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Q. Is there a psychic centre meditation on which
increases wakefulness and strengthens self-control? In the beginning, the moment one sits for meditation, one begins to doze. What psychic centre must be awakened to be free from sleep?
Ans. The Centre of Alertness increases wakefulness
- and delivers one from the onslaught of sleep. This centre is located in the ears. The sensations of consciousness are pretty clear here. A little concentration on these helps to remove sloth. Sleep evaporates and inner awareness grows.
In our country women often get their ears pierced. Why? To wear ornaments? Superficial thinking may derive such a conclusion. But if we go into it deeply we shall find that our ancestors started this tradition of ear-piercing after a great deal of thought. Whether this secret is known today or not, the physiologists have established on the basis of experiments that the upper and lower parts of the ear are very important from many points of view.
The monks of the Nath sect get their ears pierced. They get very big holes made in their ears, and that is why they are called kanfat which means 'having perforated ears'. Nowadays, people might go in for getting their ears perforated in blind imitation of a tradition, but originally this special exercise was performed to increase one's capacity for self-control.
According to the physiologists, the human ear and the sinews around are very important. A Russian scientist and a lady-doctor of Hong Kong have freed many people from addiction to drinking and smoking by administering electric shocks on their ears. All this goes to establish that the ear is the centre of wakefulness and that is why it is called the Centre of Alertness.
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