Chakra Meditation - Bhuta Shuddhi
Bhuta Shuddi is an ancient Chakra Meditation
of Yoga and Tantra practice through which
the five elements (bhutas) are balanced or purified (shuddhi). Bhuta
refers to the past, and shuddhi refers to purifying that past, or the
samskaras that operate in conjunction with the five elements. This is a very useful practice, whether you think
of it as preparation for Kundalini awakening , or simply as a practice
for feeling balanced, centered, or tranquil, etc. (One of
the two foundations of Yoga is Abhyasa, practices seeking of
tranquility;
For the Chakra Meditation of Bhuta
Shuddhi, it is necessary to understand how the five elements relate to
the chakras. The five bhutas are the five elements of earth,
water, fire, air, and space, and they operate in conjunction with the
lower five chakras (at subtle level they are called tanmatras, which are
part of tattvas, or subtle constituents). The sixth
chakra is of mind, and is beyond or prior to the bursting forth of
space, air, fire, water, and finally earth. Consciousness itself (or
whatever you want to call it) is prior to, or the source of
manifestation of mind, and is the seventh chakra (surely there are other
chakras, including between sixth and seventh, but the bhuta shuddhi
practice itself need not focus directly on these).
Alignment
of the five Elements
The five elements align with, and
operate from the five lower chakras, along with the ten indriyas and a seed mantra for each. In systematic Chakra Meditation, you
progressively move attention through the chakras, along with
awareness of the nature of each chakra.
Method
of practicing Chakra Meditation - Bhuta Shuddhi
There may be many methods of purifying
the five elements, ranging from meditative practices (including YOGA NIDRA) to various forms of
ritualistic practices. With some reflection it makes sense how it is
that many practices might have such an effect. The Chakra Meditation method
presented below (Bhuta Shuddhi) works directly with attention on the chakras, balancing
the subtle forces of the five elements through the use of the bija
(seed) mantras of the chakras.
Before doing the Chakra Meditation - Bhuta Shuddhi practice
itself, it is useful to do some some stretches or hatha asanas
(postures) followed by some form of physical relaxation exercise, such as a complete relaxation. This helps prepare the mind to be able to focus on the
chakras.
Chakra Meditation - Bhuta Shuddhi:
Sequentially move through the chakras in the following sequence.
As you read this, please keep in mind that reading about the
practice is more difficult than doing the practice. The
descriptions are lengthy, but the practices actually
straightforward and simple.
Muladhara Chakra Meditation:
Bring your attention to the perineum, the
flat space between the anus and the genital area. Take several seconds
to allow your attention to find the space, and to get settled into it.
Allow the mantra Lam to arise repeatedly in your mind field, silently.
Allow it to repeat at its own natural speed. You may find that it comes
5-10 times and wants to pause, or you might find it wants to come
continuously. If it pauses, allow it to return in its own time. The
mantra may move quickly or slowly. In any case, keep your attention on
that space; this is very important. That space might be tiny, such as a
pinpoint, or it might be several inches across. Follow your own
inclination about the size of the space. Allow your mind to naturally be
aware of earth, solidity, or form. That awareness may come a little or a
lot; either way is okay. Allow to come through your mind field the
awareness of of the karmendriya of elimination (which operates
throughout the body), and the jnanendriya of smell (best to become
familiar with the nature of the indriyas). Gradually, over time with the
practice, it becomes more clear how it is that the indriyas operate
from these centers, along with the five elements. You may or may not
also find that colors and sounds naturally come to the inner field of
mind.
Svadhistana Chakra Meditation:
When you move your attention
upwards towards the second chakra, be mindful of the transition, of the
motion of attention and the nature of the shift of energetic,
emotional, and mental experience. Allow your attention to naturally find
the location of the second chakra. Your own attention will find, and
settle into that space. It is important to note that the actual chakra
is in the back, along the subtle spine called sushumna, although we
usually experience it in the front. Allow the attention to rest where it
naturally falls, probably in the front, but be mindful from time to
time that the chakra is actually in the back. Gradually attention will
find this central stream running up and down through all of the chakras
(sushumna is actually subtler than the chakras). Allow the mantra Vam to
arise and repeat itself, at its own speed, naturally coming and going.
Hold your attention in the space, whether a pinpoint or a few inches
across. Allow the awareness of water to arise, and come to see how this
has to do with allow forms of flow or fluidity, whether relating to
energy, physical, emotional, or mental. Explore the awareness of the
karmendriya of procreation and the jnanendriya of tasting (once again,
become familiar with the indriyas). Again, colors or sounds may or may
not come and go.
Manipura Chakra Meditation:
Be aware of the
transition as you move to the third chakra, at the navel center, which
is also actually along the sushumna channel. Allow the mantra Ram to
arise and repeat itself, at its natural speed. Keep attention in the
space, whatever size at which it is experienced. Be aware of the element
of fire, and the many ways in which it operates throughout the gross
and subtle body from this center. Be aware of the karmendriya of motion,
and how motion itself happens in so many physical, energetic, and
mental ways. Be aware of the jnanendriya of seeing, which you will
easily see as related to fire and motion. Colors and sounds may or may
not come and go.
Anahata Chakra Meditation:
Observe the transition as you
move your attention to the fourth chakra, the space between the
breasts. Allow attention to become well seated there, and then remember
the vibration of the mantra Yam, allowing it to repeat at its own speed,
while being mindful of the feeling it generates. Be aware of the
element of air, and notice how that feels with the mantra. Notice how
the element of air relates to the the karmendriya of holding or
grasping, whether physically, energetically, mentally, or emotionally.
Observe how these relate to the jnanendriya of touching, and how that
touching is very subtle in addition to being a physical phenomenon.
Colors and sounds may come and go.
Visshuda Chakra Meditation:
Bring your attention to the space at the throat, the fifth chakra, which
is the point of emergence of space (which allows air, fire, water, and
earth to then emerge). In that space, be aware of the nature of space
itself, allowing the mantra Ham to arise and repeat itself,
reverberating many times through the seemingly empty space in the inner
world (a space that is really not empty, but is of potential). Awareness
of the karmendriya of speech (actually, communication of any subtle
form) is allowed to be there, experiencing how that vibrates through
space. The jnanendriya of hearing is allowed to come, also seeing how it
naturally aligns with space, speech, and the vibration of mantra.
Notice the fine, subtle feelings, which come with the experience. Colors
or sounds are allowed to come and go, if they happen to arise.
Ajna
Chakra Meditation:
Gently, with full awareness, transition awareness to
the seat of mind at the space between the eyebrows, ajna chakra. Allow
the mantra OM to arise and repeat itself, over and over, as slow waves
of mantra, or as vibrations repeating so fast that the many OMs merge
into a continuous vibration. Be aware of how mind has no elements, but
is the source out of which space, air, fire, water, and earth emerge. Be
aware of how this space, this mind, itself, does no actions, but is the
driving force of all of the karmendriyas of speech, holding, moving,
procreating, and eliminating. Be aware of how this chakra, this mind,
has no senses itself, but is the recipient of all of the information
coming from hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, and smelling, whether
the source of this input is the sensations from the external world,
coming through the physical instruments, or coming from the inner world
of memories or subtle experience, presenting on the mental screen
through the subtle senses. Gradually, come to see how OM mantra is
experienced as the source or map of manifestation itself. Many senses,
images, or impressions may come and go, but they are let go, as
attention rests in the knowing beyond all senses, in the ajna chakra and
the vibration of OM.
Sahasrara Chakra Meditation:
Allow
attention to move to the crown chakra, which has no element (bhutas), no
cognitive sense (jnanendriyas), no active means of expression
(karmendriyas), as it is the doorway to pure consciousness itself.
Experience how this is the source out of which mind emerges, after which
emerge the five elements, the five cognitive senses, and the five means
of expression. The “mantra” (in its subtler, silent form) is that
silence (not mere quiet) out of which the rest have emerged. It is
experienced as the silence after a single OM, merging into objectless,
sense-less awareness. Allow attention to rest in that pure stillness,
the emptiness that is not empty, which contains, and is, the pure
potential for manifestion, which has not manifested.Ajna Chakra
Meditation: Briefly bring your attention back to the sixth chakra,
allowing the vibration of OM to return, which starts the journey of
attention back into the body and world. A few seconds, 30 seconds, or
maybe a minute should be comfortable, though it may be longer if you
wish.
Visshuda Chakra Meditation:
Bring your attention down to the fifth
chakra, the throat, remembering Ham, as you enter into the realm of
space, hearing, and speaking. Again, a few seconds or a minute is
good.
Anahata Chakra Meditation:
Transition to the fourth chakra, the
heart, as you allow the mantra Yam to arise, remembering the element of
air. Awareness of holding and touching may or may not arise.Manipura
Chakra Meditation: Be aware of the third chakra, the navel center, and
the vibration of Ram, along with the element of fire, with awareness of
motion and seeing coming or not coming.
Svadhistana Chakra Meditation:
Bring your attention to the second chakra, and allow the vibration of
the mantra Vam to arise and repeat itself, remembering the element of
water, with awareness of procreation and tasting coming or not
coming.
Muladhara Chakra Meditation:
Transition attention back to the
first chakra, at the perineum, allowing the mantra Lam to come.When
first practicing Chakra Meditation of Bhuta Shuddhi, it can seem
confusing to keep track of mantras, elements, senses, and actions. To
make this Chakra Meditation easy, the two keys to emphasize initially
are: 1) keeping attention in the space, and 2) remembering the vibration
in the mantra (it won't take very long to memorize which mantra goes
with which chakra). Then allow the rest to gradually come in time. Both
the balancing of the elements (and chakras) and the many insights will
come over time, with practice.After the Practice: After the Chakra
Meditation - Bhuta Shuddhi practice itself, it is best to then do some
more meditation practice (since mind is now quite prepared). One good
thing to do first is to practice spinal breath, where you bring your
attention upwards to the crown with inhalation, and then follow the
stream of the subtle spine down to the first chakra with exhalation.
This is nicely done with soham mantra, where you inhale up with Soooo
and exhale down with Hummm. This can then be followed by your regular
meditation and prayer finally .
Complete
practice based on Chakra Meditation
The Chakra Meditation - Bhuta Shuddhi practice can be
practiced alone or as a part of a complete meditation practice. Here is
one way to do this, which can be adapted to match personal inclinations.
This example is a 60-minute practice.
-
15 minutes of Hatha: Practice some
hatha Yoga postures (asanas) or simple stretches, along with some
breathing practices (pranayama). Obviously the times can be much
longer, or might even be less. You might want to also experiment
with doing some more vigorous physical exercise before doing the
postures and breathing, such as walking, jogging, swimming,
bicycling, or working out with some exercise routine.
-
30 minutes of Chakra Meditation: If you move
upwards through the seven chakras, allowing 3-4 minutes for each
chakra, and then downwards through the seven chakras, allowing about
30 seconds each (to bring you back to being grounded), the total
Bhuta Shuddhi practice itself will be about 30 minutes.
-
15 minutes of Meditation: Then do your
regular meditation practice, whatever that may be, such as bringing
your attention deeply into the space between the breasts (anahata
chakra) or the space between the eyebrows (ajna chakra), with or
without mantra or your regular object of meditation.
Honoring
your capacity
As with all practices, it is best to be
aware of, and honor your capacity. The example above is 30 minutes of
Chakra Meditation - Bhuta Shuddhi, and 60 minutes in total. For some, this might seem like a
short time. For others, it might seem like a long time. Practicing
within your comfort level is far more useful than trying to strive for
any goal. If you find a complete practice of 10 minutes serves you, then
this is the right amount of time. Actually, it can be quite useful to
simply move through the awareness of the chakras (up, then down) in a
matter of a couple minutes, remembering the mantras along the way. Even
a brief practice of Chakra Meditation of 30 seconds to 1 minute is quite pleasant and useful,
and can be done often.
