Eckankar teaching is considered an advanced form of surat sabd yoga (yoga of the "Sound Current"), which concentrates on physical and spiritual techniques that enable the soul to travel beyond the physical limitations of the body to the higher spiritual realms of the 'Sugmad' - the formless, all-embracing, impersonal and infinite equivalent of God in theistic religions.
Eckankar teaches that the universe was created by a series of sound waves emanating from the Divine, in the course of which the Divine Sound Current became imprisoned in the realm of matter. Humans are sparks of God trapped in a cycle of reincarnation who nonetheless can return to God by listening to the Divine Sound and repeating the Divine Names (mantras).
The leader of Eckankar, Harold Klemp, is regarded as a Living ECK Master, who has "made the journey into the heart of God but has returned to help us on our way home." He has written several published books, but members (see below) are promised more direct instruction from him. (Eckankar.org)
