Posts Tagged ‘Awakening’
A cross-cultural perspective on the awakening spiritual experience
Roof Heating TapesA cross-cultural perspective on the awakening spiritual experience
Thirty-two years, I started my journey, a journey spectacular and fascinating in and out of the experience of Kundalini awakening and the process that occurs once in powerful lights spiritual energy. This was my chance to receive shaktipat (kundalini awakening) by Swami Muktananda, who became master of the Siddha Yoga lineage at that time. I say that was my greatest happiness, because in this tradition, not just the beginninggiven, but the lessons necessary for the understanding of enlightenment and spiritual experience and the process that occurs as a result, openly and freely. I soon realized, through my own inner experience and the experience of others around me who had received this divine energy shaktipat interior, not only has the power to give a more mystical, but also a supreme healer. In his goal of having the applicant to obtain unity with the SupremeConsciousness, which should help to eliminate internal barriers in our spiritual physical, mental, emotional, mental y As in any process of growth and healing, they face obstacles, limitations, negative emotions, the negative trends of past experiences and difficult and unresolved issues can be difficult and sometimes scary. When combined with intense energy, spontaneous movement experience so that the individual has no prior training knowledge or understanding,can be overwhelming, which leads the individual to seek help from clergy, spiritual advisors, mental health professionals and holistic practitioners, many of whom lack the experience and knowledge to provide appropriate support and misdiagnosis some real experience of the person, labeling is pathological. Therefore, it is imperative that those who support people with awakened Kundalini have knowledge and experience through the process of kundalinispiritual cultures.
Energy between the traditional paradigms
There are many names for the kundalini spiritual traditions. Some are cancer Tibetan Buddhism, or inner fire, the Holy Spirity Chrisitian, Chinese martial arts and healing arts of Chi, and the number of African tribal healers dacers. When you look at the mystical texts, poetry and anecdotal material from a variety of traditions emerging paradigm that describes the experience of awakening and the movement of thisturn the power within. The system is the most articulate of Chakra / Nadi shown in yoga, Tibetan Buddhism and Sufism. In this system, the Kundalini is awakened and travels through the central channel or sushumna, piercing the chakras or energy centers in the subtle body of energy. In the process of moving through the chakras, kundalini release a variety of experiences of physical, mental, emotional, mental and spiritual. About Yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, and Sufi traditionswords can be different to describe the paradigm, but they are essentially the same. The Christian system is not so well articulated, but mentioned in the Book of Revelation, like John, after receiving the Holy Ghost revival of Jesus, the experiments later, a series of mystical visions. In one of them is the seven seals and the seven spirits of God, who presides. Each stamp represents a level of awareness or consciousness. In Kabbalah, the mystical path of Judaism, there isa complex tree of life and Sephiroth. It also refers to the seven heavens and the Hebrew letters and sounds to achieve them. In Indian tradition, the Hopi creation story describes the vibratory centers that run along the axis or spine. These five centers are located under the 'navel heart, throat, just below the top of the head and the crown of the system very similar to the chakra system. An artifact discovered clayArchaeologists at the Cahokia mounds ancient tribes living along the Mississippi River in what is now the state of Illinois, shows a woman seated on a serpent running Berger. The snake climbs like a vine in the middle of the back, along which are located a number of pumpkins. The snake occur in the traditions of yoga, a symbol of the awakening of kundalini or serpent power. Ancient Druids of what is now England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have a system of vessels. Thethe boiler is located in the umbilical region contains an inner fire, the cauldron of fire, which is located in the center. Druids thought the cauldron of fire to awaken. Once awake, spiritual power, helped by increased respiration, lighting the cauldron of vocation in the heart region. With the intense desire and the desire that arises in the cauldron of vocation, is the opening round knowledge of the boiler at the top of the head, the opening of the MasterDruids receive divine inspiration, truth and knowledge of the universe. There is an interesting parallel that seems to have traveled from the old system, the Knights Templar and Druid to return to Scotland and the formation of Freemasonry. Leadbeater describes the relationship between the first three degrees of Masonry and the chakra system / Nadi, but could also have shown the link with the old pots druid system.
Experience spiritual awakening
TheTraditional yoga experience the awakening of Kundalini through shaktipat described in the teachings of Kashmir Shaivism is easy to see the Siddha Yoga experience. In 1979 he started the research process of this experience for my doctoral thesis on Kundalini awakening and human development. The study was a qualitative model of the theory and the experience ended in 1984. Siddha Yoga six professionals with three or more years of regular spiritual practice were interviewedheavily on their experience and their subsequent transformation shaktipat in progress. The qualitative analysis of the experiences and changes in consciousness to begin his search for spiritual awareness, your shaktipat and the impact of Kundalini awakening and spiritual practice to experience altered states, psychological concept / her health, physical and experience , values and lifestyles have been made. All subjects 5 trials shaktipat classicthings like energy, lights, visions, waves of joy and love, unity consciousness, and spontaneous physical movements in meditation. Over time, the following subjects:
Pulsating energy in the chakras
Spontaneous pranayama (yoga breathing)
Spontaneous hatha yoga postures
Cried spontaneously, spontaneous eruptions of animal sounds and other
The mind becomes quiet and vacant
Siddha mantra meditation spontaneously welling up inside
waveshappiness
Listening to the internal sounds (heavenly voices, roaring energy)
The loss of body awareness
Energy that passes through the / or spinal and other body parts
altered visual perception
Feeling of heaviness or lightness of the body
The loss of meaning in life
Constant awareness of vibration energy in the body
Spontaneous singing in foreign languages unknown
Spontaneous creation of songs and poems unintentional
Visions of God
Deep understanding and spontaneousWriting Lessons
The experience of the inner self
Spontaneous experiences of being accused of energy in the morning and evening (the sun rising and setting)
Many more experiments and categories of experience of Kundalini awakening and development described in this study. Point of support both the novice and the support, it is important to recognize that all the experiments described here are normal experiences of kundalini not only documented in thisstudy, described in the text but also as Shakti Devatmi and experienced by thousands of people in the path of Siddha Yoga and other roads where the goal is to reach God-realization through the awakening of kundalini.
The proof of these experiments is the autobiography of the Sufi path Irina Tweedie, the abyss of fire. Here we describe the reception of his Sufi master of the initiation and development of the dramatic experience of the kundalini. The great Sufi mystic and poet Rumi,describes the inner experience of kundalini in his "Song of the Reed" poem
This flute is playing with fire, not the wind;
and without the fire does not exist.
This is the fire of love that inspires the flute ….
And 'the ferment of love that ends the wine.
Dog is a comfort to all the lovers apart.
The music of our sails tears. (1981, p.19)
In Christianity, the original lighting was when Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit in hisdisciples. This breathing method of the Master of spiritual energy in the disciple also appears in the texts of Kashmir Shaivism as a conventional method of awakening the kundalini. After Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit upon the disciples begin to have a variety of spiritual experiences with the visions and speaking in tongues. In the book of Revelation, John describes a series of mystical visions. He sees the seven seals, which are the seven spiritus of God areKeeper of the Seals. Then he saw that the fifth angel of God come with the seal of the living God, have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads, a traditional point of awakening the kundalini. Molotov, a disciple of the Russian Orthodox Sun, San Serafin, begs him to help him understand how to know and understand the experience of the Holy Spirit. St. Seraphim Molotov pray to God to give the experience of the Holy Spirit and the two are swallowed by the light so intense thatMolotov can not look to St. Seraphim said that the flashing light in the eyes and the face is too dazzling to look far. When St. Seraphim convinced him to try the Molotov began to feel 'the warmth of love and peace of the Holy Spirit in himself and around him and St. Seraphim. In the texts of Kashmir Shaivism as a traditional 2 / 2 Master of Kundalini awakening think and look in the eyes of the disciple. Although these methods are not clearlyarticulated in a Christian way, we see evidence of both the experience of St. Seraphim and Molotov.
Mystics of the Throne of the second and third centuries were the predecessors of the Kabbalah school of Judaism. There is a story of Rabbi Yohannin and his disciples. As discussed the meaning of Ezekiel's vision of the chariot of God the Holy Spirit descended upon them in the way, if the fire. Kabbalistic master Rabbi David Cooper and Mark Stavish parallel to speak openlykundalini experience in the practice of Kabbalah. Rabbi Cooper compares the experience of the Sephiroth and the paradigm of the kundalini in its current registered mystical Kabbalah. Mark Stavish in his recent book, Kabbalah to the health and welfare, the practice of meditation to awaken the Kundalini Kabbalisitc reality.
In the tradition of the Lakota Native Americans, Archie Fire Lame Deer, in his autobiography, a gift of power, life and teachings of a Lakota medicine man, describes vividlythe experience of his father, power and knowledge is aggressively hours before his death. He said that when he walked into a totally different dimension and becomes a medicine man truly spiritual.
In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there are tumors or internal focus for the tantric practice of kundalini awakening. Geshe Gyatso in his book, The Clear Light of Bliss, described the practices and experiences of the complex is obtained as a classic of consciousnessinner fire is directed upward through the chakras to the crown chakra, which releases a "fall" of happiness, then down through the chakras, and then again in reverse order until the fall of the melt back into the crown chakra , with the doctor in a state of enlightenment.
In the tradition of the ancient Druids and Mac Amairgen powems nede ADME, led by Caitlin Matthews druid Irish texts to describe the experiences of pots heating,vocation and knowledge. In the two poems of the ancient Druids and the history of dialogue between the master druid BP nede Mac, we suggest that the control experiments only druid to complete awakening when initiated by a teacher who has reached the highest knowledge Druid. This knowledge is acquired by tilting the furnace to receive the knowledge of divine inspiration and the knowledge of higher consciousness.
Some considerations in the deliverySupport
Understanding the experience of the spiritual awakening of the kundalini and progress is essential to support those who seek him. Statement by Charles Tart and classic research on the change applies to the States to support those experiencing the awakening of the Kundalini and altered states of wealth and life transforming experiences that follow. While doing research, it is difficult if not impossible, the search for altered states of consciousness, if you do not knowyourself. It 'hard to drive and support someone through their experience of enlightenment and progress of the kundalini, if you have no experience. The awakening of the Kundalini is fully conscious, intelligent force that is able to guide their process and support others.It process is important to understand the role of the kundalini awakens, and the goal is to purify and refine all aspects Our experience of physical, mental, emotional, mental andspiritual and, finally, lead to a state of oneness with God. An overview of the group releases a large amount of energy that spirals through all that stands between us and the experience of our Divine Being. When this happens, the internal process of clearing obstacles, gain a new understanding of the scale of self-healing, spiritual and physical can be accelerated and expanded to become saturated the psychological experience of the crisis, physically and spiritually. Withouta paradigm for understanding the awakening of the Kundalini and the process of kundalini undfolding experience can be very confusing for the researcher and the fans.
The development of the kundalini through the chakras and nadis is not a linear process. In other words, the kundalini does not erase the impressions that are chakras or energy centers, one at a time. Neither move from the lower chakras to those raised in the linear order of compensation of each firstpasses to the next. The spiral of kundalini through layers of questions, spiritual experiences, memories and trends contained in the chakras and the energy of the body that come and go with an intelligence that is often surprising to see. When considering the process that exists in psychotherapy, or healing, without awakening the kundalini, we see a similar trend. The questions are prepared surface and disappear, to reappear from one level deeper in a later time, oftencaused by life events, or internal work to be done to strengthen to continue to the next stage of processing. We all have our personal development work, removing the layers of a problem little by little, as they become ready, back to the next level of resolution when we are ready. When the awakening of Kundalini is a part of this growth process, the process is intensified and accelerated. When this process has intensified kundalini staff in combination with the classicthe experiments described above, the investigator is ignorant and uneducated supporters run the risk of misdiagnosis and confusion of the elderly experience. Spiritual visions and feelings of energy can be misdiagnosed as hallucinations. Involuntary physical movements and lights can be diagnosed as neurological disorders. Racing thoughts, impaired visual perception and the experience of a rapid and sadness can be conveniently come in a number of psychologydisorders. When the physical and psychological health problems have been previously diagnosed with the evaluation is further complicated when a person experiences the awakening of kundalini, as the crisis caused by high demand for knowledge of the process of Kundalini awakening previously diagnosed disorders to manage successful path of wellness and personal transcendence.
Support Functions
The spiritual teachers, spiritual counselorsand the clergy, mental health professionals and holistic practitioners can play an important role in supporting people an intense Kundalini awakening. Everyone has a potential role for play.Perhaps the most important role is that of his spiritual master. In the case of the awakening of the Kundalini teacher must be a real guru, who has the power to awaken, to control and guide the conduct of the kundalini. It is the role of a guru to do just that for those who come to him or herspiritual teaching. As a guru also offers lessons from the Scriptures is an honor to provide guidance to students to understand the processes and practices that support the development of the kundalini. The Sankalpa or intention of a guru can instantly awaken the kundalini, the intensity modulation and direct the development process of the kundalini in a way that adapts to each student. I knew that this power several times during my tripin the path of Siddha Yoga, beginning with an introduction to kundalini awakened in me through many experiences and intense movement of kundalini. One of the most enjoyable experiences that occurred in the Siddha Yoga ashram in Ganeshpuri, India. It was the beginning of an experience my experiences described in the Kundalini Shakti Devatma classical, and later in my thesis. I started with a roaring kriya, in other words spontaneously, without any control over it, startroars like a lion. This experience has continued to intensify. I would start to hear the roar of the house and I know that I have to run in a place not to disturb other students who were in meditation or chanting. The noise seemed to be activated with the same intensity for the song that we did every night in the ashram, so I stopped going to the track and would sit on the roof of the dormitory, starting with the roar of the first verse of this song. At that time, BabaMukatananda then said: "Everyone has come to sing." He would send people to ensure that everyone was coming. So … I had to go sing. I sat near the exit to escape quickly once the noise started to control me. I feel it back on its feet and singing, but there was no longer in his hand. The shakti had control and the roar errupting was, so he jumped and ran towards the exit, only to be greeted by a security guard insisted ashram down.When I explained what was happening, he sent me next door to the courtyard where they were singing. The roar broke out and the room with a window into the courtyard served as a megaphone to send the sound in the courtyard, where all the students sitting with Muktananda, singing. Suddenly, I heard a laugh from me and then I was called by my spiritual name and said, still laughing, "Now, now, be quiet." Immediately, the roar stopped and opted for my Kundalini Shaktithe body and began to dance for joy, the formation of conventional hand mudras. That happiness welled in me and my body started to spin like a dervish. I understand that these beautiful movements that developed Shakti Baba Muktananda had only ordered the kundalini to move quietly and with joy, instead of roaringly! Many times since then, while sitting in meditation intensive became noisy with sounds of animals, the spontaneous song and other sounds you hear, or BabaMuktananda, and later Gurumayi Chidvilasananda just politely say "quiet hours", and the whole room became quiet and peaceful while the participants are immersed in the deeper states of meditation as well. Offering support for intense experience Kundalini awakening, is often useful to send a teacher who has the power to modulate the intensity of the experience, especially if the person has had a spontaneous awakening, without the benefit of a teacher guide. Whensimply can not be invoked the help of a teacher may also be useful. Studying with a teacher can also deepen their own inner experience of kundalini and the Divine Being, understanding and inspiration in the work of supporting others.
Spiritual and religious advisers have a specific role in advising and teaching others to continue their spiritual journey. Able or have not reached the Guru, but may have experienced domesticand knowledge of the process of kundalini and spiritual disciplines and a day of practical strategies and techniques in the day to integrate the experience into your life. In religious and spiritual advisers to be useful to support the researcher knows and develops a profound process of awakening, must have experience and knowledge of the process. Throughout history, there are cases of great saints who were considered heretics by the clergy traditions crazy becausethe clergy had no knowledge of spiritual enlightenment and mystical experiences that accompany the classic. For those with limited knowledge, it is important to try to have the knowledge and understanding and to refer candidates to them.
Mental health professionals can be overwhelming support for those experiencing the awakening of the Kundalini and development, if you are going and the knowledge of transpersonal experiences and traditional kundaliniprocess. It 'also important that mental health professionals to develop cultural skills and understanding of the common truth, practices and ideas across the road when it comes to providing advice and assistance. It 'also important to have an opening to question the diagnosis of psychological problems when working with people who have awakened kundalini. Questions about spiritual practice and experience should be a standard part of the evaluationprocess. In most cases, if not to seek spiritual experiences that the customer does not share them, for fear of being seen as hallucinations, or simply to be "bizarre." Not everyone who needs support with the spiritual awakening is able to identify and seek help. Without the benefit of a spiritual path that provides a paradigm and normalization of the experience of the process of awakening and transformation that occurs after awakening, many people with what they foundtake are the psychological crisis, or the total confusion over what began to happen to them. It 'important to be able to identify and awakening experience "symptoms" that follow and then bring the mental and emotional reactions in perspective, before assigning a DSM! In some cases, very complicated, both exist. You can have a clear diagnosis and a clear mental experience of spiritual awakening. In such cases, the task becomes to findbalance in work with psychiatric symptoms and spiritual experiences in a way that brings healing and spiritual development.
Holistic practitioners can offer great support for people experiencing Kundalini awakening and progress, provided they have the knowledge and experience of the processes themselves. Some holistic practices can provide support are essential energy healing, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, hatha yoga, tai chi, nutritional counseling.All professionals working in the energy field of a person with an awakening of the kundalini must proceed with great care and sensitivity, not to interfere with the work of the kundalini, or intensify an extremely intense. What we do as a healer, the energy is to work with the Kundalini. This means that, little by little the same. This also applies to the practice of Hatha Yoga and Tai Chi. Hatha Yoga practice was originally developed to purify the body and be ready tokundalini awakening, and many of the asanas and pranayama practices can actually improve the experience of kundalini, especially in the early years of the trial, when the process is more intense. Asana and pranayama techniques are designed to eliminate the nadis or subtle energy channels of the body. People with awakened Kundalini must be advised to be aware of the power of these practices and to check to see if you create more intensity orbalancing the intensity of them. Directors must be aware of nutritious foods to cool kundalini, ie, candy, dairy products, and diet. Often, when Kundalini awakens, it begins to spontaneously move away from meat, fish and poultry and switch to a vegetarian diet. Lighter, easier to digest the food is more compatible with the kundalini process and can also facilitate the process of purification and physical symptoms significantly. You should also inform theindividual to be sure to eat because the digestive process that in reality the shakti to it, and sometimes it helps to relieve the intensity of the process.
Conclusion
This article describes the information about the intercultural experience the awakening of the Kundalini, and gives some tips for those who provide support to people undergoing the process of awakening and transformation that develops from this morning. For more information about the experience of Kundalini, do not hesitatePlease contact Dr. Wilcox on this site. A more detailed discussion will be published shortly in the fire of love, falling out of favor, the next book by Dr. Wilcox. For more information about this book go to http://www.wilcoxhealingcenter.com.
References
Cooper, DA (1994). Mystical Kabbalah, Boulder, CO: Sounds True, Inc. (the band)
Deer Fire, Blade, A. And Erdoes, R. (1993). Gift of power, the life and teachings of a Lakota medicine man. Santa Fe: Bear & CompanyPublication.
Gyatso, GesheKelsang. (1982). Clear Light of Bliss. London: Tharp.
Helminski, E. (Trad) 1981. The ruins of the heart, lyric poetry selected Jelaluddin Rumi. Putney, VT: Threshold Paper
Matthews, C. And Matthews, J. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom. Rockport, MA: Element Books, Inc.
Tirtha Swami Vishnu (1962). Devatma Shakti. Tirtha Swami Rishikesh Shivom
.. Tweedie, I. (1979 Tisbury's fire pit, England: ComptonPress, Ltd.
Wilcox, J. (1984). Kundalini: A study of spiritual awakening and movement toward the car. PhD thesis. Teachers College, Columbia University.
Roof Heating Tapes
A Cross Cultural Experiential Perspective on Spiritual Awakening
Roof Heating TapesA Cross Cultural Experiential Perspective on Spiritual Awakening
Thirty-two years, I started my journey, a journey spectacular and fascinating in and out of the experience of Kundalini awakening and the process that occurs once in powerful lights spiritual energy. This was my chance to receive shaktipat (kundalini awakening) by Swami Muktananda, who became master of the Siddha Yoga lineage at that time. I say that was my greatest happiness, because in this tradition, not just the beginninggiven, but the lessons necessary for the understanding of enlightenment and spiritual experience and the process that occurs as a result, openly and freely. I soon realized, through my own inner experience and the experience of others around me who had received this divine energy shaktipat interior, not only has the power to give a more mystical, but also a supreme healer. In his goal of having the applicant to obtain unity with the SupremeConsciousness, which should help to eliminate internal barriers in our spiritual physical, mental, emotional, mental y As in any process of growth and healing, they face obstacles, limitations, negative emotions, the negative trends of past experiences and difficult and unresolved issues can be difficult and sometimes scary. When combined with intense energy, spontaneous movement experience so that the individual has no prior training knowledge or understanding,can be overwhelming, which leads the individual to seek help from clergy, spiritual advisors, mental health professionals and holistic practitioners, many of whom lack the experience and knowledge to provide appropriate support and misdiagnosis some real experience of the person, labeling is pathological. Therefore, it is imperative that those who support people with awakened Kundalini have knowledge and experience through the process of kundalinispiritual cultures.
Energy between the traditional paradigms
There are many names for the kundalini spiritual traditions. Some are cancer Tibetan Buddhism, or inner fire, the Holy Spirity Chrisitian, Chinese martial arts and healing arts of Chi, and the number of African tribal healers dacers. When you look at the mystical texts, poetry and anecdotal material from a variety of traditions emerging paradigm that describes the experience of awakening and the movement of thisturn the power within. The system is the most articulate of Chakra / Nadi shown in yoga, Tibetan Buddhism and Sufism. In this system, the Kundalini is awakened and travels through the central channel or sushumna, piercing the chakras or energy centers in the subtle body of energy. In the process of moving through the chakras, kundalini release a variety of experiences of physical, mental, emotional, mental and spiritual. About Yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, and Sufi traditionswords can be different to describe the paradigm, but they are essentially the same. The Christian system is not so well articulated, but mentioned in the Book of Revelation, like John, after receiving the Holy Ghost revival of Jesus, the experiments later, a series of mystical visions. In one of them is the seven seals and the seven spirits of God, who presides. Each stamp represents a level of awareness or consciousness. In Kabbalah, the mystical path of Judaism, there isa complex tree of life and Sephiroth. It also refers to the seven heavens and the Hebrew letters and sounds to achieve them. In Indian tradition, the Hopi creation story describes the vibratory centers that run along the axis or spine. These five centers are located under the 'navel heart, throat, just below the top of the head and the crown of the system very similar to the chakra system. An artifact discovered clayArchaeologists at the Cahokia mounds ancient tribes living along the Mississippi River in what is now the state of Illinois, shows a woman seated on a serpent running Berger. The snake climbs like a vine in the middle of the back, along which are located a number of pumpkins. The snake occur in the traditions of yoga, a symbol of the awakening of kundalini or serpent power. Ancient Druids of what is now England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have a system of vessels. Thecauldron of warming located in the navel region contains an inner fire, the cauldron of fire, which is located in its very center. The Druids would meditate on the cauldron of fire to awaken it. Once awakened, the spiritual power, fanned by the breath, rises, igniting the cauldron of vocation in the heart region. Through the intense desire and longing that emerges in the cauldron of vocation, the heat is carried upward opening the cauldron of Knowledge at the top of the head, opening the Master druid to receiving divine inspiration, truth and knowledge from the universe. There is an interesting parallel that seems to have traveled from the ancient Druid system to the Knights Templar and back to Scotland and the formation of the Freemasons. Leadbeater describes the connection between the first three degrees of Free Masonry and the chakra/nadi system, but might well have also shown the link to the ancient Druid system of cauldrons.
Spiritual Awakening- the Experience
The classic yogic experience of kundalini awakening through shaktipat initiation that is described in the teachings of Kashmir Shaivism is easily seen in the Siddha Yoga experience. In 1979 I began the process of researching this experience for my doctoral dissertation on kundalini awakening and human development. The study was a qualitative and theory discovering model completed in 1984. Six Siddha Yoga practitioners with three or more years of regular spiritual practice were interviewed extensively about their experience of shaktipat and their resulting ongoing transformation. Qualitative analysis of their experiences and shifts in awareness starting with their search for spiritual awareness, their shaktipat initiation and the impact of kundalini awakening and spiritual practice on their experience of altered states, psychological /self concept, physical and health experiences, values, and lifestyle were done. All 5 subjects experienced classic shaktipat experiences of such things as energy rising, lights, visions, waves of bliss and love, unity consciousness, and spontaneous physical movements in meditation. Over time subjects experienced the following:
Energy throbbing in the chakras
Spontaneous pranayama (yogic breathing)
Spontaneous hatha yoga postures
Spontaneous weeping, spontaneous eruptions of sounds-animal and other
The mind becoming still or vacant
The Siddha Meditation mantra spontaneously welling up inside
waves of bliss
Hearing inner sounds (celestial voices, roaring of energy)
Loss of body awareness
Energy coursing through the spinal column and/or other parts of the body
altered visual perceptions
Heaviness or lightness of body
Feeling life passing away
Constant awareness of energy vibrating within the body
Spontaneous singing in unknown foreign languages
Spontaneous involuntary creation of songs and poems
Divine visions
Spontaneous deep understanding of scriptural teachings
Experiences of the Inner Self
Spontaneous experiences of being charged with energy in the early morning and early evening hours (sunrise and sunset)
Many more experiences and categories of experience of kundalini awakening and unfolding are described in this study. From the stand point of both the seeker and support givers it is important to recognize that all of the experiences described here are normal kundalini experiences that are not only documented in this study, but also described in such texts as Devatmi Shakti and experienced by thousands of individuals on the Siddha Yoga path and other paths where the goal is to attain God realization through the awakening of the kundalini.
Evidence of these experiences is seen on the Sufi path in Irina Tweedie’s autobiography, Chasm of Fire. Here she describes receiving initiation from her Sufi Master, and the dramatic experiences of the unfolding of the kundalini. The great Sufi mystic and poet, Rumi, describes the inner experience of the kundalini in his poem “Song of the Reed”:
This flute is played with fire, not with wind;
and without this fire you would not exist.
It is the fire of love that inspires the flute….
It is the ferment of love that completes the wine.
The reed is a comfort to all estranged lovers.
Its music tears our veils away. (1981, p.19)
In Christianity the awakening originally took place when Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into his disciples. This method of the Master breathing spiritual energy into the disciple also appears in the texts of Kashmir Shaivism as one of the classic methods of awakening the kundalini. After Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into his disciples they begin to have a variety of spiritual experiences including visions and speaking in tongues. In the Book of Revelations, John describes a series of mystical visions. He sees the seven seals within which are the seven spiritus of God who are the guardians of the seals. He then sees the fifth angel of God ascending with the living seal of God sealing the servants of God in their foreheads-one of the traditional points of awakening the kundalini. Molotov, a disciple of the Russian Orthodox mon, St. Serafim, pleads with him to help him understand how he will know and understand the experience of the Holy Spirit. St. Serafim prays to God to give Molotov the experience of the Holy Spirit and the two are engulfed in light so intense that Molotov cannot look at St. Serafim saying that the light flashing from his eyes and face is too dazzling too look at. When St.. Serafim convinces him to look at him Molotov begins to experience the love, warmth and peace of the Holy Spirit both within himself and all around him and St. Serafim. In the texts of Kashmir Shaivism two of the classic ways that a Master awakens the kundalini are through thought and through looking into the eyes of the disciple. Although these methods are not clearly articulated on the Christian path, one sees evidence of both in the experience of Molotov and St. Serafim.
The Throne Mystics of the second and third century were the predecessors of Kabbalistic schools of Judaism. There is a story of Rabbi Yohannin and his disciples. As they were discussing the meaning of Ezekiel’s vision of God’s chariot the Holy Spirit descended on them in the form if fire. Kabbalistic teachers Rabbi David Cooper and Mark Stavish openly speak of parallels to the kundalini experience in the practice of Kabbalah. Rabbi Cooper compares the experience of the sefiroth and the kundalini paradigm in his recorded course The Mystical Kabbalah. Mark Stavish in his recent book, Kabbalah for Health and Wellness, actually presents Kabbalisitc meditation practices for awakening the kundalini.
In the Native American Lakota tradition, Archie Fire Lame Deer, in his autobiography, Gift of Power, the Life and Teachings of a Lakota Medicine Man, vividly describes the experience of his father energetically passing him his power and knowledge hours before his death. He says that at this time he went into a totally different spiritual dimension and truly became a medicine man.
In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition there exists the tummo, or inner fire tantric practice for awakening the kundalini. Geshe Gyatso, in his book Clear Light of Bliss, describes the intricate practices and the classic experiences of state of consciousness that are achieved as the inner fire is directed upward through the chakras into the crown chakra where a “drop” of bliss is released, then directed downward through the chakras, and then back upward in the reverse order until the drop merges again in the crown chakra taking the practitioner into the state of enlightenment.
In the ancient Druid tradition the powems of Nede Mac Adme, and Amairgen, translated by from ancient Irish Druid texts by Caitlin Matthews, describe the experiences of the cauldrons of warming, vocation and knowledge. In both the poems of these ancient druids and in stories of dialogue between the Master Druid Nede mac Adne, it is suggested that only the Master Druid experiences the full awakening when initiated by a Master who has attained the highest state of Druidic knowledge. That knowlege is only gained through the tipping upward of the cauldron of knowledge to receive divine inspiration and knowledge from higher consciousness.
Some Considerations In Providing Support
An experiential understanding of spiritual awakening and the unfolding of the kundalini is essential in providing support to those who seek it. Charles Tart’s now classic statement about research on alter states applies to providing support to those experiencing kundalini awakening and the myriad altered states and life transforming experiences that follow. In doing research it is difficult, if not impossible to research altered states of consciousness if you have not experienced them yourself. It is difficult to guide and support someone through their experience of awakening and unfolding of kundalini if you have not experienced it yourself. The awakened kundalini is a fully conscious and intelligent force that can guide you in both your own process and in the process of supporting others.It is important to understand that the awakened kundalini’s role and purpose is to purify and refine all dimensions of our experience- physical, mental, emotional, psychic and spiritual- and finally bring us into the state of oneness with God. One glimpse of that oneness unleashes a flood of energy that spirals through whatever is between us and that extended experience of our Divine Self. When this happens one’s internal process of clearing obstacles, gaining new understandings of self, of expanded spiritual dimensions and of physical healing can become so accelerated that one becomes overwhelmed and experiences psychological, physical and spiritual crisis. Without a paradigm for understanding kundalini awakening and the process of the undfolding of kundalini, the experience can be extremely confusing both to the seeker and those who are providing support.
The unfolding of kundalini through the chakras and nadis is not a linear process. In other words, the kundalini does not clear the impressions held in the chakras, or energetic centers one at a time. Nor does it move from the lower chakras to the higher ones in linear order, clearing each before it moves to the next. The kundalini spirals through layers of issues, spiritual experiences, memories and tendencies contained within the chakras and the energetic body, moving back and forth with an intelligence that is often awesome to behold. When one considers the process that one experiences in psychotherapy, or in healing, without the awakened kundalini one sees a similar pattern. Issues surface, are worked through and subside, only to resurface from a deeper level at a later time, often triggered by life events, or internal work that needs to be done to strengthen us to go on to the next level of transformation. We all, in our personal development work, peel away the layers of an issue gradually, as we are ready, returning to the issue to move to the next level of resolution when we are ready. When the awakened kundalini becomes a part of that growth process the process is intensified and accelerate. When this intensified personal process is combined with the classic kundalini experiences mentioned previously both the uneducated seeker and the uneducated supporter run the risk of misdiagnosing the experience and confusing the individual more. Spiritual visions and energetic sensations can be misdiagnosed as hallucinations. Involuntary physical movements and seeing of lights can be misdiagnosed as neurological disorders. Racing thoughts, changes in visual perception and rapid experiences of bliss and sadness can all be conveniently fit into a number of psychological disorders. Where disorders of a physical or psychological nature have been previously diagnosed assessment becomes even more complicated when an individual experiences the awakening of kundalini, as the crises precipitated by the awakening demand considerable knowledge of both the kundalini process and the disorders previously diagnosed in order to successfully guide the individual on their journey to wellness and to transcendence.
Support Roles
Spiritual Masters, spiritual advisors and clergy, mental health professionals and holistic practitioners may all play significant roles in supporting individuals experiencing intense kundalini awakening. Each has a potential role to play.Perhaps the most important role is that of the Spiritual Master. In the case of kundalini awakening this Master must be a true guru, one who has the power to awaken, control and guide the unfolding of the kundalini. It is the role of such a guru to do just that for those who come to him or her for spiritual teaching. Such a guru also provides time honored teachings from scriptures that offer guidance to the student in understanding the process and the practices that support the unfolding of the kundalini. The sankalpa or intention of such a guru can instantly awaken the kundalini, modulate its intensity and direct the process of the unfolding of the kundalini in a way that is suited to each individual student. I have experienced this power many times through the course of my own journey on the Siddha Yoga path, starting with the initiation that awakened my inner kundalini and moving on through many intense experiences of the movement of that kundalini. One of the most amusing experiences happened in the Siddha Yoga ashram in Ganeshpuri, India. This was early in my experience of the classic kundalini experiences described in Devatma Shakti, and later in my own dissertation. I began to have roaring kriyas, in other words, I would spontaneously, without control over this, begin roaring like a lion. This experience continued to intensify. I would begin to hear the roaring internally and know that I needed to run to someplace where I would not disturb other students who were meditating or chanting. The roaring seemed to be triggered most intensely by the chant they we did each evening in the ashram, so I stopped going to the chant and would sit up on the roof of the dormitory building, the roaring starting with the first verse of this chant. At this time, Baba Mukatananda then said “Everyone must come to the chant.” He would send people around to make sure everyone was coming. So…I had to go to the chant. I sat back near the exit in order to escape quickly once the roaring started to overpower me. I could hear it, was holding back and chanting, but there was no holding it any longer. The shakti was in control and the roaring was errupting, so I leaped up and ran for the exit, only to be met by an ashram security person who insisted I sit back down. When I explained what was happening he sent me into the hall adjoining the courtyard where we were chanting. The roaring erupted and the hall, with window open to the courtyard, acted like a megaphone sending the roaring out into the courtyard where Muktananda sat with all of the students, chanting. Suddenly, I heard him laughing within me, and then he called me by my spiritual name and said, still laughing, “Now, now, be quiet.” Instantly, the roaring stopped and the kundalini shakti picked my body up and I started dancing blissfully, classic mudras forming with my hands. From this bliss welled up within me and my body began to whirl like a dervish. I realized as these beautiful movements of the shakti unfolded that Baba Muktananda had simply directed the kundalini to move quietly and blissfully, rather than roaringly! Many times since then when sitting in meditation intensives that became noisy with animal sounds, spontaneous singing and other sounds I would hear either Baba Muktananda, or later Gurumayi Chidvilasananda simply softly say “Quiet now”, and the entire hall would become very still and quiet as participants would be plunged into the deepest states if meditation. When offering support to those experiencing intense kundalini awakening, it is often helpful to send them to a Master who has the power to modulate the intensity of the experience, particularly if the individual has had a spontaneous awakening without the benefit of a Master’s guidance. When this is not possible simply invoking the assistance of such a Master can also be helpful. Studying with such a Master can also deepen one’s own inner experience of the kundalini and the Divine Self, providing understanding and inspiration in the work of supporting others.
Spiritual advisors and clergy have a specific role in counseling and teaching others as they pursue their spiritual path. They have not reached the level of Master or Guru, but can have a great deal of inner experience and knowledge of the kundalini process and the spiritual disciplines and practical day-to-day strategies and techniques for integrating the experience into one’s life. In spiritual advisors and clergy to be helpful in supporting the seeker who is experiencing an intense awakening and unfolding process, they must have experience and knowledge of the process. Throughout history there are cases of great saints who were viewed as either heretics or insane by the clergy of their traditions, because the clergy had no knowledge of spiritual awakening and the classic mystical experiences that accompany it. For those who have limited knowledge it is important to seek out those who have the knowledge and understanding and refer seekers to them.
Mental health professionals can be tremendous support to those individuals who are experiencing kundalini awakening and unfolding, if they are transpersonally oriented and have experiential as well as traditional knowledge of the kundalini process. It is equally important for mental health professionals to develop cross cultural competencies and understandings of the common truths, practices and understandings across paths when attempting to provide counseling and support. It is also essential to have an openness to questioning one’s diagnosis of psychological disorders when working with individuals with awakened kundalini. Asking questions about spiritual practice and experience needs to be a standard part of the assessment process. In most cases if you don’t ask about spiritual experiences the client will not share them, for fear of being thought to be hallucinating, or simply to be “weird”. Not every person who needs support with spiritual awakening is able to identify and ask for that support. Without the benefit of a spiritual path that provides a paradigm and normalization of the experience of awakening and the transformation process that takes place after awakening, many individuals present with what they are assuming are either psychological crises, or total confusion about what has started to happen to them. It is essential to be able to identify the awakening experience and the “symptoms” that follow it and then bring the mental and emotional reactions to this into perspective, before assigning a DSM diagnosis! In some very complicated cases, both exist. There may be a clear psychiatric diagnosis and a clear experience of spiritual awakening. In such cases, the task becomes one of finding a balance in working with both the psychiatric symptoms and the spiritual experiences in a way that brings about healing and spiritual development.
Holistic practitioners can offer much support to individuals experiencing kundalini awakening and unfolding, providing they have the knowledge and experience of the process themselves. Some holistic practices that can provide essential supports are energy healing, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, hatha yoga, Tai Chi, nutritional counseling. Any practitioners working in the energetic field of someone with an awakened kundalini must proceed with great caution and sensitivity in order to not interfere with the work of the kundalini, or intensify an already intense experience. What one does as an energy healer needs to be in collaboration with the kundalini. This means, gently follow her lead. This is also true of hatha yoga and Tai Chi practice. Hatha Yoga practice was originally developed in order to purify the body and ready it for awakening of the kundalini, thus many of the asanas and pranayama practices can actually intensify the kundalini experience, particularly in the early years of the experience when the process is the most intense. The asanas and pranayama techniques are designed to clear the nadis or subtle energy channels of the body. Individuals with awakened kundalini should be cautioned to be aware of the power of these practices and to monitor themselves to see if they are creating more intensity or balancing the intensity out for them. Nutritional counselors need to be aware of the foods that cool the kundalini down, i.e. sweets, milk products, and leave them in the diet. Often when the kundalini awakens one begins to pull spontaneously away from meat, fish and poultry and move to a vegetarian diet. Lighter, easily digestible foods are more compatible with the kundalini process and may actually ease the purification process and physical symptoms considerably. One must also caution the individual to make sure to eat, as the digestive process actually draws the shakti to it and sometimes helps to ease the intensity of the process.
Conclusion
This article outlines information on the cross cultural experience of kundalini awakening and provides some guidelines for those providing support for individuals experiencing awakening and the transformation process that evolves from that awakening. For additional information about the kundalini experience please feel free to contact Dr. Wilcox through this website. More extensive consideration of this topic will appear in Fire of Love, Descent of Grace, Dr. Wilcox’s upcoming book. For more information about this book please go to http://www.wilcoxhealingcenter.com.
References
Cooper, D.A. (1994). The Mystical Kabbalah, Boulder, CO: Sounds True, Inc. (tapes)
Fire Lame Deer, A. & Erdoes, R. (1993). Gift of Power, the Life and Teachings of a Lakota Medicine Man. Santa Fe: Bear & Company Publishing.
Gyatso, GesheKelsang. (1982). Clear Light of Bliss. London: Tharpa Publications.
Helminski, E. (trans.) 1981. The Ruins of the Heart, Selected Lyric Poetry of Jelaluddin Rumi. Putney, VT: Threshold Book
Matthews, C. & Matthews, J. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom. Rockport, MA: Elements Books, Inc.
Tirtha, Swami Vishnu (1962). Devatma Shakti. Rishikesh: Swami Shivom Tirth
Tweedie, I. (1979. The Chasm of Fire. Tisbury, England: The Compton Press, Ltd.
Wilcox, J. (1984). Kundalini: A Study of Spiritual Awakening and Movement Toward the Self. doctoral dissertation. Teachers College, Columbia University.
Roof Heating Tapes