Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini (10 page)

Now, the question is whether X can be extended to Z without Y. Z stands for supra-normal sensory capacity. It has also gradations. Its existence has been demonstrated by the yogis. Yogic experiences may be divided into three categories. First, there is an extension of the normal limit of power without any instrumentation. This may be called extended, normal sensory capacity, XA. Those yogis who have been established in pranayama are able to exhibit XA. As, for example: there is a tree in front of us at a distance when the normal eyes can see its trunk, branches and leaves, but not in greater details. If a swarm of ants moves upward on the surface of the trunk, the ants will not be seen from that distance by the normal eyes. But a yogi can see them very clearly. This has been demonstrated. In a similar manner smell and sound are experienced.

Second, there can emerge an uncommon and new pattern of sense-qualities which is never experienced by normal sensory power. This specific sense capacity may be called XB. A yogi has the capacity XB. He experiences supersmell, supersight and supersound.

The following are instances in my own experience. I was in a sitting position on my seat in a very dark room on a dark night, fully awake but calm. There was no notion of seeing or hearing anything uncommon. I spent about an hour like this. Then, suddenly I saw a beautiful light of vermilion colour, by which the whole room was lit up. I got up amazed and looked at the light for some minutes. The light was very beautiful, cool and localized, and the room was beautifully illuminated. I went outside to see if anything had happened there, but found nothing. I hastened into the room and saw that the light was still glittering. After 10 minutes or so, the light gradually became dim and finally disappeared. The room was again dark. I saw this light with my eyes, which were neither closed nor covered. In my judgment it was a superlight.

The other experience was that: I happened to be in a place where a room was given me to sleep in, which had on the wall a beautiful picture of Sri Chaitanya, the great bhaktiyoga master. One dark night, the room being also very dark, I was in a sitting attitude, calm, but awake. When about 30 minutes had passed, I suddenly saw, to my great surprise, that very bright yellow rays were radiating from the body of Chaitanya in the picture. The whole picture was beautifully illuminated, and even part of the room was lit up. Before this occurrence, I had not thought at all of the picture. I was fully awake at the time. The light phenomenon continued for about 4 or 5 minutes. In those days I was able to see clearly and minutely things in deep darkness, without the help of light.

Third, there are real supranormal sensory perceptions, Z perception, in which the barriers of distance, size, obscurity and time are completely overcome. A yogi can perceive a happening occurring far away from him and barriered by mountains, buildings, etc. He can correctly foretell future events. All this has been demonstrated.

So the position is this. The gross aspect of matter presents sense-qualities in a form which may be termed sensory form 1. It is perceived by normal sensory capacity (X-capacity). The range of normal sensory capacity can be increased to a degree when the perception of sense-qualities lying beyond the normal sensory limit occurs. The sense-qualities do not change at this stage, but are barriered, which is over-come by extended, normal sensory capacity (XA-capacity).

We also find that the pattern of the sense-qualities perceived by normal sensory capacity and extended, normal sensory capacity is associated with a new, or an altered form of sense-qualities, which is only perceived by specific sensory capacity (XB-capacity). Above all these is the sensory form 2 which is perceived by instrumentalized, extended sensory capacity (Y-capacity). Thereafter, there is a gap in the perception of sense-qualities at the subatomic level. There are no records of any sensory experience at this stage known to me. But theoretically there is no reason why this should be impossible.

The supranormal sensory experience develops after the specific sensory experience. In this experience, sensory form 1 is perceived. But sensory form 1 is concealed by the barriers of distance, size, obscurity and time. In this perception, these barriers are overcome by developing supranormal sensory capacity (Z-capacity).

What is the mechanism which is brought into play in the above forms of perception? In normal sensory perception, the receptors are stimulated, and sensory nervous paths are created which join the appropriate brain areas. In extended, normal sensory perception, specific sensory perception, and instrumentalized sensory perception, the same receptor-brain nervous paths are used. But in supranormal sensory perception, the nervous paths are not used, because the receptors cannot be stimulated by sensory form 1, which is obscured by the barriers of distance, size, obscurity and time. In that case, how does this form of perception take place? It indicates that the ‘wired’ nervous paths are too gross for this kind of perception ; and since this perception is a fact, there must be some subtle ‘wireless’ conduction-system for this purpose. These nonnervous, subtle conduction-lines are technically termed nadi-paths. When the pranic forces are roused and become more concentrated by pranayama and concentration, they can be made so sensitive that they receive the vibrations, motions, or radiations of the sense-qualities even when these are obscured. The end-points of pranic forces in the head and skin of the body receive the refined sensory vibrations and transmit them to the chakras, from where the sense-qualities are transmitted to the subconscious mind in the ajña chakra. Precognition is only affected by the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is also able to receive directly all sense-qualities when it is sensitized by pranayama and concentration.

Supranormal perception indicates the existence of subtle nadi-paths. It also shows that consciousness is outside the boundary of the brain. Most people are unable to utilize these paths, because their powers in this direction are undeveloped. The neural-neuronal paths of conduction, occurring in common sensory perception, stop at certain points in the brain. These are the end points of the gross, brain paths. The sensory qualities conveyed by sensory conduction are released from the nervous envelopment at these brain points and are received and conveyed by pranic forces to the nadi-field, and then to the subconscious mechanism, from where they are radiated to consciousness. It appears that brain dynamism is an aspect of pranic dynamism, and mental dynamism extends through pranic dynamism to the brain.

The sensory forms are a series of graduated forms. On the lower scale the sensory forms are gross, and as they ascend the scale they become more and more minute. Sensory capacity also changes and becomes increasingly powerful in the perception of more minute sense forms. Our normal sensory capacity can be extended to perceive not only sense-qualities lying beyond the normal but also a new type of sense-qualities. Minute sensory forms, existing in the internal form of matter as molecules and atoms are perceived by the electron microscope. But sensory forms existing at the subatomic levels are so minute that they cannot even be perceived by the use of the electron microscope. This does not indicate that the sensory forms are non-existent here. The sensory forms continue from the atomic-subatomic level and extend to the subtle metamatter state.

At the metamatter stage, sensory forms are subtle and exist as subtle smell, taste, sight, touch and sound, isolated from each other. They are the fundamental aspects of meta-matter. The mahabhutas are reducible to the most concentrated forces called tanmatras. At the tanmatra level, sensory forms are the subtlest, and these are the perfect and final forms. Beyond this point, there are no sensory forms. It is the borderland of sense-form. For the perception of these subtle phenomena, it requires perfect ‘nose’, ‘tongue’, ‘eye’, ‘skin’ and ‘ear’. This means that it is the final and most perfect sensory experience which can only be achieved by yogic ‘mental eye’. It is the superconscious perception, and consciousness elevated to the concentration level is the only apparatus for its attainment. This perception has two levels: dhyana-perception and samadhi-perception. The former develops into the latter.

Dhyana is that state of consciousness in which the body becomes completely motionless like a mountain; the senses of smell, taste, sight, touch and sound become inoperative, and, consequently, the outer world is no longer the content of consciousness; consciousness remains unaffected by intellective functions and thoughts; such consciousness, thus being empty, coils to a point in which all its power is in full concentration. In this state, concentration exhibits the power of holding only one object fully. When such a concentrated consciousness is exposed to an object, it penetrates into the deeper aspects of the object and gets its inner subtle power-graph properly imaged in consciousness, and the image is fully illuminated because the revealing quality of consciousness is now maximally roused; then consciousness expands to a certain degree for the magnification of the image of the power-graph which, finally, is transferred to highly rarefied thought. In this way, a perfect and complete knowledge of the unknown and the subtle aspect of an object is attained. Samadhi is the full extension of dhyana when the perception is absolute and automatic. The chakras have been ‘seen’ in this manner.

Is the mental ‘vision’ of subtle phenomena a fact? Are the subtle phenomena real? Our answer is, that the chakras are subtle, but not imaginary. Each chakra contains specific power phenomena which can be made to manifest physically by appropriate means. This fact clearly indicates that the chakras exist and their powers can be made to manifest themselves on the physical plane. Let us take the muladhara chakra as an example. The power apana residing there can be roused, controlled, and made to exhibit a strong upward motion by dhyana and pranayama. When this upward apana motion is most forceful, the physical body rises off the ground and begins to levitate by itself without any mechanical aid. There is no form of energy operating in the body which is able to do this. Consequently, it definitely manifests the existence of the chakra, the pranic power and its influence on the body.

There are other forms of power in the chakras, and they can also be roused by dhyana. Dhyana in the muladhara develops natural health and strength of the body and intellective power, and prolongs life. Dhyana in the swadhishthana chakra develops a diseaseless and vital body and intellectual power. Dhyana in the manipura chakra develops the natural immunity of the body, the attainment of long life, and the release of certain uncommon powers. Dhyana in the anahata chakra develops an inner beauty, and makes the body highly attractive; there is also an intellectual development above normal and an acquisition of uncommon sensory powers. Dhyana in the wishuddha chakra develops a body adamantine in hardness and strength, and absorptive mental concentration. All these phenomena indicate that the chakra powers can be made to manifest in the body.

Experiences of the Yogis

Kundaliniyoga forms a highly important part of the yoga practices; and it has been practised by the yogi gurus and their disciples from time immemorial in India. This is indicated by the fact that the great yogi Shankaracharya,
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who became famous by expounding the monistic doctrine of Brahman in his well-known commentary, ‘Sharirakabhashya’, on the Brahmasutra (Wedanta-darshana) of Wyasa, had experience in this yoga, and gave an account of this in two of his unique works, Ananda Lahari (Wave of Bliss) and Yogatarawah. In the Ananda Lahari, the essence of Shankara’s direct experience in Kundaliniyoga is presented. The Ananda Lahari is considered to be such an important document that there are now known to be thirty-six commentaries on it. The work is an elaboration of the principles of this yoga contained in the Subhagodaya, a stotra by the celebrated Goudapada. It indicates that Goudapada himself practised Kundaliniyoga, and presented certain principles of this yoga in the Subhagodaya. Goudapada, who was almost certainly taught this yoga by his guru Shuka, the son of the famous Krishna Dwaipayana Wyasa, was expected to teach it to his disciple, the famous yogi Gowindapada, and Shankara must have obtained his knowledge of it from the latter. This shows the great antiquity of Kundaliniyoga.

Shaṅkara has clearly stated what happens in Kundaliniyoga when Kundalini, being roused, passes through the brahma nadi and pierces all the chakras and reaches the sahasrara to be in union with Parama Shiwa; and then returns again to the muladhara. He says
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: Having pierced all the principles (situated in the chakras)—‘earth’ in the muladhara, ‘water’ in the swadhishthana, ‘fire’ in the manipura, ‘air’ in the heart (that is, anahata), ‘void’ (akasha) above it (that is, wishuddha), mind (manas) between the eyebrows (that is, ajña), and having thus passed through the kulapatha (that is, the path through which Kulakundalini, or Kundali-power, passes; it is the brahma nadi which starts from the muladhara and terminates in the nirwana chakra where the sushumna also terminates), you (Mother Kundalini) are in union (in mind-transcendent concentration) with your husband (Parama Shiwa) in the secret aspect of the sahasrara chakra (that is, the all-absorbing path leading to infinity; it is beyond the sahasrara, and consists of Bindu, Nada, Shiwa-Shakti, Sakala Shiwa, and then Parama Shiwa where the union in yoga occurs). The life-essence flows like a stream from your feet (‘feet’ symbolizes union in yoga) by which the whole body is sprinkled; and then you again return to your own abode, and in doing so, you cause the chakras to become manifest. There (in the muladhara) you assume your own form, like a coiled serpent (that is, 3½ coils around Swayambhu-linga), and sleep (become latent in samadhi) in the cavity of the kulakunda (the triangle in the muladhara).

Shaṅkara has also mentioned the names of the following chakras in the Ananda Lahari muladhara in verse 41, swadhishthana in verse 39, manipura in verse 40, wishuddha in verse 37, and ajña in verse 36. There is no clear mention of the anahata chakra, but in verse 38, the word sangwit-kamala (knowledge-lotus) occurs, and it has been interpreted as referring to anahata chakra. But Shankara has clearly used the word anahata in verses 3 and 9 of the Yogatarawali.