Chakra Dharana

In this seated meditation, we enter dharakasha, the deep inner space. Within that space we explore the chakras as points of light. Awakening the shushumna nadi by activating the chakra points with awareness and Ohm vibration.

Transcript

The Harakash Chakra Dharana Introduction When people take up the practice of Dharana,

They often face the same difficulty.

They try to concentrate on one point again and again,

But the mind wanders away.

Again they bring it back,

And again it escapes.

They go on like this alternating between concentration and states of unruliness.

But they never achieve Dharana because they are constantly struggling with the mind.

Yoga approaches the problem of Dharana from a different viewpoint.

The state of Dharana dawns with the awakening of Shashumna Nadi.

Shashumna is a channel for the spiritual force which flows within the framework of the spine.

It originates at Muladhara,

The first psychic center at the perineum,

And flows straight up all through the other psychic centers to Sahasra at the crown of the head.

Shashumna is the most powerful energy flow in man.

It is a non-physical,

Absolutely transcendental,

Formless flow.

It is a replica of the cosmic existence,

Of the God-like state.

Shashumna usually lies in a dormant state and is generally referred to as a sleeping Nadi.

Once Shashumna is awakened,

You don't have to try to concentrate.

It becomes a spontaneous process.

In this meditation we are going to be focusing on the chakras to allow the passageway for the Shashumna,

For the rising of the energy,

To open.

Sit in a comfortable meditation posture with the spine erect and the head straight,

The hands on the knees,

In a mudra if you please,

The eyelids and lips gently but firmly pressed closed,

Not too tight,

Not too loose.

For a few moments,

Observe the body,

Observe the physical position of the body mentally.

Become aware of how you are sitting.

Observe the position of the feet,

The lower legs,

The hips,

Fingers,

Hands,

Arms,

Back,

Trunk,

Neck,

Shoulders,

Head.

Create a mental image of yourself.

Imagine that there is a full-size mirror in front of you and your body is being reflected in that mirror.

See the reflection of your body in the mirror.

Complete awareness of the body which is being reflected in the mirror.

You are watching the reflection of yourself.

In that reflection,

Become aware of the position,

The posture in which you are sitting at this moment.

Observe the clothes which you are wearing in the reflection.

It is as if you are looking at yourself with eyes open,

Sitting in front of a full-length mirror.

Bring your attention to Chittakash.

Become aware of the darkness,

The black sky in Chittakash.

Experience the Chittakash throughout the head.

Become aware of the dark space inside.

Total awareness of Chittakash,

The inner space.

This inner space which is above you,

Below you,

Behind you,

In front of you,

Beside you.

There is nothing but the empty sky.

As you observe Chittakash,

You will find that there are manifestations of subdued colors,

Lights,

Shadows,

Shapes.

You might see different colors,

Lights,

Shapes,

Shadows that move and merge with one another constantly.

Intensify the concentration.

Intensify the awareness.

Observe the experience in Chittakash.

Observe the different manifestations of lights,

Colors,

Shadows,

Figures and forms.

Continue observing the manifestations of the internal activity.

You do not have to rationalize anything.

Simply observe.

Gradually develop the awareness of Chittakash,

The feeling of emptiness,

The experience of the vast sky throughout the entire body.

Observe the space of Chittakash throughout the whole body.

Imagine how an astronaut feels when he travels in space.

Complete darkness all around.

And in that darkness,

You can see the stars twinkling in different colors,

Sizes and shapes.

Experience the space throughout the body.

One part of the consciousness should experience the space and the other part of the consciousness should only observe the experience.

Continue observing the experience.

Observing the sensations objectively.

Look down into your body.

With the awareness at the top of the head,

Look right down to the tips of the toes,

To the tips of the fingers.

Experience the space pervading the whole body.

Take your awareness down to the toes and look up.

Experience the space when you look up.

Now take your awareness to the tips of the fingers and experience the space around you from that perspective.

The same type of perception when you experience at night with all the curtains closed,

The lights off,

The eyes closed,

The awareness of pitch darkness.

With one part of the consciousness,

Experience the complete darkness and with the other part of the consciousness,

Observe the experience.

Both should happen simultaneously.

Now bring your awareness to the top of the head.

And look down into the Sushumna Passage,

Located at the center of the spinal cord.

As you look down into Sushumna,

Become aware of the six points of light situated alongside it.

The first point of light,

If you observe carefully,

Is located below the spinal cord at the perineum,

Where the Sushumna originates.

The second point of light is situated just above the first,

Inside Sushumna at the point where the coccyx and the sacral bones meet.

The third point of light is located in Sushumna,

Behind the navel in the lumbar area of the spine.

The fourth point of light is located in Sushumna behind the heart,

In the thoracic region.

The fifth point of light is located in Sushumna behind the throat bit.

And the sixth point of light is located in Sushumna at the top of the spine,

In the center of the head,

Directly behind the eyebrows.

The seventh point of light is located at the top of Sushumna,

On the crown of the head.

Your awareness is above these different points of light,

And you are looking down.

They are like very tiny stars suspended in the sky.

Observe them internally.

They are in one straight line.

Observe them.

Observe them.

Observe the Sushumna as a luminous golden cord,

Which connects each point from bottom to top,

Like pearls on a string.

The part of the consciousness that is observing can move in any direction.

Take that part of the consciousness right down to the first point of light,

And look at it from the front.

As you observe the first point of light,

The Muladhara center,

Be aware of the other points of light above you.

Take your awareness right down and observe the first point of light.

Experience the space all around you.

Your consciousness,

Which is observing,

Is the microscopic self.

The point you are observing is the microscopic space.

Go deep into that point of light and generate the experience of color.

As the consciousness enters into that point of light,

The color changes.

The whole space becomes red.

See the whole space filled with red light,

With a red color,

And there is also the feeling of emptiness.

See the deep red color pervading the entire structure.

Now withdraw the awareness from the first point of light.

As you come out,

The red color dissipates.

Again,

The space becomes dark.

Take your awareness up to the second point of light at the level of Svadhisthana chakra,

The coccyx.

Observe this point.

As your consciousness enters into this light,

The color of the space changes to vermilion and orange.

Intensify your awareness and see the orange-red color pervading the entire space.

Now come out from the second point of light.

As you withdraw the awareness,

The orange-red color fades and disappears into the darkness of the inner space.

Move your awareness up to the level of the third light,

Manipur,

Behind the navel.

As you enter the Manipur light,

The color changes to golden-yellow,

The color of flame,

The fire nature.

See the entire space pervaded with golden-yellow light.

As you withdraw from the Manipur,

The golden-yellow color fades and disappears into the darkness of the inner space.

Bring your awareness up to the fourth point of light,

Anahat,

Behind the heart.

As you enter into the Anahat light,

See the color changing to a sky-blue.

Visualize the space pervaded by sky-blue light.

As you withdraw from Anahat light,

The light-blue color fades and disappears into the darkness of the inner space.

Moving your awareness up to the level of Vishuddhi,

The fifth point of light behind the throat.

Observe this point and see the space changing to a violet-purple color.

Visualize the entire space pervaded by violet-purple light.

As you withdraw your awareness from the Vishuddhi point of light,

The violet-purple color fades and disappears into the darkness of the inner space.

Bring your awareness up to the sixth light at the level of Ajna chakra in the midbrain.

As you enter this light,

See the color change to silver.

Visualize the entire space pervaded by silvery-colored light.

As you come out of Ajna,

See the silver color fade and disappear into the darkness of Chidakash.

Bring your awareness up to the seventh light at the level of Sahasra,

The crown of the head.

Here see the color of the space change to white.

Visualize the entire space illuminated with brilliant white light.

Maintain this awareness for as long as you can.

As the awareness comes out of Sahasra,

See all the seven points of light glowing like jewels,

Hanging on a string with a soft silvery-blue light.

Let your mind go spontaneously to any point of light,

Whether it's Muladhar,

Anahat or Agnya,

Whether it's Svadhisthana,

Manipur or Vishuddhi.

It does not matter where it goes.

Observe it carefully.

Allow the mind to follow its own direction and move towards any point of light where it is naturally attracted.

Wherever the mind moves spontaneously,

Observe that point of light.

Go to the source of that point of light.

Go to the nucleus of that point.

Within the nucleus of the light,

See the image of yourself as you are.

Acknowledge the chakra,

The point of light where your awareness has gone spontaneously.

Just acknowledge wherever the mind goes.

Observe where the mind goes.

Without any direction,

Without any effort,

Where it is naturally attracted to just go,

Acknowledge.

Observe all the points of light.

Observe all the chakras.

Observe all the points of light simultaneously.

Experience the space all around you.

Experience voidness,

Nothingness,

Stillness,

Shunya.

All around you and in that space,

Awareness of the chakras in the form of points of light.

Now chant Aum.

And while you chant Aum,

Part of your consciousness which is observing must stand back and watch the vibration of Aum in all these chakras.

As you chant,

The different psychic centers,

The different points of light will pulsate with a life of their own.

You can Aum silently,

Mentally,

It still creates a vibration.

Develop this feeling of pulsation,

Of vibration.

See the chakras becoming brighter.

They will begin to twinkle.

Experience the pulsation,

The vibration of the chakras.

Visualize that and at the same time be aware of the vibration of the chanting of the mantra Aum.

Breathe in and chant Aum.

Feel the sound of the mantra Aum.

Vibrating and pulsating with the pinpoints of light.

Continue observing.

Now we stop the practice.

Slowly externalize the consciousness.

Become aware of the inner space pervading the entire body from head to toe.

Awareness of the physical body.

Awareness of your posture sitting in meditation.

Externalize the mind becoming aware of your environment.

The external sound,

Different objects around you.

When you are fully aware of the outside environment,

Slowly move your body and open your eyes.