NARENDRA KINI uses the simple analogy
of a mechanical flywheel to help us understand the role of meditation in
generating love and positive feelings.
What is a flywheel? A flywheel is essentially a very heavy wheel that
takes a lot of force to spin around. So, when it is spinning at high speed
it tends to keep on spinning. We say it has a lot of angular momentum,
which means it can store a great deal of kinetic energy. You can think of
it as a kind of mechanical battery, but it is storing energy in the form
of movement or kinetic energy.
How does this relate to the heart? For the purpose of this exercise:
Flywheel = Human heart
Angular Momentum = Intensity of meditation
Kinetic energy = Love or positive energy
Moment of inertia = I
“Moment of inertia” sounds abstract and confusing, but it’s much easier
to understand than you might think. What it really means is that the
effective mass of a spinning object depends not just on how much actual
mass it has but on where that mass is located in relation to the point
it’s spinning around.
In essence, when we go through our day at work, we have several
distractions, resistances and negative energies that tend to play on our
hearts and minds. If we are aware of the reservoir of positive energy
(love), it can overcome the inertia and loss of positivity at work.
The most sophisticated flywheels float on superconducting magnets, so
they spin almost entirely without friction. They are also sealed inside
vacuum chambers, so there are no losses due to air resistance.
When we create a vacuum in our hearts, we attract, store, generate and
expand more of this positive love energy. Essentially, we become a mobile
love generator with an unlimited reservoir of positive energy.
When we create a vacuum in our hearts,
we attract, store, generate and expand
more of this positive love energy.
Essentially, we become a mobile love generator
with an unlimited reservoir of positive energy.
There are some other analogies about flywheels that we can apply to our
situations:
Create a balanced existence by letting the mind refer to the
heart:
A flywheel helps to smooth out the power the wheels receive. So, while
the engine’s cylinder might add power to the flywheel every thirty
seconds, the wheels can then take power from the flywheel at a steady
continuous rate. The engine will roll smoothly instead of jerking along in
fits and starts.
Use pauses to prevent domination of the mind over the heart:
The flywheel can be used to slow down a vehicle, like a brake. As it
does, energy is transferred from the vehicle to the flywheel, which picks
up speed and keeps spinning. You can then disengage the flywheel to make
the vehicle stop completely.
If you take the flywheel (heart)
and spin it twice as fast
to double its angular velocity (double the intensity of
meditation),
you’ll quadruple how much energy (love) it stores.
Let the heart become a love energy generator:
A flywheel can be used to provide temporary extra power when an engine
can’t produce enough. Suppose you want to overtake a slow-moving horse and
cart. Let’s say the flywheel has been spinning for some time but isn’t
currently connected to either the engine or the wheels. When you reconnect
it to the wheels, it provides extra power.
Now, if you take the flywheel (heart) and spin it twice as fast to double
its angular velocity (double the intensity of meditation), you’ll
quadruple how much energy (love) it stores.
That’s why flywheel designers (meditators) typically try to use
high-speed wheels (regular practice) rather than a few long sessions. Even
better, when the Inner Self directs our lives, the spinning continues
non-stop, and we constantly generate love.
Article by
NARENDRA KINI
Illustrations by JASMEE RATHOD
