Gurmat: Beyond religion and sprituality – The Science of Consciousness & Transpersonal Psychology – School of Gurmat Metaphysical Science & Gurmat Psycho-Spiritual Psychology

Gurmat as Ontological Mysticism: Beyond Religion, Pseudo-Spirituality, and Modern Spirituality

Abstract
This paper argues that Gurmat—a term denoting the ontological teachings embedded within the Sikh scriptural tradition—is frequently misclassified as a religion or form of spirituality. Through a critical examination of the epistemological foundations of religion, pseudo-spirituality, and modern spirituality, this article asserts that Gurmat is more accurately situated within the tradition of ontological mysticism. Drawing on key passages from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and supported by comparative scholarship in the fields of mysticism, religious studies, and consciousness studies, this paper contends that Gurmat constitutes a science of consciousness, rooted in experiential knowledge (Anubhav), ego-transcendence, and the realization of non-dual Being. Recognizing Gurmat as mysticism reorients its significance beyond sociological or anthropological categories, offering a radical framework for understanding the self, reality, and liberation.

Keywords: Gurmat, mysticism, spirituality, religion, ego-transcendence, consciousness, Sikhism, ontology, pseudo-spirituality

1. Introduction

The misclassification of Gurmat as either a religion or a subset of modern spirituality arises primarily from a Eurocentric epistemological framework. This lens, grounded in Enlightenment rationalism and Protestant reformism, seeks to categorically define all non-Western systems within familiar rubrics such as ‘world religions’ or ‘spiritual paths.’ Such classifications overlook the radical ontological and experiential foundations upon which Gurmat is built. This article seeks to clarify the nature of Gurmat as ontological mysticism, distinguishing it from institutional religion, consumer-oriented pseudo-spirituality, and psychological spirituality.

2. The Reductionist View of Religion

In classical sociological thought, religion is often defined through belief systems, sacred texts, rituals, and ecclesiastical authority (Durkheim, 1912; Weber, 1922). The reductionist model conceptualizes religion as an externalized institution mediating between humans and a transcendent deity.

However, Gurmat does not present IkOngkaar—the central ontological principle—as a distant or personal deity, but as the formless, all-pervading essence of existence itself. As articulated in the Japji Sahib:

“ਸੋਚੈ ਸੋਚਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜੇ ਸੋਚੀ ਲਖ ਵਾਰ ॥”
(By pondering deeply a hundred thousand times, purity of mind is not attained. Only through union with the Naam is realization possible. – SGGS Ang 1)

Gurmat rejects externalized ritualism (karam kaand) and instead prescribes Naam Simran (existential awareness of the Divine Name), Seva (selfless service), and surrender to Hukam (divine order). Thus, Gurmat is not religion in the sense of dogma or institutional authority, but a path of inner realization.

3. Pseudo-Spirituality and Commodification

Contemporary spirituality is often driven by the commodification of meaning. Carrette and King (2005) describe how neoliberalism has co-opted spiritual discourse to produce a depoliticized, individualistic consumer product. This form of pseudo-spirituality:

Emphasizes self-improvement over self-transcendence,
Avoids moral or ethical transformation,
Reduces spirituality to psychological wellbeing and stress relief.

In contrast, Gurmat explicitly critiques the egoic mind and demands ethical and ontological transformation:

“ਹਉਮੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਵਿਰੋਧੁ ਹੈ ਦੋਇ ਨ ਵਸਹਿ ਇਕ ਠਾਇ ॥”
(Ego and the Naam are in conflict; they cannot dwell in the same space. – SGGS Ang 560)

Rather than promote self-enhancement, Gurmat requires ego-annihilation (Haumai Khandan) through disciplined practice and inner stillness.

4. The Limitations of Modern Spirituality

The term “spirituality” in contemporary discourse is vague, often referring to subjective feelings of connection, aesthetic experience, or mindfulness practices devoid of metaphysical rigor (Heelas, 1996). It generally rests on:

Psychological dualism (mind vs. body, sacred vs. profane),
Experiential relativism (truth is personal),
Disconnection from ontological inquiry.

Gurmat, however, is radically ontological. The path of Naam, Shabad, and Anhad Naad does not involve personal belief but leads to direct realization of the self as non-separate from the Absolute:

“ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਸੈ ਮਨ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਮਨਿ ਤਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਈਐ ॥”
(Day and night, the Naam dwells within, and the whole being meditates upon the Divine. – SGGS Ang 427)

This is not a psychological state but a transformation of Being, consistent with mystical traditions that prioritize union with the Absolute over doctrinal adherence (Underhill, 1911).

5. Gurmat as Ontological Mysticism

The distinguishing feature of Gurmat is its ontological depth and commitment to mystical transformation. Gurmat is:

Non-dual: Creator and creation are not separate.
Experiential: Truth is accessed through Anubhav (lived experience), not belief.
Ethically Integrative: Realization of Truth is inseparable from ethical living and service.

As Kabir Ji declares:

“ਜਹ ਦੇਖਾ ਤਹ ਰਾਮ ਕਾ ਰੂਪ ॥”
(Wherever I look, I see the Form of the Divine. – SGGS Ang 871)

This is not metaphorical poetry but an experiential realization of the Divine immanence in all forms—a hallmark of mystical consciousness.

Unlike many mystical traditions that remain tethered to religious orthodoxy (e.g., Sufism, Christian mysticism), Gurmat is self-contained and does not depend on theological constructs or eschatological frameworks. It presents a complete methodology for ego-transcendence and Jeevan Mukti (liberation while living).

6. Conclusion

Gurmat cannot be accurately understood through the frameworks of religion, pseudo-spirituality, or commodified spiritual psychology. It is fundamentally an ontological mysticism that offers a direct path to realization through inner experience, ethical living, and the dissolution of egoic identity.

By recognizing Gurmat as mysticism—rooted in the ontology of IkOngkaar, illuminated by Naam, and lived through Seva—we open up new possibilities for the study of consciousness and human flourishing that go beyond the limitations of Western epistemology and reductionism.