Sahaj Marg should not be confused with Sahaja Yoga.
Sahaj Marg or Heartfulness Meditation is a set of meditative practices first developed at the turn of the twentieth century and formalized into teaching through Shri Ram Chandra Mission in 1945. It is a form of Raja Yoga meditation system. Use of pranahuti or yogic transmission and the cleaning of impressions (called samskaras) are claimed to be unique to this method.[1] [2]
The Heartfulness Movement's headquarters is located in Kanha Shanti Vanam near Hyderabad in Telangana, India. The current global guide of the organization is Kamlesh Patel (Daaji).[3]
See main article: Shri Ram Chandra Mission. The organizational body Shri Ram Chandra Mission was formally registered in 1945 by Ram Chandra (1899-1983). As part of the Sahaj Marg spiritual practice, Ram Chandra adopted a technique called pranahuti as taught by his spiritual master bearing the same name Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh in India (popularly called "Lalaji" by his followers).[4]
The system involves daily and weekly practices including solitary and group meditation.[5] Heartfulness practices include relaxation, meditation, cleaning (or rejuvenation) and prayer.[6] [7]
Meditation focuses on the practitioner's heart. A subtle yogic transmission, also called pranahuti, is a part of the system, and so is "cleaning" or "rejuvenation", which involves suggestions and positive affirmations. The practitioner performs a prayer before going to bed at night.