Tiruvannamalai - An accelerator for spiritual sadhana?

This blog is written post the January 2025 - 3 day retreat held at Sparsa in Tiruvannamalai

Tiruvannamalai is a small temple city situated around the sacred hill of Arunachala and is a prominent site for several temples—the most popular among them being the Adi Annamalai Temple and the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple. It is also home to the Ramana Ashram, where Ramana Maharishi resided during his lifetime. He is highly revered among spiritual aspirants, making the city a significant destination for seekers. Additionally, Tiruvannamalai is well known for the Girivalam—a pradakshina (popularly known as Giri Pradakshina) around the sacred hill of Arunachala, which is considered to be Lord Shiva himself. As a result, the city attracts thousands of spiritual aspirants and religious followers in pursuit of liberation.

In my observation, a trip to Tiruvannamalai and participating in the Girivalam Pradakshina can be an intense experience for many people, often to the extent that one may encounter an agitated mind or experience a plethora of emotions that otherwise lie latent or dormant in the subconscious. This phenomenon occurs primarily in individuals who are sensitive to the vibrations of the place and may particularly affect those who are on a spiritual path.

Tiruvannamalai is known as the Manipooraga Stalam because it is associated with the Manipura chakra, which is linked to the solar plexus. In my understanding, certain locations in the world have very high energy, also referred to as "coordination points." The primary authority on coordination points, in his book Seth Speaks, states:

“These coordinate points represent accumulations or traces of pure energy, minute to an extreme if you are thinking in terms of size—smaller than any particle of which your scientists know, for example—but composed of pure energy.”

Tiruvannamalai, undoubtedly a center of high energy, is also home to the Arunachalesvara Temple, which is associated with the fire element. Here, Shiva is worshipped as Arunachalesvara and is represented by the lingam, known as the Agni Lingam. When someone on a spiritual path resonates with the energy field of this place, they may experience an activation of the Manipura chakra. The Manipura chakra, also called the Solar Plexus, is associated with the fire element and serves as a storehouse for emotions—all fears, insecurities, and repressed energy reside here. It is also the seat of one's desire for power and aggression.

In my experience, entering this high-energy zone can bring forth intense and repressed feelings of fear, insecurity, or a desire for power and aggression. Some may even have unsettling dreams, and if they are aware of their dreams, they might notice suppressed emotions surfacing through them. However, to process these emotions, one needs grace, spiritual understanding, or guidance from a true Guru. Once these emotions are unleashed, if one identifies with them too strongly, they risk being overwhelmed. It is not uncommon in Tiruvannamalai to encounter people who have lost their mental balance or are experiencing extreme emotional distress. This often happens because they have identified too closely with their emotions, allowing them to hijack their conscious mind.

For most of our lives, we let subconscious patterns dictate our conscious thoughts, often getting lost in cycles of sadness, fear, guilt, ambition, etc. When these patterns take control of the conscious mind, they can consume us for hours, days, or even weeks. However, we often fail to recognize them for what they truly are—just dormant energy patterns residing in our chitta (subconscious).

Once one is on a spiritual path, they develop the power of discrimination—the torch of awareness that allows them to witness these energies interacting with the body, breath, and mind. In Tiruvannamalai, especially during the Girivalam, there are energy centers that can activate one's power of discernment and wisdom—associated with the Ajna chakra—but this happens only if one is sensitive to the energies present. In my experience, the Girivalam facilitates the upward movement of energy, but this effect is most profound when performed in silence and preferably alone.

When these energies begin to play out, the key is to witness them without attachment—utilizing the wisdom of the Ajna chakra. The power of discernment and detachment has the potential to burn these patterns, and the key to this process is:

“DON’T IDENTIFY, DON’T ANALYZE, DON’T DEFINE, DON’T CATEGORIZE—JUST WITNESS.”

Once you start abiding in witness consciousness, you gain the power to observe these energies as pure energies. They will follow their course and eventually burn themselves out. This energy field provides a valuable opportunity for spiritual seekers to accelerate their sadhana (spiritual practice) by remaining present in witness consciousness, allowing dormant patterns to surface and then burn them up in the light of pure awareness.

My teacher, Gautam, sometimes jokingly refers to himself as a “garbage cleaner,” but in reality, we all must become garbage cleaners of our own minds if we have embarked on the spiritual journey. True sadhana is the burning away of all accumulated mental garbage—the garbage of fear, guilt, pride, hate, anger, and, most importantly, the false identity of being a separate person. As long as we cling to the belief in our individual identity, this garbage will persist. However, once the garbage is cleared, the truth reveals itself—ever radiant!

“Truth burns up all karma and frees you from all births.” —Ramana Maharishi