Kundalini Splendor

For some time I have watched with interest as the New Physics circles around and now back to the beginning point, where ancient wisdom resides. Consider, for example, the view of the nature of matter held by science and the ancient teachers (as well as some more modern ones.)

For centuries, science held that matter was indeed "hard stuff," hard to penetrate, palpable and real. Then, as time passed, science discovered that matter was made of atoms, which were held to be indestructible bits of matter, the foundation materials of the material universe. Then--voila!--science learned that atoms were "cuttable" after all. (The word "atom" is derived from the Greek "a" (not) plus the verb for for cut.) Indeed, it was proclaimed that atoms were mostly empty space, like an orange in a football field.

Most recently, physicists have put forward the notion of "String Theory," which is very hard to understand. But string theory does not refer to long strings of whatever, as we might suppose. It posits that atoms themselves, those infinitesimal bits which compose everything we label "matter," are composed of tiny "strings" which vibrate like the strings of a violin. The infinite atoms of the universe all vibrate at various ratios, creating the symphony of the universe. The bottom line here is (to my view) that everything is vibration, not hard "stuff."

What we think of as the "real world" is thus an illusion, something our brains create given the stimuli which impinge on our senses.

In ancient yogic and Buddhist lore, we learn that the world is not as it seems, that it is in fact an illusion which we mistake for the reality. This illusion is called "Maya," the veil which covers all of creation, so that we do not perceive the reality resting behind. The "illusion" includes not only things but the processes of the social world. Our grasping for wealth, material success, social position, fame and such--all are produced from "maya," the mistaken notions which delude our spirits. Truth is not to be found in externals (samsara), but in the interior world where our souls can link with the higher reality (nirvana).

Furthermore, certain ancient schools posited vibration itself as the basis of the universe. Here is an excerpt from an article on Wikipedia on Kashmiri Shaivism:




Spanda

The Spanda system, introduced by Vasugupta (c. 800 AD), is usually described as "vibration/movement of consciousness". Abhinavagupta uses the expression "some sort of movement" to imply the distinction from physical movement; it is rather a vibration or sound inside the Divine, a throb[44]. The essence of this vibration is the ecstatic self-recurrent consciousness[45].

The central tenet of this system is "everything is Spanda", both the objective exterior reality and the subjective world[46][47]. Nothing exists without movement[48], yet the ultimate movement takes place not in space or time, but inside the Supreme Consciousness(cit). So, it is a cycle of internalization and externalization of consciousness itself[49], relating to the most elevated plane in creation (Śiva-Śakti Tattva)[46].

In order to describe the connotations of the Spanda concept, a series of equivalent concepts are enumerated, such as: self recurrent consciousness - vimarśa[50], unimpeded will of the Supreme Consciousness (cit) - svātantrya, supreme creative energy - visarga, heart of the divine[45] - hṛdaya and ocean of light-consciousness[51] - cidānanda.

The most important texts of the system are Śiva Sutras, Spanda Karika and Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra[52].


A similar notion is found in Plato's myth of the cave, where people sit and stare at shadows on the wall, not realizing that the source of the shadows lies outside and they are confusing the appearance for reality.

Another example is the thought from Christian Science, which proclaims: "There is no life, truth, intelligence or substance in matter, for all is Infinite Mind and its Infinite Manifestation, for God is all in all." (Paraphrase)

More and more, contemporary thinkers in science are considering mind itself as the Source, for other theories are simply falling apart. Once Divine Consciousness is accepted as premise, all else comes into place.

My favorite reading in this area (of ancient wisdom) comes from the writings of Jai Deva Singh (translator and commentator) and one of my favorite books is
The Yoga of Delight, Wonder, and Astonishment: A Translation of the Vijnana-Bhairava (Suny Series in Tantric Studies) (Paperback)
by Jaideva Singh (Translator)

This book--and others by Jai Deva Singh--is--sadly-- out of print, and now is listed on Amazon (used) for the enormous price of about one hundred dollars. I bought mine many years ago for a fraction of that amount, and my guess is that these books are still around in second hand stores or e-bay or libraries. You can also find copies of "The Shiva Sutras" in second hand stores. They are not easy reading, but they contain amazing information, all received by the ancient rishis from other worldly sources (I accept this interpretation, because no other makes sense.)