Hi Arjan,
Sorry for the delay in answering your question...but I hope this helps!
www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php?title=Five_KhandsThe Five Realms described in the Bani are:
1.
Dharam Khand: the realm of
righteous action (pauri 34)
2.
Gian Khand: the realm of
spiritual wisdom (pauri 35)
3. Saram Khand: the realm of
spiritual endeavour (pauri 36)
4.
Karam Khand: the realm of
grace5.
Sach Khand: the realm of
Truth (pauri 37).
The first stage is the dharam khand. “The earth exists for dharma to be practised.” The word
dharam has been employed in the sense of duty. Duty is usually performed either out of a sense of social responsibility or through moral awareness. Guru Nanak links this sense of duty to man’s consciousness of divine justice. This is the stage in which a sense of inquisitiveness is aroused in the mind of the devotee who is now no longer a casual onlooker of the world around but can perceive the divine purpose behind the creation of this planet of ours, the earth, which is set in the cosmic cradle of time and space and is sustained by the vital elements.
Man has been placed in this world to respond to the Creator’s purpose. In His court, he will be judged according to his moral response. The next is gian khand. “In the realm of knowledge, knowledge is ignited, i.e. illumination dawns.” The
seeker here becomes aware of the universe and the mystery of existence. Through the creation, he gains knowledge of the Creator from whom it emanates. Knowledge here is not merely intellectual or sensual; it is intuitive awareness, a spiritual consciousness which expands the vision of the seeker. His sense of wonder is born not merely of his awareness of the many forms of life or the ordered movement of numerous celestial spheres, but of his perception of God who is the sole force behind all. In front of this limitless variety of cosmic life, he feels humble. This simultaneous experience of expansion of vision and of the sense of humility leads to vismaya or vismad (wonder).
Saram Khand is the sphere of spiritual endeavour. Here
man strives against the last remnants of his ego which still afflict him in spite of his experiencing strong emotions of humility in the gian khand. If the sense of awe and wonder is not accompanied or followed by discipline, the experience might become a mere emotion, something remembered with nostalgia but having no permanent worth. To become worthy of receiving the divine grace, one must chisel one’s surati (consciousness) which is a unifying thread for all human faculties. This chiselling of intellect and wisdom would erase even the subtlest layers of ego from one’s mind.
Karam Khand (the realm of grace) is the sphere where reigns the Divine grace. The process of liberation with grace initiated is now brought to completion.
All sense of dualism ends. The devotee is one with the Lord and with those who have attained this state of bliss.
One reaches here only after achieving a heroic victory over the evils. Yet he is not a passive devotee, but a man of awakened courage and great deeds.
The final stage of spiritual ascent, i.e. sach khand (the realm of the Truth), defies description. “Hard as steel is the story of this state to narrate.” Described as the abode of the Nirankar, the Formless One, sach khand is not a geographical spot, but the
final state of the evolution of human consciousness. One can only experience it, but not describe it, for here words cease to have any meaning and no analogies can help in describing the Unique. Here in the Divine Court, the perfect ones rejoice in His presence. It is from here that His Will (hukam) goes out to the universe, and the liberated, grace-filled souls perform it joyously and effortlessly. The
devotee becomes one with Him and realizes Him as a unifying force working through all objects of His creation. This way he attains to the non-spatial sach khand and to the Dweller therein, the Nirankar, who is nowhere outside his own heart.
As for attaining these levels, simran, gurbani and meditation is definately a large part of living a life on this path. Guru Nanak Dev Ji taught to live by the saying "Kirt Karo, Naam Japo athay Vand kay Shako" (Earn your living honestly by the means of your own labour, contemplate on The Guru's Name in each moment, and share your earnings with those in need).
Waheguru
