“You cannot know the meaning of your life unless and until you are connected with the power that has created all of us” ( H.H. Shri Nirmala Devi, 1997)
The Meditation practice has been practiced across different cultures. It’s been practiced for the last 2500 years and for much longer. Meditation has become rather a loose term like an ambiguous gray zone. It has been practiced in many forms in many cultures over centuries. It is most often associated with the Indian tradition of Yoga and Buddhism, but also has been crucial to Chinese Taoist and neo-Confucian traditions. The term Meditation comes from the latin root word ‘ Meditari”, derived from the root word ‘to heal’. Contemplative tradition poist that through the process of meditation, Physical, psychological and spiritual; health is cultivated. In Patanjali yoga, meditation is a technique to control the mind which is constantly wandering. Meditation is an exercise of turning attention inwards or awareness to dwell upon a single object, concept, sound, image, or experience, with the intention of gaining greater spiritual or experiential and existential insight, or of achieving improved psychological well-being (West 1987). Meditation also refers to the Dhyana that is how to be in a state of no thoughts called thoughtless awareness (Srivastava,1997). It is a state where there is absolutely no thoughts and Pure consciousness with no content whatsoever. The mind wanders in the past and future constantly thoughts are moving like a mirror is covered with the dust of thoughts. Meditation is misinterpreted as a process of concentration but in meditation there is no duality of object on which the subject concentrates. There is not inside and outside the boundaries that no longer exists. The practice of Meditation varies, and many times overlaps with each other. Shikantaza is a meditative practice of Japan which is quite similar to that of Native Americans practice of Meditation. In South Africa, the people of Kung Zhu/ twasi practice a form of ritual of dancing to awaken an energy located at the base of the spine (Katz 1973, 1999). Similar to Botswana, in Hindu philosophy there is a subtle energy which is located at the sacrum bone (Sacred) called Kundalini. Kundalini Yoga, when the Mediator has a pure desire can awaken this energy within and it travels up the spine (Anti-gravity) and passes through six centers (Chakras) and the meditator researches the highest state of consciousness called a state of enlightenment.
Sahaja Yoga Meditation is a Kundalini Yoga that has its origin in ancient India more than 5000 years ago. The Rishis through experimentation have discovered how mind and body works. Prakash (1997) it is based on multitude of traditions that has developed out of different cultures, period and based on deeper truth.
This understanding has led to the discovery of Yoga. Yoga has been found to be an integrative system of mind, body and soul. Yoga as described in Sahaja Yoga is the divine energy within all the human beings. The Sahaja Yoga meditation, a dynamic and gentle technique was founded by Dr Nirmala Devi Srivastava (Shri Mataji), in India in 1970. Sahaja Yoga (SY) is based on the awakening of primordial energy within us and to connect individuals with the universal living consciousness. The awakening of primordial energy called Kundalini power (feminine power) within all of us is called by many names as – Self-realization, second Birth, Enlightenment, Liberation, Moksha. When an individual reaches this level, he establishes peace and harmony within and attains a higher sense of awareness and subtle self-knowledge. Ancient times it was very difficult to achieve and get one’s self-realization but in Modern times through Sahaja Simple and spontaneous “) Yoga (“union with oneself “) this has become effortless and spontaneous (Kalbermatten,2004) When we say a person has got his Self- Realization is when the mothering, healing energy called kundalini has become awakened in your subtle system. It has been raised to the level of the highest of the subtle centers in the body-the Sahasara. Self-realization is the key to self-knowledge and to become peaceful, satisfied and balanced, the whole society is benefited and improves. Nirmala Devi Srivastava (1997) self-realization increases individual self-knowledge, helps in reaching doubtless awareness, increased access to creativity and intuition. The individual is born with the energy within them which can be awakened through their own desire. The energy within us called kundalini when awakened, awakens the energy centers called chakras also called plexus and sub-plexus in our parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system. When the energy awakens it can be felt as vibrations or called as cool breeze can be felt flowing out of the top of the head and from the hands (Srivastava, 1997).When individual gets its self-realization, he feels very relaxed and thought;ess awareness or consciousness without thoughts. It is also called Nirvichara samadhi (Srivastava, 1997).
Sahaja Yoga differs from other forms of Meditation as it is a collective spiritual awakens. Some of the ways collective meditation differ from the other type of meditation and spiritual practices are:
- Sahaja Yoga Meditation can be practiced by anyone as it transcends religion, culture and language barriers. It is available free of cost.
- To Meditate you first have to get your Self-Realization where your subtle system will be awakened in the presence of Guru (the founder H.H.Shri Nirmala Devi), in the presence of Shri Mataji’s Photograph.
- After getting the Self-realization the concept of Kundalini, channels, Chakra cleaning, affirmations, bhajans are introduced in the beginning.
- Those who practice Sahaja Yoga are called Sahaja Yogis and the collective is referred to as Sahaja Yoga Meditation community.
The human inner Subtle system
Human rationality has created multiple mind layers because of which we have lost contact with our organic roots. The fundamentals of our living organism are self-organization, self-regeneration and connectivity. There are few questions which lie within the dynamics of Golden goddess: the questions how seed sprouts? How does an egg become an organism? How does wounded tissue regenerate? We cannot answer all the questions beyond all the dimensions of space and time, cause and effect and science. There is a power within is the source of all the matter, she is the Individual mother, the one who nourishes and resides in our being called Kundalini. She manifests compassion that soothes and nurtures us. She rests in the sacrum bone in the three and a half coil and waits for the right opportunity to be awakened when the individual has desire. The feminine power within us knows everything about the individual and is anxiously waiting to give the second birth (Srivastava, 1977).
The Goddess “kundalini “is verily like the mother of universe “she looks as if she is cast in the image of the life breath clad in a yellow-colored cloth of gold, but just discarding it and getting exposed, or as a lap- Flame getting extinguished by the breeze of wind, or as a lightening just flashing in the sky and then disappearing” (Shri Jnanadeva, 2011).
The human subtle system is a vastly intricate one, made up to thousands of channels which carry energy throughout the body. The concentration of the energy in the subtle system is called “wheels” in Sanskrit), energy centers.
The entire system is governed by the three vertical channels of energy called “Nadis” in Sanskrit and by seven main chakras. Our subtle system is fully activated only by the awakening of the kundalini, which cleans and balances the entire system and enlightens the pure qualities of the chakras within us.
“Within us lies the peace, the beauty, the glory of our being. There is an ocean of all that. We cannot seek it outside. We have to go within” (Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1977).
The Three Channels of Ascent
The three channels have both physical reality (physical structure) and non-physical reality (‘type of awareness’ or ‘mode of being. ’There are three modes of being and these modes represent some kind of attributes with it. The right and left channels when “overuse” results in a negative state of being, whilst the central channel is the channel of spiritual growth and the channel of ultimate union with the divine (Rai, 1993). When an individual rests within the central channel which represents the present moment, attention can be drawn from the bottom chakra to the top chakra (above the head) where he can attain the state of thoughtless awareness.
We can also understand these three Nadi based on Bhagwat Gita; elaborate personality typology baked on three gunas of prakriti. There are few things about the trilogica; conceptualization. First The three Gunas exist in everything all the time; a certain level of predominance of one of the gunas may exist in a person. Third, despite the dominance of one of the three gunas the relative balance among the three is not fixed forever ( Rao, K.R.,& Paranjpe, A.C.2016). The balance gets disturbed and can be restored through meditation.
The Left Channel
The left channel (or Ida Nadi in Sanskrit) is called the moon channel. The moon channel incorporates the female Yin qualities of gentleness, responsiveness, cooperation, intuition etc. It begins at the Maladhara and runs up to the left side, crossing the Agnya chakra into the temple and the superego on the right side of the brain. It provides the conduit for the energy of our desire. From these wishes, our emotions are triggered. Emotions are actually desires that have not yet materialized. These desires and the attendant feelings about them travels though this left channel to the appropriate places in the body to bring about the actions of fulfillment. Our desires are essential for actions. Without their impetus we would have nothing to act upon. The link between the left side and the heart chakra any overuse of the left side would be exposed to cause a disturbance in the chakra. The quality of heart chakra is disturbed which is of security, fearlessness and causes anxiety and depression.
The left Nadi corresponds to the ‘Tamo Guna’ as in the following quote.
Tamas (Tamo Guna), which is born of ignorance, darkens the soul of all men. It binds them to sleepy dullness, and then they do not watch, and they do not work … … Darkness, inertia, negligence, delusion- these appear when Tamas prfrVai/s” (Bhagavad Gita Ch.l4, v. 8&13).
According to Sahaja Yoga, the ‘’overuse’ of the left channel results in lethargy, depression, and emotional distress. The greatest quality of the left side is to provide joy which is the steady condition of the spirit. You may remember having this joy as a child, or you may have observed it in a small two or three old children. They usually wake up in the morning happy. While they may experience physical and emotional pain once in a while thought-out their day, they do not cling to it with memory. The desire to be happy is still alive within us the same as when we were infants. It may be blocked or covered with the “tarnish” from the emotional or physical hurts experienced in living life. The practice of Sahaja yoga helps us remove those old tensions and recover that joy as a steady state of being. The problems of the left side tend to result in passivity or emotional extremism whereas we are thrown between elation and depression. In the worst case, we will become lethargic and self-obsessed.
The Right Channel
The right channel ( or the Pingala Nadi in sanskrit) is also called the sun channel. The sun channel incorporates the amle Yang qualities like analysis , competition , aggressiveness etc.. It begins at the swadhisthana Chakra and travels up to the right side. It crosses over the left temple( ego ) at the Agya Chakra. It provides the conduit for our active energy. This energy comprises our mental and physical activities. When the demand for energy on this side is too great, the left side is weakened ; the desire to have joy of the spirit evaporates. When the right side dominates, the personality becomes very dry and aggressive.
The right channel corresponds to ‘Raja Guna’, as described below,
“Rajas (Raja Guna) is the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment. It binds the soul of man to action … … Greed, busy activity, many undertakings, unrest …… -these arise when Rajas increases. ” (Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 14, v. 7&12).
The attributes of right side of excessive striving, overactivity and unrest is similar to Type A personality type (Friedman, 1969). Excess pressure shoots up into the left temple and into the ego, causing it to inflate into a balloon that blocks the central channel. The entire system is thrown off balance. The blinded ego sensitivity to our emotions is diminished. Decisions and actions are taken that dominate or disrupt the lives of others with a firm belief that they are “necessary “and”. Taken to this extreme, right -sided behavior leads to heart disease. The high techn, high -powered, “fast-track” environment of the western world’s cities. It is difficult to maintain equilibrium between emotions and actions when the work, school and shopping environment are aggressive and stressful. It is difficult to maintain a peaceful home where the imbalance and negatives can be corrected and purified. Instead, most of us go back to work or school with the accumulated negativities of the past clingings of our systems.
Sahaja Yoga meditation is effective at removing negativity and disbalances of chakras and candles. Simple meditation and techniques, such as foot socking , lying on the ground, sweeping the “aura” and shoebeating once can begin each day with joy from the open chakras and energetic power. You can revitalize yourself and relationships around you simple by working on yourself from the inside out.
The central Channel
The central channel( or sushumna Nadi in sanskrit) is called the middle Path. It begins at the place where the Kundalini resides and passes straight up to the spine to the highest chakra.
Central channel is seen to be synonymous with ‘Sattva Guna’, again as described below; ” …
Sattva because it is pure, and it gives light and is the health of life, binds man to earthly happiness and to lower knowledge… … When the light of wisdom shines from the portals of the body’s dwelling, then we know that Sattva is in power.” (Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 14, v 6 & 11).
Sattva Guna, or the central channel is the channel of balance, joy and spiritual growth.
Sushumna Nadi is made in the way as the three nadis and behind there is a very subtle nadi and it is called Brahma nadi. The Kundalini gets first awakened in this nadi. From this subtle Brahma nadi it passes and awakens (opens) the Brahmarandra. By awakening the Brahmarandra the self-realization starts, so in this special way Kundalini’s central path is made (Srivastava,1990). It is the channel of sustenance and evolution and through its power of love the forces ascend to reestablish its link with the all-pervading power of divine love. The flow of love manifests as the parasympathetic nervous system, the central channel coordinates our involuntary system activities. Our hearts beats, our lungs breathe, our blood system manufactures plasma, our brain centralizes and coordinates communication, our mind performs all of these incredible functions- and more-operate more powerfully than forty billion computers. These operations are performed regardless of where our attention is focused. They seem to have no need for our conscious leadership and control. Yet, miraculously, our body’s involuntary activities function according to an organized operating plan with such a complex interaction, synthesis, and communications that our deepest medical scientific research, which is now probing into the DNA, recognizes that still we have only reached the “tip of iceberg”. We have discovered that the human system is so vast and so ingenious that even to get some type of rudimentary understanding of it, requires recognition of our ignorance of it. We may start learning something new. The activities that take place through a parasympathetic system are spontaneous happenings. They happen naturally, without us doing anything. The rising of the kundalini and her work, as well as all the other spiritual activities, are spontaneous. Hence, the term Sahaja yoga was selected to label this type of yoga because it means spontaneous. The implication of the parasympathetic nature of the middle path is that the rise of kundalini is totally beyond our own volition or control. That is why, actually, shri Mataji Nirmala devi acts as a catalyst.
Once our kundalini has been awakened and has travelled through this central channel, out the top of the head, we can begin to become aware of the vast internal galaxy of our subtle system. This initial “enlightenment “or realization is only the beginning of our greatest adventures.
The Chakras the wheel of life
Guru Nanak (1459-1538) speaks about the self-fulfilling flowers inside us. Ancient Hindu, Greek describe Chakras as energy centers. The meaning of Chakras is “Wheel” spinning wheel of energy within us. Chakras are not physical entities which can be touched but is spiritual energy on the physical plane. Each chakra is associated with physical functioning described as stations or centers of pure consciousness.
Non- Physical form the Chakras can also be said as wheels. It contains a cluster of qualities whirling around the horizontal planes, rotating clockwise at its respective place in the body as the planet earth spins around its axis. On a physical gross level, they manifest as a plexus and control regulate human body organs and also neuro-endocrine system. They also corresponded with flowers that opened up, or blossoms within an individual. It manifests its qualities within the person when the Kundalini power has been awakened within an individual.The kundalini power rises from the bottom Chakra and moving upward, qualities of innocence ( Mooladhara Chakra), Pure knowledge ( Swadisthana Chakra), Satisfaction and free from desires (Nabhi Chakra), Security and freedom from fears ( Anhat Chakra), collectivity and power of witness ( Vishudhi Chakra), power of forgiveness ( Agnya), Integration ( Sahastrara chakra). The first chakra is primarily concerned with survival needs and moving towards humanistic concerns. Each chakra has its own qualities of being.The concept of Chakras can also be understood with reference to developmental models. Each chakra governs certain aspects of our psyche from the stage of childhood to adulthood. Comparative theories of development that can be corresponded with different Chakras is Piaget, Erikson, Kolberg theory and Wilber theory. According to Baijnath, P. (2008), the chakra model is another representation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The physiological and safety needs are synonymous with chakras 1-3 ( Muladhara, swadisthana, Nabhi) called deficient needs. Similarly, the need of love and of esteem is synonymous to chakra 4-6 ( anhat , vishuddhi , Agya ) and the 7chakara called Sahastrara (Crown chakra) is akin to Maslow level 5 (self-actualization).
Research findings on Sahaja Yoga Meditation
There are several benefits of meditation on the psychological wellbeing of an individual.The clinical trials reveal changes in heart rate , blood pressure, respiratory rate and level of stress hormones ( Nidich SI, Rain forth MV, Haaga DA, Hagelin, 2009).Clinical studies have revealed therapeutic effect of meditation , if combined with conventional treatment techniques , as in cancer ( Biegler KA, Chaoul MA, Cohen L, 2009) , hypertension and chronic pain (Anderson JW, Liu C, Kryscio RJ, 2008).
- Manocha et al., (2002) Indicated the shift of the definition of Meditation from physiological (Relaxation response) to experiential ( suspension of thinking). The participants were requested to either rest or meditate for 10 minutes ( Sahaja Yoga Meditation).A mental silencing oriented oriented meditation (Sahaja Yoga meditation ) was compared to the rest. It was found that the mean of Palmar skin temperature and heart rate of the Meditation group decreased while the rest group increased. The study suggests that the experience of mental silence and rest are not psychophysiological identical despite the fact that they are overtly similar.
- Harrison, L. et al. (2004) provided Sahaja yoga meditation as a family treatment method for children with ADHD. Pre and Post treatment results showed improvement in children’s ADHD behavior, self-esteem and relationship quality.Parents reported feeling happier, less stressed and more able to manage their child’s behaviour.
- Choudhary( 2011) Wanted to find out the effect of Sahaja Yoga meditation on the Nutrition level of University of the students which improved post meditation session.
- Morgan (1999) evaluated the effectiveness of Sahaja yoga meditation practice for the treatment of anxiety and depression. It compared three groups waiting list control groups, CBT based stress management group and sahaja yoga meditation the results showed that, Sahaja Yoga Meditation group reported significant reduction on all the symptomatology, however, the CBT based group showed no such results.
- Sharma (2005) There are many psycho-somatic benefits of meditative techniques. The study was conducted on adults ranging ( 18-45 years). The participants were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 received antidepressants and Sahaja Yoga and group-2 only received conventional antidepressant. The Sahaja Yoga Meditation practice was done for 8 weeks, and it was found that in comparison to group 2 who only received antidepressant, group 1 showed significant improvement of depressive and anxiety symptoms of participants receiving Meditation.
- Sharma, V. K., Das S., Mondal, S., Goswami, U. & Gandhi A. (2006) found improvement on NeuroCognitive Functions resulting from Sahaja Yoga Meditation.
- Hernández, Suero,Barros(2016) long-term practice of Sahaja Yoga Meditation is associated with larger grey matter volume overall and enlargement in the right hemispheric cortical and subcortical brain regions which is responsible for sustained attention, interoceptive perception and compassion.
- Manocha, Marks, Kenchington,Peters & Salome (2002) Sahaja Yoga Meditation have beneficial effects on the subjective and objective measures of the impact of asthma.
Summary
Most experiments in a varied group of meditators have revealed that the practice of meditation is accompanied by a decrease in neuroticism, depression, anxiety, irritability and hypertension. It increases self-control, self-realization and happiness.
According to U.C. Rai
H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has explained and demonstrated how Sahaja Yoga Meditation is a practice of meditation based on the internal technology of a subtle system. It is a method of Meditation which is spontaneous and effortless. When the kundalini awakens, we feel the cool breeze coming out from our palm and top of our head which is a sign that kundalini has awakened. After awakening of kundalini, we become thoughtless- blissful experience which relaxes our body and Mind.
Meditation has multiple benefits it improves relationships, reduces negative emotions and reduces anxiety ((Sedlmeier et al. 2012). Sahaja Yoga Meditation (SYM) has been found to be a promising strategy for the management of Internet use amongst adolescents. It has shown promise in many clinical trials. SYM have reported physiological and psychological benefits for patients with asthma (Manocha et al., 2002), stress disorders (Rai, Setji,& Singh, 1988), depression (Morgan, 2001), epilepsy (Panjwani, Gupta, Singh, Slevamurthy, & Rau, 1995; Panjwani et al., 1996; Yardi, 2001).Practical experience of teachers and yoga practitioners who have noted that SYM helps to focus attention, enhance concentration and memory, and improve self-esteem /self-image (Srivastava, 1997).There different types of meditation but with different focus and methods. Most of the meditation techniques lack theory or no theoretical background. There have been attempts to explain how meditation works but these explanations are not empirically stringent. Sahaja Yoga Mediation is based on Strong theoretical background.
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Author
Dr. Sanchita Singh
Dr. Sanchita Singh is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology in Christ (Deemed to be University), Delhi NCR Campus. She has recently completed her PhD from Delhi University in A study of problematic internet use and self-esteem among adolescents: An exploration into the impact of Sahaja Yoga Meditation.
