The Raja-Yoga Node System: 13 Gates of Consciousness

Contents

Raja-Yoga, as presented by Ram Chandra, also known as Babuji, the founder of the Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM) and the Sahaj Marg (“Natural Path”) system, is like a gentle whisper of the heart guiding toward spiritual unity. Unlike traditional Patanjali’s Raja-Yoga, which is based on the principles of Ashtanga Yoga, Babuji’s teaching invites meditation through the heart, harnessing the power of thought (thought power) and the energy transmitted by a teacher (pranahuti). In his system, human consciousness journeys through 13 subtle nodes (knots), which symbolize blocks of consciousness or karmic imprints (samskaras) that must be “untied” to merge with the Absolute. These nodes, distributed across three regions—heart, mind, and central—are like beacons on a spiritual journey, leading from material existence to divine peace. In this article, we invite you to discover the meanings of these 13 nodes, their gifts of harmony, and the challenges of disharmony, opening the path to the soul’s freedom.

Ram Chandra’s Raja-Yoga system is based on the idea that human consciousness evolves through three main regions: the Heart Region (Heart Region), the Mind Region (Mind Region), and the Central Region (Central Region). Each of the 13 nodes represents a specific state of consciousness or spiritual stage, guiding toward the ultimate goal—union with Bhuma, the Absolute Reality. These nodes are not strictly tied to physical points in the body but rather to subtle energetic nodes that are opened through meditation, cleansing practices, and the teacher’s assistance. Babuji, in his works such as Complete Works of Ram Chandra and Reality at Dawn, consistently refers to the 13 nodes as a map of the spiritual journey.

1st Node: Divine Touch (Divine Touch)

The first Raja-Yoga node is like the first heartbeat in a spiritual journey. Located in the heart region, it reflects the initial awakening of consciousness, where a person feels the touch of divine light. This node is associated with a subtle connection to higher consciousness, which Babuji calls the divine impulse.

  • Harmony: When this node is untied, a person feels inner peace, confidence, and a gentle closeness to divinity. Meditation becomes natural, and the heart opens to the spiritual path.
  • Disharmony: If the node is blocked, a person may feel indifference to spiritual matters, skepticism, or inner chaos that hinders meditation.

2nd Node: Seat of Atman (Seat of Atman)

The second node, also called the Seat of Atman (soul), lies deep in the heart region and is linked to the Chinese medicine point 22R (Bulang). This node reflects the essence of the soul and its connection to the physical body. It is the place where a person begins to perceive their true “self” as eternal consciousness.

  • Harmony: An untied node grants deep self-awareness, inner stability, and the joy of being more than just a physical being.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony manifests as an identity crisis, lack of self-worth, or excessive attachment to material things, hindering spiritual growth.

3rd Node: Fire, True Love (Fire, True Love)

The third node, associated with the fire element, reflects the flame of true love in the heart. It is the center where a person begins to feel unconditional love—not only for others but for all creation. Fire symbolizes transformation and passion for the spiritual path.

  • Harmony: An untied node fosters warm, compassionate love free from selfishness. The person becomes generous, open, and feels a strong connection with others.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony causes selfish love, jealousy, or emotional instability, burning away inner peace.

4th Node: Water (Water)

The fourth node, linked to the water element, reflects the flow of emotions and vital energy. It is associated with the Svadhisthana chakra, but in Ram Chandra’s context, this node emphasizes the clarity of emotions and their integration into the spiritual path, avoiding attachments.

  • Harmony: An untied node allows emotions to flow clearly, fostering creativity and spiritual lightness.
  • Disharmony: A blocked node causes emotional chaos or excessive attachment to sensory pleasures, hindering progress.

5th Node: Air, Spirit Manor (Air, Spirit Manor)

The fifth node, associated with the air element and the Chinese medicine point 23R (Shenfeng), marks the beginning of the mind region, called the Spirit Manor. This node reflects lightness, movement, and mental freedom, allowing transcendence of earthly concerns.

  • Harmony: An untied node grants mental clarity, flexibility, and spiritual upliftment, enabling transcendence of daily worries.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony manifests as mental restlessness, distraction, or excessive rationalism, hindering spiritual focus.

6th Node: Seat of Akasha (Seat of Akasha)

The sixth node, linked to the akasha (ether) element, is the core of the mind region. Akasha symbolizes space, infinity, and subtle consciousness that connects all elements. This node allows the practitioner to feel oneness with the universe.

  • Harmony: An untied node opens a sense of cosmic consciousness, deep silence, and awareness of infinity.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony causes a sense of separation, mental confusion, or spiritual skepticism, hindering the perception of wholeness.

7th Node: Holiness (Holiness)

The seventh Raja-Yoga node, located in the mind region (Mind Region), is like a sanctuary inviting the practitioner to touch divine purity. This node reflects a state of holiness where consciousness is tested as pure and untainted by earthly attachments. Ram Chandra emphasizes that this node helps a person rise above ego and material desires, approaching spiritual purity.

  • Harmony: An untied node grants profound inner purity, peace, and devotion to a higher purpose. The person lives with compassion and a sense of holiness.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony manifests as spiritual pride, self-exaltation, or false spirituality. The person may become overly attached to rituals or dogmas, losing the true spiritual essence.

8th Node: Dream (Dream)

The eighth node, also in the mind region, opens the door to the world of dreams and the astral plane. Ram Chandra describes this node as a gateway of consciousness through which the practitioner can travel in subtle realms, experiencing visions or echoes of the past. It is a place where consciousness begins to transcend the physical world but remains tied to emotional and karmic imprints.

  • Harmony: An untied node grants clear, meaningful dreams that reveal spiritual insights and help cleanse karmic imprints.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony causes chaotic, disturbing dreams or excessive attachment to the astral plane, which can distract from the spiritual path. Confusion between reality and illusion may arise.

9th Node: Identicality (Identicality)

The ninth node, concluding the mind region, is related to the realization of true identity. Ram Chandra teaches that this node helps the practitioner transcend ego and perceive themselves as part of divine consciousness. It is a stage where oneness with the higher Self is tested, freeing the individual from limited self-definitions.

  • Harmony: An untied node grants a deep sense of oneness with the universe, peace, and joy in being part of the divine essence.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony manifests as an identity crisis, excessive ego attachment, or inability to let go of limited self-perceptions, hindering spiritual growth.

10th Node: Bhuma-Absolute (Bhuma-Absolute)

The tenth node, located in the central region (Central Region), is like a gateway to the Absolute—a state where consciousness experiences complete oneness with divinity. Ram Chandra describes Bhuma as the ultimate reality, where all dualities vanish, and the person becomes one with the universe.

  • Harmony: An untied node grants transcendental awareness, deep peace, and oneness with the whole. Meditation becomes effortless.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony is rare but may manifest as an inability to let go of the last remnants of ego, causing subtle spiritual stagnation or an illusion of having reached the goal.

11th Node: Reality (Reality)

The eleventh node reflects the realization of true reality, free from all illusions. Ram Chandra emphasizes that this node allows the practitioner to see the world without the filters of the mind, accepting reality as it is. It is a stage where consciousness becomes completely transparent.

  • Harmony: An untied node grants clear perception of reality, inner wisdom, and a life free from attachment to illusions.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony manifests as attachment to false beliefs, mental confusion, or inability to distinguish reality from illusion, hindering spiritual progress.

12th Node: Immersion (Immersion)

The twelfth node, also in the central region, is a state of complete immersion in divine consciousness. Ram Chandra describes this node as the beginning of samadhi, where the practitioner fully experiences oneness with the Absolute, losing all sense of duality.

  • Harmony: An untied node allows living in a state that Babuji calls “living in life” (living in life), permeated with bliss and peace.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony may manifest as subtle ego attachment or fear of fully letting go, hindering the attainment of ultimate oneness.

13th Node: Ultimate Oneness

The final node, often called “nameless,” is beyond description. It is a state where the person fully experiences the Absolute, losing all sense of duality. Babuji emphasizes that this node is reached only through complete surrender and the teacher’s assistance.

  • Harmony: An untied node grants absolute peace and oneness with the universe, where the person lives in complete bliss.
  • Disharmony: Disharmony is impossible, as all blocks are cleared upon reaching this node.

Ram Chandra’s (Babuji’s) teachings, presented in Complete Works of Ram Chandra (especially Volume 1) and other books such as Reality at Dawn and Efficacy of Raja Yoga, are the primary source describing the Raja-Yoga points in the Sahaj Marg system. However, it should be noted that Ram Chandra’s teachings about the 13 points are subtle and often presented not as direct physical or emotional descriptions, but as states of spiritual consciousness related to the meditation process. Information about how a person feels when these points are in harmony or disharmony is not explicitly listed in Complete Works of Ram Chandra as a detailed list or table describing specific emotional or physical states for each point. Instead, these states are derived from Babuji’s broader teachings on the evolution of consciousness, the cleansing of samskaras (karmic imprints), and the stages of spiritual growth.

  • The descriptions of harmony and disharmony in the article were formulated based on the essence of Ram Chandra’s teachings, but they are partly interpreted, considering the broader context of Sahaj Marg and the impact of spiritual practices on a person’s psychological and emotional state. For example, disharmony states such as “identity crisis” or “emotional chaos” are derived from Babuji’s descriptions of the effects of samskaras that hinder meditation and spiritual growth.
  • Additional sources from Yvon Combe (At the Heart of Thought – Towards a Unity of Matter and Spirit and At the Heart of Thought: The Network of Subtle Correspondences) were used. Combe provides detailed descriptions of the effects of subtle energetic centers, including Raja-Yoga nodes, on emotions and physical states, helping to fill gaps where Ram Chandra offers more abstract descriptions.
  • Other Sahaj Marg sources, such as K. C. Varadachari’s Complete Works of Dr. K. C. Varadachari, Volume 1, also emphasize that disharmony in the nodes is often linked to emotional blocks such as jealousy, selfishness, or anxiety, while harmony is associated with peace, devotion, and spiritual freedom.

Sources and Recommended Literature

  1. Chandra, R. (2001). Complete Works of Ram Chandra, Volume 1. Shri Ram Chandra Mission. – The 13-node system and its significance in Sahaj Marg meditation.
  2. Chandra, R. (1989). Reality at Dawn. Shri Ram Chandra Mission. – The path of untying nodes toward the Absolute.
  3. Chandra, R. (2020). Efficacy of Raja Yoga. Shri Ram Chandra Mission. – Heart meditation and the principles of opening nodes.
  4. Varadachari, K. C. (2001). Complete Works of Dr. K. C. Varadachari, Volume 1. Shri Ram Chandra Mission. – Theoretical foundations of Sahaj Marg nodes.
  5. Combe, Y. (2005). At the Heart of Thought – Towards a Unity of Matter and Spirit (Volume 1). – The connection of subtle nodes to spiritual practices.
  6. Combe, Y. (2007). At the Heart of Thought: The Network of Subtle Correspondences (Volume 2). – The impact of energetic nodes on consciousness.
  7. Judith, A. (1996). Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System. – Context of energetic centers, complementing the understanding of Sahaj Marg nodes.
  8. Oschman, J. L. (2000). Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis. – The impact of subtle centers on consciousness and health.