Radha Soami

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Radha Soami "Radhasoami" (also Radhasoami Satsang and Radha Swami) is a spiritual movement, founded in 1861 by [Soamiji Maharaj Shiv Dayal Singh Sahib]]. It boasts a following of over two million people worldwide.

[edit] Philosophy and Teachings

Radhasoami is a faith, considered by adherents as a true way to realize God. It is neither a religion, nor a caste or creed or sect or a division in society. The Radhasoami faith is also referred to as Sant Mat (Path of the Saints) or Religion of Saints. This faith empasizes the need of a living Spiritual Master or Satguru...and internal and external worship of the Supreme Lord. This done externally by attending the spiritual service or "satsang" of the Living Master or Satguru and internally by meditational practices to to raise one's consciousness to higher spiritual planes. Hinduism has already given the mantra or sound "Om" and Sikhism has graciously gifted the "Satnam" (TrueName) sound/mantra to the world, and now the mantra is "Radhasoami" and is repeated internally at the 3rd eye center. It is stated that this is the mantra that was the original "Word" of God and is literally the combination of the sound and spirit currents that manifested the creation and is always resounding everywhere in the creation. Thus, repetion & meditation of the Word "Radhasoami" is said to be absolutely necessary in one's spiritual practices. It is stated that the sound/Word "Radhasoami" is so potent and powerful that if one repeats with sincerity one will for certain escape the cycles of birth and death (Chaurasi) and if one repeats it with insincerity and even calumny, the same may be possible, such is the mercy of the Supreme Being...

Radhasoami faith is based on the fact that Aatma (soul) is part of Paramaatma (God). Human body is made of five elements prithvi (earth or soil), jal (water), vayu (air), agni (fire) and aakash (ether). At the time of pralaya (dooms day), the earth will be absorbed by water, water by fire, fire by air and air by aakash. Mind goes back to Niranjan (Kaal) as mind is the agent of Kaal. There is one more thing in our body, i.e., Aatma (Soul) which is a part of Paramaatma. Every element is happy to join its source. Earth's source is earth, water's source is ocean , Fire's source is sun, Air's source is atmosphere , Aakaash's source is aakaash itself and Aatma's source is Paramaatma. Aatmaa will be happy when it goes back to Paramaatma. The spirit is an ansh or a droplet from the ocean of spirit or a ray from the sun of spirit...

The creation is in 3 parts: Spiritual-Sach Khand (6 regions of pure spirit), Mental/spiritual-Brahmand(6 regions below), and Mental/Physical-Pind (6 regions which includes earth in the middle). The Radhasoami faith builds further on the already well established Hindu philosophy that the seat of the spirit is at the the third eye (between the two eyes at the pineal gland) and that there are 6 nerve ganglia or chakras in the body. The Radhasoami scriptures add that there are 6 additional ones in the mind (grey matter of the brain) and 6 more in the spirit (white matter) of the brain and thus these 18 portals of gateways are a microcosm of the macrocosmic creation. These 18 gateways or spiritual centers can be activated through meditational practices. In other words, the human body is a duplicate of the entire creation and it's purpose is to enable the spirit to internally raise consciousness and have visions of the higher planes of the creation while in the physical human body. Thus, the human body is a rare treasure and gift of the Supreme Lord and a vegetarian and tea totaller diet is maintained.

Radhasoami conveys the same philosophy as other saints from Sikhism, Hinduism, and Sufism. It is stated that the first Saint or Sant or Satguru to incarnate on earth from the region of pure truth (Sat) Spirit was Kabir Sahib, and others included Guru Nanak, Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, Paltu, Jagjivan, Dadu, and the first Saint from the Supreme Region was Soamiji Maharaj (Shiv Dayal Singh) of Agra. Soamiji's incarnation was Supreme Being Himself, i.e. a wave from the Supreme Ocean of Mercy descended on this earth and has stayed here ever since...and has merely changed human forms one after another and will continue to do so until the redemtion of the entire creation.

Radhasoami Satgurus--DAYALBAGH:

Soamiji Maharaj (Shiv Dayal Singh) and His Successors...present to date....both a spiritual center as well as a university campus. Service & Meditation held twice daily in the presence of the Living Spiritual Master. Donations from non members are not accepted and from initiated members are extremely nominal and not mandatory. The Living Spiritual Masters have all lived on their own earnings and do not take donations for personal expenses and in fact have donated for charitable purposes from their own pockets. There is also no priest class or system and neither are there temples...mainly halls are constructed in various places for spiritual gatherings and no proselytization is permitted.


== Radhasoami Satgurus == Beas:

Huzur Maharaz Sawan Singh Ji, Huzur Maharaj Jagat Singh Ji, Huzur Maharaj Charan Singh Ji, Baba Gurinder Singh Ji.


[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

www.dayalbagh.org.in

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