Jnana-indriyas (Sanskrit, jnana=wisdom) are the five sensory organs; karma-indriyas (Sanskrit, karma=action) are the five motor organs; and manas is the organ for sensing the soul and connecting it to the language of the senses. Together, these eleven organs act to help the soul journey around in the material world on its path of discovery and healing.
YOUR FIVE SENSES
Sometimes called ether (think of ethereal), space is the physical absence of molecules and represents the potential for being filled by material. Its medium or tanmatra is sound. Tanmatra is the subtle energy whose movement allows our consciousness to sense, and thereby to create an interpretation with which the body can interact. When space moves, we perceive sound. Without the harmony of sound, we could not listen. The jnanendriya is the organ of sound, or the eardrum and inner ear architecture and mechanics.
Air is the element that is made of transparent molecules. Its medium or tanmatra is touch. Air allows both sound and touch. When air moves, we are able to perceive feeling.
Modern science says we perceive through sensory receptors of four main types: hot/cold, pressure, pain, and position. Other animals, especially fish, have a sixth sense, electroreceptors, which can detect electric fields, salinity, and temperature gradients. Without the presence of transparent, lightly-packed, fast-moving molecules, we could not feel one thing moving from one location to another. The jnanendriya is the organ of our skin.
Fire is the element of heat and earth combining through gas, solid and liquid forms. Its tanmatra is form, which we perceive as vision, through the sensory organ, or jnanendriya, of the eye. Fire interacts with sound, touch and vision. The movement of subtle fire is known as light, which travels at miles/sec. Without the light of fire, we could not see form or color.
Water is the predominant element on earth. It is the solvent, solution and crystal in which life is made. Its medium or tanmatra is taste. Water interacts with sound, touch, vision and taste. When water moves and interacts with other elements, we are able to perceive taste. Without the chemical readiness of water, we could not distinguish tastes. The jnanendriya is the taste buds, called gustatory receptors, which sit predominantly on our tongue and in our stomach. If you dry your tongue completely, then move sugar or salt across your tongue, you will not be able to sense their taste: only with water can you taste what is presented there. Try it.
Earth is the heaviest element on the planet. It is composed of inorganic parts, called Metal by TCM, and organic parts called Wood in TCM. Earth has many forms and characteristics in its heterogeneity of types. It provides structure and stability to everything we want to experience in the material world. Its tanmatra is odor. Earth interacts with sound, touch, vision, taste and smell. When earth moves, it can interact with our organs of smell, called olfactory receptors, which are in the nose and tongue and activate the smell receptors. Without the particles and density of earth, we could not trigger our smell receptors.
These five subtle properties of Energy that translate to Matter are the five subtle energies whose action puts the sensory consciousness in relation to the gross forms of matter: sound, touch, form, taste and smell;
Cleaning the Senses: The Eyes
Early every morning since before my birth, my mother goes to greet the sun. In every house, every land, she would find him, either from the verandah, or atop the roof, or out onto the grounds or yard or driveway. She would utter the mantra that greets the sun,
Om jaba-kusum shanka-shanam kashyapeyam Maha-dhutim dhanta-warim sarvo-papagna Prana-toshmi diva-karam ||
Surya Pranam / Surya Namaskar Salutations to the flower, red as hibiscus, which turns to white, and is pure as the saint Kashyapa to that which is grand in shimmering brightness, that takes darkness away, that which annihilates all sins I give pranams to He, who creates the day.
She would look directly at the rising sun if it was still touching the earth, and then she would continue into her day. Once, my sister the NASA astrophysicist, counseled her on the danger of looking directly at the sun. She
explained the heat, the brightness, how the sun burned a hole into the retina and could blind a person. My mother listened to her admonitions, blinked, paused, and remained silent. That evening I watched her ask for forgiveness as she waited until the sun touched the earth, and again she uttered her mantra.
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For my mother and for hundreds of millions of Indians who have greeted the sun this way, yet are not blind, trāṭaka is a way of life. Meaning to gaze in Sanskrit, the practice of trāṭaka is the use of fixed gazing to induce meditation and sthira, or stillness, by concentrating on a single point. It is a part of yoga, and is used to develop awareness, attention and focus. It strengthens the eyes, and stimulates the ājňā chakra.
There are three phases to trāṭaka practice. The first phase involves stilling the voluntary movements of the eyes. Fix your gaze on a non-moving object and try to hold a steady gaze for a minute or more. In this first phase, the mind will wander and the eyes will want to move. When a thought or feeling arises, notice it then let it go. Keep staring. After a few seconds, the eyes will want to close. Keep them open. When they begin to water, close them gently, allowing the heat and emotions to release with the tears. Once you can stare for one minute, move to the second phase.
In the second phase, glare into a live candle flame. Watch the candle and let the eyes become still as the flicker continues to move. Transcend the movement and keep the eyes open until they water, then close them gently, allowing the heat and emotions to release with the tears. With closed eyes, see the after-image of the candle through the eyes, until it disappears. Continue to hold the image for as long as you can.