Concentration & Meditation - Vedanta

46 Swami Bhajananandatapped. Along the susumna are situated six special centres calledchakras described as lotuses.Sahasrara PadmaAjna ChakraAnahata ChakraPingala NadiVishuddha ChakraIda NadiSusumna NadiAnahata is the seat ofthe individual soul (jiva)Manipura ChakraSvadhisthana ChakraMuladhara ChakraKundalini sleepsherePrana mediates between the mind and the body. It is throughprana that the mind exercises control over the body. A good dealof psychosomatic disorders are caused by the faulty movementof prana. By regulating the flow of prana through the exercises ofhatha yoga, the yogis keep their body healthy. Here our interestis only in the effects of prana on the mind.Normal mental life depends upon the activity of the ida andthe pingala. When they work in harmony the mind remains alert,when they are overactive the mind becomes restless, when theyslow down the mind becomes sluggish. Finally, when their activitytotally stops, the mind enters into deep sleep. Again duringdreaming the channels become active.Every time we think or imagine something, a little prana flowsalong these channels and activates the samskaras. When boththe channels are clear and working harmoniously, the mind remainscalm and there is a steady flow of thoughts in it. This is thecondition necessary for meditation. But owing to conflicts, strongdesires and other internal and external causes, the two channels