Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini (22 page)

Brahman—Supreme Consciousness, in the creative aspect, manifests consciousness in three forms. The first form is the sensory, and it functions in cooperation with the physical body. Consciousness is awakened by perceiving external objects through the senses. At this stage the experiences of the ‘I’ are essentially based on perception. The ‘I’ has seven main supports from where all its experiences are effected. The means of the experiences are nineteen, viz., five senses, five organs of volitive actions, five bio-energies, sense-mind, intellect, I-ness and consciousness. In the second form, consciousness is awakened by thoughts and dreams based on impressions and desires. In the third form, consciousness is not awakened, so it is a state of nonconsciousness (—Mandukyopanishad, 1. 3–5).

The ‘I’ feeling is awakened and maintained by intellection and willing, the site of which is the soma centre, and perceptivity, which has its sites in the five lower subtle centres. ‘I’ functions through the instrumentation of five forms of bio-energy, five organs of volitional action, five senses, will-mind, sense-mind, intellect and sense-consciousness. Consciousness is brought into being sensorially; the living body, sense-mind, and I-feeling take part in this. It is the sensory form of consciousness, that receives external impressions through the sensory channels. Now, ‘I’ enjoys the external world. When the senses become inoperative, as in sleep, the sense-mind may still function without the help of the senses. This function of the sense-mind is stimulated by the post-conscious impressions and desires. The usual example of this is dreaming. In deep thinking, the senses may be inoperative to a great extent. But when the senses are absorbed in deep concentration, the sense-mind becomes free and can acquire knowledge extra-sensorially. This knowledge falls under three categories: the same type of sensory knowledge acquired without the help of the senses; that form of sensory knowledge which cannot be acquired by the senses; and a supra-sensory form of knowledge.

When the senses and the sense-mind become inoperative, sense-consciousness becomes masked, giving rise to apparent nonconsciousness. It happens normally in deep sleep. But in layayoga concentration, sense-consciousness is absorbed, and sense-mind, will-mind and intellect are also absorbed, and the undifferentiated conscious ‘Substance’ of the sense-consciousness is spiritually transformed into highly rarefied superconsciousness. This is the stage of super-conscious concentration. The Supreme Spirit is ‘seen’ through superconsciousness. When superconsciousness is also absorbed in supreme concentration, what remains is infinite Brahman. At this stage, there is neither sense-consciousness, nor nonconsciousness, nor superconsciousness; it is neither a conscious state, nor an unconscious state, nor any intermediate state. The reality remaining in this state ‘cannot be seen, as it is beyond the senses; it cannot be “taken”, as it is beyond the reach of the volitive faculties; so it is hidden in everyday life ; it is without any attributes, and beyond thoughts and, therefore, unidentifiable; it is only the being of Supreme Consciousness where all creativity and the manifested universe have come to nothingness; it is that Supreme Reality which is one and the whole; that is to be known’ (—Mandukyopanishad, 1.7).

The absorption of sense-consciousness in concentration is the principal part of layayoga, as the attainment of samadhi entirely depends on it. Aditya said: ‘The real chittakshaya (that is, the complete absorption of sense-consciousness), which is superconscious in nature, is yoga’ (—Akshyupanishad, 2.3). The absorption of sense-consciousness is associated with the absorption of the senses, sense-mind, will-mind and intellect. This absorption is not the dark state of the mind. It brings into being that consciousness which is divinely illuminated. This is superconsciousness.

The process of absorption, technically termed here apañchikarana (‘dis-quintuplication’) has been described as follows: The ‘earth’-form is absorbed in the ‘water’-form (in concentration) ; ‘water’-form in ‘fire’-form, ‘fire’-form in ‘air’-form, ‘air’-form in ‘void’-form, ‘void’-form in I-consciousness (which includes sense-Consciousness, intellect, will-mind and sense-mind), I-consciousness in the mahan-principle (super-consciousness), mahan in awyakta, that is prakriti (primus) and awyakta in purusha (disembodied consciousness principle) (—Paiṅgalopanishad, 3.6).

It has been said: ‘That Brahman in the creative aspect is Indra, that is, endowed with the great yoga power, and is Prajapati—the first being with attributes; all the dewatas—super-beings, the five mahabhutas (metamatter) and all beings, including those which are produced from eggs, which are viviparous, insects, plants, other animals and men—and their sources—all are absorbed in the super-conscious knowledge; superconsciousness is the centre of the absorption of all these and lokas (worlds). Superconsciousness is illuminated by Brahman’ (—Aitareyopanishad, 3.1.3).

Here the secret of absorption has been disclosed. In relation to mind-matter phenomena, Brahman, with its Supreme Power, is in the creative aspect. The universe and all beings are the manifestation of the creative force of Brahman. The lokas are the chakras—the sites of sensory and mental functions. The mahabhutas and tanmatras and the sense-principles are in the lower five centres. Consciousness and mental functions are in the upper centres. Consciousness becomes limited when it is a field of perceptivity, intellection and volition. This consciousness is nurtured by the penetration into it of the objective substances lying outside it. When the sense-principles and sense-mind are absorbed in concentration, this consciousness becomes a non-being, not by becoming non-consciousness but by being transformed into prajñana, that is, superconsciousness. When the sense-consciousness becomes inoperative, the picture of the external world vanishes. Therefore, the absorption of sense-mind, sense-consciousness, intellect and will-mind creates a state of consciousness which is beyond all these. It is now prajñana—superconsciousness which is super-refined and illuminated by divine light.

There is a Waidika process of absorption, termed ‘Ekadhanawarodhana’, meaning, Prana (bio-energy)-control (—Koushitakyupanishad, 2.2). The sensory functions of the mind are based on the functioning of the bio-energy in the body. The concentrated state of consciousness is difficult to attain without the control of bio-energy. It is the process of developing concentration causing absorption of cosmic principles in which bio-energy-control plays an important role.

First, the five sensory forms should be reduced to their right mantra-forms with which are linked appropriate dewatas (deities). With the help of the mantras, the senses should be absorbed in concentration in the deities. Thereafter, the deities are dissolved in the central dewata in the form of Kundalini, aroused by the absorption of pranic forces in pranayama, while in concentration. After this, the sense-consciousness and, finally, superconsciousness are absorbed into Kundalini.

It has been said: ‘From mind void-form, from void-form air-form, from air-form fire-form, from that water-form and from that earth-form, and from that in turn the entire universe and all beings have been manifested. (Beyond all there is) Brahman—the undecaying, immortal, immutable and whole reality. By controlling the prarta-apano bio-forces, spiritual light should be ignited in the mind in deep concentration; this will lead to the attainment of Brahman’ (—Sannyasopanishad, 4.6).

At the sensory level, our consciousness is in union with the sensory objects through the functioning of the senses. This contact is completely broken when consciousness is in union with that luminous Kundalini, radiating spiritual knowledge. This union is effected in stages. By appropriate practice, in which pranayama forms an intrinsic element, the consciousness is irradiated by the Kundalini-light and the mind is spiritually strengthened. Such a mind is able to display desireless will, by which concentration is maintained and developed to a deep form. Now it is possible to get the senses and sensory objects absorbed in deep concentration. When all the the senses and sense-mind are absorbed, consciousness is transformed into superconsciousness. Finally, infinite supreme Brahman is reached by getting superconsciousness absorbed into Kundalini. It is an ancient Waidika process of absorption in concentration.

It is stated: ‘There is in the void of the mind a reality which is birthless, one and eternal. That Narayana—the Supreme Spirit, takes the forms of earth, water, fire, air and void and lives within them as a living being, but they do not know him; he is in the forms of sense-mind, sense-consciousness, intellect and I-feeling, abiding in them as a living being, but they do not know him; he is in the forms of awyakta (prakriti) and akskata (Supreme Being with attributes), and is in them as a living being, but they do not know him; and he is in the form of dissolution, lying in it, but it does not know him. He is the Supreme Spirit, lying within all beings; he is without impurities; he is divine being and one and luminous by his own splendour; he is Narayana—Supreme Consciousness’ (—Adhyatmopanishad, 1–1).

Here the process of absorption has been described. Unless all the cosmic principles are absorbed, Narayana is not reached, though he is in everything in his supreme aspect. The first part of the process consists in the absorption of the sensory principles by stages. The second part is the absorption of sense-consciousness with sense-mind, intellect and I-ness. The third part is the absorption of prakriti and God in divine form. And finally, there is the recoiling of that grand power—Kundalini, who has absorbed into her everything, into Narayana—Supreme Being.

About the process of absorption it has been stated that: ‘The earth-form is the heart of all smell (that is, the smell principle); water-form is the heart of all tastes; fire is the heart of all forms; air is the heart of all touch; void is the heart of all sounds; awyakta (primus) is the heart of all mental powers; mrityu (that is, the central spiritual power causing absorption) is the heart of all beings; (after absorption of all principles) mrityu becomes one and the same with the Supreme Being. Thereafter, there is neither being of anything nor nonbeing of anything, nor anything which is beyond being or nonbeing of anything. This is nirwana—liberation’ (—Subalopanishad, 7.13.2).

The smell principle is intimately related to and supported by the earth form. The centre of the earth-form is the right place for the absorption of the smell principle. Similarly, the appropriate centres for the absorption of the taste, sight, touch and sound principles are the centres of the water, fire, air, and void forms. The senses should be absorbed in these centres stage by stage. Then the mind with all its powers or faculties should undergo negativity. Thereafter, mrityu (death) which is the heart of all beingness becomes united, as Kundalini, with Supreme Consciousness.

This is the picture of the Waidika process of absorption. The essential part of this process has been adopted in Tantrika layayoga.

Tantrika Form of Layayoga

The outer objective world is the effect of the materialization of the cosmic metamatter energy, existing in subtle form, which has its centres of operation in the individual organizations, and there is a senso-mental process which connects the external world with the individual inner world. The original cosmic energy principle in its inertia aspect is the root of the manifested phenomenon we call matter. Through the senso-mental process the outer world is brought into consciousness and is known. The price of acquiring senso-mental knowledge is the masking of spiritual knowledge. The latter arises in consciousness when it is not impurified and diversified by the penetration of sensory objects. The spiritualization of consciousness means the development of one-pointed consciousness. Unless the sensory principles are made inoperative by appropriate means, this cannot happen. The spiritual power is anti-multifarious and, consequently, is in the nature of concentratedness. The whole source of spiritual power in the individual organization is Kudalini—the coiled power.

Kundalini is the Supreme Power in her spiritual aspect. But when the eternal energy of the Supreme Power is directed towards assuming a finite form, Kundalini remains coiled, and mundaneness arises in consciousness. The method of arousing Kundalini and uniting her with Parama Shiwa—Supreme Spirit—is the essential part of layayoga. First of all, the aroused Kundalini moves towards the Supreme Spirit. This creates a spiritual flow to God in the consciousness, and, stage by stage, the various cosmic principles are absorbed into Kundalini. Then the spiritual consciousness itself is absorbed into Kundalini, and ultimately Kundalini herself is absorbed into Supreme Spirit. The awakening of Kundalini and the spiritualization of consciousness through the absorption of various cosmic principles stage by stage is the process of concentration of layayoga. That form of concentration, in which consciousness is completely free from non-spiritual elements by absorption, and is fully illuminated by the luminous Kundalini, is the highest stage of samprajñata samadhi (super-conscious concentration). Thereafter, Kundalini absorbs the spiritual consciousness and finally she herself is absorbed into Supreme Spirit; it is the stage of asamprajñata samadhi (non-mens concentration). This is the Tantrika form of layayoga.

Angira said: ‘Knowing the intimate relation between the cosmic objective phenomenon and the individual consciousness, the conduction of Kundalini towards the Supreme Being and her absorption in that in concentration is the third, that is layayoga’ (—Daiwimimangsadarshana, 3.32). The unspiritual mutation of consciousness is due to the senso-mental radiations of the objective substance into consciousness, thus producing a state of mundaneness. The unspiritualization of consciousness comes to an end when the central coiled spiritual power is aroused and absorbs into itself, in deep concentration, all the senso-mental principles; and ultimately the aroused spiritual power is absorbed into the Supreme Spirit. The absorption process of concentration, first developed to a state of superconcentration, and finally to supreme concentration, is layayoga.