Acharya Mahaprajna
Every individual is a unit of energy. But the problem is how this energy may manifest itself. Some people are not aware of the power latent in them. Others know of it, but do nothing to awaken it. A few are aware of it; they also make an effort to awaken it, and sometimes they are even able to manifest this power. However, in the case of an ignorant and negligent person, this source of power is never tapped. Only a wise and alert man may manifest this power.
The Psychic Centres
There are many centres of energy in our body. These are called chakras in the terminology of Tantrashastra and Hath-Yoga. In Ayurveda, these are known as vital spots. In the terminology of preksha meditation, they are called psychic centres. When these centres lie dormant, one does not feel the energy of consciousness latent in oneself. Only the awakened centres have utility for man. In the technique of preksha meditation, practice of concentration of mind is undertaken on the following 13 centres:
1
Shakti Kendra
Centre of Energy
2
Swasthya Kendra
Centre of Health
3
Taijas Kendra
Centre of Bio-Electricity
4
Anand Kendra
Centre of Bliss
5
Vishudhi Kendra
Centre of Purity
6
Brahma Kendra
Centre of Celibacy
7
Prana Kendra
Centre of Vital Energy
8
Chakshu Kendra
Centre of Vision
9
Apramada Kendra
Centre of Vigilance
10
Darshan Kendra
Centre of Intuition
11
Jyoti Kendra
Centre of Enlightenment
12
Shanti Kendra
Centre of Peace
13
Jnana Kendra
Centre of Wisdom
Shakti Kendra (The Centre of Energy)
Shakti Kendra, the Centre of Energy is located at the base of the spinal cord. It constitutes a source of physical energy, of bio-electricity. It is from here that electricity is propagated.
Swasthya Kendra (The Centre of Health)
The Centre of Health is located between the navel and the genitals. In the endocrine system, this forms the field of the gonads, which controls the unconscious mind. In the Yoga culture, it is called Swadhisthan Chakra. It has six petals, each petal representing one impulse - contempt, infatuation, patronage, non-confidence, annihilation, cruelty.
Taijasa Kendra (The Centre of Bio-Electricity)
The Centre of Bio-Electricity is located in the navel. It is connected with the adrenal glands and the kidneys. According to the science of yoga, it has ten petals, and each petal pertains to one instinct or passion, such as, shamelessness, back biting, envy, deep slumber, grief passion, craving, infatuation, hatred and fear.
Anand Kendra (The Centre of Bliss)
The Centre of Bliss is located below the lungs and near the heart. It may be regarded as the field of the thymus gland. In the terminology of the Hatha Yoga, it is called anahata-chakra. According to the Science of the Yoga, it has 12 petals, each of which is the abode of a particular instinct viz., hope, anxiety, industriousness possessiveness, hypocrisy, fickle-mindedness, discretion, egoism, lust, deceit, scepticism, speculation.
In a Jain Scripture, the lotus of the heart has been held to possess eight petals, each representing one tendency - perversity, disgust, gluttony, deceit, benevolent intellect, happiness, lust, unhappiness. These petals display man's changing moods. On that basis, various kinds of temperaments are evolved.
Vishuddhi Kendra (The Centre of Purity)
The Centre of Purity is located in the region of the throat, which is influenced by the thyroid gland. The mind is intimately connected with this centre. According to the science of Yoga, it has 16 petals.
Brahma Kendra (The Centre of Celibacy)
The Centre of Celibacy is located on the tip of the tongue. Its steadiness helps in exercising control over the genitals.
Some centres are located on the junction of the sympathetic and the para-sympathetic nervous systems, such as, the Centre of Bio-Electricity, the Centre of Bliss, and the Centre of Purity. Some other centres are connected with the sense organs and the organs of action.
The tongue is an organ of perception. The tip of the tongue is a factor of both fickleness and poise.
Prana Kendra (The Centre of Vital Energy)
The Centre of Vital Energy is located on the tip of the nose. It is the principal centre of vital energy. It is of material help in transcending thought in meditation.
Apramada Kendra (The Centre of Vigilance)
The Centre of Vigilance is located in the ear. It is closely associated with the awakening of consciousness. Modern science has gathered a lot of information about the functioning of the ear and the nose. These two organs play an important role in regulating man's various activities, and they are connected with the brain.
Chakshusa Kendra (The Centre of Vision)
The Centre of Vision is located in the eyes. It is deeply connected with the life force.
Darshan Kendra (The Centre of Intuition)
This centre is situated in the middle of the eyebrows and is principally influenced by the pituitary gland. In Hatha Yoga, it is called Agya Chakra (the Centre of Command). According to the science of Yoga, it has two petals. It forms the junction of Ida, Pingla, and Sushumna (the three principal vital flows which, according to Hathyogis, play an important role in the achievement of supreme bliss).
Jyoti Kendra (The Centre of Enlightenment)
The Centre of Enlightenment is situated in the middle of the forehead. It falls within the sphere of the pineal gland. Some masters of Hatha Yoga recognise nine centres. According to them, at the root of the palate lies a centre consisting of 64 petals. The Centre of Enlightenment may have some connection with it.
Shanti Kendra (The Centre Of Peace)
The Centre of Peace is situated in the front part of the head. It is connected with a man's current of feeling. It falls in the region of the hypothalamus.
Jnana Kendra (The Centre of Wisdom)
This Centre forms the principal part of the Central Nervous System. Various sections of the brain - the forebrain, the mid-brain and the hind-brain - are connected with it. It is an important source of supra-sensual consciousness. It corresponds with the Sahasrara Chakra of Hath-Yoga.
The Technique of Awakening the Psychic Centres
There are many ways of awakening the psychic centres. Among them, the asanas, the pranayama, the japa, etc. are noteworthy. But an even more powerful means of awakening the centres is preksha.
When attention is wholly concentrated upon a particular psychic centre, it starts pulsating, and this pulsation awakens the dormant energy. The technique of preksha is this: Select any convenient posture - the lotus posture, or vajrasana, or sukhasana and practise kayotsarg (relaxation with self-awareness) in this posture. Later select one psychic centre for fixing your attention thereon. Continuous concentration on the target leads to total integration. Experience for yourself the state of deep meditation. Through the practice of this technique, purify each psychic centre. The purification of each centre leads to the awakening of a special kind of energy.
The Outcome Of Awakening
- The purification of the Centre of Energy leads to prophesy, to the development of the poetic faculty and to healthiness.
- The purity of the Centre of Health develops the capacity to control the unconscious mind. It also leads to a healthiness and prosperity.
- The purification of the Centre of Bio-Electricity develops the capacity to visualise one's own anger and other passions. It leads to the strengthening of the vital energy.
- The purification of the Centre of Bliss helps in reducing the hardships of old age; it forestalls the tyranny of thought and leads to the experiencing ecstasy.
- The activation of the Centre of Purity develops the capacity to refine one's passions; forestalling the onset of old age is^also one of its functions.
- Through the purification of the Centre of Celibacy, one attains the capacity to control the sexual desires.
- Through the purification of the Centre of Vital Energy, one attains to a state transcending thought.
- Through concentration on the Centre of Vigilance, it is possible to be free from addiction to intoxicants. One finds it difficult to get rid of the habit of drinking, smoking and consuming intoxicating drugs. Through the focussing of one's attention on the Centre of Vigilance, a change starts taking place, and continued practice confirms it.
- Focussing attention on the Centre of Vision, leads to greater concentration of mind.
- Intuition is developed through the observation of the Centre of Intuition. It leads to the transcendence of the senses. Through it, direct contact can be established with the reality and the events of future.
- Anger can be overcome through concentration on the Centre of Enlightenment.
- Concentration of attention on the Centre of Peace serves to purify one's feelings. The limbic system forms an important part of the brain; it is there that feelings originate and attitudes form.
- The perception of the Centre of Peace is an exercise designed to influence that part. In ancient language, it was called the exercise of heart-change.
- The practice of concentration on the Centre of Wisdom helps in the evolution of inner knowledge. It is an extended form of supra-sensual consciousness.
- With the perception of psychic centres, one must also practise the perception of the cerebellum, which is extremely helpful in the development of supra-sensual consciousness.
The Root Of The Problem: Its Resolution
The basic problem facing man today is the feebleness of his consciousness, the lowering down of his morale. With the weakening of the morale, all problems grow formidable. However, with the strengthening of the mind, even a most intricate problem fails to discountenance one. Even a very serious problem then becomes mild. But when one's morale is down, one generally makes a mountain of a molehill. It is a misnomer to call a problem great or small; no problem is in itself big or small. If the morale is high, all problems appear insignificant, whereas the weakening of the morale makes even a little problem assume a formidable shape. So whether a problem appears to be simple or complex, terrible or insignificant, depends upon whether the morale is high or low. A man gets so much absorbed in a problem; he becomes loo much preoccupied with resolving it. The more he tries to resolve it, the more complex does the problem grow, and it grows more intricate because one is demoralised, and in the absence of a high morale, it is not possible to find any solution. Energy is required for the solution of any problem. If all one's energy is disintegrated, there can be no solution.
It is through meditation that one achieves a high morale, force of mind, pure consciousness. Through meditation, one is filled with such energy as renders one capable of meeting any problem. With great energy pulsating within oneself, one faces every challenge light-heartedly, and one resolves it too. A man then does not lose his balance in any predicament, whatsoever.
