Hinduism offers methods to secure spiritual consciousness by purifying the mind and quieting the thralldom of thought
By Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
In speaking about his highest realizations, Paramaguru Yogaswami once compared his inner climb through the chakras to the outer ascent of the world’s tallest peak. “I climbed Mt. Everest in three days. There, there is nothing. No sun, no moon. Then you come down and there is dharma, adharma and all things.”
Gurudeva, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, gives this description of that state: “Many people think of the realization of timeless, formless, spaceless Parasiva, nirvikalpa samadhi, as the most blissful of all blissful states, the opening of the heavens, the descent of the Gods, as a moment of supreme, sublime joyousness; whereas I have found it to be more like cut glass, diamond-dust darshan, a psychic surgery, not a blissful experience at all, but really a kind of near-death experience resulting in total transformation. The bliss that is often taught as a final attainment is actually another attainment, Satchidananda, an aftermath of nirvikalpa samadhi, and a ‘before-math.’ This means that Satchidananda, savikalpa samadhi, may be attained early on by souls pure in heart. It also means that one need not gauge the highest attainment on the basis of bliss, which it transcends.
“In my experience, the anahata chakra (direct cognition) is the resting place of dynamic complacency, of thoughtful perception and quietude. Those of a lower nature arriving in the bloom of this chakra are released from turbulent emotions, conflicting thoughts and disturbances. This to many is the end of the path, attaining peace, or shanti. Once one attains shanti as just described, in my experience, this marks the beginning of the path, or part two, the second level. It is from here that the practices of raja yoga take hold, once shanti is attained.” In his explanation, Gurudeva gave an apt description of the anahata chakra—the fourth center of consciousness—as a natural resting place on the way to the summit of Parasiva. Let’s look more closely at our metaphor—comparing the inner climb through the chakras to the outer climb of Mt. Everest.
On the Nepal side of Mt. Everest, the last city below the starting point for climbers is Kathmandu. We can compare living in Kathmandu to where individuals are before they start striving to go within, before they even know about the chakras. The consciousness of those living in Kathmandu is centered in the first three chakras: muladhara (memory), svadishthana (reason) and manipura (willpower). When someone becomes a seeker of higher states of consciousness, it is like flying from Kathmandu to the town of Lukla, the first destination for climbers. The trekking route from Lukia to Everest Base Camp is about 40 miles one way, typically completed in 8 to 10 days to allow for acclimatization. The trail passes through several villages before reaching base camp.
For our seeker to reach his inner base camp—anahata chakra—takes much longer than 8 to 10 days. It requires years of consistent daily sadhana—a journey through purification of the subconscious mind, improving concentration, living dharmically, resolving karmas and developing a devotional nature.
Needless to say, reaching base camp is not the ultimate goal for either our mountaineer or our seeker. For the mountaineer, there are four additional camps en route, making a total of five. It is by trekking from the fifth camp that climbers make the final assault on the summit, which lies at 29,000 feet—Earth’s highest altitude above mean sea level. In his inner quest, the seeker must learn to stabilize awareness in the anahata chakra. Then, through raja yoga he attempts the ascent through the next two chakras: vishuddha (divine love) and ajna (divine sight). If he persists, he reaches the crown chakra, sahasrara, and realizes Parasiva—the Absolute.
Let’s explore what is experienced when we function in the anahata chakra, our inner base camp. Gurudeva described it as the realm of artists, inventors, creators of all kinds. Each time you design or create anything, you are bringing the beauty of the within through your nerve system into manifestation. Gurudeva said, “It is a beautiful place to be, and you can be here all of the time by feeling the power in your spine. The minute you feel that radiant energy, you disconnect from instinctive/intellectual consciousness and soar into the fourth [dimension].” A few minutes of breath control will help you to feel the energy in the spine. Visualize a clear tube in the center of your spine being filled with yellow light coming down from the top of your head. Then inwardly see this pure life force flowing through the spine and out into the nerve system.
Gurudeva adds this description: “People with the anahata chakra awakened are generally well-balanced, content and self-contained. More often than not, their intellect is highly developed and their reasoning keen. The subtle refinement of their nature makes them extremely intuitive, and what is left of the base instincts and emotions is easily resolved through their powers of intellect. It is important that the serious aspirant gain enough control of his forces and karmas to remain stabilized at the heart center. This should be home base to him, and he should rarely or never fall below anahata in consciousness. Only after years of sadhana and transmutation . . . can this be attained, but it must be attained and awareness must settle here firmly before further unfoldment is sought.” Gurudeva’s statements about the anahata chakra fit well with our Mt. Everest base camp metaphor.
The initial goal for every seeker is to experience the anahata chakra during their morning sadhana vigil and eventually hold that peaceful, creative consciousness throughout the day. However, having begun the day in a consciousness of contentment, creativity and intuition, seekers soon encounter the many ways that inner state can be lost. Here are six suggestions on how to sustain sublime consciousness.
1. Follow Dharma: The foremost requirement is to follow the yamas—Hinduism’s ethical restraints. Adharmic actions, such as lying and hurting others, disturb the mind, roil the emotions and draw us out into the swirl of external consciousness.
2. Avoid Contention: Not letting disagreements turn into arguments is also crucial. Disagreements are natural, but they should be handled in an intelligent and harmonious way, and they should be resolved quickly, not left to fester. We must always be willing to compromise to keep discussions from turning into conflicts. Domestic arguments are the most destabilizing.
3. Limit Our Needs: Every day we are assaulted by a barrage of ads promising greater happiness if we acquire whatever they are promoting. This constant enticement presents a major challenge to sustaining a contented consciousness. Trendy new cars, faster computers, fashionable clothes—all promise the ever-elusive state of mind called happiness. We can rise above this false allure by holding the perspective that we are content with what we have. If we acquire something more, it will not be to make us happier, but to benefit our family in a meaningful way.
4. Be Thankful: Gratitude is an important aspect of inner consciousness. A key to nurturing gratitude is giving thanks for all the good things in life. We are grateful for our family and friends, grateful for our job or school, grateful for the home we live in, grateful for the wisdom and practices of our religion.
5. Live in the Now: The affirmation “I’m all right, right now,” a metaphysical tool that Gurudeva gives us in Merging with Siva, is helpful in sustaining inner consciousness. It is a way to live in the eternity of the moment, to feel perfect in the now, with no worries about the future and no regrets about the past.
6. Find Inner Contentment: When we look at the world as the source of our happiness, life is a constant series of emotional ups and downs. When we derive our contentment from within, life is joyously free of external rewards, and we can share that joy with others.
While not everyone consciously aspires to the lofty realization of the higher chakras—vishuddha, ajna and sahasrara—and ultimately the realization of Parasiva, this is, in fact, the destiny of every soul. For those drawn to the Great Path in this life, the primary step is to awaken the anahata chakra during daily vigil and gradually learn to remain centered there throughout the day. For others still preparing for that ascent, simply living from the heart brings a quiet joy—nurturing creativity, deepening compassion, and bringing peace to life’s every moment.