Illustration to
'The Knowledge of the Lotus Body'
Knowledge of the Lotus Body: The knowledge of how the subtle energies interpenetrate the physical body and control its functions through the chakras or centres which are also called 'lotuses' as they are divided into 'petals.' This is one of the main themes of different yoga systems that deal with pranas, Kundalini etc., but for a disciple of a True Master it is negligible. Here, Kabir completes Dharam Das’ education.
It is important to know that the Kundalini power is '[...] lying dormant in three and a half folds in the vagus nerve' as Kirpal Singh describes it in the 'The Crown of Life' (Part I, Chapter II: II. / (vi) / a) Dharna as a Form of Yoga / Mansik Yoga) and directly refers to Kal. Within, Kal frequently appears as a serpent and often is referred to as such in the bible. Furthermore Kundalini is also called the 'serpent power.' Many of the techniques used in the different yoga ways serve to awake this Kundalini.
The Hatha Yoga and the Kundalini Yoga as sub-paths of the Raja Yoga as well as the Laya Yoga as a part of the Kundalini Yoga belong to this ways and methods to awake the Kundalini. The classical Nada Yoga, in which energy experiences shall be generated by sounds, also belongs to them. The reason for why in these yoga ways the awakening of the serpent power is aspired, is caused by the fact that they were created by Kal and Kal can only pass on which correlates to him. But also the other yoga ways that do not ostensibly strive for that goal – with exception of the Surat Shabd Yoga – were made by Kal.
For example the '3HO Organisation' which refers to Yogi Bhajan, practises the abovementioned Kundalini Yoga. The members are given so-called spiritual 'Sikh-Names' which consist of numerology and the intuition of the representatives. However, the practices of this organisation do not at all have anything to do with Sikhism as it is wrongly claimed by its members. This absurd claims base on the fact, that Yogi Bhajan belonged to the Sikh Religion during his lifetime. Yogi Bhajan was invited to the Unity of Man Conference which was held by Kirpal Singh in New Delhi in 1974. But he did not practise the Yoga which was proclaimed by Guru Nanak and His Spiritual Successors. Even many other Yoga Organisations – for example the Yoga Vidya e. V. – give so-called spiritual names to their members on which they are pride themselves.
On the contrary, the Surat Shabd Yoga – the one True and original Yoga that exists since the beginning of creation (see the subsection 'The names of the sixteen Shabdas – Seventeenth Shabda' in the illustration to 'In the Beginning') is not concerned with all this, but a Soul practising it is in contact with Truth – Sat, unchangeable permanence. In this connection Satsang – community with Truth – plays a prominent role. In a True Satsang Souls are connected with Sat – Truth that manifestes itself as Light and Sound.
Hear now about the body: Kirpal Singh describes the six chakras as follows:
1. Muladhara, Basal Plexus – with a four-petalled lotus, extending on four sides. In it opens the nether end of the sushmana.
2. Svadhishtana, Hypogastric Plexus – with a six-petalled lotus, extending on four sides beside one below and the other above.
3. Manipuraka, Solar Plexus – with an eight-petalled lotus, with four additional sides in between the original four sides.
4. Anahata, Cardiac Plexus – with a twelve-petalled lotus. It is a lotus of the unstruck sound as the name denotes.
5. Vishuddha, Pharyngeal Plexus – with a sixteen-petalled lotus being an all-pervasive etherial lotus. It is a center of great purity as the name indicates.
6. Aggya, Cavernous Plexus – with a two-petalled lotus. It is also called Ajna Chakra, meaning the centre of command.
Besides the above plexuses, there is the 'Antehkaran' – consisting of chit, manas, buddhi and ahankar –, with a lotus of four petals, thus making in all 52 petals corresponding to the 52 letters of the alphabet in Sanskrit,* the mother of all languages. We have, however, to rise above all 'Akhshras' to a state beyond the Akhshras which is called 'Neh-akhshra para' which is eternal and every-abiding and of which Kabir says:
The three lokas and the fifty-two letters are one and all subject to decay, but the Eternal and the Everlasting Holy Word is quite distinct from them.
Kabir
The Crown of Life (First Edition, 1961) – Part I, Chapter II: II.,
(vi) / a) Dharna as a Form of Yoga (Mansik Yoga),
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
* Also known as 'akhshras.'
Mool lotus: The Muladhara Chakra. The energy centre at the rectum, associated with the god Ganesha.
Akhara: The Svathisthana Chakra. The sex centre; Brahma, the creator of the physical universe is the presiding deity.
Nabhi: The Manipuraka Chakra. The navel centre or hara – corresponding to the solar plexus on the physical plane; associated with Vishnu.
Twelve-petalled lotus: The Anahata Chakra. The heart centre; the seat of Shiva.
The sixteen-petalled lotus: The Vishudda Chakra. The throat-centre; the seat of Shakti.
The lotus of the two petals: The Aggya Chakra between and behind the eyes. There both the Soul and the mind have their seat.
The Jiva lives in the lotus of the two petals: In some translations of the Anurag Sagar the fifth and the sixth chakra are mixed up or wrongly combined as one.
Question to Kirpal Singh:
Where is the seat of the mind?
The seat of the mind in the body is in the eye-focus as that of the soul, but slightly towards the right corner of the left eye while that of the soul is slightly towards left corner of the right eye.
Is mind conscious?
No, the mind by itself, is not conscious. It is the consciousness of the soul that the mind reflects.
Mind has four facets or attributes; to wit,
1) Chit – it may be likened to a lake in which countless streams of impressions are imperceptibly pouring in all the time.
2) Manas – it is the thinking faculty of the mind which cogitates over such impressions as rise on to the surface of the lake in the form of ripples and waves just as the breeze of consciousness blows over the waters of the chit-lake and sets in motion an endless chain of thoughts one after the other.
3) Buddhi or intellect – it is the faculty of reason, ratiocination, discrimination and finally decision, after considering the pros and cons as presented by the manas. It is the grand arbiter that tries to solve the problems of life which come before it.
4) Ahankar or ego – it is the self-assertive faculty of the mind for it likes to assume credit for all the acts done, and thus prepares a rich harvest of karmas that keep one moving up and down in giant Wheel of Life.
Spiritual Elixir (First Edition, 1967) –
Part I: XII. The Mind,
by Kirpal Singh, 1984–1974
Place of the void: The sixth chakra behind the eyes is the seat of the mind, as well as the seat of the Soul. The light that is at this place can be seen by anyone who can withdraw his attention. (Compare the section 'Manmakarand Doot' in the subchapter ' Description of the twelve Paths created by Kal.' )
Unique one: The Sukhmana or Shah Rag, a subtle canal that runs between the eyes. It is the way up for the attention.
Kirpal Singh writes accordingly :
Now the question comes: Where can this Divine Music be contacted?
To this the Master replies,
This Divine Music is going on in Sukhmana – a central cord between Ida and Pingala, the two cords on either side, which running through the spine and passing through the centre of and between the two eyebrows, reaches directly as far as Sach Khand or Shah Rag as named by the Muslims.
It can be experienced by the soul in her deepest depths, when layer by layer the various sheaths or coverings – physical or gross, mental or subtle, and causal – are shaken off from the soul in her onward journey to the various Lokas or regions: the sun, the moon, the stars, of spirits (Pithrian), of Deities (Devian), etc.
At each stage, the Music becomes more enrapturing than before, until in Par Brahm – beyond the three Lokas – the soul becomes self-luminous in her pristine glory; then the Music too becomes exceedingly charming, in full swell with unending continuity. This is the Ajapa Jap going on at all times in an unspoken Language.*
* See in the illustration to 'Paradigm of the Anul Bird' the subsection 'With the unrepeated Repetition' and in the corresponding text of the book the subsections 'The Essential Shabd – what It is' and 'How to meditate on the Essential Shabd – The Way of practising Master’s Path.'
As the soul hears It she gets magnetised, with the result that the mind with its outgoing faculties is paralysed for want of the inspiration it is used to drawing from the Spirit, and gradually it loses its hold of her. The high-born maiden, being a drop of the Ocean of Sat Naam, is freed from its clutches and now moves on unhampered.
Simran (Second Edition, 1967) – Introduction:
The sweet Remembrance of God
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
and:
[…] The Bani – Word – of the Guru is heard right in the 'Sukhmana,' attuning into the 'Sehaj' state – the state of equipoise.
Jap Ji (Second Edition, 1964) –
VIII. / (viii) How to know a Godman,
edited by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
Five, twenty-five and three: The five elements or tattwas, the twenty-five prakritis and the three gunas.
The false Naam is an offshoot of Niranjan: Because the imperfect so-called masters cannot give the True Naam they deliver automatically the false Naam of Niranjan and people who follow them end in the abyss of Kal.
By awakening: A man who followed an imperfect so-called master and who really admits that he has never experienced Naam through Light and Sound or that he already has It since his birth but could not develop It yet finally leaves this power and follows the True Satguru.