Tag Archives: Chakras

Kundalini Shakti in the West: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, Kundalini, LIFESTYLE, Meditation, PERSONAL, TEACHERS, Yoga . , , , , , ,

Kundalini Yoga in the West

Luthar.com

The notion of Kundalini Shakti is at the heart of yoga and is embedded in virtually all Eastern traditions regardless of the name or label that is given. If we carefully examine any school of yoga, tantra, or various traditions (Shakti, Shaivite, Kashmiri Shaivism), there will usually be some descriptions of Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Kriyas, Mudras, Mantras, and different types of meditations on the Chakras (energy centers).

In the Shakti traditions, detailed descriptions are given of the various aspects of the visions of the Goddess that arise in meditation. Even in the school of Advaita Vedanta, which does not depend on the practices associated with Shakti Yoga, we see that the great scholar/saint Adi Shankracharya has written hymns to the Goddess who represents Shakti, the divine power.

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Sadhana, Ardhana, Pradhupati: By Pieter Schoonheim Samara

. Advaita and Yoga . , , , ,

As you continue your daily sadhana, something new will begin to emerge, which Yogi Bhajan
calls ardhana, where the experience of sadhana seemed to take on a more etheric dimension,
and you begin to experience a sublimation of the minds outward flow of attention to the
changing polarities of the mind, as though there are periodic jumps in the overall atmospheric
pressure of the energy consciousness in and through the neutral body (4th chakra), physical
body (5th chakra), arc line (6th chakra) , auric body (pineal gland – crown chakra), pranic
body, subtle body, radiant body (energy pulses down through the tenth gate and up through
the crown expanding a golden hue radiance over 9 feet from the body).

The idea of raising Kundalini from the base of the spine to the crown, begins to become an
afterthought, as the overall satvic pressure seemed to open every system, from the Kandal to
the ida and pingala and sushumna, to the gold cord and centers in the brain, to the One Star in
the heart and right major vagus nerve to the Crown – as through there was a continuing influx
or infilling of what one might call a feeling of inward pulling (like gravity) and
expansive/pervasive light from inside and outside, even dissolving the notion of
inside/outside. Subject without a seer. Action without a doer.

All this to say that you shouldn’t feel surprised in your daily practice of Sadhana to begin to
notice similarly a sense of the pure indwelling light of your own infinite being, quietly shining
through the thoughts and images in your mind, as the sense of “I” disengages from attention.

These words will become meaningful: As you begin to find yourself abiding as single
unconditioned pure living light, “the screen upon which moves the kaleidoscopic picture
composed of mobile and immobile objects of the Universe” (from The Cream
of Emancipation verse 144) – the experience of “pradhupati” or crystallization that Yogi
Bhajan talks about – that over time prevails through the waking state (opaque), then the dream
state, as dream sleep becomes less (semi-precious gem), then the unconscious state, as you
awaken to the ever present awake awareness of the Self of Its Creation (gem state), and then
beyond, the Turya state – the purely crystallized consciousness, like a flawless diamond.

Sadhana and daily practice comprises

  1. KY exercises and kriyas
    • [Tappa – to generate heat and electricity on the body field]
    • What we’ve called the Yoga of Light that elevates the minds vibration above
      the frequency of thoughts and images, filling the nadi’s with energy
      consciousness (Prana) that has an effect like the tightening of guitar strings so
      that the whole body resonates and radiates

      • Meditations on radiance through short Kundalini Yoga exercises with a
        dynamic aspect of posture, movement and breathing, followed by a
        static aspect of watchful awareness of he flow of etheric radiance in
        and through the body
      • Meditation on the force of “will,” which produces a powerful single
        sense of Self, resulting from the persevering and enduring of long
        periods of stress in maintaining a posture, movement and breathing,
        followed by an equally long period of feeling the sense of abiding as
        single Self Witness.
  2. chanting mantra
    • [Jappa – to generate radiant/resonance that links the conscious mind to the
      pervasive Naad vibration of the universe]
    • What we’ve called the Yoga of Sound that takes hold of the 72,000 charged
      nadis, releasing their energy into a crescendo of radiance exponentially greater
      than the vibration produced by the Yoga of Light

    Tappa and Jappa together producing laya, i.e., expansive radiance that absorbs
    identity to thought and impressions

    Producing a decoding of the habits and impressions stored and bound throughout the
    body field and

    Substituting the re-imprinting of sacred sound of the mantra that links the body and
    mind to the unexcelled experience of simran/ Naad/ anahat (unstruck sound)

    • and
  3. slow controlled repetitive breath
    • Sanjam – resulting in simran, the attunement to the soundless sound of the
      infinite being

    Producing pratyahar – a singular stillness of “simran” from and within
    which thoughts and impressions are seen to rise and fall without the least trace or
    effort to grasp them or hold them within the mind’s power of attention

    • and
  4. Study – reading (without thought, conjecture or opinion, but just to “hear” (sunia /
    sravana) the sacred words of Saints and Saviors (Sat Gurus) describing their
    experience, recollection and abidance in and as the Self, that Light that lights each of
    us from and through the Heart (Hrdayam/One Star)

    • scripture, such as Jaap Ji, Jaap Sahib and other non-dual texts and Gitas
    • which results in the Self “hearing,” recollecting (as though coming out
      of an amnesia) and abiding in and as Its True Identity,
    • which we experience as our own Self
    • which we call the Nam
    • where hearing and recollection refer to the soundless sound of the “I”
      pulsing as “I” and abiding refers to cessation, final relinquishment,
      dissolution of ideas of seer and seen.
    • and
  5. the words of Yogi Bhajan about all this in your TT Manual and other sources.
    As your sensorial experience expands, these words read over from time
    to time will fill in with a new meaning and depth, and moreover that it
  6. is possible to become pure and in that purity “hear” the Truth. Pieter
    https://luthar.com/kundalini-yoga/

Chakras: The Pathway to Enlightenment by Rita Minassian

. Advaita and Yoga, Chakra healing, Kundalini, LIFESTYLE, Love, Meditation, Spirituality, Tantra . , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rita Minassian holistic therapist chakra-balancing 

The chakras energy centers, a Sanskrit word for « wheel » or « disk », are the keys to reach Enlightenment. Through their meaning, colors, symbols, we can embrace the whole history of humanity starting from its root toward its supreme realization we’re all walking toward.

 

The Mulhadara chakra (or root chakra) located at the base of the spine is the chakra of our fundation: it refers to our survival instincts, self preservation and security. During prehistoric ages, people’s first occupation was struggling to survive. All their activities were about eating, finding a grotto to protect themselves from dangerous animal’s attack or bad weather, and when the moment came, to protect their precious source of fire.

 

Middle ages and Renaissance period were the theater of conquerors around the world. Crusaders or  conquistadors were fighting to conquer territories like Holly land and south America in tremendous violence, while other one were competing for the power of a royal throne and wealth, killing or raping people without guilt.

 

Through centuries, humanity progressed to Svadhistana, our second orange chakra just below the navel. It connects us to others through feeling, desire, sensation, and movement. It represents our capability to exchange and interconnect with the others. This need lead people to the sexual freedom in the 70’s: Woodstock and the use of the orange color during this period of time was the tangible representation of that desire to free the energy of Svadhistana chakra.

 

During the 80’s, we entered the Manipura chakra Era. This yellow solar plexus chakra represents, ego, identity and is oriented to self-definition. Time came for women who wanted some more recognition in society to adopt a “male look” through ties and shoulder pads on fashion at that time, businesswomen were becoming more and more numerous in companies, where self progression was motivating each step of corporate associates, male and female.  Ambition, self realization in a materialistic way: people just worked to achieve some personal goals through one rule, “Me first” …

 

Have you noticed how purple color overflowed fashion this year? For who knows the chakra color system it is surprising to talk about purple color instead of Anahata’s beautiful emerald green color… But shifting from  Manipura to Anahata, from ego to heart and Love, to generosity, non judgment, non violence, we need a lot of transformation and spirituality which is actually the symbol of purple color. Purple was also present during the 70’s when desire to enter the “New age” through a new spirituality was emerging. Anahata is a crossroads chakra, it’s very exigent and very simple at the same time: with loving ourselves and being in Peace, we allow ourselves to Love Unconditionally.

 

Anahata is also the “filter” for the Kundalini energy that climbs up from one chakra to another one and to transform it into a subtle compassionate energy and reach Vishudha chakra through the narrow space of our neck. Thanks to the  filter of Anahata, this blue communication chakra, we will express our thoughts in a compassionate way.   

 

This energy full of kindness will continue its path until arriving to Ajna chakra, or the 3rd eye chakra in the middle of the eyebrows (pituitary gland). It’s the place where our Yin and Yang energies meet: we then become more aware of our being and of our Universe. Ajna is the seat of our 6th sense that sees intuitively. Through it, we can use our insight and psychic skills. Nowadays, we can see more and more children around us with very strong intuitive skills and large consciousness:  some schools are aware of this phenomenon and accompany them with adapted programs. Some of them are known as “indigo children” because of the indigo color of their Aura, similar to Ajna chakra.

 

Finally, the run of the Kundalini energy will finally end to our crown chakra: Sahasrara and its “1000 petals” tinted in marvelous colors like purple (spirituality) white (purity) gold and silver (usually related to Guides and Angels)…

These numerous “receptors” connect us to our Higher Self, to our Guides and to Upper Forces. When everybody will reach the level of Sahasrara through a rich Spiritual life (which is not necessarily a religious life) people will access to wisdom, all-knowing, and bliss. That moment of pure Enlightenment will give us the opportunity to live in Harmony, at least…

   

The good news is that our evolution is rapidly increasing in the last decades than it used to be at the beginning of humanity, and hopefully our complete awakening will arrive quickly.

 

Each progress we make in our personal path toward Enlightenment is a help for our kinds: the more numerous we will be to raise our vibratory frequency, the better it is for the collective unconscious and our planet. From 1952 to 1958, in the island of Koshima in Japan, scientists established a theory which is called “The 100th Monkey”: the scientists trained monkeys to wash their sweet potatoes before eating them. After a certain number of monkeys trained, the scientists noticed that the monkeys on Takasakiyama island, a neighbor island of Koshima, started to wash their food also without being trained for it or having any connections with the trained monkeys … This experience shows us how the energy of a group can have effect on other ones attitude…

 

Everything that happens in this world finds its Source into upper world and upper force, using them for humanity’s Enlightenment is the choice we have through our free will. Like the lotus flower and its root in ooze becomes a beautiful flower with the help of the sunrays, such is human being and humanity in a holistic state: grounded into earth but push by a thirst for Light and Upper Forces to be able to grow…

 

OM MANI PADME HUM, this post is dedicated to the 7 billions of Lotus jewels around our beautiful planet walking toward Light.

 

Rita Minassian

www.ritaminassian.com

Comparison of Kundalini Yoga with Jnana Yoga: By Berit Ellingsen, M.Sc.

. Advaita and Yoga . , , , , ,

Berit Ellingsen is a long term member of the HS community and was the Editor-In-Chief for Volume III of the HS E-Zine. She worked with great patience and creativity to bring the best out of every article that she edited and often added beautiful graphics to enhance each author’s contribution. Berit lives in Norway. She has a degree in biology from the University of Bergen, Norway. This particular article by Berit Ellingsen appeared in Volume I of the HS E-Zine in the Winter of 2001.

Self-Realization in Jnana, Kundalini, and Tantra Yogas

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini-Shakti, in traditional Indian spiritual sources, is described as the energy that propels man to liberation. Thus, awakening this energy in the body(mind) of the practitioner is central in some liberation teachings, most notably, the Kundalini Yoga systems and the Tantra Yoga systems. As the energy moves in the central channel in the body from its resting place and source in the Muladhara Chakra to the Sahasrara Chakra, and enlivens the passive element of the mind, liberation is said to ensue.

Jnana Yoga

Jnana Yoga, the “yoga of knowledge”, the type of yoga most commonly associated with Advaita Vedanta and the non-dual perspective, does not have the body and its energies as the main focal point for spiritual development, but the mind itself. Jnana Yoga uses the individual consciousness as a tool to learn about the true self and thus attain liberation.

One method of Jnana Yoga is Sri Ramana Maharshi’s method of self inquiry, atma-vichara. In asking oneself “who am I ?” one centers the individual consciousness onto its source. Thus, by focusing the conscious mind on the still point, the witness, to witness the very act of witnessing, the barrier between the perceiver and the perceived vanishes.

Awakening the power of Kundalini-Shakti alone and manipulating this energy is not seen as a prerequisite for attaining liberation, and Kundalini-Shakti does not have a central place in the texts of Jnana Yoga. The method of atma vichara alone is enough to bring about liberation (“Be As You Are, The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi”, edited by D. Godman, p. 142 and p. 146).

Is there nevertheless common ground between Jnana Yoga and Kundalini Yoga ?

From a non-dual perspective, Kundalini-Shakti is but one form of the Self. Kundalini-Shakti is the Self, pure energy and pure Being (Be As You Are, The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, edited by D. Godman, p. 145). The human mind with its consciousness is also a form of energy, of consciousness and Self.

Kundalini and Tantra Yoga

In Kundalini Yoga and Tantra Yoga, Kundalini-Shakti can be influenced by other energies such as sound (mantra), light and darkness combined into symbols (yantra and mandala) and movements of the physical body (asanas). In Kundalini Yoga, concentration on these energies and on various psychoenergetic centers, the chakras, is said to bring the Kundalini energy to these centers to break through the seven veils (chakras) that stand between union of the individual soul, Atman, with Shiva (or the non-dual consciousness, the Self).

To become strong enough to break through the seven veils of consciousness and reach the Sahasrara Chakra, the Kundalini energy must purify the body and mind in a process which may take many years. In this process, the energy will not always stay in the central channel, but spread out from the Muladhara Chakra in a broad fan that may include the entire lower body or torso in a process that can be complex.

The common denominators in manipulating the Kundalini-Shakti to attain liberation are concentration and focus. Where the mind and individual consciousness, the individual thought energy, is moved and focused on, there Kundalini-Shakti in the individual mind-body also moves. Thus, it makes sense to move consciousness not only onto energy centers, chakras, in the individual body, but instead directly onto and into its own source.

During the practice of atma-vichara, where the consciousness turns inward onto its own source, not to repress any thoughts or concentrate on any subject apart from the act of witnessing itself, the Kundalini-Shakti will automatically become concentrated into a fine beam. It will easily be led back to its source by rising upwards in the central channel with a force strong enough to break through the one true veil between man and liberation, the very idea that the individual consciousness is separate from the Self. The energy of consciousness, the Kundalini-Shakti, in this way is used as a laser beam to melt a single window instead of as a ram to bring down seven gates. No conscious piercing of the Sahasrara or any other Chakra on behalf of the individual mind is needed.

Full Liberation

To bring about full liberation, Sri Ramana Maharshi recommended to continue to clean out the vasanas (the contents of the body-mind which keeps the Atman identified with the body-mind) which may be present even after the identification with sat-chit-ananda has been experienced in the first Nirvikalpa Samadhi (“Be As You Are, The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi”, edited by D. Godman, p. 66-67). After the first Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Kundalini-Shakti may manifest spontaneously, or where already present, the energy may increase the strength and efficiency of its manifestation. The Kundalini energy will then bring more of the vasanas (latent tendencies) to the attention of the conscious mind.

As a result of the knowledge experienced in Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the mind will ask itself “to whom did these events happen ?” and the true nature of this mind content is seen and disidentified with. In this process, the Kundalini energy brings the vasanas to the conscious mind where they eventually evaporate like water in sunlight.

Thus, Jnana Yoga and Kundalini Yoga may share common ground in the effect of the Kundalini-Shakti in the body-mind, both prior to the first Nirvikalpa Samadhi as well as afterwards. The difference between the two yoga systems lies primarily in the view of how this energy should be employed, either directly, as in Kundalini and Tantra Yoga, or indirectly, as in Jnana Yoga.

Kundalini Shakti in the West: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. ADVAITA & YOGA, Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , , , , , , , , , ,

The notion of Kundalini Shakti is at the heart of yoga and is embedded in virtually all Eastern traditions regardless of the name or label that is given. If we carefully examine any school of yoga, tantra, or various traditions (Shakti, Shaivite, Kashmiri Shaivism), there will usually be some descriptions of Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Kriyas, Mudras, Mantras, and different types of meditations on the Chakras (energy centers).

In the Shakti traditions, detailed descriptions are given of the various aspects of the visions of the Goddess that arise in meditation. Even in the school of Advaita Vedanta, which does not depend on the practices associated with Shakti Yoga, we see that the great scholar/saint Adi Shankracharya has written hymns to the Goddess who represents Shakti, the divine power.

Continue reading →

Some Similarities between Jnana Yoga and Kundalini Yoga: by Vib “Vibri” Ribbon

. Advaita and Yoga, Kundalini, Meditation, PERSONAL . , , ,

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini-Shakti is in traditional Indian spiritual sources described as the energy that propels man to liberation. Thus, awakening this energy in the body(mind) of the practitioner is central in some liberation teachings, most notably, the Kundalini Yoga systems and the Tantra Yoga systems. As the energy moves in the central channel in the body from its resting place and source in the Muladhara Chakra to the Sahasrara Chakra, and enlivens the passive element of the mind, liberation is said to ensue.

Continue reading →