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In general, all sacred traditions have these four practices, usually with different names and different emphasis, perhaps, but still present. This progression of practices is a clearly marked path to God and is open to all—it does not discriminate among people of different races, religions, or sex (male or female).
The water of the ocean rises up in mist to form clouds. Then the clouds rain on the tops of the mountains, but the water cannot stand still there. It rolls down into small rivers, which merge with large rivers, and finally the water of the rivers makes its way back to the ocean. At this point in this cycle the water is no longer known distinctly as “river" because merging in the ocean it becomes the ocean. In the same way, the individual soul, having separated from God, wanders through 8,400,000 forms of life. Once the soul has received true instruction from a genuine teacher, and practices the four forms of meditation diligently, it finally realizes God and becomes one with Him. The cycle of birth and death then comes to an end.
Gosvami Tulsidas says:
As the water of a river merges with the ocean and becomes one with it, so the individual sin God) leaves the cycle of birth and death.
Santmat teaches and spreads this knowledge of how one can find and merge with God. This tradition is not based on any one
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