Sahaja Yoga: a Scientific View on the Ancient Indian Teachings

Some people say that all what modern science discovers is just
a re-discovery and a more scientific formulation of the facts
that have been known to the mankind since thousands of
years. And surprisingly, if we look into the ancient Indian
tradition of yoga, we can easily find many such examples. Let
us look for example at the so-called scheme of the subtle body
(Fig. 1), which stands at the basis of the yoga concept. There
are three main energy channels: left, right and central, and
seven energy centres, called chakras. The founder of Sahaja
Yoga, doctor of medicine and philosophy Shri Mataji Nirmala
Devi explains that this energy system corresponds to the
central nervous system in our body. Thus the left and right
channels are manifested physically as the left and right Fig. 1
sympathetic nervous system, and the central channel is
manifested as the parasympathetic nervous system. The seven energy centres (chakras) are
manifested in our physical body as the seven nervous plexuses (starting from the pelvic plexus
and ending with the limbic area on the crown of the head). In fact, one does not need to be a
doctor to see the striking similarity between this scheme, coming from the ancient India, and the
modern medical knowledge. For example, now everybody knows that the left hemisphere of our
brain controls the right side of the body, and vice versa. But this is exactly what happens to the
left and right energy channels. They cross at the level of the sixth chakra (Optic Chiasma) and
end at the opposite side of the brain. Moreover, as we know from physiology, the right
hemisphere of the human brain is responsible for emotions, while the left one controls our
mental and logical activity. But this is exactly what is known from yoga teachings: the left
energy channel, which ends up at the right side of the brain, controls our emotional life, and the
right channel provides energy for thinking and physical activity. But what is really surprising is
that this subtle knowledge was known in India since many thousands of years (there are
archeological findings showing this, dated as early as 3000 BC, but even much more ancient
indications can be found in Vedas – Indian basic philosophical scriptures – whose origin goes
back to 10000 BC or even earlier). So, many thousands years before first anatomical studies on
Earth were done, Indian yogis had already this knowledge. They had it because in the state of
meditation they could feel the flow of energy in their body, they could feel the work of these
subtle centres and channels.

In the ancient times this knowledge was considered sacred and was
accessible only to a very few people who dedicated their life
completely to the practice of yoga. But now a new opportunity has
been given to the mankind. Shri Mataji has discovered how to awaken
the sleeping spiritual energy of the central channel, which is called
Kundalini in Sanskrit language. Those practicing yoga in the old times
were mostly using the energy of the left and right channels. Thus
Hatha Yoga, for example, means the yoga of the Sun (Ha) and the
Moon (Tha), which are the symbols of the hot right and the cold left
channels. So, in modern words we can say that old yoga techniques
use the sympathetic nervous system, while Sahaja Yoga activates the
parasympathetic nervous system. The functions of this system are not yet sufficiently understood
in the medicine. However, Shri Mataji explains that one of the most important functions of this
system is to give us relaxation. So, the practice of Sahaja Yoga gives one a very peaceful and
relaxed state. Not only does the Kundalini give us inner peace, it also connects a yogi to the all-
pervading Universal power (called by the great psychologist Carl Gustav Young the Collective
Unconscious). That is, the inner energy of an individual becomes connected to the energy of the
entire Universe. In that state one feels a part and parcel of the Whole, and one gets all the self-
knowledge just by putting one’s attention inside in the state of meditation. This is the way how
all this ancient knowledge about our subtle energy system was discovered. However, in the old
times only very few great spiritual masters could awaken the Kundalini energy. Today, due to
the unique discovery of Shri Mataji, it became possible for many ordinary people. And now
millions of people in more than 85 countries all over the world have experienced this awakening,
which in Sahaja Yoga is called Self Realization.

So today, due to the discovery of Shri Mataji, traditional Indian yoga (not just some westernized
gymnastics which many people identify with yoga) became very wide spread and accessible
practically to everyone. Many doctors and scientists also joined Sahaja Yoga. As a result, a lot of
medical and scientific research on the effects and benefits of Sahaja Yoga has been carried out.
Sahaja Yoga health and research centres function in India, England, Australia, Russia. There are
special Sahaja Yoga hospitals where people ate treated only with Sahaja techniques without any
medication. And results are often outstanding, including complete success in the treatment of
cancer, diabetes, asthma, etc. In India several PhD works in medicine were done on using Sahaja
Yoga for treating various deceases. For example, in the study of the role of Sahaja Yoga in the
prevention of stress [1] several parameters characterizing stress, like the galvanic skin resistance,
the heart rate, the blood pressure, the concentration of the blood lactic acid, were measured
before and after meditation for two groups of people. The first group was comprised of people
practicing Sahaja Yoga for 12 weeks, and the second group was formed of experienced Sahaja
yogis (2-6 years of practice). Both groups showed a significant improvement of all the
parameters after meditation. But in the second group this improvement was much stronger and
more stable. In another study, done in the Institute of Medical and Biological Cybernetics in
Russia, the effect of Sahaja Yoga meditation on the adaptive abilities of the brain was
investigated [2]. Electroencephalographic topograms have revealed much more correlated
activity of different parts of the brain of Sahaja yogis, when they were solving an adaptive task,
compared to the control group of people not practicing Sahaja Yoga meditation. One more
example, a study carried out in Ukraine [3], shows the effect of Sahaja Yoga meditation and
vibrations (the energy which one receives when meditating) on the immunological parameters of
blood. Activity of the Thymus gland (the TSA parameter), which is the central organ of the
immune system, was compared for three groups of people: (1) control group of healthy people,
(2) patients with Ischaemic Heart Disease, (3) children who came from the zone of Chernobil
Nuclear Plant catastrophe. It was found that, while the TSA level of healthy people does not
change after meditation, the TSA level of those from groups (2) and (3) increased considerably
and became close to the normal value.

The above examples are just a few out of numerous studies which clearly demonstrate the
positive effect of Sahaja Yoga on the human health and general condition. But one can go even
deeper and find a confirmation of Sahaja knowledge in physics. Shri Mataji once mentioned that
this subtle energy (vibrations) which one experiences in the state of meditation can be explained
by the quantum theory. So, let us remember some basic properties of quantum objects. Consider
two elementary particles (for example, electrons) in an entangled state. In quantum physics an
electron is not just a particle, but rather a wave described be a wave function. Two entangled
electrons are described by a single wave function. Therefore their properties cannot be separated
but should be considered together. For example, the spins of each electron are undefined, only
the total spin of the system of two electrons is defined. But when an observer measures the spin
of one electron, it becomes defined. Since the total spin of the system of two electrons is known,
the spin of the other electron becomes also defined at the same moment. This looks like an
immediate exchange of information between the two electrons. This phenomenon seems to be in
contradiction with Einstein's theory of relativity, according to which information cannot travel
faster than the speed of light, let alone momentary exchange of information. This paradox,
known as Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox or nonlocality or quantum teleportation, was the
subject of the great dispute between Einstein and Nils Bohr, the founder of quantum mechanics
[4]. Although most scientists took the Bohr position, still this dispute is going on even in such
journals as Physical Review Letters. But now very strong proofs have been gathered in favor of
the Bohr position [5-7]. So, what is the solution to that paradox? In fact, according to Bohr's
quantum mechanics, two electrons in an entangled state are actually not two separate particles
but one single entity described by a single wave function. That is why, in fact, there is no
exchange of information between two separate electrons because there are no two separate
electrons, the only object which exists in reality is a single wave function. And it is only our
limited perception which makes us see this wave function as two separate electrons. So, even if
these two "separate" electrons are millions of light years away from each other, still they are a
part and parcel of one single entity. But let us now consider the entire Universe. It was formed
from a single nebulae after the Big Bang. Then all the elementary particles in the Universe
should be described by a single wave function, extremely complicated though (like two electrons
formed in a nuclear reaction are entangled and described by a single wave function). But from
this it follows that all elementary particles in the Universe are in fact a part and parcel of the
Whole. And when we affect one particle, each and every particle in the Universe will
immediately feel it, that is the entire Universe will feel it. Of course, it is very difficult to notice
this because of the extremely complicated structure of this global wave function, but this
difficulty does not change the fact. And this fact is very akin to the yoga tradition which was
always saying that everything in the Universe is a part and parcel of the Whole. A yogi in the
state of deep meditation also feels a part and parcel of the whole, and that is indeed a very
blissful state. So, while meditating, one can feel on one's central nervous system the very deep
secrets of creation, which are being discovered only now in the quantum physics.

Let us consider now another example from the quantum chemistry. Each energy center (chakra)
has a corresponding element. The element of the first chakra - Mooladhara - is carbon. Let us
look at the electronic structure of the carbon atom. If we view from different directions the
configuration of the wave function of the valency electrons (more precisely, the lines of the
maximal amplitude of this function), very surprisingly we can see different symbols related in
the Indian philosophy with the Mooladhara chakra (Fig. 2). Thus we can see Swastika, which
symbolizes the four qualities of the Mooladhara chakra: purity, innocence, wisdom and joy.
From another direction the electron clouds look like Omkara - the symbol of creation, which
starts from Mooladhara chakra. The similarity is really striking! One can only think about (or
meditate upon) how the sages of ancient times could go so deep that they could directly feel all
this subtle knowledge in meditation.
Omkara Swastika

Fig. 2
In the end let us give one more example, which shows that even the composition of water
can be changed when it is treated by vibrations. In the experiment [8] a bottle of normal tap
water was placed for a few hours in front of Shri Mataji’s photograph during a collective
meditation. Concentration of various impurities, as well as some physical and chemical
parameters of the water, were measured before and after the meditation. Obtained results
(see Table) show that the effect of vibrations has changed all the characteristics. Effect of
purification is ranging from 10% to 70% for various parameters. It is remarkable that the
most strong effect occurred for the parameters which initially exceeded the allowed value,
such as the content of iron and ammonia, the water turbidity. After the effect of vibrations
all the parameters came within the values which are safe for the human health.

Characteristics Initial water Vibrated water

Permanganate oxidability, mg/l 6.3 5.9
Turbidity, mg/l 1.8 0.7
Chromaticity, deg. 60 47
Iron, mg/l 0.69 0.18
Ammonia, mg/l 0.9 0.6
Active reaction of medium, pH 7.45 7.55
Alkalinity, mg-ekv./l 2.4 2.3

In this short review we could give only a few examples of scientific research in Sahaja
Yoga and connection between yoga and science. In fact, yoga and science represent two
different ways of learning. While science uses logics, yoga is based on an individual inner
experience of a person. Probably the time has come now for us to understand that these
two ways do not contradict to each other. On the contrary, they compliment each other.
That is, only using these two ways together we can understand this wonderful world in its
totality and full beauty.

References:

1. U.C. Rai et.al., in: Stress Management through Sahaja Yoga, 2nd Edition. Bombay 1995.
2. L. S. Eliseeva, in: Proceedings of 2nd International Conference “Moral. Health. Peace: East-
West”, St. Petersburg 19-20 September 1995.
3. T. Selezneva, in: Proceedings of 2nd International Conference “Moral. Health. Peace: East-
West”, St. Petersburg 19-20 September 1995.
4. For a review of the subject see: Ansprachen und Vortrage auf Festveranstaltungen des
Einstein-Komites der DDR bei der Akademie der Wiessenschaften der DDR vom 28.2. bis
2.2 (in German), Berlin 1979.
5. D. Bouwmeester et. al., Nature (London) vol. 390, p. 575 (1997).
6. D. Boschi et. al., Phys. Rev. Lett. vol. 80, p. 1121 (1998).
7. J. –W. Pan et. al., Phys. Rev. Lett. vol. 86, p. 4435 (2001).
8. L. I. Tkachenko, in: Proceedings of 2nd International Conference “Moral. Health. Peace: East-West”,
St. Petersburg 19-20 September 1995.