Satsang is the company of the highest knowledge and Truth; the company of a Guru; contact with a person or an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the Truth. This highest company also takes the form of hearing or reading the words of highest awareness, reflecting on, discussing and assimilating their meaning, meditating on the source of these words, and bringing this awareness into one’s daily life.
All followers of a Guru, regardless of age , are like his children. He gives them shelter from misery and imparts to them the knowledge of self-realization without expecting anything in return.
In a Satsang the Guru teaches meditation and other methods for realizing the God who resides within. How does one find a Guru? An ancient saying says that when the disciple is prepared, the Guru appears. A genuine spiritual Guru seeks out good students. If he finds that the student is not yet ready, he will gradually prepare him for higher teachings. And when the wick and oil are properly prepared, the Guru lights the lamp.
When people want to possess more and more of everything, a lot of stress and strain is generated. Desires for worldly possessions increase incessantly and finally turn into a whirlpool of miseries. Real peace of mind is not possible without practicing non- attachment and it is here that Satsang proves to be useful.
The human mind is like an unbridled horse, which runs amuck if not controlled properly. Our ambitions multiply our wants, thereby leading to unfulfilled desires. Controlling our mind is the most important step in self-realization and this is greatly facilitated by Satsang. Learning the religious scriptures is very good and helpful, but without Satsang, such learning could make one egotistical. A learned person taking part in Satsang is humble, communicative and gentle in behavior.
The most important points emphasized at each and every Satsang are that God resides within the heart of each human being but one needs to strive to seek Him, that self-discipline is required to control the mind, that one must learn to annihilate one’s ego for attaining true peace of mind and that one must abhor jealousy/greed/anger.