Preksha Dhyana Basic Principles

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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mencing with the outermost layers of consciousness one has to penetrate more and more deeply. Thus the successive stages of šartra-prekşã would be perception and awareness of :
(a) the superficial sensation of the skin such as contact
with cloth, warmth, perspiration, itching etc., (b) the sensation produced by the muscular movements, (c) the sensations produced by functioning of the internal
organs such as liver, heart etc., and finally, (d) subtle vibrations produced by the electrical impulses
travelling in the nervous system.
In the vast complex of our organism various complicated chemical, mechanical and electro-magnetic processes are constantly going on. Our sense-organs and other sensory outposts send thousands of separate sensation signals coded messages to the brain every moment. They are a variety of intensities of pleasure, pain, etc.
Process of šartra-prekşā aims at the development of totally impartial perception of pleasure and pain. This is practically achievable because there is a remarkable distinction between sensation and perception. While the sensation-signals are the unprocessed inputs of awareness, perception is the finished product processed by the brain in the light of mood, expectations and many other variations. In the case of pain, for example, same sensation-signals (say, from a toothache) affect each person differently. His suffering is his perception and this varies immensely from person to person. The šartra-prekşã changes one's perception so that the sensation-signals of pain are experienced without suffering. Same is the case with the signals of the sensation of pleasure.
As stated above, the šartra-prekşă is a centripetal process. Now the extension of the psyche is on par with that of the body and the spiritual self is on par with the
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