Controlling Kundalini

Hello! I am El Collie, co-creator of Shared Transformation Web pages and editor of the Kundalini support newsletter of the same name. My Kundalini spontaneously erupted in 1991 and has been continuously active, 24-hrs-a-day, ever since. I was not doing any meditation or yoga practices at the time (although I had done both at previous points in my life). Nor have I done any deliberate practices of this kind since my Kundalini awakened, although I have experienced periods of spontaneous meditation and automatic yoga postures when the energy is extremely active.

I am aware of several cases where the individual was so overwhelmed with Kundalini manifestations he/she successfully prayed or used his/her will to shut down the process. In the cases I know about, Kundalini again arose naturally at a later time in the person's life when they were better able to cope with it. Since my personal awakening has its own constant momentum, there is nothing I do to keep it going or turn up the volume, so to speak. However, I have prayed throughout. I also do japa (repeating the name of God) and I relate to Kundalini as a beautiful Goddess who has come to awaken me. I have learned that these approaches -- prayer, japa (or mantra chanting), and regarding Kundalini as a benevolent, loving Goddess -- are frequently advised by Eastern masters, who say these things will keep Kundalini energies moving in a safe, productive way. For me, these were a natural way of connecting to the Spirit. I did not consider them "practices" until I read them being described as such years after my Kundalini was going strong. Quite a few teachers also recommend these as the only safe way to rekindle or to initiate Kundalini awakening.

Realizing the energies and transcendent experiences are gifts from the Spirit (or from the Universe, if you prefer) has enabled me and others who have this kind of faith as their "center" to open up to extraordinary sensations and mystical states without fear. I find that people who experiment with Kundalini (or who experience involuntary awakening) without awareness and trust in a loving "behind the scenes" Spiritual power are much more likely to panic when things get intense. Even with trust and reverence for Kundalini, some phases of the process are harrowing. For me, the greatest difficulty so far has been a spine injury in '93, complicated by (but not, I believe, caused by) active Kundalini. For a year and a half, I was totally bedridden in nonstop agonizing pain. I am still in chronic pain, but at a much more bearable level. I have also learned a great deal about myself and my path during this period of severely imposed "down time," and belatedly realized my nature was such that I required something this disabling to get me to slow down. (I had always been a workaholic.)

Re: the questions Richard posed I have spent my life engaged in service of some sort or other, beginning around age six when I looked after my younger brother and sister. I suspect it has been this history of service combined with my lifelong quest for knowledge and understanding of existence that made me ripe for natural Kundalini awakening.

Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 21:35:02 -0700
From: Melissa 

This makes the third or more time I have read on this list that people
should not attempt to attain, speed up, slow down, or otherwise attempt
to control Kundalini.  Well, what are all those breathing exercises and
Yoga postures and such meditations for if not to somehow enhance
Kundalini?  To me, such practices are for one or more of those reasons,
and certainly not just "letting it happen."  Also, from everything I've
read, spontaneous awakenings are a fairly recent phenomena.  In times
past, from my readings, I gather that just about the ONLY way to attain
Kundalini was through meditative/Yogic practices.  Some of the "masters"
of the field like Gopi Krishna attained it in this manner, following
teachings and exercises of his mentor (if I remember correctly--I may be
getting Gopi confused with another master I've read of.).  So, I don't
see how anyone can say that it is wrong, bad, questionable, or
inadvisable for a person to attempt to awaken Kundalini with these
practices.  Also, when one meditates or visualizes to ease Kundalini
symptoms, isn't that a form of control?  Sure, it's not the same as
trying to direct every movement or stop it altogether, but it is control
none the less, in my opinion.  So, I believe the statements I've heard
about not trying to attain or control Kundalini are a bit harsh.
Understandably, one SHOULD exercise caution when playing with an "atomic
bomb," so I understand the comments and am not offended.  I just don't
think they are 100% true.  I welcome comments.

Melissa

From: Patti
Subject: controlling the k-forces

Melissa,
It seems to me that I can go both ways on the issue of controlling the
kundalini (k).

For me, my awakening 11 years ago produced an amazing rebirth into a
consciousness of unconditional love. While it was excruciating to get there,
I am happy in retrospect that it happened.

Sometimes, when I feel myself out of love, (and my symptoms have been
dormant for a while) I yearn to go back into that consciousness more fully.
This would be a time when I imagine  people are wanting to raise their k.

On the other hand, when the k is raging through me, generating fear, pain,
emotional swings, etc.,  I can't imagine anyone voluntarily  wanting to
create this.  And then I wish that I knew how to tone it down, or stop it
altogether.

I can see how if it is raging in one and/or has not yet created the
consciousness of universal love (as in partial arousals), it would seem like
an unwanted, very high price to pay, especially if the arousal was
spontaneous. If we are going to have to suffer, it sure helps to have some
benefits.

I feel that this is why the people who have written in to this group
suggest gratitude, for that is the gift of the k- awe and gratitude for
life, existence, other souls, etc. Why not get as much benefit as possible
no matter what state we are in now? And  I can also see that for some people
it would be desirable to raise the k (...if they are going to suffer with it
anyway, they might as well go all the way, etc.)

Once again, where on stands on an issue is likely a function of where one
happens to be sitting at the time.

Me  personally would like to know as much as possible- raising (though not
for personal use) and lowering the k-forces. In fact, my husband and I have
often talked about ways in which he can come into the consciousness without
having to go through what I did. In some ways, we have met with much
success, and have had some very interesting discussions.

Best to all, Patti

=====================================
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 1996 23:24:51 -0400
From: Ggji

Melissa,
Hi, I think we are miscommunicating here, meditation and other practices are
to bring balance, increase your light frequency of the body, and to move
naturally with kundalini through what I call alignment with divine will.(not
my will but thy will be done)
 When I say don't try to make it happen, or stop it, I mean to follow your
self discipline practice. But, to go with what is happening naturally. What
comes from within through detachment comes from a higher point of
consciousness rather then the mind. In fact, once the mind is out of the way,
you are in a pretty easy flow for awakening. Its the thoughts and emotions
that need to be brought into a state of detachment, by becoming the observer.
Does that help at all? Gloria

=====================================
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 09:27:20
From: SnowbirdV

Once again, ------, I feel those are concepts that YOU feel comfortable with.
However much I've read on the subject of chakras before, I never thought one
could actually feel them physically. The medium I had coming to my house
exuded inconditional love, even my daughter felt it, yet she told me she had
so much more to learn. This person received this gift very early in life and
the only way she could stop being afraid of it is when she saw Saint Ann,
Mary's mother (she was also raised a Catholic), the rest she was taught by a
nun that also had the gift. Now she teaches love and mercy for all. The
concept of grounding the heart chakras would be meaningless to the
Pope(believe me I tried to touch the subject with a priest), yet this man
certainly is loving and merciful. All this just to emphasize that so many
paths lead to wisdom and higher conciousness. So many problems on this earth
have been created by intolerance and a fanatical belief that one's religion
is the only right one. The more I learn, the more I can see I have yet so
much more to learn. I also feel that we must not fall into the "complex of
the chosen one" trap. We're all students here...


As for the health problems, I truly believe they're symptoms of imbalance in
the mind-body-k equation and that they resolve themselves when we reach that
balance. I myself have this low back pain that won't go away for now. I trust
that I will instinctively correct what's wrong. At least everything else has
worked this way to this day. I believe each and every one of us has to trust
his/her instinct. You will know when a suggestion from another person will
work for you. This mailing list has been a tremendous help to me, a way to
exchange on the different manifestations of the k and it provided me with a
way to reassure myself that I wasn't going nuts and foremost that I'm not
alone.

Did it work this way for others, the spontaneous meditating, etc...?

Love to all.

=====================================
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 96 09:59:32 -0500
From: Richard Satin 

> The
> concept of grounding the heart chakras would be meaningless to the
> Pope(believe me I tried to touch the subject with a priest), yet this man
> certainly is loving and merciful. All this just to emphasize that so many
> paths lead to wisdom and higher conciousness.

This is such an excellent point.  We are understanding and interpreting
through
our own filters.  And they work, because the underlying reality IMO (in my
opinion) cannot be perceived directly in a way which can be translated into
words.  The act of translating what we experience is by definition into
images, ideas
and thought-forms with which we are familiar.  (This doesn't contradict
Jung's
idea of Collective Unconscious made up of universal image-symbols which all
people are able to draw from.)

I personally find that I understand and relate to my heart chakra through
the image of
the Empress, or the goddess Venus.  Some may see the Virgin Mary as the best
embodiement of this energy.  Still others may not utilise images at all, but
instead
access this energy by thinking about the chest area or the "idea" of the
fourth chakra.

> (SnowbirdV writes)...
>  Once again, ------, I feel those are concepts that YOU feel comfortable
with.

One of the dangers we all have is to cross the thin line between confidence
in our own
conception of "the truth" and the feeling that we actually possess it in
toto.  It's an easy
line to cross.  The problem is, that we run the risk of both offending other
people (the lesser
risk) and also gathering to ourselves followers who give up their own
intuition and truth in
order to pin their hopes on us (the greater risk).

We all here have active fourth chakras - as evident from the posts to the
list and the many
private emails I receive (and appreciate ;>).  So let's continue to remember
that everyone
doesn't share the same "truth" that we do - and write in a way which gives
them the
opportunity to take what we offer or leave it.  In other words, try not to
say,

"This is this."

But rather, "I believe that, this is this." or "In my opinion, this is this"

Both get the point across.  But the first can and does step on toes.

Richard

==== libra@execpc.com ==== http://www.execpc.com/~libra/ ====
  And Jesus said unto them, "And whom do you say that I am?"
   They replied, "You are the eschatological manifestation
   of the ground of our being, the ontological foundation
       of the context of our very selfhood revealed."
                And Jesus replied, "What?"

=====================================
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 15:24:26 -0400
From: Jai

  ""....The act of translating what we experience is by definition into
images, ideas and thought-forms with which we are familiar. ""
      I think this is so important to remember--and I also think kundalini is
not necessairly  newly awakening on a global level. If you bear in mind the
above information,  you could (I do anyway) correlate many traditions besides
yoga which are about dealing with kundalini force--Pentecostal Chrisitanity's
 baptism of fire (always a wild k rush for me to get in a strong church of
african american holy rollers), hula dancers and many (especially) folk
dancers (belly dancers obviously, gogo dancers), certain forms of weight
training,  sex training,  and martial arts--to name a few.

Patti and deebee and all--this is Jennifer. Deebee, I think you mixed up my
and someone else (maybe Jenny) as I don't have herpes (one post about it was
addressed to me), but I do know that Kundalini often, at times, activates
various latent viral syndromes, many of which reside in the body and often
have been passed down from generation to generation. As kundalini
resets/adjusts your physical mechanism, these viral bodies appear, either as
part of a shedding process or simply because their environs are being
disturbed by a dynamic electrical current and it brings them to the surface
in the unsettling process.


Date: Sat, 15 Jun 1996 13:00:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: Karol Ann 
Subject: Re: unconditional love

This concept was very difficult for me to grasp at first in my study of
metaphysics and spirituality.  But I have come to understand that Belief
preceeds experience, even though the Belief is not conscious.  And it is
my understanding that Unconditional Love is the place we come from; a
state of Beingness that most of us cannot yet demonstrate because of our
blockages, etc.  It's not as simple as saying I Love Everyone.

Anyway, I wanted to share my understanding and experience for further
discussion, but it is not my intent to try and convince anyone of
anything.  As Aristotle said, Trust your own experience.

Karol Ann

=====================================
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 09:38:03 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Debee 

> I'm thinking that if it's truly unconditional love, that belief in it isn't
> a requirement for it to be available to someone, i.e., unconditional love is
> always there for anyone, at any time, without any cause, whether they
> believe it or not.
>  Eventually I came to see the logic of a condition that could exist which
> might very well be called "unconditional love". I prefer to think of it
> instead as "love without the impairment of damage to the psyche". I think it
> is whatever unhealed damage we still carry that causes us to feel that there
> are limits on how much we can love any other person.

I truly believe that unconditional love lives within the heart of each
and every person today.  I also truly believe with all my heart that each
does the best he or she can given the circumstances of their environment
and upbringing.  It's the best any of us can do until we learn a
'different' or a 'better' way of loving.  By respecting the space that
each person is in, whether we agree or not, we free them to learn more.
I believe that when we come against them in any negative way, we are in
essence *binding* their hands so-to-speak.  I guess all we can ultimately
do is the best we know how at this time and honor that in each & every
person we encounter on a daily baisis.  I know that this kind of thinking
has greatly helped me learn a deeper depth of love within my own life.

Blessed Be

Debee

=====================================
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 23:39:29 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Carlo Izzo 

>
> This makes the third or more time I have read on this list that people
> should not attempt to attain, speed up, slow down, or otherwise attempt
> to control Kundalini.

	I am writing for my wife, Zana: she also claims the same.
	She had to learn it by herself - because she was alone.
	She was very much disturbed by kundalini, until she decided
	not to try to stop or encourage it. It took her three or four
	months to realize this was the way to cope with it. Now she
	just feels happy.

> Well, what are all those breathing exercises and
> Yoga postures and such meditations for if not to somehow enhance
> Kundalini?  

	We think that such practices may help, in fact, NOT to control
	kundalini. For instance, meditative practices may help to avoid
	to "act" on kundalini, and to help it work its way spontaneously.
	Just an idea...

	Ciao, Zana and Carlo

=====================================
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 02:37:55 +0000
From: Patti
Subject: unconditional love

TO me:
When I give unconditional love, it is love where I have no expectations or
conditions on the thing or person I am giving love to. I choose to give this
love with no strings attached.

There is a condition also here- it is the  condition that it makes me happy
to do so.  In the sense that we all give (or do anything) to satisfy
ourselves, it is not unconditional.

In the sense that we give it away freely, it can be unconditional. Then it
is giving just cuz it feels so good to us to give.

Anyway that is how I resolved this issue. I do both at the same time!

Best to all, Patti

=====================================
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 1996 00:36:18 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Carlo Izzo 
Subject: Re: unconditional love

> Karol wrote (about unconditional love):
> This concept was very difficult for me to grasp at first in my study of
> metaphysics and spirituality.  But I have come to understand that Belief
> preceeds experience, even though the Belief is not conscious.  And it is
> my understanding that Unconditional Love is the place we come from; a
> state of Beingness that most of us cannot yet demonstrate because of our
> blockages, etc.  It's not as simple as saying I Love Everyone.

	Now I think I understand: this is what I called "Original
	Consciousness" in my personal metaphysics. I tell you how
	I imagined it: like a sort of sphere of "light" in the middle
	of nothing (think about the words: "Tao is the Beginning and the
	End of Everything"). Now, after a while (after "creation"?),
	the surface of this sphere of light (the Original Consciousness)
	became hard and opaque - a sort of "shell" separating the Inner
	from the Outer. This "shell" is the fabric reality is made of.
	The Original Consciusness was Below. In the beginning reality
	was uniform and homogeneous, and no one would have guessed that
	there was Consciousness below. But then, Consciousness "pushed"
	to come up, and some regular "patterns" began to appear on this
	shell: physical laws, matter, energy, space, time, galaxies,
	stars, planets. They where just "hints" to the existence of a
	Consciousness below. Then the first tiny cracks appeared on the
	shell: the first living beings. The larger the hole, the more
	"light" would pour from Below. Now Consciousness was "visible",
	under the (apparent) form of several, tiny individual consciousnesses.
	In this symbolic view, the wider the crack, the more complex is
	the organization of matter in the living being. There is more
	consciousness in humans than in frogs, and more consciousness
	in frogs than in bacteria. But the "light" is the same (it has the
	same origin). This is why we are, actually, one. Some "holes" would
	close, some new (wider) holes would open: death and birth. This
	process would help the Original Consciousness to "learn", improving
	its Quality through this experience. I imagine that the purpose of
	life is to break this shell (reality) and let the (improved) Original
	Consciousness to shine again.

	So, you see? Tao is *really* the Beginning and the End of
	Everything!

	Now, this is only my imagination at work! Take it as my personal view
	of All This, for what it matters.
>
> Anyway, I wanted to share my understanding and experience for further
> discussion, but it is not my intent to try and convince anyone of
> anything.  As Aristotle said, Trust your own experience.

	Can I trust my imagination?  :-)

	Ciao,   Carlo

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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The ideas and opinions expressed here are those of the author and/or authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the site host, or the community at large. Also, any exercises presented here, either physical or mental, are to be practiced at your own risk. Consult your physician, therapist, guide, or guru before you begin, or should you experience any discomfort or trauma from any of the processes involved in the awakening of kundalini energy. Many people consider this energy force too powerful to work with on your own without the active assistance of a guide. Use your own best judgment. By all means, be extremely careful, and progress slowly and cautiously on your path to Kundalini Awakening. It is in your best interest to do so.

Page maintained by Richard Satin: libra@execpc.com
Created: 7 June 1996 at 8:00 PM CDT (+5)
Updated: 21 Jun 1996 at 10:56:22 AM CDT (+5)

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