REFERENCE INFORMATION
THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION IS MEANT TO PROVIDE A RELATIVELY SHORT SUMMARY AND IS NOT MEANT TO COVER THE ENTIRE BREADTH OF CONTENT FOR ANY TEACHING OR TEACHER. IN ADDITION, A COMPARISION IS MADE WITH Awareness Integration Method™ (AIM) BASED ON DRINKING Avalon Water™ AS WELL AS HOW THIS WILL COMPLIMENT ALL SPIRITUAL PRACTICES AND HEALING METHODS. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PRACTICE OF AWARENESS INTEGRATION METHOD.

Eckankar: Paul Twitchell coined the term Eckankar as a spiritual system and practice for Soul Travel into higher planes of existence. After his passing, and some turmoil in the organization concerning leadership, Harold Klemp became the spiritual leader of Eckankar. There is some similarity between Eckankar and Surat Shabd Yoga – Paul Twitchell had studied with a Surat Shabd Yoga Guru before formalizing the Eckankar system. The Eckankar system states that there are 10 planes of existence, rather than the 5 that are presented in Surat Shabd Yoga. The emphasis on seeing inner light and hearing the sound current is the same in both. Although there are apparently secret names to repeat during meditation practice at higher levels of spiritual initiation, the name that represents the highest plane of existence is shared with everyone. This name is HU, which is pronounced like HUE as in the word Blue. The name Hu is chanted and repeated in silent Eckankar meditation practice. Where as in Surat Shabd Yoga there is a specific meditation practice based on silently repeating the five names and using a very specific method for listening to the sound current, Eckankar practices are more eclectic. An initiate has many options to choose from in order to practice Eckankar, although there is a consistent goal of leaving the body in the form of Soul Travel to reach the higher planes. A person becomes involved in Eckankar initially through correspondence courses and then eventually needs to receive spiritual initiation at higher levels directly from an authorized initiator (5th level and higher).

Comments: Read the previous comments in the Surat Shabd Yoga section. Paul Twitchell was initiated in Surat Shabd Yoga and there are similarities between Surat Shabd Yoga and Eckankar. Soul travel is the goal of each one. Click to the section on Surat Shabd Yoga.