To gain self-awareness and to awaken spiritual abilities, Muraqaba should be practiced consistently. Through Muraqaba, our hidden qualities slowly surface and we eventually gain self- awareness. It is our daily observation that when we try to learn a new skill or any form of art or to awaken any latent ability we have to practice using a devised method. Continued practice, results in gradual improvement in ability and eventually we acquire that skill. For instance when we try to learn painting, at first with the supervision of a teacher we begin with drawing lines on a paper, which ends up in some kind of a sketch. In the beginning the pencil does not draw what we intend to draw. However, with practice we are eventually able to draw what we are supposed to.

Example:

A newborn infant does not understand the environment in which he lives, the way an adult person does. He sees things but is not able to comprehend their meaning or use. Knowledge of the environment comes slowly in a systematic fashion and intellectual maturity takes years. In the beginning, the child has difficulty in utilizing his abilities. When he starts to walk, he first crawls. Moreover, when he can stand on his feet then for number of months he is unable to balance. It takes the effort of many months before he is able to walk on his own.

Speaking starts with broken words then progresses to incomplete sentences. Often the meanings of words gets mixed up. However, with passing of time a child is able to converse using complete sentences. Together with individual efforts and the help of teachers and parents, the child is eventually able to read and write after spending years learning.

The point we are trying to make is that when any new ability grows, the consciousness absorbs it gradually. Just as a child goes through different stages of learning to acquire full knowledge about any subject, in the same manner, an adult also has to go through various learning levels in order to acquire any new skill. More or less the same condition prevails when someone tries to activate (awaken) esoteric or hidden senses. Since learning hidden senses is a relatively new process for the consciousness, in the beginning it faces some difficulties and challenges in understanding and using them.

It would be premature to assume that as we close our eyes for Muraqaha within a day or two all those observations and experiences that are the essence of Muraqaba would become known. With continued practice and enthusiastic interest, a person gradually journeys through the realm of Muraqaba.

In the beginning, mental focus is hard to achieve. However, with practice it is eventually achieved. The more focus or concentration is enhanced, the more hidden senses are activated. Based on the consciousness strength, the person goes through the spiritual experiences and esoteric observations. Spiritual state and observation increase with time.

Once fully achieved the spiritual abilities can be used at will just as other physical abilities.

During these stages, spiritual students need a spiritual tutor who can teach them almost as if they were kindergarten students, until the student eventually masters his or her own spiritual skills.

The spiritual state and observation varies in every individual and it depends on the spiritual and conscious level of that person. That is why only an experienced Spiritual Master or (murshid) can analyze an individual’s spiritual strength. However, depending upon the conscious strength, the different levels or stages that any student goes through are more or less the same. Based on strength and ability the different stages or levels are the following.