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What exactly is the process of inner journeying? What is involved in it?
Ans. It is necessary for a dhyana-sadhak to have full
- knowledge about the bodily system, because it is through the body that one can reach the soul. The outer form of the body is apparent enough, but inside there are innumerable parts of which even the doctors have no complete knowledge. Meditation is the means of discovering not only the soul, but also the unknown secrets of the body. But it is possible only in the higher stages of meditation. To begin with, one can gather information about the principal inner parts of the body with the help of special charts and body-specialists. This knowledge will be found helpful in undertaking the journey within.
For the internal trip, one must withdraw one's attention from all external objects and concentrate it on Shakti-Kendra (the Centre of Energy) situated at the base of the backbone. Consciousness then moves from the base, through the sushumna (the spinal cord), to JnanKendra (the Centre of Knowledge) situated near the crown. The object of this pilgrimage is to initiate the upward movement of vital power. Then the mind is made to move from Jnan-Kendra (the Centre of Knowledge) to Shakti-Kendra (the Centre of Energy, and again from Shakti-Kendra (the Centre of Energy) to Jnan-Kendra (the Centre of Knowledge), for accomplishing the ascent of the vital current. Shakti-Kendra is the source of inexhaustible energy. The vital energy required for the brain, ascends to it by way of sushumna. This process can be better understood through an example.
There is water in the well. A man needs water. He cannot directly get to the water down below. So he makes use of bucket with a rope. The bucket is lowered down,
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