Thursday, July 07, 2005
Beauty and Horror
Yesterday, I read a beautiful description of major kundalini awakening by "Master" Charles. As he gazed at a photo of Muktananda, he went into a state of transcendent bliss which he describes in moving prose in his book, "Bliss of Freedom." (The excerpt is contained on amazon.com for those wishing to read the original. I was unable to copy it to transcribe on this site.)
Some of the phrases he used to capture his unexpected kundalini opening are:"Wave upon wave of undulating ecstasy radiated outward to infinity. Everything within this shimmering reverberation was disappearing and reappearing, all form dissolving into itself, a reflection of hallucinogenic light within an ocean of delight."
His account is moving and splendidly written, one of the most affecting I have encountered.
Subsequent to his mystic awakening, Charles took the title of "Master." He now has many followers and disciples, who apparently look upon him as an all wise "guru," someone qualified to lead others infallibly from his elevated position.
I am impressed by his experience of opening, but I have known several others who have undergone similar sudden awakening. In fact, one friend went into ecstatic bliss when Muktananda (still in India) simply tapped her forehead,shortly after her arrival at his ashram. She remained in that state for many months (or possibly years), but instead of dubbing herself a "Master" she became a practitioner of a body therapy in order to help others resolve their own personal and spiritual issues. Others have found various ways to turn their experience into meaningful paths of nurturance and support. They have not taken titles nor assumed "roles" placing them on pedestals.
Today the news is devastating--bomb blasts in London, by some group intent on killing its way to achieve--what? (world domination?) Our leaders seem more lost than ever, offering boastful words and acts of retaliation, rather than reasoned response. I am not a prophet, but this world dilemma was clearly going to be the consequence of the choices made by those in power, from the outset. Unfortunately, we have stumbled blindly ahead, as more and more innocents suffer.
Catastrophe and transcendence--these two impulses emerge more and more like mirror images as the world heads toward ever increasing darkness in light/light in darkness. Clearly we are in the grips of ultimate crisis, which will lead to total transfiguration or possible annihilation.
Now, more than ever, we must hold our spiritual connections close, maintain our ties with the divine, and keep our friendships alive. We will need all the strength and support we can muster, as things continue to unfold in such disturbing and/or affirming ways.
Some of the phrases he used to capture his unexpected kundalini opening are:"Wave upon wave of undulating ecstasy radiated outward to infinity. Everything within this shimmering reverberation was disappearing and reappearing, all form dissolving into itself, a reflection of hallucinogenic light within an ocean of delight."
His account is moving and splendidly written, one of the most affecting I have encountered.
Subsequent to his mystic awakening, Charles took the title of "Master." He now has many followers and disciples, who apparently look upon him as an all wise "guru," someone qualified to lead others infallibly from his elevated position.
I am impressed by his experience of opening, but I have known several others who have undergone similar sudden awakening. In fact, one friend went into ecstatic bliss when Muktananda (still in India) simply tapped her forehead,shortly after her arrival at his ashram. She remained in that state for many months (or possibly years), but instead of dubbing herself a "Master" she became a practitioner of a body therapy in order to help others resolve their own personal and spiritual issues. Others have found various ways to turn their experience into meaningful paths of nurturance and support. They have not taken titles nor assumed "roles" placing them on pedestals.
Today the news is devastating--bomb blasts in London, by some group intent on killing its way to achieve--what? (world domination?) Our leaders seem more lost than ever, offering boastful words and acts of retaliation, rather than reasoned response. I am not a prophet, but this world dilemma was clearly going to be the consequence of the choices made by those in power, from the outset. Unfortunately, we have stumbled blindly ahead, as more and more innocents suffer.
Catastrophe and transcendence--these two impulses emerge more and more like mirror images as the world heads toward ever increasing darkness in light/light in darkness. Clearly we are in the grips of ultimate crisis, which will lead to total transfiguration or possible annihilation.
Now, more than ever, we must hold our spiritual connections close, maintain our ties with the divine, and keep our friendships alive. We will need all the strength and support we can muster, as things continue to unfold in such disturbing and/or affirming ways.
