________________
Sahasrāra-Pure Consciousness of Self
even the desire to win. Free and light, we naturally attain our highest goal; we come to our Real Nature.
From this point on, we live each moment according to our "suchness," our true essence, remembering that our whole future is contained in the present moment. How we live right now has repercussions even on the day of our departure. Living from the realm of the real and the permanent Self, we have no need to worry about the outcome of our future. All insecurity and inner conflict are dissolved in the light of pure consciousness of Self.
Many students of yoga attempt to raise their kundalini, their inner energy, to this center at the top of the head by force through various heavy-breathing techniques. What they do not realize is that the kundalini will not remain at this peak unless they have worked on their inner world as we are doing. A violent surge of energy to the top of the head is very dangerous. It would be like a cardiac patient winning the lottery and dying of a heart attack in his excitement. What should be a positive experience can be overwhelming to someone unprepared for it. We should, therefore, move gradually, refining our energy and mastering first one center and then another until we reach the highest point of awareness.
The Sanskrit name for the seventh center is sahasrāra, which means “a thousand petals.” Symbolically, there are a thousand rays emanating from the center of the chakra, like a thousand spokes radiating from the hub of a wheel. We can think of it as the petals of a lotus opening to receive the light of the sun.
Meditating on this center, you will experience all your
[73]
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org