COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

The term Cosmic Consciousness was coined by the Canadian psychologist Richard M. Bucke (pictured above) in his book "Cosmic Consciousness" 1902. He describes Cosmic Consciousness as a transpersonal mode of consciousness, an awareness of the universal mind and one's unity with it. Cosmic Consciousness prime characteristic is an awareness of the life and order in the universe. An individual who at attains the state of Cosmic Consciousness is often described as "Enlightened" and such a person is also said to have a sense of immortality, not of attaining it but of already having it. Burke saw this state of consciousness as the next stage in human evolution, very much as spiritualists have always seen it. Bucke argues that during the course of humanity's evolutionary development there are three forms of consciousness: Simple Consciousness, our instinctual consciousness. Self Consciousness, that self-awareness that allows a human to realize hirself as a distinct entity. Cosmic Consciousness, a new developing faculty at the pinnacle of our evolution. Bucke outlines the evolutionary struggle on our planet which has produced self-consciousness and then describes the appearance of a new species that possesses cosmic consciousness, a consciousness that expands to become one with all. Bucke theorizes that, with increasing frequency, persons like Buddha, Christ, Mohammed, Walt Whitman and others are making their appearance on our planet and by their teaching are helping to transform life on this planet. This evolutionary process continues up until today. Bucke studied the lives of these persons that had attained cosmic consciousness and found common characteristics such as: *Intuitive understanding *Elevated moral stature *Loss of sense of sin *Intellectual illumination *Sense of immortality *No fear of death *Definite moment or period of transformation "The person who passes through this experience will learn in the few minutes, or even moments, of its continuance more than in months or years of study, and he will learn much that no study every taught or can teach. Especially does he obtain such a conception of "the whole"... along with moral elevation and intellectual illumination comes what must be called, for want of a better term, a sense of immortality." From his book he describes how those he interviewed had experienced the state: "Like a flash there is presented to his consciousness a clear conception (a vision) in outline of the meaning and drift of the universe ... He sees and knows that the cosmos ... is in fact ... in very truth a living presence. He sees that instead of men being, as it were, patches of life scattered through an infinite sea of non-living substance, they are in reality specks of relative death in an infinite ocean of life. He sees that the life which is in man is as immortal as God is; that the universe is so built and ordered that without any peradventure all things work together for the good of each and all; that the foundation principle of the world is what we call love, and that the happiness of every individual is in the long run absolutely certain." [Just a few months after Cosmic Consciousness appeared, Bucke fell on an icy porch, fractured his skull, and died. He had been well appreciated by his professional colleagues, who saw him elected a charter member of the Royal Society of Canada, president of national and international societies, as well as a distinguished professor at Western University in London, now the University of Western Ontario.]

FURTHER ACCOUNTS OF COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS according to Evelyn Underhill "Cosmic Consciousness represents the greatest possible extension of the spiritual consciousness in the direction of Pure Being: the blind intent stretching here receives its reward in a profound experience of Eternal Life. In this experience the departmental activities of thought and feeling, the consciousness of I-hood, of space and time...all that belongs to the World of Becoming and our own place therein...are suspended. The vitality which we are accustomed to split amongst these various things, is gathered up to form a state of pure apprehension...a vivid intuition of the Transcendent." "This is that perfect unity of consciousness, that utter concentration on an experience of love, which excludes all conceptual and analytic acts. Hence, when the mystic says that his faculties were suspended, that he "knew all and knew nought," he really means that we are so concentrated on the Absolute that he ceased to consider his separate existence...so merged in it that he could not perceive it as an object of thought, as the bird cannot see the air which supports it, nor the fish the ocean in which it swims. He really "knows all but thinks nought, perceives all, but conceives nought." [From "Mysticism" by Evelyn Underhill.] COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS according to Marsha Sinetar. "The peak experience is critical to any discussion of the mystic's journey, since through it and because of it the individual gains an overarching and penetrating view into what he is at his best, into what he is when he simply "is." The peak experience means that the person experiences himself "being" rather than becoming. He also experiences direct...the Transcendant nature of reality. He enters into the Absolute, becoming one with it, if only for an instant. It is a life-altering instant which many have described as one in which the mind stops, as a time in which the paradoxical change/ changeless nature opens up to a person." "The peak experience expands the individual's field of consciousness to include everything in the universe...he feels he "has" everything because he experiences everything within. This field is what author Joseph Chilton Pearce calls the "crack in the cosmic egg." Although Pearce is also talking about the metanoia... the transformation of an individual's entire believe system which accompanies the peak experience or the moment of illumination...he writes of the exquisite inshight which makes "all things new again," the unifying, integrative moment which provides the individual with a glimpse of the connectiveness of all things...the micro-macro web of the universe, interrelationships of all people and things." [From "Ordinary People as Monks and Mystics" by Marsha Sinetar.]

SPIRITUAL GROWTH -- AN INDIVIDUAL PATH

By STEVE SCHLARB Establishing Yourself as an Individual While the ultimate result of any truly spiritual path is the negation of the individual ego-self, one cannot begin on one's own personal path of spiritual realization unless one establishes his/her individuality. That means freeing oneself from the demands of organized religions, creeds, socially accepted beliefs, the dictates of any prophet. All of these characteristics of religious participation establish only the group-identity, the body of like-minded believers. People can spend an entire lifetime following the teachings and beliefs of others, without ever finding the path that is right for them personally. This is not to say that one should not participate in any organized religion. There is the benefit of sharing common beliefs, participating in worthwhile community activities, etc. But one should leave open for themselves their own private spiritual search for a deeper and more fulfilling connection to the Source of all religions -- which many call God. The outward expressions of group worship, ritual and prayer do not accelerate the personal relationship with the divine. Neither does one find that personal relationship with the divine when dealing through a priest or referring constantly to some approved text by a religion's prophet. Repeating an approved creed once a week does not bring one into the divine presence. The focus of most group religions is on the external characterization of the divine. God is supposedly "out there," but to find your soul's connection to the divine, one must look within oneself. That means leaving (at least in one's private mind) the security of the "saved" group and its accepted creeds and rituals. The truth is within ourselves. All the sages of the ancient past have found it so. Within ourselves are all the problems and promises that we must confront and meld into a whole Self that we can then project to the outward world. And within ourselves, in our unconscious mind, is the Spirit of God -- our spiritual essence that is constantly communicating with us -- if only we unlock the rigid pattern of thinking imposed by our conscious mind. The conscious mind deals in a mechanical way with the outward world, but the truth lies within. The group, the congregation, the society, cannot tell you which way to go. The group is interested more in security and conformity than it is in truth. Into the Valley of the Shadow of Death Only the individual can go on the personal search that is right for him or her. It means taking that mythological hero's trek away from the religious safety of the group, and wandering alone in uncharted spiritual territory. It means confronting alone the anxieties, potholes, feeling lost, and sometimes despair of the greatest quest of your life. This quest is for the "Holy Grail" of your soul -- confrontation and ultimate union with the divine Source of your soul. When alone, the individual mental focus naturally turns inward. There is the usual learning phase in studying religions other than that in which one was raised, but true learning is not mere knowledge; it is absorption of the meaning of what one learns into one's self. In the internal search, one must confront the angels and demons of one's unconscious mind. We must accept the terrors of an unknown mental landscape, with only symbolic and quixotic guides to higher spiritual ground. This search can be visualized as a traveller leaving the security of a mountain castle filled with the familiar forms of family, friends, and accepted society. The traveller wanders alone and uncertain, down the mountainside toward a dark unpopulated valley. The path is long, filled with the ethereal shapes of the unconscious mind: images, sometimes strange beings, sometimes human or part human, sometimes animal. There is the terror of separation from the familiar and safe, the sense of absolute aloneness with no idea of where the path will lead through this seemingly insane wilderness. This is the Valley of the Shadow of Death in the well-known 23rd Psalm. Yet here, the spiritual searcher finds the clues and deeper understandings of his total mind. The conscious mind (in the cerebral cortex) can only deal with the already known, recognizable images, and build logical systems of thought from familiar patterns, but the unconscious mind of the seeker floods the conscious mind with strange images and shadows that challenge the logical systems built in one's earlier, immature stage. These images and feelings can appear beautiful, strange, threatening and disconcerting. They may be dreams of horror, death or resurrection while sleeping or anxiety over everyday situations while awake, and continue until the individual receives the personal revelation from the unconscious that is the vision meant for him. Then the totality of the unconscious is accepted and melded with the conscious, and stability returns. The experience can be one of terror and despair, but that is only the necessary temporary phase, the death of the old self, the familiar, comfortable ego. Then the inner truth for that person is revealed. The new Self that emerges is no longer ego-bound, and no longer alone. As it says in the 23rd Psalm: “Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” The Discovery of One's Self In the darkness of true spiritual aloneness, the ego dies. The soul, however, can never die. And it is the person's soul that comes through the dreaded Valley and begins the climb out on the side far removed from where one began this quest. This is the discovery of who the person really is, one's inner spirit or soul without superficial attachments to worldly identities -- the true Self. What happens in that Valley is specific and personal to each seeker. The dreams and visions that come to the mind -- once it is stripped of its complacency and familiar moorings -- are new and challenging. But they also beckon the searching soul toward its destination: that vision that is spiritually right for it. At one level, this is one's personal mythology, but with a solid core of truth. When one finds their own personal vision, there is no doubt, no vestige of longing, no anxiety. Within the embrace of this personal vision, the soul finds acceptance and love from the Source of itself. This journey is one of choice, for while the unconscious stimuli come to all people, beckoning them toward their spiritual fulfilment, not all choose to take that lonely path. Most people choose to stay in the secure castle on their mountain high above the valley. They are safe within their group. They can always touch on some text, ritual, or prayer that gives them temporary solace, and they will always explain away those stimuli and ideas that threaten their castle of security. But for the person who chooses to follow the calling of his own soul, the journey leads to a purity of vision and ultimately an immersion in the Divine. One's true Self no longer needs the human group or organization to tell it what it is or what it believes, for at this point, the Self no longer exists separate from its Source. It has come home.

THE SEVEN CHAKRAS

A DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVEN CHAKRAS AND A MEDITATION TO CLEANSE THEM. Balancing and Charging the Chakras By JULIA JABLONSKI While the word "chakra" has Hindu (Sanskrit) roots, the energy involved is not partial to any particular religion. It is a universal energy, and all people inhabiting physical bodies on this earth have them. These energy vortexes are the channels through which spiritual energy flows through to manifest in the physical. (Matter is merely slowed down or crystallized energy, hence, our bodies are energy!) The chakras and other smaller energy vortexes (such as acupuncture points) are openings and channels for universal energy to flow into and out of the aura. Through chakra meditation and learning and experience with the energetic nature of the universe, we can awaken our conscious minds to our true spiritual natures. The following is a general summary of my current understanding of the physical locations and elements associated with each chakra. Over the years I have noticed some discrepancies between how different people "define" each chakra, (particularly the second and third chakras), but the differences have only been minor. Certainly the colours and locations of the chakras are generally consistent. The base chakra extends down and the crown chakra extends up, while the chakras in between have vortexes both to the front of the body and to the back. * The first chakra is located at the base of the spine and is associated with red. It is the chakra that governs our physical existence, our bodies and our health. * The second chakra is located in the area of the womb or spleen, and is associated with the colour orange. This chakra governs creativity, and some say emotion. (I associate emotion with the third and fourth chakras). * The third chakra is located at the solar plexus and is associated with the colour gold (yellow). It is associated with the will or desire. * The fourth chakra (the middle chakra in the chain of seven) is the heart chakra and is associated with the colour green, and also the colour rose, which is the "colour of love." This chakra is connected with emotion and human love. * The fifth chakra is located at the throat and is a bright blue. It governs communication and personal magnetism. It is the chakra that most influences intercommunication and our "personas." It is also the link between emotion and thought. * The sixth chakra is located at the third eye (mid-forehead) and is indigo (deep purply/blue). This chakra is associated with thought (though some say the third chakra governs thought) and with vision, particularly psychic vision. It is also the chakra of spiritual love and connection. * The seventh chakra is at the crown of the head, and is violet fading to white further away from the body. This chakra is our connection to our "higher selves" and to the "divine." It is associated with wisdom and integration of our eternal selves with our current physical selves. It is like our umbilical cord to "God." When all the chakras are "whirling," open, bright and clean, then our chakra system is balanced. When a chakra becomes blocked, damaged, or muddied with residual energy, then our physical and emotional health can be affected. Often this occurs habitually as the result of negative or incomplete belief systems. The effects of our habits, feelings, beliefs, thoughts, fears and desires can be found in our chakras. For example, if you eat poorly (a lot of processed food, for instance) and don't exercise, chances are your root (red) chakra is going to become sluggish, darkened and dull. If you "close off" your emotions because they're painful or overwhelming, your heart chakra is likely to become tight and closed and block emotional energy. If you are extremely centered in your intellect, you may have a bulging and bright brow chakra, but a disproportionately small heart chakra or root chakra. Or perhaps you're cerebrally focused on finding answers to deep questions about "reality" (as I was for many years). In the West we tend to value the upper chakras over the lower chakras. This probably has its roots in our ancestors' religious aversion to the "flesh" and their focus on the rewards of "heaven." The goal is a strong, clear, balanced energy system. The more open, clear and balanced the chakras, the more energy can flow through your system. This energy is essential for vitality, health, and continued growth on all levels. THE MEDITATION I use this type of meditation whenever I need to "recharge" and when beginning astral projection practice and sometimes when beginning psychic readings. More commonly I used a grounding meditation when performing readings. Both are effective and powerful. Lie or sit in a relaxed and comfortable position, as you would for any meditation. Your spine should be straight and your head in alignment with your body. This meditation is in script mode, should one want to tape it and listen to it while performing the meditation. It is preferable to learn about energy and the methods of balancing, cleansing and charging the chakras and allow one's own inner voice to lead the meditation. The following is just one way of performing this balancing. Allow your meditations to evolve and to reflect your individual values and beliefs. If taped, a slow, deliberate pace should be used with a mild voice and the appropriate pauses. The body should already be relaxed and the mind tranquil when beginning this meditation. Eyes are closed. Now that you are relaxed and feeling very much at peace, take a moment to ground yourself here in this moment, in this body, in this place, in this time ... Take some deep breaths ... in ... and out ... in ... and out ... Follow the breath as it flows toward your nostrils, as it enters your nose, as it fills your lungs and then as it is expelled. That's it, just relax into this quiet moment. Breathe in ... follow your breath ... and out. In ... and out. Feel where your body meets the (chair/bed/floor). Become aware of your body from head to toe, of your weight, of the heaviness of your limbs. Now focus on the area at the base of the spine, the area between your legs. This is the root chakra. Its energy is red, and it governs your physical body, your physical health and vitality. In your mind, study the appearance of this chakra; note its colour and vitality. Mentally envision the chakra and note any symbolic symptoms of dis-ease. Have you been caring well for your body? If your chakra is dusty, dirty, torn, or otherwise less than a perfectly brilliant red whirling vortex, imagine your hands (or those of a guide) working on the chakra. If it is dirty, clean away the dirt and throw it into an imaginary pail with a lid. Allow those hands to repair any imperfections, and when the chakra is clean, mentally take the pail and hurl it into the sun. Watch it as it travels through space and then bursts into a zillion bits of energy upon solar contact. Allow the sun to recycle this energy back into the universe. Now turn your attention back to the root chakra. It is clean and red. You are surrounded by infinite root energy. Imagine the room glowing red with this energy, feel its strength and power. See red swirls of energy flowing to your root chakra. You can feel this as a tingling as the energy fills your root chakra. As the energy swirls in, your chakra grows large and deep red and strong. Allow the energy to fill your chakra until it is so vital that it extends several feet out from your body. In your mind you can see your root chakra, a brilliant red swirling vortex of physical energy. Now turn your focus up to your abdomen, to the area of the "womb" or spleen. This is the orange chakra, that which controls clear thinking and creativity. Take a moment to observe the chakra. Note its colour, its vitality. Is it clean and strong? Or is there work to be done here? Allow those invisible hands to cleanse the chakra, to repair or heal it. Discard any imperfections in the pail, and send the pail to the sun to recycle the energy. Focus on the orange chakra again. It is now clean and whole, and a bright orange. Call out to the universe for orange creative energy and feel the space around you begin to glow orange. With a tingle you feel the energy begin to swirl into your chakra, charging it with vitality, with creativity, with clear-thought. Watch as your orange chakra grows and whirls, until it extends out from your body for several feet, just as the red root chakra is still whirling and strong. Turn from the red chakra, up through the orange chakra, to the solar plexus. This is the heart of the yellow chakra, that which governs will and ambition. Take a few moments to examine this chakra. Note its colour and appearance. Have you been lazy of late, or perhaps too driven? Examine your will through this chakra. Allow the invisible hands to cleanse the chakra and heal it, discarding any imperfections or impurities in the pail. Send the pail to the sun for recycling. Now return your attention to the yellow chakra, that of will. It is now clean and a bright yellow. "Universe, send me yellow energy, will energy, energy to achieve my goals, to work for that which I value and desire." Feel the yellow energy surrounding your body, and with a tingle feel the energy swirl into your solar plexus. In your mind you can see your red/root chakra glowing, whirling, your orange/womb chakra pulsing brilliantly, and your yellow/solar plexus chakra glowing strongly, extending several feet out from your body. Turn your attention to the middle of your chest, to the heart chakra, the green chakra. You may feel an instant wave of emotion. This chakra governs your feelings, your emotional connections to others and to the universe, to life itself. Examine this chakra. Note its colour, vitality, and any impurities. Gently allow those invisible hands to cleanse and purify the chakra. Reflect a moment on how you've been feeling emotionally lately. Are there bindings holding in pain? Or is the chakra tight and hard with anger? Release any tensions, imperfections or impurities to the pail. Send them to the sun for recycling. They are still yours if you choose to hold them, but for now, release any pain or anger. Now focus back on the heart chakra. It is clean and a beautiful green colour. It whirls strongly and evenly. "Universe, send me green energy for my heart! Open my heart to the world, to all beings big and small, with compassion for our shared experiences and journey. Fill my heart with love energy, that I may in turn give love to others." Feel the green energy whirling into your heart. Watch the chakra grow and glow and spin with this new energy. From the red chakra through the orange chakra through the yellow chakra through the green chakra, your chakras are cleansed and charged and huge with energy. Focus on the throat, center of the blue chakra which governs communication and personal magnetism. Examine the chakra, noting the colour and any imperfections. Perhaps you haven't been honouring your own beliefs and speaking out when you should. Or perhaps you've been talking over others, or not listening well. Perhaps you've been feeling shy and afraid to extend your energy in communication. Allow the hands to heal and cleanse the chakra and when finished, send the impurities to the sun for recycling. Now the chakra is clean and strong and bright blue. Feel the air fill with blue universal energy. Feel the throat open as this energy swirls into the throat chakra. This energy charges your aura with magnetism, drawing others to you. Feel your throat open with this swirling, strong blue energy. Focus on the middle of your forehead, the third eye. This chakra is indigo and governs psychic vision and intuition. Examine the chakra for imperfections. Perhaps it is locked up due to fear. Perhaps it no longer spins out of neglect/stagnation. Allow the hands to cleanse the chakra, to heal any imperfections and recycle them in the sun. Now look at the chakra. It is a beautiful deep indigo, clean and whirling. There is psychic energy available to you beyond measure. Feel it charge the air, swirl in and around and fill your third eye chakra with deep, vital indigo energy. Feel the third eye open, and note any mental visions as this occurs. Now is a good time to pray for increased psychic power. Note the red/root chakra, the orange/womb chakra, bright, strong, big! Move your attention up to the yellow/solar plexus chakra, to the green/heart chakra, open and brilliant, to the blue/throat chakra and the indigo/third eye chakra. Your chakras are huge, whirling, and fully charged. Now focus your attention at the crown of your head. This chakra is violet near the body, fading to white further away. This chakra governs your connection to the universe/God/Goddess/The Creator, etc ... This chakra is like an umbilical cord to "home." Reflect on your spirituality of late, examine the chakra and allow any healing needed. In my experience this chakra generally needs much less work than the others. Allow the hands to heal, to cleanse, and recycle the discarded energy in the sun. Now examine the chakra. It is brilliantly violet, glowing white around the outside. Mentally reach out to that which you consider your "source ..." to "God" or the Universe. Feel the response, the energy flowing back to you. Pray for the peace and joy of a strong crown chakra connection. Feel the violet energy flowing in, a loving embrace of your whole self, of your soul. See the crown chakra grow enormous, and the white energy surround your body. All your chakras are now clean, charged and in balance. From the red/root chakra, to the orange/womb chakra, to the yellow/solar plexus chakra, to the green/heart chakra, to the blue/throat chakra, to the deep purple/third eye to the violet/crown, your chakras are spinning and whirling, full of energy and vitality. See the white energy that extends up and out from the crown chakra enveloping your whole body in an egg of white energy. You are completely refreshed, calm, and peaceful. Your energy is balanced. You are full of vitality. [Julia Jablonski is an ordained Spiritualist minister, medium and clairvoyant. Please visit JULIA’S WEBSITE]

AWAKENING THE SLEEPING KUNDALINI

Kundalini literally means “coiled one.” The Oriental (Eastern) Spirituality defines Ananda as “Bliss;” the letter 'A' symbolising Shakti. Kundalini is the primordial Shakti or cosmic energy that lies coiled in the muladhara chakra (Base or Root Chakra) corresponding to the base of spine, in your body. The cosmic energy is your life force, which keeps your body alive, and can be pictured as a coiled snake living at the base of the spine. When awakened, Kundalini begins to move upward within the sushumna, the subtle central channel, piercing the chakras and initiating various yogic processes, which bring about total purification and rejuvenation of the entire being. When Kundalini enters the sahasrara (the Crown Chakra) region, the spiritual center in the crown of the head, the individual self merges in the universal Self and attains the state of Self-realisation. The goal of Kundalini Yoga is to arouse the life force by causing energy to travel up through the spine, where it will stimulate various chakras (emotional centers throughout the body). Kundalini yoga can be profoundly emotional -- it can allow you to see what's really going on in your life; it helps you become more aware of negative thought patterns and make the choice to change them. When Kundalini awakening happens to people who are not on a spiritual path, the experience can leave them fragile and fragmented. As the Kundalini process involves a redefinition and reintegration of self, it adds extra pressure when people wish to suppress the transformation and insist to lead their lives normally. Of greatest benefit is a supportive framework, which can allow people to make sense of the intricate connection between spirit and the movement of physical energy in the body, rather than fearing they are going insane. It is important to understand that Kundalini awakening is a process that taps into the blueprint for higher consciousness, which is latent within every human. While the enormous changes associated with a spiritual awakening may demand psychological and social adjustments, they are not in themselves necessarily indicative of illness. Communication and connection with others who can provide support and a meaningful context for understanding the process reduces the isolation and overwhelm and can help to minimise the disturbance. Someone who has the personal qualities of creative adaptation to change and a flexible mental framework is more likely to weather the changes with grace and style than those who are rigid in their beliefs and 2012 view. ESSENTIAL PRECAUTIONS When practising for example kundalini yoga, be careful about these points: 1. There may be heat developing in the body. You may wish to go slow on the exercises a little for some days. There may be tingling sensations in the spinal column, palms of the hands or soles of the feet. This is due to energy rising and freely circulating leading to opening of sleeping charkas. You should not bother too much as it will gradually subside. Negative thoughts and desire to express violent emotions. This is part of the energy rising and cleansing process. Control and practise the yamas and niyamas strictly.

VARIOUS REFERENCES TO THE KUNDALINI

The word Kundalini is derived from a Sanskrit word "Kundal" meaning coiled up. It is the primordial dormant energy present in three-and-a-half, coils at the base of the spine in a triangular bone called the Sacrum. The Latin name "Os Sacrum" suggests that it is a holy or sacred part of the body. The ancient Greeks were aware of this and therefore they called it the "Hieron Osteon," noting that it was the last bone to be destroyed when the body is burnt, and also attributed supernatural powers to it. Egyptians also held this bone to be very valuable and considered it the seat of special power. In the West, Sacrum is symbolised by the sign of Aquarius and by the Holy Grail, container of the water of life. The Kundalini, which is to nourish the tree of life within us, is coiled up like a serpent and therefore it has been called "The Serpent Power." It has been described in great detail in the Upanishads. Kundalini Yoga is supposed to be supreme in all the Yogas. Guru Vashistha asserted that Kundalini is the seat of absolute knowledge. The awareness of the presence of this primordial energy Kundalini within the human body was considered by the sages and saints to be the highest knowledge. The Kundalini and Chakras have been vividly described in Vedic and Tantric texts. ADI SANKARACHARYA He lived in the 7th-8th century AD. and wrote: "Having filled the pathway of the Nadis with the streaming shower of nectar flowing from the Lotus feet, having resumed thine own position from out of the resplendent Lunar regions and Thyself assuming the form of a serpent of three and a half coils, sleepest thou, in the hollow of Kula Kunda (Kula Kunda means the hollow of Mooladhara Sacrum bone)." SAUNDARYA LAHARI "Thou art residing in secrecy with Thy Lord (The spirit) in the thousand petalled Lotus, having pierced through the Earth situated in "Mooladhara," the Water in Manipura, the Fire abiding in the Svadhisthana, the Air in the Heart ("Anahata"), the Ether above (Visshuddhi) and "Manas" between the eyebrows ("Agnya") and thus broken through the entire "Kula Path." GYANESHWARA Gyaneshwara, another famous saint of Maharashtra born around 1275 AD, described Kundalini in the 6th chapter of his famous book "Gyaneshwari." He wrote: "Kundalini is one of the greatest energies. The whole body of the seeker starts glowing because of the rising of the Kundalini. Because of that, unwanted impurities in the body disappear. The body of the seeker suddenly looks very proportionate and the eyes look bright and attractive and the eyeballs glow." (Gyaneshwari, Chapter VI). GURU NANAK DEV (Born in 1496 AD) has made references to Kundalini awakening as mentioned below: "A pure heart is the golden vessel to fill the Divine Nectar which is to be sucked from the "Dasham Dwar" through the two channels "Ida" and "Pingala"." Dasham Dwar means Brahmarandhra. (Sahasrara Chakra). "God has made this human body a house with six Chakras and has established the light of spirit in it. Cross the ocean of Maya and meet the eternal God who does not come, who does not go, who neither takes birth nor dies. When your six Chakras meet in line, Surati (Kundalini) takes you beyond distortions." (Sri Guru Granth). Note that the seventh Chakra was not open at this time. IN THE HOLY KORAN Prophet Mohammed Sahib talked of the day of resurrection when he says that the "hands will speak." "That day, we set a seal on their mouths, but their hands will speak to us, and their hands bear witness to all that they did." When Kundalini awakening occurs, a flow of energy in the form of cool vibrations from the hands is experienced, and the various Chakras can be felt on parts of the hand and fingers. IN THE WEST Christians called it a reflection of the Holy Ghost, and worshipped its manifestations as tongues of flames over the heads of apostles during the Pentecost reunion. MOSES Moses saw it in the form of the burning bush. During the exodus the Israelites lost faith and were smitten by fiery serpents so God told Moses "make thee a serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it on a pole, and it came to pass, that if a fiery serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. [An apt description of the healing quailities of the awakened Kundalini. Some of the Israelites even began to worship this symbol, and the practice of worshipping the brazen serpent on the pole as a god was either passed on, or was revived later. Bronze and stone serpent artifacts have been found in excavations in Canaan, Gezer and other parts of Israel!] JESUS The Old Testament symbol becomes significant in Christianity when Christ suggests Kundalini awakening, not just for the tribe of Israel but as the true destiny of all Christians: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even as the son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life." He says unequivocally in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas and elsewhere, that "The Holy Spirit is My Mother." "The Kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21). TAO In the Tao Te Ching the primordial power is described as that of a mother. Lao Tzu described Kundalini as the "spirit of the valley" (in which flows the Nadi of Sushumna). The spirit of the valley never dies. The spiritual instrument within us can be described as a microcosm (miniature form of creation) which links us with the Divine. The ancient esoteric text "Scripture of the Golden Flower" also spoke of the effects of the awakened kundalini energy. BUDDHIST The Lord Buddha spoke of the "middle path" to achieve nirvana. He was actually describing the central channel (sushumna) through which the Kundalinii ascends. Later Buddhist masters considered that the existence of the path of liberation within a human being was the greatest secret. They transmitted it to only a few deserving disciples. OTHER CULTURES One also finds symbols of Kundalini in many different cultural legacies, such as Mercury's serpent which is an alchemical symbol for the process of psychic metamorphosis. The Gnostics understood the serpent to represent the spinal cord. In ancient Greek and later, Roman mythology, we find Asclepius, the god of healing. He is seen holding a staff which is entwined with a serpent (or sometimes two). Why did the Greeks relate this symbol to healing? The staff represents the central support of the human body or spinal cord (physical location of the sushumna.) In Rome Aescaluius came to be represented by Mercury who usually held a healing staff called the Caduceus. The one or two coiled snakes or serpents entwined around the staff, represent the kundalini which rises along the central subtle channel in a spiral double helical movement. SUMMARY The Kundalini is there to nourish, to heal and look after and to give an individual a higher and deeper personality. The power of Kundalini is absolute purity, auspiciousness, chastity, self respect, pure love, detachment, concern for others and enlightened attention, to give infinite joy and peace to an individual.

KUNDALINI -- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS -- PART I

By KURT KEUTZER 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. 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. 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. 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 chakras. These chakras 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 particularly 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 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 literature, the yogi has nothing more to attain. Putting these elaborate physiological descriptions aside, the goal of kundalini yoga is the same as the goal of any legitimate 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 legitimate spiritual practice. 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 Gurdjieff, 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 perceived 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. Read more at the homepage of Kurt Keutzer: KURT KEUTZER