The other name of Kundalini

-Kirti Tarang Pande

Official Website, Instagram, Twitter

Originally Published in Daily Bhaskar

In my last article, I shared my personal Tantra practices. (http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/JM-SUC-infog-safe-tantra-for-success-5605966-PHO.html?ref=fbo) After, this story went live; I got many queries about ‘Awakening Kundalini’, so here’s what Tantra tells us on the subject:

Most important thing to know about Kundalini?

Kundalini as a practice originated in certain, Tantric sects. As discussed in my first article on Tantra Series (http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/JM-RIT-tantra-what-is-it-actually-5561341-PHO.html), Tantra is an esoteric yogic technique of achieving desired ends. Please pay attention here, the ‘desired end’ we talk about here is different from the ‘desirable ends’ of a common worldly person.

A tantric, is an ascetic, and only those tantrics whose sole interest is in merging with the Supreme Reality work on awakening of the Kundalini. That’s the purpose, the awakening of Kundalini serve in our terrestrial existence- ‘catalyzing the process of our merger with Supreme Reality’.

This means that an awakened kundalini is only a catalyst in this process. The process can and does still happen without it also.

Why is Awakening Kudalini such a buzz?

However, awakening kundalini is very popular, perhaps because it is marketed as an amazing, exciting and wish fulfilling thing happening in our physical existence. We all somewhere desire to be a super hero, don’t we? Is this branding of kundalini in alignment with truth though?

I leave this question for you to answer. I will simply show you the complete picture of kundalini, so that your views stand on solid foundation of facts.

The most important fact here to know is, the other name of kundalini.

The other name of Kundalini

This is where the dilemma about awakening and the key to awakening both reside. This other side of Kundalini is referred to as ‘Ahamkara’ in Tantric, palm leaf manuals.

Whether your physical being is aligned with the Kundalini or towards ‘Ahamkara’ is determined by the direction of your awareness and attention.

Aham, in Sanskrit means ‘I’, Kara means ‘create’. Therefore, Ahamkara means energy of identification. Meaning that faculty in organism that creates identification with its small limited terrestrial self- This is my name, this is my sex, this is my body, I belong to this place, I do this, I want this, and the list goes on.

This self identification is a result of focusing the Supreme Energy that resides amidst us in a narrow, self-cherishing individualized manner. This is what we call Ahamkara in Samkhya Philosophy.

However, when instead of focusing on self, we take this energy and direct it towards cherishing the macrocosm this multiverse and the Supreme Energy manifesting it all, it becomes Kundalini.

How this helps in Awakening of the Kundalini

According to Samkhya Philosophy, this organism that we label ‘I’ is engineered to move in the direction of our awareness. If our awareness is directed towards the union with the Supreme Reality, the organism will follow that path. If awakening kundalini is a requisite of the process it will happen, whether or not we are practicing the fancy ‘Kundalini Yoga’.

It is that simple!

But beware

Rewind a bit- Kundalini awakens when our energy is aligned with merger with Supreme Reality, and not with our terrestrial existence (and all the materialistic comforts that it brings). Therefore, the flow of logic implies that person with completely awakened kundalini has obtained a union with the Supreme Reality & the terrestrial existence of that individual is finished. The being, by the mere definition of kundalini, can’t be in this plane of terrestrial plane after it has awakened.

This is the reason, why tantrics (the authentic ones) have kept the technique of kundalini awakening a secret; because most of us want an awakened kundalini for materialistic comforts- good health, success, better sex, intellectual superiority, the list is long. This process is an oxymoron. If we are lucky, we will fail. If we meddle too much, we will damage our ‘Self’. Remember, this ‘self’ not only includes our body & psyche, but also everything we identify with- what we do, whom we love, etc.

Does it mean one can’t have an awakened Kundalini and stay alive?

According to Mahabharata, Vasuki, the serpent king, was able to awaken the kundalini to a certain degree and yet managed to stay alive. In fact, Vasuki lived to see all the four yugas- from Sata Yuga (mention in Samudra Manthan), to Treta Yuga (mention in Ramayan), Dvapara Yuga (mention in Mahabharata) to Kaliyuga (mention in legends of Buddha).

The key word Vasuki’s Kundalini Awakening is ‘certain degree’. Vasuki while aligning himself with Supreme Reality, managed to preserve enough ‘Ahamkara’ for his terrestrial well-being.

Since Vasuki was a Shiva devotee (according to Vishnu Puran, he is the snake on Shiva’s neck), the tantrics follow the cult of Shiva. They do so with the hope of figuring out the Vasuki’s technique to preserving the right amount of Ahamkara.

What can we do?

Salute Kundalini! She’s the Supreme Goddess of our inert and inner energy. This inner and inert energy makes you become something more than you are right now; something out of this plane of your existence. However, you need to ask yourself a question first- do I really want this? If you have any attachment with your body, with people whom you love, with materialistic comfort; awakening kundalini isn’t the path for you.

Perhaps, you can follow the lead of Vasuki and awaken it to a certain degree. Using the limbs of Yoga is the easiest way to do it:

Step 1: Create a universal, macrocosmic consciousness by practicing the Yams & Niyams (Dos and Donts) Yoga.

Step 2: Prepare your gross body for the uncoiling of Supreme Energy through Asanas.

Step 3: Practice the art of controlling & directing the flow of energy through Pranayams.

Step 4: Steady your mind through Dharna. Just like you can’t plug in an energy source with shaky hands, you can’t pulg-in the flow of Kundalini through a shaky point.

Step 5: Follow a plug-point system. Not every electric point can handle a high voltage of current, similarly not every body can handle the strength of Kundalini. So find a teacher who can help you in uncoiling it in small, measured doses. Allow you to take a step back. Observe the effects & then repeat the process if it’s safe for your terrestrial being.

The DIY Kundalini

If you’re not a big fan of doing the hard-work and finding the guru; you would rather do it in the comfort of your home, here’s what to do:

Simply start putting needs of others before yourself. Every action that you take, ask yourself- how is it going to bring universal well-being. As your terrestrial self will gradually move towards the macrocosmic, universal self; your Kundalini will gently uncoil.

This will be slow, like the process of a monkey evolving into a human. The plus point is- just like that monkey’s evolution; it will be organic, in alignment with the nature and hence painless.

What not to do?

Don’t force your Kundalini to awaken. Kundalini is a Goddess. Goddess is nurturing Shakti as well as devastating Kali. Never forget that love and respect evokes Shakti, while force brings out Kali. Not all of us has the spiritual, mental & physical bandwidth to download Kali in our system.

Rama & Sita- Valmiki's Yogic Metaphors

-Kirti Tarang Pande

Official Website, Instagram, Twitter

Originally Published in Daily Bhaskar

The most interesting thing about Rama is that everyone feels strongly about him, because he is different to different people- with scientists finding evidence of ‘Ram-Setu’ a historian may look at Rama differently from a mythologists’ point of view. Those with romantic hearts see him as a passionate lover who walked across jungles all the way to Sri Lanka for Sita. A feminist may look at him as the man who disowned his wife. In present India, your views on Rama maybe decided upon by your political allegiance or vice-versa. Do you know why it is so? You may love him or hate him, but why you can’t ignore him?

Who is Rama?

As always, the simplest answer lies in Yoga. Sankhya Darshan, the philosophy from which Yoga & Ayurveda have emerged, uses Rama as a metaphor for Self Realization. Goswami Tulsidas has said,

“Ja ki rahi bhawana jaisi,

Prabhu moorat dikhe tin waisi”

Everyone paints Rama with their own brush

At Home Yogis’ Home, we initiate our students in Self-Realization meditation, where they discover themselves through their version of Rama.

How is finding Rama relevant to everyday life?

If we are in bondage of Maya, we can never find Rama. Bondage of Maya means limitation of perception. Only the things that we see through our senses come in our experiential field. Our experience forms our memory. Our memory tells us what we can do and what we can’t. This is what cages our true potential. Imagine, how our story would have turned out if our monkey ancestors would have been caged by their perceptions?

They would have thought, “We have never seen an ape on two legs? In our memory we can’t recall a monkey that ever walked on twos. We can never walk on twos”.

Thankfully, they didn’t allow themselves to be caged by perceptions and we evolved into bipeds.

Literally, monkeys can evolve if they break-up from Maya (limitations of perceptions) and take refuge in Rama (become self-relized). Just visualize what benefits we can draw from it as humans!

But how to find Rama?

Rama can only be discovered through Sita.

Valmiki through his Ramayana, shares the yogic path of self- realization in a poetic way. So, instead of clear philosophical reasoning we get visual metaphors.

Rama is self realization & so is Sita. Rama is the ‘action’ aspect of the consciousness while Sita is the ‘bliss’.

 Laxman guarding them is our ‘buddhi’- ability to discriminate . Bhrittrhari in Niti Satakam says;

“Aharanidrabhyamaithunam ca samanyametat pasubhirnaranam|

Buddhirhi tesam adhiko viseso buddhirvihinah pasubhih samana||”

Meaning, it is the Buddhi, the discriminating power, and it is the freedom of choice that characterizes us as human beings. Otherwise, food, sleep, fear & sex are the attributes of animals too.

Till now we have got our ‘self’ that’s pure consciousness comprising of action & bliss, which guarded by our discriminatory power. The minute we let down our discriminatory power, the bliss is gone. The minute Laxman leaves Sita, she is abducted by Ravana. Ravana is Sankhya Darshan, a metaphor for Maya and ego. When we are trapped by the limitations of our perceptions, how can we achieve our goals? How can we find bliss- Sita?

That’s when Rama takes help of Vayu putra Hanuman. Hanuman represents our Prana-the life force. The Vayu within us, the oxygen that we take in is our life-force. We can’t live a minute without it. It’s when we devote our life-force to self-realization, as Hanuman is devoted to Rama we can find our true potential, our bliss.

How to channelize our life-force?

Swami Vivekananda has given us four paths to it:

1. Bhakti Yoga: We surrender to Hanuman and focus our senses to devotion of Hanuman.

2. Raja Yoga: By practicing pranayams, keeping our awareness fixed at the breath.

3. Janana Yoga: Reading & understanding the essence of Ramayana with respect to the metaphors that it contains. Then, transferring that wisdom from the realm of intellect to the realm of action.

4. Karma Yoga: Staying in the present all the time, guarding our actions, thoughts & speech with discrimination and freedom of choice.

Yoga Task Of The Day

- Kirti Tarang

A couple of Hath Yogis are of the opinion that Surya Kriya (not Surya Namaskar), can be one simple way to liberate from Karmic cycle. I didn’t mention it in my post on the topic because:

a. It doesn’t make sense to me

b. I haven’t read any original yogic texts mentioning it.

However, I don’t want you to take my opinion as a fact. I want you to research on Surya Kriya & make an informed decision. That’s your Yoga Task Of The Day.

Suggested Readings:

1. Is Karma Really A Bitch
2. PanchKosa & Karmic Cycle
3. The Forgotten Limb Of Ashtanga Yoga

How Yoga Can Break The Cage Of Negative Karma

- Kirti Tarang

I found the most credible (if not the easiest) solution in Patanjali Yogsutra:

Let go of Ignorance (Avidya)  

You’re not ignorant if can’t quote Bernoulli’s Theorem or name the current President of Tanzania. Sage Patanjali says that you’re ignorant if you form a connection with the seen world. (Remember, it’s okay to experience & celebrate the seen world as long as we aren’t forming an alliance with it). 

He says that the essence of existence of the seen world is only to serve as the objective field for pure consciousness. So these knowable objects cease to exist in relation to one who has experienced their fundamental, formless true nature. (However, the appearance of the knowable objects is not destroyed, for their existence continues to be shared by others who are still observing them in their grosser forms)

How does it sound to you?

Honestly, when I first read it, it sounded like a mathematical theorem, which leaves me all confused when the teacher is explaining it to the class, but I nod along (since I don’t want to come across as daft). Hence, when in exam, I have to apply it to solve a problem, I fail.

Do you feel this way too? 

Then let's look at the picture from a different angle, this time through the lenses of:
1. Pratyahar Click Here To Read About Pratyahar
2. PanchKosa Click Here To Read About PanchKosa

If this doesn't interest you then skip the logic & directly follow the SEVEN-FOLD PROGRAMM

Your daily Yoga practice to break from the cage of Karma in 7 (easy?) steps:

1. Pranayams:

Technically, Pranayam isn’t a method of practicing Pratyahar. And yet, I mention it as the first step because, Pranayam is preparatory stage of Pratyahar. The pran that is gathered in pranayam is withdrawn in Pratyahar. Confused much? You will get a clearer picture in next step.

2. Yoni Mudra:

It is a method of sensory withdrawal, by using the fingers to block the sensory openings in face- the eyes, ears, nostrils, & mouth. Yes, both nose & mouth! This allows the attention & energy to flow within. But do it for a brief interval (you don’t want to starve your body of oxygen). Therefore, it is done immediately after practicing Pranayams because the Pran is already energized & our body can relax despite being deprived of oxygen (Ah! Now Step 1 makes sense, doesn’t it)

3. Shambhavi Mudra:

It is another method of sensory withdrawal. In Shambhavi Mudra, our eyes are open while the attention is directed within, by redirecting the sense of sight & hearing inwards. This methods prepares us to maintain our focus inwards even as we carry on with our daily life.

4. Visualization:

It is a method of creating positive inner impressions. Simplest way is Yogic meditation, involving ‘seeing’ a deity, a guru, or any beautiful creation of divine. This helps in clearing the mental field of external impressions & creating positive inner impressions. It’s like both Spring Cleaning & redecorating of your mind in one go!

5. Laya Yoga:

It is the yoga of inner sound & light current.

6. Vajrasana/ Padmasana/ Badhkonasana/ Supt Vajrasana/ Supt Badhkonasana

To control our motor organs in order to lay foundation Karma Pratyahar, above mentioned asanas can be used to sit quietly for extended periods of time. One can use any asana for this purpose as long as one is able to hold that pose with stability, relaxation & inner focus for at least 10 minutes. The legend has it that Rishi Matsyendra attained Samadhi by meditating in Matsyendra Asana!

7. Shavasana:

BKS Iyengar once said that it’s most difficult of all asanas; while, Ramana Maharshi achieved Self-realization by practicing Shavasana. He was just 17!

Shavasana is a method of Prana Pratyahar. One lies in corpse pose & visualize the death process, in which the prana, or the life fore, withdraws from body, shutting off all the senses from feet to head.

Pratyahar as a lifestyle:

If you want to accelerate the process of breaking the alliance with Karma (especially the negative ones), then it’s important that you adopt Pratyahar as a lifestyle by:

1. Stop treating your mind as dustbin.

 Watch what sensory inputs you’re taking it & what impressions you’re making. Caution: In this process you’re practicing control & not suppression (Suppression is dangerous, it causes revolt. Remember ‘Me, Myself & Irene’?) I know this is the tight-rope to walk on, but you can do it with proper coordination & right motivation.

2. Focusing on uniform impressions.

Like idly gazing at sky or an ocean or an expansive desert. This process is like a mental fast. It has the same effect on our minds as a physical detox has on body.

3. Karma Yoga

It means making our life a scared ritual by dedicating every thought, desire and action to service of all sentient beings. This means go to Himalayas & become an ascetic. It means, practicing the ancient Indian philosophy of ‘Tein tyaktein bhunjitha’ – rejoice every gift of this life with a sense of detachment & offering.

4. Mano Patryahar

Training our mind in a way that it withdraws from unwholesome experiences.

This last & most difficult stage, it’s okay you’re not there yet. I am not there yet. But we will be- you and I.

And once we are there, we will be in a state of AnandmayKosa. This state grants us the wisdom to break our alliance with the seen world. As this ignorance (avidya) is destroyed, one attains liberation from the Karmic cycle.

Suggested Reading: Is Karma Really A Bitch?