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The '''Heart''' as a spiritual center is the seat in the human body of [[buddhi]]c consciousness. There are three principal centers of the human body: the heart as the center of spiritual consciousness; the head as the center of mental consciousness; and the navel as the center of [[Kama|kamic]] or passional consciousness.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 695.</ref> In this sense the heart is the most important part of the body, and when developed leads to spiritual realization.
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== General description ==
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The '''Heart''' is the seat in the human body of buddhic consciousness, corresponding to the anahata chakra which is ruled by the planet Venus. There are three principal centers of the human body: the heart as the center of spiritual consciousness; the head as the center of mental consciousness; and the navel as the center of kamic or emotional consciousness. The heart is the organ through which the higher ego acts, seeking to impress the lower self which works through the brain. In this sense the heart is the most important part of the body, and when developed leads to spiritual mastery, the unity of atma-buddhi-manas.<ref>[http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/etgloss/ha-hh.htm# Heart] at the Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary.</ref>
[[H. P. Blavatsky]] regarded the Heart as the organ of the Spiritual Consciousness.
 
<blockquote>The Heart represents the [[Triad#Human_triad|Higher Triad]], while the Liver and Spleen represent the [[Quaternary#Lower_quaternary_in_human_beings|Quaternary]], taken as a whole. The heart is the abode of the Spiritual Man, whereas the Psycho-Intellectual Man dwells in the Head with its seven gateways. It has its seven brains, the [[upadhi]]s and symbols of the [[Orders_of_Celestial_Beings|seven Hierarchies]].<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 694.</ref></blockquote>
 
It is from this center that the spiritual influence reaches our consciousness. However, at this point in [[evolution]], the spiritual consciousness is latent (negative) in most people--the intellectual consciousness being the one active (positive):
 
<blockquote>If the Heart could, in its turn, become positive and impress the Brain, the spiritual Consciousness would reach the lower Consciousness.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 696.</ref></blockquote>
 
Before this becomes possible, aspirants must make efforts to become receptive to it:
 
<blockquote>The Heart is the centre of the Spiritual Consciousness, as the Brain is the centre of Intellectual Consciousness. But this Spiritual Consciousness cannot be guided by a person, nor can its energy be directed by him, until he is completely united with ''buddhi-manas''. Until then, it guides him––if it can. That is, makes efforts to reach him, to impress the lower Consciousness, and those efforts are helped by his growth in purity. Hence the pangs of remorse for wrong done, the prickings of [[Conscience]], reproaching for evil, inciting to good. These come from the Heart, not from the Head.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 695.</ref></blockquote>
 
== Meditation ==
 
One way to stimulate one's connection with the higher consciousness is by means of [[meditation]] in the heart center. [[H. P. Blavatsky]] wrote:
 
<blockquote>Anyone who can reach up to, and so receive at will, the promptings of this Spiritual Consciousness must be at one with [[Manas]]––that is must have attained [[Adepts]]hip. But the Higher Manas cannot directly guide the ordinary man; it must act through the Lower Manas, and thus reach the lower Consciousness. The effort however should be continually made to centre the Consciousness in the Heart, and to listen for the promptings of the Spiritual Consciousness, for though success be far off, a beginning must be made, and the path opened up.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 695.</ref></blockquote>
 
<blockquote>The student will now begin to understand why so much stress is laid on the Heart in connection with meditation, and why so many allusions are made in old Hindu literature to the [[Purusha]] in the Heart. And so with regard to concentration the Blessed MASTER [[Koot Hoomi]] ... writes:
:"Your best method is to concentrate on the Master as a Living Man within you. Make His image in your heart, and a focus of concentration, so as to lose all sense of bodily existence in the one thought."<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 696.</ref></blockquote>
 
== Opening of the third eye ==
 
The connection between the brain and the heart centers has been described as the opening of the [[third eye]]:
 
<blockquote>The Spiritual Consciousness is active during [[Avastha#Sushupti|deep sleep]], and if the “dreams” that occur in so-called dreamless sleep could be impressed by the Heart on the Brain, your Consciousness would no longer be restricted within the bounds of your personal life. If you could remember your dreams in deep sleep, you would be able to remember all your [[Reincarnation|past incarnations]]. This is the “memory of the Heart”; and the capacity to impress it on the Brain, so that it becomes part of its Consciousness, is the “opening of the Third Eye.” In deep sleep the Third Eye opens, but it does not remain open. Still, some impressions from the Spiritual Consciousness do reach the Brain more or less, thus making the [[Ego#Lower_ego|Lower Ego]] responsible. And there are some of these which are received through the Brain, which do not belong to our previous personal experience. In the case of the Adept, the Brain is trained to retain these impressions.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 696.</ref></blockquote>
 
== Kundalini ==
 
According to Mme. Blavatsky, there is a relationship between [[Kundalini]], the Heart, and [[buddhi]].
 
In the first fragment of [[The Voice of the Silence (book)|''The Voice of the Silence'']] it is stated:
 
<blockquote>Let not thy "Heaven-born," merged in the sea of [[Maya|Māyā]], break from the Universal Parent ([[Alaya|SOUL]]), but let the fiery power retire into the inmost chamber, the chamber of the Heart and the abode of the World's Mother.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Voice of the Silence'' (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1992), 9.</ref></blockquote>
 
In a footnote, [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Mme. Blavatsky]] adds:
 
<blockquote>The "Power" and the "World-mother" are names given to Kundalini &ndash; one of the mystic "[[Siddhi|Yogi powers]]". It is [[Buddhi]] considered as an active instead of a passive principle (which it is generally, when regarded only as the vehicle, or casket of the Supreme Spirit [[Atman|ATMA]]). It is an electro-spiritual force, a creative power which when aroused into action can as easily kill as it can create.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Voice of the Silence'' (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1992), 76-77.</ref></blockquote>
 
Blavatsky does not relate the awakening of this force with the methods followed by Tantric traditions. According to her, the awakening of Kundalini is the result of the activation of Buddhi, which takes place "in the heart."
 
== Additional resources ==


==Online resources==
===Articles===
===Articles===
*[https://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/a-path-with-heart A Path with Heart] by Thomas Walker
*[https://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/a-path-with-heart A Path with Heart] by Thomas Walker
*[https://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/speaking-form-the-right-heart Speaking form the Right Heart] by Ravi Ravindra
*[https://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/speaking-form-the-right-heart Speaking form the Right Heart] by Ravi Ravindra
* [https://www.theosophy.world/encyclopedia/doctrine-heart Doctrine of the Heart] in Theosophy World


===Videos===
===Videos===

Latest revision as of 21:39, 30 July 2024

The Heart as a spiritual center is the seat in the human body of buddhic consciousness. There are three principal centers of the human body: the heart as the center of spiritual consciousness; the head as the center of mental consciousness; and the navel as the center of kamic or passional consciousness.[1] In this sense the heart is the most important part of the body, and when developed leads to spiritual realization.

General description

H. P. Blavatsky regarded the Heart as the organ of the Spiritual Consciousness.

The Heart represents the Higher Triad, while the Liver and Spleen represent the Quaternary, taken as a whole. The heart is the abode of the Spiritual Man, whereas the Psycho-Intellectual Man dwells in the Head with its seven gateways. It has its seven brains, the upadhis and symbols of the seven Hierarchies.[2]

It is from this center that the spiritual influence reaches our consciousness. However, at this point in evolution, the spiritual consciousness is latent (negative) in most people--the intellectual consciousness being the one active (positive):

If the Heart could, in its turn, become positive and impress the Brain, the spiritual Consciousness would reach the lower Consciousness.[3]

Before this becomes possible, aspirants must make efforts to become receptive to it:

The Heart is the centre of the Spiritual Consciousness, as the Brain is the centre of Intellectual Consciousness. But this Spiritual Consciousness cannot be guided by a person, nor can its energy be directed by him, until he is completely united with buddhi-manas. Until then, it guides him––if it can. That is, makes efforts to reach him, to impress the lower Consciousness, and those efforts are helped by his growth in purity. Hence the pangs of remorse for wrong done, the prickings of Conscience, reproaching for evil, inciting to good. These come from the Heart, not from the Head.[4]

Meditation

One way to stimulate one's connection with the higher consciousness is by means of meditation in the heart center. H. P. Blavatsky wrote:

Anyone who can reach up to, and so receive at will, the promptings of this Spiritual Consciousness must be at one with Manas––that is must have attained Adeptship. But the Higher Manas cannot directly guide the ordinary man; it must act through the Lower Manas, and thus reach the lower Consciousness. The effort however should be continually made to centre the Consciousness in the Heart, and to listen for the promptings of the Spiritual Consciousness, for though success be far off, a beginning must be made, and the path opened up.[5]

The student will now begin to understand why so much stress is laid on the Heart in connection with meditation, and why so many allusions are made in old Hindu literature to the Purusha in the Heart. And so with regard to concentration the Blessed MASTER Koot Hoomi ... writes:

"Your best method is to concentrate on the Master as a Living Man within you. Make His image in your heart, and a focus of concentration, so as to lose all sense of bodily existence in the one thought."[6]

Opening of the third eye

The connection between the brain and the heart centers has been described as the opening of the third eye:

The Spiritual Consciousness is active during deep sleep, and if the “dreams” that occur in so-called dreamless sleep could be impressed by the Heart on the Brain, your Consciousness would no longer be restricted within the bounds of your personal life. If you could remember your dreams in deep sleep, you would be able to remember all your past incarnations. This is the “memory of the Heart”; and the capacity to impress it on the Brain, so that it becomes part of its Consciousness, is the “opening of the Third Eye.” In deep sleep the Third Eye opens, but it does not remain open. Still, some impressions from the Spiritual Consciousness do reach the Brain more or less, thus making the Lower Ego responsible. And there are some of these which are received through the Brain, which do not belong to our previous personal experience. In the case of the Adept, the Brain is trained to retain these impressions.[7]

Kundalini

According to Mme. Blavatsky, there is a relationship between Kundalini, the Heart, and buddhi.

In the first fragment of The Voice of the Silence it is stated:

Let not thy "Heaven-born," merged in the sea of Māyā, break from the Universal Parent (SOUL), but let the fiery power retire into the inmost chamber, the chamber of the Heart and the abode of the World's Mother.[8]

In a footnote, Mme. Blavatsky adds:

The "Power" and the "World-mother" are names given to Kundalini – one of the mystic "Yogi powers". It is Buddhi considered as an active instead of a passive principle (which it is generally, when regarded only as the vehicle, or casket of the Supreme Spirit ATMA). It is an electro-spiritual force, a creative power which when aroused into action can as easily kill as it can create.[9]

Blavatsky does not relate the awakening of this force with the methods followed by Tantric traditions. According to her, the awakening of Kundalini is the result of the activation of Buddhi, which takes place "in the heart."

Additional resources

Articles

Videos

Notes

  1. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 695.
  2. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 694.
  3. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 696.
  4. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 695.
  5. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 695.
  6. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 696.
  7. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. XII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1980), 696.
  8. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Voice of the Silence (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1992), 9.
  9. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Voice of the Silence (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1992), 76-77.