By now, we know (after reading other articles) that the Mind and Illusion (Maya) are the sources of all problems and bondage, but remember that it is also the mind which can help us remove all of the issues and can help us go beyond itself. God's reflection could be seen in the Mind, but to do that, the Mind (acting as Mirror) should be free from Filth, Turbulence, and Veil.
All religious scriptures describe the same steps to reach the ocean of light by defeating the mind and illusion. These steps are Actions (Karma), Worship/Meditation (Upsana), and Knowledge (Gyan).
Actions (Karma)
It is a means for the purity of mind through actions. It will remove the first power of Illusion (Maya), i.e., Filth (Mal) through Actions (Karma). Purity of mind is achieved by staying away from filthy deeds like alcohol, meat, adultery, gambling, stealing, lying, betraying, bribery, etc., and by investing in good, honest actions. Be charitable, bathe at ambrosial hours to keep body and mind clean and pure, do positive, selfless service, and practice restraint in sex.
One should refrain from desire, anger, greed, attachment, and ego and instead follow truth, contentment, compassion, humility, and selfless love. Meditation will only be successful if the purity of mind is achieved.
e.g. [A king very often visited a saint to seek his blessings. He would always pray to Saint to give him a holy sermon. The saint paid no attention to his frequent requests. One day the king made a forceful appeal to the saint. At length, the saint was appeased and said to the king, "Tomorrow, I shall visit your royal palace and deliver my sermon there." The king was overjoyed and insisted that the saint oblige him by taking his meals in the royal palace. The saint readily consented to it. The saint reached the royal palace the next day at the appointed time, taking his begging bowl. The king had devotedly prepared various delicacies and dishes for the saint. At first, the king wished to serve the saint milk pudding. The saint brought forward his begging bowl to take it. The king peeped inside the bowl and drew back his hand without serving the milk pudding into the bowl. At this, the saint stood up and got ready to go back. The king was terrified, as the saint had neither taken meals nor delivered sermons. The troubled king said, "O holy saint! You neither took meals nor delivered a sermon per your promise; still, you are going back home, leaving us in the lurch." The saint promptly replied, "I have delivered my sermon, which you have failed to grasp." The king stood dumbfounded. Then the king asked the perplexed king, "Why did you not serve the milk pudding into my bowl?" The king said, "Holy Sir! Filth, including cow dung and pebbles, was lying in your bowl. I did not serve the milk pudding into the bowl, lest my nectar-like sweet and tasty milk pudding should get spoiled." The saint said, "I had also to teach you this lesson that your mind is full of filth and dirt in the shape of evil passions like selfish desires, anger, greed, attachment, and ego. How should I deliver my sermon to you until your mind is relieved of these evil passions and becomes purified? In the present state of mind, my sermon will also be futile and go waste." ]
Meditation/Worship (Upsana)
It is a means to make the mind on-pointed through meditation with full attention. It will remove the second power of Illusion (Maya), i.e., Turbulence (Vikshape). During concentration, the various rays of the mind are collected and focused on the object of concentration. There will be no tossing of the mind. In other words, the mind will not create ripples to disturb us. One idea occupies the mind. The whole energy of the mind is concentrated on that one idea. The senses become still. They do not function. When there is deep concentration, there is no consciousness of the body and surroundings. The more concentration of the mind improves, the more happiness and peace are obtained.
Worship is possible only through 'Remembering God (Naam Simran)' with 'Concentration (Dhayan).'
Remembering of God's Name (Naam Simran)
It is remembering God's Name repeatedly. There are many, many names of the same God. He is the most powerful because He is present everywhere, yet HIS Name is bigger than HIM because it is through the remembering of HIS Name (Naam) that HE is seen within. Form and Name are the attributes of God. We cannot know Form without the knowledge of Naam (Name).
Simran is always of The-Word-Given-By-Guru (GurMantar), and GurMantar is given by Guru only. There are various techniques of Naam Simran, but again one should stick with the method told by Guru only.
e.g. [Remembering (Simran) is owned by Demoiselle Crane (Koonj bird), which goes to colder climates when there is a hotter climate. She takes mature babies with them, but who are not mature enough are left behind. She takes care of babies left behind by remembering them all the time.]
Concentration (Dhayan)
It involves concentrating on the point of focus to know the truth. Remembering has to be done with complete attention and concentration because "Meditating on the Name of God without seeing the Form Is susceptible to doubt in the heart."
e.g. [In tropical countries, the temperature often goes above 130 degrees, but you cannot cook your meal with that heat because it is not concentrated. Similarly, if you train your mind to concentrate well, you can transform your whole personality. Concentration is most important during meditation. ]
e.g. [If someone asks us to aim at the sky, we would ask him to let us know the target in the sky. In the same way, God is without attributes, but we cannot worship God without attributes; in the beginning, we have to treat our Guru as God and concentrate on Guru's form only. When we are ready, Guru will transfer our concentration to God-without-attributes.]
e.g. [In the tortoise family, the mother lays the eggs on the shore, but then she enters the water. Through the concentration of her mind, she takes care of her eggs, makes babies out of them, brings them up, and when they mature enough, they enter the water to meet the mother. ]
Ego Abandonment and Contentment are two legs upon which God's Remembrance could be performed.
We associate ourselves with the body and with its various attachments to objects. This thinking is called I'amness (Ego) and is the root of birth-death and all pains. Without killing this feeling, it is impossible to get happiness from Meditation.
Always feel contented in Happiness and Sadness because current life problems, success, and the complete environment is due to previous deeds (karma).
e.g. [A lame lion cannot kill deer; he needs to have both legs. God's Remembrance (Simran) is a lion, but "leaving ego," and "contentment" are the legs of this lion. Therefore, it is necessary to have two legs intact to kill Ignorance (Avidya). In other words, one needs to practice the abandonment-of-ego and contentment, along with "Naam Simran," to be successful.]
Knowledge (Gyan)
The knowledge will remove Illusion's (Maya) 3rd and final power, Veil (Avarana). When the search for Self is done with purity and concentration of mind, one realizes that the same God that once appeared as separate is one's own; the entire universe seems to be one. The scene and the witness both appear to be one. Duality completely disappears, and only One prevails. It is not possible to gain Knowledge without Guru. But we do not have to search for Guru because, as per God's Law, Guru will appear itself once we have removed the first two powers of Maya, i.e., our mind is pure and steady (one-pointed), Guru will appear to give us Knowledge using which we could realize God.
Hamsa bird is the owner of Knowledge because he knows how to separate milk and water with its beak.
Bottom line is
Remain in the fortress of Soul (Atma), where arrows of ignorance, desire, anger, greed, attachment, and ego have no effect. Bombs like pain, pleasure, false happiness, pride, humility, summer, winter, hunger, birth, and death fall on the fortress-like cotton balls, i.e., do not harm the fortress. Three types of problems (physical, mental, external), subtle desires, craving, anxiety, five senses, ignorance, ego, attachment, hatred, and fear of death have no entry inside that fortress. In that fortress, only true happiness and enjoyment reside.