The Six Subtle Centres (Lata'if Sitta)

لطائف ستہ

The six subtle centres (lata'if sitta) of the human being are the following:

1. Latifa-e-Qalbi (Heart Centre)

The first subtle centre is the Qalb (heart). Its location in the body is a finger's breadth below the left breast — it is associated with the piece of flesh (mudghah) that the hadith speaks of. The method of its practice: close the tongue (press it to the palate), close the teeth, and shut both eyes. Turn the head to the left, and in the space of the imaginary heart (which is the piece of flesh in the shape of a pinecone on the left side), contemplate the Name of the Essence together with the form of the Shaykh. Through this contemplation, absorption in the Name increases — the true purpose is the real heart, that is, Dhat-e-Ilahi in the Name of the Essence, purified of all associations. For someone has well said: 'Union is this — that you remain in it, losing yourself in it, and this is the perfection of union.' All improvement of body and soul depends on the soundness of the heart.

2. Latifa-e-Ruhi (Spirit Centre)

The second subtle centre is the Ruh (spirit). Its location is a finger's breadth below the right breast. The practices of the Qalbi centre are performed in conjunction with those of the Ruhi centre.

3. Latifa-e-Nafsi (Soul Centre)

The third subtle centre is the Nafs (soul). Its location is a finger's breadth above the navel. The Qalbi practices are performed at this location as well. In the Qadiri order, the latifa-e-nafsi is located a finger's breadth above the navel; while in the Naqshbandi order, its location is a finger's breadth below the navel — as has been described.

4. Latifa-e-Sirri (Secret Centre)

The fourth subtle centre is the Sirr (secret). Its location is between the heart and the spirit, in the middle of the chest. The preceding practices are performed at this location as well.

5. Latifa-e-Khafi (Hidden Centre)

The fifth subtle centre is the Khafi (hidden). Its location is the forehead.

6. Latifa-e-Akhfa (Most Hidden Centre)

The sixth subtle centre is the Akhfa (most hidden). Its location is the brain. The method of the dhikr of this path is indicated by the hadith of the noble Prophet (peace be upon him): 'In the body of Adam's child there is a mudghah (piece of flesh) — in the body, and in the mudghah a qalb (heart), and in the qalb a sirr, and in the sirr a khafi, and in the khafi an akhfa.' Thus is known the full structure of the subtle centres.

One should know that the human being is a composite of ten parts: the six subtle centres (lata'if sitta) and the four material elements (anasir arba'a). The joints of the material world are in this world, and the great world (the macrocosm) is the macrocosmic order. The elements have their joints in the world of nature, and the heart and its subtle counterpart are in other realms — for the heart is above the Throne in its ultimate reality, and the subtle centres beneath the Throne belong to other subtle planes. Between the Throne and the world of nature lies the Barzakh. The heart is the beginning: the heart's source is the Spirit, and the Spirit's source is the Secret, and the Secret's source is the Hidden, and the Hidden's source is the Most Hidden.

Know that when the wisdom of Allah Most High, by His transcendent wisdom, intended to place the frame of the human body into shape, He placed the subtle centres upon the Throne and sent them down to it — and made them affiliated with the bodily element. He gave each subtle centre an appropriate place in the bodily frame. Thus the Qalb is placed in the piece of flesh in the chest on the left side, and according to Hazrat Syed Adam Banuri (may his secret be sanctified), in the middle of the chest; and the Ruh (Spirit) is in the left breast, to the left side; and according to Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Thani (may his secret be sanctified), the Ruh is at the right side of the chest; and the Khafi is to the left side of the chest; and according to Hazrat Syed Adam Banuri (may his secret be sanctified), the Akhfa is to the front of the chest; and according to Hazrat Mujaddid, the Sirr is in the middle of the chest close to the breast; and the nafs is close to the navel. The evidence for this is the hadith: 'Your most severe enemy is your nafs between your two sides.' And Hazrat Mujaddid has transmitted the following hadith: 'From the souls of the truthful, sanctity and elevation emerge in the brain.'

The summary of the subtle centres is as follows: according to some, the Qalb of Hazrat Mujaddid is close to Syed Adam — they differ, for they are followers and disciples — perhaps the difference is due to the difference in the levels of manifestation.

Some people say that dhikr of the heart is the fact that the divine Presence and the divine Reality both come toward the heart — that is, the divine Reality shines on one side and the dhikr of spirit becomes shadowed. And the dhikr of the hidden (khafi) is this: that the spirit exists, and the dhikr becomes performed, and nothing other than the dhikr remains. The dhikr of the hidden (sirr) is the fact that the dhikr comes and the remembering and remembered merge — it is the dhikr of the divine Reality alone, and nothing else. And in this regard, as Hazrat Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi and the disciples have said, each subtle centre is specifically related to one part of the body: the Qalb to the left side of the breast, and the Spirit and heart are in the right side, and in this motion all the limbs are in motion — it is this motion's protection in the Name of the Essence that one must endeavour to continue — maintaining this motion with the mind that the divine Being encompasses all, and the nafs is merely the name of the faculty of the nafs, and from time to time the nafs becomes a constant faculty.

This is a general summary of the subtle centres. Their detailed explanation is this: the colour of the Qalb of Hazrat Mujaddid is a close red, and the colour of Syed Adam Banuri is a yellow-white — the Qalb is the most fine of the subtle centres. Its spiritual station is under the wilayat of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) — whoever reaches this subtle centre by the method of Hazrat Ibrahim will reach it. After this subtle centre, the holder of this subtle centre acquires the two levels of wilayat — the Ruh has the original attributes of the divine Reality as its essence, and the attributes are the attributes of the divine Reality closest to the divine Truth — for the attributes of actions are the beginning of the attributes, and the perfection of the Ruh is to be annihilated in actions and thereafter in attributes.

The colour of the Ruh (Spirit) of Hazrat Mujaddid is a reddish colour, and of Syed Adam Banuri it is a white colour — it is the finest of the subtle centres. Its wilayat station is under the step of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him). According to Hazrat Mujaddid, after fulfilling the practices of this subtle centre, the holder of this subtle centre acquires five levels of wilayat. The Ruh has the original attributes of the divine Reality — because the original attributes are the closest to the divine Truth — for the attributes of actions are the beginning of the attributes, and the perfection of the Spirit is to be annihilated in the attributes and thereafter in the actions.

The colour of the Sirr (Secret) of Hazrat Mujaddid is dark, and of Syed Adam Banuri it is black — its comprehensive subtle centre is the Akhfa. It is the most beautiful of all subtle centres. Its wilayat is under the step of Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) — Mosaic spiritual station. After fulfilling the practices of the preceding subtle centres, the holder of this subtle centre acquires three levels from the five levels of wilayat — the Sirr has the original manifestations of the divine Being — because the original manifestations are closer to Being than the attributes — for Being is the beginning of the manifestations, and the perfection of the Sirr is to be annihilated in the attributes and thereafter to be annihilated in the Being.

The colour of the Akhfa (Most Hidden) of Hazrat Mujaddid is dark, and Syed Adam Banuri's colour is black — its interior is to the right. Its wilayat station is under the station of Hazrat 'Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) — 'Isa-related spiritual path. After the preceding subtle centres have been traversed by the practitioner, the holder of this subtle centre acquires four levels from the five levels of wilayat. The Akhfa is the finest and most beautiful of all subtle centres. The divine Essence is absolutely close — it is a condensed Essence — its complete perfection is the manifestation of all determinations of the absolute undifferentiated Essence.