Six steps in spiritual efforts and Four Stages in Journey to God

Six steps in spiritual efforts

In Saadhana there are six steps; Sama, Dama, Titiksha, Uparathi, Shraddha and Samadhan.

Sama means live like a ordinary man.It means, don't showoff yourself.
Dama means live like a strong in inner side.
Titiksha means leave your desires.
Uparati means you will get upper level of the spirituality.
Shradha means listen only yourself or your Guru's voice. Don't listen others.
Samadhan means you will get Samadhi, means you will get solution of all things in yourself

Sama, Dama and Uparathi have to do with various aspects of mind and sense control. Titiksha refers to having equal-mindedness in gain or loss, in pain or pleasure, and in praise or censure. Shraddha is very essential in spiritual life. Only the one who has Shraddha {faith), will get illumination and wisdom. So whatever work is undertaken, one should do it with interest and faith. Samadhana refers to contentment. He who has the least desires is the richest man in the world. He who is filled with desires is the poorest man in the world. Therefore, one should have contentment and self-satisfaction. Self-satisfaction comes from self-confidence. Self-satisfaction can lead one to self-sacrifice and through it to Self-realization.

Four stages in the journey to God

There are four stages in the journey to God: Saalokya, Saamipya, Saarupya and Saayujya.

Salokya means living in God's world

Samipya means near to God

Sarupya means assuming form of God

Sayujya means being one with God.

You have entered the first stage of Saalokya which is coming into the Diane Presence. You should progress forward to Saamipya, which means coming nearer; then move on to Saarupya where you shine with the very form and splendour of Dignity. Finally you enter the stage of Saayujya complete mergence, where the bubble bursts and finds itself to be the Sea.