Journey of the Soul - Part 2

Part 1 of this series has been concluded and this Part 2 is not necessarily a continuation of Part 1. It actually depends on how you want to look at it. Soul exists Here and Now. Soul cannot exist yesterday nor tomorrow. So how can there be a journey for Soul; a journey can only take place in the realm of Space and Time?
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God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close.

I have another question. In Punjabi when a person dies, he is said to have done "Akaal Chalana". Another phrase is "Dunia chad giaa hai". In Malay it is said that he has "meninggal dunia" - left the world.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/interfaith-dialogues/24545-journey-of-the-soul-part-2-a.html

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
This is my question: If Soul and Body are separated, how can the Soul depart? Because Soul is always Here and Now and permanent. It is the body that goes away because it is impermanent.

Comments are welcomed!

NamJap ji

I await answers to your message. This question has not yet been answered for me -- though I do have my own private theory. Amarpal ji has addressed this in a very interesting way on a different thread.

Excerpts from What Becomes Of The Soul After Death

A dead body cannot speak, cannot walk, cannot see. It remains like a log of wood after the soul has departed from the body. It is the soul that enlivens, galvanize, moves and directs the body, mind and the senses.

Everybody feels ‘I exist’, ‘I am, Aham Asmi’. No one can say ‘I do not exist’. This itself proves the existence of an Immortal Soul or the Supreme Self. In deep sleep you rest in the Supreme Soul. There is no world for you. You enjoy unalloyed bliss. This proves that the Supreme Soul exists and its essential nature is pure bliss.

Purify your mind. Steady it. Fix the mind on the Supreme Soul. Meditate and realise your essential divine nature. You will be freed from the wheel of births and deaths. You will attain eternal bliss and immortality.

The Jiva or the individual soul along with Pranas, the mind and the senses leaves his former body and obtains a new body. He takes with himself Avidya, virtues and vicious actions and the impressions left by his previous births.

The soul goes from the body accompanied by the mind, Prana, the senses and the Sukshmabhutas or elements. The soul takes with it the subtle parts of the elements which are the seeds of the new body. All the elements accompany the soul.
When he departs, the chief Prana departs after him and when the Prana thus departs, all the other Pranas depart after it. They cannot stay without the basis or substratum or support of the elements. The subtle elements or Tanmatras form the base for the moving Pranas.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545



Hells are places of torture for the evil-doers. The temporary abodes are Raurava, Maharaurava, Vahni, Vaitarani and Kumbhika. The two eternal hells are Tamisra (darkness) and Andhatamisra (blinding darkness). The seven hells are superintended by Chitragupta and others. Yama is the chief ruler in those seven hells also. Chitragupta and others are only superintendents and lieutenants employed by Yama. They are all under Yama’s government and suzerainty. Chitragupta and others are directed by Yama.

The Sruti says that those who do not go by means of Vidya along the path of Devayana to Brahmaloka or by means of Karma along the path of Pitriyana to Chandraloka are born often in low bodies and die often. The evil-doers go to the third place (Tritiyam sthaanam). The Sruti passage says: “Now those who go along neither of these ways become those small creatures, flies, worms, etc., continually returning, of whom it may be said: ‘Live and Die’. Theirs is the third place. The sinners are called small creatures because they assume the bodies of insects, gnats, etc. Their place is called the third place because it is neither Brahmaloka, nor the Chandraloka.

“The souls return the way they went, to the ether, from ether to air. Then the sacrifices having become air becomes smoke; having become smoke he becomes mist; having become mist, he becomes cloud; having become cloud he rains down. The souls do not attain identity with ether, air, etc. They become only like ether, air, etc. They assume a subtle form like ether, come under the influence or power of air and get mixed or connected with smoke etc. The soul passes through them quickly.
“Having become cloud he rains down. Then he is born as rice, corn, herbs, tree, sesamum and beans. From them the escape is beset with most difficulties. For, whoever the person may be who eats the food and begets offspring, he henceforth becomes like unto them.” (Chhandogya Upanishad: 10.5.)
The soul’s journey through the stages of the ether, air, vapour or smoke, mist, cloud and rain takes shorter time than its passing through the stages of corn, semen, foetus, which takes a much longer time of hard suffering.
Naradiya Purana says: “He who has begun to descend will enter the mother’s womb before a year passes since starting, though wandering through different places.”
The souls are merely connected with rice and plants which are already animated by other souls and do not enjoy their pleasures and pains. They become connected with those plants.




The souls use the rice and plants as their halting station without being identified with them. They do not lose their identity.
Chhandogya Upanishad declares: “Whoever eats the food and performs the act of generation, that again the soul becomes” (V. 10.6). The soul gets connected with one who performs the act of generation. The descending soul becomes again that food and that semen. The soul remains in him in copulation only till he enters into the mother’s womb with the semen injected. He has a touch with the seminal fluid created by eating such grain and ultimately attains a body in the womb.
He attains a fully developed human body in the womb of the mother which is fit for experiencing the fruits of the remainder of works. The family in which he is to be born is regulated by the nature of the remainder as mentioned in Chh. Up. V. 10-7: “Of these, those whose conduct here has been good will quickly attain good birth, the birth of a Brahmin, or a Kshatriya or a Vaisya. But those, whose, conduct here has been bad will quickly attain an evil birth, of a dog, or a hog, or a Chandala.”
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
The whole object of teaching this law of incarnation is that you should realise that the Atman or the Absolute alone is the highest bliss. The Atman alone must be your sole object of quest. You should get disgusted with this world of pain and sorrow and develop dispassion, discrimination and try earnestly to attain the eternal bliss of the Absolute.
O ignorant man! O foolish man! O miserable man! O deluded soul! Wake up from your long slumber of ignorance. Open your eyes. Develop the four means of salvation and attain the goal of life, the summum bonum, right now, in this very birth. Come out of this cage of flesh. You have been long imprisoned in this prison-house of body from time immemorial. You have been dwelling in the womb again and again. Cut the knot of Avidya and soar high in the realms of eternal Bliss.

Do Mool Mantar the longer one or the shorter one, you choose. 150,000 times in a year
For e.g. if we start at the beginning of Vaisakhi year 2009 to next Vaisakhi year 2010, then it amounts to doing it 410 times per day x 365 days.

It is a personal choice whether you want to do MOOL MANTRA up to Gurparsad or Nanak Hosi Bhi Sach.
No amount of dispute is going to help you. Doing it will, whichever way you want to, but the idea is to get out of this mess of reincarnation.

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥
Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਹਲਾ ੯ ॥
सलोक महला ९ ॥
Salok mėhlā 9.
Shalok, Ninth Mehl:

ਗੁਨ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਗਾਇਓ ਨਹੀ ਜਨਮੁ ਅਕਾਰਥ ਕੀਨੁ ॥
गुन गोबिंद गाइओ नही जनमु अकारथ कीनु ॥
Gun gobinḏ gā▫i▫o nahī janam akārath kīn.
If you do not sing the Praises of the Lord, your life is rendered useless.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਭਜੁ ਮਨਾ ਜਿਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਜਲ ਕਉ ਮੀਨੁ ॥੧॥
कहु नानक हरि भजु मना जिह बिधि जल कउ मीनु ॥१॥
Kaho Nānak har bẖaj manā jih biḏẖ jal ka▫o mīn. ||1||
Says Nanak, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord; immerse your mind in Him, like the fish in the water. ||1||

ਬਿਖਿਅਨ ਸਿਉ ਕਾਹੇ ਰਚਿਓ ਨਿਮਖ ਨ ਹੋਹਿ ਉਦਾਸੁ ॥
बिखिअन सिउ काहे रचिओ निमख न होहि उदासु ॥
Bikẖi▫an si▫o kāhe racẖi▫o nimakẖ na hohi uḏās.
Why are you engrossed in sin and corruption? You are not detached, even for a moment!

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਜੁ ਹਰਿ ਮਨਾ ਪਰੈ ਨ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਫਾਸ ॥੨॥
कहु नानक भजु हरि मना परै न जम की फास ॥२॥
Kaho Nānak bẖaj har manā parai na jam kī fās. ||2||
Says Nanak, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord, and you shall not be caught in the noose of death. ||2||

ਤਰਨਾਪੋ ਇਉ ਹੀ ਗਇਓ ਲੀਓ ਜਰਾ ਤਨੁ ਜੀਤਿ ॥
तरनापो इउ ही गइओ लीओ जरा तनु जीति ॥
Ŧarnāpo i▫o hī ga▫i▫o lī▫o jarā ṯan jīṯ.
Your youth has passed away like this, and old age has overtaken your body.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਜੁ ਹਰਿ ਮਨਾ ਅਉਧ ਜਾਤੁ ਹੈ ਬੀਤਿ ॥੩॥
कहु नानक भजु हरि मना अउध जातु है बीति ॥३॥
Kaho Nānak bẖaj har manā a▫oḏẖ jāṯ hai bīṯ. ||3||
Says Nanak, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord; your life is fleeting away! ||3||

ਬਿਰਧਿ ਭਇਓ ਸੂਝੈ ਨਹੀ ਕਾਲੁ ਪਹੂਚਿਓ ਆਨਿ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
बिरधि भइओ सूझै नही कालु पहूचिओ आनि ॥
Biraḏẖ bẖa▫i▫o sūjẖai nahī kāl pahūcẖi▫o ān.
You have become old, and you do not understand that death is overtaking you.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਰ ਬਾਵਰੇ ਕਿਉ ਨ ਭਜੈ ਭਗਵਾਨੁ ॥੪॥
कहु नानक नर बावरे किउ न भजै भगवानु ॥४॥
Kaho Nānak nar bāvre ki▫o na bẖajai bẖagvān. ||4||
Says Nanak, you are insane! Why do you not remember and meditate on God? ||4||

ਧਨੁ ਦਾਰਾ ਸੰਪਤਿ ਸਗਲ ਜਿਨਿ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨਿ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
धनु दारा स्मपति सगल जिनि अपुनी करि मानि ॥
Ḏẖan ḏārā sampaṯ sagal jin apunī kar mān.
Your wealth, spouse, and all the possessions which you claim as your own -

ਇਨ ਮੈ ਕਛੁ ਸੰਗੀ ਨਹੀ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਚੀ ਜਾਨਿ ॥੫॥
इन मै कछु संगी नही नानक साची जानि ॥५॥
In mai kacẖẖ sangī nahī Nānak sācẖī jān. ||5||
none of these shall go along with you in the end. O Nanak, know this as true. ||5||

ਪਤਿਤ ਉਧਾਰਨ ਭੈ ਹਰਨ ਹਰਿ ਅਨਾਥ ਕੇ ਨਾਥ ॥
पतित उधारन भै हरन हरि अनाथ के नाथ ॥
Paṯiṯ uḏẖāran bẖai haran har anāth ke nāth.
He is the Saving Grace of sinners, the Destroyer of fear, the Master of the masterless.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਹ ਜਾਨੀਐ ਸਦਾ ਬਸਤੁ ਤੁਮ ਸਾਥਿ ॥੬॥
कहु नानक तिह जानीऐ सदा बसतु तुम साथि ॥६॥
Kaho Nānak ṯih jānī▫ai saḏā basaṯ ṯum sāth. ||6||
Says Nanak, realize and know Him, who is always with you. ||6||

ਤਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਜਿਹ ਤੋ ਕਉ ਦੀਓ ਤਾਂ ਸਿਉ ਨੇਹੁ ਨ ਕੀਨ ॥
तनु धनु जिह तो कउ दीओ तां सिउ नेहु न कीन ॥
Ŧan ḏẖan jih ṯo ka▫o ḏī▫o ṯāʼn si▫o nehu na kīn.
He has given you your body and wealth, but you are not in love with Him.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਰ ਬਾਵਰੇ ਅਬ ਕਿਉ ਡੋਲਤ ਦੀਨ ॥੭॥
कहु नानक नर बावरे अब किउ डोलत दीन ॥७॥
Kaho Nānak nar bāvre ab ki▫o dolaṯ ḏīn. ||7||
Says Nanak, you are insane! Why do you now shake and tremble so helplessly? ||7||

ਤਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਸੰਪੈ ਸੁਖ ਦੀਓ ਅਰੁ ਜਿਹ ਨੀਕੇ ਧਾਮ ॥
तनु धनु स्मपै सुख दीओ अरु जिह नीके धाम ॥
Ŧan ḏẖan sampai sukẖ ḏī▫o ar jih nīke ḏẖām.
He has given you your body, wealth, property, peace and beautiful mansions.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਨੁ ਰੇ ਮਨਾ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਕਾਹਿ ਨ ਰਾਮੁ ॥੮॥
कहु नानक सुनु रे मना सिमरत काहि न रामु ॥८॥
Kaho Nānak sun re manā simraṯ kāhi na rām. ||8||
Says Nanak, listen, mind: why don't you remember the Lord in meditation? ||8||

ਸਭ ਸੁਖ ਦਾਤਾ ਰਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਦੂਸਰ ਨਾਹਿਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
सभ सुख दाता रामु है दूसर नाहिन कोइ ॥
Sabẖ sukẖ ḏāṯā rām hai ḏūsar nāhin ko▫e.
The Lord is the Giver of all peace and comfort. There is no other at all.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਨਿ ਰੇ ਮਨਾ ਤਿਹ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਗਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥੯॥
कहु नानक सुनि रे मना तिह सिमरत गति होइ ॥९॥
Kaho Nānak sun re manā ṯih simraṯ gaṯ ho▫e. ||9||
Says Nanak, listen, mind: meditating in remembrance on Him, salvation is attained. ||9||

Ang 149

ਪਉੜੀ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
पउड़ी ॥
Pa▫oṛī.
Pauree:

ਚਾਰੇ ਕੁੰਡਾ ਦੇਖਿ ਅੰਦਰੁ ਭਾਲਿਆ ॥
चारे कुंडा देखि अंदरु भालिआ ॥
Cẖāre kundā ḏekẖ anḏar bẖāli▫ā.
After looking around in the four directions, I looked within my own self.

ਸਚੈ ਪੁਰਖਿ ਅਲਖਿ ਸਿਰਜਿ ਨਿਹਾਲਿਆ ॥
सचै पुरखि अलखि सिरजि निहालिआ ॥
Sacẖai purakẖ alakẖ siraj nihāli▫ā.
There, I saw the True, Invisible Lord Creator.

ਉਝੜਿ ਭੁਲੇ ਰਾਹ ਗੁਰਿ ਵੇਖਾਲਿਆ ॥
उझड़ि भुले राह गुरि वेखालिआ ॥
Ujẖaṛ bẖule rāh gur vekẖāli▫ā.
I was wandering in the wilderness, but now the Guru has shown me the Way.

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸਚੇ ਵਾਹੁ ਸਚੁ ਸਮਾਲਿਆ ॥
सतिगुर सचे वाहु सचु समालिआ ॥
Saṯgur sacẖe vāhu sacẖ samāli▫ā.
Hail to the True, True Guru, through whom we merge in the Truth.

ਪਾਇਆ ਰਤਨੁ ਘਰਾਹੁ ਦੀਵਾ ਬਾਲਿਆ ॥
पाइआ रतनु घराहु दीवा बालिआ ॥
Pā▫i▫ā raṯan gẖarāhu ḏīvā bāli▫ā.
I have found the jewel within the home of my own self; the lamp within has been lit.

ਸਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਲਾਹਿ ਸੁਖੀਏ ਸਚ ਵਾਲਿਆ ॥
सचै सबदि सलाहि सुखीए सच वालिआ ॥
Sacẖai sabaḏ salāhi sukẖī▫e sacẖ vāli▫ā.
Those who praise the True Word of the Shabad, abide in the peace of Truth.

ਨਿਡਰਿਆ ਡਰੁ ਲਗਿ ਗਰਬਿ ਸਿ ਗਾਲਿਆ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
निडरिआ डरु लगि गरबि सि गालिआ ॥
Nidri▫ā dar lag garab sė gāli▫ā.
But those who do not have the Fear of God, are overtaken by fear. They are destroyed by their own pride.

ਨਾਵਹੁ ਭੁਲਾ ਜਗੁ ਫਿਰੈ ਬੇਤਾਲਿਆ ॥੨੪॥
नावहु भुला जगु फिरै बेतालिआ ॥२४॥
Nāvhu bẖulā jag firai beṯāli▫ā. ||24||
Having forgotten the Name, the world is roaming around like a wild demon. ||24||

Reading this reminded me of how much I miss SPN; as I've been preoccupied elsewise for the last two months. Still, even though I haven't had the time to read any more of the Gurdwara (is that the right word for the Sikh Scriptures? Forgive me if I'm wrong, for though I have been trying to learn more about the Sikhi - I'm a bit rusty), I have to make a comment here; as I promised God that I'd share what It once showed me.
In the West the word 'Eternity' is often used to convey the 'Heavenly Realm'; which, though this point is most often badly misunderstood - or left out altogether, is actually a very accurate way to describe the Place you go when you Die (which is the same place for all of us, no matter which - or whose - Guru you listen to).
If you read my Description of the Two Existential Experiences I've had (in Introducing Myself, and also mentioned in many of my other postings), then - providing you believe what happened was a Real Thing - you'll know that I believe that God opened the door to the nether realm just long enough for me to get a peak inside; as I'm handicapped by Pain, and the benefits of 'normal meditational practices' are denied to me by it - so I believe that God did this thing, to give me the chance to advance spiritually as much as i would have been able to do if I could 'Meditate Normally'.
While in that Formless State, Time became a kind of 'static thing' - it no longer seemed to be running from past to future; it just 'was'. Looking into the past or future was as easy as looking to the right or left; and, for an all to breif moment, I could see - and access the memories of - all my Past Lives.
When I awoke; there was a White Streak in my hair that hadn't been there before - so I BELIEVE, I MOST SURELY DO!
This 'eternity effect' (in which the term 'continuum' takes on a whole new meaning) has, due to it's hard to describe nature, led to many different - and most often somewhat confused - beliefs systems to adopt different Dogmas regarding this subject; though, at the root of the issue, I know that all of the Gurus (or Messiahs, or Prophets, or Mahatmas) of all of these different Religions got the same information from the same source.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
The same Truth is True for all. I'd say that I wish I knew more about what the Sikh Gurus have to say about this, so I don't offend anyone; but it is that kind of taking offense over such misrepresentations of the same True Truth that has brought us to the Edge of Disaster - while the Band Plays On.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
I hope you can see WHY I took a little time out to write this for you; for the most part, I find the Sikhi to be kindly and wise - but you could still use a little work on the openmindedness parts, as God Loves a Lover, and the best Sermons lead to Understanding rather than an excuse to behave devisively.

Are we putting too much attention on our shadow?
As it is understood, without the real, the shadow would not exist.
Or maybe, do we know how to see ourselves?
I don't mean our shadow.

I was just pondering those who 'tremble in fear' as they approach Death; those who've lived their lives soley for the sake of their own vain selfish urges, who're suddenly facing the prospect of being Dead - without the precious possesions they've screwed everyone over to get, without the precious position, the (suddenly) meaningless Badges and Emblems, that allowed/enabled then to live so oppulently, so selfishly; and I thought of my Grandfather lying on his Deathbed.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
He, the Wisest Man I've ever known (my Dad drank too much Booze), was 83; his Wife had passed on 12 years earlier; he'd had a Good Life; he'd raised two Daughters during the Depression on his Dairy, Egg, Chicken Farm; he'd been "The last man in Johnson County Nebraska to give my (his) Manure Spreader; which is why my (his) Farm may have dried up - but it didn't blow away (see: 'The Dust Bowl', 1930's America; if you don't know about it already); and when he was diagnosed with Terminal Cancer, he'd had a Hospital Bed - along with a Skilled Nurse - installed in his Living Room, then settled in to await Death.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24545
He was utterly Calm, utterly Composed, completely At Peace.
As far as I know, he'd never attended a Church of any kind; but his belief in some kind of 'beyond' was palpable; as was his assurance in the idea that his having lived the kind of life that he'd led - based on such wisdom as, "If a Jobs worth doing, it's worth doing right!" - was going to lead him to be reunited with his beloved wife - somehow, someway.
If there's no 'knowing' as the end approaches; if the virtue of virtuosity does not become quite plain at that time; then I don't know how he could have faced his eminent Death so calmly.
Clearly the man had focused on both the shadow and the reality that cast it; as they are inseperable!
Therefore, namjap ji, I don't think it's possible to focus on one or the other too much!