From Bandginama
1st Stage
In the initial stage, we should practise Simran by uttering the Divine Name
aloud. But if this fails to result in mental concentration, we might resort to
the beads of the rosary. Subdued utterance of the Divine Name and listening to its sound helps us to concentrate.
At first, the mind does wander and concentration is dicult to attain. In
this tug-of-war, irrelevant thoughts are bound to recur, but one need not
despair:
There is no escape except through Simran.
bin Har bhajan nahi chhutkara
Guru Arjan - Gauri.
This human life is the time to realize God.
Gobind milan ki eih teri baria
Guru Arjan - Asa.
==================
2nd Stage
Repetition of the Name at times, leads to automatic mental Simran: the
lips cease to move, and yet mental Simran progresses. This induces mental
peace and joy. As we grow spiritually, mental Simran will always, or whenever we so choose, progress unceasingly. The physical aspect of Simran ends, and mental repetition continues from day to day. The external attractions and distractions begin to drop, while mental harmony with Him begins. All the powers of the mind, which were diffused in external objects, begin to be concentrated, through the sweet, soft, mental Simran. The seeker of God perceives a flood of mental peace coursing through his whole being; the mind is at rest, the lips are motionless, and yet mental Simran continues!
Those who are regular in the recitation of Gurbani, especially as a mental
process, taste this joy now and then. But it is far more useful and more
methodical, to get to the stage of mental Simran through the repetition of
Nam. It facilitates the progress to higher stages.
At this stage, if we accustom ourselves to the practice of Simran with our
every breath, it brings much joy. As we inhale, we might mentally utter
"Wah", and "Guru" when we exhale. The lips do not move. This is also
mental Simran, and we practice Nam with our every breath. This is the
second stage of Simran.
===========
3rd Stage
The Third stage of Nam is marvellous. Mental Simran promotes concentration, and the gentle sound that mental Simran creates within our being becomes more audible. The sounds of the external world are drowned in the sound of mental Simran within. We hear nothing but the music of Simran within. The music is pitched in such a high key that even while travelling in a railway train, moving at full speed, to the man practicing mental Simran, the rattle of the wheels is inaudible.
The spiritual stage gradually continues to advance to such an extent that
we consider even the recitation of mental Simran as super
uous. Then the physical process of Simran ceases, but the mind is in union with God, in a state of poise. Now, both the physical and mental stress of Simran cease, and the mind is perfectly at rest. This is called the Sahej stage, whose peace and bliss defy description.