Sadhaka Pitta

Sadhaka pitta governs all neuro-chemical changes in the nervous system. The gray matter of the brain regulates the temperature of neurons under sadhaka pitta's influence. It transforms molecules of food, water, and air into cytoplasm, which is further transformed into awareness through subtle cellular metabolic activity. All biochemical neurotransmitters necessary for higher cerebral activity fall under sadhaka pitta.

There are two kinds of knowledge governed by sadhaka pitta: knowledge from memory (information recorded in brain cells) and knowledge from direct perception (the blissful awakening of pure intelligence). Insight comes from direct perception without interference of information. When experience is recorded in brain cells it becomes memory, which is a material process. Unprocessed cytoplasmic content becomes emotion; every thought, feeling, and emotion should be processed into intelligence. That which is not processed is crystallized and stored in the connective tissue.

Sadhaka pitta is present in the heart chakra (cardiac plexus), where it metabolizes and processes feelings and emotions. The heart is therefore the seat of love and compassion. In principle, love is God; in practice, love is feeling and emotion; in actuality, love is compassion, understanding, sharing, and caring. All these manifestations of love are due to sadhaka pitta present in the heart. Every thought and feeling is a biochemical reaction, and understanding the function of sadhaka pitta in the heart makes complex neuro-chemistry a simple phenomenon.

Sadhaka Pitta is present in the gray matter of the brain as certain neurotransmitters, and in the heart as part of the cardiac plexus (heart chakra). It is responsible for knowledge, understanding, comprehension, and appreciation. Sadhaka pitta transforms sensations into feelings and emotions. It also creates the feeling of "I am" — the sense of ego (ahamkara). In Vedic philosophy, ego is not negative; self-confidence and self-esteem are essential for survival and growth.

Sadhaka pitta works closely with prana vayu and tarpaka kapha in governing brain function. There is a sensitive film of white matter over the brain called tarpaka kapha. Within that film, every visual, olfactory, and tactile experience is recorded by prana, but the "ink" used to record the experience is sadhaka pitta. Sadhaka pitta also transforms physical sound into nerve impulses, which travel to the center of hearing where they are processed, digested, and translated into meaning. Meaning, at its essence, is feeling.

As a specialized neurochemical substance in brain cells, sadhaka pitta governs extrasensory perception (ESP) — the important sixth sense. It operates in conjunction with prana, which carries messages from DNA to RNA molecules. In the process of recognition, sadhaka pitta penetrates memory and selects the appropriate file from the vast hologram of RNA/DNA molecules. This is the function of buddhi (intellect). Memory (smruti), mind (manas), intellect, and prana all work together in the presence of ahamkara — the "I am."