Because there is not a “downward-and-upward” quality to the three stations of the heart, Avatar Adi Da refers to them as the “horizontal” dimension of esoteric anatomy. A minority of the world’s Spiritual traditions (principally certain branches of the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Taoist traditions) are focused in processes that relate to the horizontal dimension (and especially the right side of the heart)—seeking, as an ultimate result, an “interiorly secluded” Identification with the Divine (or Realization of Truth). In the fullest development of this “horizontal” approach, the practitioner does, in fact, experience an Identification with the Divine (or a Realization of Truth) that is achieved by excluding all awareness of body and mind and world. Such exclusive Union with the Divine, however, is not permanent (or eternal), because it depends on the effort of the individual—the effort to “go within”, or to exclude everything that is apparently objective. Thus, such exclusive Union with the Divine is not most perfect Divine Enlightenment. Rather, it is a matter of “choosing” the “Consciousness” aspect of the Divine—over the “Light” (or “Energy”) aspect.
The third (and quintessential) structure of esoteric anatomy is what Avatar Adi Da calls “Amrita Nadi”, using the traditional Sanskrit term (which means “Channel of Nectar”). Amrita Nadi is a radiant energy-structure, the “Bright” Itself as It Manifests in the context of the human body-mind. Amrita Nadi is shaped like the letter “S”, extending from the right side of the heart (as its “lower terminal”) through the chest, throat, and head, and then to the Source-Matrix of Divine Light infinitely above (as its “upper terminal”). Thus, Amrita Nadi encompasses both of the “locations” that have (in the most esoteric branches of the Great Tradition) been sought as the ultimate Divine “place”—the infinitely ascended Matrix of Light (“Above”) and the right side of the heart (“within”, or, more accurately, “Prior”).
In the Great Tradition of religion and Spirituality, there have been two fundamental “camps”—the “vertical” and the “horizontal”, or those who seek the Divine by going “up” and those who seek the Divine by going “within”. What makes Avatar Adi Da’s Revelation of the true world-religion of Adidam utterly unique is His “Disclosure” that, although both the vertical and the horizontal approaches are capable of resulting in a true glimpse of the Divine (or of Perfect Truth), neither the vertical nor the horizontal approach can lead to most perfect Divine Enlightenment (which is permanent, or eternal). Only the simultaneous
Realization of the Divine in both “locations”—the infinitely ascended Source-Matrix of Divine Light and the right side of the heart (or both “terminals” of Amrita Nadi)—is most perfect (and eternal) Divine Enlightenment. Only the Full and Indivisible Realization of the Divine as Conscious Light (Consciousness and Light) is most perfect (and eternal) Divine Enlightenment. Such is the infinitely glorious Realization Given by Avatar Adi Da to His devotees who complete the entire process of the Way of Adidam. That Realization has never been known before Avatar Adi Da’s Appearance in the world and His Gift of the Way of Adidam. Such is the culmination of the searchless process of simply Beholding Avatar Adi Da, the bodily (human) Incarnation of the “Bright” Itself.
Thus, Adidam is neither a “vertical” way nor a “horizontal” way. Rather, it is the unique “vertical-and-horizontal” Way. It is the Way of whole bodily Enlightenment, because it culminates in the Most Perfect Realization of the “whole body” of Amrita Nadi.
[Adidam] is the Way of whole bodily Enlightenment, because it culminates in the Most Perfect Realization of the “whole body” of Amrita Nadi.
—Avatar Adi Da Samraj
Avatar Adi Da, 2008
The Spiritual Initiation that Avatar Adi Da Gives to His fully prepared listening devotees is the Infusion of His Divine Spirit-Energy (or Spirit-Current) into the frontal line of the Circle. As you mature in the practice of Adidam, the Circle becomes more and more tangibly full of Avatar Adi Da’s Divine Spirit-Current—first in the frontal line, and then also in the spinal line. On certain occasions in the practice of a Spiritually mature devotee, the entire Circle will become utterly full of His Divine Spirit-Current—so open to His Divine Infusion that one ceases to be identified with body or mind in the usual sense, and becomes aware (instead) of existing as a vastly expanded spherical form of the Divine “Brightness”. This is the Samadhi of the “Thumbs”—a form of Samadhi uniquely Given by Avatar Adi Da. Eventually, the experience of the “Thumbs” becomes constant, such that the presumption of existing as body and mind no longer “rules” one’s life. Then one is ready to receive Avatar Adi Da’s Gift of the Awakening to the Witness-Consciousness, which makes possible the beginning of the “Perfect Practice”.
Because there is a “downward-and-upward” quality to the Circle (with its descending and ascending arcs), Avatar Adi Da refers to the Circle as the “vertical” dimension of esoteric anatomy. Most of the world’s Spiritual traditions are focused in processes that relate to the Circle—seeking, as an ultimate result, some kind of “ascended” Union with the Divine (found by subtly ascending beyond the body-mind, via ascent through and beyond the crown of the head). In the most advanced traditional developments of this “vertical” approach to the Divine, there is, in fact, ascent to the Source-Matrix of Divine Light which is infinitely above. Such ascended Union with the Divine, however, is not permanent (or eternal), because it depends on the effort of the individual—the effort to “go up”. Thus, such ascended Union with the Divine is not most perfect Divine Enlightenment. Rather, it is a matter of “choosing” the “Light” (or “Energy”) aspect of the Divine—over the “Consciousness” aspect.
The second structure of esoteric anatomy is what Avatar Adi Da calls “the three stations of the heart”. The three “stations” are:
The “left side”—corresponding to the physical heart, and the gross dimension of the being.
The “middle station”—corresponding to the “heart chakra” (or “anahata chakra”), and the subtle dimension of the being.
The “right side”—which is the “seat” of the causal dimension (or root-dimension) of the being (equivalent to the primal presumption that one exists as a separate “self”, or “ego”), and which is (simultaneously) the “doorway” in the body-mind through which the ego can be utterly dissolved, in heart-Identification with Avatar Adi Da.
As the practice of Adidam matures, the progressive Spiritual activation of each of the three stations of the heart can be tangibly felt.
The Spiritual Initiation that Avatar Adi Da Gives to His fully prepared listening devotees is His Spiritual Activation of the left side of the heart, which (in due course) also becomes His Spiritual Activation of the middle station of the heart. Avatar Adi Da’s Spiritual Gift of the Samadhi of the “Thumbs” is what makes possible His Spiritual Activation of the right side of the heart, which is coincident with the practitioner’s entrance into the “Perfect Practice” of Adidam.
One of the unique aspects of Avatar Adi Da’s Revelation of the Way of Adidam is His complete description of the esoteric anatomy of the human being and how this relates to the Spiritual process. Just as the human body has a gross anatomy (of bones, flesh, nerves, and so on), there is also an esoteric anatomy, consisting of three primary structures. The esoteric anatomy of the human body-mind is the basis for all dimensions of human experience—of the ordinary, extraordinary, mystical, and Transcendental kind. Understanding this esoteric anatomy is a key to understanding what makes the Way of Adidam uniquely complete, and why the Divine Enlightenment that Avatar Adi Da Offers is an unprecedented Gift.
The first structure of esoteric anatomy is what Avatar Adi Da calls “the Circle”. The Circle is a pathway through the body, composed of two arcs. The descending arc (or “frontal line”) starts at the crown of the head and goes downwards to the perineum. The ascending arc (or “spinal line”) starts at the perineum and goes upwards to the crown of the head. The Circle is the primary energy-pathway in the body, through which both the natural energy of life and the Divine Spirit-Energy flow. As you become more sensitive to the subtle dimensions of experience, you become capable of feeling energy moving in your body through the Circle.
The Esoteric Anatomy of the Spiritual Process:
“Vertical” and “Horizontal” Dimensions of the Being
Avatar Adi Da Samraj
The Divine Way Given by
India
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