With the reboot of the Star Wars
franchise, the ethos of ‘The Force’ reenters the zeitgeist of our pop culture. What
is this Force? In the mythology of Star
Wars, The Force is described as “an energy field, created by all living
things, [that] surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together”. In
that mythological world, the force gave the user special powers such as the
power of telepathy, psychokinesis, enhanced perception. This Force represents a
metaphysical, spiritual, binding and ubiquitous power that holds an important
place in that universe. Do we feel something similar in our world? When an
athlete is performing beyond his perceived capacity or a musician is performing
with a brilliant level of concentration, do they draw upon something akin to The
Force in our world? Is there a human visceral experience that gives us a
feeling similar to The Force? Is there a similar phenomenon of The Force
in our universe?
For me, the answer is an
undeniable yes! I think all human beings have the capacity to experience
something beyond the input from the five senses. I imagine that this is a
universal possibility shared by all people and cultures. If we look at our
lives from a broader universal perspective, we have to ask if there is more to
life than what we know. I have found that many people, from religious persons
to atheists, agree that there must be some metaphysical phenomenon that binds
this whole creation together, and that a small spark of that creation must
exist in all of us. Is it possible to experience this spark? Many of us think
of meditation as a self-help device, mainly used for stress reduction and
relaxation. It definitely is this, but it can also be much much more. Meditation
can help us to experience an earthly version of The Force.
How did George Lucas get the
inspiration to weave The Force into the Star Wars mythology? It is rumored
that the creation of the Force, the Jedi, and Master Yoda in George Lucas’s
imagination was influenced by his fascination with eastern mysticism. In our
world, and in our current time, there exists a spiritual phenomenon called pranahuti (yogic transmission). Pranahuti
is a sanskrit word which loosely translates to offering of life or life force
(prana). In spirituality, this yogic transmission is defined as the utilization
of the divine energy for the transformation of a human being. This phenomenon
is an ancient yogic discovery that had been passed down for centuries through
several spiritual traditions but eventually passed into oblivion. This
phenomenon reawakened in the late 1800’s when, in a small town in Northern
India, a yogi named Ram Chandra, became adept at using the technique. Since
then it has slowly spread throughout the world through the Sahaj Marg (Natural
Path) spiritual path. Today, this technique is a unique part of the
Heartfulness Meditation offered by the Sahaj Marg Spirituality Foundation, a
spiritual movement that is not affiliated with any religion or doctrine. In the
Heartfulness meditation program, spiritual trainers are given the capacity to
infuse this transmission into the heart of the seeker and fill the seeker with
a force higher than himself/herself. This yogic transmission is used solely for
the purpose of spiritual evolution and personal transformation giving the
seeker the possibility of boundless growth. Unlike the world of Star Wars, this
force does not deal with special powers of telepathy or psychokinesis. Pranahuti
is such a subtle phenomenon that is described more as a ‘forceless force’ or a
‘powerless power’. It is not a power used for personal gain, but rather it is
used to promote spiritual elevation in the practitioners. As a physician, I was
very skeptical of this occult phenomenon, until I had the opportunity to
experience this mysticism personally.
In our day-to-day lives, we
experience life and the world around us through our physical beings. Spirituality
makes us aware that there is more to this life than just our physical bodies. We
also carry subtle bodies and causal bodies that contain the soul and a network
of psychokinetic centers (chakras), which channel our life force (prana).
Is it possible to experience the
presence of this aspect of ourselves through a genuine spiritual
practice? Through Heartfulness meditation, transmission helps us to
experience this universe that exists inside of us. The transmission can be felt
by anyone who sincerely practices this system of meditation for a brief period
of time. In my personal experience, yogic transmission has helped to awaken the
latent divinity within me. As the Divine spark is ignited, the practice and the
transmission can help the seeker on an upward spiritual journey. The ‘Forceless
Force’ awakens the latent divinity within us.
May the ‘Forceless Force’ be with
you.
Author: Radheshyam
Miryala is a emergency medicine physician and outdoor enthusiast interested in
spirituality. He has used the Heartfulness Meditation offered through the Sahaj
Marg system of spirituality to help him live a life of balance filled with joy
and abundance. He lives in Texas with his wife and two daughters.