“Caitanyam ātmā.”
Consciousness is the Self. — Shiva Sūtras I.1
The opening aphorism of the Shiva Sūtras points to the heart of self-realisation: our true nature is pure consciousness. In everyday language, you could say: the more we become aware and refine our energy, the more fully we recognise who we really are.
What is self-realisation?
Self-realisation isn’t merely “knowing who I am” or “finding my purpose.” It’s a transformative process that aligns us with our soul’s purpose — the highest aim of human life. It rises beyond basic needs and desires and orients us toward a deeper understanding and direction.
The Shiva Sūtras teach that spiritual awakening depends on the level of our consciousness and the clarity of our energetic expression.
Yoga’s map of consciousness and energy
Yoga offers a structured view of consciousness and energy. The chakras are a key part of this system.
Think of a chakra as a spinning vortex with many spokes. The spokes act like antennae — receiving and emitting specific patterns (frequencies) of consciousness. Like a radio, the chakras attune to universal signals and broadcast them through your energetic system via sub-chakras and nāḍīs (channels/meridians).
Signal, receiver, and noise
The original transmission from Source is clear — one sound, one story. What you receive depends on the condition of your apparatus (chakras and nāḍīs): how open it is, whether energy can flow unobstructed, whether it must reroute, or whether the signal cuts out or becomes static. At times the transmission can be distorted or hijacked, producing a message quite different from the Source.
Each chakra resonates at a different frequency and reflects distinct modes of consciousness. In foundational yoga we study seven primary chakras, each linked to key aspects of living on earth.
Example: Anāhata (Heart)
Anāhata relates to unconditional love. The universe continually transmits: love is abundant; we are of love, from love, and to love; love cannot be lost.
But, depending on our inner conditioning (fear, jealousy, control), our receptors may misread the signal: love is scarce, must be controlled, and I am unworthy. That internal misreading travels through our system and out into our actions — self-harm, self-rejection, controlling or jealous behaviours in relationships.
Karma, choice, and vibrational clarity
Many factors shape our consciousness and energy. We are born with certain karmic patterns (a baseline of consciousness), life events add layers, and our choices either clarify or cloud our vibration over time.
This is not about “good versus bad” — it’s about clarity versus distortion, coherence versus fragmentation. Everything is energy. All living beings are manifestations of the same universal energy, vibrating in unique patterns that give rise to different forms.
Attunement: becoming an open channel
To connect with universal frequencies we must attune to those vibrations — to be an open, receptive channel. Our thoughts, emotions, actions, and behaviours all shape our vibration. When we indulge in low-vibration patterns, we draw in and reinforce experiences that match them. When we cultivate high-vibration qualities — love, gratitude, compassion, clarity — we experience lives that mirror those states.
The entire universe is within us. A low-vibe inner world projects a low-vibe outer reality. A coherent, elevated inner world is mirrored by an elevated outer life. The broadcast we receive depends on our tuning; the broadcast we emit shapes our reality.
“Things that wreck your vibe”
I don’t need to list every vice. We each know what helps or harms us, and in what quantities. This isn’t about applauding some behaviours and condemning others. I’ve met abusers who meditate for hours, visit temples, perform seva, and cultivate siddhis — yet their inner corruption distorts their practice and power. Conversely, some people are damaging themselves (cigarettes, cocaine, chaos), yet still shine with a striking luminosity.
The point: vibration is not reducible to external habits alone. It is shaped most deeply by our inner world — our honesty, intention, and the actions that flow from them.
The engine of elevation: self-enquiry
Direction matters. Self-enquiry (ātma-vichāra) reveals where our thoughts and feelings are pointing and what actions they produce. Honest enquiry lets us face our shadows and our strengths, align with truth and the Divine, and live that truth openly — regardless of others’ opinions.
Consider Jesus: he lived and proclaimed his truth to the end.
None of this excuses the long-term effects of alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine, or chaotic sex. Over time, these lower vibration and fragment the field. But context matters: if I smoke daily to numb pain I stagnate energy; if, very occasionally, I use something in a conscious setting to relax or deepen meditation, it may momentarily expand perception. Ultimately, sustained elevation demands coherence, not loopholes.
“Jñānaṃ bandhaḥ” — Knowledge as bondage
Shiva Sūtras I.2 states “Jñānaṃ bandhaḥ” — “knowledge is bondage,” meaning limited or constricting knowledge binds us. When studying energy and raising vibration, our enquiry must be unbounded by rigid dogma. Many religious forms constrain; clung-to concepts can become cages. (A larger discussion for another time.)
How do we raise our energy?
- Relentless self-enquiry (honest, compassionate, unflinching).
- Align inner and outer (let behaviour match truth).
- Clear the apparatus (practices that open, stabilise, and purify the system: breath, meditation, mantra, ethical living, trauma-informed healing).
- Choose coherence daily (what truly nourishes clarity, love, and presence).
And that’s it.
With love.
Karmic Rebelle