Kundalini Awakening

Kundalini Yoga

There is no way that you can understand the impact and the depth of the relationship. I am not talking of love in imagination, or love of people. I am talking about love in action.............It is an attraction of polarities: one polarity seeks to merge with another to create a neutral state of mind. That is why partnering in Yoga is so much better than otherwise.

There might have been a lot of myths associated with Yoga and its branches. Few years ago when I mentioned Yoga to my close friend who is a dude kind of a person (very muscular and eye candy for ladies) and he responded to me sarcastically that Yoga is such a sissy thing, he would never do it, and he called me faggot, I smiled and carried on (this was in 2005). And few months ago same friend called me, to find out some basic poses of Yoga as he had left working out and wanted to start Yoga, and according to him it is a cool thing now..........and I said in my head, oh wow!!! fabulous.....

 My short quest into Yoga which is about 20 years old but I wish I had started practicing it back than, when destiny has given me a platform and a very solid reason but I guess we learn things harder way, so did I. Its strange though that life kept on taking me into this field by one way or another. 

I had been deeply rooted into Yoga and its branches not just by adopting as a daily life chore but considering it as a blessing. My own research and quest of learning more, by reading, exploring and attending courses during my traveling opportunities. Life has taken me deeply into the science and basics of this ultimate Practice. Back in 1993, while being in University in US, studying world's most difficult Engineering, which is not just Chemical but seriously was so Physical that it had drained me like a long lost dessert.  I met a lady who was about 13 years ahead in the race against time with me. She introduced me to so many different ventures, it was exactly the same time when Val Kilmer got a kick start of his career again with The Doors, (yes Jim Morrison had been my musical and poetic God, which took me to pay homage to his grave in the outskirts of Paris). Quintin Tarentino blasted the 90ies with Pulp Fiction and man, I was so Uma Thermanized. She practiced various Goethe crafts, including but not limited to Morbidism, Yuma, Vegan diet and foremost of all of them was tantalizing Tantra, I got intimidated and attracted by all means and did try to learn and practice but I was not doing Yoga so it eventually did not make much sense apart from the fact that I got to learn a lot of interesting things about it. She tried to influence me towards becoming an ultimate Yogi and join one of the ashrams in India or Nepal but me being myself I kept on drifting from one interest to another, as I was searching something which I did not know myself and which I was going to discover in 2011. During one of my trip to United States re-visiting the past in 1998 I met the lady again, but now she had transformed from a Gipsy to a Metro Woman, while she was living in upscale neighborhood of Beverly Hills, and still working for the same trendy fashion ensemble.  We spent few days hanging out in various cafe's and streets. She again tried to convince me to get into the practice and adopt seriously, during that weekend I did practice and tried to learn a bit, mainly breathing exercises and again lime light was calling me, as I was so much influenced by the trance music and experimenting Ecstasies of life that I sneaked myself to catch an early flight to Fracisco to meet another friend for a party of a lifetime. (I guess it wasn't the right time yet for me to attain the blissfulness of nature). Life went on and so did everything else, I did adopt few breathing Tantric rituals for my own benefits and vested interests and I clearly remember mentioning the term "Tantra" to a friend who translated it into Tantrum and I smiled. However, till the year 2009 when I was done with experiencing all kinds of highs and lows of life, traveling from Japan to Mexico, dancing all nighters in Ministry of Sound, back packing through the wondrous European Alps and camping into Black Forest, hot tubing in the wild desserts of Arizona and skinny dipping in serene surroundings of Thai islands, getting married, having two beautiful Jewels in the form of children, than getting into self imposed hiding from the charms of the world for about 8 years, making own house which was the monumental and most difficult task I had ever accomplished. Commencing or shall I say conceiving my lifelong project of writing about Sixth Element and ultimately meeting what I had dreamt lucidly, yes discovering my own Sixth Element for the first time. Meeting her and also saying farewell to her very soon, with pride and again influenced by Yoga and Spirituality, She said "I am not a destiny that you seek, I am the 'turn' that you ought to make in life", she showed me the path and disappeared in oblivion. She told me about state of a soul which is almost impossible to acquire, I presented her those 33 pages of my work and she smiled and said "your task is way ahead and you must not drift, you have to reach the state of IRFAN".  She was the actual awakening which I named my Sixth Element and she   showed me the light, as I moved on seeking more spirituality by staying as normal as any other human being could possible can. Quest has began.

It was 2009 that I formally began learning and practicing Yoga, once I got into it, I was actually into it, and within few months of rigorous practice I could or anyone could see the major transformation in me, physically, and emotionally both, until it hit me spiritually. Within a years time I had met a new me, who was by all means Yoga eccentric and would live Yoga (eat drink, smell or sense) anywhere and in any manner. At the same time my quest back in my head went on and I kept asking people about Tantra and by now there was so much material available online, I found out about Kundalini and how it was kept as a secret treasure and was only shared in dedicated Yoga clan/monks etc so I started reading, ordering books and all that. This was almost the same time again lucid dream occurred in which I had planned to meet the Sixth Element, she and I meditated spirituality, 4am in the morning, she asked me to read Raja Gidh again (refer to my post of RG to know about the book) which I did and out of all those interesting factors and facts I got to find out about life and humanity, book also had a little chapter on the subject of Kundalini, and bang, that was it: I focused all my energies and interest in finding things about it and learning it. You could only learn so much through online information and courses, I tried to find out if I could locate anyone in Karachi or Pakistan who could help me learn or teach or even if someone would be interested in learning it together with me about this amazing phenomena called Kundalini, but nopes, no one was interested, let alone practice (welcome to Pakistan). People would look at me as if I was asking or telling something BAD, same old myths and taboos. My discovery was evergreen and  I kept on reading and trying, an extensive online course took me to another level. By the start of 2012 I was true Yoga lover, and I had influenced so many people to indulge into it and utilize its benefits. It would make me sad as most of the people I met or practiced Yoga, they were out there to either reduce their wait or built their muscles whereas I advocated something more intense and interesting about Yoga. I wrote several posts, documents about the positiveness of Yoga and Meditation. During the mid of 2012 life blessed me with another treasure, during my visit of United States, while practicing Power Yoga almost every city that I traveled and practised all forms of yoga with various instructors and Yogies/Gurus. I short listed a full one month lived in course for Kundalini Awakening in Hawaii but due to a family problem I had to cut my trip short and come back, I guess it was not a time for my Chakra's to be manipulated yet. 

Another interesting thing happened during my trip that I registered for one day workshop on Kundalini Yoga, in Phoenix Arizona, conducted by a lovely soul, named Sevak Singh. That duration or learning was a "NEW BEGINNING" for me, for my soul and myself. As we were told before the start up of the course that after the end of the workshop we will feel the difference, which is unlike any other differences which we might had felt, in any manner whatsoever in life, be it Yoga or anything else. That workshop also had a 20 minutes session in which we had to dance, freely as if we were naked in our bathroom and no one is watching, and during that dance, I felt it, I saw something happening, very strange as mentioned in books or seen in movies. That was enlightenment which our soul already posses and it is locked/hidden within our chakras and we cannot register or comprehend to/with unless we reach out to awaken it. Coming out of that course and standing with Sevak Singh, I cried with my smiles and wanted to stay in that ashram but I could not. I promised myself that I shall continue learning and practicing/promoting it.

Now ever since than I try everyday to nourish my soul with its blessings, also at the same time I keep on asking and telling people about this hidden or unexplored treasure of life. I ask anyone that I meet who might be interested, I write on different groups and websites about it but people hardly pay attention and which reminds me of famous scene when Mcantosh (Apple) had developed a thing called "mouse" which the company like Xeros had rejected it saying "who would want to use something called Mouse". I get more or less same response from people and my yoga colleagues. Most of the Yoga places/studios and instructors are mainly out there to make money by telling people the physical benefits of Yoga. No one promotes, its education in real sense or awareness about other treasures like Kundalini but sadly everyone has watched the Movie Kama Sutra and admired all those elements in it, but that too is a science associated with Yoga and beyond.
 I have read enough by now that I could write a book on Kundalini Yoga. At the same time I wish that I could educate people about it so that everyone could realize about all the goodies that it possess. I am also trying to attract like minded Yoga Practitioners to help my cause and help me help others. This is the practice which require ultimate dedication and hence it gives an ultimate transformation in the form of "Awakening". Similarly, one could also learn the Tantric exercises which too are blissful in so many ways. I truly feel that with the combined effort of friends and fellow Yogies we can commence learning and hence teaching of Kundalini. I do intend to attend more courses/classes if life and time permits and ultimately transfer all of my knowledge and learning to others so that maximum people could benefit from it. I wish one day I could have Kundalini Yoga Center where we can generate a total mental retreat,  we can educate, teach, learn and earn the ultimate blissfulness of nature through our own selves and other souls. I try to be friendly and courteous to people and friends and I go out of my way to help or to smile and to listen to people/friends and sometimes people think whats up with him but I do not intend to change, this is how I am and this how how I shall remain. Being nice and friendly and sweet is the least we could do for and to fellow humans, as we see enough hatred, issues and depression all around us so why not spread and share smiles. This is exactly what Sevak Singh had endorsed, he spent good half an hour with me after the class, man of his stature in Pakistan, will run off and will never talk to someone new or someone like me. I believe in Love and spreading Love without any inhibitions whatsoever.

Don't live at or with each other, but for each other. Hold on to the 

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Me and Sevak Singh: The Guru:

  

To most of the people in our society sex is just a release and nothing more. However the highest sexual relationship is an absolute worship, reverence, devotion and love, where the aura and subtle bodies merge..............It can be transformed into the worship of divinity in the temple of their lovers body.

According to yogic philosophy, kundaliniis a spiritual energy or life force located at the base of the spine. It is conceptualized as a coiled up serpent. Literally, kundalini or kundalais that which is coiled (Sanskrit kund, to burn; kunda, to coil or to spiral). It is believed that Kundalini yoga is that which arouses the sleeping Kundalini Shakti from its coiled base through the 6 chakras, and penetrate the 7th chakra, or crown. This energy is said to travel along the ida (left), pingala (right) and central, or sushumna nadi - the main channels of pranic energy in the body. This process can be seen depicted even today in modern medical iconography as two snakes spiraling a central staff, and although the origin of this image is more directly derived from the Caduceus of the Greek god Hermes, it may express the same or a similar principle.

Kundalini energy is technically understood as being sparked during yogic breathing when pranaand apana blends at the 3rd chakra (naval center) at which point it initially drops down to the 1st and 2nd chakras before traveling up to the spine to the higher centers of the brain to activate the golden cord - the connection between the pituitary and pineal glands - and penetrate the 7 chakras.

Borrowing and integrating the highest forms from many different approaches, Kundalini Yoga can be understood as a tri-fold approach of Bhakti yoga for devotion, Shakti yoga for power, and Raja yoga for mental power and control. Its purpose through the daily practice of kriyasand meditation in sadhana are described a practical technology of human consciousness for humans to achieve their total creative potential.

As per one school of thought, there being four main forms of yoga, Mantra yoga, Hatha yoga, Laya yoga and Raja yoga; Kundalini yoga is really considered a Laya yoga.

Mainstream traditions propose that kundalini energy can be awakened and enlightenment attained by practicing a combination of yogic techniques—ideally following the guidance of a certified teacher—including the use of mantra,prana and breathing techniques, sadhana, asana practice, meditation, or purely through devotion and prayer.

Some Hindu traditions, Kundalini yoga is considered a highly developed spiritual awakening which relies upon a technique called shaktipat to attain enlightenment under the guidance of a spiritual master.

In the classical literature of Kashmir Saivism kundalini is described in three different manifestations. 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 different manifestations of kundalini . 

The word 'Kundalini' can be traced to the Sanskrit word 'kundala', which means 'coiled'. Kundalini can therefore be used by believers to refer to the latent energy within the human body which is constantly trying to manifest as our insight, power and bliss.

According to one author, the word kundalini literally means "the curl of the lock of hair of the beloved." It is a metaphor, a poetic way of describing the flow of energy and consciousness which already is said to exist within each person.

The practices are said to enable the person to merge with or "yoke" the universal self. This merging of individual consciousness with the universal consciousness is said to create a "divine union" called "yoga".

Source: Wikipedia

KUNDALINI

The word Kundalini is a familiar one to all students of Yoga, as it is well known as the power, in the form of a coiled serpent, residing in Muladhara Chakra, the first of the seven Chakras, the other six being Svadhishthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Visuddha, Ajna and Sahasrara, in order.

All Sadhanas in the form of Japa, meditation, Kirtan and prayer as well as all development of virtues, and observance of austerities like truth, non-violence and continence are at best calculated only to awaken this serpent-power and make it to pass through all the succeeding Chakras beginning from Svadhishthana to Sahasrara, the latter otherwise called as the thousand-petalled lotus, the seat of Sadasiva or the Parabrahman or the Absolute separated from whom the Kundalini or the Shakti lies at the Muladhara, and to unite with whom the Kundalini passes through all the Chakras, as explained above, conferring liberation on the aspirant who assiduously practises Yoga or the technique of uniting her with her Lord and gets success also in his effort.

In worldly-minded people, given to enjoyment of sensual and sexual pleasures, this Kundalini power is sleeping because of the absence of any stimulus in the form of spiritual practices, as the power generated through such practices alone awakens that serpent-power, and not any other power derived through the possession of worldly riches and affluence. When the aspirant seriously practises all the disciplines as enjoined in the Shastras, and as instructed by the preceptor, in whom the Kundalini would have already been awakened and reached its abode or Sadasiva, acquiring which blessed achievement alone a person becomes entitled to act as a Guru or spiritual preceptor, guiding and helping others also to achieve the same end, the veils or layers enmeshing Kundalini begin to be cleared and finally are torn asunder and the serpent-power is pushed or driven, as it were upwards.

Supersensual visions appear before the mental eye of the aspirant, new worlds with indescribable wonders and charms unfold themselves before the Yogi, planes after planes reveal their existence and grandeur to the practitioner and the Yogi gets divine knowledge, power and bliss, in increasing degrees, when Kundalini passes through Chakra after Chakra, making them to bloom in all their glory which before the touch of Kundalini, do not give out their powers, emanating their divine light and fragrance and reveal the divine secrets and phenomena, which lie concealed from the eyes of worldly-minded people who would refuse to believe of their existence even.

When the Kundalini ascends one Chakra or Yogic centre, the Yogi also ascends one step or rung upward in the Yogic ladder; one more page, the next page, he reads in the divine book; the more the Kundalini travels upwards, the Yogi also advances towards the goal or spiritual perfection in relation to it. When the Kundalini reaches the sixth centre or the Ajna Chakra, the Yogi gets the vision of Personal God or Saguna Brahman, and when the serpent-power reaches the last, the top centre, or Sahasrara Chakra, or the Thousand-petalled lotus, the Yogi loses his individuality in the ocean of Sat-Chit-Ananda or the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute and becomes one with the Lord or Supreme Soul. He is no longer an ordinary man, not even a simple Yogi, but a fully illumined sage, having conquered the eternal and unlimited divine kingdom, a hero having won the battle against illusion, a Mukta or liberated one having crossed the ocean of ignorance or the transmigratory existence, and a superman having the authority and capacity to save the other struggling souls of the relative world. Scriptures hail him most, in the maximum possible glorifying way, and his achievement. Celestial beings envy him, not excluding the Trinity even, viz., Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. 

 

The 4/4 Energizing Breath!

What will it do for you?

Do this at a break in the action of the game. It will relax and energize you, and help combat encroaching fatigue and excess emotionality. In any life matters, business meetings, relationship encounters or sports it can rejuvenate coordination and spirit, and possibly avoid any conflict.

This is a great quick pickup when you have only a few minutes. If you do it 2 or 3 times a day at strategic times (before meals, meetings, driving home, etc.) and when you begin to feel tired, you will notice a big difference in the way you feel.

How to do it:

Sit straight. Place the palms together at the heart center with the fingers pointing up. Focus at the brow point with eyelids lightly closed. Inhale, breaking the breath into 4 equal parts of sniffs, filling the lungs completely on the 4th.

As you exhale, release the breath equally in 4 parts, emptying the lungs on the 4th.
On each part of both the inhale and exhale, pull the navel point toward the spine. (The stronger you pump the navel the more energy you will generate.) One full breath cycle (in and out) takes about 7-8 seconds. Continue for 2-3 minutes.
If you press the hands very hard, and do it vigorously, 1 minute will recharge you. If the mind has a lot of anxiety or confusion, add the mantra "Sa -Ta - Na - Ma" mentally on both the inhale and the exhale.

Sa=infinity Ta=Life Na=Death Ma=Rebirth

To end, inhale deeply, press the palms together with force for 10-15 seconds. Create a tension in the whole body by pressing as hard as you can. Hold as long as possible. Exhale powerfully and repeat the inhale, hold, press. Exhale, relax and allow the tension in the body to vanish.

If you need rest, immediately lie on the back with the eyes closed and relax for 2-5 minutes. Take a few deep breaths, stretch, and you will be ready for action.

I am always ready and available for any kind of information, help, assistance, in any area of Yoga or otherwise, it will be indeed my pleasure and honor to help anyone who wants to learn Kundalini.

Many Thanks to Guru Ratna for the blessings and information.

Satunm Kaur, one of the Kundalini Yoga Instructor