"For the physiologist, the heart is the central organ of blood circulation, and as such, it is the essential organ of life… The heart shouldn't only be a vital motor pushing the blood liquid in all parts of the body which it animates, it should also be the centre and the emblem of the most noble feelings, and the most tender ones of our soul. The study of the human heart shouldn't be shared only by the anatomist and the physiologist: this study should also serve as a basis for all philosophers and all inspirations of the poet and the artist."
These lines, written by Dr. Claude Bernard of France, the Grand Master of Experimental Medicine (1813-1878), perhaps best describe the importance of the role of the heart for people from all walks of life. They also deeply resonate with the core principles of Sahaj Marg - a spiritual philosophy that is based on the writings and teachings of Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur (1899-1983), a relatively unknown, little educated, judiciary clerk, from the state of Uttar Pradesh in North India. Affectionately known as Babuji to his associates and the disciple of Shri Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh (Lalaji), this short, wheat-complexioned man, who never weighed more than a hundred pounds his entire life, obeyed his heart's calling and established the Shri Ram Chandra Mission in honor of his spiritual master in 1945. He formulated a remodeled, simplified system of Raja Yoga (yoga of the mind) suitable for contemporary life and named it Sahaj Marg. Translated as "the Natural Path" or "the Simple Way," Sahaj Marg is a novel path, specifically designed for those leading a worldly life. Unlike other yogic systems and meditative paths where the object of concentration is the centre of the eyebrows, tip of the nose, crown of the head, the navel, shat-chakras (six lotuses or wheels (Figure 1), kundalini, and/or various mantras, the teachings and practice of Sahaj Marg prescribe "meditation on divine light in the heart." Meditation on the Heart
Although the ritualistic aspects of religions have largely neglected the role of the heart, it is only fair to say that in many other respects, the importance given to meditation and the heart in Sahaj Marg is not something new. Teachers of mysticism and spiritual traditions have always directed the attention of aspirants toward this life sustaining organ. For instance, it is said that in the Bible alone, there are about fifty-eight references to the word "meditation," and over a thousand references to "the heart." Similarly, in Srimad Bhagavatam, the seeker is advised to "Worship Me [the Lord] through meditation in the sanctuary of the heart," and in the Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna declares to Arjuna: "Whatever I am offered in devotion with a pure heart-a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water-I partake of that love offering." While the Svetasvatara Upanishad says, "He is the inmost soul of all, which like a little flame the size of a thumb is hidden in the hearts of men. He is the master of wisdom ever reached by thought and love. He is the immortality of those who know him." And so on. Therefore, it is only natural that even though Sahaj Marg is a Raja Yogic path and utilizes the mind to train and regulate the mind to achieve union with God (yoga comes from the root word 'yuj' and means union), practitioners are actually advised to meditate at the point in the heart where one can feel its beat. Physiologically speaking, the heart collects the impure, venous blood, purifies it, and distributes the pure, arterial blood to all parts of the body including the smallest nerves and cells. Meditation on the heart leads to the purification of the grossness and impurities that have settled in the system, obstructing the spiritual path. As a result, the solidity due to thoughts and actions begins to melt away from the very first meditation and a person begins to experience lightness. Furthermore, Babuji explains that the most appropriate points for meditation can only be those from where the life current flows on either upwards or downwards such as the heart or the centre of the eyebrows. Also, since the heart is the middle point in the human being, it is at this point that the connecting link between animate life and inanimate objects, activity and inactivity, is felt most clearly. And most importantly, because the heart is the seat of life, meditation on this point leads us to meditation on the Source of life itself (Figure 2). Babuji expands on the vision of the heart in Efficacy of Raja Yoga in the Light of Sahaj Marg:
People generally think of the heart as made of flesh and blood only… This is one of the limitations in viewing the heart region in its broader sense. It is really a vast circle covering everything inner and outer… All the lotuses or chakras are set within its limits. In other words they can well be called a part of this big region. The stages of human approach are lying hidden in it; super-consciousness lies there; sushupti [the consciousness of deep sleep] is a part of it… It is the main artery of God. Babuji adds that all thoughts originate from the heart, and consequently, every single action is governed and regulated by the heart. The heart is the controlling agency in the human being and the master of all emotions and feelings. In Voice Real, he writes: "Why do we meditate on the heart when the brain alone thinks of everything? The heart is the field of work for the mind, and all the points which are in the body and in the brain, almost all of them, are found in the heart and, by meditating on it, it facilitates in purifying all those points." It is interesting to note that Rollin McCraty reports similar scientific findings in Science of the Heart, published by the Institute of HeartMath. The Guru's Assistance: Pranahuti and Purifying the Heart
For the serious seeker who is focused on the final goal of existence, there are stages upon stages on the spiritual path. While meditation by oneself may lead us forward in the beginning, the journey from one point to another requires enormous effort, time and labour. Then there is the ever-present danger that without a proper guide, one may become so charmed and fascinated by the condition at a particular point that they may linger and stagnate there spiritually for long periods of time; or become like an avadhoot, who is mad with ecstasy and unable to live a normal life in society. Alternatively, at some of the higher chakras, when a person is faced with the slippery condition at that point, he or she may be unable to withstand the powers and fall down again. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to have a Guru of caliber who has reached the state of perfection and can at a mere glance, tear off the entanglements and intricacies obstructing the aspirant's spiritual progress. Unfortunately, however, for the average spiritual seeker, the idea of having a Guru remains a major hindrance. But we need only remember that the inner spiritual journey from the heart to the centre is really akin to pilgrimage. In the material life, whenever we go on pilgrimage to a distant holy place, don't we seek the assistance of a capable guide who is familiar with the geography, local populace and language? Similarly, it is prudence to seek the assistance of a Guru who has traversed the inner spiritual path and is familiar with its slippery slopes and dangerous terrains - of siddhis (powers), hallucination, various shades of egotism, and misconceptions. The Master should be somebody who can do the necessary spiritual work even from a distance through the merest Sankalpa, or thought power. Additionally, the Guru should be one who has practical attainments in the spiritual field along with the power of transmission. This transmission, which is known as pranahuti (offering of prana) and often referred to as pranasya prana (Life of life) in the Kena Upanishad (1.2), is entirely different from the popularly known pranayama. While pranayama is associated with breathe control and hatha yogic practices, pranahuti is the spiritual life force, the condition of spiritual reality that the guru transmits from the centre of his heart into the student's heart. Extremely subtle and vibratory in nature, it is nothing but the yogic transmission of divine energy through which the dormant prana in the seeker's heart is awakened. However, simply awakening the latent forces in the aspirant is not enough; it can increase the misguided behavioral patterns and tendencies in the heart. Babuji couldn't have expressed it more succinctly than in the following words: "If you transmit to a thief, he will become a perfect thief," thereby stressing the need for spiritual people to maintain a clean heart. Using the analogy of a vessel, Babuji's disciple, Shri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari (affectionately addressed as Chariji), explains that the heart is like a vessel and before it can be filled with divinity, the vessel should first be emptied and cleaned. In Sahaj Marg practice, both the Master and the preceptors (instructors) first clean the heart by the power of suggestion and only then commence transmission, the effect of which can be felt by anybody who does the practice even for a short period. Obviously this focus on inner purity and cleansing of the heart is of the utmost importance in Sahaj Marg. According to Chariji, without the cleaning and purification of the heart, the inner journey is simply impossible. And in his own inimitable way, while talking about the soul's journey back to its original homeland, Babuji states: "When you clear off the matter and exhaust the power produced by you, I mean your self-created power, you enter the state just as it was in the beginning." Interestingly, a study of other traditions shows that although the practice and method of purifying the heart was not clearly spelled out (at least to the lay person), spiritual teachers did emphasize the need to create and maintain a pure heart. For example, the Adi Granth, the religious scripture of the Sikhs, declares: "By purity of heart alone is the holy Eternal attained," whereas the Psalmist, in an attitude of prayer, says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me." The importance of maintaining a pure heart is also revealed in the New Testament when Jesus says, "Listen and understand: it is not what goes into a mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles… What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander." A Final Thought: Approaching Life from the Heart
In Sahaj Marg, which is the way of the heart, the daily practice is designed to make us aware of the inner Reality throughout the day's activities: It consists of the morning meditation on the presence of divine light in the heart, evening practice of cleaning meditation which removes the unwanted impressions from the heart, night bedtime prayer, and frequent remembrance of God throughout the day's activities in order to increase love and devotion in the heart. Furthermore, because we employ the heart as an instrument for Realisation, Sahaj Marg leads to a natural detachment toward the world (even while living in it) and attachment to God. Amazingly, this simple practice also balances the wayward faculties of the mind and allows us to successfully live and function in the world from the heart. Drawing our attention to complex subjects such as science and mathematics that require tremendous intellect and reasoning, Chariji points out that some of the greatest discoveries have come to mankind not by logic but through intuition. Prime examples include the gravitational theory by Newton who was inspired by a falling apple while resting under an apple tree; the now well-known ring structure of benzene by Kekule, who had the vision of whirling snakes and a snake seizing its tail in a circle during an afternoon nap; and the discovery of the law of hydrostatics by Aristotle while he was relaxing in the bathtub. Explaining how this intuition comes about, Babuji once said, "If the heart is interested in the solution of the problem, and if we try to analyze and respond to situations through the heart, understanding becomes easier, because then the brain or intellectual process becomes so pure that it responds automatically to the heart's signals." Ultimately, however, it must strongly be emphasized that whatever path we are traveling upon is only incidental. Whether we are interested in spirituality or not, whether we are interested in God Realization or not, if we can only learn to approach every difficult situation in our life, with the heart, and learn to properly utilize the mind as an instrument of logic and reasoning, both our personal and professional lives will become much more harmonious and balanced. As Chariji says, "Just listen with the heart. See with the heart. Speak with the heart." And most importantly, "When in doubt, refer to the heart." |