Prem Rawat no longer allows his devotees to put up posters on the hallowed Harvard walls that claim he has super powers. He has also "de-emphasised" use of the term 'meditation' in respect to the "Techniques of Knowledge" that he 'reveals' in an attempt to distance himself further in public perception from other people teaching meditation. Prem Rawat claims to offer a way called 'Knowledge' of four practical techniques that enable a person to turn their attention inside to discover and experience the peace that resides within. Despite the vague language, there is no doubt that he does teach a form of meditation and that is how his "Knowledge" was presented for decades and how his father and predecessor also described it. Rawat never discusses just how these techniques can enable a person to turn their attention 'inside' or why using them could make you feel more peaceful than just relaxing. He says little or nothing specific about them and provides no rationale for them. Maharaji's Meditation Techniques were given new names and the techniques were altered slightly but the four are basically the same as his father taught though he does not mention his parents and the controversial aspects of his past life.
Wood: How do we realize it?
Maharaj Ji: Well, it's a very simple procedure: Ask and you shall be given, knock and it shall be opened unto you. That's what Jesus had to say about it. Really that is the procedure. You go to a Perfect Master. If you want to drink water you have to go a tap. You can tell someone else to bring water to you, but he has to go to the tap. The tap is the source.
What are the different methods employed at Divine Light Mission centers to bring people to God realization?
Well, there's only one method. First you are told about Knowledge by someone. You listen to satsang, the discourses, and understand that this is the practical Knowledge that is being offered, the Knowledge that we are all interested in finding. Then it is a simple process, "Ask and you shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you." A person asks and is given.

Delhi, India, December 1972
Well, there's only one method. First they are introduced to the Knowledge by someone. Then there is our literature which people read and understand that this is the practical Knowledge that is being offered, that this is the Knowledge that we are all interested in finding. And then it is a simple process, as has been described, "Ask and you shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you." They ask for it and they are given. The people working at the different centers are like apostles, like disciples. And some disciples are called mahatmas; they reveal this Knowledge, but they do not give this Knowledge. If it was a process of giving, it might be difficult for them. But it is a process of revealing, so it is very easy.
And It Is Divine, Volume I, Number 5, March, 1973
I'll be leaving pretty soon, go to Sao Paulo, also there, people need to be saved there too, Brazilians aren't any better than anybody else, you know, they need to be saved, everybody, everyone, every human being, the ones that are saved, that think they're saved need to be saved, the ones that don't think they're saved they need to be saved, the ones that don't know about being saved, need to be saved, the ones that think they're too much saved they need to be saved, everybody needs to be saved, everybody's heart needs to be touched with that glory, with that perfection, with that experience. So with that thank you very much and good night (applause).
Prem Rawat has altered the terminology he uses to describe himself and his teachings that he wishes his followers to use many times in the last 45 years. However the basic,
underlying tenets of his public teaching have remained unchanged.
- His Knowledge is a method to contact the source of life within each human being
- There are four physical methods of contacting this Élan Vital in this Knowledge
- He is the only person able to reveal and empower his Knowledge and as such he is unique
- There have been others who have had this unique power throughout human history and they include his father and Jesus Christ
- Despite their inherent capability, these techniques are useless without the student committing to Knowledge and maintaining a connection to him.
- The practice of this Knowledge results in Inner Peace and Joy independent of life's vicissitudes if a connection to him is maintained
- The appropriate mode of connection to him is worship and devotion
There are also some private teachings that are not given overtly but are learnt from other students indirectly or as events occur.
- Devotion to Prem Rawat is the most important and rewarding part of the practice of Knowledge
- Due to his position and the stress it causes Prem Rawat should have the greatest wealth and comfort and opulence possible
- Prem Rawat has the power to alter any of the preceding at any time
In 1987 in a series of meetings with his followers he even altered some of the physical techniques themselves and the description of the internal experiences during meditation even though this Knowledge is claimed to be the same knowledge and the same inner experience of the source of life within each person taught as far back as Jesus' time and further back to the time of Krishna and Ram.
The language used to discuss Knowledge has changed considerably during the tenure of Prem Rawat as Perfect Master. He is not even ordinarily referred to as a Perfect Master anymore. At times in the last 25 years his followers have called him: Guru Maharaj Ji, Maharaji, Balyogeshwar Param Sant Ji Maharaj as he has directed them. However while the words change the basis is the same. Maharaji's Meditation Techniques have new names and slightly different methods but there are still four of them.
In the 1970s and parts of the 80's, a Mahatma/Initiator/Instructor/Part Time Instructor explained how to do the four techniques of meditation and the rules for practising the Knowledge according to Prem Rawat. They would physically squeeze your eyeballs hard and painfully and you would then definitely see some light often in the form of the "Golden Donut". Now this teaching is done through the use of a DVD of Prem Rawat giving the instructions and there is no eyeball squeezing.
There were four activities involved in practising this Knowledge:
- Satsang: attending regular meetings of premies and proselytising for Maharaji
- Service: doing voluntary work for Divine Light Mission and donating money to Prem Rawat personally and the Mission
- Daily meditation using the techniques of Knowledge for two hours a day
- Darshan: seeing Prem Rawat in person whenever financially possible and lining up to kiss his feet and make a donation
A description of the current teachings of Prem Rawat are available here. Prem Rawat and his followers claim:
- anyone who listens to him to develop and sustain the right understanding
- who daily practices the techniques of Knowledge
- allows themselves to be transformed
- develops a relationship of trust with Prem Rawat
- and makes a commitment for a lifetime will undoubtedly experience the profound peace that resides within.
In the 1970's, before being shown the techniques, the people who were going to "receive Knowledge" would have to take vows to Guru Maharaj Ji:
- Never to reveal the meditation techniques
- To follow Maharaji's five commandments
- To practice satsang, service, and meditation
and repeat the following prayer:
'Oh my Guru Maharaj Ji, I dedicate myself to your lotus feet. I am weak and ignorant and am filled with the impurities of this world. Oh Guru Maharaj Ji, please take my mind and purge me of the impurities I possess. Reveal to me the Knowledge of all Knowledges. Strengthen me, uplift me and reveal the kingdom of heaven within inside of me. Bring me from hate to love, from darkness to light, death to immortality. I will OBEY you implicitly and will never reveal this knowledge to anyone for any reason. I will keep in contact with you through my DEVOTIONAL LOVE, satsang, meditation and service. Thank you my LORD for everything.'
The Knowledge was discussed in the TVTV documentary "Lord of the Universe":




After I posted these techniques on Youtube various premies posted comments about this (and me). Here are the first ones.
Ex-premie: The First of the four techniques is the Light and it involves using the middle finger and the thumb, closing your eyes and pressing in and somewhat up on your eyeballs and then putting your forefinger in the middle of your forehead where your "third eye" is supposed to be and focussing your concentration your inner vision on the light, the single point of light that appears at that uh point (mm-mm) that's the technique of the light.
Michael: As journalists I don't think you'll agree with it but complete freedom of information doesn't isn't always the best idea because it can do harm.
The Second Technique is the technique of the Music which involves putting your thumbs in your ears, closing your eyes and holding them closed with the little fingers of each of your hands, joining the rest of your fingers and forming a kind of cap or bonnet over your head and concentrating on the inner sound. That's the, that's the technique that's called the Music.
Ah the Third Technique is the is the Nectar and the Nectar involves rolling your tongue back in your mouth as far as you can past your soft palate and sometimes it's advised you use a couple of fingers because your tongue is not used to going in that direction. The mahatma said that he takes his tongue and he turns it all the way around and loosened up his muscles that for me were tight. Puts his tongue all the way back back of where your mouth turns down, the roof of your mouth then turns down and there's an opening and he goes past that opening with his tongue and the up into the canals that lead to the nose and I suppose the ears too and that is just bliss
The Fourth Technique is the Word, the Unspeakable Name of God and that is basically (inhales loudly, exhales loudly a few times) uh you know very deep even breathing while uh internally concentrating on the sound 'Soham' (sohung) ah which in the Hindu tradition is supposed to accompany the 'so' on the inhalation and the 'hungh on the exhalation and this is supposed to be the sound that is produced by this unspeakable Name of God.




Every morning before you got up, before you got out of bed you were supposed to cover yourself with your sheet and do at least a half an hour on the Word, at least a half an hour on the music and as much of the Light as you could and you were supposed to be doing the Nectar while you were doing all of the other three and you were supposed to do the same thing every evening just before you went to bed so you were doing at least two hours of formal meditation. Throughout the day you were supposed to be doing the informal meditation on the Word.
Right at the moment when the whole thing was over, we'd received Knowledge, then it's over then immediately he switched - the Mahatma - he switched from talking about this Knowledge to talking about Guru Maharaj Ji and didn't he some he made a jump and he said we should all come to India and um and I thought "Wait a minute. Wait a minute. You know he's just made a little jump in logic there. I'm with him all the way and then suddenly I don't understand the connections. I've got this Knowledge and it's terrific but now I should follow Maharaji for the rest of my life and I don't understand why. Why isn't? He said it's this free gift and I've just received this free gift and I say Thank you thank you you know. Do I have to say thank you for the rest of my life?"
When I really, completely freaked out on then is when I got this letter, it said well yes Maharaji is our Lord and Master but He's also a little kid and He's coming to America and He really likes to watch TV and stuff so if you have any appliances you don't need, send them in. Yeah. He He they're starting a centre in New York. Okay? And He was going to live there for when He came to America. They said He's well He's Lord and Master but he's also a little boy in this incarnation and He'd likes appliances you know so any spare ones you have send and I said "Jesus you know that's when I completely freaked out.
Since 1984, Maharaji asks for three promises: http://thekeys.maharaji.net/keys/threepromises.php the-keys.maharaji.net is Defunct
- to give the practice of Knowledge a fair chance;
- to keep in touch with him for inspiration and guidance;
- and not to reveal the techniques to anyone. (whoops)
The further you immerse yourself in the practise of Knowledge the more you will learn how these are basically identical. The earlier statements were simple and straightforward, the later ones vague and indefinite, the underlying reality, the same.
Prem Rawat continually states that his Knowledge is not a religion or spiritual path. His critics agree to a certain extent. They claim his Knowledge is a false religion and definitely not spiritual. Many of Rawat's followers believe they are on a spiritual path and are having the same experiences that the great saints and mystics had in prior times. They are not able to convince many others of this though.
It is very easy to take Knowledge and to take what I am doing and put it on the parallel tracks of religion but this is about as far from religion as it gets. Because religion is a discipline so that after you die you go to heaven. You do all, you do everything right, then you got the Indian heaven, you got a Chinese heaven, you got you know this heaven, you got that heaven, busy place."
"I'm not saying that those people who don't have Knowledge are gonna go to hell." "But can they be happy?" (voice from audience) "Huh?" "Can they be happy?" (voice from audience) "Can they be happy? Without going to hell? Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha ha. Um. Uh uh."

Prem Rawat's Meditation Techniques Detailed