Robust eco-system for meditation emerging: Heartfulness movement picks momentum

It was early morning and a motley crowd of onlookers was craning necks to catch a glimpse of their master. He was to arrive among them for meditation in a green and serene corner of otherwise concretized Gurgaon, at the outskirts of India's capital on a Sunday morning.

A hushed silence was conspicuous by its presence as if the meditation was already underway by the huge assembly. People from all walks of life and faith occupied every inch of space available on the sprawling swathe. Cuckoos call and birds chirping at flowering trees in spring were the only melodious distraction. Fragrance of water soaked mud hung in the tranquil air. 

Dressed in blue cotton shirt, white trousers and a brown jacket, a smiling face with reassuring demeanor got down from a vehicle, and briskly walked to a spick and span room. He gently bowed before a hanging medium seized frame of a black and white photograph of his master.

                    

The tall figure quietly pulled up a chair and spoke in a rich calm baritone on meditation and its significance in ever increasing clutter in lives of people across the globe over and pressing necessity to cope up with the situation through time tested meditation practices. 

        

A glare of spirituality and grace emitted from his sparkling but glistened eyes as he gave a narrative on Heartfulness which had started as a programme, but was now turning into a movement with more and more people, institutions, corporate houses , government bodies following it. 

Kamlesh Desibhai Patel, who is spearheading the meditation programme as head of the Sahaj Marg, highlighted significance of meditation with concentration on the heart.

Question -What is Heartfulness meditation? Why should we concentrate on the heart ?

Answer: The Heartfulness Meditation is fine blend of science and spirituality and it fills the practitioner, known as “Abhyasi” in their parlance with instant energy. This energy dissipates to mind for healthy and balanced approach to all aspects of life. But it needs practice and nothing could be accomplished in a short span. 

Question –What is the philosophy behind Heartfulness?
Answer -The heart is pumping station of the blood and it supplies purified blood to all body cells, so the system takes heart as center of concentration. 
“By taking heart as the centre for meditation, we can set our individual mind on the right path. The heart is the only point at which the connecting link between the animate and the inanimate is clearly felt. It is the field of action of our mind. The heart is thus the most appropriate point for meditation wherefrom the current flows on, either upwards or downwards.
''Whatever you experience through a meditation process, first you experience it in your heart. Our heart is our laboratory. ''
            

Question- How is it better than other meditation practices?

Answer: (Informatively, Kamlesh Patel, who follows the practice of Sahaj Marg does not put question marks on practices being pursued by others but he is of the firm view that experience of Heartfulness can only give you the taste, but for that you have to cut your teeth into it once.
You can do meditation without proposed integrals like guidance and instructions. This is called as routine meditation and then switch over to the Heartfulness and the difference will be “palpable” .
“As it (Heartfulness) is triggered and sustained by a subtle transmission, “Pranahuti” from a energy source in the universe. You may call it by any name, you may say the divine source. The trainer allows that transmission to flow through the channel. ''
      

Question: Why was meditation necessary for a physically healthy individual?

Answer- The nutritional needs of human body differ for our physical body (sthul sharir), our mind (sukshma sharir), and our soul (karan sharir).
While the physical body needs nourishment through vitamins and minerals contained in the daily food. At a higher or subtle level, we enrich our minds and educate ourselves through different education systems like books etc. 
But what about soul, and what is the feed for that? Upanishads say that one has to nourish one’s own prana with Divine energy. Due to grossness in thoughts and actions, we spoil our sense of discrimination and right cognition, but when one meditates, the clouds of confusion disappear and one feels lightness. This way, soul is fed. 

Question - What is the scientific rationale behind the transmission aspect and how can we feel difference of Heartfulness and simple meditation?

Answer: Sahaj Marg is truly scientific and people can experience it when they do regularly. A study was conducted at Harvard. An electroencephalogram test was carried out on some Buddhist monks, who had meditated for more than 20,000 hours, and entered the ‘delta’ stage (fourth level) of consciousness. Sahaj  Marg aims at attaining this stage much earlier.
''Let belief be based on experience. Present level of consciousness among humans is like a thin film of water, indicating the presence of an ocean of super-consciousness above and another ocean of sub-consciousness beneath 
''As we move higher and higher, the need to be recognised becomes less and less, until we become one with infinity and dissolve in infinity and become infinity. So in the material world, there is ego fulfillment within but in the spiritual world there is absolute dissolution of personal ego. That is the beauty of the spiritual path. 
It happens naturally in Heartfulness Meditation. The Divine essence is transmitted to fill your being. Your body feels relaxed, the mind becomes stress-free, and the soul fills with bliss and joy. ''

(Kamlesh Patel is widely heard at the international fora and radio waves of various FM channels The Sahaj Marg  system has been evolved by four successive masters including the current one ( Mr Kamlesh Patel)

As a first step, try Heartfulness Meditation on your own and see how you feel. Start with a simple meditation. Sit in any easy posture in a natural way, close your eyes and think that Divine light is illuminating your heart from within. The process will be without guidance, so go ahead at your own pace for 10 minutes. 

A trainer can then guide you further on relaxation methods and help you to feel more relaxed. You can feel the movement of energy upward from the toes to the head, releasing stress from every part of your body. 

Heartfulness uses the system of transmission and focuses on heart along with a method of cleaning taking care of an overall process of purity that weaves destiny through meditation.

Heartfulness refers to being ‘full of heart’. It is the practice of Sahaj Marg. It has come out of the teachings and university of U-connect and the concept that masters in the Sahaj Marg have been     teaching since years. Heart is the seat of soul or life and the most     important organ in our body without which life would not be possible. If     we focus on our heart and purify the seat of life and energy of this     region, its effect will reach the entire body with the blood pumped from     the heart. 

In Heartfulness meditation we are evoking the subtlest     notion of this deepest Self. The only way mystics and yogis over the     centuries have been able to put that into words is to use the word     ‘light’, as light has no apparent material qualities – you can’t touch,     see, taste, smell or hear it. We do not take anything gross to meditate     upon.

In this meditation, we ask abhyasis to gently bring our     attention to the Source of Light or Divine Light in the heart in     meditation. We aim to experience a superfine and finer consciousness of     this light within our hearts, that has been described as “light without     luminosity”.
Just have the idea that there is Divine Light in your     heart. Do not force your imagination to the extent that you actually try to see its brightness. Assume that it is already present. Keep this     suggestion as subtle as possible, naturally and without force.

The     only way mystics and yogis over the centuries have been able to put that into words is to use the word ‘light’, as light has no apparent     material qualities – you can’t touch, see, taste, smell or hear it. So     we ask to gently bring our attention to the Source of Light or Divine     Light in the heart in meditation.

Question-How to connect with the purest self during meditation?

Answer:     When we meditate by removing all thoughts, grossness, heaviness, and     impurities, we are trying to connect with our purest self. We are a     part of the higher self or creator. Creator is divine because there is     no tarnish on him or layer on him. And part of that self is inside us     too that gives us life. 
When we sit for meditation and connect with     our higher self it can be said we are connecting upon the purity and     divinity in us too. That’s why it is called divine light. 

Question- Can you please further explain the word Transmission?

Answer:     Transmission comes from a Sanskrit word-“Pranahuti”. This means ‘life     of life’. It is a force that helps us to meditate and pulls us inside.     It is gentle, subtle and dynamic. Though we are using the word force, in actual it doesn’t have the effect of a force. It is a forceless Force. It touches our heart in the same way as the rays of sun warm our skin. We cannot see it, it can only be experienced after a certain times of practice. 
In Heartfulness meditation, the divine flow or Source is transmitted whenever you meditate with an experienced yogi practitioner who can offer this pranahuti (Sanskrit for ‘offering of life force’) to others. It can help you to meditate as it resonates directly with the higher Self within your heart. At times you may feel vibrations yourself, but the practice is required.
Just as fresh air clears smoke from a room, meditating with an experienced practitioner cleans impressions and heaviness created from thought and action. Yogic     transmission then enters your purified system and you may be as per your current levels of sensitivity be able to feel this spiritual     nourishment that feeds your soul. 
             

 Question – What is the right process to do this?

Answer:     After a relaxation process (giving thought that all negative energy is     leaving your body parts one by one) you can experience Heartfulness     Meditation with yogic transmission. Bring your attention to your heart     and think the Divine light is present there. Now pranahuti starts to be     transmitted from the guide.

Meanwhile, you continue meditating on     your heart. Gently open your eyes after 30 minutes of transmission. The     constant play of pranahuti allows you to feel the presence of the Divine prana inside. Once you start feeling that, you can move away from your thoughts and begin to feel the Divine presence. This transition from thinking to feeling comes naturally in Heartfulness Meditation. You start feeling the changes inside — your negativity disappears and you are at peace with the Self.

Question-What are net results (benefits) of the meditation?

Answer:     After meditation, you experience an inner guidance all the time,  because you are connected with your heart. After these experiences, a     craving to merge with God begins.
You may be able to feel the effect of yogic transmission or pranahuti when you meditate. 

Question-Whether experience of all individuals are same or different?

Answer: Each person will have their own way of experiencing inner states, which become more recognisable as we become more familiar with meditating. 
Some     people do not feel anything much, and that is normal and that is  absolutely okay. Many notice changes in their daily lives and their     behavior. Often, it is others around us who notice changes in us.

Question – Can we get linked with source of energy in the heart?

Answer:     Linking with the Source is the most helpful way to evolve in the midst

 of complex and stressful lives. Try turning your attention to the heart and feel this Divine Essence in the core of your being. Don’t worry if you don’t feel anything yet. Simply have the faith and confidence that you will when the time is right. When it does, it will bring an inner sense of home and calm into each moment.

(Many institutions and colleges have enrolled themselves for Heartfulness Meditation. Recently, a group of shopkeepers were seen doing meditation during the busy time in Mumbai. Students of Pillai Institutes in Mumbai were exposed to Heartfulness Meditation.

(Now, it was the time for the Meditation and he goes in the mid of Assembly for the session).
 

Neeraj Bajpai, Journalist

All Pictuers are file Photos by SMSF