16. Camp Sixteen : Sublimation of Mind

In our holy scriptures, it is said that one who can overcome the seven sheaths viz. earth, water, fire, wind, space, Ahmakar and Mahat Tattva, wins the grace of God- the Supreme being by identifying himself with Brahman. Then how can these seven sheaths be overcome? To understand the answer to this question in its proper perspective, a vast background is to be prepared.

Our body is like a miniature edition of the whole universe. That is why it is said: या पिंडे सा ब्रह्मांडे । Bhagwan Swaminarayan says in Vachanamritam: ‘The mechanism of the body is similar to that of the universe. It is microscopic in the body while it is macroscopic in the universe. The shape of the universe is the same as that of the body.There are nerves in the body just as rivers in the universe.There is water in the cavity of stomach just as oceans in the universe. The moon is positioned in the left lunar astral nerve (Ida) and the sun in the right solar astral nerve (Pingala), just as the moon and the sun are in the universe, similarly whatever is there in the body is also present in the universe.’ (Gadhada-F-65)

Ken Wilber in his book Quantum Questions discusses in detail the five koshas or sheaths of the human personality which were first enunciated thousands of years ago in the Taittiriya Upanishad. According to the Upanishadic sages, just as the whole universe consisting of fourteen different lokas is enveloped by seven above-mentioned sheaths, our soul is also covered by five Koshas (sheaths) viz

(1)Annamaya Kosha (Physical body)

(2)Pranamaya Kosha (Bio-plasmic body)

(3)Manomaya Kosha (Mental body)

(4)Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellectual body)

(5)Anandamaya Kosha (Spiritual body)

These sheaths are not souls themselves but they are just outer layers of the soul. Jiva (embodied soul) considers these Koshas as soul and treats accordingly due to ignorance.

Annamaya Kosha means our physical body, its base is anna (food) so it is called Annamaya Kosha. Pranamaya Kosha is just like the shape of physical body. It is also called Etheric double or Aura. Russian Dr. Kirlian has developed the technique for taking photographs of Aura. He has also made spectacles namely Aurospec to observe Pranmaya Kosha. We can visualize anybody’s aura clearly by wearing these spectacles. Pranamaya Kosha is the supporting pillar of our sense organs. The person whose consciousness resides in his bio-plasmic body, has more interest in the pleasures pertaining to sense organs.

Manomaya Kosha is finer and more subtle than Pranamaya Kosha. Its main organ is mind. The person who resides in mental body prefers mental enjoyment to physical pleasures. The virtues like faith, truth and concentration are prominent in the intellectual body which is finer than mental body. Manomaya and Vijnanmaya Kosha both together make the total form of Antahakarana. The fifth Anandmaya Kosha is the state of pure Sattva - nearest to soul.

One of the sources of energy in universe is sun and another is moon. The sun and moon also represent in human body as Pingala and Ida nadi. The word nadi means stream. The concept of nadis is based on the understanding that they are channels, any channel through which anything flows is a nadi.

There are fourteen principal nadis. Of these, Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are considered the most important. All nadis are subordinate to Sushumna. Prana travels through Sushumna from the pelvic plexus to Brahma Randhra, which is situated in the interior of the cerebrospinal axis.The Hopi Indians who are believed to be the oldest tribe in North America, compare the axis of the earth to the human spine. In the spinal cord, where Ida, Pingala and Sushumna cross each others at seven places making knots. These knots are related to the seven energy vortexes radiating like multi-coloured suns along the axis of spine in our astral body. These whorls of spinning energy are known as Chakras.

The chakras or Energy-centres are points of connection at which energy flows from one vehicle or body of a man to another. Anyone who possesses a slight degree of clairvoyance may easily see them in the etheric double, where they show themselves as saucer-like depressions or vortices in its surface. There are seven energy-centres (Chakras) as under:

(1)Muladhara Chakra (Base Centre)

(2)Swadhisthana Chakra (Spleen Centre)

(3)Manipura Chakra (Navel Centre)

(4)Anahata Chakra (Heart Centre)

(5)Vishuddha Chakra (Throat Centre)

(6)Ajna Chakra (Brow Centre)

(7)Sahastrara Chakra (Crown Centre)

Muladhara Chakra is situated at the base of the spine. It represents the manifestation of the individual consciousness into human form. Meditation on the tip of the nose induces the beginnings of awareness, freedom from diseases, inspiration, vitality, understanding of inner purity and softness in the voice and in the inner melody. The energy at this centre is governed by whether you received unconditional love and affection as a child. If your this centre is strong, you are grounded and comfortable in your body and you feel the world like your home and can handling practical affairs with ease. Earth is the main element on this centre.

Above the base centre and below the navel, Swadhishan Chakra is situated. Its main element is water. This Chakra relates to the desires for anything - friends, love, God. The energy at this centre fires up those desires and gives you the enthusiasm to reach out to achieve your goals. It is also the centre of physical strength.

The third centre Manipura Chakra is situated at Solar plexus above the navel. Its main element is fire. All the digestive organs except large intestine are located here, so it governs the digestion. If its motion is obstructed, fire element increases in the body which results into diarrhoea and enureses. It also relates to self-esteem and self-worth. This is the centre of gut-level intuition.

The fourth Anahata Chakra is situated at the centre of chest. Its main element is wind. The persons whose heart centre is passive are supposed to be cruel and merciless. This centre governs your ability to give and receive unconditional love and affection. When you experience loss, your heart centre will remain open.But if you protect yourself from pain by putting up wall, your heart energy will close down.

At the base of the neck in throat, fifth Vishuddha Chakra is situated. Its main element is space. This is the centre of communication, creativity and opening to spirituality. Speech and singing originates from here. Meditation on this centre gives calmness, serenity, purity, a melodious voice, command of speech, ability to compose poetry etc.

The sixth Ajna Chakra is situated between two eye-brows at the centre of the forehead. Its main element is Ahamkara. This is about your openness to metaphysical knowledge. It relates to your higher intuition from which all things are known. One who meditates on this centre eradicates all his sins or impurities and enters the seventh door.

The seventh centre Sahastrar Chakra is situated on the top of the head. This is a place where our Chitta dwells. Upto the sixth centre, the yogi may enter a trance in which activity and form still remains within the consciousness. In Sahastrar Chakra, the prana moves upwards and reaches the highest point.

According to the scriptures of yoga, there is a place named Kand near Muladhara Chakra where Kundalini dwells. It is compared with a serpent because while resting and sleeping it lies coiled like snake. Kundalini is an aspect of the eternal supreme consciousness which is both with and without attributes. When the Kundalini is raised up to Sahastrar Chakra, due to the sublimation of mind, the illusion of individual self is dissolved and the phenomenon of self-realization takes place.

After a concise preface, now let us discuss the main issue. How to overcome the seven sheaths? Let us brood over it, first philosophical point of view.The Tanmatra of first sheath Earth is smell, so the layer of earth can be won if smell is conquered. But it is quite difficult task to control our instinct from the pleasant or foul smell.The main element of base centre is earth, so if base centre is awakened, the sheath of earth is automatically pierced. The finest form of water is Ras (fluid), so if we can succeed to control our inclinations towards the taste, the sheath of water can be pierced, but it is next to immpossible. But if Swadhisthan Chakra is awakened by meditation, the attachment of taste is naturally controlled. The purest and finest form of fire is Rup (form) so if Manipura Chakra is active, the sheath of fire can be overcome in a moment.The fourth layer is of Vayu ( wind) which can be pierced only by awakening of Anahata Chakra. As a result, our tendency retroverts from the subject of touch. In the same manner, the sheath of space can be won by pierceing of Vishuddha Chakra. The aspirant attains Gunatit ( Beyond Gunas ) state, as soon as the Ajna Chakra is pierced by meditation on to it. And so as the sheath of three traits Ahamkara is demolished. The seventh and last sheath is that of Mahat Tattva. As a result of religiousness, devotion and meditation, when Kundalini is awakened and raised upto Sahastrar, chitta is conquered. The person, in whose mental horizon, no form exists except God the Almighty has won the sheath of Mahat Tattva. Maya - Prakriti means nature. One who has been victorious over one’s nature, has won the whole world. It is quite difficult to pierce the seven sheaths by means of spiritual practice.

Anadi Mahamuktraj Abaji Bapashri has shown a very easy and natural path to overcome all the seven sheaths of Maya. In the pursuit of AnadiMukta who has achieved oneness with the Almighty having same attributes as those of God perpetually free from worldly ties, even the down trodden Jiva can attain the ultimate Salvation by overcoming all the layers of Maya.