A Places Vibe: Geographic Samskaras
by Madis Senner
Have you ever been to a place where you felt that there was something special about it? We are all the time passing through such places whether we know it or not. This is because every place in the world has a vibe, or a feel to it, what some would call a unique character. This character, or vibe, is a record of all that has transpired at a location for both the good and the bad. Not only does each place have a unique character but that character influences us and Mother Earth. That is why it is so important to be aware of your environment because it can either lift you up or tear you down.
Root of Karma
To understand how a place develops its character and why it influences us we need to understand how our thoughts work. Hindu Vedanta says that each thought that we have creates an impression on our mind called a samskara. Those thought impressions, or samskaras, are like grooves on a vinyl record and are a permanent record of all that we think and do. Each time we think or do the same thing that impression gets a little deeper. Over time if we keep thinking or doing the same thing, that groove gets deeper and deeper. If we do not clear up our samskaras before we die we carry them forward into our future life as karma. Samskaras are the root of our karma.
Not only does each thought we have create an impression on our mind, it also plants a seed, a thought seed that looks to multiply and produce more of its own by having us think or do the same thing over and over again. Have you ever had a thought occupy your mind so much that you could not think of anything else? Well, that is how seed thoughts are. They are like weeds that can grow like crazy and keep multiplying by planting more and more seeds. If we allow them to, our thoughts can take control of our mind the same way that a weed can take over a garden.
Contributing to the strength of our seed thoughts are the thoughts of others. The law of attraction says that what we think about, or do, draws more of the same into our lives. So if we are having thoughts of the divine we will attract the divine into our lives or the divine thoughts of others to us. Conversely if we are having violent thoughts then we will attract the same into our thinking and lives.
Thoughts Attach to a place
Each thought that we have also creates a thought form that goes rushing off to manifest its purpose and design. At the same time part of the thought attaches to us and part attaches to where it occurred. Not only does it attach to a location, it also attaches to objects in close proximity. It is this law of thought attachment that mystics and sorcerers use to create objects with certain qualities or powers, what are called talismans or amulets. We are all the time creating talismans by charging articles we carry about with our thoughts.
I call the thoughts that attach to a place geographic samskaras. Like our own samskaras geographic samskaras can exert a powerful influence upon us for either the good, or for the bad. If we go to a divine place where people pray and meditate then we will uplifted as our subtle body will come in contact with those divine thoughts (geographic samskaras). Conversely, if we go to a place where violence has occurred then it is violence that our subtle body will come in contact with and we will be depleted.
The influence of geographic samskaras upon our subtle body is two fold. First, there is a larger influence of consciousness upon us. Consciousness as the Bhagavad-Gita (6.6) teaches us can run from the divine to the demonic. Our subtle body is a reflection of our cumulative consciousness both for the good and the bad. Consider it like body temperature. Similarly the vibe or consciousness of place (geographic samskaras) has a temperature to it, or a net reading between divine and demonic. When you travel through a location it will either increase or decrease your net consciousness reading. Whether it is raised or lowered is a reflection of the relative difference between your consciousness and that of the location.
Unfortunately, most of the world is covered with negative geographic samskaras because of our, humanity’s overall, wicked thoughts, violent behavior and selfishness. Negative meaning that the vibe of a place is more demonic that divine in character. Consequently much of the time our subtle body and consciousness is being diminished because we are traveling through places that have negative geographic samskaras. That is why it is important to be in sacred space as much as possible and to avoid places where bad things have occurred. Space matters.
Secondly, the particular thoughts that transpired at a location encourage us to do more of the same. For example, if you go to a place where someone has spent a lot of time thinking loving thoughts about a loved one then those geographic samskaras will try and get you to think loving thoughts of a loved one as well. Conversely, if you go to where someone has been attacked or murdered the geographic samskaras there will try and force violent thoughts upon you. If someone that is already prone to violence goes there then there is a chance that they may not be restrained and will commit a violent act. That is why you often see repetitive violent behavior in the same place.
How Geographic Samskaras Pull You In
Hindu Vedanta also refers to thoughts as vritti(s). Vritti literally translated means whirlpool; meaning that each thought has a circular whirlpool movement to it. A whirlpool has a vortex to it that exerts a pull upon its surrounding area; hence a geographic samskara is looking to pull you into its vortex of thought.
This whirlpool movement of geographic samskaras exerts an influence upon Mother Earth. Just as with the human subtle body Mother Earth’s is subject to blockages. If it is a negative geographic samskara (counter-clockwise is negative, clockwise is positive) it can disrupt the flow of prana. (To learn more read: http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/educationpranadisrupt.html. )
This circular motion of geographic samskaras can be measured with a dowser's L-Rods (brass rods in the shape of the letter L.) Whenever I do a survey of a sacred site for www.motherearthprayers.org I am always measuring for geographic samskaras. I look for a strong clockwise movement (positive geographic samskara). If I get a weak positive or a negative motion I do not recommend the place no matter how wonderful its other features are. This is because those negative geographic samskaras will deplete your subtle body and encourage negativity in your thinking.
A Space Matters
Many enlightened persons say that samskaras are the greatest impediment to our spiritual progression. “[S]amskaras are the source of bondage and keep man forever chained to the cycle of birth and death”, (Swami Satyasangananda Saraswati, Sri Vijnana Bhairava Tantra—The Ascent, Pg 281.). Similarly geographic samskara can be either the biggest impediment to your spiritual development or they can help lift you up. Anyone who has read the Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda will remember how he constantly noted that the spiritual vibrations of a place could protect or uplift someone; and how regrettably he lost his beloved Kashi when the student was removed from the school(high vibrations) at a particularly vulnerable time in his life and he ended up contracting and dying of cholera.
I never ceased to be amazed by how ignorant people are about how the environment influences them. You would not do a physical work out in a smoke filled room, yet many of us on the path live and perform spiritual exercises in places where negative geographic samskaras abound. And do not be fooled because some place is a place of worship, a yoga or holistic center, or a holy place—they do not necessarily have positive geographic samskaras because people bring their own baggage and the lack of knowledge about Mother Earth and focus on money found at such places often fuels negativity.
Just as much as negative geographic samskaras are an impediment to your spiritual development positive ones can be incredibly uplifting. By simply being in a divine place you can raise your consciousness. Positive geographic samskaras can hasten your spiritual development, facilitate healing, help with learning and communication with the divine. Space matters.
To see a video on geographic samskaras go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHjN2othA58
Madis Senner is sentient of Mother Earth and thought forms and maintains a listing of sacred sites in upstate NY where he believes Mother Earth soul resides. www.MotherEarthPrayers.org. His book The Way Home—Making Heaven on Earth due out with O-books in the fall details our dynamic relationship with Mother Earth: http://www.obooks.com/product_info.php?products_id=639.
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