Friday, February 8, 2013

Kundalini...How and Why It can Go Wrong

Kundalini is our basic evolutionary energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine in the first chakra called Mooladhara, or the root chakra. When consciousness is at a certain stage of development, it rises to accelerate the process. It marks the shift from the fourth human kingdom to the fifth spiritual kingdom. First there is mineral, then plant, then animal, finally human and we move into the spiritual through the vehicle of Kundalini.

When Kundalini is activated by exceptional means, i.e. by trauma or shock, it tries to move up to meet Shiva in the seventh chakra at the crown of the head. Normally, it should progress through the central Sushumna nerve in the etheric energy web of the spine. Finding its way obstructed by blocked energy in the first three chakras, it moves up through the side nerves, either Pingala or Ida. When it moves up through the Pingala nerve, the subject feels heat and when it moves up through the Ida nerve, the subject feels cold.

Neither of these is the correct way and neither reaches the crown of the head to enable the seventh chakra to open to receive the descending Kundalini. Descending and ascending together completes the energy circuit the awakened Kundalini uses to travel around the body via the nervous system, which must remain unobstructed for Kundalini to manage its work.

That is why I put so much emphasis on self-development and self-awareness work because it is necessary before thinking about raising Kundalini. 'Know thyself' is essential for a successful Kundalini rising that leads to a spiritual awakening and not to a fragmentation of consciousness from which it is difficult to return back to normal everyday life and consciousness. It is unfortunate that so many on the spiritual path do not want to take the time to complete this necessary stage. I admit it is difficult. Stirring up repressed psychological elements is not pleasant, but refusing to confront them keeps energies blocked in the chakras with no hope of real spiritual awakening.

In my own case, I did this self-development work after Kundalini rose, but I had been studying and practicing Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism for almost 10 years before that, so I had been preparing myself unconsciously to withstand the force of Kundalini. When it rose, I was ready...to a point, but there is no escaping the necessity of doing self-awareness work.

Kundalini is only concerned with truth and authenticity. When we have the courage to face the truth about ourselves and our lives, the Truth sets us free. Kundalini can then work the way it was designed to. Without self-awareness work Kundalini continues to affect the nervous system in various ways without reaching its ultimate goal of spiritual awakening and self-realization.

9 comments:

  1. Great post. You have articulated this so well. I agree completely. The self-awareness phase is critical and the more one gives in and surrenders repressed trauma, the more clarity there is. It is a struggle, no doubt, but an important and unavoidable one for safe passage of the energy.

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  2. Hi Margaret, How did you develop self-awareness?

    Thanks,
    Rahul Kadle

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    1. Hello Rahul, thank you for your question. Studying and practicing Mahayana Buddhism for almost 10 years was one way but by far the most powerful was the transformative self-awareness training I have done with Landmark Education. I learned more about myself in one weekend of doing the Landmark Forum than anything else I had done up to that point (2005). But what was transformative was that I learned about myself and decisions I had made not in a way to make myself wrong or feel bad about myself. But to free myself and in that freedom I fell in love with me exactly the way I am and the way I'm not. After that there is only to continue to be self-aware and responsible. I unreservedly recommend the Landmark Forum. I can't see how it's possible to have a successful spiritual awakening without doing this work. If not with Landmark then with some other kind of transformative self-development organisation. Here's the link for Landmark if you are interested www.landmarkeducation.com. On this site you will see all the centres that operate over the world. What is interesting is that Buddhists are doing the Landmark Forum - which was my path too! It's like you can spend so many years trying to achieve the much sought after altered states of consciousness but unless the ground work has been done all effort is futile. But having put in the effort then having the courage to face the unfaceable a miracle happens......
      Thank you again for your question and I hope that I have given you something with my answer.

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    2. Hi Margaret,

      I have heard about Landmark Education through my colleagues at work but I was not aware it helped one spiritually too. I will check with them. Thanks a ton for sharing your valuable knowledge. I am a regular reader of your blogs. I also thank JJ Semple, Vivek Govekar and Tom Kinney for sharing their Kundalini awakening experiences.

      Warm regards,
      Rahul

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  3. Hi Rahul,
    Nice to hear from you. I am glad that my experience has been of help to you.
    Vivek

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  4. I posted it as a service to others who face some of issues you do. I kept it anonymous. Nevertheless. it's been deleted it per your request.

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  5. Hi

    So what then if the kundalini rises by itself without preparation?
    What if was spontaneous?
    Have had some nasty flu symptoms with stomach pains coming out of my ear as of late.
    Pluss a range of other symptoms which fits the bill..... Cold sweats, normal sweats, chills even when warm...headaches... No appetite...The last 5 months has been a roller coaster ride...Even some of the symptoms were weak before (since 2011-12 with the slight buzzing sensations lasting a long as an SMS) to a full blown explosion this summer....

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  6. I have reached the point that I see my true self & I hate what I see, it makes me weep. This is the place I am currently stuck. To be stuck inside a person you do not want to be no idea how to change it.

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    1. Dear Unknown: Yes you can change it! Learn about and do mindfulness work. I suggest you read A New Earth by Tolle and there are many resources online. It is okay to realized that one has gone down the wrong path, in fact it is a sign of awakening that humbles us all. One cannot awaken but that he or she realizes just how deeply flawed and messed up they have been. Whatever else problems you may have, seek answers online and you will find them. It is less important that we have all made mistakes and more important that we learn and personally evolve. The first step is to accept yourself and where you are right now. If you can just do that you for even one second will drop many negative energies and instantly feel better. As you progress in mindfulness work and release and detach from negativity your energies will correct. This work can be facilitated by yoga and meditation. Do the work and you will feel better and better. The more work you do the faster you will progress. If you feel you need a guru, ask for one.

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