The Ascent to the Godhead - Part 8

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Dear All,

 

We concluded with:

 

" Tantra consists in bringing the consciousness into all the levels of being. The

understanding is that 'shakti', the divine energy which is in all nature, in all

matter and in one's own body, is rooted at the base of the spine like a coiled

serpent. In this form it is called 'kundalini' or serpent power. That

'kundalini' has to rise through the seven 'chakras', the seven levels of

consciousness, until it reaches the supreme consciousness beyond. 'Shiva' is

pure consciousness and 'shakti' is the energy. As this process takes place

'Shiva' and 'Shakti', the male and the female, are married, united, and the

whole person is transformed. That is the path of Tantra. "

 

A New Vision of Reality (Western Science, Eastern Mysticism and

Christian Faith), Pg. 194

Bede Griffiths

Templegate Publishers - Springfield, Illinois

ISBN 0-87243-180-0

 

In Part 8 Bede Griffiths talks about the seven chakras. These descriptions

pretty well agree with what Shri Mataji taught, except for a few variations,

which i am sure you will pick up. It will be interesting to compare, in any

case.

 

Here now, is Part 8.

 

Enjoy,

 

violet

 

 

 

The Ascent to the Godhead - Part 8

 

(P.195) There are seven 'chakras'. The first is the 'muladhara', the root

chakra, which is the link in each person with 'mula prakriti', with mother

nature. This chakra is located at the base of the spine, and so it is understood

that at the base of the spine we are all related to the physical web of the

universe. The whole universe as we know it, from the atom to the star, is a web

of interdependent energies, and our physical bodies are part of that web of

energies. At the 'muladhara' we are linked with all the energies of the

universe. As that chakra opens we become aware of this energy. Ancient people

lived much more from the muladhara. They were immersed in the physical universe.

This was a limitation to some extent and they had to grow out of it, but we have

grown so far out of it that we have lost consciousness of it. We now have to

recover that deep physical consciousness, consciousness of matter and of our

integration in the material world. So we have to allow the muladhara to open and

become activated.

 

The next chakra is the 'svadhisthana'. This is the life consciousness, or sex

consciousness, and this was a very important element in the Tantra which

eventually led to its falling into disrepute and being rejected. In Tantra part

of the practice was to develop sexual energy as one means of uniting with the

Godhead. There is both physical energy and life energy, which is the energy

which is in all the plants and animals and in all the life of nature. We also

share in that energy and through this chakra we are related to, and united with,

this whole life energy of the universe. The aim is to convert this energy. We do

not simply let it out in its normal channel, and neither do we suppress it

(which would be disastrous); rather we try to draw it within. The energy has to

rise through all the chakras and in this rising it becomes an inner force,

'ojas', as it is called. This is a very practical discipline. People today are

trying to find a way between suppressing sex and indulging it. (P.196) The third

way is to have a disciplined method for transforming the energy. This is done

largely through control of the breathing but also through the mantra, the breath

and the word.

 

Access to the third sphere of psychic energy is through the opening up of the

'manipura chakra'. This is the level of emotional energy. Here again we are all

linked emotionally, first with our mother and father, family, blood relations

and so on. These are very close emotional ties, and we know now how a person's

life may be conditioned by these emotional experiences which begin in the womb

and develop during the first two or three years. As this chakra opens up the

emotional energy has to be controlled. Normally when the chakras open the energy

is not controlled; tantric yoga is precisely the control of the energy in the

chakras, not letting the energies dissipate themselves but learning to bring

them within. In this way the emotions are brought within this current, this

force, and allowed to rise up to the deeper centre. It needs to be emphasised

that to do this is to control the emotions. It is not a matter of suppressing

the emotions or of indulging them, but rather of learning the middle way of

control. Again the method is the same. It is done by sitting, by breathing and

by concentration of the mind. To concentrate the mind, those who are religious

concentrate on God, on Jesus if one is a Christian, on Shiva or Vishnu if one is

a Hindu. One concentrates the mind at that point and then the energy is allowed

to rise to that point. It is given a direction. It is not safe to awaken the

chakras if one is not directing the energies which are released. It is dangerous

because one may awaken powers which cannot be controlled. But, by focussing on

the Supreme in one way or another, one guides the energy towards the still

point.

 

The fourth chakra is the 'anahata', the heart chakra. This is the chakra of

affection. The emotions are unstable, affection is stable. (P.197) It is the

centre of the will and of the reason, the 'manas' or lower mind. Most people

live from the heart chakra; feelings, affection and practical discipline come

from the heart. It is a deep centre and to focus on it is a very valid way, but

it does not take one very far. This is the middle level of consciousness, the

mental consciousness in its rather limited aspect and that is where many people

remain.

 

Next comes the 'visuddha', the throat chakra, which includes the verbal and

sound-based consciousness: words, language, poetry, music and so on. All this

opens up in the throat. So there is a progression as one emerges from the deep

consciousness, through emotional ties with one's mother and family, through the

heart where one is opening up to a wider sphere of knowledge and of practical

reason and will, and now one is opening up through one's feelings, and

imagination, and through music and poetry, to a wider sphere altogether.

 

Then one comes to the 'ajna chakra' and this corresponds to the 'buddhi', the

intelligence. That is where one focusses the mind, so one is drawing all the

energy up through this point. The 'buddhi' is where one opens on the

transcendent and that is why in meditation one tends to concentrate on the ajna

chakra. There can be concentration on the heart and this is good, but there

needs also to be concentration on the mind, the intellect, the 'nous'. At that

point one comes to the 'buddhi', the point of awakening and of enlightenment.

The Buddha is the enlightened one. This is the point of the so-called third eye,

where one is beginning to open to the transcendent. Until that eye opens one is

still living in the created world, the world of the senses and the mind; one has

not yet gone beyond. The ajna chakra is the passage to the transcendent.

 

The seventh and final stage is the 'sahasrara', the thousand-petalled lotus at

the crown of the head. The chakras are pictured in different ways. On way is to

see them as lotuses having different numbers of petals at each level. (P.198) At

first the petals are turned down. Then, as the energy rises, the petals are

pictured as turned up symbolising the opening of the lotus, the opening of the

chakra, at that particular level until one's whole being is transformed as the

energy flows through it. The chakras are also associated with colours and with

sounds. There is a whole science of colour and sound and energy, and the

interrelationships between them have been very profoundly studied.

 

At this point, then, the energy rises to the supreme chakra, the 'sahasrara',

and there one opens on the transcendent. This is the realm of what is called

transpersonal psychology, which relates to the consciousness beyond the ego.

Beyond the gross world, the world of the senses, is the subtle world. It has

become clear that practically all Western psychology is simply concerned with

the lower levels of consciousness and Western psychologists are for the most

part unaware of the higher stages. There are several stages beyond. The first is

the lower subtle world where the mode of experience is through the subtle

senses. Instead of only relating to the outer world through the gross senses one

begins to develop subtle senses. One perceives the psychic world, which is a

different level of reality enfolded in the physical world. The physical world is

the outer shell and beyond that is the subtle psychic world.

 

In the Hindu tradition there is a way of talking about this transformation which

is in terms of bodily sheaths, or 'koshas', in which the human consciousness is

involved, of which only the first is physical and the rest are subtle. The first

sphere is the 'annamayakosha', the food 'kosha', which is the material body.

Then there is the 'pranamayakosha', the level of the breath or life energy.

Inside this is the 'manomayakosha', the mental body, or mind energy. In the West

this is generally thought to be the final stage of development, whereas in

reality it is only an intermediate level. (P. 199) Beyond the 'manomayakosha' is

the 'vijnanamayakosha', and that is where one comes to the 'buddhi' or

intellect. Finally there is the 'anandamayakosha', the supreme bliss

consciousness. As one passes beyond all the limitations of the lower levels of

consciousness, one experiences the bliss of the 'sahasrara', the highest level

of consciousness, the 'anandamayakosha'. At that stage one is open to the cosmic

consciousness, the cosmic order, and that is where one becomes aware of the gods

and the angels.

 

A New Vision of Reality (Western Science, Eastern Mysticism and

Christian Faith), Pg.195-199

Bede Griffiths

Templegate Publishers - Springfield, Illinois

ISBN 0-87243-180-0

 

 

 

 

A quote from Shri Mataji:

 

“The subject of Kundalini is no longer a matter of book knowledge. Now you can

see with the naked eye the breathing of the Kundalini at the Mooladhara. You can

feel the different Chakras in the spinal cord with your fingers. Formerly,

bridging the gap in the Sushumna was the insurmountable problem. But it is being

discovered that this gap can be filled with the vibrating Power of Divine Love.

The Kundalini rises like a majestic Mother and breaks the apex of the brain

(Brahmarandhra) without giving the slightest trouble to the child (sadhaka). It

happens in a split second, in the short spell between two successive thoughts.

Of course if the aspirant is diseased or his Chakras are constricted by

over-activity of the sympathetic nervous system, the Kundalini, being the Mother

of every individual and the embodiment of Love, Knowledge, and Beauty, knows how

to reveal Her Love beautifully and to give rebirth to Her child without causing

any hurt.

 

There are many descriptions about Kundalini warning us against the dangers and

perils of the taming of Kundalini. Also many books describe various gross or

frightful experiences of Kundalini awakening. Actually this is caused because

Kundalini cannot rise without Sahaja Yoga, that is, if someone who is not

Self-Realized tries to awaken Her, the Kundalini becomes adamant and angry. Thus

the sympathetic gets into activity. When She is accused of sex, She sends heat

waves over the sympathetic nervous system which causes the constriction or

blockage of the plexuses and the path of the Kundalini is completely broken

down. Sometimes one gets into funny gesticulations or loses complete awareness

of the outside. Moreover, with mishandling of Chakras and Kundalini due to

ignorance or greed of the teacher, the chance of Realization for the aspirant

becomes very poor and sometimes impossible.”

 

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi