The Engine of our Existence

SENTHIL VISWANATHAN reflects upon keeping the human engine running in top condition.

Let us consider the workings of a piston engine—the piston moving in a cylinder harnesses the energy provided by the mixture of fuel and air. The engine comes alive when the initial spark is ignited and is combined with the fuel-air mixture. This initial spark is the infusion of life into the engine. The energy released by the combustion caused by the initial spark is then harnessed and transferred to the crankshaft, which then powers everything else. After the vehicle is set in motion and sufficient momentum is attained, the engine continues to draw in the fuel and air mixture as long as they are available, provided the vehicle is not turned off. The engine’s energy is then transferred through gears and a transmission to power the various other parts of the vehicle. This includes setting the wheel in motion or powering an alternator, which then produces electricity to power the car audio system, etc.

Likewise, in the human system, it seems that the heart is the engine that is set into motion when the initial spark of life descends into it. Once set in motion, it harnesses the vibrational energy of life, powering the entire existence from within. The life-giving force of the heart draws its energy from the “fuel-air mixture” of food and breath, powering the physical existence, which then becomes the foundation for the mind and intellect to blossom. The saying, sarvam annam, translated to “everything is food,” is seen in action in our human body. The life-giving force of the heart serves as the food or energy for both the physical and subtle bodies, each having a spiraling effect on the other. The way this energy is utilized depends on the mind, which seems to control the physical self (akin to the vehicle’s steering wheel, accelerator, and brakes), influenced by the gunas, the three qualities of nature, buddhi, intellect, and the heart’s qualities, which are then manifested as what one thinks and does.

This life-giving force also enables the essential property of embryonic stem cells in the umbilical cord to become any type of cell in the body, which can be used to regenerate or repair diseased tissue and organs.

In a vehicle, what is visible is only the external manifestation of the energy, such as a wheel moving or the stereo system working. The engine is completely eclipsed and covered by layers of gears, transmission, and crankshaft. Similarly, what powers our existence inside out, starting from the life-giving force in the heart, is eclipsed by the internal organs, the external physical self, the mind, and the intellect. Hence, we miss out on what animates us from the inside out and fuels this entire being.

To keep the engine running in top condition, the friction between the parts must be minimal, with no energy wasted. Additionally, the deposit of soot must be removed periodically to maintain the engine’s optimal performance and keep it in pristine condition.

Similarly, the soot covering the heart must be cleaned up so that the vibrations received in the heart are transformed and utilized without any loss, contamination, or additions. The soot of human existence is due to the residue or impressions of our day-to-day actions (karma), our gunas, and our subsequent likes and dislikes influenced by our ego.

To keep the machine running efficiently, the Transmission loss must be minimal. As a human being, the energy that animates my existence, both inside and out, must also be regulated and balanced so that it is utilized for the right pursuits. All of this is possible when the mind is regulated, so that it is in tune and guided by the heart, in turn driving the physical existence in a balanced manner.

As a human being, the energy that animates my
existence, both inside and out, must also be regulated and
balanced, so that it is utilized for the right
pursuits. All of this is possible when the mind is regulated,
so that it is in tune and guided by the heart, in turn driving
the physical existence in a balanced manner.