Topics
Experts of Muraqaba have taught their
students various methods of performing Muraqaba. These different Muraqabas work
like a class or grade for the spiritual development of the students; so their
progress would evolve gradually. When a student gains excellence in any one of
the types of Muraqaba, they are then promoted to the next higher level. '
These
different levels and their goals are based on the types of imagination that a
student has to focus on during the Muraqaba. For instance, the Muraqaba of
kashaf ul qaboor (vision of the grave) is to reveal the life after death to the
student. To strengthen their aura, the student practice Muraqaba of different
colors of light and to observe the pure light, they perform Muraqaba of nur.
Similarly,
to transfer the mental aptitude and knowledge of the teacher to the student
they practice the Muraqaba of imagining the teacher (tassawar shaykh). In
short, based on the quality, aptitude and need of the students, they practice
different kinds of Muraqaba. Only an experienced, all-round teacher who has
gone through the different levels of practice and has thorough knowledge of
the science of Muraqaba can determine the specific Muraqaba for the student.
There
are many kinds of Muraqaba based on types of imagination and methods. That is
why we are going to shed some lights on the two major types of Muraqabas; the
rest are the subbranches of these Muraqabas.
Along with explaining these Muraqabas, a
practical program is also there so anyone could follow the instructions and get
general and specific benefits from it.
Some
programs for the Muraqabas are for special purposes. For instance, Muraqaba to
observe life after death (kashaf ul gaboor), Muraqaba of voice of cosmos
(haatif ghaybi), Muraqaba for mental peace and so on and so forth. These
specialized Muraqaba can awaken any unique and hidden ability of the student so
as to get specific benefit from it. While other Muraqabas work to activate the
hidden senses of the student, these Muraqaba activate the so-called third eye
by using specialized methods.
The
program is for an average individual and the goal is not to build any pressure
on the mind of the student. In case of it lack of physical presence of the teacher, the institute recommends that
students send monthly journal report of their meditative visions and other
experiences that they may face, so whenever necessary, they can receive guidance.
The
following is the goal of the program:
1. To improve the working of the brain and mind
2. To
improve the special faculties of the mind, that is, memory, creativity,
imagination and its speed.
3. To awake the hidden abilities of telepathy, kashaf.
4. To improve cognitive and intuitive abilities.
5. To
activate the spiritual sight or the third eye of the student. Before starting
to work on any of the programs, it is important to be mindful of the following:
1.
Practice Muraqaba at the same time for about 15-20 minutes daily. Do not lose heart if the progress is not up to your
expectation. The progress and benefits depend on the interest and the
consistency of the student. Some students move slowly and their progress
remains moderate, while others progress rapidly in the beginning and then later
they slow. Some do not progress at all at first but later they catch up fast.
In short depending on the temperament, progress rate could vary. Principally
what slowly becomes part of your nature will stay more firmly.
2. Enthusiasm and great interest do not
mean the student should change or alter the program on their own. Limit your
enthusiasm to following and practicing the prescribed Muraqaba and other
exercises (that is, respiratory exercise) with full attention and focus.
Practical Program
When we see someone performing Muraqaba,
it seems as if that person is simply sitting in one posture with his eyes
closed. That refers to the physical side of it as how to sit and how the
surroundings should be. The real aspect of Muraqaba is its mental side. As the
topic suggests, we are going to discuss the practical sides of Muraqaba.
Practical side refers to a general know-how and what others things need to be
taken care of.
To perform Muraqaba, you would first
close your eyes and then free your mind of all the incoming thoughts. Then
focus on a single idea or imagination in a way that you are no longer attached
to or interested in any other thoughts or ideas. The two main parts of Muraqaba
are emptiness of the mind and the idea of the imagination. Emptiness of the
mind means you should not pay any attention to other thought or willingly think
about anything. This is what thoughtlessness is.You
can perform Muraqba in different ways;
here we are going to shed some light on the other details.
Styles
of Posture
Make the surroundings and the place to sit for Muraqaba as comIurtable and serene as possible, to avoid tension in the nerves and physical fatigue. Based on your physique and natural tendencies, you can adopt any of the following sitting styles.
Cross-legged Position
Either
sitting on the floor or on it cushion, double the left leg and put in on top of
the right thigh. The back and neck should remain straight so it should not bend
or get tense. In this position, place both hands on the knees or in the middle.
Sitting
Straight Position
If you feel uncomfortable with the above
posture then sit the way Muslims sit during prayers. Even in this position, be
careful not to bend the back or to make it too rigid. Again sit comfortably.
Other Styles: One of the other styles is to sit on
hips, then fold the legs upward so the knees would touch the chest, and then
fold the hands around them as if embracing them. In this position, the upper
body slightly leans forward. Best point about this position is that you can
perform a long Muraqaba without getting tired. You can do Muraqaba in a chair; however, keep the back
straight and to avoid drowsiness do not let the body lean backward on the
chair. In this position, you can perform Muraqaba on a sofa, ottoman, or in a
bed. You can also perform Muraqaba by lying down. However, we recommend
avoiding this position as it leads to sleep and therefore its purpose remains
unachievable. You can also do Muraqaba standing and
there are some imaginations (tassawar) that require focusing during walking.
Those Muraqabas are the exceptions; otherwise you can perform most of them in
sitting position. In sitting position, it is lot easier for an individual to
gain focus. |
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Timing and Place
The more serene and peaceful the
environment is going to be, the easier it will be to concentrate and achieve
focus during the Muraqaba. Perform Muraqaba in a place that is neither too warm
nor too cold to feel the chills. The fewer things around the lighter the mind
would be. The place should have access to air as much as possible. Also the
darker the better. Turn off the lights before, during and a few minutes after
the Muraqaba. Let the darkness stay for awhile. If the light is pouring in from
outside then use a curtain or anything else that would block it from entering
the room, but keep in mind not to obstruct the flow of oxygen.
We do not recommend Muraqaba lying down
in a bed as it leads to drowsiness. It is better to perform it in a sitting
position either on the floor, in a chair, or on an ottoman style sofa. Attire
yourself in loose clothing.
The four best periods for doing Muraqaba
are:
before dawn
during early afternoon
late evening around an hour before
sunset
after midnight
During these periods Nature goes through
stillness and so do human senses and that is why doing Muraqaba during these
times is more productive than the others. All these times have some specific
benefits; however, the period between sundown and sunrise is better than the
others because (luring nighttime those senses on which the unseen realm unfolds
are more active.
Our world is moving in two ways, first
in its own axis and second in its orbit. After reaching the zenith, the speed
of orbiting starts slowing. Around a couple of hours before sundown, the speed
slows down to a point where senses start feeling the pressure. Human and animal
senses begin converting from the diurnal senses to the nocturnal senses. Every
sensible person could tell you that during these hours we enter a state in
which we feel tired or exhausted. This condition is the beginning of
subconscious impulses on the consciousness. After midnight, the nocturnal
senses get stronger and that is why it is the best period for Muraqaba.
Subconscious senses remain dominant
until sunrise. That is why doing Muraqaba before sunrise is more helpful than
during the daylight hours. One of the benefits of performing Muraqaba before
sunrise is the overnight sleep gets rid of all the fatigue and tension of the
day and therefore the person remained focused during Muraqaba. Even after
waking up the subconscious senses remain active; therefore, the brain easily
absorbs the effects of Muraqaba.
For many people Muraqaba around midnight
may not be suitable because of job and business engagements. They are so tired
that right around the time they begin the Muraqaba they fall asleep. For these
people early morning Muraqaba would be the best.
The duration of the Muraqaba depends on
the mental state and the concentration level of that person. The duration of
the Muraqaba can be from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. Sometimes the time
passes so swiftly that after finishing the Muraqaba when one looks at the
watch, it is way past the intended time. While on other occasions, the person's
eyes open before the scheduled time with no desire to continue. However, keep
the duration of the Muraqaba to an average 20 to 45 minutes.
You should fully utilize the time
reserved for Muraqaba. Perform Muraqaba peacefully with ease. Prepare yourself
for the heightened mental focus the way we prepare ourselves before starting to
read a hook. Just as for book reading we make the environment peaceful and
quiet, so make the surroundings for Muraqaba also noise-free and serene so you
can achieve maximum concentration. Right before beginning the Muraqaba let the
mind he free of any thoughts and he peaceful. To achieve that state words can
used as well ...for example:
Say to yourself... everything is still
and quiet and this stillness and serenity is entering inside me.
Say these phrases in a low voice to feel
its effects. Begin Muraqaba only when your body, mind and respiration are in
harmony.
Material Help
The purpose of Muraqaba is to activate
the esoteric vision within us. This can only be achieved by reducing or
suspending the movements of eyeballs as much as possible. The less the eyeballs
move the quicker it is to activate the esoteric vision. Keeping this rule in
mind, the experts of Muraqaba recommend having a band or small towel wrapped
around the eyes. The darker the color the better, black is usually the color of
choice. When placing the towel around the eyes make sure to secure the eyeballs
with it. This grip should be neither too light nor so tight that it would cause
pain in the eyes. The point is to make eyeballs feel some pressure during the
Muraqaba. With enough pressure, you can control the movement of the eyeballs.
During this suspended state, the esoteric vision, which we can call the
spiritual eyes, becomes functional.
To protect hearing from outside noises
and to focus on the inner voices, experts recommend placing a soaked cotton
ball, sprinkled with black pepper powder in the ears during the Muraqaba. Black
pepper is a natural sound absorber, which also helps bring the inner voice up
to the hearing level.
The added advantages of having a towel
wrapped around the head to control the eyes and of the cotton balls are to
reduce the environmental influences. However it is not a mandatory requirement;
you can perform Muraqaba without the help of the above. When you are ready with
the recommended help, you should then sit in a comfortable position and after
closing the eye for a few moments, let the mind be free of any thoughts. Then
move the focus to the central thought of Muraqaba and then begin your practice.
Imagination
Many people are not sure what
imagination or visualization is. Usually they assume that imagination suggests
making picture in our head about the given subject. For example in the Muraqaba
of tassawar shaykh (visualizing the Sufi Master), many people mistakenly
visualize the face or whole body of the she ykh. When someone is doing a
Muraqaba of light, he tries to see the color of that light with closed eves.
This is not what imagination (tassawar) is. Since that person is trying to see
that subject or idea in his mind, the process of viewing is not over yet. As
long as you keep beholding, imagination will not form.
The real idea behind imagination is that
you should surrender all your thoughts and then just focus on a single thought
or idea. You should not put meaning into that thought nor should try to see
anything. For instance if you are doing a Muragaba of your teacher then after
closing your eves, you should concentrate as if you were focusing on your
spiritual teacher or your teacher as the center of your attention. You should
avoid imagining the facial or physical features of the teacher. similarly, on
Muraqaba of lights, imagine lights are shining on you. Do not focus on the
color or the types of lights they are.
In the beginning you are going to have a
hard time focusing on that .single idea during Muraqaba; you would be inundated
with a throng of different thoughts right from the time you start the Muraqaba.
The more you try to calm the mind, the greater the influx of thoughts occurs
which leads to mental fatigue and boredom. On some occasions the thoughts
become so severe that you will have no choice but to end the Muraqaba
prematurely. Sometimes it leads to a feeling that one does not have the ability
to do Muraqaba, which is of course is nothing but a superstition.
Here the analogy of a horse would best
clarify it. Just like a horse, which at first gives stiff resistance to any
attempt to tame it, but later gives in, the mind also needs persistent hard work
to control it. When you perform Muraqaba in a timely fashion with all the
necessary requirements, then the willpower will eventually take hold and the
unruly horse of mind will finally submit.
In our consciousness life there are a
number of examples in which the attention, despite all the thoughts remains
focus on one given idea. In the following examples, we would like to clarify
"imagination" during Muraqaba.
EXAMPLE-i: Two
people are in love with each other. When mutual love between the two is established
then they increasingly spend time thinking about the other. Their thoughts do
interchange, however it does not affect the normal routine of daily life.
EXAMPLE-2: A working mother goes to work, leaving
her sick child at home. The worrisome thoughts about her child constantly stay
on her mind. While at work she performs her duties diligently, however the very
thought of her sick child never leaves her mind.
EXAMPLE-3: When columnists begin writing an
article or essay, they shift their entire focus towards that essay, the details
of the subject matter, sentence structure and so on. Their senses work in many
dimensions. Their eyes are fixed on the paper, their hands hold the pen, and
their ears keep hearing the surrounding sounds. The sense of touch feels the
chair on which the writer is sitting. The sense of smell is able to smell
anything and everything around. But despite all this, the attention is never
diverted to anything besides the essay, and eventually the essay takes forum on
that piece of paper.
EXAMPLE-4: Too
often, we deal with worrying or distressing thoughts. In this condition we
manage to perform more or less all our daily routines but that worrisome
thought keeps knocking in our mind. The extent of worry depends on the depth of
the thought. Even in this state we do eat, walk, socialize, sleep, and so on.
However, if we analyze the mental state, we know that though dormant, that
worrisome thought is still active. Sometime the worrisome thought becomes so
overwhelming that we isolate ourselves from the environment and become withdrawn.
In the above example we showed that even with all the physical activities
and thoughts, the mind is usually focused on something else. In the same manner
during Muraqaba the mind keeps focusing on one idea regardless of the other
incoming thoughts. During Muraqaba different thoughts descends into the mind
without intention. It is the duty of the person doing Muraqaba to keep himself
or herself focused on the given idea or imagination without paying attention to
the incoming thoughts.
The main reason behind the influx of unrelated thought is the resistance
of the consciousness. The human consciousness does not easily accept any
practice that it is not used to. When someone surrenders to the conscious
resistance; then he or she has gone astray from the path of Divine Guidance
(siraat musta'geem). But when he or she keeps on doing Muraqaba without paving
attention to the conscious resistance then gradually the flow of incoming
thoughts weakens and the feelings of confusion and apathy go away. The easiest
way of achieving success in Muraqaba is to avoid fighting or rejecting the
thoughts instead simply let them come and go. When you reject a thought
repeatedly, it starts echoing itself which leaves a much deeper mark of it in
the mind.
EXAMPLE-5: You leave your home for a stroll in
the park. You remain aware of the fact that you are heading towards the park.
If your brain deletes this idea then you would never be able to reach the park.
On your way to the park you come across beautiful houses, street lined with
trees, sometimes even garbage in the streets. Nevertheless, regardless of what
you see, you are not distracted and keep on going towards the park. If for some
reason you had decided to stop to see a beautiful house or to show your disgust
at the garbage, you would not have reached the park. On the other hand, if the
thought of that beautiful house or that repulsive garbage overwhelms your mind then you would not he able to
enjoy the park even after on reaching it.
These examples
show that during Muraqaba either rejection of the incoming thoughts or the
picture making would plunge your mind in the secondary nonessential thoughts
and you would not be' able to achieve the needed mental focus.
Avoidance
In the beginning do not practice Muraqaba for too long or too frequently.
Moderation is a better course of action. Extremism could lead toy apathy, which in turn would lead to avoidance. It is
possible for you too become overwhelmed by confusion and
apathy and even stop practicing it altogether. Therefore, in the early days
keep the duration of the Mluragaba to a minimum (average 15-2o minutes) and gradually increase it, when the need arise.
It is also important to perform Muraqaba in a timely fashion. Some people have
the tendency to do long Muraqaba some days, while on other days, short ones,
and then some days they even miss it.
Consciousness tries its best to end the practice of Muraqaba once and for
all. Sometimes we-feel fatigue and think about postponing it until the next
day. While on other days we think that we did not have a good night's sleep and
so we should sleep earlier that day. Sometimes a thought comes to our mind that
instead of today we will start the practice the next day and so we keep
missing the practice every day.
Often people complain about the environment or the lack of improved
conditions. Of course, for every work, a stable condition and environment is
needed. However, the consciousness uses that as an excuse to avoid the practice
altogether. When the said condition finally improves the person comes up with
any other excuse. When we try to fulfill any wish or accomplish something then
we usually do that regardless of any resistance or difficulty. When we are
drowsy then we get to sleep even in noisy surroundings. When we are late to
work then we miss breakfast and head to work. For our regular job, we get up
early in the morning; whether we would like it or not we go to work anyway.
If you want the benefits of Muraqaba, you ought to find time for it just
as you do for other important matters. When we look at the daily routine of our
life, we realize that after daily economic and social business, we waste a
noticeable amount of time being idle, worrying, or engaging in unworthy
activities. Despite that, we end up whining that there is not much time left
for us to do anything extra. When on the one hand you want to get all the
benefits of Muraqaba but can not find the time to do it, you are simply
deceiving yourself. You truly do not want to do Muraqaba anyway.
Muraqaba and Sleep
Do not combine
Muraqaba and sleep. This means that you should avoid doing Muraqaba when you
are feeling groggy. If there is mental or physical fatigue then perform
Muraqaba after a short rest or nap so the regular program should continue and
sleep should not take over. To get rid of nervous and physical fatigue, close
your eves before starting Muraqaba and let the body relax. Slowly take a deep
breath and imagine the waves of energy are entering your body. Keep on doing this
for it feN% minutes to remove the
physical and mental fatigue.
After completing the Muraqaba, keep on sitting in the same position for a
short while. Once Muraqaba is ended the mental focus changes with it. Just as
even after waking up the effects of sleep linger on for a while then gradually
wakefulness takes over. In the same manner after the Muraqaba leave the mind
free so the state of Muraqaba gradually enters the state of wakefulness. After
that, walk around the room and avoid conversation. When talking becomes
necessary, keep your voice low. Following these instructions will bring the
effects of Muraqaba more into wakefulness.
In spirituality, long sleep is frowned upon. It creates stagnation in the
mind. That is why we encourage moderation in sleep. Though less sleep helps in
the progress of the student of spiritual sciences, for an ordinary person or
the beginner duration of sleep should not be too short. Duration of sleep
should be based on physical and mental needs. On average six hours of sleep
should be enough.
Some people have the habit of reading magazines or books in their bed
before sleeping. The downside of this habit is that its mark is absorbed by the
mind and is echoed during the sleep. This habit of mind could be used in a
favorable way. That is to do Muraqaba before going to bed so that its influence
will be prevalent during sleep. We clarified earlier that mixing Muraqaba and
sleep should better be avoided. This is to say that during Muraqaba, sleep
should not be imposed intentionally. That is why it is important that you
should perform Muraqaba in a sitting position and after finishing it, you can
go to straight to bed.
Eat easily
digestible and simple food. In addition, be careful not to indulge in
overeating. A person, who eats food slightly less than his or her full appetite, feels lighter and mental
concentration remains high.
From a medical
point of view as well, greasy, hard to digest food and hot spices are had for
overall health. In short, follow moderation in intake of food as well. Avoid
Muraqaba or an other spiritual exercises when you are full. It should he done
at least two and half-hours after the last meal.
Storage
of Energy
We are always
connected with the universal (cosmic) mind. Through Muraqba this cosmic energy is stored in abundance in
our mind. Once stored, this energy should be used correctly. That is why it is
imperative to avoid all the habits and mental states that waste that stored up
energy. This energy is instrumental in Muraqaba and it activates those senses
that open in the spiritual realm.
If we are not going to control our mental state then the energy will flow
from the higher (a aIa) to the lowest (iss' al) senses and eventually he lost in the lower senses. That is
why the mind needs to be controlled and focus on one point as much as possible.
In the beginning apathy, confusion and irritability come to play and you feel
heaviness or burden but later on it gets normal.
Lowering nervous tensions and mental pressures are also important. By
using the power of the will, the mind should be concentrated and detached so it
will get less involved in the mental confusions. There are information items
that bring sadness and there are those that bring happiness. In both conditions
control your emotions. Avoid actions that cause the loss of nervous energy; for
example speaking loudly, irritability, anger, apathy, unnecessary worries,
over zealous sexual tendencies and so on. Apply moderation in all these matters
to control the mental aptitude. Having increasing control over the different
actions of the mind leads to a condition in which the mind becomes submissive
to the will.
The mind remains active subconsciously all the time and it influences
all our activities. When the mind accepts the influence of Muraqaba then even
subconsciously it remains focused. However, factors like the way of thinking,
environment, and worry are hurdles to this focused state. It is impossible to
control the effect of environment beyond a certain point. However, you can
change the way of thinking so that the mental concentration is not compromised.
Patience, thankfulness, faith, reliance, and detachment are those qualities
that free the mind from doubts and worries and take it to the highest level. By
adopting good manners and courtesy, you can move the mind away from evil and
lower thoughts. By using the will power, you can keep the mind away from
undesired and evil thoughts. When you are confused, you will remain confused
wherever you may go.
Divide the daily routine so the mind will not go astray by being idle for
long. Spend free time on positive hobbies and avoid waste of the mental and
physical energy on trivial activities. Reading good books of knowledge or of
literature, writing, painting, or similar activities are helpful. Engage in
routine exercises and athletics. Avoiding banal talk helps in increasing
spiritual knowledge.
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
In the current information age, the very question of what Man
is, and to what extent his abilities
go, has gained prominence. Metaphysical knowledge tells us
that Man is not just a mass of muscles and bones but in fact is a living
universe or microcosm (a'lam asghar) itself. His life is primarily relying on
information. As a matter of fact his life is nothing but a collection of
thoughts and imagination. His every movement is influenced by information and
thoughts. Every human achievement is circled around the unseen world of
cognition, imagination and creative thoughts. By giving new meaning to this
idea, Man creates and invents new things out of nothing.