Shaktipat
Encyclopedia
Shaktipat or Śaktipāta refers in Hinduism
to the conferring of spiritual "energy" upon one person by another. Shaktipat can be transmitted with a sacred word or mantra
, or by a look, thought or touch - the last usually to the ajna chakra
or third eye
of the recipient.
Saktipat is considered an act of grace (anugraha) on the part of the guru or the divine. Its reception cannot be forced though the recipient must be open to such an influx since it also cannot be imposed by force. The very consciousness of the god or guru is held to enter into the Self
of the disciple, constituting an initiation into the cult or the spiritual family (kula
) of the guru. It is held that Shaktipat can be transmitted in person or at a distance, through an object such as a flower or fruit or else by telephone or letter.
. In the same book Itzhak Bentov
describes his laboratory measurements of kundalini-awakening through shaktipat, a study held in high regard by the late Swami Satyananda Saraswati
, founder of the Bihar School of Yoga
, and by Hiroshi Motoyama
, author of Theories of the Chakras.
Barbara Brennan
describes shaktipat as the projection of the guru's "aura
" on the disciple who thereby acquires the same mental state, hence the importance of the high spiritual level of the guru. The physiological phenomena of rising kundalini
then naturally manifest.
Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)
commented that to understand the phenomenon it was necessary to understand that all that exists is energy and that "the way of consciousness is exactly the way of a river - it goes downwards, following the path of gravitation". "When the master touches the disciple's third eye, if the disciple is available - and that is a great if, which rarely happens - then suddenly a flow of warmth, life, consciousness starts hitting the point which for specific reasons we have called the third eye. It is the point that, if it opens, makes you a seer
. Then you can see things about yourself, about others more clearly, more transparently - and your whole life will start changing with this new vision."
However he continued; "I have not used the method of shaktipat for six years because I felt there were some flaws in it. First, the disciple has to be in a lower state than the master -- which I don't like. Nobody is lower here; nobody is higher. The disciple has to be just a receiver. He cannot contribute anything to it. He becomes dependent also, because only when the master touches him does he feel full of energy, full of joy, but not otherwise.
Secondly, the very idea of surrender is basically difficult, and to ask for total surrender is to ask for the impossible. We should think in human terms. We are dealing with human beings, we should not ask something which they cannot do. And when they cannot do something and are condemned, they start feeling guilty that they are not open, that they are not totally surrendered, that there are doubts in their mind.
, depending on its intensity, Śaktipāt can be classified as:
(*) Abhinavagupta
distinguishes here two sublevels:
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
to the conferring of spiritual "energy" upon one person by another. Shaktipat can be transmitted with a sacred word or mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
, or by a look, thought or touch - the last usually to the ajna chakra
Ajna
Ajna is the sixth primary chakra according to Hindu tradition.-Location:The Ajna chakra is positioned in the brain, directly behind the eyebrow centre, while its ksehtram or superficial activation site is at the eyebrow region, in the position of the 'third eye'.-Appearance:Ajna is white in...
or third eye
Third eye
The third eye is a mystical and esoteric concept referring in part to the ajna chakra in certain spiritual traditions. It is also spoken of as the gate that leads within to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness...
of the recipient.
Saktipat is considered an act of grace (anugraha) on the part of the guru or the divine. Its reception cannot be forced though the recipient must be open to such an influx since it also cannot be imposed by force. The very consciousness of the god or guru is held to enter into the Self
Atman (Hinduism)
Ātman is a Sanskrit word that means 'self'. In Hindu philosophy, especially in the Vedanta school of Hinduism it refers to one's true self beyond identification with phenomena...
of the disciple, constituting an initiation into the cult or the spiritual family (kula
Kaula
Kaula Island, also called Kaula Rock, is a small, crescent-shaped offshore islet in the Hawaiian Islands.-Geography:It is located west-southwest of Kawaihoa Point on Niihau, and about west of Honolulu. The island is actually the very top of a volcanic tuff cone that rests on top of a larger,...
) of the guru. It is held that Shaktipat can be transmitted in person or at a distance, through an object such as a flower or fruit or else by telephone or letter.
Exponents
Paul Zweig has written of his experience of receiving shaktipat from Swami MuktanandaMuktananda
Swami Muktananda is the monastic name of an Indian Hindu guru and disciple of Bhagavan Nityananda. Swami Muktananda was the founder of Siddha Yoga...
. In the same book Itzhak Bentov
Itzhak Bentov
Itzhak Bentov was a Czech born scientist, inventor, mystic and author. He was an early exponent of what has come to be referred to as consciousness studies.-Life:Bentov was born in Czechoslovakia and moved to Israel....
describes his laboratory measurements of kundalini-awakening through shaktipat, a study held in high regard by the late Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Swami Satyananda Saraswati , was a sannyasin, yoga teacher and guru in both his native India and the West. He founded the International Yoga Fellowship in 1956 and the Bihar School of Yoga in 1963...
, founder of the Bihar School of Yoga
Bihar School of Yoga
The Bihar School of Yoga is an internationally acclaimed school of Yoga founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati in 1964 to fulfill the instruction given by his Guru, Sri Swami Sivananda of propagating the ancient wisdom of yoga from door to door and from shore to shore...
, and by Hiroshi Motoyama
Hiroshi Motoyama
Hiroshi Motoyama is a Japanese parapsychologist, scientist, spiritual instructor and author whose primary topic is spiritual self-cultivation and the relationship between the mind and body therein. In doing so, he emphasizes the meditative practices of Samkhya/Yoga, karma, reincarnation and Hindu...
, author of Theories of the Chakras.
Barbara Brennan
Barbara Brennan
Barbara Ann Brennan is an American author, spiritual healer, businesswoman and teacher working in the field of energy healing...
describes shaktipat as the projection of the guru's "aura
Aura (paranormal)
In parapsychology and many forms of spiritual practice, an aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object . The depiction of such an aura often connotes a person of particular power or holiness. Sometimes, however, it is said that all living things and all objects...
" on the disciple who thereby acquires the same mental state, hence the importance of the high spiritual level of the guru. The physiological phenomena of rising kundalini
Kundalini
Kundalini literally means coiled. In yoga, a "corporeal energy" - an unconscious, instinctive or libidinal force or Shakti, lies coiled at the base of the spine. It is envisioned either as a goddess or else as a sleeping serpent, hence a number of English renderings of the term such as 'serpent...
then naturally manifest.
Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)
Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)
Osho , born Chandra Mohan Jain , and also known as Acharya Rajneesh from the 1960s onwards, as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during the 1970s and 1980s and as Osho from 1989, was an Indian mystic, guru, and spiritual teacher who garnered an international following.A professor of philosophy, he travelled...
commented that to understand the phenomenon it was necessary to understand that all that exists is energy and that "the way of consciousness is exactly the way of a river - it goes downwards, following the path of gravitation". "When the master touches the disciple's third eye, if the disciple is available - and that is a great if, which rarely happens - then suddenly a flow of warmth, life, consciousness starts hitting the point which for specific reasons we have called the third eye. It is the point that, if it opens, makes you a seer
Seer
Seer or Seers or SEER may refer to:Predicting the future* A clairvoyant, prophet, oracle, or diviner* The Seer , a fictional character on the television series Charmed...
. Then you can see things about yourself, about others more clearly, more transparently - and your whole life will start changing with this new vision."
However he continued; "I have not used the method of shaktipat for six years because I felt there were some flaws in it. First, the disciple has to be in a lower state than the master -- which I don't like. Nobody is lower here; nobody is higher. The disciple has to be just a receiver. He cannot contribute anything to it. He becomes dependent also, because only when the master touches him does he feel full of energy, full of joy, but not otherwise.
Secondly, the very idea of surrender is basically difficult, and to ask for total surrender is to ask for the impossible. We should think in human terms. We are dealing with human beings, we should not ask something which they cannot do. And when they cannot do something and are condemned, they start feeling guilty that they are not open, that they are not totally surrendered, that there are doubts in their mind.
Levels of intensity of Śaktipāt
In Kashmir ShaivismKashmir Shaivism
Among the various Hindu philosophies, Kashmir Shaivism is a school of Śaivism consisting of Trika and its philosophical articulation Pratyabhijña...
, depending on its intensity, Śaktipāt can be classified as:
- tīvra-tīvra-śaktipāta - the so called "Super Supreme Grace" - produces immediate identity with Śiva and liberation; due to the extreme intensity of this grace the physical body dies; such a being goes on to become a siddhaSiddhaA Siddha सिद्ध in Sanskrit means "one who is accomplished" and refers to perfected masters who, according to Hindu belief, have transcended the ahamkara , have subdued their minds to be subservient to their Awareness, and have transformed their bodies into a different kind of body dominated by...
master and bestows grace from his abode (Siddhaloka), directly into the heart of deserving aspirants
- tīvra-madhya-śaktipāta - "Supreme Medium Grace" - such a being becomes spiritually illuminated and liberated on his own, relying directly on Śiva, not needing initiation or instruction from other exterior guruGuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
. This is facilitated by an intense awakening of his spiritual intuition (pratibhā) which immediately eliminates ignorance
- tīvra-manda-śaktipāta - "Supreme Inferior Grace" - the person who received this grace strongly desires to find an appropriate guruGuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
, but he does not need instruction, but a simple touch, a look, simply being in the presence of his master is enough to trigger in him to the state of illumination
- madhya-tīvra-śaktipāta - "Medium Supreme Grace" - a disciple who receives this grace desires to have the instruction and initiation of a perfect guruGuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
; in time he becomes enlightened however he is not totally absorbed into this state during his lifetime and receives a permanent state of fusion with Śiva after the end of his life
- madhya-madhya-śaktipāta - "Medium Middle Grace" - such a disciple will receive initiation from his guruGuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
and have an intense desire to attain liberation, but at the same time he still has desire for various enjoyments and pleasure; after the end of his life, he continues to a paradise where he fulfills all his desires and after that he receives again initiation from his master and realizes permanent union with Śiva
- madhya-manda-śaktipāta - "Medium Inferior Grace" - is similar to "Medium Middle Grace" except that in this case the aspirant desires worldly pleasures more than union with Śiva; he needs to be reincarnated again as a spiritual seeker to attain liberation
- manda - "Inferior Grace" - for those who receive this level of grace, the aspiration to be united with Śiva is present only in times of distress and suffering; the grace of Śiva needs to work in them for many lifetimes before spiritual liberation occurs
to attain liberation? | of the recipient? | ||
Super Supreme Grace | the grace of Śiva | ||
Supreme Medium Grace | the grace of Śiva | ||
Supreme Inferior Grace | Guru A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the... | a physical guru Guru A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the... | Guru A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the... |
Medium Supreme Grace | and instruction of a guru Guru A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the... | ||
Medium Middle Grace | and instruction of a guru Guru A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the... | ||
Medium Inferior Grace | and instruction of a guru Guru A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the... | worldly desires | |
Inferior Grace | and instruction of a guru Guru A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the... and lots of time |
(*) Abhinavagupta
Abhinavagupta
Abhinavagupta was one of India's greatest philosophers, mystics and aestheticians. He was also considered an important musician, poet, dramatist, exegete, theologian, and logician - a polymathic personality who exercised strong influences on Indian culture.He was born in the Valley of Kashmir in...
distinguishes here two sublevels:
- those whose intuition (pratibhā) is firm
- those whose intuition is hesitant, who need more practice in order to stabilize; they would take a guruGuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
, study the scriptures or practice yoga