Wouldn’t it be great to know the truth about ourselves? Not just an opinion or a belief, nor a result of wishful thinking or of insecurity or self-doubt, but the truth as it is. Wouldn’t it be great to know one’s strengths and weaknesses and to be able to rectify them proactively before they land us in trouble? Sahaja makes knowing the absolute truth about yourself possible through vibratory awareness, which is a sense of perception of our inner subtle energy system.

Vibratory Awareness

Through the initial experience of Sahaja’s Self-Realization, our Inner Energy (Kundalini) is awakened and starts to flow through our energy system. As a result, besides attaining the state of thoughtless awareness, which is the first stage of meditation, we also acquire a new type of sensitivity referred to as “vibratory awareness”.

Vibratory awareness is an ability to actually feel the flow of the Inner energy in the primary energy centers or their projections on different parts of the body (hands, feet, or the head). Some people feel this flow of energy immediately after the Inner Energy has been awakened, for others, it might take some time and the regular practice of meditation. There are cleansing and balancing techniques (foot soaking being one of the most effective ones) that improve our ability to feel and to discern the sensations of the flow of this energy, which we call “vibrations”.

This ability to feel the flow of energy (the vibrations), as well as the obstructions to the normal flow of energy, is of ultimate importance for a meditator. This is because we can diagnose the problems and imbalances in our energy system and deal with them proactively while they are still in the initial stage of energy imbalance, rather than when the energy imbalance becomes chronic, manifesting in some form of physical, mental, emotional or spiritual problem or disease. In the case of the issues that have already manifested, we can identify its root cause on a deeper level of energy imbalance and correct the energy imbalance, rather than merely dealing with the symptoms superficially.

Cool “Vibrations” vs. Heat or Tingling: What Do They Mean?

In its pure form, the Inner Energy feels like a cool and refreshing sensation on our skin, it is usually described as a “cool breeze”. When the Inner Energy flows through the energy system (the main energy channels and centers along the spine) without major obstructions, it feels cool. If there are major obstructions or blockages in the system, the Inner Energy tries to clear out and repair these obstructions, gradually healing the system as much as possible. Sometimes, we might feel the energy as heat or tingling or even pricking sensations as it tries to work with the obstacles. Eventually, the heat and tingling should subside and one should start feeling the cool breeze, though, depending on every individual’s state, it might take some time.

Once the heat and tingling have subsided and we feel the cool breeze, it’s the sign that the major obstructions have been cleared and the Inner Energy can flow through our system more or less freely. However, this cleansing only happens when our inner being maintains a strong connection to the Universal Energy (all-pervading power) and we are in a state of Thoughtless Awareness (true meditation).

This is why, only by practicing meditation, by achieving thoughtless awareness and maintaining it as much much as possible, we can begin to experience the healing benefits of the Inner Energy being awakened and flowing through the system. The easiest, and at the same time, the most difficult aspect of Sahaja is to learn how to allow the Inner Energy to do all of the balancing and healing work within us, and how not to obstruct the flow of the Inner Energy by thinking or by trying too hard to control it. Our experience of meditation becomes much better if we learn to relax and let the Inner Energy flow and bring us into meditation, cleanse our system and progressively settle us firmly within our true self and into the state of meditation.

The state of thoughtless awareness is the key, it is the entry into the true meditation, and it is our primary goal: to enter into thoughtless awareness and to remain in thoughtless awareness as much as possible, once we are settled in thoughtless awareness, everything else works out on its own.

So We Can Know The Truth, but What Can We Do About it?

There are things that we can do to help the flow of our Inner Energy. We can use several simple techniques, through which we can help direct the Energy and strengthen its flow by lending our attention to the problem areas within our system. This is where vibratory awareness is of utmost importance in contributing to balancing and healing our system. We need to be able to diagnose the system, identify the problem areas and then support its nourishment, including by applying the correct balancing and cleansing techniques.

Most of the time, we feel and decode the flow of the Energy on our hands, identify areas that are fine (based on where we feel the cool breeze), and those that are problematic (based on where we feel heat or tingling sensations) and then aid our Inner Energy by using appropriate techniques.

How to Do it: Balancing The Energy Channels and Centers

When I sit down to meditate, after the initial step of getting into meditation, I place my attention both on the top of my hands and the palms of my hands. I used to do it consciously, but after some time, like with most meditation practitioners, it mostly happens on its own. I pay attention to what I am feeling in my hands so that I determine what to do next. If I feel the cool breeze on the top of my head, as well as on both of my hands, then I do not need to do anything else. I rest my attention on the top of my head and enjoy the meditation. Usually, when the coolness is felt in both hands and on top of the head, the meditative state (thoughtless awareness) is also effortless to achieve and to maintain. If I do not feel perfect coolness on both hands and the head (which happens more often than not), I start the foot soaking technique and continue meditation with my foot soak (placing my feet in a bowl of salted water), and proceed.

As a next step, I check the sensation on my hands. What we feel on the left and right hand corresponds to the state of our left and right channels (and the aspects of energy centers along the respective channels). So, when I feel heat or tingling on the right hand, I balance the right channel by placing the right hand resting on the lap and left hand towards the sky (see the video below) until the heat/tingling on the right hand subsides and is replaced by the sensation of the cool breeze. Similarly, when I feel heat or tingling on the whole left hand, I will balance the left channel by keeping the left hand open on the lap and placing the right hand on or towards the ground (see the video below).

If I feel heat or tingling on particular fingertips or the spots on the palm which are the projections of particular energy centers, I support the particular energy center by placing my right hand on it for a while and affirming or asking for the qualities of that specific energy center. If that is not enough to remove the sensation of heat or tingling, I might balance the energy center as shown in the video below.

If the heat or tingling sensations do not clear out easily, or if I notice that I am feeling heat and tingling indicating imbalances in the same energy centers (or channels) over and over again, I examine behavioral reasons that may be contributing to this imbalance. For example, indulging in self-pity will keep the dragging the left channel out of balance, smoking typically damages energy center number 5 among others, and holding grudges will clog the energy center number 6.

Is it Possible to Overdo it? Yes!

We have to keep in mind, that doing all these balancing and clearing techniques is only a tool to help our Inner Energy balance our system more effectively and to get us into the state of meditation. Doing the clearing techniques does not actually replace the meditation; meditation is just being in thoughtless awareness. So we need to pay close attention to whether the technique is making us more balanced, relaxed, joyful and remain without thoughts or, on the contrary, it is making us tenser, controlling and agitated. If the latter is happening, then it is best to stop doing the balancing techniques, bring attention towards the top of the head, and ask the Inner Energy to bring us into the state of meditation.

Do you have any questions?

Contact us or join the Vibratory Awareness Workshop sessions (all Tuesdays in June).