'Let thine eye be single, and thy body shall be full of light'

MANY people interpret this saying of Jesus as a reference to the Brow Chakra above the centre of the eyebrows. Chinese meditation practices, and some Indian methods advise the pupil to concentrate attention on their brow Lotus, and- eventually it will seem as if they are suffused with light and bliss.

The space behind the forehead,' Eileen Garratt says, 'clears and becomes suffused with soft light in which changing colours play an important part, and I actually enter a dimension which is colour. Now the process of clairvoyance definitely begins to function and coordinates and speeds up all sense perceptions. In the beginning of clairvoyance, the tiny space behind the forehead, illuminated by the glow of light, seems to grow and expand beyond the measurements of time or space. The action which then takes place can be related to an actual event of today, an occurrence of tomorrow, or of an episode which was lived a century or more ago.

THIS is Ajna Chakra, the two-petalled brow Lotus. Its colour is white (Yoga) or indigo (Cayce). The Shat-Chakra-Nirupana says that when the yogi meditates on this spot, 'he then also sees the Light which is in the form of a flaming lamp. It is lustrous like the clearly shining morning sun, and glows between the Sky and the Earth. It is here that the Bhagavan (Infinite - God) - manifests in the fullness of His might. He knows no decay, and witnesseth all, and is here as he is in the region of Fire, Moon and Sun.

Edgar Cayce

Cayce said that this Lotus is connected with the pineal gland. The opening of this centre by the Kundalini, he says, is sometimes accompanied by bodily trembling or loss of consciousness. This gland and Centre is a doorway between man's conscious mind and the memories of all he has done in this life and in past lives. It also links him with the cosmic mind or memory which records all past history and the possibilities of what is to come.

A man, describing the beginnings of activity in the brow Lotus, writes:

As I sit in meditation, offering my life to that from which I have emerged, it is as if something comes up to my head. It is like a force or energy. The eyes then begin to feel strange, flicker and usually feel as if they have turned back to look inwards or up to the middle of my forehead.'

All this happens quite by itself and I can stop it at any moment. Occasionally, as the eyes turn up, all my awareness seems to be drawn into the centre of my head, or into a different dimension, pitch black, and sometimes I lose awareness of my body. It is like being completely relaxed because my thoughts slow right down without any effort on my part and I float in great peace and stillness.

This is undoubtedly, from the descriptions of many people, the Lotus of understanding - the point where the finite mind contacts the infinite mind. That is not to say that individual awareness here blends into its Source. But this centre has the ability to understand the meaning of 'As above - so below.' With this Lotus functioning, we can see how the infinite cosmic mind works upon people, nations, worlds. We can see how events, things, living beings, are reflections of the infinite. We can see 'Infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in a hour.'

In other words, in looking at people, or the world around us, we can see how the physical is an expression of the divine. Through this insight, we gradually gain understanding of why things are as they are, and how everything links with a universal scheme of things.

Looking beyond the eyes

A MAN describes this insight as it came to him looking at a friend with psychological problems.

'As I looked at him, first of all I was only aware of how he felt. I could describe his emotions in detail, but couldn't see why he felt this way. Then it was as if a deeper insight came about, and I saw how each of his movements, his gestures, his facial expressions, were results of inner attitudes and feelings. I saw that these things had been acquired from his parents, his friends, his national culture. I also saw that these things - his personality traits - were largely out of harmony with Life in him. His traits were anti Life, and this caused him anguish. I was able to see through this to how each of us either harmonises or conflicts with the force which creates us.'

This Lotus then, allows us to understand how things work - with Life. We can look into plants, animals, planets, and see how they are part of the total scheme of things. And out of this insight arises a philosophy of what life is about. It is also the doorway to many abilities, such as experiencing memory of past lives, travelling out of the body, looking into the future and diagnosing illness or conditions in others.

As it sees how the Infinite is mirrored in the physical world, it is the Lotus which helps the individual understand his own particular relationship with the Cosmos. Through it he glimpses, in symbols, intuitions the voice of the silence, or a sight of his Master (i.e. an embodiment of his own oversoul) how he should proceed. He gains tuition from his Master, giving details of meditation what he should do in life, of his karma, and his work in the world. As it opens such understanding to us, it is one of the safest of the lotuses to meditate on. Its influence reaches up to the crown and down through the other centres to the Root Chakra.

Tensions that block vision

Wilhelm Reich describes the tensions in the face and neck as arising from blocked emotions that seek to express themselves through the mouth and eyes. A constant frown, a mask like face, or talking through clenched teeth, are all signs of these tensions. They can sometimes be released by imitating screaming or crying, when the underlying emotions will eventually break through, and real crying. or real screaming will take place.

the thousand petals of light

The Crown Lotus or Sahasrara Chakra is at the space where the baby has a soft spot on the head. It has a thousand petals, with twelve large ones at the centre. Its colour is as clear as light (Yoga) or violet (Cayce). The pituitary gland is said to be its physical connection, and its principle that of wisdom.

Eileen Garratt describes her experience of this:

'the seventh level of consciousness contains within it much that I have so far found difficult to put into words. In that instant I become almost simultaneously, more and yet less myself. It is at this moment of the crescendo of my clairvoyance that precognition, clairaudience, projection and vision at a distance occur simultaneously. In this state I receive inspiration and I become one, am identified, with all life, which my vision beholds and my wish embrace. On this level I can reach out and be aware at will of the life cycle or life of any human being.'

The pituitary gland acts as a balancing force on all the other glands. The Hopi Indians describe the Crown Lotus as the first of the centres in man. 'Here when he was born, was the soft spot, Kopavi, the "open door" through which he received his life and communicates with his creator. For with every breath the soft spot moves up and down with a gentle vibration that was communicated to the Creator. At the time of Talawva the last phase of man's creation, the soft spot was hardened and the door (to spontaneous communication with the Creator) was closed.'

At the brow centre it was said we can see how the Infinite is reflected in the material world. Also, we receive information from the Infinite in symbols, visions, or looking into nature and man. But there are several ways of realising a thing. We can experience the results of the thing - we can think about it - or we can BE it.

The crown Chakra opens to a dimension of experience beyond the separations of thee and me - subject and object - God and man. It gives direct experience of Being.

It is possible that the last part of Jesus's life is a symbolical explanation of this. He carried his cross to the top of the hill called Golgotha - the skull. There he was crucified. While this occurred he cried out 'My God, My God why hast thou forsaken me'?

Truly the Lotus at the top of the skull is where man dies. That is, his ego dies and all Separateness disappears. Thus, there is no longer God and me. There is no longer God and Jesus there is only unified being. Through it, man no longer sees his source reflected in the world, or dreams, visions and voices, but experiences it directly.

There is a very ancient symbol of a snake kissing a bird. There is also the symbol of a dove descending to Jesus's head at baptism. This symbolises the fact that just as the serpent power, Kundalini, rises through our being, the dove power, or spirit, also descends through our being from the crown Chakra. Whereas the serpent power unfolds the latent capacities of us - the dove power (Amazing Grace) redeems them and harmonies them with the rest of life in the cosmos. Some people in fact do not experience Kundalini rising, but feel the descent of a blessed power that cleanses and then unfolds them. Remember that Pak Subuh saw a ball of light touch his head. This was his initiation.

Why this difference in experience? Too little is known, at least by the author, to state definitely why. It is probable, however, that some basic attitude in the person, their approach to life, the method used, all cause a variation in the type of ascending or descending which they contact first.

Learning to see anew

THE ways in which men and women awaken in themselves the conscious activity of their Chakras - either through the ascent of the serpent power, or the dove power - are extremely varied. We can usefully classify these methods under just a few headings, however. There is the way in which a guru awakens it in us through his or her presence and relationship. There is the way of conscious effort, in which we concentrate on the Chakras, or try to develop them to arouse Kundalini. There is the way of function; and there is the way where we make no conscious effort, but surrender our being to the Infinite.

I must admit that I am biased toward the surrender method. It seems to me that the intellect is itself limited in understanding its own being; any course of action planned or initiated by the intellect does not have full understanding regarding its foundation, its ground of being. As our being is such an enormously complex thing, how can we be fool enough to think we know what is best for us? But as the conscious self is a projection of the superconscious self, we can safely hand ourselves over to our source. It would, however, be an insult to your intelligence and freedom only to explain my own views, so we will briefly describe the other way.

Function is perhaps the easiest to understand. We develop an ability by using it - doing it. The functions of the Chakras can therefore be developed by trying to experience people in a deeper way than just through our senses. Thus the crown Lotus can be brought into play by learning to see and experience ourselves as one with all life; the Brow Chakra by trying to see how the world is an expression of infinite mind; the Throat Lotus by trying to know what thoughts lie unexpressed in others and in self; the Heart by learning to feel the unspoken emotions of others and oneself. The navel Lotus, watching how people relate; The Genital Lotus by being aware of the sexual disposition of others.

The flame in one person's being, can ignite the tinder in another. A person can only be called a guru if we have completely placed our life in their hands. Otherwise they are just a teacher or friend. The guru objectifies for us our own 'overself', and through working out the difficulties of our relationship with our guru, we remove the blocks between our conscious self and our cosmic self.

In a sense, the person we choose as our guru does not have to be perfect or miraculous. 'Whatsoever ye do unto one of these ye do unto me.' Each person is an incarnation of the highest. In meeting and coping with our wife, our husband, our guru, we are discovering our own divinity, and how it is veiled by our own illusions and failings 'Come to me' says the guru, 'and surrender all.' But can you?

Chakras Eight

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