Within the Radhasoami tradition, meditation on the inner sound current rests upon a disciplined foundation of ethical living and proper initiation. A living Satguru is regarded as essential, both to confer the sacred names for simran and to give the precise method. Daily life is to be aligned with this inner work through a vegetarian diet, moral purity, nonviolence, abstention from intoxicants, and an honest livelihood. Such a lifestyle is not treated as an optional add‑on, but as the necessary purification that allows consciousness to become receptive to Shabd. Regular remembrance of the holy names during daily activities further prepares the mind for formal practice.

The formal sitting is usually undertaken at fixed times, preferably in the early morning when the mind is quiet, and often again in the evening. Practitioners are encouraged to meditate for a substantial period each day, with guidance from the Master often pointing to around two and a half hours as a minimum, though the exact division of time may vary. A clean, quiet, and dedicated place is chosen, and the body is seated upright—either cross‑legged on the floor or on a chair—with spine and neck straight, yet relaxed and still. This physical stability supports the gradual withdrawal of attention from the senses.

The inner work begins with simran, the mental repetition of the charged names given at initiation. Attention is gently collected at the eye center, the tisra til, between and slightly behind the eyebrows, without straining the physical eyes. Simran is done silently and inwardly, not with the tongue or lips, and serves to gather the scattered mind, loosen identification with the body, and establish a foothold at the inner center. As concentration deepens, there may be spontaneous appearances of inner light or subtle visual patterns, but the instruction is to remain detached, neither pursuing nor fearing such experiences, and to return to simran whenever thoughts intrude.

From this collected state, the practice matures into attentive listening to the inner sound current, Shabd. While maintaining awareness at the eye center, the practitioner becomes quietly receptive, as if listening within for a subtle, upward‑drawing sound, without chasing or forcing any particular experience. Some lineages may employ simple means to reduce external noise, yet the emphasis remains on inner attention rather than physical manipulation. Over time, repetition is gradually transcended as consciousness becomes more absorbed in the sound itself, which is regarded as the divine power leading the soul inward and upward. Throughout, the guidance of the Master and the grace associated with that guidance are held to be the decisive factors, while the practitioner’s role is steady, humble effort and unwavering regularity in practice.