Traditionally, the scientific basis of sadhana is introduced to an aspirant in terms of a mysterious life force called prana. This prana is supposed to circulate in the human body through countless micro-channels called nadis (see  figure 1  for a  traditional diagram  used  in  the study of  yoga  and  ayurvedic  medicine). The main nadis, however, are only three; the ida, pingala and sushumna. They are not physical but they are traditionally associated with the spinal cord. The ida starts at the base of the spine and ends at the left nostril. Flow through the ida is upwards and has a pro-psychic tendency. The pingala starts at the right nostril and ends at the base of the spine. Flow through the pingala is downwards and has a pro-physical tendency. The sushumna is a central channel opened through continued spiritual practice. Where the ida and pingala intersect the sushumna, these points are the known chakras. The free flow of pranic energy through the sushumna is considered essential for self-realisation.

Figure 1: A traditional depiction of the nadi channels in a human being.

The introduction of the theory of microvita requires a revised understanding of the physiology of sadhana. Microvita enter the human system via the tanmatric sense organs (see figure 2). Negative microvita will be attracted to the physical sphere and positive microvita to the psychic sphere, thereby helping to fulfil a person’s physical , psychic and psycho-spiritual longings respectively.

 Figure 2: Major flows of positive and negative microvita through and within a human being.

Within a healthy human being, there are equal numbers of positive and negative microvita, but they are not distributed uniformly. Rather we can imagine two gradients – a gradient of negative microvita having highest concentration in the region of muladhara chakra and a gradient of positive microvita having highest concentration around the sahasrara chakra. Thus the ratio of positive to negative microvita differs throughout the body. While the natural tendency of positive microvita is to move upwards and of negative microvita to move downwards, nevertheless there is the possibility for both kinds of microvita to circulate around the entire human structure (the elevation of negative microvita into the psychic sphere takes place only under unusual circumstances and is extremely detrimental to a person (see MVINS p 60)).

In the course of a normal active life, microvita are consumed or radiated from the body. The obvious example is that a person, engaged in physical activities, will use up negative microvita. The resultant deficiency will be made up by an inward flow of negative microvita, associated with crude tanmatras (i.e. in food, entertainments etc.). Psychic activity will consume more subtle microvita. And when a person does sadhana, very subtle positive microvita are somehow consumed or radiated from his or her 6^th and 7^th chakra. This will leave a temporary deficiency of positive microvita which can be replaced by an inflow of positive microvita associated with subtle tanmatras.

To summarise, the deficiencies of microvita arising as a result of daily life, can be replenished by an inflow of microvita travelling through the media of tanmatras. Human beings have some control over the tanmatras (and the associated microvita) which they take into their body. They can choose to tune their sense organs towards subtle or crude tanmatras in the same way as a television can be tuned to one channel/frequency or another. “Good company, good books, good literature, good songs, kiirtans (devotional chanting) elevate the mind and the mind becomes sanctified.” (MVINS, p 79) Conversely if the sense organs are directed to mundane pleasures, a preponderance of crude and negative microvita will become incorporated into the human body.

 However, the human body is also subject to a continual flux of tanmatras and microvita, over which humans have little control. These might come from extra-terrestrial sources, in particular the sun and stars. The predominant extra-terrestrial tanmatras are sound (possibly in form of gravity) and light. The chapters “Sidereal Year”, “Plexii and Microvita” and other sections in MVINS discuss this aspect of microvita science. Although humans cannot control the flux of such MV through their bodies and environment, they can have control over the microvita that will be incorporated into their physical and psychic body.

 The physiology of sadhana (physico-psycho-spiritual practice) is best explained in terms of flows of microvita through the physical and psychic bodies of a person and the effect that these flows have on the person. The central concept is that flows of negative microvita, when they come in contact with the surrounding environment (in this case our human physical and psychic bodies) tend to increase the scope of the static portion and thus make the body cruder (see MVINS p 79). Conversely, when positive microvita move through a human body they increase the scope of the sentient parts and the body becomes subtler. In particular, the process of sadhana increases the flow of positive microvita which makes the body more subtle.

 Now, the question arises as to the balance of positive and negative microvita flowing into a person. We can distinguish five cases as shown in the table below. In the case of a normal person, the inflow of positive and negative microvita is in balance, but the flows are relatively low. This is the case of the better educated person, who tries to live a good life, but is not consciously pursuing a spiritual practice. The vitality of a person affects the volume of flow. Clearly an intellectually and physically active person will have greater flows of microvita than a lazy person. This is shown in the table.

 Now consider the case of a person who is living only for mundane pleasure. There is a strong consumption of negative microvita, which are emitted through the lower chakras. This deficiency causes a flow of negative microvita into the body. Initially, this restores strength, but if it continues for long, this flow will cause rigidity and degeneration. Meanwhile, the upward flow of positive microvita ceases and the arena of the higher chakras becomes unimportant and stagnant.

 Now consider the case of a highly dedicated musician, a subtle intellectual or a traditional indian sadhaka, who neglects the importance of negative microvita. In this case there is a strong consumption of positive microvita, but no corresponding flow of negative microvita to maintain the balance of their physical structure. In the long term such persons are in danger of becoming unstable and sick. Additionally, such people can become luminous bodies.

 And now we come to the final case of a sadhaka of Vidya Tantra. The speciality of their sadhana is a high flow of positive and appropriate negative microvita through their human structure. The flow of positive microvita is accelerated by spiritual practice and the flow of negative microvita is encouraged by social service. Note in figure 2 that there is also the possibility of a down-flow of positive microvita from the arena of higher chakras to chakras 4 and 5. This is to indicate that a highly developed sadhaka has the capacity to radiate positive microvita through speech and gestures, which ordinary people will recognise as charisma and charm. But it is important to note that a proper balance of positive and negative microvita has to be maintained. In fact, a delicately balanced but high-flow system of life is the very hallmark of AM Tantra.

The relevant passage in MVINS: “If there is over-utilisation of positive microvita during psychic and psycho-spiritual practices, then there will be a shortage of positive microvita for balancing the negative microvita in the physical and physico-psychic strata, because the sum total of positive and negative microvita must balance each other. Thus human beings should utilise their strength in all the strata. In the physical strata, utilise the immense power of negative microvita, otherwise the surplus of the negative microvita will become very strong due to accumulation. Good people should not go to the Himalayan caves. Rather, remaining in society, they should serve the society in the physical and physico-psychic strata with the help of negative microvita, and in the psychic and psycho-spiritual strata with the help of positive microvita. If good people neglect the use of negative microvita in the physical stratum, catastrophes are sure to come.” (MVINS, p 154-155)

A paper arising from two Workshops on Microvita Science;. Berlin , 18-20 July and 15-17 August, 2003.  Attendees: Dada Vimalananda, Manohar, Rekha, Kalki, Bhaktaviirya.

© Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha

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