Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Guided Kundalini Meditation

By Mark P. Ortiz


Kundalini symptoms are a natural by-product when people awaken the kundalini in their body and mind. This word comes from the Hindu tradition and is used to describe a form of mysterious energy that lies dormant in all of us at the foot of our spine. When awakened this energy rises up the spine, purifies all chakras along the way until it reaches the head where it unites with its 'divine spouse' and the person reaches enlightenment. The concept of energy from our abdomen rising up to the head is not limited to Hinduism but has been known in many spiritual traditions all over the world. In Tibetan Buddhism it is called 'tummo' (literally 'fierce woman'), in parts of Taoism it is referred to as 'neikung' and in the Christian tradition people have used expressions like 'the holy spirit went into him' or simply as 'grace'.

The ancient Rishsi (seers) described an elaborate network of 72,000 nadis, an energetic web-like system spread throughout the human body, very much like the meridians of far Eastern systems. The three most important of these nadis spiral upwards from the root of the spinal column ascending to the crown of the head and the seventh yogic chakra called Sahasrahara. The middle channel, considered the most important of all, is called Sushumana. The other two major nadis on either side of Sushmana are called Ida (the feminine/moon channel) and Pingala (the masculine/sun channel). The six yogic chakras, centers of consciousness, are located vertically above one another at specific intervals along Sushmana where Ida and Pingala cross it.When it is awakened, it begins to rise through sushmana ultimately to reach sahasrahara, uniting with Param Shiva, the eternal unmanifest masculine aspect of the Divine. As it spirals upwards through sushmana, it enters the network of nadis and in ascending opens the chakras/cakras one by one as it rises. (NB:The chakras of the Indian yogic tradition do not correspond to the chakras as they have been understood and popularized in contemporary times.) It is here that we can see clearly the relationship between yoga and kundalini. As outlined through the eight limbs of yoga, yoga as a spiritual practice is a process of 'purification'. This purification can be seen as preparation for the awakening and rising of it. Essentially the more purification has been achieved, the faster and more easily it will ascend to the awaiting 'union' at the crown of the head.

These symptoms of may range from inexplicable physical pain, to extreme emotional disturbances, up to a complete psychotic break-down of one's functioning ego-personality. What makes matters worse, these painful experiences are usually exacerbated by a lot of mental confusion because the person who is going through them often cannot understand what is happening to them.

The force in rising, initiates irreversible spiritual purification as it moves through the subtle channels of the body. This cleansing process manifest in the body as yogic 'Kriyas'. Kriyas are involuntary body movements that occur mostly during meditation or even relaxation. Swaying of the body, rapid movements of the head and shoulders, twitching and jerking, even painful looking contortions, are typical of these 'Kriyas'. Sometimes kriyas take the form of yoga asanas, with people performing them involunatrily . For the onlooker kriyas may appear strange or even frightening when we don't understand what is happening within the person. For the person experiencing them they do not cause any bodily harm and can even lead to states of deep absorption. 'Kundalini', being an energy of Divine consciousness, is aware of what is the appropriate step in the process, making the practitioner perform 'Kriyas' that are specific to this end.Often of greater challenge are the mental and emotional dimensions of this transformational process. Our vasanas*, samskaras* and karmas are held, or stored, in the subconscious. The body in turn holds, or stores the subconscious. We can liken the nadis to the subtle energy storage structure of the subconscious in the body. This means that all experience from our past, that is unhealed, unresolved, or incomplete, is transmuted by it's movement upward through the body towards the crown of the head 'sahasrahra'. This subconscious material, feelings, emotions, and accompanying beliefs invariably consists of trauma, pain, and fear. In the process of its transformation the egoic mind can experience depression, darkness, and emotional pain, sometimes so deep and inexplicable it seems unbearable. Obviously this can be deeply distressing, not only to the person, but also those close to them. This is exacerbated if there is no awareness of it as the cause, or spiritual process.

Yogic texts elaborate how the it's piercing the different consciousness centers (chakras/cakras), can equip the practitioner with siddhis (powers) such as, clairvoyance, the ability to see the past and future, and perceive the existence of subtle planes of existence (among the least dramatic). The vivid and colorful descriptions of the siddhis can be another misguided motivator to pursue awakening the kundalini, in fact these can be quite an unhelpful diversion. When the it reaches Sahasrahara, and the entire system is 'purified' the human spiritual journey is complete as nothing now remains to create the illusion of separation from the Divine and True Nature. This final condition, when all vasanas, samskaras and karmas have been dissolved, is the state known as Moksha. Moksha is then the condition of complete liberation. This differs from enlightenment which begins with the end of identification with mind and reaches it's final conclusion only with Moksha. Until Moksha is attained, the 'enlightened' can still become once more identified with mind, it's vasanas, samskaras and karmas.

If we make an examination of mystical literature and traditions in cultures outside India we find that kundalini, called by various names, seems to have been a universal phenomenon in esoteric teachings for at least the last three thousand years. these descriptions or experiences are found in esoteric teachings and symbolism of the Egyptians, Tibetans, Chinese, some Native Americans, and the Kung bushmen of Africa. it has been interpreted from the Bible as "the solar principle in man," or possibly the concept as 'pneuma', and is referenced in the Koran, the works of Plato and other Greek philosophers, possibly as well in alchemical tracts (the philosopher's stone), and in Hermetic, Kabbalistic, Rosicrucian, and Masonic writings.it is then the power of the Divine within us, and it's awakening and rising will ultimately result in the ultimate 'union' of yoga, the union of Divine consciousness in the human body.*vasana: (Sanskrit) "Subconscious inclination." From vas, "living, remaining." The subliminal inclinations and habit patterns which, as driving forces, color and motivate one's attitudes and future actions. Vasanas are the conglomerate results of subconscious impressions (*samskaras) created through experience. Samskaras, experiential impressions, combine in the subconscious to form vasanas, which thereafter contribute to mental fluctuations, called vritti. The most complex and emotionally charged vasanas are found in the dimension of mind called the subsubconscious, or vasana chitta.




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