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Conference hydra::dejavu

Title:Psychic Phenomena
Notice:Please read note 1.0-1.* before writing
Moderator:JARETH::PAINTER
Created:Wed Jan 22 1986
Last Modified:Tue May 27 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2143
Total number of notes:41773

836.0. "Kundalini" by USACSB::OPERATOR_CB (welcome to the jungle) Mon Aug 22 1988 07:00

    
    Topic 827 "1 year ago" started swaying off to another
    topic on ...
    
    			KUNDALINI
    
    It was sort of decided that an independent topic on
    this would be started and,..well,..this is it.
    
                                                   
    			
    The beginning notes were 827- .12,.13,.21,.22,.26,.27,
    .29,and .30. (.23 was del. since it was a question about
    if this note shoud be started.)
    
    
    LIONS, AND TIGERS, AND SNAKES! OH MY!!!
    
    Have Fun!!!
    Craig	
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836.1Kundalini (I thought it was a type of pasta!)USACSB::OPERATOR_CBnever the same twiceMon Aug 22 1988 07:3655
    
    How to find someone knowlegable/sane and familiar with Kundalini
    isn't impossible, but does require some detective work. The important
    thing to remember in everything is that if you need help it IS
    available. Possibly not in the wrappings that you wanted or expected
    but it is there.
    
    Although it is true you most likly wont find many "Kundalini Clubs"
    in your area. It doesn't mean there isn't anyone interested in it.
    It appears to me that it is a personal adventure/trip and that teachers
    would be nearly impossible to find. However "helpers" would possibly
    be easyer to find and might be better in the long run.
    
    The majority of my family members are involved with government and/or
    social services. (I apologise) However through this exposure I have
    found that there are numerous way to utilize the wonderous buracracy
    we support.
    
    Most states/counties have computerised networks to help people find
    services they are interested in or need. Now I am not suggesting
    calling and requesting information on Kundalini but perhaps a request
    for a therapist, Psychiatrist, counselor familiar with Hindu beliefs
    will get you a few leads. From there you can write the doctors or
    groups requesting info on "The Big K". Upon your reply you may want
    to correspond again or perhaps make an appointment to discuss what
    you have done, what you are doing, your questions and your concerns,
    and any advice, comments they may have. (Most likly will cost some
    bucks.)
                                             
    Not only will you be corresponding at times to someone familiar
    with Kundalini but verry possibly a trained counselor, therapist,
    or like in my sisters case, phychiatrists.
    
    	Sis has had contact with a couple of Psychiatrists who appear
    	to be very knowledgable in Kundalini and it is interesting that
    	both of them are Hindu and are working with people who have
    	schitzophrenia. (2000 mg LSD???) My sister is now working with
    	one Psychiatrists as a counselor (no she didn't just walk into
    	this job because of her intrest in Kundalini. She has a Masters in
    	something and has always been working with people with emotional/
    	behavioral (is that a word?) problems. she also has me as a
    	brother.)       ;-)
    
    If Social Services yeilds no fruit you may wish to try contacting
    various mental health centers in your area requesting assistance.
        
    
        as Archie Bunker said...
    
    "People who go to see a Psychiatrist should have their heads examined!"
    
    
Although this may not be what you expected I hope it can be of help?
    
    Craig.
836.2kundalini lot is falseVIDEO::SUThu Apr 27 1989 15:5016
    hello,
    lots of funny stuff is presented to ignorant seekers as Kundalini
    expoeriences.  
    Real Kundalini is most beautifull thing and awakens spontanous; you can never pay for it; anybody
    can have it; most children are even born with a raised Kundalini,
    wich falls down after monts or years do to ignorance of parents.
    
    False Kundalini energy can be very dangerous. So look out.
    
    Today i replied note 165.31
    You may read it, it is on Kundalini as higher dimensionality in
    human beings.
    
    Remember golden rule: if they charge you, it cannot be real Kundalini.
    johan
    
836.3yeah .2, but..CIMAMT::TOLAAWed Sep 06 1989 16:4748
    
    If you're a very intense practicioner of some yogic discipline
    then maybe, if your very persistent, you could irritate the Kundalini
    energy and it could cause you problems. Otherwise, you probably 
    will never have to worry about it because Kundalini is not something
    that's easy to rouse. I have heard of at least one case of a man
    who has to sit in ice water several times a month because he gets
    a sensation of intense heat in his spine. He was one of the extremely
    persistent ones who had no guidance. Apparently there are also 
    a few people in whom the Kundalini awakens on its own. The writer
    and yogi Gopi Krishna who himself had a very strong spontaneous 
    Kundalini awakening thought that a considerable percentage of
    the world's psychiatric patients may be misdiagnosed cases of 
    spontaneous Kundalini awakening. 
    
    There are also a some teachers around who can affect a partial 
    Kundalini awakening in their students through their own mental
    power and because they themselves haven't mastered this force
    in runs out of control in certain students. The proper guidance
    is the important thing, and this can't be obtained from a psychiatrist,
    unless the psychiatrist also happens to be a spiritual adept.
    Someone who's totally established in the Spirit can awaken the
    Kundalini in others (if that's their way) and can also control
    an out-of-control Kundalini. There was a teacher called Swami 
    Muktananda who came to the US from India in the late seventies and
    early eighties. I knew of several cases of people who went to him
    for help when the Kundalini ran wild and just by willing it,
    he brought it back to a tolerable level of activity. One woman
    I spoke to was a graduate student who had gone to India to study
    a Shaivite sect for her thesis. While there she met a monk
    who gave her a deep look into her eyes and triggered this awakening
    inside her. She very soon began having experiences that started out
    pleasurable but became very intense and painful. She came back to 
    the States and happened to go to see Muktananda. She told him
    about the incident and what had happened to her. He shrugged
    and said "Hmmmph. Not such a great being." (referring to the
    inability of the monk to control the process he had started in the
    woman.) He then tapped her on the head. She said she never had
    any unpleasant effects after that.
    
    So the best thing to do to awaken the Kundalini or to damp the fires
    when they get to hot is probably to go to a real adept for help.
    Again, the whole issue is moot in most cases.
    
    
    
    
    
836.4For some Yoga, it is painful...ROXIE::SUWed Sep 06 1989 18:0450
	When Kundalini rises, She pierces through the Chakras in our body
	from the sacre bone and ascend through our last center of Sahasrara
	(the fontanell bone on top of our head).  She can be felt in the
	form of cool breeze both in our hands and top of our head.  Thus
	written in Koran:

	"That day shall we set A Seal on their mouths,
		But their hands will Speak."

	That day means the resurrection day, the day the Spirit in you
	become awakening.  This is the same as Christ has talked about
	been reborn again.

	Kundalini cannot be awakening by anybody.  The person who awaken
	your Kundalini has to be authorized by the "Unconsciousness", the
	Divine.  The person who initiates this has to be an enlightened 
	"realized" soul to begin with.

	Of all the Sahaja Yogis/yoginis in this world, none of them have
	any form of irritating, uncomfortable ill effect at all.  A simple
	fact just to point out Kundalini cannot be raised by just anybody.
	A good pilot can land a plane smoothly, and a bad pilot might get
	you into a torturous bumpy ride or even crashed landing.

	Not only that, in Sahaja Yoga (detail discussion in #401), when
	Kundalini rise up in the form of cool breeze (or cool flame) She
	put you into the total joy of silence.  You become a self-realized
	being, you were born again in the Spirits.  Because you are in the
	center path of Spirits energy, you are totally well balanced 
	physically.  What does that means?  It is a fulfillment of all
	theology religions have described in the past.  It is not a 
	business of believing but a business of experiencing.

	Sahaja Yoga taught us how to become the Spirit ourselves, how to
	become your own guru. Through vibrations of chaitanya (The 
	attention) which appeal like cool breeze one can detect for oneself 
	as to what is reality.   The Being realizes that it becomes the 
	carrier of the dynamic force of Divine Love.  He understands and 
	records its working.  Then only one realizes the meaning of human 
	personality which has evolved from an amoeba to this stage.  The 
	totality of man is felt through the spiritual synthesis of physical, 
	emotional and mental beings.

	For a real seeker it is necessary to open the mind to receive the 
	light of self-realization.  He should not discard or accept anything 
	before the self-realization.  Because none of the knowledge whether 
	real or fake has granted self-ralization.  About Kundalini and 
	spiritual happening also there are many books.  Some of them are 
	correct, some of them confused and some of them are absolutely false.

836.5Side effects of Awakening found in BookZGOV05::JAMESLIAWMon Feb 12 1990 03:5921
    There was some mention of kundalini in a book that sounds like
    Gods of a New age by somebody who had been with Muktananda, Sai Baba
    and Ranesh.  Although the book started somewhat positively and holy
    , the ending indicated otherwise.  Although not all yogas are 
    indicated in the book, it seems that there were some bad effects
    that the author wanted to caution pracitioners of yoga,kundalini
    or whatsoever.
    
    Peharps it might be a good thing just to read this book before
    proceeding with whatever practices we are doing with whatever
    masters....
    
    
    Just a cautionary note not meant to insult, injure anybody or any
    beliefs.
    
    
    Regards
    
    James
    
836.6questions...VLSI::BAKERWed Feb 13 1991 11:4218
    I have just started reading about the Kundalini and have lots of questions.
    I was reading some selections from Gopi Krishna's autobiography and
    it said he meditated for 17 years before his Kundalini became 
    activated.  If it took him 17 years for this to happen how can
    Shri Mataji activate peoples Kudalini so easily?

    Also, for those of you who have had this experience is it as dramatic as
    Gopi Krishna writes about?  He writes about it being a brilliant and
    indescribable experience which sounds wonderful.
    
    If you do want to experience it how would you go about finding a
    guide?  Is it worth the risk of the psychological problems that
    so many people seem to have?                       
    
    Just curious.

    Karin
836.7left-field opinionDWOVAX::STARKWed Feb 13 1991 13:5433
    Karin,
    
    fwiw, I have a perspective on the serpent that is somewhat askew of Yogic 
    tradition.
    
    In his research on the effects of LSD tripping on the psyche,
    Timothy Leary proposed that three factors have an effect on how
    the individual responds to and assimilates the experience into
    their life :  dosage, mind set, and sensory setting.
    
    I believe that your experience and personal incorporation of 
    Kundalini rising would depend on the same kinds of factors.
    
    I've frequently experienced effects very similar to what is described as 
    at least the first few stages of the activation of Kundalini from a number 
    of different practices and situations.  Once you start doing it, it 
    becomes easier.  You learn more about how your own nervous system works.
    
    The emotional effects are sometimes very strong.  If you are not in the 
    right mind-set and the right setting when you experience these feelings, 
    it could easily do very strange things to your mind, in my opinion.  
    Other people's opinions of my mind might concur.  :-)
    
    A lot of people seem to come out paranoid or delusionary if they aren't 
    properly prepared, just like with the LSD tripping.  I perceive that the 
    nervous system is very very vulnerable to deep new imprints during the
    activation of Kundalini.   That's one reason why clearing the mind and
    learning a certain amount of concentrative discipline is
    important (I believe) before attempting it by any means.
    
    	kind regards,
    
    	Todd
836.8The Human evolution has reached the epitomeROYALT::SUWed Feb 13 1991 20:5535
    Karin,
    
    In the old days, all those ascetic yogis tried the only way known at
    that time: Get away from the chaotic society, family, jobs you name it 
    and spent tremendous amount of time just meditating to cleanse their
    subtle Chakras, purify their mind, hoping their act will please God and
    achieving their self-realization, the enlightenment - the rising of
    Kundalini.  It could take them life time just to do that.
    
    But today, the blossom time has come.  Shri Mataji raise our Kundalini
    in En-Mass scale.  She reverse the process - first allow Kundalini to
    pierce our last Chakra on top of fontanell bone.  By doing that she
    awaken our subtle nerves system through parasympathetic (center
    channel) first and let us aware our catch so that we can cleanse our
    body without leaving the society, family and carreer.  In a sense, our
    penance starts here.  We learn it while we live it.  To use an analogy
    is that first you turn on the light in a dark room, so that you can see
    where the dirts are  and clear it out of our way.  This is called
    Sahaja Yoga.  Sahaja means spontaneous, natural.
    
    Today, Sahaja Yoga is practiced by thousands of people in more than 40 
    counties all over the world.  Sahaja Yoga is not a club.  The only
    organization you will see is a center where some yogis teach this
    technique.  The so called center is where they put up their own money,
    spent their precious time, and rent a clean place so they can teach others 
    - like a lit candle can lit another candle.  Where else you can find such 
    a charity of pure minded.
    
    If someone willing to learn from a drug additive or a drunkar instead of 
    learning from a dharmic righteous person (knowing what is right, what is 
    wrong).  This is clearly a matter of personal discrimination.
    
    More on Sahaja Yoga is discussed in note 401.*.
    
    -Paulo
836.9Just be explicit about what is happening.DWOVAX::STARKThu Feb 14 1991 13:3528
re: 	Note 836.8 
	ROYALT::SU  (Paulo)
    
    >	a dharmic righteous person (knowing what is right, what is 
    >    wrong).  
    
    The techniques are useful, the morality jive quoted above is irrelevant 
    to that usefulness, in my opinion.
    
    I believe that right and wrong are subjective, a matter of personal
    moral discrimination.  I hope that the remarks in .8 about "drunkars and 
    drug additives" (sic) is from your personal value system, and not that 
    fostered (and imprinted on others, imo) by Sahaja Yoga, as that would seem 
    to imply that the practice you are recommending would tend to foster what 
    I would consider unfair predjudice against recovering alcholics and others 
    whose behavioral habits or substance abuse problems might be then confused 
    with their moral character.   
    
    I believe it should be explicit that going to a center to learn how to 
    engage in the practice and experience of raising Kundalini will tend to 
    cause some of the beliefs and values fostered by that center to become
    imprinted on your nervous system.  That is in my opinion the 
    consequence of making that choice, and it should be taken very, very
    seriously.  
    
    	respectfully,
    
    	Todd
836.10It's really in the little things...CGVAX2::PAINTERAnd on Earth, peace...Thu Feb 14 1991 21:0052
    
    Hi Karin,
    
    (Sahaja Yoga comments aside, since I've not experienced that...)
    
    I've had two significant (what I believe to be) kundalini experiences. 
    Both were not of my own will nor were either a goal I was trying to
    obtain.  Both, rather, were 'bestowed' (for lack of a better term)
    through a gift of grace.  I was sufficiently ready, and they happened.
    
    Again what I believe is that if you practice becoming more conscious of
    your Self - the thoughts you think, the foods you eat, the state of
    mind you are in, the exercises you do - and listen to your body's
    wisdom vs. forcing your will onto your body, the more prepared you will
    become to be able to experience this gift of grace as well.  Spend
    quiet time by yourself in a state of receptivness (meditation/prayer)
    and become a witness to the thoughts that come and go in your mind.  
    
    A few excellent books to read are: "Autobiography Of A Yogi", by
    Yogananda, "The Essense of Self-Realization - the Wisdom of Yogananda"
    by Kriyananda (J.Donald Walters), and any other books by these authors
    as well.  I just picked up Gopi Krishna's book last week and haven't
    read very much of it yet, so can't help you there yet.
    
    My second experience happened while at Kripalu Center in Lenox, Mass.
    (see corresponding topic in the conference by this name).  During this
    time my body filled with light and suddenly everything everywhere
    became One in that light.  The energy at Kripalu is amazing - just
    driving into the place is a wonderful experience of peace and calm.  If
    you live nearby or wish to know more, contact me offline for a
    brochure.  The yogi who founded this place is Yogi Amrit Desai (or
    Gurudev), and his teacher Swami Kripalv-longname (;^) was who he named
    the place after (also known as Bapuji).
    
    Yogananda once said (paraphrasing) that "When you hold negative
    thoughts, your kundalini descends, and when you hold positive thoughts,
    your kundalini rises."  This is not to say you cannot get angry or
    anything, but it is important to be angry consciously vs. being ruled
    by your anger and acting unconsciously out of it.  Becoming conscious
    is the key. 
    
    As for other people activating kundalini - my first experience was with
    a dear friend who has a very large capacity to love.  Around my friend
    I always felt very joyful and happy.  Become aware of how you feel in
    the presense of people in general, and seek out those you feel joyful
    and happy with, and chances are quite good that your kundalini is
    rising as a direct result, because we are affected by our environment. 
    Or if you like to walk in a certain forest, chances are also good that
    this is happening.  Or reading spiritually-inspiring books (Yogananda's
    books really do this for me.)
    
    Cindy
836.11yes.DWOVAX::STARKFri Feb 15 1991 11:278
>Or reading spiritually-inspiring books (Yogananda's
>    books really do this for me.)
    
    Reading some people's Notes does it for me, sometimes.
    
    	:-)
    
    	TOdd
836.12WILLEE::FRETTSIf u want to heal, u have to *feel*Fri Feb 15 1991 13:1721
    
     RE: .10 Cindy
        
    >Again what I believe is that if you practice becoming more conscious of
    >your Self - the thoughts you think, the foods you eat, the state of
    >mind you are in, the exercises you do - and listen to your body's
    >wisdom vs. forcing your will onto your body, the more prepared you will
    >become to be able to experience this gift of grace as well.
    
    >Yogananda once said (paraphrasing) that "When you hold negative
    >thoughts, your kundalini descends, and when you hold positive thoughts,
    >your kundalini rises."  This is not to say you cannot get angry or
    >anything, but it is important to be angry consciously vs. being ruled
    >by your anger and acting unconsciously out of it.  Becoming conscious
    >is the key. 
    
    I agree with both these statements of philosophy, especially the
    listening to your body rather than forcing it.
    
    
    Carole
836.13I did it...VLSI::BAKERFri Feb 15 1991 13:3726
  Well I did activate my Kundalini but I didn't really mean to.

  I have had some health problems over the last six months and I was meditating
and concentrating on the parts of my body that I have been having problems
with(my right arm and leg). When all of a sudden I felt a stirring from the 
base of my spine and felt this rushing upwards and the warm light.  I was 
frightened at first and immediately realized what it was and brought myself 
back down from the meditation.  It was quite a jolt.  

I stopped the experience because I really wasn't certain my reason for doing
it and also I was unsure whether I should have a some sort of spiritual guide.
I learned how to meditate about 5 years ago but haven't done it since until 
I became sick.  I have meditated maybe twice over the past 6 months. I was
taught always to have a question or focus when I meditated and that mere 
meandering wasn't really productive.  

I am a little disturbed about the experience and feel like I have awoken a
sleeping giant but I am also happy and sort of in awe.  I am not sure of my
path and purpose in this life but maybe this will show me the way?  Hope this
all doen't sound too off the wall.   Thanks so much for your responses, your
notes have opened my eyes quite a bit.

Cheers,

  Karin
836.14You know what's best for you.DWOVAX::STARKFri Feb 15 1991 14:4339
    re: .13, VSLI::BAKER,
    
    Wow, that's great, Karin !  :-)
    
    In my opinion, you are asking all the right questions, and
    are progressing very well with your focused meditation and body
    awareness.  I'd love to hear more about it if you want to enter it.
    
    The uncertainty about having a guide seems natural.
    I feel that you have that guide within you, although it is very quiet 
    compared to the feelings brought on by the rising serpent.  If you become 
    frightened about what is happening, I'd suggest discontinuing until you 
    can confer personally with someone experienced that you respect. 
    That's not because they know more than you about operating your own
    mind and body, but because they can help allay your fears and give you a 
    new perspective.  I don't personally put my trust in people with large 
    followings who seem to be deified by their followers, but that's clearly 
    just my arbitrary personal prejudice.  Some of those people are very,
    very skillful at what they do, and seem to have many admirable qualities.
    
    The fear of Kundalini in itself changes the experience you are producing, 
    and can take you on a fear-based tangent, from my experience.  Maybe
    my paranoia of organized religion is the result of my own tangent.  ;-)
    
    I would think that's one of the reasons why traditional Yogic practices 
    often warn against do-it-yourself programs.  The Theospohists had the same
    perspective.  In The_Inner_Life, Leadbeater devoted most of a chapter
    to telling people about all the unimaginable horrors of
    activating Kundalini without a guide.  The horrors come from people's
    own psyche (imo).  That's why self-awareness is such an important part of
    the process.  You seem to be developing that self-awareness for
    yourself without the need for a guru.
    
    I'd say, respect the significance to yourself of every feeling that you 
    produce and and find your own inner guidance, and you have nothing to fear.
    
    Very joyful journey !
    
    	Todd
836.15CGVAX2::PAINTERAnd on Earth, peace...Mon Feb 18 1991 15:3113
    
    Hi Karin,
    
    That's wonderful!  Thanks for sharing that.
    
    With my own experiences, it's typically happened that I'll have an 
    experience, *then* the books appear which help me to understand what 
    happened.  Sounds like this might be why you're reading Gopi Krishna's 
    account, because it is most like what happened to you.  It is always
    comforting to find someone else out there who understands, even if it's
    only in a book.
    
    Cindy
836.17An attempt...CGVAX2::PAINTERAnd on Earth, peace...Tue Feb 19 1991 13:4924
    RE.16
    
    Hi Paul,
    
    It's a challenge to put the experience into words...
    
    When it happened, I was seated in meditation in the main chapel with my
    eyes closed.  Imagine how it feels if you have your eyes closed and
    someone asks you to picture a forest (or something) in your minds eye. 
    That's the way I sensed it, yet I was also participating in the picture
    and perceived myself full of the light as well.  The light was first 
    inside of me, imploded, then ex-ploded, and in my minds eye I could only 
    see light.  It was different than sunlight.  At that same moment, I saw 
    images of people who caused me the most pain in this incarnation also
    engulfed in the light (that is when I realized that all was One
    together), and duality ceased to exist...they melted into the same
    light.
    
    When the ex-plosion happened, my heart center (chakra) became
    incredibly warm physically, and tears came to my eyes.  A few moments
    later, the lady next to me took my hand and that brought me back to
    being conscious of the physical environment.  
    
    Cindy