Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Awakening Kundalini
How can someone awaken his or her kundalini? This is a fundamental question, and the answers are complex.
Often, kundalini arises spontaneously, visiting persons with seemingly little or no prior preparation, arriving as a gift or blessing. Others strive for years to achieve awakening, to taste the bliss, with little or no success. Some live in ashrams, meditate faithfully, do yoga daily, and follow other strict regimens, all to no avail.
Kundalini is fickle, chooses whom it wishes to visit, as well as the place or time. Logic cannot account for its coming, nor linear thinking explain its continuing presence.
Some gurus apparently have the power to awaken the energies through shaktipat. Sometimes by a touch or the brush of a feather or even a look the aspirant is lifted to kundalini states. Some fall into bliss, some literally fall to the floor, some may gyrate in various physical postures, limbs flailing. Some may enter an ecstasy which lasts for weeks or longer. And some may experience painful physical and psychological symptoms which continue to plague them for long into the future. Again, the goddess is unpredictable, and outcomes uncertain.
What then, is one to do, if one yearns for this most profound experience, and has not found the way?
My suggestion is that the student prepare carefully so that when the day arrives she will have achieved a strong foundation for the new experience. In ancient times, this preparation included studying prescribed sacred texts (or listening to the guru's teachings), disciplining the body in various (often harsh) ways, and expelling all inner obstacles to attaining purity of spirit.
Today, there are other approaches. One of these is to read and study essential works of various serious spiritual authors (such as Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, John Blofeld,Eric Neumann, and any number of other writers present and past.) Poets such as Rumi, Hafiz, Mirabai, Kabir, Rilke, Mary Oliver and others call to the soul. Studying ancient yogic and vedic texts is valuable. Meditation to calm and center the mind is also useful. One should keep the body in good health through common sense practices. And this is the time to deal with all unresolved psychological issues, the hangups left over from childhood as well as those which arise from the present. Kundalini has been described as the "roto-rooter of the soul," and any unresolved problems will present themselves dramatically during the awakening process.
Many tapes of sanskrit chanting or sacred music from various traditions are available. One should, I think, seek that which will elevate and not degrade the self, whether in reading or media or friends or close relationships.
And it goes without saying that compassionate action, generous sharing, dedication to the welfare of earth and all its beings is paramount. What would be the value of a bliss which did not include concern for others as well as self?
When I look at this list, it sounds a bit like preaching. I think the truth is one does not so much "seek" certain kinds of experience, as simply be drawn to them, naturally and effortlessly, for that is what most pleases. Each will choose her own path, each select her own form of progression, whether from books or association with others, or music, or movement, or service or creative activity, or whatever. "There are many ways of approaching the throne." You will know what is "right" for you. As Cambell says, "Follow your bliss," and thus (I think) you prepare for transcendence, with many "illuminating moments" along the way.
And--it seems that kundalini may be "catching." Sometimes the mates of awakened ones find that they too undergo similar transformation, if they are open to such experience. And today, as more and more people are being touched by the kundalini experience, the morphogenetic field is intensifying, thus permitting more and more to awaken, with greater ease and in ever increasing numbers.
One of the frustrations for those of us who have undergone the experience is not being able to give the gift to others. But who knows, perhaps each one of us is giving something of value all the time, just by our actions and loving presence.
In the Sufi tradition, yearning itself is an important initial stage of the spiritual journey. By yearning for the divine, one inevitably is drawn closer to that presence, and many believe that the divine also yearns for us
Often, kundalini arises spontaneously, visiting persons with seemingly little or no prior preparation, arriving as a gift or blessing. Others strive for years to achieve awakening, to taste the bliss, with little or no success. Some live in ashrams, meditate faithfully, do yoga daily, and follow other strict regimens, all to no avail.
Kundalini is fickle, chooses whom it wishes to visit, as well as the place or time. Logic cannot account for its coming, nor linear thinking explain its continuing presence.
Some gurus apparently have the power to awaken the energies through shaktipat. Sometimes by a touch or the brush of a feather or even a look the aspirant is lifted to kundalini states. Some fall into bliss, some literally fall to the floor, some may gyrate in various physical postures, limbs flailing. Some may enter an ecstasy which lasts for weeks or longer. And some may experience painful physical and psychological symptoms which continue to plague them for long into the future. Again, the goddess is unpredictable, and outcomes uncertain.
What then, is one to do, if one yearns for this most profound experience, and has not found the way?
My suggestion is that the student prepare carefully so that when the day arrives she will have achieved a strong foundation for the new experience. In ancient times, this preparation included studying prescribed sacred texts (or listening to the guru's teachings), disciplining the body in various (often harsh) ways, and expelling all inner obstacles to attaining purity of spirit.
Today, there are other approaches. One of these is to read and study essential works of various serious spiritual authors (such as Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, John Blofeld,Eric Neumann, and any number of other writers present and past.) Poets such as Rumi, Hafiz, Mirabai, Kabir, Rilke, Mary Oliver and others call to the soul. Studying ancient yogic and vedic texts is valuable. Meditation to calm and center the mind is also useful. One should keep the body in good health through common sense practices. And this is the time to deal with all unresolved psychological issues, the hangups left over from childhood as well as those which arise from the present. Kundalini has been described as the "roto-rooter of the soul," and any unresolved problems will present themselves dramatically during the awakening process.
Many tapes of sanskrit chanting or sacred music from various traditions are available. One should, I think, seek that which will elevate and not degrade the self, whether in reading or media or friends or close relationships.
And it goes without saying that compassionate action, generous sharing, dedication to the welfare of earth and all its beings is paramount. What would be the value of a bliss which did not include concern for others as well as self?
When I look at this list, it sounds a bit like preaching. I think the truth is one does not so much "seek" certain kinds of experience, as simply be drawn to them, naturally and effortlessly, for that is what most pleases. Each will choose her own path, each select her own form of progression, whether from books or association with others, or music, or movement, or service or creative activity, or whatever. "There are many ways of approaching the throne." You will know what is "right" for you. As Cambell says, "Follow your bliss," and thus (I think) you prepare for transcendence, with many "illuminating moments" along the way.
And--it seems that kundalini may be "catching." Sometimes the mates of awakened ones find that they too undergo similar transformation, if they are open to such experience. And today, as more and more people are being touched by the kundalini experience, the morphogenetic field is intensifying, thus permitting more and more to awaken, with greater ease and in ever increasing numbers.
One of the frustrations for those of us who have undergone the experience is not being able to give the gift to others. But who knows, perhaps each one of us is giving something of value all the time, just by our actions and loving presence.
In the Sufi tradition, yearning itself is an important initial stage of the spiritual journey. By yearning for the divine, one inevitably is drawn closer to that presence, and many believe that the divine also yearns for us
