The Book of Chakras & Subtle Bodies

Chapter 16

Chanting in the Chakras

Begin with a prayer.

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Heavenly Father, transfer my consciousness from the physical body to the astral spine and from it through the seven chakras to Cosmic Consciousness, where Thy glory and Light reign in the fullness of Thy manifestation; where the Life Force reigns in all Thy power. Oṁ , Peace, Amen.

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Chanting the Chakra Bīja Mantras

Chanting is an effective way to activate energy throughout the body. This practice activates and tunes the chakras using the sound vibration of the bīja (seed-syllable) mantras. Each seed mantra has a unique power, which clears the chakras of blockages so that they can function efficiently. This prepares the way to meditation.

Sit comfortably and relaxed in a meditative posture with the head, neck and spine aligned. Close the eyes.

Bring your awareness to mūlādhāra chakra. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, chant continuously aloud the bīja mantra ‘laṁ ’. Feel the bīja mantra vibrating at mūlādhāra chakra – laṁ , laṁ , laṁ , laṁ . . .

It will depend on the length of your inhalation and exhalation on how many times you repeat the bīja mantra. If you have quite a good lung capacity you may be able to chant it 20 times in one exhalation.

Start at mūlādhāra chakra and ascend through the chakras to ājñā chakra chanting the following bīja mantras in a focused meditative way, feeling the vibration at the six chakras:

Chakras and bīja mantras

Chakra		Bīja mantra
First chakra	Mūlādhāra	Laṁ
Second chakra	Svādhiṣṭhāna	Vaṁ
Third chakra	Maṇipūra	Rāṁ
Fourth chakra	Anāhata	Yaṁ
Fifth chakra	Viśuddha	Haṁ
Sixth chakra	Ājñā	Oṁ

Mentally Chanting the Chakra Bīja Mantras

Sit comfortably and deeply relax in a meditative posture with the head, neck and spine aligned. Close the eyes, and bring your awareness to your breath, and as you breathe in feel the spaciousness expanding in the spine. Change the centre of your consciousness from the body and senses to the spine . . . Feel the subtle astral spine by slightly and gently swaying the upper body from left to right . . . Then, feel your consciousness with the breath move up and down the spine several times, from the mūlādhāra chakra at the base of the spine to the point between the eyebrows . . . Now bring your attentive awareness to the first chakra, mūlādhāra, breathe into this area and mentally repeat the seed mantra ‘laṁ ’ once, feel it vibrating and resonating in the chakra . . . At the end of the exhalation remain in the stillness for short while. Then, feeling the energy pulsating like a magnetic current in mūlādhāra, expand it upwards to the second chakra, svādhiṣṭhāna, and mentally repeat the seed mantra ‘vaṁ ’, feeling it vibrating and resonating in the chakra . . . Then again, pause in the stillness, and feel the intensity of energy resonating in the chakra.

In the same way, continue ascending through the other four chakras mentally repeating the seed mantra for each and pausing in stillness after chanting in each chakra.

Then descend through the spinal passage to each chakra in the reverse order, mentally repeating the seed mantras for each and pausing in stillness after chanting in each chakra.

Perform 9–12 rounds.

Mentally Chanting the Oṁ Mantra in the Chakras

Sit comfortably and deeply relax in a meditative posture with the head, neck and spine aligned. Close the eyes, and bring your awareness to your breath, and as you breathe in feel the spaciousness expanding in the spine. Change the centre of your consciousness from the body and senses to the spine . . . Feel the subtle astral spine by slightly and gently swaying the upper body from left to right . . . Then, feel your consciousness with the breath move slowly up and down the spine several times, from the mūlādhāra chakra at the base of the spine to the point between the eyebrows at the Spiritual Eye . . . Your attention should be internalized on the chakras and the breath . . . Now exhale and take your awareness to the root of the spine in mūlādhāra chakra, and mentally chant Oṁ there. As you do this, visualize a lotus blossom with its petals turned downward . . . Feel the mantra vibrating with resonance awakening this chakra. As it awakens the lotus petals turn upward, sending rays of light up to the next chakra . . . Inhale and raise the energy in the spine to the second chakra, svādhiṣṭhāna . . . Exhale and mentally chant Oṁ , and again feel the mantra resonating and awakening this chakra, and sending rays of light upward to the next chakra.

Continue in this way mentally chanting Oṁ as you ascend through the other four chakras. Then reverse the process, descend through the spinal passage and chakras mentally chanting Oṁ at each chakra from ājñā to mūlādhāra.

Perform 9–12 rounds or continue the practice until you feel that your consciousness is transferred from the body into the astral spine.

Then meditate in the stillness, feeling your consciousness expanding into the Infinite. Feel the Oṁ vibration expanding up to the crown chakra into silence, stillness and space.

Chanting Oṁ with the Musical Notes

Another way of chanting Oṁ through the chakras is to use an Indian harmonium keyboard that is pumped by a bellows. With your focused attention internalized on the chakra and Oṁ mantra, chant Oṁ aloud three times in each chakra as you ascend the spinal passage, and once in each chakra as you descend. Practise several times until you feel that your consciousness is transferred from the body into the astral spine. End with with your attention focused at the Spiritual Eye in the sixth chakra. Then meditate in the stillness feeling your consciousness expanding into the Infinite. Feel the Oṁ vibration expanding up to the crown chakra (sahasrāra) into silence, stillness and space.

Chakras and musical notes

Chakra		Western musical note
First chakra	Mūlādhāra	G (below middle C)
Second chakra	Svādhiṣṭhāna	A
Third chakra	Maṇipūra	B♭
Fourth chakra	Anāhata	D
Fifth chakra	Viśuddha	E♭
Sixth chakra	Ājñā
Medulla – negative pole		F
Spiritual Eye – positive pole		G (above middle C)

Chanting the Gāyatrī Mantra in the Chakras

The Gāyatrī mantra first appears in the ancient Ṛg Veda (III, 62: 10), and later in the Yajur Veda and Sāma Veda, and in the Upaniṣads. Before the Vedas, there was a time when Brahma, the Supreme Creator was once in deep meditation and the subtle inner vibration of Gāyatrī revealed itself to Him. It was later revealed to the Vedic sage Viśvamitra, a preceptor of Śrī Rāma, incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu. As a reward for his many years of deep meditation and penance, the Supreme Being revealed to him the Gāyatrī mantra. This was to be a gift for all humanity.

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It is beyond human competence to describe the glory of Gāyatrī.

Gāyatrī is the primordial mantra that destroys sins and promotes wisdom, and nothing in the world is more important than wisdom. The Gāyatrī Mantra has specifically manifested so as to destroy falsehood and establish truth.

Ādi Shaṅkarāchārya

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The Gāyatrī mantra is the most sacred prayer of the Ṛg Veda, a prayer for light, for illumination. It is addressed to the Immanent and Transcendent Divine, which has been given the name Savitur, meaning ‘that from which all is born’. The Gāyatrī may be considered as having three parts: (1) praise, (2) meditation, (3) prayer. First, the Divine is praised, then it is meditated upon in reverence, and finally an appeal is made to the Divine to awaken and strengthen the intellect. The Gāyatrī possesses both the power of mantra and the power of prayer, and so has both an intrinsic power through its mere utterance alone, and also an instrumental power, which is derived from the understanding of its meaning and philosophical significance.

Gāyatrī is the essence of all mantras, and all spiritual powers and potencies are contained within it. Of all mantras the Gāyatrī is supreme. Gāyatrī is the Mother of the Vedas (Vedamāta), the source of Divine Wisdom. Gāyatrī is the bestower of all that is beneficial to the person who chants it with faith.

The Gāyatrī mantra contains all the important bīja mantras.

Oṁ – Symbolizes God; Absolute Reality.

Bhūr – Represents earth; the physical plane. It also refers to the body made up of the pañcha bhūtas (five elements) that constitute prakṛti (nature).

Bhuvaḥ – Represents bhuva loka, the middle world; the subtle or astral plane. It is also the life-force (Prāṇa Śākti) that animates the body, that comes from the power of the Self (Ātma Śākti).

Svaḥ – Represents the third dimension or celestial region, known as svarga loka and all the luminous lokas (spheres) above.

Tat – That, the essential essence.

Savitur – Luminous, bright, sun-like, inner power of spiritual light, which leads one to Self-realization.

Vareṇyaṁ – Finest, best, fit to be sought.

Bhargo – Effulgence; destroyer of obstacles.

Devasya – Divine, resplendent, shining.

Dhīmahi – We meditate.

Dhiyo – Our being of intelligence, intellect, understanding.

Yo – Who, which.

Naḥ – Our.

Pracodayāt – May enlighten, direct, inspire.

The Gāyatrī invokes the splendour and power that pervades the Sun and the Three Worlds to activate the chakras, and awaken and strengthen the intelligence.

The Gāyatrī mantra is chanted for the attainment of cosmic consciousness and for awakening the intuitive powers. It has the power to destroy all delusions, energize prāṇa and bestow health, longevity, radiance and illumination. Unless the intellect is illumined the Truth remains hidden and veiled by tamas guṇa (dark forces) and rajas guṇa (passion). The light of Gāyatrī mantra removes the obstructions of tamas and rajas from the mind’s mirror, and reflects the Light of Truth in it by which the mind is illumined. The Radiant Light of Gāyatrī burns karma and blesses with liberation.

Meditation on the Gāyatrī

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Among hymns, I am Brihat-Saman; among poetic metres, I am Gāyatrī.

Śrī Krishna, Bhagavad Gītā, 10.35

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Through meditation on the Gāyatrī, one can become aware of the inner motivating principle of the pañcha bhūtas (five elements) that constitute prakṛti (nature), the five prāṇas or vital airs in the body, and the five sheaths (kośas), which enclose the soul (ātma).

The best times to repeat the Gāyatrī are at dawn, noon and dusk. These times are known as the three sandhyas. These auspicious times are beneficial for spiritual practices. But the repeating of Gāyatrī is not limited only to these times. As long as the mind and heart are pure when repeating Gāyatrī, and it is pronounced clearly and correctly with concentration, and without haste or hurry, it can be repeated at any time of the day or night, and everywhere.

This mantra should not be repeated in a mechanical way with the mind wandering on other thoughts. The Gāyatrī mantra is synonymous with the Divine and therefore it should be repeated with reverence, faith and love. In this way, if the Gāyatrī mantra is chanted correctly, the atmosphere in which you are chanting it will be illumined by the vibrations produced by the mantra. The Gāyatrī mantra will illumine your intellect and light your spiritual path.

To realize the Gāyatrī mantra’s blissful effect one needs to chant it regularly for a considerable period of time. Gāyatrī activates the nerve ganglia and the nāḍīs, activating the power that yields spiritual knowledge. Repetition of the Gāyatrī mantra produces notes which mingle with the vibrations already existing in nature. This activates the centres of power in the chakras and the brain. Divine spiritual light and power are infused into the chakras, connecting them to the higher spiritual realms, aligning us with the forces of nature, both subtle and gross, and increasing our connection to the vital force of the sun. The mind becomes infused with solar spiritual energy, and our spiritual perceptions increase.

Gāyatrī Mantra Sādhanā (Spiritual Practice)

When you sit for meditation, if possible chant the Gāyatrī mantra 108 times. This is one mālā (a rosary of 108 meditation beads). You can use your mālā beads to count, using one bead for each recitation of the Gāyatrī mantra. This will take approximately 15 minutes to recite. The maximum benefit of chanting the mantra is said to be obtained by chanting it 108 times. However, one may chant it for 3, 9, or 18 times when pressed for time.

For your spiritual practice of meditation on the Gāyatrī mantra, start by chanting one mālā every morning. If you can devote more time, then chant 3–5 mālās. If you are on a personal spiritual retreat you may wish to chant 10 mālās, which will take about 2½ hours. You can also do a 40-day discipline of chanting 10 mālās each morning for 40 days. This is called a Gāyatrī purascharana. Or you can choose a number of repetitions per day, and chant that for 40 days.

An extended practice of chanting the Gāyatrī mantra (135,000 repetitions, equivalent to 1,250 rounds of a mala) is said to give the meditator a noticeable level of mantra siddhi (power of the mantra).

By chanting the Gāyatrī mantra for many repetitions over a period of time, the chakras become tuned to the energy of each of the seven planes of light. Eventually, after long devoted practice, the entire subtle body becomes attuned with all the planes of spiritual light, making the aura radiant.

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If one practises this spiritual discipline sincerely, one realizes God in a very short time. So, practise this Gāyatrī Mantra meditation regularly and attain illumination.

Practice of Gāyatrī meditation destroys all karmas and sins. By purifying the heart and the mind, it opens the third eye of illumination.

Sadguru Sant Keshavadas

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The Gāyatrī is a cosmic rhythm consisting of 24 syllables arranged as a triplet of eight syllables each. The individual syllables contain an energy seed for each of the seven celestial planes of light. The syllables of the Gāyatrī mantra are constructed and arranged in such a way that the major portion of vāyu (air) inhaled during the process of chanting moves downward towards the seat of kuṇḍalinī śākti. The escape of vāyu is minimized by the nature of the chest cavity’s contraction caused by the systematic chanting of the mantra. The collected vāyu descends to the mūlādhāra chakra and the heated prāṇa vāyu strikes the kuṇḍalinī, activating it to ascend upward through the chakras.

Chanting the syllables of the Gāyatrī mantra positively affects all the chakras in the subtle body. The cyclic chanting of the Gāyatrī mantra stimulates the subliminal power centres in the subtle body. The pressure of the tongue, lips, vocal cords, palate and the connecting regions in the brain generated by continuous chanting of the 24 syllables of the Gāyatrī mantra creates a resonance or a vibration in the nāḍīs of the subtle body. This awakens the chakras and a sublime magnetic force arouses in the meditator that attracts the vital currents of Gāyatrī śākti immanent in the Infinite realms.

The Practice of Gāyatrī Mantra Meditation

There are two forms of Gāyatrī Mantra – the short form and the long form.

Meditation on the short form of Gāyatrī Mantra

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Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇyaṁ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt

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We meditate upon the splendour of the Divinity, the Spiritual Effulgence of that Adorable Supreme Divine Reality, the Source of the Physical, the Astral and the Heavenly Spheres of Existence. May that Supreme Divine Being enlighten our intellect so that we may realize the Supreme Truth.

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Sit facing east or north in a comfortable and relaxed meditation posture, with the head, neck and spine aligned. Close your eyes and bring your focused attention to the midpoint between the eyebrows at the Spiritual Eye, on the Light of Truth.

Chant the Gāyatrī mantra clearly and rhythmically without strain.

Begin first by inhaling and then chant Oṁ.

Pause . . . inhale again, and chant bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ.

Pause . . . inhale, and chant tat savitur vareṇyaṁ

Pause . . . inhale, and chant bhargo devasya dhīmahi

Pause . . . inhale, and chant dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt

When you have chanted all the syllables of the mantra, meditate upon its meaning with feelings of joy, devotion and faith.

Meditation on the long form of Gāyatrī Mantra

Oṁ bhūr	1st chakra (mūlādhāra)
Oṁ bhuvaḥ	2nd chakra (svādhiṣṭhāna)
Oṁ svaḥ	3rd chakra (maṇipūra)
Oṁ manaḥ	4th chakra (anāhata)
Oṁ janaḥ	5th chakra (viśuddha)
Oṁ tapaḥ	6th chakra (ājñā)
Oṁ satyam	7th chakra (sahasrāra)

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Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇyaṁ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt

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I invoke the Earth Plane, the Astral Plane, the Celestial Plane, the Plane of Spiritual Balance, the Plane of Human Spiritual Knowledge, the Plane of Spiritual Austerities, the Plane of Ultimate Truth.

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Chant the Gāyatrī mantra clearly and rhythmically without strain.

In this longer form of the Gāyatrī mantra you can also concentrate on the chakra that correlates with each mantra. For example, chant Oṁ bhūr while concentrating on the mūlādhāra chakra, and so on.

The practice of prāṇāyāma with the Gāyatrī Mantra

The short form of the Gāyatrī mantra can be practised in conjunction with nāḍī śodhana prāṇāyāma – subtle channel purifying breath or alternate nostril breathing.

Nāḍī śodhana prāṇāyāma opens the channels of prāṇic energy and purifies them; balances the left and right brain hemispheres; activates all the brain centres; has a soothing effect on the nervous system; helps in stilling the mind in meditation and in activating kuṇḍalinī śākti.

The two nostrils directly influence through the breath the subtle iḍā and piṅgalā nāḍīs. The balance in terms of the relative dominance at any time between the left iḍā and right piṅgalā currents strongly influences our inner and outer experience through the mind and senses. When these two currents are in balance, and both are flowing equally, the prāṇa begins to move into the central suṣumnā nāḍī, as the kuṇḍalinī.

The chanting of the Gāyatrī mantra in conjunction with nāḍī śodhana prāṇāyāma should not be attempted until you have perfected the timing of the breath ratio (inhalation, retention and exhalation). Those who are not experienced in prāṇāyāma should begin by purifying the nāḍīs using the basic beginners’ method as follows:

First Stage (15 days): Sit in a comfortable meditation posture with the head, neck and spine aligned.

Close the right nostril with the right thumb. Inhale deeply through the left nostril and exhale. R epeat five times.

Then, close the left nostril with your ring (third) finger and open the right nostril. Inhale and exhale deeply. Again, repeat five times.

This completes one cycle. Practise five cycles for the first five days, then 15 cycles for the next five days. For the last five days practise 25 cycles.

Second Stage (15 days): Close the right nostril and inhale through the left. Then, close the left nostril and exhale through the right. Repeat five times.

Now reverse the sequence by inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left. Repeat five times.

This completes one cycle. Practise five cycles for the first five days, then 15 cycles for the next five days. For the last five days practise 25 cycles.

Third Stage (15 days): Following the 1:2:2 ratio for beginners you can begin with a count of 4:8:8. The internal breath retention and the exhalation are both double the inhalation. Inhale for a slow count of four, hold the breath in. for a slow count of eight, and exhale for a slow count of eight. (If you find this difficult and you are straining to hold the breath then decrease to 2:4:4. You must never force or strain the breath and lungs.)

Close the right nostril and inhale through the left for a count of four. Close both nostrils and hold the breath for a count of eight. Open the right nostril and exhale for a count of eight.

Now reverse the sequence by inhaling through the right nostril for a count of four, holding the breath for eight, and exhaling through the left for eight. Repeat five times.

This completes one cycle. Practise five cycles for the first five days, then 15 cycles for the next five days. For the last five days practise 25 cycles.

When you become proficient in this practice and feel comfortable with the 4:8:8 count you can gradually increase the duration of inhalation (pūraka), inner breath retention (antar kumbhaka) and exhalation (recaka).

Over a period of time, you will be able to change the breath ratio from the beginners’ 1:2:2 to the advanced 1:4:2. The first stage of the advanced ratio is 4:16:8 which we will use in conjunction with chanting the short form of the Gāyatrī mantra.

Nāḍī śodhana prāṇāyāma with Gāyatrī Mantra

Use the breath count 4:16:8. Sit facing east or north in a comfortable and relaxed meditation posture, with the head, neck and spine aligned. Close your eyes and bring your focused attention to the midpoint between the eyebrows at the Spiritual Eye, on the Light of Truth.

Place your right hand in the viṣṇu mudrā, so that the index and middle fingers are curled into the palm of the hand, and use the thumb and the ring finger to regulate the nostrils (by opening and closing them).

Close the right nostril and inhale through the left for a slow steady count of four. While inhaling mentally chant Oṁ .

Close the left nostril with the ring finger while keeping the right nostril closed with the thumb. Hold the breath for a slow steady count of 16 in silence.

Keep the left nostril closed and exhale through the right for a slow steady count of eight, and mentally chant: bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ , allowing the syllables of the mantra to flow out with the breath rhythmically and harmoniously.

Inhale through the right nostril for a slow steady count of four, and mentally chant tat.

Close both nostrils and hold the breath out for a slow steady count of 16 in silence.

Exhale through the left nostril for a slow steady count of eight while mentally chanting: savitur vareṇyaṁ.

Then, relax by breathing normally through both nostrils.

Slowly and steadily inhale through both nostrils, then close the right nostril with your thumb and exhale through the left for a slow steady count of four mentally chanting: bhargo.

Close both nostrils and hold the breath out (external breath retention) for a slow steady count of 16 in silence.

Inhale through the right nostril for a slow steady count of eight while mentally chanting: devasya dhīmahi.

Exhale through the right nostril for a slow steady count of four while mentally chanting: dhiyo.

Close both nostrils and hold the breath out for a slow steady count of 16 in silence.

Inhale through the left nostril for a slow steady count of eight while mentally chanting: yo naḥ pracodayāt.

Then exhale through both nostrils, and return to normal breathing. Sit quietly and meditate on the inner meaning of the Gāyatrī mantra.

In the initial development of your spiritual practice these 12 stages may be repeated two or three times, which can be increased later as you make gradual progress.

Kuṇḍalinī Chakra Meditation with the Gāyatrī Mantra

In the Gāyatrī mantra there are seven rhythms (vyāhṛtis): Oṁ Bhūr, Oṁ Bhuvaḥ , Oṁ Svaḥ , Oṁ Manaḥ , Oṁ Janaḥ , Oṁ Tapaḥ , and Oṁ Satyam. These seven rhythms correspond with the seven chakras in the subtle body.

Gāyatrī chart

Rhythm (Vyāhṛti)	Principles (Tattvas)	Subtle properties of elements (Tanmātras)	Chakra	Number of lotus petals
Oṁ Bhūr	Pṛithvī (Earth)	Gandha (Smell)	Mūlādhāra	4
Oṁ Bhuvaḥ	Jala (Water)	Rasa (Taste)	Svādhiṣṭhāna	6
Oṁ Svaḥ	Agni (Fire)	Rupa (Form)	Maṇipūra	10
Oṁ Manaḥ	Vāyu (Air)	Sparśa (Touch)	Anāhata	12
Oṁ Janaḥ	Ākāśa (Ether)	Śabda (Sound)	Viśuddha	16
Oṁ Tapaḥ	Mahat (Intelligence)	Buddhi (Cosmic Mind)	Ājñā	2
Oṁ Satyam	Puru ṣ a (Consciousness)	Prakṛti (Primordial energy)	Sahasrāra	1,000

Meditation Practice – Chakras/Gāyatrī

Bring your focused attention to the base of your spine at the perineum, the location of the root chakra, mūlādhāra.

1. Inhale deeply and retain the breath, and visualize a deep red, four-petalled lotus at the base of the spine in mūlādhāra chakra, with its petals symbolizing its petalled rays of energy turning upwards toward the brain. As you exhale chant Oṁ bhūr.

2. Feel that the energy is awakened and offer the current of energy up to the svādhiṣṭhāna chakra, at the genital centre. As you inhale deeply and retain the breath, visualize a vermilion-coloured six-petalled lotus with its petalled rays of energy turning upwards toward the brain. As you exhale, chant Oṁ bhuvaḥ.

3. Now feel the energy of kuṇḍalinī śākti rising from the second chakra to maṇipūra, the third chakra at the navel centre. As you inhale deeply and retain the breath, visualize a bright yellow ten-petalled lotus, with its petalled rays of energy turning upwards toward the brain. As you exhale chant Oṁ svaḥ .

4. Feel the energy of kuṇḍalinī śākti rising from the maṇipūra to anāhata, the fourth chakra at the heart centre. As you inhale deeply and retain the breath, visualize a blue 12-petalled lotus, with its petalled rays of energy turning upwards toward the brain. As you exhale chant Oṁ manaḥ .

5. Feel the energy as the Divine Śākti enters the fifth chakra, viśuddha, at the throat centre. As you inhale deeply and retain the breath, visualize a smoky grey-violet-coloured 16-petalled lotus, with its petalled rays of energy turning upwards toward the brain. As you exhale chant Oṁ janaḥ.

6. Now with your eyes still closed, concentrate deeply with your gaze at the midpoint between the eyebrows at the beautifully white, like the full moon, two-petalled lotus, ājñā chakra, the Spiritual Eye centre. As you inhale and retain the breath, meditate on the Divine Śākti and feel the energy in the chakra. As you exhale chant Oṁ tapaḥ.

Continue concentrating at the Spiritual Eye. As you inhale and retain the breath, meditate on the inner light and feel the energy flowing upwards toward the brain, in the sahasrāra chakra, the thousand-petalled lotus at the crown of the head, lustrous and whiter than the full moon. As you exhale chant Dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt (‘Illumine our intellect’).

Sit in the stillness of silent meditation for some time. Then prepare to let your consciousness begin the descent down through all the chakras. Feel that you are bringing the Kuṇḍalinī Śākti back to Her abode at the base of the spine. Chant Oṁ and feel that the kuṇḍalinī śākti energy is returning to the two-petalled lotus of the sixth centre, ājñā chakra, from the thousand-petalled lotus, at the crown chakra. Now feel the energy descend to viśuddha, the throat chakra, and chant the bīja mantra ‘haṁ ’. Continue down to the 12-petalled heart chakra, and chant the bīja mantra ‘yaṁ ’. Now bring your consciousness down to the ten-petalled lotus of the solar plexus, maṇipūra chakra, and chant the bīja mantra ‘ram’. Continue the descent into the six-petalled lotus of the second centre, svādhiṣṭhāna chakra. And finally Kuṇḍalinī Śākti returns to Her abode in the four-petalled lotus mūlādhāra chakra, at the base of the spine, in the centre of the root chakra. Chant the bīja mantra ‘laṁ ’. The kuṇḍalinī prāṇic energy coils up at the base of the spine bringing a sense of completion and groundedness to the purification and balance of the chakras.

Again, sit in the stillness of silent meditation. Feel the re-energized and revitalized body of your energy system. Remain with your attention and awareness focused at the Spiritual Eye and in the higher regions of the brain.

Pray sincerely from the essence of your being. Feel that your are one with the wholeness of ultimate Reality:

‘Infinite Spirit, help me to clarify my mind and awareness. May my consciousness be illumined and be fully awakened to Self-Realization. Oṁ , peace, Amen.’

As you relax the mind and go deeper into meditation, begin to be aware of your eternal form, your spiritual form of light . . . you the spiritual being, with awareness, with recognition, are in charge of your mind, body and senses. Feel the unlimited capacity of your own mind, and as the master of your mind, focus this unlimited energy on peace and on Truth. The kingdom of God is just behind the darkness of your closed eyes, and the first gate that opens to it is your peace.

Exhale, and as you relax, feel your consciousness expanding into the Infinite. In your calmness, feel peace spread everywhere – within and without. Immerse yourself in that ineffable peace. Peace is your natural state of being, in this state of purity and peace you rediscover the love that is within you . . . a love for yourself, love for each member of your human family, and love for God, the ultimate Reality.

Centred in the stillness of peace, develop a deeper awareness of the Divine within you. Completely relax into the present-moment stillness and allow the love of the Divine to fill your entire being. Mentally affirm divine calmness and peace: ‘I am an instrument of peace and a channel through which Divine Love flows.’

Pray for universal peace and send out thoughts of love and goodwill to all. While keeping your concentration at the Spiritual Eye, visualize cosmic energy surrounding and entering your body through the medulla and the Spiritual Eye, then flowing into the spine. Feel the energy flowing down through the whole length of your arms into your hands. Rapidly rub the palms of your hands together to create warmth and healing energy in them. Then raise the arms upwards with the opened hands in front of you, feeling the life current of prāṇic energy flowing from the medulla into the spine, especially through both palms, with a warm tingling sensation. Then chant Oṁ three times, sending the healing energy and blessings into and around the world. Visualize the healing energy as a powerful stream of God’s Light sending healing, harmony, divine peace and pure love into the world.

Then finish your meditation by chanting Oṁ three times, followed by Oṁ shanti, shanti, shanti, peace, Amen.

After finishing, remain sitting quietly in the stillness and peaceful energy for some time, before returning to the activities of the day. Try to practise the presence of God, living in the awareness and consciousness of the Divinity within you, by remaining peacefully and calmly present in the moment as you go about your activities and work. As Paramhansa Yogananda said: ‘Be actively calm and calmly active.’

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You are not far from the Kingdom of God.

Mark 12: 34

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For in Him we live and move and have our being.

Acts 17: 28

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Kuṇḍalinī Prāṇāyāma with Oṁ Mantra

Sit in a comfortable and stable meditation posture with the head, neck and spine aligned. Relax the mind and body by taking a few deep breaths. Inhale deeply and tense the whole body, then exhale and let go of all tension from the body and relax. Place your hands palms down on the knees in jñānā mudrā (gesture of knowledge). Close your eyes and keep your inner gaze at the Spiritual Eye. Allow your body and mind to relax and let go. Relax, with your awareness on the natural breath for a few minutes, then bring your awareness and concentration to the mūlādhāra chakra at the base of the spine.

Raise your right hand and position it in the viṣṇu mudrā for practising alternate nostril breathing. Close the right nostril with the right thumb, exhale and inhale through the left nostril to the count of three Oṁ s. As you inhale feel that you are drawing in prāṇic energy.

Close both nostrils and hold the breath for a count of 12 Oṁ s. As you retain the breath, feel that you are sending the current of prāṇic energy down the spine into the mūlādhāra chakra. Feel the current striking against the lotus in the mūlādhāra chakra.

Exhale slowly through the right nostril to the count of six Oṁ s. Now inhale through the right nostril, repeating the process in reverse. Practise five complete rounds.

After finishing, remain sitting quietly in meditation in stillness for as long as you are able to.