors ?.... if you using 1 of the 9, then how do you get to 10-the common sense ??