Kriya Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Energy

[Himalayan Mystic]

In india so many ways are prevalent for spiritual growth that a person trying to understand spirituality is bound to get confused,

i felt so since i started exploring and inquiring, i felt the path of knowledge was inevitably part of the process because

after a certain level of education , every kind of information that u come across influences the mind and a person would

naturally want to understand reality by analyzing minutely ,comparing with personal experience and also by constantly

trying to improve the learning process, ifeel that our own cultural bias is probably a big barrier because it changes how we

learn and process information and how we view the world also depends upon our previous experience and influences.We

hear something and tend to believe, we read something and get impressed ,we see something and develop a picture in the mind but

is our vision trained ,we analyze but is our methodology correct and unbiased,

In india we have many forms of yoga raja yoga,karma yoga ,laya yoga,bhakti yoga ,gyan yoga,countless methods of meditation,

innumberable philosophies,we have sikhs ,hindus,chridtians ,muslims ,jews,parsis,atheists,rationalists and irrationalists who believe they are rationalists,

we have fake gurus and great masters,we have con men and holy saints,we have spirituality as a hardcore buisness we have true exemplary ashrams that

are truly a paradise for a seeker.

Kriya yoga i felt was one of the best with a lot of substance i felt it to be the best spiritual technology ,im sure many have tried seriously to understand if

someone really made efforts in the path for a few years i would be very happy if they would want to share the experience.

[Ashotep]

When you have something that is popular there will be the con man or fake taking advantage of it trying to part you from your money.

[Himalayan Mystic]

When you have something that is popular there will be the con man or fake taking advantage of it trying to part you from your money.

Buisness has many forms

but then times are such no

use getting disturbed

[Lumpino]

There are many different spiritual paths. But basically there are only two ways.

1/The Buddhist path to Nirvana , or Paramatman of Yogis, or Bythos of Gnostics.....,. = way to the end of individual existence.

2/And the way of spiritual alchemists ( see you for example http://en.wikipedia....e_Golden_Flower ), or Acient mysteries (see you by Iamblich of Chalkida, Theurgy.....), for better individual existence.

Edited April 21, 2013 by Lumpino

[Himalayan Mystic]

Two basic channels of prana or vital force they say are the sun channel and moon channel. The left nostril is the moon channel and the right nostril corresponds to the sun channel.

The right is hot and the left is cold.

Spiritual growth is said to occur if prana or vital force enters the third channel or Sushumna, that is a hollow channel in the centre of the spinal chord that goes up to the crown of the head from the base of the spine.

The energy of the body corresponds to the sum total of all our energies and creates a field around us, this can be gradually taken to higher vibrational frequency. Higher frequency alos corresponds to health, joy, serenity, tranquillity and other higher states.

I don't know how the west views it, but this seems to be the most interesting approach by far, and most enlightened beings seem to promote this method of realization.

I am sure there are people who have genuinely tried this in the West, for the westeners are curious, scientific and seem to experiment with everything. If they actually get results they really research things in the best way.

[Lumpino]

I think, that spiritual growth is about something different. But it is necessary for the understanding know more about those practices, read tranlantions original older eastern texts. And not only eatsern. And be able to compare it.

[StarMountainKid]

I've always thought these 'ways of liberation' of more value to the individual than all the dogmatic religions of the world.

[Podo]

I've always thought these 'ways of liberation' of more value to the individual than all the dogmatic religions of the world.

That's because religion limits what you can do, while individual liberation does the exact opposite.

[Beany]

This happened to me, a kundalini awakening. At the time I didn't know what it was. It seemed to be spontaneous, as at the time I had no practice, didn't meditate, was pretty ignorant of metaphysics, knew nothing about yoga, put no effort into it. It was like getting a big kick in the head, and from one moment to the next my reality and perceptions shifted. I know people spend thousands of dollars hoping to have this experience, or spend many, many hours of practice and study hoping to achieve this, but I did none of those things. It was like I was wandering around in the dark and all of a sudden a switch was flipped, the lights came on, and everything was illuminated.

Maslow calls this a peak experience, the best description I've found is in the link below. The most dominant feeling I experienced was bliss. I was so caught up in the beauty and intricacy and "rightness" of creation that it was difficult to concentrate. For 3 months I mostly just grinned, and struggled to complete a sentence, because this other thing completely had my attention. I was fortunate to work with a good Christian woman who understood what I was experiencing as an epiphany, or a direct experience of the divine. Whether one defines it in religious or psychological terms, it changed my life for the better, and permanently.

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/lsd/maslowa.htm

Edited May 2, 2015 by Beany

[GlitterRose]

This happened to me, a kundalini awakening. At the time I didn't know what it was. It seemed to be spontaneous, as at the time I had no practice, didn't meditate, was pretty ignorant of metaphysics, knew nothing about yoga, put no effort into it. It was like getting a big kick in the head, and from one moment to the next my reality and perceptions shifted. I know people spend thousands of dollars hoping to have this experience, or spend many, many hours of practice and study hoping to achieve this, but I did none of those things. It was like I was wandering around in the dark and all of a sudden a switch was flipped, the lights came on, and everything was illuminated.

Maslow calls this a peak experience, the best description I've found is in the link below. The most dominant feeling I experienced was bliss. I was so caught up in the beauty and intricacy and "rightness" of creation that it was difficult to concentrate. For 3 months I mostly just grinned, and struggled to complete a sentence, because this other thing completely had my attention. I was fortunate to work with a good Christian woman who understood what I was experiencing as an epiphany, or a direct experience of the divine. Whether one defines it in religious or psychological terms, it changed my life for the better, and permanently.

http://www.druglibra...lsd/maslowa.htm

You're very lucky that you didn't develop the syndrome that is supposed to be associated with unprepared awakening. Some of the things that I've experienced relate to what is described. My altered perception seems to have been brought on by trauma.

[Beany]

What's the syndrome you refer to? I've never heard of it. It some ways, I was prepared. Prior to the experience, and had a couple of years of transformational counseling, a few years in an Al-anon ACA program, had taken some leadership programs, etc. I think maybe when I finally cleared my head and psyche of some very limiting and damaging beliefs about myself and the world, it created a space for the Kundalini experience to happen. Were your experiences bad? Mine were nothing but good, although I did have difficulty adjusting to my new way of being in the world.

[GlitterRose]

What's the syndrome you refer to? I've never heard of it. It some ways, I was prepared. Prior to the experience, and had a couple of years of transformational counseling, a few years in an Al-anon ACA program, had taken some leadership programs, etc. I think maybe when I finally cleared my head and psyche of some very limiting and damaging beliefs about myself and the world, it created a space for the Kundalini experience to happen. Were your experiences bad? Mine were nothing but good, although I did have difficulty adjusting to my new way of being in the world.

Kundalini Syndrome. And yes, many of the symptoms are unpleasant. It is still an awakening, though. Some might liken it to crossing the abyss, or dark night of the soul. And it's a process getting through it.

Edited May 2, 2015 by ChaosRose

[Beany]

I had to look that up. Wow! I never had any of those symptoms. Pure bliss was mostly what I experienced. Fractured every now & then by some unexplainable events that had my head swimming. How are you doing now? Have you been able to internalize & process it in a way that's comfortable for you?

[GlitterRose]

I had to look that up. Wow! I never had any of those symptoms. Pure bliss was mostly what I experienced. Fractured every now & then by some unexplainable events that had my head swimming. How are you doing now? Have you been able to internalize & process it in a way that's comfortable for you?

I'm still trudging through it, but there has been major improvement. I've done a lot of research into this, and it's good to be able to view it in a positive light.

[Beany]

It can be seen as either a spiritual event or a psychological event, for me, it's a combination of both. One of the things that helped me was running across a copy of Maslow's book about peak experiences. In it, he listed 17 traits that people who experience it have in common, most of it from a psychological perspective, but with a touch of mysticism. I found the book title on the Maslow.com website; I highly recommend it: Religions, Values and Peak-Experiences

I'd be happy to have a more personal, private discussion with you. It's not often I run across someone with whom I share this experience.

[june scarlet]

Hello beany just wondering do u have a guru??

If u don't have please find one at the latest because once ur Kundalini has awakened u need someone to guide u to the right path.

[Himalayan Mystic]

Beany's link is awesome, someone really observed the different people and tried to compile an objective

observations table with good analysis.

I think the awakening is just the beginning and people then should spend some time every day to sustain their progress.

Spirituality is not a belief system like organized religion , hence universal and common. It's not necessary to call the energy as

Kundalini which means the coiled serpentine energy that was sleeping at the base of the spine and has now awakened and is being experienced.

For example if Japanese and Chinese call it Chi, it would be the same thing. How we approach it could be different. But all beings have this energy and

we can tap into it.

So we can call it anything, and it will help us realize our potential.

A syndrome I discovered: It's called I am special syndrome - we all develop it in the beginning - definitely includes me as well

The trick is to remain simple, not over discuss and observe the energy every day for a few years, according to me.

When we can be empty without too many conclusions, neither good or bad, high or low etc. their is some equanimity and stability.

When we cease to manipulate the energy, like never forcing it to rise, or trying to direct it to a particular region of the body etc. Then we can

be sort of empty and void like. This is the best situation to receive it.

Then I feel, all that remains is to keep observing it and imbibe the experience daily and in a few years some really nice things happen.

These are my basic ideas, highly rudimentary, but I 'am also a beginner.

[Beany]

Hello beany just wondering do u have a guru??

If u don't have please find one at the latest because once ur Kundalini has awakened u need someone to guide u to the right path.

I do have a guru, my own higher self, my own inner knowing, whatever you want to call it. I've also found that spirit, cosmic consciousness, god, or whatever you want to call that, informs me as well. It's my belief that we're all on the right path, in fact, it's impossible to get off the right path. Every moment can be a lesson, can have value, can add to our store of knowledge, if we pay attention. I've found that most teachers or guides tend to establish a power over kind of relationship, which I've been vulnerable to my whole life, so I stopped looking years ago, and trust that whatever I need to know will eventually come along one way or another. But thank you for your concern, june scarlet. Sounds like you know something about this.

[Beany]

Beany's link is awesome, someone really observed the different people and tried to compile an objective

observations table with good analysis.

I think the awakening is just the beginning and people then should spend some time every day to sustain their progress.

Spirituality is not a belief system like organized religion , hence universal and common. It's not necessary to call the energy as

Kundalini which means the coiled serpentine energy that was sleeping at the base of the spine and has now awakened and is being experienced.

For example if Japanese and Chinese call it Chi, it would be the same thing. How we approach it could be different. But all beings have this energy and

we can tap into it.

So we can call it anything, and it will help us realize our potential.

A syndrome I discovered: It's called I am special syndrome - we all develop it in the beginning - definitely includes me as well

The trick is to remain simple, not over discuss and observe the energy every day for a few years, according to me.

When we can be empty without too many conclusions, neither good or bad, high or low etc. their is some equanimity and stability.

When we cease to manipulate the energy, like never forcing it to rise, or trying to direct it to a particular region of the body etc. Then we can

be sort of empty and void like. This is the best situation to receive it.

Then I feel, all that remains is to keep observing it and imbibe the experience daily and in a few years some really nice things happen.

These are my basic ideas, highly rudimentary, but I 'am also a beginner.

I like what you said about manipulating energy. My practice has been to acknowledge and allow the energy, to give it permission, so to speak. It's really hard to verbally communicate what is in essence, an experiential experience, both physically & mentally, especially in a culture that is unfamiliar with it or denies its existence. This experience is usually referred to as a religious/spiritual experience, and if its thought of within that context, people are going to bring their own preconceptions to it. I like thinking of it in psychological terms of which the spiritual or the mystical is a small part of that, and not necessarily the biggest or most important part. FYI, I meant a Sioux medicine man who had the same experience when he was 16, he called it a download, which I think is a pretty good description. I'm glad you liked the link, I suggest reading the book, it has been a valuable tool for me.