10.09.08
Rubbish on kundalini, but ‘grist for the mill’
A lot of rubbish on kundalini, but of interest since Gurdjieff speaks of the organ ‘kundabuffer’ (more rubbish).
There is something that has to be called ‘lost knowledge’ here, in an evolutionary sense we cannot achieve at the moment. A series of questions.
(which most gurus, even good ones, are unable to answer.) Beware. caveat lector
—————–
[from http://www.hmt.com/kundalini/kundalini-faq.html ]
K U N D A L I N I
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND SELECTED REFERENCESBy
Kurt KeutzerVersion 2.0, January 1996
Copyright (c) Kurt Keutzer, 1996 (keutzer@synopsys.com) All Rights
Reserved
____________________________________________________________The author grants the right to copy and distribute this file, provided
it remains unmodified and original authorship and copyright is retained.
Adding tasteful artwork is encouraged. Please do not change the title
(in html) of this document. The author retains both the right and
intention to modify and extend this document.
____________________________________________________________This FAQ gives a background on the phenomenon of kundalini and is
assumed material before reading the other related articles:Kundalini Yogas FAQ
Siddha Mahayoga FAQ
The Siddha Mahayoga Tradition of Swami Shivom TirthI bow to the vibrant source of my innermost bliss.
____________________________________________________________TABLE OF CONTENTS:
What is kundalini?
What is the difference between prana and kundalini? What is the
difference between qi (or chi) and kundalini?If kundalini is universal why do some kundalini yogins seem to
have more kundalini-energy than others ?What does kundalini have to do with spiritual enlightenment? What
is the goal of kundalini yoga?Does everyone agree that kundalini awakening is necessary for
enlightenment?Can I just use kundalini yoga simply to improve my health?
Is there any scientific basis for kundalini and the cakras? Do I
really have to believe that all these cakras physically exist?Is Chinese qi gong a kind of kundalini yoga?
What about Tibetan Buddhism – has kundalini been known in Tibet?
Are there any other traditions that show awareness of kundalini?
So how do I awaken kundalini?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using effort to
awaken kundalini?What are the signs of an awakened kundalini?
Are these methods of awakening kundalini dangerous? What about
Gopi Krishna’s books?But even if kundalini is dangerous, isn’t it a faster way to
enlighenment?There have been many scandals among kundalini yoga teachers -
particularly sexual scandals. Is there a correlation between
sexual scandals and kundalini yoga practice?If my kundalini is awakened will I need to change my lifestyle?
Do I need to be celibate?Where can I learn more?
What is kundalini?
“Kundalini” literally means coiling, like a snake. In the
classical literature of hatha yoga kundalini is described as a
coiled serpent at the base of the spine. The image of coiling,
like a spring, conveys the sense of untapped potential energy.
Perhaps more meaningfully kundalini can be described as a great
reservoir of creative energy at the base of the spine. It’s not
useful to sit with our consciousness fixed in our head and think
of kundalini as a foreign force running up and down our spine.
Unfortunately the serpent image may serve to accentuate this
alien nature of the image. It’s more useful to think of kundalini
energy as the very foundation of our consciousness so that when
kundalini moves through our bodies our consciousness necessarily
changes with it.The concept of kundalini can also be examined from a strictly
psychological perspective. From this perspective kundalini can be
thought of as a rich source of psychic or libidinous energy in
our unconscious.In the classical literature of Kashmir Shaivism kundalini is
described in three different manifestions. The first of these is
as the universal energy or para-kundalini. The second of these is
as the energizing function of the body-mind complex or
prana-kundalini. The third of these is as consciousness or
shakti-kundalini which simultaneously subsumes and intermediates
between these two. Ultimately these three forms are the same but
understanding these three different forms will help to understand
the differerent manifestations of kundalini.Return to table of contents
What is the difference between prana and kundalini? What is the difference
between qi (or chi) and kundalini?First let us try to relate to concepts from the same tradition -
prana and kundalini. Prana has been translated as the “vital
breath” and “bio-energetic motility”; it is associated with
maintaining the functioning of the mind and body. Kundalini, in
its form as prana-kundalini, is identical to prana ; however,
Kundalini also has a manifestations as consciousness and a as a
unifying cosmic energy. One could ascribe these same aspects to
prana as well so past a certain point these become distinctions
without differences.From the subjective standpoint of an individual actually
experiencing the awakening of kundalini I have found three
completely different opinions:
The first opinion is that a pranic awakening is only a prelude to
a full kundalini awakening. Tibetan yogins that I have
encountered consider the activation of prana (Tibetan: rlung) as
merely a prerequisite for the activation of kundalini (Tibetan:
gTummo). What’s attractive about this viewpoint is that it
explains the difference between the experience of simply having
pleasant sensations in the spine and the much more powerful
experience of having a “freight-train”-like full kundalini
experience.
The second opinion, espoused by Swami Shivom Tirth for example,
is that prana and kundalini are absolutely equivalent and that it
is not meaningful in any way to describe a difference between
kundalini rising and prana rising. When posed with question as to
how to distinguish between pleasant sensations that show some
pranic-activity in the spine and the much more powerful
experience Swami Shivom Tirth said that the difference is not in
the nature of the activity but in the consciousness that observes
it. If the consciousness that experiences the pranic activity is
seated within the spine (or more correctly, the central channel,
known as the sushumna), then the experience is felt much more
powerfully.
The third opinion, espoused by the modern hatha yogin, Desikaran,
is that pranic awakening is the true experience to be aimed for
and kundalini is actually an obstruction. Desikaran sees the
kundalini as a block in the central channel and thus the
kundalini must be “killed” to make way for the prana. This is
the most unusual view of the three.The Chinese concept of qi (or chi) can be safely identified with
the Indian concept of prana.If all this seems confusing – don’t worry, you’re in good
company. My conclusion is that these are all different
terminologies for dealing with a common set of experiences. Any
one of these viewpoints is adequate for describing the full range
of experiences. What is probably more relevant is to distinguish
two different experiences which are often confused. In one an
individual experiences some pleasant energizing electric energy
running along the spine. This experience itself brings about a
wide range of experiences and results in vitality and
sensitivity. Another very distinct experience is the experience
of kundalini entering the sushumna and rising up the spine. As
soon as kundalini enters the sushumna this experience will
completely overwhelm ordinary waking consciousness. From the
moment that kundalini enters the sushumna there will no longer be
a distrinction between the subjective consciousness which
experiences and the object of experience. This experience much
more profoundly transfigures consciousness.Return to table of contents
If kundalini is universal, why do some kundalini yogins seem to have more
kundalini-energy than others ??It’s an intriguing question. If an individual’s kundalini is
viewed as simply a personal reservoir of a cosmic energy then why
would one person appear to have more of a reservoir of kundalini
energy than another? Nevertheless, this does appear to be the
case. This is probably another advantage of the viewpoint that
prana (or qi) is the same as kundalini. Some Chinese texts
distinguish between “innate qi” or “pre-natal qi” that one is
born with and “cultivated qi” that can be developed. Clearly
some people simply have more “innate qi.” This manifests as a
stronger more resilient body and greater general vitality.Through training those that have relatively weak “innate qi”
may surpass those who have strong “innate qi” but do not train.
There are many stories in the Chinese literature of Qi Gong about
people who took up Qi Gong in order to improve their poor health
became powerful martial artists or great qi gong masters. Of
course those that have strong “innate qi” and also train their
qi may develop the strongest qi of all.Return to table of contents
What does kundalini have to do with spiritual enlightenment? What is the
goal of kundalini yoga?First we need a few concepts: In yogic anatomy the sushumna is
the central channel and conduit for the kundalini energy that
runs along our spine and up to the crown of our head. Along this
channel are placed additional channel networks called cakras.
These cakras are associated with major aspects of our anatomy -
for example our throat, heart, solar plexus, and in turn these
aspects of our anatomy are related to aspects of our human
nature. According to the literature of kundalini yoga our
experience of these centers is limited due to knots which
restrict the flow of energy into these centers. Three knots are
particuarly important. The knot of Brahma which restricts the
center at the base of the spine. The knot of Vishnu which
restricts the heart center and the knot of Rudra which restricts
the center between the eyebrows. These knots form an important
framework in yogic thinking and the stages toward enlightenment
are articulated in terms of breaking through these knots in the
yogic classic the Hatha Yoga Pradipika as well as in some of the
yoga upanishads. Specifically, four stages of progress are
described:
arambha,
ghata,
parichaya and
nishpatti.Arambha is associated with breaking the knot of Brahma and the
awakening of kundalini. Ghata is associated with breaking the
knot of Vishnu and and with internal absorption. Parichaya the
absorption deepens and in nishpatti the knot of Rudra is pierced
and the kundalini may ascend to the center at the crown of the
head. In this state transcendence is integrated and, according to
the yogic liteature, the yogi has nothing more to attain.Putting these elaborate physiological decriptions aside, the goal
of kundalini yoga is the same as the goal of any legimitate
spiritual practice: To be liberated from the limited bounds of
the self-centered and alienated ego. In kundalini yoga this is
associated with internal manifestations of the kundalini but the
external manifestations should be similar to any other
legitiimate spiritual practice.Return to table of contents
So does everyone agree that kundalini awakening is necessary for
enlightenment?The view that kundalini awakening is necessary for enlightenment
is held in the diverse literature of Kashmir Shaivism and in
other Hindu Tantric literature. It is found in the literature of
the Hatha Yogis and the Nath Sampradaya. You will find similar
views in many Buddhist Tantric works. In addition this view is
held by recent spiritual figures such as Shri Ramakrishna, Swami
Sivananda, Paramahamsa Yogananda and Swami Vivekananda and of
course by contemporary kundalini yogins themselves.Nevertheless there are some dissenters from this view. These
include Sri Chinmoy, Da Free John and Gurdjieff. Dissent can take
a number of different forms. For Gurjieff kundalini is associated
only with a binding force that leads us to be more attached to
the world. Such a view of kundalini is not entirely inaccurate
but only reflects the functioning of kundalini in the lower
energy centers. For Sri Chinmoy kundalini is an amplifying
function that may make an individual more powerful but not more
enlightened. From my perspective this also only addresses the
impact of kundalini while it operates in the lower energy
centers.Da Free John (born Franklin Jones, a. k. a. Da Love Ananda) has a
much more fundamental criticism of kundalini. As far as I
understand his position, for him enlightenment cannot be the
result of an experience; it is a cognitive transformation.
Kundalini may evoke a wide variety of experiences but these are
not in and of themselves enlightening. This is an interesting
perspective but it seems to assume that the raising of kundalini
is an experience in which an ego-consciousness experiences a
separate object known as kundalini. Again, this view is
consistent with the experience of kundalini in the lower energy
centers in which the ego is detached from the movement of
kundalini and kundalini experiences are precieved as separate
from oneself. However, I would argue that as kundalini rises the
ego-consciousness becomes infused in a more fundamental
consciousness of cit-shakti-kundalini and this experience does in
fact produce a fundamental cognitive change.Finally, there are many other spiritual practices, such as Zen,
Vipassana meditation that consider kundalini irrelevant. Some
practitioners or even teachers of these paths, such as Jiyu
Kennet, may have kundalini experiences but generally kundalini is
not a pivotal part of these paths.Return to table of contents
Can I use kundalini yoga simply to improve my health?
Yoga exercises which were traditionally used to purify the body
in preparation for awakening the kundalini can also be used
simply to improve the health. To practice techniques aimed at
actively awakening kundalini with the goal of simply improving
your health seems to be a misuse of these powerful techniques.There are those that teach kundalini yoga principally emphasizing
its benefits on health without much discussion of the spiritual
benefits. This is how hatha yoga has been taught in the west for
some time. The affect of this approach depends on the attitude of
the student. There is certainly nothing wrong with trying to
improve your health but there is a tension between awakening an
energy that will ultimately burn up the ego and trying to shape
that energy to simply fulfill an ego-oriented motive.Return to table of contents
Is there any scientific basis for kundalini and the cakras? Do I really
have to believe that all these cakras physically exist?Research on kundalini is especially spotty. There is no
compelling work to show that the system represents insights into
actual human anatomy. But it’s important to understand that
kundalini and its network of channels and cakras is simply how
yogins have chosen to explain their experience and that yogins
from many cultures have arrived at similar, though not identical,
concepts. The true physical mechanisms underlying these
experiences may be very different from those described. Izaak
Benthov has proposed a model to explain kundalini in terms of
micro- motion in the brain. In this model experiences are
associated with parts of the body, such as the heart, because the
part of the brain associated with that part of the body is
stimulated by micro-vibrations. His model is treated in “The
Kundalini Experience” by Sannella referenced below. From a
practical perspective the key thing is our subjective experience
and that the roadmap of these subjective experiences has been
mapped out.Return to table of contents
Is Chinese qi gong a kind of kundalini yoga?
If there is any contemporary teaching that is even more diverse
in approach than kundalini yoga it must be qi gong. As a result
it is hard to compare kundalini yoga to qi gong. From my limited
exposure to qi gong it is clear there are many qi gong practices
that are identical to kundalini yoga practices. What is also
clear is that may qi gong practitioners have reported experiences
that are identical to those of kundalini yogins. In so far as
each of these practices aims at eliminating blocks to the
qi/prana energy then they share a common ground.Return to table of contents
What about Tibetan Buddhism – has kundalini been known in Tibet?
Kundalini yoga in the Natha Sampradaya and Vajrayana in Tibetan
Buddhism both take their origin from the Mahasiddhas who were
active in India from the 8th century to the 12th century.
Kundalini yoga practices formed the core of the teachings of a
number of these Mahasiddhas and are strongly represented in both
Tibetan Buddhist practices and contemporary kundalini yoga
practices. Kundalini yoga was spoken of as “Candali yoga” by
these Mahasiddhas and became known as gTummo rnal ‘byor in Tibet.
Candali yoga was a key practice of the famous Tibetan yogin
Milarepa. The role of kundalini yoga in Tibetan Buddhism is
discussed in more detail in the Kundalini Yogas FAQ.Return to table of contents
Are there any other traditions that show awareness of kundalini?
If you believe that kundalini is at the basis of spiritual
progress then every valid spiritual tradition must have some
awareness of kundalini. Christianity (especially Quakerism and
Pentecostalism), Sufism, Qabalistic mysticism, alchemy and magick
all have literature which demonstrates some awareness of the
kundalini process but these traditions are not, to this author’s
awareness, so open in their exposition of the techniques and so
it is hard to judge the depth of understanding latent in these
traditions. Nevertheless, the imagery is so unmistakable in these
traditions that each must have, at least at one time, been
conversant with the movement of kundalini.Return to table of contents
So how do I awaken kundalini?
Indirectly kundalini can be awakened by devotion, by selfless
service, or by intellectual enquiry. In these paths the blocks to
the awakening of kundalini are slowly removed. Occasionally,
individuals on these paths will experience a sudden awakening of
kundalini but generally because the blocks are slowly and gently
removed kundalini-like experiences evolve slowly in these paths.Broadly speaking there are two radically different direct
approaches to awakening kundalini. One approach requires
initiation by a guru and relies upon a technique called
shaktipat, or “descent of shakti.” It is variously called:
Siddha Mahayoga, Kundalini Mahayoga or Sahaja Yoga (Spontaneous
Yoga). These approaches are treated in the Siddha Mahayoga FAQ.
The other approach uses intentional yogic techniques . The styles
using intentional techniques include Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga,
Laya Yoga or Kriya Yoga. These approaches are treated in the
Kundalini Yogas FAQ .Fundamentally the approach of Siddha Mahayoga and the Kundalini
Yogas are different. In Siddha Mahayoga the guru awakens the
kundalini and after that the core of the practice is the inactive
and non-willful surrender to kundalini. In Kundalini Yogas the
will is used to awaken the kundalini and to guide its progress.
Clearly these are different approaches. Nevertheless, elements of
the each approach occur in the practices of the other. Siddha
Mahayogins may use asanas, pranayamas and other hatha yoga
practices. On the other hand gurus in Kundalini Yoga may give
infusions of shakti to their students to help them at particular
points in their practice.Return to table of contents
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using effort, in kundalini
yogas, as opposed to the grace of the guru, in siddha mahayoga, to awaken
kundalini?Since every practitioner brings his own unique inclinations and
obstacles to the practice of yoga it is very hard to generalize
on this point. In terms of actually awakening kundalini gurus of
Siddha Mahayoga claim that the kundalini is more easily and
reliably awakened by the grace of the guru than by individual
effort. In my limited experience I would agree. with this
assertion. While not every long-term student of either practice
necessarily shows signs of kundalini awakening it is amazing how
many people have had instant awakenings of kundalini through
initiation from siddha gurus.In terms of encountering difficulties along the path the siddha
gurus would also claim that fewer problems due to kundalini
awakening, such as mental imbalance, are encountered by students
of Siddha Mahayoga. Here I think the results are mixed. It seems
to me that the guidance of the teacher in either Siddha Mahayoga
or Kundalini Yoga is more a determining factor than which style
of kundalini practice is employed.Generally speaking each style of practice has its strengths and
weakness. The strength of Siddha Mahayoga is the ease with which
it awakens the kundalini. The weakness is that because the
kundalini is so easily awakened by the guru students of Siddha
Mahayoga often have completely undisciplined personal meditation
practices. Time is spent instead to trying to recreate some of
their initial experiences by following the guru around hoping for
his or her grace Some people spend 20 or more years in this
manner without ever developing an inner core of practice or
experience.The strength of the family of Kundalini Yogas is that the
progress is at least apparently more under the control of the
student of the yoga. These students seem more likely to have
disciplined personal practices and more of an understanding of
how the practice relates to their own experience. Unfortunately
for some students this leads to a fairly egotistical approach to
their practice and ultimately the kundalini energy is used to
bolster the ego rather than to merge the ego in bliss.Return to table of contents
What are the signs of an awakened kundalini?
Briefly, according to classical literature the signs of an
awakened kundalini can be grouped into: mental signs, vocal signs
and physical signs. Mental signs can include visions that range
from ecstatically blissful to terrifyingly frightful. Vocal signs
can include spontaneous vocal expressions that range from singing
or reciting mantras to make various animals sounds such as
growling or chirping. Physical signs include trembling, shaking
and spontaneously performing hatha yoga postures and pranayamas.From a more subjective perspective the more pleasant experiences
associated with a kundalini awakening may include: waves of
bliss, periods of elation, glimpses of transcendental
consciousness. The less pleasant experiences associated with a
kundalini awakening may include: trembling, sharp aches in areas
associated with the cakras, periods of irrational anxiety, sudden
flashes of heat.Return to table of contents
Are these methods of awakening kundalini dangerous? What about Gopi
Krishna’s books?If we take the psychological perspective and view kundalini as
the power latent in our unconscious then it is easy to understand
that awakening this force is going to bring a greater amount of
unconscious material into our consciousness. Even in the best of
circumstances this is likely to be uncomfortable and if an
individual is barely coping with his unconscious even under
normal circumstances then awakening kundalini may push the
individual over into psychosis. This phenomenon has been
documented many times.Forceful methods of awakening kundalini pose additional dangers.
Because quite forceful methods can be used to awaken kundalini
these techniques themselves are potentially physically and
mentally disruptive. An individual named Gopi Krishna awakened
his kundalini by doing unguided meditation on his crown cakra.
His life after awakening was both blessed by ecstatic bliss and
tormented by physical and mental discomfort. Eventually his
experience stabilized. He wrote down his experiences in a
recently re-released autbiography entitled “Living with
Kundalini.” Gopi Krishna’s autobiography appears to be an honest
representation of his experiences but it is only one extreme
datapoint in the panorama of experience on kundalini yoga. It
represents dangers in forceful unguided practice but it is not
representative of a typical practicioner’s experience.Return to table of contents
But even if kundalini is dangerous, isn’t it a faster way to enlighenment?
First of all it may be useful to observe that there is no
technique currently known on earth that appears to be rapidly
catapulting large number of individuals toward enlightenment.
Because kundalini yogas deal so directly with a powerful
enlightening force it seems natural that they would be
“faster”, but there appears to be alot of tortoise and hare
phenomena at work with newbie kundalini yogins. Many people begin
kundalini yogas, have strong initial experiences and then become
frightened. Many who perservere through this initial phase become
distracted by the energy and focus on temporal and phenomenal
applications of the energy.There have been many scandals among kundalini yoga teachers – particularly
sexual scandals. Is there a correlation between sexual scandals and
kundalini yoga practice?There have been scandals regarding the teachers of many paths,
both spiritual and non-spiritual ; however, it is probably fair
to say that kundalini yogins have had more than their share.
Since the first publication of these frequently-asked-questions
in 1994 more than one well-known kundalini yoga teacher has been
implicated in having clandestine affairs with students and has
been asked to step down from his position as spiritual leader as
a result.An advanced kundalini yogin is typically a powerful charismatic
individual who has the ability to directly influence the minds of
others. Westerners often mistake this power as a sign of
enlightenment and allow such teachers liberties as a result.In addition it is quite common for kundalini yoga to temporarily
accentuate the sex drive. This period requires extra discipline.
Finally, kundalini yoga is closely associated with tantrism and
sex is often used in conjunction with tantric practice. Where sex
is used there is of course the opportunity for misuse or abuse.Return to table of contents
If my kundalini is awakened will I need to change my lifestyle?
It’s hard to have your cake and eat it too. If you awaken
kundalini in order to change and enrich your life it’s reasonable
to expect you may need to change your lifestyle as a result. The
recommendations of both classical literature and experience is
that sleep and diet will need to be moderated otherwise severe
discomfort may arise. Furthermore without moderating sexual
activity and physical work it will be hard to experience much
success with kundalini. The extent that these elements of your
life need to change depends on the nature of the individual.
While genuine mental imbalances arising from kundalini are rare
nearly every kundalini yogin will find periods when one needs to
be especially sensitive to needs for sleep, quiet and diet.Return to table of contents
Where can I learn more?
Here are some references for further reading. They may not be the
easiest books to find but they are currently in print and are
very good in their categories. Note that by definition no
reputable book on kundalini will tell you how to awaken your
kundalini. Either by effort or by shaktipat initiation,
practicing kundalini yoga requires the instruction of an
experienced teacher. Some introductory practices for cleansing
the channels can be learned from books.Good introductory survey:
White, John (Editor) (1990). Kundalini – Evolution and
Enlightenment. New York: Paragon House.Classical Works:
Svatmarama (1985). The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Swami
Muktibodhananda Saraswati, Trans.). (First ed.). Munger,
Bihar: Bihar School of Yoga.Silburn, L. (1988). Kundalini – Energy of the Depths (Jacques
Gontier, Trans.). Albany, NY: State University of New York.
____________________________________________________________Contemporary Kundalini Yogins:
Chetanananda, S. (1991). Dynamic Stillness. Cambridge,
Massachusetts: Rudra Press.Muktananda, Swami (1989b). From the Finite to the Infinite
(First ed.). Volumes I &II, South Fallsburg, NY: Siddha Yoga
Dham of America Foundation.Tirtha, Swami Vishnu (1980b). Devatma Shakti (Fifth ed.).
Rishikesh: Yoga Shri Peeth Trust.On-line materials:
There are a host of related materials now published on the Web.
Since they move around the simplest thing is to simply perform an
altavista search (Altavista Search Engine) on the word
“kundalini.”Return to table of contents
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awakening of kundalini energy. Many people consider this energy
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assistance of a guide. Use your own best judgment. By all means,
be extremely careful, and progress slowly and cautiously on your
path to Kundalini Awakening. It is in your best interest to do
so.
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sillykitty said,
10.09.08 at 5:36 pm
shaktipat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzcYhRPJUV4&feature=related