Raising
the Kundalinii
by Avadhutika Ananda Mitra Acarya
The science of Kundalini is thousands of years old. It is an essential
part of tantra, the spiritual science which was systematized seven
thousand years ago by Lord Sada'shiva. Tantra was never publicly
revealed: only worthy disciples were taught it in direct transmission
from their spiritual teachers, lest the powerful practices fall
into the hands of immoral or power-seeking individuals. Thus for
centuries this ancient science was passed only from the guru to
disciple, and never written down. But gradually the caliber of masters
degenerated and it became necessary to write the secrets down so
they would not be completely lost. But when they were written, they
were written in a "twilight language," that is, in allegory,
symbolism, code, so they could not be misinterpreted and misused
by unworthy seekers. For this reason, if we do not have a proper
guide, the ancient texts may be confusing or even misleading to
us today.
What is Kundalinii?
Prakrti (the operative principle of the supreme consciousness) manifests
Herself in and through the Cosmic order as Shiva'nii, Bhaeravii
and Bhava'nii, respectively. Her last expression, Bhava'nii, is
static in nature. By her influence the Infinite Consciousness becomes
crudified to the ultimate stage, the solid factor. The kun'dalinii
is the expression of this Bhava'nii shakti in the human form. According
to tantra, the human structure is a microcosm of the Macrocosmic
Universe. The five cakras (chakras) or subtle-energy centers of
the human body are the controlling points of the five fundamental
factors within the human form:
• mu'la'dha'ra cakra, controls the solid factor;
• sva'dhis't'ha'na, the liquid factor;
• man'ipu'ra, luminous factor;
• ana'hata, aerial;
• vishuddha, ethereal.
The unit mind is the microcosmic replica of the Cosmic Mind and
its controlling seat is ajina' cakra; and the seat of the Supreme
Consciousness in the human body is the sahasra' ra cakra. Thus in
the human form mu'la'dha'ra cakra is the controlling center of the
crudest factor, solid – the most static point of the body.
This is the ultimate state of crude expression, the end-point of
creation, so to speak. Here the momentum of Prakrti has come to
an end: She is exhausted, in her most static state. It is here in
the Mu la' dha' ra cakra that the Bhava'nii shakti in the form of
kund'alinii is asleep. Asleep – but not dead: here all the
infinite potential energy of the Universe, the powerful fo rce that
has created this vast world of infinite variety, is lying, waiting
to return to its state of union with the Supreme Purus'a again.
She is waiting to be awakened from Her slumber, to ascend to the
seat of pure Consciousness, the sahasra'ra cakra.
The kula is the last point of the spinal cord. "Ku" means
"physical structure" and "la" means "container"
So "kula" means 'the container of the physical structure."
Since the Bhava'nii shakti is lying; in potential form in the kula,
in the mu'la'dha'ra c akra. She is called "kulakun'd'alinii.'
The cakras have been described as "nerve plexuses" and
seem to be related to the endocrine system, but they are far subtler
than the physical glands or nerves. They are the controlling centers
of all the na'd'iis, the subtle-energy flows within the body. The
kun'd'alinii is lying quiet in the mu'la'dha'ra cakra which blocks
her free passage-way up the sus'umna. The unit consciousness came
from the Supreme Consciousness and has the potential to, merge again
in that Source; what separates the two are the various bondages
of mental propensities, represented in the human body by the cakras.
As the kun'd'alinii rises in the sus'umna and pierces the cakras
one by one, the bondages break, and the unit again becomes the Supreme
– jiiva becomes Shiva. Thus the spiritual journey is essentially
the journey of the kun\rquote dalinii, transmuting energy from lower
centers to higher ones – the opening of the sus'umna canal and the
progressive release and channeling of the powerful dormant energies
in the human body.
All spiritual practice, of whatever variety, consists of elevating
the kun'd'alinii; and every genuine spiritual experience – the visitation
of the Lord or angels, flashes of light hearing the subtle sounds
of divine music, ecstasy, union with God, trance – is a manifestation
of the ascent of this spiritual energy.
Awakening The Kundalini: Mantra
The liberation of the kundalinii can be interrupted by a single
stroke of a siddha mantra, a "proven" or effective mantra
A mantra is a collection of sound waves which can produce a powerful
resonance, or sympathetic vibration, in the mind. The ta'ntrik a
scriptures say, "inconceivable is the power mantra". Mantra
is, in fact, the very basis of the science of tantra; it means,
"tha t which liberates the mind" from the bondages of
Prakrti and returns it to the state of pure Consciousness ("man"
= "mind"; "trae" – "to liberate").
A Siddha mantra is one which has been invested with spiritual power
by a true guru. In the process of investing a mantra, the guru raises
his own kund'alinii to the highest point, sahasra'ra cakra, and
then repeats the mantra, giving it intense spiritual energy. Then
he lowers his Kund'alinii again.
When the mantra is given correctly in the process of initiation,
spoken directly from teacher to disciple, the vibration of the phrase
or word will actually "strike" the sleeping spiritual
Source within the individual and awaken it. For this reason mantras
learned from books or other sources (even the internet!) will not
carry the force of a siddha mantra.
The scriptures say; "Only that mantra which is received through
the Grace of the Guru can give all fulfillment." (Kularnava
Tantra).
From the time the mantra is given, the more frequently and intensely
the spiritual aspirant repeats it, the more the kundalinii rises
under its vibrational impact. But when the repetition stops, it
again returns to slumber. If the mental repetition of the siddha
mantra continues all the time, day and night, the kun'd'alinii remains
perpetually awakened. When the kund'alinii is sleeping, the individual
remains in one of the three states: wakeful, dream or dreamless
sleep. Only when the kun'd'alinii is awakened can the individual
enter the fourth, turiiya, state, the state of non-duality.
Initiation
The Tantrika scriptures say, "initiation is the first ladder
to the terrace of liberation."
Initiation is that process by which the powerful siddha mantra is
conferred upon the worthy aspirant by his guru, and the disciple's
kun'd'alinii is suddenly awakened from slumber by the "hit
' of the mantra (mantra' gha't).
The true guru is the Maha'kaola:
According to tantra, there are two categories of yogis, kaola and
maha kaola. A kaol a is a spiritual aspirant who has raised his
or her kun'd'alinii to the controlling point of the pineal gland,
who has achieved the union between the fundamental negativity and
the fundamental positivity , between the starting point and the
culminating point. "Kaola: the adjective of "kula"
is kaola."
Each and every sa'dhaka can become a kaola by his sa'dhana'. Mahakaolas
are rare personalities. For a devotee (maha' kaola] is called "Taraka
Brahma''.
"Taraka Brahma takes shape to help people in the ir progress
in tantra. Shiva was a mahakaola. He came here about 7000 years
ago. After him, about 3500 years ago, there came another mahakaola:
He was called Krsn'a. The difference between kaola and mahakaola
is that kaola raises his kulakundalinii by sadhana and establishes
union with the fundamental negativity and the fundamental positivity.
In the case of mahakaola, he has the power to raise the kulakun'd'alinii
of others also. Kaola cannot raise others' kulakundalinii, he can
only rai se his own. But a maha'kaola can, if he so desires, raise
the kulakundalinii of others also."
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
A Universal Science
Many spiritual and religious traditions throughout the ages have
known this science of the kun'd'alinii and its ascent: the Chinese
alchemists and Taoists, and Hebrew mystics. Some believe that the
"seven churches" and the "mystery of the seven stars"
ref erred to by John in Revelation represent the seven cakras. A
great medieval Christian mystic, Jacob Boehme, described his own
experience: "For the Holy Ghost will not be held in the sinful
flesh, but rises up like a lightning flash, as fire sparkles and
flashes out of a stone when a man strikes it. The Holy Spirit rises
up, in the seven unfolding fountain spirits, into the brain, like
the dawning of the day, the morning redness... though an angel from
heaven should tell this to me, for all that I could not believe
it. But the Sun itself arises in my Spirit, and therefore I am most
sure of it."
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