Hridaya
photo by Ibai Acevedo
Hridaya is a Sanskrit word that means “spiritual heart”. The translation stems from the root hri, meaning “to give”, da, meaning “to take”, and ya, which means “balance”. So Hridaya means that which gives and takes in perfect balance. That is the true meaning of Love, an energy of unification that exists beyond duality. It’s the ability to see all things as perfect and balanced as they are.
Hridya is not the heart chakra nor is it the physical organ or emotional aspect, but the heart as the central seat of consciousness, beyond body or mind. This spiritual heart is just to the right of the physical heart but transcends all physical and temporal limitations. It is the connection to Source. The God Spark in each of us.
When we are blocked it is usually because we are fixated in the mental sphere, which can create knots in the heart making it difficult to fully connect to this energy of the Creator within. These mental impurities are called sankharas. They are formations of the mind that lead to suffering. They are the bondages caused by our identification with body and mind, our ego identity and the pain it causes to ourselves and others that we all experience in the uncertainty of human existence. These knots consist of thoughts of “I am that” or “this is mine” and getting caught in the turbulent emotional dualities of the outer world, and all their complications. This ego identification with body and mind is the cause of karma and rebirth. It proceeds from lack of cognitive knowledge of our true Self or Atman that is one with the cosmic and transcendent reality or Brahman. It forms the basis of the subtle body that continues throughout the cycle of rebirth. Releasing the knots of the heart is also the dissolution of the subtle body and going beyond all karma. The more we can connect with the Infinite waters within the more karma we dissolve and the less we suffer.
When we are able through meditation to unravel the impurities of mind and conquer the over identification with the ego we can fully open up to the spiritual heart or the God Spark within. The energy of spirit is beyond duality and beyond desire. It’s a total unification so there is nothing lacking. All is One. This energy is flowing through everything, everywhere and it is available to us at all times. One need only to tune into its vibrational frequency. It is the Witness. It is the Supreme Consciousness and it is the destiny of every individual to awaken to it. In order to do this we must observe all our negativities and recognize them as emanations of ego consciousness. Accept them, Allow them but let them pass. We must see each person as a reflection of something within us. Each event in all of history and all the events to come as a perfect manifestation of Universal Source. All the goods and all the ills. Can we hold them both in equipoise? Can we accept and even dare to understand this polarity? Can we transcend the limitations of individuality and connect with Infinite Oneness?
photo by Ibai Acevedo
Everything in the physical universe is connected to this God Source to a greater or lesser degree. A rock has less God Source than a worm. A worm has less God Source than a bird because a bird is more complex in its nature. Similarly there are human beings who have more Source energy available to them than others because they have integrated more aspects of themselves and shed more of the mental impurities to allow more of this energy to flow through them. Perhaps they have been able to purify the karma of many lifetimes and reach a state of enlightenment and liberation. The more embodied we are the more magnetic we become. Similarly there are entities that are unseen that contain even more God Force than human beings. Some would call these entities Angels or Aliens or Spirit Guides. These entities exist in an unseen dimension beyond the physical realm and are available to us if we seek them out sincerely and for our highest good. We are never alone in our journey toward Source. The more Source energy we can let in the more we can transcend our physical limitations and finally transcend Samsara or the cycle of death and rebirth in order to move to other realms of learning and spiritual growth. There is wisdom in knowing that we will all make it and nothing is left behind. Every moment is an opportunity to elevate our consciousness and climb the ladder of spiritual awareness. May we all reach the final goal or liberation from the shackles of suffering. May all beings be happy.
