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Everyone has an inner drive to excel or be special at some thing—to be unique. Sometimes people reach for this in negative ways. The underlying drive in all people, however, is one of evolution—to reach for enlightenment, to be God-like while still human.
In the Upanishads, it is expressed:
Dwelling in this very body, we have somehow realized Brahman [expansion, evolution, the Absolute, Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of the universe]; otherwise we should have remained ignorant and great destruction would have overtaken us. Those who know Brahman become immortal while others only suffer misery.
[IV, iv, 14/Swami Nikhilananda translation.]
In the New Testament, Jesus answered:
Is it not written in your own law, "I said: You are gods?" Those who are called gods to whom the word of God was delivered— and Scripture can not be set aside." [John 10:34–35/The New English Bible]1
We find that we are all called to go beyond our humanness toward greater heights. The kundalini energy pushes each of us toward this goal of enlightenment—knowing the light, knowing God.
In Tibetan Yoga and in other secret doctrines, it is expressed:
By means of Shakti Yoga [energy discipline], the Tantric yogin attains discipline of body and mind and then proceeds to the mighty task of awakening the dormant, or innate, powers of divinity within himself, personified as the sleeping Goddess Kundalini...Then, from the mystic union of Shakta [at the top of the head] and the Shakti, is born Enlightenment; and the Yogin has attained the Goal.2
Kundalini, a Sanskrit word meaning "circular power," is an individual's basic evolutionary force. Each of us is born with some of this energy already flowing. The amount available and usable determines whether a person has low intelligence, is a genius, or is somewhere in the middle. It is not just a matter of using what we already have, but of awakening the much greater amount waiting in the kundalini reservoir located at the base of the spine. Kundalini is a natural force common to all of us. It is not a religion,
although it is practiced by some religions and the process can enhance and develop each person's own religious beliefs. Ancient Eastern literature contains a great deal of information on the kundalini. This is not true of Western literature; but more is being written.
As interest in the Aquarian Age grows rapidly and brings stronger energies to facilitate spontaneous kundalini release, people in all walks of life, all ages, and all levels of growth experience kundalini, regardless of cultural, philosophical, or religious backgrounds.
Little information is available for people who have not even heard of kundalini and wonder at the causes of their physical, mental, or emotional suffering or breakdown. Even those in the growth and help fields do not have easy access to information for counseling those who release extra kundalini before their systems are ready and experience problems on all levels of life, as if 220 volts of electrical energy suddenly coursed through their 110-volt units; fuses blow and circuitry melts.
One reason for the lack of information is that many people, though knowledgeable, are concerned about the kundalini power's potential for harm; they feel nothing should be done with it—no exercises and no training—because of the possibility that this awesome force will turn destructive. This attitude is much the same as that of people who say that if you don't educate children about sex, there won't be any problems.
Another reason is that many people regard kundalini as a new age fad. Nothing could be further from the truth. Kundalini can be considered the oldest known science. In previous ages, people raised kundalini under the guidance of teachers and in controlled circumstances, preserving what they learned as an esoteric knowledge. But we have entered a period of time in which the esoteric becomes exoteric.
People whose kundalini was raised without their knowledge, relating symptoms of their condition to others, were generally considered crazy or physically weak; they may even have considered themselves crazy. The process may entail great confusion and fright beyond the exhilaration and sense of being uplifted.
It is evident from their writings that Christian mystics had experiences of released kundalini, which they referred to as sufferings. They understood the process as one which would bring union with God.
Gopi Krishna has been a modern exponent of this evolutionary energy. His own kundalini release came from meditation practices he undertook without prior formal training.3 He spent years working with and understanding what was happening to him. His experiences and writings have been very beneficial to others who have not had previous training.
Symptoms of Early Release Since we are all individuals—with our own history, physical conditions, personal and spiritual development—kundalini release acts differently with each of us. These are some of the symptoms that may indicate an excessive release of kundalini before the system is ready:
- Unexplained illness
- Erratic behavior
- A feeling of "losing it" and difficulty coping with everyday life
- Chills or hot flashes
- Evidence of multiple personalities
- Excessive mood swings: depression or ecstasy
- Times of extreme dullness or brilliance
- Loss or distortion of memory
- Disorientation with oneself, others, work, or the world in general
- Extremes in appearance (a person may fluctuate between looking years younger one moment and twenty years older a short time later)
- Visual effects: seeing lights or colors, geometric shapes, scenes from past lives, or future events
PurposeKundalini has its own sense of direction. Its natural flow is up the spine and out the top of the head; along that path it brings new awareness, new abilities, and transcendental states. Much as a plant reaches toward light, the kundalini pushes us to reach for enlightenment; it removes any energy blocks in its way, thus causing symptoms such as those listed above. It will do its own thing. We can help or hinder the process.
A fully developed person will have exceptional paranormal gifts, great spiritual awareness, and truly be considered genius, or God-like. Each of us must deal with the kundalini sooner or later; the more knowledgeable and ready we are, the more wonderful the experience will be
