How to Do Waheguru Simran: From Spoken Naam to Inner Attention

2. Different spiritual journeys and his self-directed beginning

Translated rendering — Mehtab: Everyone’s spiritual journey is different. Some begin at one age, some at another; some begin through a Guru, others by reading Gurbani. He says his own journey was somewhat different: he began meditation through self-learning. Practical experiences came first, and his understanding of Bani came later. He calls this the reverse of the path many people take, who first read Bani, go to a Guru or receive instruction, and then practise for a period under guidance.

Looking back, he says practical experience helped him understand what Naam jap and dhyan mean to him. He stresses that these are two different things in his usage. The distinction, he says, is important because simply repeating the Name and bringing attention to it are not identical acts.

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: The speaker describes his own route, not a universal order of learning. In Sikh practice, learning from Gurbani, Guru, Sangat and lived experience belong together; one person’s sequence should not be taken as a rule for everyone.

3. Naam jap and dhyan: repetition with attention

Translated rendering — Mehtab: He says that Naam jap is important, but that attention matters too. If a person only repeats the Name without bringing it inward through attention, he says, the repetition can remain at the level of the mouth. Other people may hear the person repeating Waheguru, or the person may tell themselves that they have been repeating for hours, but the practice may not yet have reached the inner attention he calls dhyan.

He is not saying that people should stop doing jap. Rather, he says, the Name needs the support of attention. If someone only meditates without the support of Naam, he says, attention can wander; if someone only repeats aloud and never brings the repetition inward, it can remain external. In his explanation, Naam and attention support one another.

Gurbani note: In this portion of the discussion, the speaker explains concepts from his understanding of Bani but does not give a complete, clearly audible Gurbani verse that can be quoted with confidence. No verse has been reconstructed or invented here.

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: A practical connection to Gurbani is to let remembrance shape one’s conduct, not merely one’s count of repetitions. The value of Naam Simran is not measured by how loudly or how long one can chant, nor by whether another person notices.

4. The four levels of vak: Vaikhari, Madhyama, Pashyanti and Para

Translated rendering — Mehtab: He refers to four levels of vak, or speech: Vaikhari, Madhyama, Pashyanti and Para. He says he first learned that these terms were discussed in Bani after hearing someone explain them. He cautions that similar-sounding words such as para and para (in another pronunciation or meaning) can differ, and says that repeating a word from Bani without understanding its meaning may not bring much clarity.

• Vaikhari: the spoken voice used when people speak to one another. Mehtab places loud spoken jap at this level.
• Madhyama: the inward or mental voice — what a person thinks or says silently to themselves.
• Pashyanti: a deeper inner “voice” that he locates near the navel or solar plexus and compares with a gut feeling.
• Para: the root or seed level in his explanation. He compares it to a seed that grows into a tree and eventually bears fruit.

He uses an everyday example: a person may first say aloud, “I don’t know if I can do this”; then an inner voice may encourage them; then a deeper confidence may arise that they can work toward a goal. He says that spiritual or material aspirations, in his framework, begin as a seed at the root and develop through these levels.

Editorial note — Wah.Guru: This four-vak description is the speaker’s interpretation and should not be confused with a universally accepted reading of Gurbani or a verified map of the nervous system. In this translation, the terms are preserved as he uses them.

5. His comparison of spirituality and science

Translated rendering — Mehtab: Mehtab says science and spirituality are not separate in his view. He points to the Earth’s relation to the Sun and to the movement of the Earth, Sun, Moon and stars as examples of a universe he sees as mathematically ordered. He uses this order to suggest that spiritual practice, too, has processes and that people may ask why experiences do not happen simply because they have repeated Naam for a long time.

He then offers his explanation: he says energy gathers within the body through jap and attention, and that this gathered energy can create a larger inner “circle” through which a person may have experiences. He believes that when people chant very loudly, much of their energy is spent in speaking. He connects this belief with the older practice of observing silence and speaking less, which he says allowed people to keep their energy within themselves.

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: The order of the solar system does not establish the speaker’s claims about bodily energy, inner circles or spiritual experiences. These are his personal explanations, not scientific findings. “Energy” here is used in a spiritual sense and should not be read as a measured medical quantity.

6. A gradual practice: begin aloud, then let the repetition soften

Translated rendering — Mehtab: He says he is not telling people not to recite or do jap aloud. Instead, he suggests dividing the time. If a person has set aside an hour for attention, Naam jap or meditation, they can plan how much of that time to spend speaking and how much in quieter practice. He says that at the beginning a person may need to make that division deliberately; with practice, he believes it can become more natural.

As one example, he suggests that a person might spend around ten, fifteen or twenty minutes at most repeating aloud, then allow the voice to become softer rather than forcing it to stay loud for the full hour. When the voice naturally lowers, he says, let the repetition become inward. He describes closing the eyes and bringing attention to the forehead or what he calls the third eye, then repeating the Naam mentally. In his account, this keeps the practice from remaining only in spoken sound.

He says the quieter repetition may then move from Vaikhari to Madhyama and, for some people, toward what he calls Pashyanti. He tells listeners not to keep checking the clock or forcing a certain number of minutes at each level. If the voice softens earlier, he says, allow that; if the practice remains audible, do not force an inner experience.

Safety clarification: His references to energy and the “third eye” are his own framework. This is not an instruction to strain the eyes, press on the forehead, manipulate the breath or try to induce unusual perceptions. Keep the body comfortable and breathing natural.

7. Pashyanti, goals and the speaker’s claim about the subconscious

Translated rendering — Mehtab: Mehtab says that a wish or goal can move into the deeper levels of the mind. He gives examples of wanting to achieve something over a number of years, clear an exam, buy a particular home or accomplish another goal. If a person thinks about it with great commitment, he says, the intention can become connected with the subconscious and begin working toward that goal.

He describes the Pashyanti level as a place where the person may feel more confident and the mind may become slower. At that point, he says, one should surrender rather than keep interfering with thoughts. Whatever has been placed in the subconscious, he says, can move toward the root level and “manifest.” He calls this a simple path but warns people not to force it into two days, one week or one month. He says it took him approximately seven or eight years to understand these things through practice.

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: This is the speaker’s personal theory about attention, the subconscious and manifestation. It is not a guarantee that meditation will cause a desired event, and it should not replace planning, study, medical care or practical action. A useful practical takeaway is to focus calmly on worthy aims while taking responsible steps toward them.

8. Do not force the path or measure it against someone else

Translated rendering — Mehtab: He repeats that no one should force this process or expect to complete it in a fixed short period. Each person’s journey is different. He says that because he did not first learn through Bani, it took him years of practical experience to understand the ideas he is now describing. Later, when he read Bani, he says, he found related ideas there, but he recognises that his order of learning was unusual.

He also says that some aspects of renunciation and intense spiritual discipline may suit people who have left household life, but most listeners have families, dreams and responsibilities. He does not recommend abandoning those responsibilities. In his words, one must balance everything; spirituality itself should not become excessive or unbalanced.

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: This point connects the discussion to practical Sikh living: Naam belongs alongside family care, honest work, rest and service. A healthy practice should help a person meet responsibilities with more steadiness, not use spirituality as a reason to neglect them.

9. A caution about semen, celibacy and subtle channels

Translated rendering — Mehtab: Mehtab revisits something he says he mentioned earlier about a “semen power” moving upward through a channel he calls Sushumna. He asks listeners to understand what he means rather than imagine a large pipe that must be filled. He says the body’s veins are extremely fine, uses that image to challenge a literal picture of a thick channel, and says that a small amount is enough in the analogy he is giving. He adds that one drop, formed from food, is sufficient; this is his explanation, not a medical description of the body or a recommended practice.

He says he does not want to give this topic too much importance and presents his comments as an explanation to people who believe that practising celibacy for a set number of days will fill a channel with semen. He then turns to the five vices named in Sikh teaching and says they should be balanced, not simply “destroyed.”

Important clarification — Wah.Guru: The speaker’s account of semen, “energy” and Sushumna is not established anatomy or medical science. There is no evidence here that semen travels through a special channel to the brain or that celibacy produces a guaranteed spiritual result. Do not use this discussion to practise unsafe retention, shame normal sexuality, or ignore reproductive or sexual-health concerns; consult a qualified clinician where appropriate.

10. The five vices, conduct and balance in ordinary life

Translated rendering — Mehtab: He refers to the five vices named in Gurbani — ਕਾਮ, ਕ੍ਰੋਧ, ਲੋਭ, ਮੋਹ, ਹੰਕਾਰ — and says they are to be brought into balance, not treated as something that can simply be erased by withdrawing from life. He says people have families and work, and that they should try not to hurt others or deceive them. He candidly admits that he himself does not speak the truth every moment in business and says ordinary life can involve difficult compromises.

He makes a distinction between spiritual practice and the consequences of one’s actions: in his view, even someone who has done wrong may sit in meditation, but the person still receives the consequences of their actions. He mentions his former non-vegetarian diet and says that this did not prevent him from entering a spiritual journey or having experiences, while karma remains a separate matter in his account.

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: The speaker’s personal account is not permission to lie, harm others or dismiss ethical discipline. Gurbani’s emphasis on truthful living, humility, compassion and responsibility is central. The practical question is not only whether someone meditates, but whether their actions increasingly reflect the values they profess.

11. His own search for a Guru and a word about guidance

Translated rendering — Mehtab: He says people had called and invited him to join a particular dera or meet a particular group. He does not name them. He explains that those callers had heard only the beginning of his spiritual journey, when he himself was searching for a Guru. He says that after that he found a Guru, and that if he were to wander again after finding one, he would be foolish.

Some callers, he says, wanted guidance because they had been sitting for two, four or more hours repeating Waheguru aloud. He offered his own suggestion: repeat aloud for a while, then, when the voice or energy feels low, let the repetition become quieter and inward. He mentions hearing that another teacher had also recently suggested around twenty minutes of audible repetition followed by quieter repetition, and says he was pleased if that helps listeners receive guidance.

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: The speaker is recounting a personal relationship with a Guru and his own advice to callers. This page cannot identify the unnamed groups or validate particular teachers. Seek guidance from trusted, accountable Sikh sources; do not feel pressured to join a group because of a video or an unusual experience.

12. Limits of what he can offer: no special power to solve every problem

Translated rendering — Mehtab: He says some people have begun to expect that he can solve their family or personal problems. He folds his hands and asks them not to call with that expectation. He describes himself as an ordinary person and a brother to the Sangat, not someone with a special power to fix everyone’s life.

He says people may contact him to learn meditation or spirituality, or to ask a question about something they are stuck on. Because he cannot answer so many calls individually, he suggests sending a voice note or writing in the group, where he can try to respond. He asks people whose expectations are different from what he can provide to forgive him.

He says the group’s posting had been restricted by its administrators because some posts, in his view, could misguide members or promote ideas he disagreed with. He gives celibacy as an example: he says he is not telling people to leave normal life or run away to the mountains. He asks people to be patient, balanced and trusting of Waheguru.

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: This humility about limits is important. Meditation teachers are not substitutes for doctors, therapists, legal or financial advisers, or other qualified support. No one should promise to solve every personal problem through spiritual power.

13. The closing message: patience, balance and hope

Translated rendering — Mehtab: He asks listeners to keep balance in life and faith in Waheguru. Practise meditation in a suitable way, he says, and good results may come in time. He is glad if listeners are learning and says that they should not become extreme or leave their responsibilities behind.

He explains that he had been unwell for four or five days and was unable to post a video; his throat was still not fully better. He thanks everyone, says he will try to make another proper video soon, offers prayers for the well-being and progress of the Sangat, and closes with “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,” followed by “Har Har Mahadev.”

Editorial reflection — Wah.Guru: The close returns to the most practical thread of the discussion: patience, balance, humility about one’s capacity, and care for everyday responsibilities.

14. Linking the discussion with Gurbani and practical knowledge

This is a translation of one speaker’s explanation, not a substitute for divine knowledge grounded in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Some of the speaker’s frameworks — four levels of vak, energy stored in the body, chakra language, Sushumna, semen, manifestation and the subconscious — are his interpretation and should be compared carefully with Gurbani and trusted Sikh scholarship.

A practical, Gurbani-connected approach does not require chasing inner states. One can remember Waheguru gently, listen to or read Gurbani, keep Sangat, do seva, speak truthfully, meet family and work responsibilities, and return to the practice with patience. The fruit to examine is whether Naam helps cultivate humility, compassion, honesty, steadiness and care for others.

The speaker’s main practical suggestion is to let audible repetition become softer when it naturally does so, without forcing a schedule. That can be considered as one person’s approach, not a required method. If a trusted Sikh teacher gives you a different safe practice, seek clarification rather than treating a video as a universal rule.

15. A simple, safe way to practise Waheguru Simran

Wah.Guru’s practical reflection: For a gentle daily practice, keep it simple:

1. Sit comfortably, with the body supported and relaxed.
2. Breathe normally. Do not hold, restrict or force the breath.
3. Repeat Waheguru aloud softly or inwardly, in a way that feels natural and does not strain you.
4. When attention wanders, return kindly to the Name. Do not chase lights, sounds, energy sensations or a special result.
5. Let Gurbani, Nitnem as appropriate, Sangat and seva support the practice.
6. Carry remembrance into truthful speech, work, family care, rest and responsibility.

There is no promise that a particular inner sound, vision, confidence or material achievement will follow. A steady practice is worthwhile without dramatic experiences. If the practice causes distress, dizziness, breathlessness, persistent insomnia or difficulty functioning, pause and seek appropriate help.

16. Questions for reflection

• Does my Simran help me remember Waheguru in the ordinary moments of the day?
• Is my practice making me more patient, truthful, humble and compassionate?
• Am I balancing spirituality with family, work, rest and seva?
• Am I chasing an unusual experience or trusting a claim simply because it sounds technical?
• Can I learn from this speaker while checking his interpretations against Gurbani and trusted Sikh guidance?
• Do I know when to seek help from a qualified professional rather than expecting a spiritual teacher to solve every problem?

17. Source and viewing

Original video: How to do Waheguru Simran — YouTube.

This page is a full English translation and structured rendering based on the supplied Punjabi video and transcript. It is not a verbatim certified translation or an independent fact-check. The transcript contains unclear or noisy passages; where an exact phrase could not be reliably established, this article has rendered the surrounding meaning cautiously rather than inventing an exact quotation.

Readers are encouraged to watch the original and to study Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji with trusted Sikh scholars, kathavachaks and Sangat. For related reading, see How to Do Simran: Naam, Shabad and the Inner Journey, Naam, the Gurmantar and the Inner Sound, and Sri Sukhmani Sahib.

18. Safety and care note

19. Disclaimer