Winter Immersion - The Heart of Recognition

This year’s Winter Immersion on Maui will be focusing on the 11^th century text called the Pratyabhijñā-hṛdayam. The title means the heart of recognition and it is one of the greatest texts of the tantric trika tradition.

Written by Kṣhemarāja, a student of Abhinavagupta, this scripture focuses on the direct insight of our own divinity — of awareness becoming aware of awareness. What’s especially powerful is that the entire discussion is in the form of a dialogue with the Goddess Śakti, suggesting that She is the supreme power.

The text discusses being absorbed into, or pervaded by, Pure Consciousness, and that there is never a separation between the power that pervades us and the power we use to offer ourselves into that absorption.

One of the key sections is Chapter 18, which talks specifically about the liberation of kuṇḍalinī, that supreme power within each of us. During the two weeks of the program, I will be giving a series of meditations which open students to a progressive unfolding of śakti, to the power of Consciousness to reveal Itself.

The Tattva Towers

In the context of understanding how Consciousness reveals Itself, I will further elaborate on the tattvas, which translate as levels of consciousness. There are 37 tattvas, and you can visualize them being stacked one on top of the other, forming what I call the “tattva tower.”

The image that accompanies this blog shows several things. First, there’s the energy of śakti as it rises through the central channel, depicted as a serpent wrapped around a lingam. The lingam itself traditionally represents the surging of Consciousness, using Its inherent power to ascend and expand within our own inner mechanism. The serpent and lingam are then superimposed on what I call the “Divine Thread Man” — the Divine Thread being the connection between the individual and universal Consciousness within the innermost core of the central channel. Finally, this composite image is placed in front of the tattva tower.

The quote at the top of the image says, “All tattvas must be purified.” This is a statement by Abhinavagupta, who also said, “There is no other divine fire able to consume duality than kuṇḍalinī.” The ascent of the power of Consciousness to reveal is what purifies all levels of consciousness and uncovers our highest, inherent Self. This is the heart of recognition — the recognition of our own pure Divine Awareness.

The Power of Śakti

Śakti is the power of Consciousness to express Itself as the bliss in every fabric of manifest creation. God plays the flute, and śakti dances to the music. Within our psychic body, śakti is known as kuṇḍalinī, the energy that frees us from all limited experience caused by us living in levels of consciousness that are debilitated, unable to perceive higher awareness. Tantric tradition says we must become one with śakti in order to become one with Śiva, with Consciousness.

It is the consciousness of surrender powered by the energy of surrender that purifies all misunderstanding of our true nature. Our internal practice becomes real when we take a breath, gather the energy of misunderstanding, and direct it into the central channel — the towering internal inferno.

As the energies of our mental and emotional constructs are consumed, our propensity to misidentify ourselves as separate from our Source is also consumed. We begin to have the experience of nondifferentiation, of knowing that we are an individuated expression of the Divine. That recognition is at the level of consciousness called puruśa, which is above the ego and mind in the tattva tower.

Unlimited Freedom

At the level of puruśa we have shed enough of our misunderstanding that we can rise up even further – penetrating through māyā, the veils that contract our awareness into the beliefs that I am separate, I am different, and I am the doer. Freed from those veils, we are no longer functioning from what are known as “impure” (limited) powers of will, knowledge, and action. We are now living as God, displaying those powers in their “pure” (unlimited) potential. At that level, there is no perception of duality, because God’s pure powers are all creating within Consciousness Itself, without even a hint of separation.

In this immersion we’ll be exploring the ascent of the liberating power within us. You will see how we shed every misperception, until we ultimately shed the identity of separation that prevents us from knowing our true Self. Due to God’s Grace, we have the possibility of that Self-recognition in this lifetime, and having that realization is the singular purpose of our sādhana.

Do not lose sight of what your own declared intent is when you close your eyes and ask: May Thy will be my will, May I know You as my Self, or May all my actions serve You. Whatever the prayer, make sure that’s what you’re repeating as you move through your day, instead of dwelling on the mantra of stupidity: What’s gonna happen to me?

Let’s celebrate the upcoming New Year and the surging of consciousness that’s available to all of us. In the coming weeks, really reflect on the depth of your commitment to your practice, to truly allowing Divine Consciousness to reveal Itself in you. Resolve to surrender everything that keeps you from finding the unconditional love and infinite joy that is always present within you.