Kundalini for the curious

September 30, 2010 | Comment icon

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Image Credit: Jesús Bonilla

In most magazines devoted to 'body, mind, and spirit' and in hundreds of Internet sites, one can find advertisements for practitioners of Kundalini Yoga. One such ad states that it's "available to all who desire to practice, rather than to a very select band of initiates". It was first brought to public attention in the USA by Yogi Bhajan, a wealthy Sikh businessman who on departing this life left a vast business empire. His declared aim was to train Kundalini instructors, not attract followers, which he then attracted in the thousands.

Another ad tells us that "Kundalini Yoga is one of the few yogic paths to actually allow sex. Not only that, regular practice can greatly increase your levels of sexual energy leading to a wonderfully enhanced sex life."

According to many teachings there is a divinely endowed serpentine faculty built into our biology, our DNA, which, if awakened, enhances perception, increases intuition, bestows mental gifts (called Siddhis in Hindi), the 'toute ensemble' in fact. This in Hindu philosophy is Kundalini.

The great Sikh saint of the early 20th Century, ParamSant Sawan Singh, wrote: 'A real man is one who has regained all his original powers and has found the rich heritage that the Lord has preserved for him within his body...there are other faculties within us that remain dormant.'

But hold on...are we all talking about the same thing?

Cultural Myths

In various cultures around the world, myths and allegories try to explain what happened at the time of Creation. Several depict Humankind as having once been more intelligent, better, more spiritual... and then were punished! What are we to make of that?

The Popul Vuh collection of Mayan legends has this version: " 'What our 'works and designs' (their term for Humans) 'have said is no good: they understood too much ... Their deeds would become equal to ours...They see everything,' said Sovereign Plumed Serpent, the Bearer and Begetter." (Reminiscent of Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography: ' My ordinary frontal vision was now changed to a vast spherical sight, simultaneously all-perceptive.') "And so the Bearer and Begetter took back their knowledge."

In the Judaeo-Christian Bible we find that, having created the first Humans, 'God' puts temptation (couched in allegory as 'eating from a certain tree') in their path by telling them what they should never try to do. But when they of course go and do it, the 'Lord God' reads out their punishment because, 'he' says, (we don't know to whom he is speaking): 'he is become as one of us, to know good and evil', and the first Humans are turned out of the Garden.

The Nag Hammadi Codices of the Gnostics clarify these strange inconsistencies by referring to this 'lord' as 'the authority' or 'authorities':

"Then the female spiritual principle came in the snake, the instructor; and it taught them, saying, 'What did he (the authority or the chief ruler) say to you? Was it, "From every tree in the garden shall you eat; yet - from the tree of recognizing good and evil do not eat" ?' When the woman confirms that he did, the instructor says, 'With death you shall not die; for it was out of jealousy that he said this to you. Rather your eyes shall open and you shall come to be like gods, recognizing evil and good.' ...'From that day, the snake came to be under the curse of the authorities, until the all-powerful man (In Judao-Christianity the 'Messiah', in Eastern faiths the 'Sant Satguru' or Perfect Master.) shall come.'

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, (raised his Kundalini?) even so must the Son of man be lifted up." Book of John (Christian Bible)

Ancient Greek mythology makes a thriller story of it: Zeus 'punishes' mankind by taking away the gift of 'fire'. Prometheus disobeys Zeus and steals it back again. Zeus then by various means has the evils of Humankind unleashed.

Thus the so-called Kundalini energy, referred to as serpent-like, or dragon-like and sometimes depicted as 'fire' or 'flame' or even 'halo of light', is coiled up and left at the base of the spine by our 'creators', leaving Humankind dimwitted.

Since Kundalini Power is a Female Principle, this might explain the Judaeo-Christian myth's Eve, and Pandora in the Greek myth whose curiosity is instrumental in loosing the problems accompanying the rousing of Kundalini.

Thus we have five different myths saying some very peculiar things about us which shows the ambivalence the ancients had towards Humans attaining any kind of advanced knowledge and power. Why should this be?

Sages of Ancient Sumer and their scribes, it appears, also knew about these matters. But from a scientific point of view. A Sumerian clay 'seal' with an impressed drawing for printing or sealing, shows an early depiction of DNA's double helix. It shows the scientist/sorceror Enki who, it is said by Sumerologists, cloned or produced test-tube Humans. Another double helix, the caduceus of the healing arts, shows two serpents coiling up the spine or tree... depicting those who were Kundalini-empowered? As we know, in ancient times Healers were often also Shamans and Seers.

Ancient Serpent Masters

Further afield now – to the Western Hemisphere. Investigators, notably James Churchward, writing about the legends of MU, the vanished Pacific Civilization, mention the epithet "Plumed Serpent." 'They are great knowers, greater thinkers in their very being' (in other words, in their DNA). Just before the continent of Mu's fabled destruction, he and other investigators tell us, Kundalini adepts (who of course foresaw the disaster ) were elected to take the ancient wisdom to their respective countries, and became known as Nagas (Serpents in Sanskrit) in India, Loong Dragons in China, and Amarus in Peru,. Later, a similar get-together would occur on Atlantis with certain Kundalini masters of that doomed land chosen to take the Atlantean records and teachings to the pan-Atlantic territories.

These missionary 'Serpents' became known as:

· the Quetzlcoatls or Kukulcans in Mexico

· the Djedhi (the "Stable Serpents") of Egypt

· the Druid Adders of Britain

· the Dactyloi of Greece

So, one might well ask, what's the problem? Why isn't everyone doing it? We don't have to wait around for ancient records. Today there are enough teachings handed out for anyone to try. There are plenty of so-called Adepts reciting their marvellous experiences free, gratis, and for nothing, at the same time offering classes for a pile of cash. That alone should give us the first clue. But wait. The whole thing is worth checking out in depth.

As we have seen, the biological process of artificially raising Kundalini, has historically been hidden by symbols, codes and religious dogma. This, it seems, is not only because a person through their own efforts can develop the skills and understanding formally restricted to the highest levels of the priesthood and royalty... and 'become as one of the gods'.

It should be clearly understood at the outset that Kundalini power raised for its own sake is not in the realm of Spirit, but in the realm of Mind – Mental. Thus the danger of that power in someone who has not overcome his ego and its desires is equivalent to putting a loaded gun in the hands of a four-year-old.

When people hear on some guru's video or website that they can achieve slower aging, superhuman strength, creativity, alpha sexual attraction, charisma, leadership, luck, the siddhis...naturally they think "Hey! What am I waiting for!"

"Traditional teachers of Kundalini Meditation all warn neophytes of the potential dangers, and these warnings should not be underestimated." "Clinical and psychological literature is full of meditation-related problems in Western contemplative life." "If the Kundalini is awakened without suitable preparation and guidance, it can lead to debilitation, insanity, breakdown of the immune system, and suicide." So say those who have had the experience or are counselling those who have.

It's a Boomerang

"Mercifully, the world is preserved from the discovery by science of the Kundalini Ray, or annihilation would ensue," wrote George Arundale, British theosophist who died in 1945 "It turns in boomerang fashion with terrible effect upon those who misuse it, upon those who do not reverence it, upon those who use it to selfish ends."

He goes on to say, "The ability to see if an individual is mature enough to awaken the Kundalini, depends on intuition, i.e. immediate knowledge about higher truths without previous analysis, and intuition is undeveloped in modern Humans. Experiments performed in ignorance, do not only constitute a misfortune to the experimenter himself, but also to his surroundings. And nobody has the right to impose that on others. Our weaknesses, imbalances and our incomplete sides, are the great dangers, and we are not even ourselves always aware of them."

"This is the reason why the eastern spiritual exercises have been a secret for thousands of years. The ignorance and the mistakes are already showing, in the West," says Marja Savola on her website 'Kundalini Network and Information in Sweden'. She has many interesting facts to ponder, as well as a dialogue with Deepak Chopra. She quotes Danish writer Martinus: "...it is a state of 'high voltage', and if the right human qualifications are not present in the consciousness, it can cause the most dreadful forms of 'short-circuit' and 'fire' in the consciousness."

She warns against so-called Kundalini teachers who advertise and charge fees.

One should beware, certainly, of the following, all purporting to be concerning Kundalini raising:
"...an easy way to enter the Transcendental...featuring YZX on guitar and chanting."
"Please email me for prices - XYZ@ZYX"
"Audio CDs of gong sound" Price: $XX
"Use our marketing Postcards!" "Latest issue of our newsletter!"

Contrast those with a late well-known Seer and Healer in Gauteng, South Africa, who accepted only donations, even edible items! When asked, "But does that pay your rent?" She replied, "It always has."

Fallen 'Gods'

Without doubt this is why the few major Masters of India strongly advise strict moral precepts when on the spiritual path, and declare artificially acquired siddhis to be obstacles on the True Path to God-realization. Not only do they insist on a thorough study of the teachings before initiating, but have been known to refuse initiation to the unready. They do no proselytizing, run no organized group activities, and have nothing to do with commercializing or charging for anything. They can only be discovered by serious seekers.

Some notorious fallen 'gods' – names are omitted here out of respect for their innocent disciples but the media and the Web describe them – appeared unable to handle the sexual energy and their sexual exploits led to sad controversy. One of them had undoubted mental powers, and performed many startling healings, but couldn't stop showing off small siddhis, like producing gold ornaments from the air. When the power was taken away, (as the gods tend to do if you develop hubris – spiritual pride) he tried faking it, and was quickly discredited.

As a final word, Rupert Smith, writing in The Guardian (UK) 2004, had this to say:

"Sadly, the moment I see a man in a dress surrounded by grinning worshippers, I'm looking for a catch – and it didn't take much to prove that [this man's] 'miracles' were nothing more than a bit of old-fashioned sleight of hand. On that basis, we might all end up worshipping [American illusionist] David Blaine, which is a worry...!" ['which is a worry' is a well-known British saying used for comic irony. I mention this only because most Americans take it too literally. So if you think David Blane' lawyers might object, leave out the sentence from "On that basis". Americans apparently don't use irony a lot. Do you find that's true? Brits love it.][!gad]In most magazines devoted to 'body, mind, and spirit' and in hundreds of Internet sites, one can find advertisements for practitioners of Kundalini Yoga. One such ad states that it's "available to all who desire to practice, rather than to a very select band of initiates". It was first brought to public attention in the USA by Yogi Bhajan, a wealthy Sikh businessman who on departing this life left a vast business empire. His declared aim was to train Kundalini instructors, not attract followers, which he then attracted in the thousands.

Another ad tells us that "Kundalini Yoga is one of the few yogic paths to actually allow sex. Not only that, regular practice can greatly increase your levels of sexual energy leading to a wonderfully enhanced sex life."

According to many teachings there is a divinely endowed serpentine faculty built into our biology, our DNA, which, if awakened, enhances perception, increases intuition, bestows mental gifts (called Siddhis in Hindi), the 'toute ensemble' in fact. This in Hindu philosophy is Kundalini.

The great Sikh saint of the early 20th Century, ParamSant Sawan Singh, wrote: 'A real man is one who has regained all his original powers and has found the rich heritage that the Lord has preserved for him within his body...there are other faculties within us that remain dormant.'

But hold on...are we all talking about the same thing?

Cultural Myths

In various cultures around the world, myths and allegories try to explain what happened at the time of Creation. Several depict Humankind as having once been more intelligent, better, more spiritual... and then were punished! What are we to make of that?

The Popul Vuh collection of Mayan legends has this version: " 'What our 'works and designs' (their term for Humans) 'have said is no good: they understood too much ... Their deeds would become equal to ours...They see everything,' said Sovereign Plumed Serpent, the Bearer and Begetter." (Reminiscent of Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography: ' My ordinary frontal vision was now changed to a vast spherical sight, simultaneously all-perceptive.') "And so the Bearer and Begetter took back their knowledge."

In the Judaeo-Christian Bible we find that, having created the first Humans, 'God' puts temptation (couched in allegory as 'eating from a certain tree') in their path by telling them what they should never try to do. But when they of course go and do it, the 'Lord God' reads out their punishment because, 'he' says, (we don't know to whom he is speaking): 'he is become as one of us, to know good and evil', and the first Humans are turned out of the Garden.

The Nag Hammadi Codices of the Gnostics clarify these strange inconsistencies by referring to this 'lord' as 'the authority' or 'authorities':

"Then the female spiritual principle came in the snake, the instructor; and it taught them, saying, 'What did he (the authority or the chief ruler) say to you? Was it, "From every tree in the garden shall you eat; yet - from the tree of recognizing good and evil do not eat" ?' When the woman confirms that he did, the instructor says, 'With death you shall not die; for it was out of jealousy that he said this to you. Rather your eyes shall open and you shall come to be like gods, recognizing evil and good.' ...'From that day, the snake came to be under the curse of the authorities, until the all-powerful man (In Judao-Christianity the 'Messiah', in Eastern faiths the 'Sant Satguru' or Perfect Master.) shall come.'

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, (raised his Kundalini?) even so must the Son of man be lifted up." Book of John (Christian Bible)

Ancient Greek mythology makes a thriller story of it: Zeus 'punishes' mankind by taking away the gift of 'fire'. Prometheus disobeys Zeus and steals it back again. Zeus then by various means has the evils of Humankind unleashed.

Thus the so-called Kundalini energy, referred to as serpent-like, or dragon-like and sometimes depicted as 'fire' or 'flame' or even 'halo of light', is coiled up and left at the base of the spine by our 'creators', leaving Humankind dimwitted.

Since Kundalini Power is a Female Principle, this might explain the Judaeo-Christian myth's Eve, and Pandora in the Greek myth whose curiosity is instrumental in loosing the problems accompanying the rousing of Kundalini.

Thus we have five different myths saying some very peculiar things about us which shows the ambivalence the ancients had towards Humans attaining any kind of advanced knowledge and power. Why should this be?

Sages of Ancient Sumer and their scribes, it appears, also knew about these matters. But from a scientific point of view. A Sumerian clay 'seal' with an impressed drawing for printing or sealing, shows an early depiction of DNA's double helix. It shows the scientist/sorceror Enki who, it is said by Sumerologists, cloned or produced test-tube Humans. Another double helix, the caduceus of the healing arts, shows two serpents coiling up the spine or tree... depicting those who were Kundalini-empowered? As we know, in ancient times Healers were often also Shamans and Seers.

Ancient Serpent Masters

Further afield now – to the Western Hemisphere. Investigators, notably James Churchward, writing about the legends of MU, the vanished Pacific Civilization, mention the epithet "Plumed Serpent." 'They are great knowers, greater thinkers in their very being' (in other words, in their DNA). Just before the continent of Mu's fabled destruction, he and other investigators tell us, Kundalini adepts (who of course foresaw the disaster ) were elected to take the ancient wisdom to their respective countries, and became known as Nagas (Serpents in Sanskrit) in India, Loong Dragons in China, and Amarus in Peru,. Later, a similar get-together would occur on Atlantis with certain Kundalini masters of that doomed land chosen to take the Atlantean records and teachings to the pan-Atlantic territories.

These missionary 'Serpents' became known as:

· the Quetzlcoatls or Kukulcans in Mexico

· the Djedhi (the "Stable Serpents") of Egypt

· the Druid Adders of Britain

· the Dactyloi of Greece

So, one might well ask, what's the problem? Why isn't everyone doing it? We don't have to wait around for ancient records. Today there are enough teachings handed out for anyone to try. There are plenty of so-called Adepts reciting their marvellous experiences free, gratis, and for nothing, at the same time offering classes for a pile of cash. That alone should give us the first clue. But wait. The whole thing is worth checking out in depth.

As we have seen, the biological process of artificially raising Kundalini, has historically been hidden by symbols, codes and religious dogma. This, it seems, is not only because a person through their own efforts can develop the skills and understanding formally restricted to the highest levels of the priesthood and royalty... and 'become as one of the gods'.

It should be clearly understood at the outset that Kundalini power raised for its own sake is not in the realm of Spirit, but in the realm of Mind – Mental. Thus the danger of that power in someone who has not overcome his ego and its desires is equivalent to putting a loaded gun in the hands of a four-year-old.

When people hear on some guru's video or website that they can achieve slower aging, superhuman strength, creativity, alpha sexual attraction, charisma, leadership, luck, the siddhis...naturally they think "Hey! What am I waiting for!"

"Traditional teachers of Kundalini Meditation all warn neophytes of the potential dangers, and these warnings should not be underestimated." "Clinical and psychological literature is full of meditation-related problems in Western contemplative life." "If the Kundalini is awakened without suitable preparation and guidance, it can lead to debilitation, insanity, breakdown of the immune system, and suicide." So say those who have had the experience or are counselling those who have.

It's a Boomerang

"Mercifully, the world is preserved from the discovery by science of the Kundalini Ray, or annihilation would ensue," wrote George Arundale, British theosophist who died in 1945 "It turns in boomerang fashion with terrible effect upon those who misuse it, upon those who do not reverence it, upon those who use it to selfish ends."

He goes on to say, "The ability to see if an individual is mature enough to awaken the Kundalini, depends on intuition, i.e. immediate knowledge about higher truths without previous analysis, and intuition is undeveloped in modern Humans. Experiments performed in ignorance, do not only constitute a misfortune to the experimenter himself, but also to his surroundings. And nobody has the right to impose that on others. Our weaknesses, imbalances and our incomplete sides, are the great dangers, and we are not even ourselves always aware of them."

"This is the reason why the eastern spiritual exercises have been a secret for thousands of years. The ignorance and the mistakes are already showing, in the West," says Marja Savola on her website 'Kundalini Network and Information in Sweden'. She has many interesting facts to ponder, as well as a dialogue with Deepak Chopra. She quotes Danish writer Martinus: "...it is a state of 'high voltage', and if the right human qualifications are not present in the consciousness, it can cause the most dreadful forms of 'short-circuit' and 'fire' in the consciousness."

She warns against so-called Kundalini teachers who advertise and charge fees.

One should beware, certainly, of the following, all purporting to be concerning Kundalini raising:
"...an easy way to enter the Transcendental...featuring YZX on guitar and chanting."
"Please email me for prices - XYZ@ZYX"
"Audio CDs of gong sound" Price: $XX
"Use our marketing Postcards!" "Latest issue of our newsletter!"

Contrast those with a late well-known Seer and Healer in Gauteng, South Africa, who accepted only donations, even edible items! When asked, "But does that pay your rent?" She replied, "It always has."

Fallen 'Gods'

Without doubt this is why the few major Masters of India strongly advise strict moral precepts when on the spiritual path, and declare artificially acquired siddhis to be obstacles on the True Path to God-realization. Not only do they insist on a thorough study of the teachings before initiating, but have been known to refuse initiation to the unready. They do no proselytizing, run no organized group activities, and have nothing to do with commercializing or charging for anything. They can only be discovered by serious seekers.

Some notorious fallen 'gods' – names are omitted here out of respect for their innocent disciples but the media and the Web describe them – appeared unable to handle the sexual energy and their sexual exploits led to sad controversy. One of them had undoubted mental powers, and performed many startling healings, but couldn't stop showing off small siddhis, like producing gold ornaments from the air. When the power was taken away, (as the gods tend to do if you develop hubris – spiritual pride) he tried faking it, and was quickly discredited.

As a final word, Rupert Smith, writing in The Guardian (UK) 2004, had this to say:

"Sadly, the moment I see a man in a dress surrounded by grinning worshippers, I'm looking for a catch – and it didn't take much to prove that [this man's] 'miracles' were nothing more than a bit of old-fashioned sleight of hand. On that basis, we might all end up worshipping [American illusionist] David Blaine, which is a worry...!" ['which is a worry' is a well-known British saying used for comic irony. I mention this only because most Americans take it too literally. So if you think David Blane' lawyers might object, leave out the sentence from "On that basis". Americans apparently don't use irony a lot. Do you find that's true? Brits love it.]

Reen lives in South Africa and writes for online magazines and three South African print magazines. Comments (2)

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