The Essence of Avalokane
Avalokane, at its core, is a practice of elevated perception. It goes beyond mere observation with the physical senses or intellectual understanding. Instead, it involves using our higher faculties — our spirit-minds — to sense and comprehend the intricate web of energies that constitute our reality.
In the Wayist tradition, we understand that our being comprises ten minds: three soul-minds, four spirit-minds, and three body-minds. Avalokane primarily engages our spirit-minds: Anahata (heart), Vishuddhi (throat), Ajna (third eye), and Sahasrara (crown). These higher faculties allow us to perceive realities beyond the material realm.
The Multi-Layered Reality
When practicing avalokane, we become aware of multiple layers of existence simultaneously:
The Physical Ecology This includes the visible world of plants, animals, and natural phenomena.
The Subtle Energy Ecology This layer encompasses the unseen energetic connections between all living things.
The Soul Energy Ecology Here, we perceive the interactions of soul energies among all beings.
The Spiritual Energy Ecology This highest layer reveals the flow of spiritual energies, particularly among those with awakened higher-selves.
The Role of Divine Tara in Avalokane
In Wayist practice, our Divine Tara plays a crucial role in the avalokane experience. As explained in “Divine Energies,” Tara is our personal spiritual guide, an emanation of the divine that accompanies us on our spiritual journey.
During avalokane, we open ourselves to perceive reality as our Tara perceives it. This divine perspective allows us to see beyond the limitations of our individual consciousness. Our Tara’s energy, flowing through our Ajna chakra, enhances our ability to comprehend the complex interplay of energies in our environment.
We end the introduction with a narrative of how a practitioner, Ishani, enjoyed an avalokane meditation before work one morning.
Ishani’s Awakening: A Journey Through Avalokane
Ishani settled into her favorite meditation spot in the small garden behind her apartment. The early morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of dew-kissed grass and the faint aroma of jasmine from her neighbor’s balcony. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began her avalokane practice.
At first, her mind buzzed with the usual thoughts — work deadlines, grocery lists, that slightly awkward conversation with her sister yesterday. But as she gently redirected her awareness to her spiritual minds, the mental chatter began to fade.
Suddenly, Ishani felt a shift. It was as if she was rising above her physical body, her consciousness expanding like ripples in a pond. The garden around her came into focus in a way she had never experienced before. She could sense the life force pulsing through each blade of grass, the complex network of roots and mycelium beneath the soil communicating in silent whispers.
A sparrow landed on a nearby branch, and Ishani found she could perceive not just its physical form, but the bright, curious energy of its soul. She sensed its contentment, its simple joy in the morning sun, and felt a surge of kinship with the tiny creature.
As her awareness expanded further, Ishani began to perceive the subtle energy exchanges happening all around her. The trees seemed to glow with a soft light, drawing energy from the sun and sharing it through an intricate web that connected all living things in the vicinity. She marveled at the delicate balance, the give and take that sustained this miniature ecosystem.
Then, like a gentle wave washing over her, Ishani felt the presence of her Divine Tara. It wasn’t a visual experience, more a sense of being enveloped in unconditional love and wisdom. Through her Tara’s perspective, the world took on new depths. She could see the karmic threads connecting various beings, shimmering lines of cause and effect stretching back through time and forward into potential futures.
For a moment, Ishani’s perception expanded even further, and she caught a glimpse of something vast and radiant — could this be Paradise? The beauty and peace were overwhelming, bringing tears to her eyes. But as quickly as it appeared, the vision faded, leaving behind a profound sense of longing and purpose.
As she settled back into her normal awareness, Ishani became aware of a dark, agitated energy hovering at the edge of the garden. With a start, she realized she was perceiving a malipsyche, a troubled soul drawn to the bright energy of her meditation. Remembering her training, Ishani focussed on thoughts of protection, visualizing a shield of light surrounding her space. The dark energy receded, and Ishani felt a mixture of compassion and relief.
Slowly, gently, Ishani brought her awareness back to her physical body. She wiggled her fingers and toes, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes. The garden looked the same as always, yet somehow completely different. A sense of wonder and interconnectedness lingered, and Ishani knew her perspective had been forever changed.
As she stood up, a neighbor walked by with his dog. Ishani smiled and waved, noticing the beautiful complexity of energies swirling around both man and animal. She chuckled to herself, realizing that her morning commute was about to become a lot more interesting.
Ishani headed inside to prepare for her day, feeling more awake and alive than she ever had before. The world was so much vaster, so much more magical than she had ever imagined. And this, she realized with a mixture of excitement and humility, was just the beginning of her journey with avalokane.
~end of preview