Agna: The Doorway to Beyond
Someone asked a question on a Question-Answer website:
How to open the third eye and what are the powers associated with it?
To be true, I always escape answering such questions. Because many times, I do not have to offer what they have come looking for, that is, the answer that suits them. Rarely if I do answer, I weigh them on two parameters:
- Does the querent know the gravity of what he/she is asking?
- Is the question coming from a genuine seeking or mere interrogation of mine?
Many such questions come from a desire to possess something supernatural or to have some mystical powers. They don't have even a pinch of seeking in them, and this defies the purpose of my response(if I give any).
This happened some good years ago, at a time when I was a new entrant to the mystical world and was still assimilating my experiences. I was at a certain place with a group of a few people and we were having some casual discussions which turned spiritual after a while. At that time, I spoke about a certain technique of meditation. It was only after a month later, that a man in his early 30s came to me and said: “I was practising the method you discussed that day, and now I am seeing very terrifying visions upon closing my eyes, they are very scary and I am afraid”.
When I spoke about it that time, it did not occur to me that someone would actually pick it up and start practising. Well, I asked him to stop it and get initiated into some practice first.
Now after these many years, I thought to write a very generic article describing certain things about the Agna and a few more. My goal of writing this is not to make you high on information, but just to make you aware of something which can ignite a spark of seeking in you. And also, don't rely on some information written by someone, discover your own truth.
On Agna
Agna or Agya chakra is the energy centre located at the forehead. For the majority of people, it is found slightly above the space between the two eyebrows. But for those who are into some meditational practices and doing it regularly, it may be found at the level of eyebrows.
This is also called the Third Eye because it has the potential to literally show you things beyond the physical. Physicality is only for the physical eyes, the apparatus to see the non-physical is Agna.
Visions at Agna
Let’s say you got a DSLR camera. If you got the skill, you will capture great photos but if you don’t know how to handle the camera, you will capture bad photos, Isn’t It? This doesn't make the camera bad, it is just that you don’t have the required skill to capture a great photo. Same is the case with the Agna chakra. On one level, it is just like a great camera.
Much is said on the internet about the visions at Agna chakra. Just go to any website of the West, and you will find them describing some very beautiful experiences and literally forcing you to just meditate on that centre. These are the people who got to know some authentic information from Indian Yogis who went there, but then they manipulated all that in their own ways and also added a few things based on their imagination. It is not that you get to see only some beautiful astral things, you can even see some really terrifying forms. It is just like a camera, it will show you whatever you click at. Here, clicking means your present level of awareness. Do not attempt for Agna if you are a part-time yogi or have learnt from YouTube yogis.
In any Kriya/Meditation technique, Agna has a very important part to play. But at the same time, to venture on your own at this place is not suggested.
Disembodied Beings and Agna
Those who die are not really dead nor they have gone anywhere else. They are as much present as we all are, just that they have lost their physical bodies. They may not be visible to you with your physical eyes but a well developed Agna provides the ability to see these disembodied beings. Now, these beings are of two kinds, those who are in a pleasant state can be called Devas (Heavenly Beings) and those who are in an unpleasant state are called Pretas (loosely translated to ghosts).
Based on your present tendencies, any of them can become visible at Agna. If either of these becomes visible, you will freak out because they are unlike anything you are accustomed to. Most of the people see Pretas at first owing to their tendencies, desires and certain other aspects. Well, there are other beings too, I don't know what to name them nor I want to go in much detail. All this that I am telling you is not coming from some text written somewhere, it has an experiential basis to it.
These dimensions are an Occult aspect of Agna chakra, which I will briefly touch in the latter part of this article.
Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha
Sage Patanjali described Yoga in a simple phrase- Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha. It means that real yoga happens only when the imperfections in one's consciousness get eliminated. Without a proper filtration of Chitta (consciousness), there can be no attainment in Yoga. These two must go hand in hand, otherwise, with mere mechanical methods, things will be difficult to control. When a seeker in meditating on Agna, it is very important to have an aware and stable mind.
Vision or Imagination?
When someone is meditating at Agna, it is kind of a fragile state because the difference between real and imagination fades away. Just a thought in your mind can become so real that sometimes it is difficult to understand whether it is a real vision or just the making of your mind. Your imagination can even make Shiva appear to you as you see in those calendar photos!
To remove these imaginations and see only that which is real, a balanced state of mind and awareness must be developed.
Perception, Intuition and Hallucination
Agna is also known as the seat of intuition or as some people like to call it, the sixth sense. Much of what people call as intuition is just their prediction gone right. I hear a lot of people saying many things about their intuition or how their sixth sense tells them various things and the way they talk about the aura. Nothing like that ever happens to them, they are just hallucinating.
Intuition is not a small thing, it takes time to develop it. And believe me, once you start to get there, you will look at everyone and everything with a sense of disinterest. Because suddenly you are getting to know the things that have not even been said yet, you can perceive their thoughts and most of the time they do not happen to be good. Even that which people refer to as a good thought or a good deed has a certain Agenda hidden behind it. The sheer hypocrisy of people can take a toll on you. The pleasant and smiling faces which greet and meet you in a very respectful manner, are not really so all the time. Those who seem to be in love are often filled with lust, they know no love. The so-called saint has raped many in his mind. The faces hide a lot beneath them.
Doomed Yogis
We are talking about hypocrisy, Youtube Yogis can be an honourable mention here. Almost in every meditation video that you get to see on YouTube, there will always be a weird smiling face in the thumbnail. It is not that meditation makes your jaw wider than normal, but this seems to be the case with those idiots. I cannot understand how these people happen to relate meditation with an abnormal smile. Meditation can bring calmness which too takes time, but in any case, it will never make your jaw wide. Being calm is good, but if you keep smiling all the time, you need a psychiatrist. All sorts of people start teaching yoga or either they become motivational speaker, they may not have done anything in their life, but they still motivate people. And almost always you will see a motivational speaker teaching meditation, whether he knows it or not. For those of you who listen to these motivational speakers; Is it even worth doing a thing for which you need constant motivation?
Actually, these people who are teaching Yoga or meditation are trapped in their ego and have lost their scope of further evolution, because somewhere there is a thinking that “I know all of it”. It takes years or rather lifetimes to know it all. My practices revolve majorly around Agna so I talk about it, I don’t know about all the other energy centres in entirety and I have no reason to pretend to be knowing. For me, the development in all the other energy centres within me is a consequence of Agna. It is like doing a Masters degree in Agna and Bachelors in the rest. These are all different dimensions which are put under one umbrella called Yoga. So, if anyone says I know Yoga, either he or she is a very great being; a Guru or simply a fool.
These days, anyone starts teaching Asanas and call themselves a Hatha Yogi, anyone can open a Yoga centre in their home, what’s the problem? Well, it is a sacrilege to the lineage of Hatha Yogis, although I am not of their party but they are great beings. Hatha Yogis are phenomenal with their body and breath. A yogi means 24/7 in yoga, not someone who does all the stupid things and teaches you yoga for 2 hours, they can be considered as an exercise teacher.
The Index of a Being
In every book, there is an index page which tells us you the topics that you are about to read in it, similarly, for humans that index page is the forehead. Always whenever you meet someone your first sight gets at the area around their eyes and forehead, it may not be by choice but it happens, for sure. The forehead is a great index of a person, it contains all the information. Whatever needs to be known about someone, can just be known by looking at their forehead, the face is also a consequence of that.
Now, when I say “whatever needs to be known can be known”, it doesn’t mean that when I look at someone’s forehead, some kind of digital display comes in front of my eyes and it all becomes readable. Here, I am talking about the subtle nature of existence, all the information happens intuitively and then it gets processed according to the perception and skill of the one looking at it. From my experience, I can say in case of feminine it is easier to know by looking at their forehead, not that it is difficult for masculine but it takes a little more effort. I am not doing any gender injustice here, but you may also have seen that feminine is generally more expressive, she is so exuberant by nature that her expressions and tendencies are easily visible.
From Science to Customs
When I say Feminine and Masculine, it does not necessarily mean female and male. These are the qualities of nature which manifest in every being irrespective of their gender. If I go a little into the details, the left part of the human body and the right brain are feminine in nature and the right part of the body and the left brain are masculine in nature, there is more to it but right now this much is enough to be discussed. By physicality, a male is more masculine and a female is more feminine; nature has decided it to be this way. Here, it is important to mention that when we meditate on Agna chakra, one aspect of it is to bring about a balance and hence union in the masculine and feminine aspects of one’s existence. It is this union within a being which leads him from duality to non-duality. This makes Agna even more important, it is a connection to what we refer to as Divine.
It is observed that women are weaker at their Agna compared to men, this is in general, specific people may vary. For Women, the Heart(Anahata) chakra is more responsive. The Yogis of Bharat(India) observed this a long time ago and thought of making the women receptive at Agna as well, this is the reason why the women in Bharat apply Bindi at their forehead. Well, originally it was Kumkum(red turmeric powder) but now they put a circular patch made of plastic or some synthetic material which is not helping them in any way rather it makes sure that Agna is properly sealed. This happens when pure science turns customary.
When I see women with a Bindi at their forehead, I wonder do they ever question themselves as to why they are applying this plastic patch? Well, in case anyone of you is reading this, it has absolutely nothing to do with your husband’s long life. Kumkum, which is made from turmeric is very beneficial for the Agna but that plastic bindi will not help in any way. Turmeric is alive in its own way and has a certain vibrancy to it which makes it very beneficial. Also, In Physics we have known that less surface area leads to more pressure, so no need to make a big circle on your forehead, just a pea-sized dot between the eyebrows will do.
If men want to apply something, they can use Vibhuti(white sacred ash) made of cow dung. A simple way to maintain a certain vibrancy in them is to keep them in Worship Room/Cabinet if you have it at your home.
Well, as for turning Yogic Sciences into mere customs and then getting them ridiculed by so-called intellectuals is not new now. Most of the customs, if not all have a scientific basis to them, it is just that it never gets into your big logical intellect. Please, for a moment stop being a rebel and try to see the greatness and depth of the culture that Bharat is.
The Culture of Bharat
It is all getting lost now, but at a time in history, Bharat was all about catering to the spiritual evolution of its people in one way or the other. All the ancient art forms and music that you see has this core understanding in them. The instruments were not being played just for the sake of people’s entertainment rather they were a very powerful tool to bring spirituality to everyone. Even the dance forms were designed in such ways.
Today’s music and dance forms evolved out of ignorance about the human system and what suits it best. I see youngsters listening to all sorts of heavy metal songs and doing hip-hop kind of things. It is all damaging. And, I have come to terms with it that there is no point in telling them this thing because the awareness has not yet grown to that level.
If you see anyone performing any kind of classical art, have a sense of great regard for them, because these people have outgrown you as a life in many ways. You may be a successful person but they are a more successful life, believe me. They are kind and loving people, in love with what they are doing. Their art is their God and it is this devotion that makes their art an expression of the Divine.
A day will come, I and you won’t be here to see it but Bharat will revive once again and all the Art forms will flourish with really credible beings leading the way. This is not any prophecy, but it will happen as the cycles of time progress because this is the way for spiritual upliftment of the masses.
The Guru
When I say Guru, I am not necessarily talking about someone with a Human body and walking on the planet like you and me. Just like we refer to Shiva as a dimension, a Guru is also a dimension, not a physical entity. The physical ones(those who are genuine) are the beings who have touched that dimension and have become one with it. In Yogic tradition, a Guru has always been considered equal to God and it is true that without him any yogic attainment is near to impossible. Again I am saying it is a dimension, not a physical entity but because you cannot get in touch with that dimension, some physical entity has to come into the picture. They say if you have the fire to seek and a longing to know, the guru will come looking for you. It is that dimension that has been talked about, not necessarily a physical guru.
Since I talk about these things, a few people have asked about my Guru. Every time someone asks, I try my best to divert their attention from this Guru thing. Not because I can’t tell but because I know it will be too lofty for them to hear such a thing. Well, let me tell you a little about him now since I have initiated this topic. He never appeared to me as a physical entity, I still starkly remember that experience when I asked for help and the help arrived in a big way, at a certain place. Well, was it predestined? I really have no answer. But it is a reality that all that I know, have experienced or can make others experience is nothing of mine, it’s all his. To be true, don’t get impressed by my knowing because he is the real one, I am just a small happening in his big playground. Well, it is a pain of not being able to see the source, but at the same time a blessing of having his grace.
Now, if I start saying these kinds of things if anyone asks me, they will say I have lost my mind. What are all this dimension and physical nonsense? Well, I have to maintain a good amount of logic to whatever I speak to anyone unless they are in a certain state to really understand what I am saying.
The kind of things that I write or talk about today, If someone had said to me before this experience, I would have ridiculed them and started a logical argument because back then, my knowledge was very limited and worldly. Therefore, I completely understand if someone disbelieves all these things because somewhere I was also like them, that is why I never open up about these things, it is only now that I have started writing a little about it, just to keep the fire burning.
The Touch of a Guru
The reason initiation is emphasised in the Yogic tradition is to have someone guiding you on the path, someone who knows what needs to be done at the right moment. A Guru may initiate you either by touch or simply by a look. Here, if we talk about Agna chakra initiation, it is done in a way to blind the Agna for some good reasons. Let's say you are a YouTube Yogi, meditating on Agna chakra and suddenly you start seeing things which are beyond physical that you have never seen even in your wildest dreams, you will go mad in no time, all your mental balance will be lost. Therefore, whenever Agna chakra initiation is done by someone, it is to make it blind in a way that you never see any such unwanted thing, well it is not a permanent thing, a Guru may undo it whenever you seem to be ready for such an experience. Though, you will reap all the benefits associated with Agna like enhanced perception, intuition and bliss too.
The Nectar Of Bliss
Today, many people rely on alcoholic intoxicant to relieve themselves of the worldly stress. All sorts of drugs are being used just to generate a feeling of pleasure for some time. But these things are very damaging, both to the physical body and the pranic body. Also, a major impact is that you are no more in your senses after consuming any such substance.
Yogis know a great way to remain in a blissful state without consuming any such thing and without any side effect. If one is concentrated on Agna, he or she can very easily attain a state where pleasure-inducing chemicals get produced in the brain. Right now, the ultimate pleasure that a human knows is the sexual pleasure which is governed by the second most lower energy centre in the body, but at the level of Agna, the pleasure is of completely different intensity and non-sexual. It is intoxicating but at the same time keeps you absolutely aware. I often enjoy it whenever I feel like and when I don’t have any worldly task to perform, however not everyone produces it of the same intensity. Two very great saints of Bharat, namely Neeb Karori Baba and Anandmayi Maa were often found in a trance-like state, to a point where people may think they have gone mad but within them, they were in an absolutely blissful state. Osho is also worth to be mentioned here but at the same time, he kept himself in such a state where he can interact with people at complete ease. People may think he is talking slow, but when one is in such a state there seems to be no need to even talk but he still made a point to talk to people who have come to him. I find it difficult for me to talk when I am in such bliss, talking kind of disturbs that feeling.
The Yogic Science of Semen Retention
I don’t know what modern Science tells about it but there seems to be a definite connection between the Brain and the seminal fluid. Here, I am talking about the male mechanism. It is by the observation of this connection that the practices such as Brahmacharya were developed. Here, the idea is not to abstain from sexual practices but to move the Energy towards the head. It is the same Energy, when it is down there it becomes sexual, when it is up in the head, it becomes spiritual. Now, Brahmacharya can not be taught to anyone, it is something that comes from within. But there is a method that can be taught, but it requires practice. The method is to let flow whatever fluid flows but contain the vital part of it and let it remain in the upper region of the body; head. It is this fluid which when comes out in the Brain, causes that Blissfulness talked above; it becomes intoxicating. Also, if such an experience happens to you, it means you have done a fair job at your Agna and in bringing harmony about various levels of your existences, namely Body, Mind and Prana.
The Seat of Vairagya
Vairagya is not about adorning a robe, smearing ashes and sitting in the mountains. It is a state of mind which develops to a good extent by Agna chakra practices, it is the seat of Vairagya. Vairagya means non-attachment to whatever you are pursuing but it is not the absence of involvement. You can be fully involved but at the same time not attached, if even it goes you are fine.
It is not that only the Sadhana can develop Vairagya, sometimes life can also teach you to be that way. You may have seen the aged people who have lived their life and are retired now, they are generally fine with everything because they have seen it all, just that their body becomes trouble sometimes otherwise they become very loving and content about everything. Yoga means being young at the body but very much grown from within.
We talked about how disinterest towards anyone and anything develops on the path to Agna. This should not happen to the point where you don’t feel like doing anything or not taking part in life at all. This is one of the pitfalls of Agna as far as the physicality is concerned. Before this happens, some pleasantness should be there within you so that you do not become anti-life. Knowing what’s behind the faces and still acting like a fool and playfully participating in all that is a skill in itself.
Saffron and Agna
Here, it is important to know about the concept of Saffron robe that Monks and Saints adorn. The saffron colour resonates with Agna chakra, so those who are doing practices related to Agna may wear it. Now, meditation can happen even without wearing it, but yes it is a good help for it influences the aura of the wearer.
Many of those you see wearing the saffron robe may not be knowing any Kriya(technique) for meditation, they just wear it as a symbolism of something pure; religious people. Also, not everyone wearing it is a celibate. Celibacy is not required for meditation to happen, it may be done by someone for a different reason altogether. People have this notion that Yogis have to be celibate, why? Why are you denying them of such a fabulous thing between two opposites? They know how to love, lust ceases. Krishna was a Yogi of the Guru order, he was not a celibate. They say he had so many wives, must be doing something!
There are other colours like Red, which is used for Devi related practices, in some cases a Black robe is also used.
Roasting the seeds of Karma
Understand Karma as the lessons you need to learn to grow and become divine. They are a kind of filters to reach higher stages rather than just being pleasant or painful states of being. Agna chakra is a way to hasten your Karmic spend, not necessarily by living those Karmas rather by roasting the seeds so that they won’t even come to fruition. It is like this, once you have developed yourself to a certain level of awareness, the lessons that were to be learnt are not required anymore. Well, it is a notion that meditation brings calmness, but just see that whenever we are hastening something, that which would have taken years to happen will happen right now, isn’t it? With more intensity, either you will live those Karmas for your growth, or if the learning has happened they will get roasted; a roasted seed never grows!
Now, a question can come to any mind, that why is it that some people live a good life that seems to be a constant for them; bad things never to happen to them. Are they not bound by Karma?
See, there are two aspects to it. One is their allotted Karma, based on certain reasons is a pleasant one for this time. Things seem to be easier for them. The other thing is, they are really in a constant life and just fulfilling certain compulsions out of their whole baggage of Karma.
You will often see, a spiritual person being more miserable than happy. Well, this is the essence of initiation, it is not to bring calmness to you but to hasten your evolution by intensifying your Karmic processes, calmness comes as a by-product. In a way, you are being exposed to situations that will bring out the best in you. This is the path of initiation actually. And this is how wise people are made, it is not that they have read thousands of self-help books and have become wise philosophers. Believe me, there is no greater teacher than Karma. And yes, initiations are not for the people who need a constant life, it is for the adventurous!
*For some more information on Karma, read my article: On Meditation.
Your Empty Bowl
I wrote, you read and hopefully enjoyed reading some otherworldly thing, but what you got? Nothing. I can write many such things but to be honest, it will be just for entertainment. Your bowl will still remain empty, I can’t give anything from my bowl by writing articles. If you want a share of my bowl, then you need to do certain things. The reason I write is just to get you started on the path, well I won’t get any benefit and the choice is entirely yours. Just that I will get happy seeing more conscious and aware people; a better world. My writings are a minuscule contribution.
Yoga, Meditation or Mysticism are not things to read about but to be experienced. How to experience? Well, there are a few genuine people among a lot of fake ones, you can learn from them. But for every foundation that there is you have to check their Balance sheets, whether their Head drives a car or is a simple man, isn’t it? Don’t look for these things, you want to learn meditation and they are a genuine source, definitely. I can mention a few for your help: Isha Foundation, Art of Living and Sri Badrika Ashram. There may be other genuine places as well, but I know of these three. At last, free is nothing, either you purchase the product or you become the product. Isha asks for money just for their introductory course and it has a good reason to be this way, advance courses are offered free of cost.
Don’t leave your bodily abode with an empty bowl, strive and it will fill up to the brim. Take my assurance!
Namaskar
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