Heat In the Heart Area And Meditation
Question
Dear Dhananjay,
So far I have managed to stay celibate for 5 weeks. Recently I started feeling heat in my heart area every now and then, so I did a little research and I found out that our spiritual heart is located there. Then I remembered that Ramana Maharshi recommended self-inquiry to find the self (in the heart).
So I started meditating by concentrating on my heart and I found out that I could amplify the heat a little. It's a pretty good feeling. This is a good sign right?
Can you tell me what is really happening? Is this heat the result of increased prana due to brahmacharya?
Also is this simple meditation that I'm doing (along with brahmacharya) all that is needed to attain liberaion? If not, then what sort of meditation should I be doing?
If I remember correctly Ramana Maharshi recommended concentrating on the heart, but he didn't really say how one should meditate to attain liberation.
Thanks in advance
Answer
1. The Atman (self) is not restricted to the physical heart. It is unlimited and beyond location. The spiritual heart refers to the inner sanctum of nothingness that one experiences when Samadhi meditation begins (while focusing at the Bhrumadhya the place between the eyebrows with the eyes closed). Shri. Ramana when referring to the physical heart does so referring the heart as a symbolic representation of the source of life functions powered by the Atman and nothing more.
2. One wishing liberation should meditate on the nothingness of the formless Supreme as explained above and not on any part of the body or energy center, for this body itself is unreal and so are the sensations arising in meditation from this body (which are the effect of Pranic movements)
3. Refers past posts for the technique on meditation of the formless Supreme. This is the meditation for liberation.
ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)