CHAPTER-35
GANADHIPATI TULSI
AN UNPARALLELED BOON FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
The Centre of Purity certainly is the
chaste pit of the throat,
Transmitting nectar through auspicious jalandhar-bandha!
The centre of high bliss, yielding joy absolute, is
The heart-chakra, for ever joined with heart consciousness;
Tejas Kendra, remover of all darkness, bejewelled, beautiful,
Located in the navel, opening ever-new dimensions!
The Centre of Health and Power, the great Muladhara;
By awakening it, men rise to Truth!!
Q.The great problem of the modern age is disequilibrium,
lack of balance. One immediately loses one's balance in the face of a little
opposition. Even. if one person allied with group consciousness, becomes
unbalanced, he directly or indirectly influences the whole group. What kind of
meditation do you suggest for a durable and certain resolution of the problem of
mental imbalance?
Ans. From the physiological point of view, the thyroid gland is very important.
The metabolic process is regulated by it. From the point of view of sadhana, it
is the seat of the Centre of Purity. For the purification of feeling, meditation
on this centre is very necessary. Problems arising out of meditation on the
lower centres can be resolved through it. In the purification of intense
emotions like anger etc. it is actively beneficial. The relaxation of the larynx
and the perception of the Centre of Purity simultaneously make a rare harmonious
and beautiful combination. The sadhak who attains such a combination, after
surmounting many difficulties of life, reaches a point from where his goal is
clearly, visible to him.
One of the processes of hatha-yoga is jalandharbandha. The chin is made to rest
in the notch between the collar bones and at the top of the breast-bone. In that
state, one has a feeling as if nectar is flowing down one's throat. It happens
in the region around Vishudhi Kendra, the Centre of Purity. This centre has an
important role in obviating the restlessness of the mind. A simple resolution of
the problem of mental imbalance is the relaxing of the larynx and
jalandhar-bandha. Meditation on Vishudhi Kendra, the Centre of Purity, and
kayotsarg of the throat remove all uncertainty. Imbalance arises because the
mind is caught in uncertainty. With the dissolution of uncertainty, the mind
grows tranquil and the state of disequihbrium comes to an end.
Q.If a sadhak wants to undertake advanced exercises - in sadhana and wishes to
avoid strong emotions that might arise during meditation, what psychic centre
should he concentrate upon?
Ans. There is a centre of consciousness near the heart, called Anand Kendra, the
Centre of Bliss. This centre represents feeling. The consciousness of the brain,
and the consciousness of the heart--these two phrases are often mentioned. The
brain is associated with logic and the heart with feeling. With the awakening of
the Centre of Knowledge, a man becomes logical and argumentative, while the
activation of the Centre of Bliss results in the development of faith.
Consciousness is said to be directly connected with the brain, though our inner
consciousness is connected with the endocrine system, too, through which our
feelings manifest themselves. The consciousness of the heart is intimately
connected with feelings. Our heart immediately gets hold of the sensations of
pleasure or pain. The heart and the whole region adjacent to it, is influenced
by the Centre of Bliss. Some people call it the Chakra of the Heart. In Hatha-Yoga,
it is called the Anahata-Chakra. Meditation on this centre along with the
recitation of mantras is a good beginning. Some specific spiritual disciplines
are also practised through the medium of this centre. There is no room here for
the risks and difficulties involved in the practice of meditation on the lower
centres. From this angle, the Centre of Bliss is a typical and convenient centre
for meditation.
Q.Manipur Chakra is said to be in the neighbourhood of Anahata Chakra. Where is
this chakra located? What is its function? And for what psychic centre may it
serve as a substitute?
Ans. Manipur Chakra known as Tejas Kendra (the Centre of Bio-Electricity) in
Preksha Dhyana. The physiological term for it is ‘adrenal glands’. It is located
in the region around the navel. It is said to be the centre which produces vital
power. According to the physiologists, the adrenal glands are responsible for
the transmission of energy. In certain special situations, these glands make
typical secretions which result in an unthought-of increase in power. Meditation
on Tejas Kendra, the Centre of Bio-Electricity, develops the vital power. From
the point of sadhana, this centre is the principle source of making available
abundant bio-electricity. Bio-electricity is the energy which a sadhak needs
most. A man without energy is incapable of doing advanced exercises in the field
of sadhana, nor can he succeed in them. Ordinarily, bio-electricity is to be
found in the whole of the body, still there are certain principle centres, among
which the rear part of the navel is important. Energy develops through
meditation on this portion and this energy could be utilised in awakening the
remaining psychic centres.
Q.The psychic centres which you have discussed so far, are all located above
the navel. Some people think that only these centres above the navel are good
for meditation, that meditation on the lower centres is fraught with risk. Is it
so? What psychic centres are found below the navel? Should one meditate upon
them or not?
Ans. The psychic centres are mainly connected with our spinal cord and some
other typical parts of the body. All the psychic centres in the body have not
yet been discovered. The physiologists know about these even less. All the same
it is correct that the centres situated above the navel are pure and clean.
Normally, prolonged meditation is practised on these centres. The lower centres
are not so pure. In the system of preksha dhyana so far only two lower centres
have been used for meditation---the Centre of Health and the Centre of Energy.
The psychic centre located between the navel and the pubic region is the Centre
of Health. In Hatha-Yoga it is called Svadhisthana Chakra (the hypogastric
plexus). In the language of physiology, this region is influenced by the gonads.
From the point of view of brahmcharya, this centre is of great utility. The
relationship between brahmcharya and health is not yet fully known to modern
physiology. However, the ancient masters of spirituality gave it a good deal of
attention. According to the discoveries made by them, from the points of view of
both sadhana and health, the practice of brahmcharya has a special importance in
the acquisition and preservation of energy.
Below the Centre of Health is the Centre of Energy. In Hatha-Yoga it is called
the Muladhara Chakra. It is the lower most of the fundamental centres. It is
connected with sushumna or the nervous system. The energy which is created by
Tejas Kendra, the Centre of Bio-electricity has its source in Shakti Kendra, the
Centre of Power. From this viewpoint, it is also called the Centre of Energy.
The electricity or energy required by our brain, is supplied by this centre.
That is indeed the objective of the exercise of the internal trip during which
consciousness is made to move up and down, form the Centre of Energy to the
Centre of Knowledge and back. During that trip our consciousness becoming the
vehicle of energy, conveys it to the Centre of Knowledge in the brain. Thus, all
the psychic centres make an unparalleled contribution to our physical, mental
and emotional health and spiritual development.
Tejas Kendra (the Centre of Bio-electricity) in the rear part of the navel,
Swasthya Kendra (the Centre of Health) located between the navel and the pubic
region, and Shakti Kendra (the Centre of Energy) below are not so important from
the point of view of spiritual development, but they have their utility from the
physical point of view. Tejas Kendra is the centre of vital power
(bio-electricity); it is, therefore essential for survival and health. To
meditate upon Swasthya Kendra (the Centre of Health) and Shakti Kendra (the
Centre of Energy) is not that essential. Generally, one should meditate upon and
above Anand Kendra (the Centre of Bliss). In the preliminary stages, sadhaks are
made to meditate upon the lower centres, too, for a little while. But along with
these, it is necessary to meditate upon the upper centres. If Darshan Kendra
(the Centre of Intuition) and Jyoti Kendra (the Centre of Enlightenment) get
activated, there is then no need to concentrate upon the lower centres at all.
As to what particular psychic centres and in what condition should a sadhak
meditate one should seek guidance from experienced people.
Q.Some people have been practising meditation for years together and other are
novices. Whose psychic centres get awakened early? Does a sadhak come to know
clearly that his psychic centres have been activated?
Ans. There is no fixed rule about the time taken for the awakening of the
psychic centres. Some sadhaks do not experience any change within themselves
even after practising meditation for long period. Their psychic centres also
remain inert. However, some sadhaks make good progress within a short time. Such
a transformation takes place in them as to fill themselves with surprise. No one
in the beginning has direct intimation of the activation or otherwise of the
psychic centres, but it may be definitely asserted that the psychological and
intellectual development, the diminution, of egoism, higher instincts, the
sublimation of personality, the resolution of mental confusion and diseases, are
strong proofs that the psychic centres are very much alive.
