Preksha Dhyana: Perception Of Psychic Colours: [5] Benefits

• Mental Happiness
• Evidence of Religiosity
• Purification of Character—Strengthening of Will-power
• Self-awareness
  • Virtuous and Decent Behaviour
  • Enlightened Living; Glorious Death
• Attitudinal Change and Behavioural Modification
• Freedom from Sensual Pleasures
• (Meditation of) Taijasa Leśyā:
  • Commencement of Transmutation
  • Ineffable Innate Happiness
  • Cessation of Mental Weakness
• (Meditation of) Padma Leśyā:
  • Reinforcement of Brain and Nervous System
  • Mental Happiness
  • Mastery over Sensuality
• (Meditation of) Sukla Leśyā:
  • Self-realization

Mental Happiness

Numerous benefits accrue from the practice of perception of psychic colours. Some benefits pertain to the internal functions and some to the external ones: some are physical and some mental. One of the immediate benefits is mental happiness. As one becomes more accomplished, mental happiness increases. The feeling is not of joy or pleasure, but of happiness. There is much difference between the two. Wherever there is joy, there is bound to be sorrow, they are inseparable. What one achieves as a benefit is happiness, and not joy. An internal benefit is refinement of one's aura. A regular practitioner of systematic meditation, has a refined aura, purified lesyd and undistorted emotions.

Evidence of Religiosity

One may desire to protect himself from the miseries accruing from sin, by seeking refuge in religion. That is, one wants to escape the consequences of sinful life. At the same time, one wishes to get that which is not obtainable from it. Bad habits, vicious mentality, anxiety, agitation and mental tension—all these result from a sinful life, but one wants to get rid of them. He wants peace, harmony, freedom from tension, sympathy and friendship. That is why one desires to take refuge in religiousness. Even after accepting the religion, if one does not change, there is something wrong some-where, i.e. either he failed to follow the religious path or he made a wrong choice of the creed.

One adopts a religion or a creed and adheres to it for the whole life. But at the time of death, one strikes a balance-sheet and finds that the result is zero, that there has been no spiritual progress, no change in his behaviour, and that there is no evidence of religiosity in his way of life. In that case, it would not be a sacrilege if one concludes that religion is just a pleasant past-time, or that it makes one learned (knowledgeable), but it has no potency to change one's personality. But such a conclusion would be true for a superficial or pseudo-religiousness, but not for real religion. It would be true for the 'shell' of the religion but not its 'spirit'.

The problem is that now-a-days, (so-called) religious leaders have devalued the moral principles and have tried to establish ritualistic traditionalism as religion. The true reli­gion, which should not be dogmatic or doctrinaire but practical and dynamic, has unfortunately been shorn off its practical side. Beneficial factors, which could be obtained only by actual experience and practice, are not available, because it lacks the practical side. The creed, which is merely doctrinaire, which does not seek fresh knowledge, which is not dynamic enough to search and advance its knowledge and wisdom, is reduced to traditionalism, and is no longer qualified to be called 'religion'. In course of time, like static poolwater, it would become foul. The creed which does not care to expand its own wisdom by research and practice but teaches its adherents, wholly by exhortations and traditions with their attendant myths, legends and superstitions, cannot hope to be of any significant benefit to them.

In reality, experimental research and actual experience is the spirit of religion. The proof of potency and truth of such a religion is that its followers can positively change for the better. That inspite of accepting the protection of religion, and adopting a religious way of life, one does not change for the better, is improbable. The basic principle of being religious (i.e. adopting a virtuous way to life) is to commence treading the path of change—pilgrimage towards transmutation. Virtuous traits and religious characteristics become evident in the attitude and behaviour of a truly religious person. When the pilgrimage starts, characteristics of taijasa, padma and śukla leśyās begin to appear in the person's feelings, attitude and behaviour. Transmutation of leśyā is the only means to become truly religious. In other word, the malevolent trinity—kṛṣṇa, nīla and kāpota—is replaced by the benevolent trinity—taijasa, padma and śukla.

It must be remembered that the change in synthesization of the outpouring of hormones from the endocrine system results in the attitudinal change. When the transmutation is established, the compulsive impetus to the bad habits vanishes. Kṛṣṇa leśyā, the extreme malevolent leśyā is modified to nīla leśyā and that, in turn, is modified to kāpota. Now the weakest of the benevolent trinity—replaces the kāpota leśyā.

The frequency of the waves of kṛṣṇa leśyā is high and the wave-length is short. In nīla leśyā the wave-length increases and frequency is reduced. This change continues and culminates in śukla leśyā where the frequency is practically zero and wave-length is infinite. The transmutation is total.

Purification of Character—Strengthening of Will-power

When a practitioner of the perception of psychic colours crosses the border of gross physical body and enters the domain of subtle body, he will know where and when the bright white, red and blue colours appear. He will also know how tranquillity, bliss and happiness are produced. A question may be raised: Why do the colours appear? The appearance of colours is an auspicious sign. It corroborates that attention is not wandering, concentration is substantial and leśyā is changing. Change in leśyā results in purification of the aura which, in turn, leads to purity of character. Thus purity of character is proportional to purification of leśyā and aura.

We are constandy invaded by aggressive radiations, colours etc., from the external environment. They affect our aura, but the aura of a sādhaka, whose character is untainted, whose emotions and leśyā are purified, is powerful enough to withstand their onslaught. Its electromagnetic radiations are very powerful. It is impenetrable, and so whatever hits it is repelled and sent back without entering it. Even if some-one curses a person with virtuous character, it will not have any ill effect on him (or her). Moreover the radiations from such an aura are so graceful and magnetic that people are attracted towards him.

The will-power of a person with pure character is very strong and successful. Consequently, all the wishes of such a person are fulfiled.

Self-Awareness

The doctrine of leśyā is a powerful inspiration for awakening. Awake and be aware. The mind wanders; be aware of its wandering. The hand moves; be aware of its motion. All this awareness is important, but not the most important. Most important is to be aware of one's feelings and emotions. It is the emotional tension which makes the mind wander and keeps it agitated. One cannot steady the mind by being aware of its wandering, nor can one stop the motion of the hand. The force which moves the hand and agitates the mind is the compulsive force of emotions and instincts. Only when we are awake and become aware of this force, can we bring about the change. The only way to do this is to remain constantly awake and alert. Let us be aware of our own true self—our spiritual self. Let us not be stupefied. If we are overwhelmed by stupor, we shall be unaware of everything around us, as if we are asleep. To keep the self awake and alert—to practise concentration and meditation, it is not necessary to indulge in narcotics, as some people do. What is needed is constant vigilance and continuous self-awareness. Let us stop our mind from wandering, so that it is free from its threefold activities of thinking, recalling and imagining.

If one becomes free from thinking, recalling and planning, then the doubts may be raised: Would this not amount to withdrawal from the worldly affairs? Would not a sādhaka neglect his duties and responsibilities? How then would he survive and maintain himself and his family? How would he succeed in life? What about the stark realities of life? How would he procure necessities such as food, shelter, clothes etc., if he engages himself in meditation and self-realization? Would withdrawal from worldly duties and responsibilities not create hardships? Would not the practice of meditation make a person unsocial? Would not the complex problems of everyday life become formidable? All such doubts are quite reasonable and are likely to disturb one's mind.

Virtuous and Decent Behaviour

To dispel the above doubts, it can be emphatically stated that no practitioner of meditation has ever caused disruption of family or social life. On the contrary, such disruptions were made by those who never practised meditation in their life. The apprehension that regular practice of meditation will result in disorganisation of social life is baseless. If at all, a practitioner would think it fit to withdraw from some worldy matter, it would be such an affair as is superfluous or unessential. The fact is that only the egotists, who have never practised meditation, have created complications, problems and difficulties in the world. Experience has shown that so far, no sādhaka of prekṣā meditation has ever broken a code of good conduct, or disrupted or repudiated family or social obligations. Such an apprehension is groundless. Such a fear has no basis whatsoever.

The test of a practitioner of meditation in social life is his conduct and character. If one practises meditation regularly, but his conduct is not ethical, and his character is not virtuous, then others are compelled to conclude that for him, meditation is nothing more than a habit or addiction. Accomplishment of joyfulness, peacefulness and satiety is not the "be-all and end-all" of meditation. All these are initial and elementary benefits only. The crucial and fundamental test of a regular practitioner is metamorphosis of his way of life, conduct and character. If this happens, than one is sure that he has practised well and has realized the true spirit of sādhana.

The fact is that for living a useful and purposeful life, and for decent and gentle behaviour, spiritual consciousness is essential. It is also essential for:

1. achievement of inner harmony and development of vital energy;
2. removal of impediments in the way of acquisition of wisdom;
3. destroying the obstacles in the flow of spiritual energy; and
4. demolishing the impenetrable fort of delusion.

Spiritual consciousness is also needed in making one's life happy and free from strife. One who is ready for practising meditation must not allow himself to be enmeshed in polemics, but must overcome all such hurdles of illusion. He must penetrate deep inside to realize the truth and give greater importance to his own spiritual experience. He should not depend upon others. His motto should be - "appeṇā saccamesejjā" i.e. "Search the Truth thyself," that is to say, "Do not believe blindly what others declare". When the spirit of the above aphorism is grasped properly, and when, by the practice of meditation, one has the real experience, the innate delusion will be destroyed, and, with that, all problems concerning social life will be solved. One would then live a successful and happy life.

Enlightened Living: Glorious Death

As we have seen, the first benefit accruing from spiri­tual consciousness is a gentle and commendable way of life. The further benefit which accrues is that the person lives an enlightened life, and dies a glorious death. How can one die an enviable death, if his life has not been commendable and gentle? One who is deeply attached to life cannot die a praiseworthy death and one who is afraid of death cannot live an enlightened life. To live an enlightened life it is essential to be free from the fear of death, and to minimise the attachment to life. Both these can be achieved by the practices of meditation and the resulting spiritual consciousness. The practitioner attains such a high level of spiritual conscious­ness that life and death are both experienced as transient phases.

Attitudinal Change and Behavioural Modification

Spiritual consciousness destroys stupor. It will bring forth two benefits: attitudinal change and behavioural modification. It is the only tool which can affect both these personality factors and develop an integrated personality.

Freedom from Sensual Pleasures

The state of spiritual consciousness cannot be properly comprehended until we know the doctrine of leśyā. If one wants to practise meditation, aspires spiritual progress and development, and is anxious to solve problems by applied spiritualism, one must liberate or expand one's consciousness. Liberation or expansion here means to free the consciousness from the shackles of attachment to the material world. It is one thing to make use of material conveniences, but quite a different thing to be chained to them. Even when the attachment is broken, the use will continue, but the infatuation vanishes. For instance, one has to eat to nourish oneself, but craving for tasty, spicy food amounts to attachment and slavery. A practitioner of meditation does eat and drink and possets assets. All these are means of fulfilling the necessities of life. Meditation does not enjoin one to starve or abandon necessities. As long as there is life, one cannot but utilize all the facilities and conveniences, nor does spiritual life mean abandoning them. What is to be abandoned is the deep attachment to the material objects. A practitioner does not become enslaved or entrapped by the material objects. Thus, the main result of the spirtiual aware­ness is that the utility remains, but the attachment and infatuation are abandoned. The root of the misery is attachment, and not utilization. The spiritual consciousness result­ing from the regular practice of meditation softens and smoothens one's path of life by removing confusion and complication therefrom. His guileless behaviour makes his life free from deceitfulness and cunning.

(Meditation of) Taijasa Leśyā: Benefits Commencement of Transmutation

Taijasa leśyā is represented by the red colour of the rising sun. This is the colour of creation and is connected with fire element. It is the fountain-head of our activeness, energy, brightness of our personality, brilliance, etc. It is the sign of a healthy body. The pathologist taking a blood-count ascertains the number of red blood cells and white blood cells in the sample of blood under examination. Deficiency of red blood corpuscles in the blood is a sign of illness.

The psychic red colour can make one turn inwards. As long as one is under the influence of the malignant trinity, one cannot look inwards, be spiritual-minded and develop inwardness. Nor can he enjoy inner happiness and bliss. In the prekṣā system of meditation, one learns to grasp and perceive the subtle internal vibrations produced by the flow of vital energy. Only when the chitta has been trained and sharpened, can it grasp the subtle vibrations. When the chitta succeeds in establishing contact with the subtle taijasa body, the colours start appearing.

When we visualize rising-sun-red colour on darśana kendra and when the visualization is intensified and sustained, the colour actually appears and is perceived. Then the concentrated perception of this psychic colour, which amounts to entering the field of taijasa leśyā, results in the commencement of the pilgrimage inwards. Then the metamorphosis of stubborn attitude and habits, which were produced by the malevolent trinity, is in sight.The bright red colour has brought about the desired transmutation of our attitudes and behaviour.

Ineffable Innate Happiness

When one enters the field of taijasa leśyā, one experiences ineffable innate happiness. It is a real experience. Experience cannot be communicated to others. One can talk about it, but one cannot transfer it to others. One who has never entered the field of taijasa leśyā by perception of bright red colour can never even imagine let alone experience, that there is a state of bliss, unconnected with the physical body, and transcending all sensual pleasures. Until he passes through this remarkable experience, he cannot even believe that such an unprecedented and ineffable state of bliss exists at all. Prior to such an experience, he believes that the only source of happiness is the sensual pleasures. This belief is drastically changed after the experience that no pleasure in the world can match the state of bliss resulting from the advent of taijasa leśyā. A single actual experience of this type is enough to change one in such a way that he would never again view the sensual pleasures as he did before.

The fact is that the feeling of pleasure does not emanate from objects of sensuality. Science has established that feeling of pleasure results from the stimulation of the centre of pleasure in the brain. The identical feeling can be produced by stimulating this centre through electrical impulses and without the use of any object of sensual pleasure. In other words, by electric stimulation of the specific relevant centre in the brain through electrodes, the centre is energized and activated, and produces the same feeling as would have been produced by indulging in an act of sensual pleasure. Thus, it has been proved that the feeling of pleasure results from stimulating the relevant centre in the brain.

The advent of taijasa leśyā produces strong electrical impulses and stimulates the centre of pleasure. For a practitioner of meditation, therefore, there is no necessity for connecting and electrode. When one meditates to activate taijasa leśyā and when the rising-sun-red colour appear, the stimuli transmitted to the centre in brain are very strong and there is an intense feeling of pleasure—so intense and so pleasurable is the feeling that one does not want to give it up. It is well know that sensual pleasures often produce depressive after-effects such as debilitation, sorrow, etc. But there are no such after­effects when the stimuli come from bio-electric impulses, generated by taijasa śarīra.

Cessation of Mental Weakness

Yet another benefit accruing from the perception of rising-sun-red colour and the consequent advent of taijasa leśyā, is the cessation of one's mental weakness, and of the problems of a mental nature. In this age, we are constandy subjected to tremendous stresses and tensions. And all of us suffer from mental problems, to a lessar or greater extent. Stresses further increase when one undergoes an adversity or is faced with calamity. Sometimes the death of a dear one causes so much anguish that one contemplates suicide.

In short, the human mind is so delicate that it cannot bear adversity or calamity. Nervous breakdown is the result. This mental weakness can be cured by the perception of rising-sun-red psychic colour. Regular practice of meditation using this technique strengthens the mental power and enhances the capacity to endure the calamitous conditions with fortitude, so that there is no mental break-down under the worse adverse conditions. We have no control over the conditions, but mental weakness can be ended and a breakdown prevented.

(Meditation of) Padma Leśyā: Benefits

The colour of padma leśyā is brightgolden yellow. This colour is very invigorating and produces warmth. The entire process of progress towards the peak is thermogenous. Taijasa leśyā and padma leśyā both are thermogenous and when the heat culminates and attains the summit, that is, when there is no scope for further increase, it would be subsided by śukla leśyā, and the final emancipation is attained.

Reinforcement of Brain & Nervous System

On the physical level, the bright yellow colour invigorates the central nervous system, i.e. the brain and spinal cord. A child with a weak memory and low intelligence, if kept in a room painted with bright yellow colour, will improve these faculties. One who practises perception of bright yellow colour for ten minutes regularly, develops higher levels of intelligence.

Regular and systematic perception of yellow colour (padma leśyā) will result in a very high degree of purity, that is, the practitioner would attain a high degree of intelligence, wisdom and decision-making capacity, which cannot be acquired by means of studying thousands of books. In additon, he will gain a keen insight and sagacity to reach the root of the problem so that he would be able to overcome difficulties without much effort.

Mental Happiness

Psychologically, perception of yellow colour results in mental happiness. Much advance has been made in colour science and research still continues. Psychology of colour tells us that yellow colour is a symbol of mental happiness. It reduces mental deficiency and enhances joyfulness. Scriptures also propound that the advent of padma leśyā produces mental peace and happiness. Perceptive acumen is enhanced by it.

Perceptive ability leads to realization and an actual experience, not dialectical or rhetorical sharpness, but sagacity and wisdom.

Thus, the benefits derived from the perception of bright yellow colour, may be enumerated as:

• Enhancement of mental happiness,
• Development of intelligence,
• Development of perceptive ability, and
• Invigorating of nervous system (brain, spinal cord, nerves, etc.)

Perception of psychic yellow colour on chākṣus kendra also reinforces the efficiency of the sensory nerves.

Mastery over Sensuality

When the golden yellow colour appears in a meditational exercise, the practitioner enhances his self-control and masters his sensuality. Absence of self-control results from the influence of malevolent leśyā. This must be countermanded by the advent of benevolent leśyā. The psychic yellow colour annihilates the evil influence of dark psychic colour of malevolent leśyā. This purifies the aura and there is remarkable increase in the power of self-control. The practidoner obtains masteiy over sensuality.

(Meditation of) Śukla Leśyā: Benifits

The psychic colour of śukla leśyā is bright-white like the light of full moon. This colour symbolises godliness, piety, tranquillity and emancipation. Meditation of this leśyā sub­sides the intense heat generated by the influence of taijasa leśyā and padma leśyā and emancipation follows. Śukla leśyā inhibits excitation, impulse, urge, anxiety, tension, passions and psychological distordons like cruelty, hate etc. and leads to complete tranquillity.

Self-realisation

A practitioner must not become complacent with his success with taijasa leśyā and padma leśyā. The goal is not yet reached. One has still to continue his pilgrimage and go further. Beyond and transcending the sense-organs, the mind. and the chitta, there is something else—the spiritual self, and our aim is to realise it. Self-realisation is the main objective of leśyā dhyāna and is fulfilled by the meditation of śukla leśyā. Only when we accomplish this, we shall be able to comprehend the distinction between the material and the spiritual or psychical.

The process of self-realisation is creation of nirvikalpa chetanā i.e. an exclusive state of consciousness par excellence, which is free from vikalpa i.e. wavering as well as emotions of like and dislike, and feelings of pleasure and pain.

Freedom from Anguish (Avyatha Chetanā)

One who has attained the nirvikalpa chetanā lives in a world which is definitely different from this mundane world. But it is real and not Utopian. The first benefit which accrues from the attainment of this level of consciousness is awakening ot avyatha chetanā i.e. one which is free from all mental afflictions, torments and anguish. Even when he is faced with most adverse conditions, or serious and dangerous problems, he would keep calm and remain unperturbed. Just as one, who is soundly asleep, is unaffected by what goes on around him, apracutionerwho has attained nirvikalpa chetanā, though conscious and awake, would remain unaffected and unperturbed by environmental conditions. Nothing would ever agitate or trouble him. It is not that he is ignorant of the conditions around him, i.e. he is aware, but is not upset by them. He remains a witness but does not become a performer.

Freedom from Infatuation (Amūḍha Chetanā)

The second benefitwhich accrues is that the practitioner becomes free from delusion and is, therefore, not stupefied or infatuated. There is abundance of infatuating factors in this world. One sees, one hears and becomes deluded and infatuated. Similarly one becomes stupefied by a thought. Everywhere there are factors which cause infatuation and one gets ensnared in one of them. The delusion is an attribute of the vikalpa chetanā. Once the higher level of consciousness, i.e. nirvikalpa chetanā is attained, there is total freedom from infatuation.

Attainment of Wisdom (Viveka Chetanā)

The third benefit is attainment of Wisdom—viveka chetanā. A practitioner, on attaining wisdom, develops a faculty of discernment. He acquires the ability to distinguish between -

the whey and the butter,
the oil and the oil-cake,
the body and the soul,
the conscious and the material, and
the transient and the eternal.

By an actual experience, he knows the separate existence of the soul independent of the body. The benefit is a great achievement indeed.

Ability to Abandon (Vyutsarga Chetanā)

The fourth benefit that accrues is the ability to abandon, renounce and relinquish. This happens when the wisdom becomes mature. Then there is no hesitation or vacillation whether one is to relinquish his body or renounce sensual pleasures or abandon family and properly. When the ability to abandon is well-advanced, one can relinquish anything at any time without demurring, because there is no attachment.

On attainment of vyutsarga chetanā, the practitioner clearly experiences the separateness of his real spiritual self from the body. "This is 'I' -my real self. Everything else is just an association and is alien. What does it matter whether I keep it or renounce it? I shall abandon all at the right time." Thus vyutsarga chetandā strengthens the ability to abandon.

And this precisely is our goal—our destination. As higher levels of consciousness are attained, as unessentials are renounced and one lives in chetanā par excellence, the spiri tual self reveals itself and the turmoil subsides. The waves in the ocean of consciousness die down, and one day total tranquillity and calmness prevail. That is the state of consciousness, where the truth is realised and that is the highest and innermost desire of thousands and thousands.