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In the current information age, the very
question of what Man is, and to what extent
his abilities go, has gained prominence. Metaphysical knowledge tells us
that Man is not just a mass of muscles and bones but in fact is a living
universe or microcosm (a'lam asghar) itself. His life is primarily relying on
information. As a matter of fact his life is nothing but a collection of
thoughts and imagination. His every movement is influenced by information and
thoughts. Every human achievement is circled around the unseen world of
cognition, imagination and creative thoughts. By giving new meaning to this
idea, Man creates and invents new things out of nothing.
Human consciousness has evolved in a way
similar to child development. From day one to around age five, a child's
cognitive abilities remain marginal, and from age six to pre-puberty their
mental ability improves to a degree. However, after puberty and adolescence,
when they enter adulthood, their mental and physical abilities reach its zenith.
In a similar fashion, human consciousness has also developed itself slowly to
its modern or current level. Although the modern world has developed and is
advanced technologically, it would be presumptuous to think that the time we
are living in has achieved its highest level of knowledge and inventiveness.
Human mind has an unlimited potential to grow and expand without ever being
stopped at any given point. The truth is that there exists a huge chunk of
discoveries and explorations that is still hidden or simply beyond the scope of
the human mind. Mind is the basis of all experiments, observations and senses.
No human inventions could be possible without it. During the cognitive process,
the mind expands its capabilities and as a result innovations and new branches
of knowledge emerge. Human mind has always been a mystery for thousands of
years up to our present age. Scientists believe that we have only consumed five
to ten percent of our mental capabilities. A much larger share of its strength
is still lying dormant. In other words what we have achieved so far is only
five to ten percent of our hidden mental capability.
What we have discussed so far shows that
current explorations and developments in the fields of medicine, Botany and
Zoology, Genetics, Physics, Chemistry, Architecture, Psychology and
Parapsychology and other areas reflect human capabilities. However we rarely
come to this conclusion that all these are actually mirroring our mental
abilities which the Nature has given to us.
Every day discoveries about the mind and
inner dimensions are showing that human existence is divided into two. One half
is its outer layer and the second half is the movement in its inner plane.
These two sides are linked with each other. The idea that Man is not simply confined
to his physical side and outward feelings has surfaced from time to time in all
phases of human history. There is an internal sphere in humans which is
independent of material needs. This is the sphere that is behind sending the
entire cognitive stimulus to the physical sphere. That internal sphere is
actually what Man is and is commonly known as the Soul (nafas) or Spirit (ruh).
Spiritualists of all times have maintained that if we focus on our inner or
spiritual heart, we would be able to explore the might or the potential of our
true Self.
All revealed scriptures have generally
mentioned the paranormal capabilities of human. According to them, outwardly,
human beings are made of bones and flesh but in their inner self lies energy,
which is the reflection of the attributes of their Creator. This is what Spirit
(ruh) is. Through this energy, the spiritual person receives the Divine
Knowledge.
Revealed scriptures have divided the
human senses in two major spheres: the Cosmos (macrocosm) and the Self
(microcosm). The Cosmos (a'alm akbar) represents all outward physical or
material beings and the Self (a'lam asghar) is everything that exists within.
The human knowledge about the Self or inner being is at the initial phase right
now. Just as a few hundred years back, most scientific knowledge of today would
have been considered witchcraft or magic but are now part of our everyday life.
In the same respect, the knowledge regarding the Self is at its infancy level
right now. We are only beginning to know the wonders and depths of it.
Vision, Hearing, Speech, Taste and Touch
are usually considered as the basic five senses of human being. Each one is
well defined and has its own application. Similarly, each one has its own
limits as well. For instance we are not able to see objects beyond a certain
distance, or are unable to hear voices under a certain frequency or could not
touch anything unless it is within our physical reach.
All five of these senses have limits
within the physical realm but they are limitless in the spiritual realm. The
spiritual senses usually remain hidden or dormant. However once they are
activated the vision becomes independent of any boundaries or confinement of
distance. The ear hears sounds of any wavelength and speech no longer finds
itself in need of any words. Without uttering a single word a person could send
or receive his or her thoughts to anyone, anytime no matter where the subject
is. The truth is that human senses actually come to their peak when spiritual
senses are in motion. These senses open the door for such limitless observations and explorations that are
normally dormant. Through these senses alone, a person could enter the hidden
realm of millions of galaxies and countless stars and could encounter creatures
that are otherwise considered non-existent such as angels or species of other
planets.
The most effective way of activating and
enhancing the spiritual sense is Muraqaba (meditation). Muraqaba is an
exercise, a skill, or simply a way of
thinking, which turns the otherwise dormant senses into a vibrant and awake
mode. Through it we can explore those forces that are beyond the scope of
physical senses. It also serves to improve the already existing paranormal
abilities of an individual. Throughout human history it has existed in one form
or the other.
Spiritually and psychologically as well
as physiologically there are various advantages of practicing Muraqaba. First
and foremost it improves concentration, immunity, memory, prevents
psychological complications, and controls our negative thoughts and emotions
thereby giving us a feeling of serenity and tranquility. Overall we are able
to perform well in our daily tasks whether it is work related or in relationships.
The basic element of Muraqaba exists in
all major religions of the world in one way or the other. Emphasis on prayer is
always placed on higher focus and deeper
thinking. So far in this chapter we have discussed the Muraqaba in
general. However in the following chapters we are going to discuss the different
forms of Muraqaba and its classification. We will briefly shed some light on
other spiritual exercises, as well as ways to activate and improve the hidden
capabilities vis-a-vis the spiritual powers of our relatively unknown self.
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
In the current information age, the very question of what Man
is, and to what extent his abilities
go, has gained prominence. Metaphysical knowledge tells us
that Man is not just a mass of muscles and bones but in fact is a living
universe or microcosm (a'lam asghar) itself. His life is primarily relying on
information. As a matter of fact his life is nothing but a collection of
thoughts and imagination. His every movement is influenced by information and
thoughts. Every human achievement is circled around the unseen world of
cognition, imagination and creative thoughts. By giving new meaning to this
idea, Man creates and invents new things out of nothing.