The Sadhana of the Heart

In the Pratyabhijna  scriptures -- they refer to the pratyabhijna-hrdaya  -- "hrdaya is the "core" -- the fundamental aspect of our being -- the Supreme Self.  The word "sadhana" refers to the journey.   In the Kashmir tachings.... it is that recognition (pratyabhijna) of our core (our Heart)  -- the recognition of divinity within ourselves and the experience of that dvinity in all creation.  The unfolding of the sadhana of the Heart takes place within this hman body, we both contemplate within through introspection -- unfurling our inner potential, and the extroverted action and enhancing our relationship with the surrounding world.  To hear more on the Heart -- please referr to my blog:  http://www.thearomaticquest.blogspot.com/  -- its very cool to see the distinction of both our physical heart and our spititual heart -- and how we conect through concious awareness.  more later

Citi, Shakti and liveration

O Celestial One, grant that I may overcome


The enemies along your path,

The sense-thieves

Who conceal the highest reality.

The sensual world consists of Citi, divine consciousness as the body of Shakti; the sense and the physical body that confines one to bondage also constitute the vehicle for liberation. Thus the well-known tantric adage: “The very poison that kills becomes the elixir of life when used by the wise”

It is for this reason that not only are the sense acknowledged, but they are to be strengthened:

Nourished by the nectar

Of pure devotion rippling within,

Let my body become fit for your worship.

It is for two reasons that the senses are to be strengthened: first so that they be a strong vehicle for the descent of the power of Siva, which constitutes not just a feeling of emotional wellbeing, but a true force of the power of nature; shaktipata is the descent of shakti, or power of Siva in the form of the natural world. This shakti is akin to lightning, electricity, and ultimately the atomic energy that Shiva “dances up” in the dissolution of the universe. Second, by becoming a vessel for divine power, the practitioner is also emulating nature itself, just a step away from the body of Shiva, made of pure consciousness. Embodied by Shakti, nature is also then a vessel; Utpala refers to Devi as the “treasury of all powers”

Conciousness, in her freedom, brings about the attainment of the universe

Citih svatantra visva siddhi hetuh:  -  the first sutra of Kashmir Saivism breaks down like this:

citih:  consciouness
svatantra:   free, independent, self-relieant
visva:  the universe
siddhi:  accomplishment, attainment
hetuh:  cause

This beginnning Sutra discusses the creative force of the univers.  From a devotional view, it addresses the heart's longing to know the nature of God.  This surta offers an explanation of Reality -- the nature of Reality and its relation to the world and to us and human being.

In the Pratyabhijna-hydayam, the highest reality is know by the term:  Citi (pronounced chiti) -- or the great light of conciousness -- one of the feminine forms which implies to perceive, to observe, to appear, to understand and to know.  That is, it is that which  give the power to know which makes things appear.  Citi "makes" things appear in the sense than an object can only appear, or exist, in our experience, when it is held in the field of our awareness.  Like a caring mother, Citi lovingly nurtures and supports the universe -- the supreme Consciousness.

This philosophy of Kasmir Saivism - the Pratyabhijna, states that if you want to understand the highest Reality, you must first understand yourself, that you, yourself is your doorway to Reality.  We do this by simply turning our attention inward -- by becoming aware of ourself.  You can ask the question:  "Have you noticed that you're alive"?  Then allow yourself to go beyond the mind -- asking  Who is asking the question?  Who is experiencing the mind? Whi is it that knew the mind was quiet or noisey?  This can take us to the deeper sense of "I", which has never changed, which was with you in your childhood and has remeined unaltered in every instance since, it is pure Consciouness, It is citi.

We go on to contemplate Light and the Awareness of Light -- you will find in the blog:  The Aromatic Quest.blogspot.com.  A very cool contemplation of Prakasha and Vimarsha.

Kashmir Lineage Teaching -- The Splendor of Recognition

This Lineage comes from the ancient vedic knowledge based in the ancient language of Sanskrit. This lineage was passed down orally for thousands of years – was written just a couple of thousands of years, and now is beginning to disappear. In Kashmir, the foremost school of philosophy is known as Pratyabhijna (Prat- ya- bin- ya)– which means the path of recognition – the ancient science of the Soul. I’ve choosen two sources of information for us to look at: Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir, and The Splendor of Recognition.




We will find references in Sanskrit – which I will explain, as needed. Two basic teachings are: Shaiva or Shiva or Siva – refers to the all encompassing God of all. The luminous principle is Paramasiva, or Supreme Siva means the supreme the auspicious one. The supreme Siva is the one who bestows grace on humanity and is then, the highest source of benevolence.



In Sashmir Sivism, the awareness of the divinity of our own nature, of our heart, is called pratyabhijna. This recognition implies recalling, remembering. Far more than purely mental operation, the act as spoken by the Saiva sages, means coming to the awareness of our own divine consciousness and, in that awareness, understanding that this sensibility has always been with you. This is not a thought, but an immediate certainty, a sense of familiarity or rightness – a new experience may actually feel like you feel like you had always been in that state – you recognize the experience of God as one’s own innermost being. The sages knew that the Self is a fact of everybody’s direct experience. Pratyabhijna arises where the two experiences, the knowledge of the Lord as supreme power and the awareness of one’s own Self, are unified in one’s experience. That experience is gloriously luminous and brimming with ecstasy – and it is not just an exercise of the intellect. If we say “I am God, I am God, I am Shiva”, we recall we have said that before – it is not the same as pratyabhijna.



As we start our study/experience of this great lineage, it is the tradition to begin by reciting mantras to invoke the highest power and ask for knowledge to be revealed, otherwise known as a benediction at the outset of the journey. I will give you two verses, that I invite you to entreat: a – praising Lord Siva who performs the five acts in the eternal play of Consciousness: the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe, and the concealment and graceful revelation of Truth:



Salutations always to Siva,

Who performs the five acts,

Makes the Highest Reality shine forth,

And illuminates the Supreme Goal;

One’s own Self, a mass of bliss and Conciousness.

Om. Peace, peace, peace!







Sanskrit:

Om namo mangalamurtaye

Atha pratyabhijna-hrdayam



Namah sivaya satatam

Panca-krtya-vidhayine

cid-ananda-ghana svatmah

paramarthavabhasine.

Om, santih, santih, santih.



And secondly:



We praise the one who is filled with devotion,

Who meditates not nor recites by the rule,

And yet without any effort at all

Attains the splendor of Siva





I invite you to just sit with these and contemplate the phrases, called sutras. Allow them to enter your being, breathe them, they will open themselves to you.



Thank you all – we will be reviewing various topics with the sutras: The Creative Power of the Universe, The Mirror of Consciousness and its Countless Reflections, The World of Our Experience, Perception and the Human Condition, The Principles of Manifestation Exist in Our Bodies, The Many Faces of the One Reality, Destiny: The Choice is Ours, Paths of the Inward-facing Contemplation, Within Us, the Entire Universe.



Not bad for 60 days of contemplation!!!