Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening


Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening



1. Changing sleep patterns: restlessness, hot feet, waking up two or
three times a night. Feeling tired after you wake up and sleepy off and
on during the day. There is something called the Triad Sleep Pattern
that occurs for many: you sleep for about 2-3 hours, wake up, go back to
sleep for another couple of hours, wake again, and go back to sleep
again. For others, the sleep requirements have changed. You can get by
on less sleep. Lately I have been experiencing huge waves of energy running
into my body from the crown. It feels good, but it keeps me awake for a long
time, then subsides.

Advice: Get used to it. Make peace with it and don't worry about getting
enough sleep (which often causes more insomnia). You will be able to make it
through the day if you hold thoughts of getting just what you need. You can
also request your Higher Power to give you a break now and then and give you
a good, deep night's sleep. If you can't go back to sleep right away, use
the waking moments to meditate, read poetry, write in your journal or look
at the moon. Your body will
adjust to the new pattern.

2. Activity at the crown of the head: Tingling, itching, prickly, crawling
sensations along the scalp and/or down the spine. A sense of energy
vibrating on top of the head, as if energy is erupting from the head in a
shower. Also the sensation of energy pouring in through the crown, described
as "sprinkles". This may also be experienced as pressure on the crown, as if
someone is pushing his/her finger into the center of your head. As I
mentioned in #1, I have been experiencing huge downloads of energy through
the crown. In the past, I have felt more generalized
pressure, as if my head is in a gentle vise. One man related that his hair
stood on end and his body was covered with goosebumps.

Advice: This is nothing to be alarmed about. What you are experiencing is an
opening of the crown chakra. The sensations mean that you are opening up to
receive divine energy.

3. Sudden waves of emotion. Crying at the drop of a hat. Feeling suddenly
angry or sad with little provocation. Or inexplicably depressed. Then very
happy. Emotional roller coaster. There is often a pressure or sense of
emotions congested in the heart chakra (the middle of the chest). This is
not to be confused with the heart, which is located to the left of the heart
chakra.

Advice: Accept your feelings as they come up and let them go. Go directly to
your heart chakra and feel the emotion. Expand it outward to your all your
fields and breathe deeply from the belly all the way up to your upper chest.
Just feel the feeling and let it evaporate on its own. Don't direct the
emotions at anyone. You are cleaning out your past. If you want some help
with this, say out loud that you intend to release all these old issues and
ask your Higher Power to help you. You
can also ask Grace Elohim to help you release with ease and gentleness. Be
grateful that your body is releasing these emotions and not holding onto
them inside where they can do harm. One source suggests that depression is
linked to letting go of relationships to people, work, etc. that no longer
match us and our
frequencies. When we feel guilty about letting go of these relationships,
depression helps us medicate that pain.

4. Old "stuff" seems to be coming up, as described above, and the people
with whom you need to work it out (or their clones) appear in your life.
Completion issues. Or perhaps you need to work through issues of self-worth,
abundance, creativity, addictions, etc. The resources or people you need to
help you move through these issues start to appear.

Advice: Same as #3. Additionally, don't get too involved in analyzing these
issues. Examining them too much will simply cycle you back through them over
and over again at deeper and deeper levels. Get professional help if you
need to and walk through it. Do not try to avoid them or disassociate
yourself from them. Embrace whatever comes up and thank it for helping you
move ahead. Thank your Higher Power for giving you the opportunity to
release these issues. Remember, you don't
want these issues to stay stuck in your body.

5. Changes in weight. The weight gain in the US population is phenomenal.
Other people may be losing weight. We often gain weight because many fears
we have suppressed are now coming up to the surface to be healed. We react
by building up a defense. We also attempt to ground ourselves or provide
bulk against increasing frequencies in our bodies.

Advice: Don't freak out, but just accept it as a symptom of where you are
right now. You will release/gain the weight when all your fears have been
integrated. Release your anxiety about this. Then you might find it easier
to lose/gain the weight eventually. Exercise. Before eating, try this: Sit
at the table with an attractive place setting. Light a candle. Enjoy how the
food looks. Place your dominant hand over your heart and bless the food.
Tell your body that you are going to use the food to richly nourish it, but
that you are not going to use the food to fulfill your emotional hungers.
Then pass your hand from left to right over the food and bless it. You may
notice that the food feels warm to your hand even if the food is cold-- I
like to think that the food is good for me when it feels warm and nourishing
to my hand. I have also noticed that when I practice blessing the food, I
don't eat as much. It is important not to let yourself off the hook when you
forget to bless the food before you eat. If I've forgotten and I've nearly
finished eating, I bless the food anyway. That way I don't slip out of the
habit. Another thing you can do is to stay present while eating -- don't
watch TV or read. Heartily enjoy what blessings are before you.

6. Changes in eating habits: Strange cravings and odd food choices. Some
find they are not as hungry as they used to be. Or hungrier.

Advice: Don't deny what your body tells you it needs. If you are not sure,
you might try muscle-testing before you chose a food to see if it's what
your body wants. Also try blessing the food as described in #5.

7. Food intolerances, allergies you never had before: As you grow more
spiritual, you are more sensitive to everything around you. Your body will
tell you what it can no longer tolerate, as if it, too, is sloughing off
what doesn't serve it anymore. You might be cleansing yourself of toxins.
Some people find they often have a white residue in their mouth, much like
that of runners at the end of a race.

Advice: An acupuncturist told me that this film can be removed by sloshing 2
tablespoons of cold-pressed olive oil in your mouth for 10-15 minutes (don't
swallow, whatever you do), then spitting it out into the toilet -- not the
sink, for you just removed toxins from your body and don't want them in the
sink. Brush your teeth and do the same. Then clean your brush. (Sorry this
is yukky, but it works.)

8. Amplification of the senses. Increased sensitivity.

8a. Sight: Blurry vision, shimmering objects, seeing glittery particles,
auras around people, plants, animals, and objects. Some report seeing
formerly opaque objects as transparent. When you close your eyes, you no
longer see darkness, but a redness. You may also see geometric shapes or
brilliant colors and pictures when eyes are closed. Colors appear more vivid
-- the sky might look teal or the grass an amazing green. Often I see grids
running across the ground. As you become more sensitive, you may see shapes
or outlines in the air, especially when the room is almost dark. When your
eyes are open or closed, you may see white shapes in your peripheral vision
(these are your guides).

Advice: Your vision is changing in many ways -- you are experiencing new
ways of seeing. Be patient. Whatever you do, do not be afraid. Hazy vision
may be relieved by yawning.

8b. Hearing: Increased or decreased hearing. I once thought I would have to
pull off the road because of the painfully amplified sound of my tires on
the freeway. Other symptoms are hearing white noise in the head, beeps,
tones, music or electronic patterns. Some hear water rushing, bees buzzing,
whooshing, roaring or ringing. Others have what is called audio dyslexia--
you can't always make out what people are saying, as if you can no longer
translate your own language. Some hear strange voices in their dreams, as if
someone is hovering near them. You can either ask the presence(s) to leave
or ask Archangel Michael to take care of the situation. Again, there is
nothing to fear.

Advice: Surrender to it. Let it come through. Listen. Your ears are
adjusting to new frequencies.

8c. Enhanced senses of smell, touch, and/or taste. I notice I can now smell
and taste chemical additives in some foods in a rather unpleasant manner.
Other food may taste absolutely wonderful. For some people, these
enhancements are both delightful and distracting. You might even smell the
fragrance of flowers now and then. Many of the mystics did. Enjoy it.

9. Skin eruptions: Rashes, bumps, acne, hives, and shingles. Anger produces
outbreaks around the mouth and chin. I had a dermatitis on my extremities
for several months that accompanied healing an episode from my past. When I
had worked through most of the issue, the condition was released.

Advice: You may be sloughing off toxins and bringing emotions to the surface
When there is an issue to be released and you are trying to repress it,
your skin will express the issue for you until you process the emotions.
Work through your "stuff".

10. Episodes of intense energy which make you want to leap out of bed and
into action. Followed by periods of lethargy and fatigue. The fatigue
usually follows great shifts. This is a time of integration, so give into it


Advice: Roll with the nature of the energy. Don't fight it. Be gentle with
yourself. Take naps if you are tired. Write your novel if you are too
energized to sleep. Take advantage of the type of energy.

11. Changes in prayer or meditation. Not feeling the same sensations as
before. Not having the same experience of being in contact with Spirit.
Difficulty in focusing.

Advice: You may be in more instant and constant communion with Spirit now
and the sensation may therefore be altered. You will adapt to this new
feeling. You are actually thinking acting in partnership with Spirit most of
the time now. You may find your meditation periods shorter.

12. Power surges: All of a sudden you are heated from head to toe. It is a
momentary sensation, but uncomfortable. In contrast, some people have felt
inexplicably cold. I have experienced both. More recently I experience waves
or currents of energy rolling through me. Sometimes the energy seems so
intense when it first comes into my body that I feel a little nauseated. But
if I think of the energy as divine and let go of fear, I feel wonderful and
enjoy the sensation. If you are an energy worker, you may have noticed that
the heat running through your hands has increased tremendously. This is good


Advice: If you are uncomfortable, ask your Higher Power, that if it be for
your best and highest good, to turn down/up the temperature a bit.

13. A range of physical manifestations: Headaches, backaches, neck pains,
flu-like symptoms (this is called vibrational flu), digestive problems,
muscular spasms or cramps, racing heartbeat, chest pains, changes in sexual
desire, numbness or pain in the limbs, and involuntary vocalizations or
bodily movements. Some of us have even had old conditions from childhood
reappear briefly for healing.

Advice: Remember what I said about seeking medical help if you need it! If
you have determined that this is not a medical condition, relax in the
realization that it is only temporary.

14. Looking younger. Yippee! As you clear emotional issues and release
limiting beliefs and heavy baggage from the past, you are actually lighter.
Your frequency is higher. You love yourself and life more. You begin to
resemble the perfect you that you really are.

15. Vivid dreams. Sometimes the dreams are so real that you wake up confused
You may even have lucid dreams in which you are in control. Many dreams may
be mystical or carry messages for you. And in some dreams, you just know
that you are not "dreaming" -- that what is happening is somehow real.

Advice: You will remember what is important for you to remember. Don't force
anything. Above all, stay out of fear.

16. Events that completely alter your life: death, divorce, change in job
status, loss of home, illness, and/or other catastrophes; sometimes several
at once! Forces that cause you to slow down, simplify, change, re-examine
who you are and what your life means to you. Forces that you cannot ignore.
Forces that cause you release your attachments. Forces that awaken your
sense of love and compassion for all.

17. A desire to break free from restrictive patterns, life-draining jobs
consumptive lifestyles, and toxic people or situations. You feel a
compelling need to "find yourself" and your life purpose -- now! You want to
be creative and free to be who you really are. You might find yourself drawn
to the arts and nature. You want to unclutter yourself from things and
people that no longer serve you.

Advice: Do it!

18. Emotional and mental confusion: A feeling that you need to get your life
straightened out--it feels like a mess. But at the same time you feel
chaotic and unable to focus. See #45.

Advice: Put your ear to your heart and your own discernment will follow.

19. Introspection, solitude and loss of interest in more extraverted
activities: This stage has come as a surprise to many extraverts who
formerly saw themselves as outgoing and involved. They say, "I don't know
why, but I don't like to go out as much as before."

20. Creativity bursts: Receiving images, ideas, music, and other creative
inspirations at an often overwhelming rate.

Advice: At least record these inspirations, for Spirit is speaking to you
about how you might fulfill your purpose and contribute to the healing of
the planet.

21. A perception that time is accelerating. It seems that way because you
have had so many changes introduced into your life at an unprecedented rate.
The number of changes seems to be growing.

Advice: Breaking your day up into appointments and time segments increases
the sense of acceleration .You can slow time down by relaxing into the
present moment and paying attention to what's at hand, not anticipating what
s ahead. Slow down and tell yourself that you have plenty of time. Ask your
Higher Power to help you. Keep your focus on the present. Try to flow from
one activity to the next. Stay tuned to your inner guidance... You can also
warp time by asking for it. Next time you feel rushed, say, "Time warp,
please. I need some more time to -----." Then relax.

22. A sense of impendingness. There is a feeling that something is about to
happen. This can create anxiety.

Advice: There is nothing to worry about. Things are definitely happening,
but anxiety only creates more problems for you. All your thoughts --
positive or negative-- are prayers. There is nothing to fear.

23. Impatience. You know better, but sometimes you can't help it. You want
to get on with what seems to be coming your way. Uncertainty is not
comfortable.

Advice: Learn to live with the uncertainty, knowing that nothing comes to
you until you are ready. Impatience is really a lack of trust, especially
trust in your Higher Power. When you focus on the present, you will
experience miracles -- yes, even in traffic.

24. A deep yearning for meaning, purpose, spiritual connection, and
revelation. Perhaps an interest in the spiritual for the first time in your
life. "Constant craving", as k.d. lang says. The material world cannot
fulfill this longing.

Advice: Follow your heart and the way will open up for you.

25. A feeling that you are somehow different. A disquieting sense that
everything in your life feels new and altered, that you have left your old
self behind. You have. You are much greater than you can possibly imagine.
There is more to come.

26. "Teachers" appear everywhere with perfect timing to help you on your
spiritual journey: people, books, movies, events, Mother Nature, etc.
Teachers may appear to be negative or positive when you are trapped in
polarity thinking, but, from a transcendent perspective, they are always
perfect. Just what you need to learn from and move on. By the way, we never
get more than we are ready to master. Each challenge presents us with an
opportunity to show our mastery in passing through it.

27. You find a spiritual track that makes sense to you and "speaks to you"
at the most profound levels. Suddenly you are gaining a perspective that you
would never have considered before. You hunger to know more. You read, share
with others, ask questions, and go inside to discover more about who you are
and why you are here.

28. You are moving through learning and personal issues at a rapid pace. You
sense that you are "getting it" quite readily.

Advice: Keep remembering that things will come to you when they are ready to
be healed. Not sooner. Deal with whatever comes up with courage and you will
move through the issues rapidly.

29. Invisible presences. Here is the woo-woo stuff. Some people report
feeling surrounded by beings at night or having the sensation of being
touched or talked to. Often they will wake with a start. Some also feel
their body or bed vibrate. The vibrations are caused by energetic changes
after emotional clearing has taken place.

Advice: This is a sensitive topic, but you may feel better blessing your bed
and space around it before you sleep. I rest assured that I am surrounded
only by the most magnificent spiritual entities and am always safe in God's
care. Sometimes, however, the fear gets to me, and I call in Archangel
Michael and/or Archangel Uriel. I don't beat myself up for being afraid
sometimes. I forgive myself for not always sovereign at 3:00 a.m.

30. Portents, visions, "illusions", numbers, and symbols: Seeing things that
have spiritual importance for you. Noticing how numbers appear
synchronistically in your awareness. Everything has a message if you take
the time to look. I enjoy the experience of "getting the messages." What
fun!

31. Increased integrity: You realize that it is time for you to seek and
speak your truth. It suddenly seems important for you to become more
authentic, more yourself. You may have to say "no" to people whom you have
tried to please in the past. You may find it intolerable to stay in a
marriage or job or place that doesn't support who you are. You may also find
there is nowhere to hide, no secrets to keep anymore. Honesty becomes
important in all your relationships.

Advice: Listen to your heart. If your guidance tells you not to do something
speak up and take action. Say "no". Likewise, you must also say "yes" to
that which compels you. You must risk displeasing others without guilt in
order to attain spiritual sovereignty.

32. Harmony with seasons and cycles: You are becoming more tuned to the
seasons, the phases of the moon and natural cycles. More awareness of your
place in the natural world. A stronger connection to the earth.

33. Electrical and mechanical malfunctions: When you are around, light bulbs
flicker, the computer locks up, or the radio goes haywire.

Advice: Call on your angels, guides, or Grace Elohim to fix it or put up a
field of protection of light around the machine. Surround your car with blue
light. Laugh.

34. Increased synchronicity and many small miracles. Look for more of these.

Advice: Synchronistic events tell you if you are heading in the right
direction or making the correct choices. Honor these clues and you cannot go
astray. Spirit uses synchronicity to communicate to you. That's when you
begin to experience daily miracles. See #30.

35. Increased intuitive abilities and altered states of consciousness:
Thinking of someone and immediately hearing from them. More synchronicities.
Having sudden insights about patterns or events from the past. Clairvoyance,
out-of-body experiences, and other psychic phenomena. Intensified
sensitivity and knowing. Awareness of one's essence and that of others.
Channeling angelic and Christ-consciousnes s energies.

36. Communication with Spirit. Contact with angels, spirit guides, and other
divine entities. Channeling. More and more people seem to be given this
opportunity. Feeling inspiration and downloading information that takes form
as writing, painting, ideas, communications, dance, etc.

37. A sense of Oneness with all. A direct experience of this Wholeness.
Transcendent awareness. Being flooded with compassion and love for all life.
Compassionate detachment or unconditional love for all is what lifts us up
to higher levels of consciousness and joy.

38. Moments of joy and bliss. A deep abiding sense of peace and knowing that
you are never alone.

39. Integration: You become emotionally, psychologically, physically, and
spiritually stronger and clearer. You feel as if you are in alignment with
your Higher Self.

40. Living your purpose: You know you are finally doing what you came to
earth for. New skills and gifts are emerging, especially healing ones. Your
life/work experiences are now converging and starting to make sense. You are
finally going to use them all.

Advice: Listen to your heart. Your passion leads you to where you must go.
Go within and ask your Higher Power, "What is it you would have me do?"
Watch for synchronicities. Listen.

41. Feeling closer to animals and plants. To some people, animals now seem
to be more "human" in their behavior. Wild animals are less afraid. Plants
respond to your love and attention more than ever. Some may even have
messages for you.

42. Seeing beings of other dimensions. The veil between dimensions is
thinner, so it is not surprising. Just stay in your sovereignty. You are
more powerful than you can ever imagine, so do not entertain fear. Ask your
guides for help if you slip into fear.

43. Seeing a person's true form or seeing loved ones with a different face
-- past life or parallel life.

44. Physically manifesting thoughts and desires more quickly and efficiently


Advice: Monitor your thoughts. All thoughts are prayers. Be careful what you
ask for.

45. Left -brain fogginess. Your psychic abilities, your intuitive knowing,
your feeling and compassion, your ability to experience your body, your
visioning, your expressiveness all emanate from the right brain. In order
for this side of the brain to develop more fully, the left brain must shut
down a little bit. Normally the left-hemisphere' s capacity for order,
organization, structure, linear sequencing, analysis, evaluation, precision,
focus, problem-solving, and mathematics
dominate our often less-valued right brain.

What results are memory lapses, placing words in the wrong sequence,
inability or no desire to read for very long, inability to focus; forgetting
what you are just about to say; impatience with linear forms of
communication (audio or written formats); a feeling of spaciness, being
scattered; losing interest in research or complex information; feeling
bombarded with words and talk and information; and a reluctance to write.
Sometimes you feel dull and have no interest in analysis, lively
intellectual discussion, or investigation.

On the other hand, you might find yourself drawn to the sensate: videos,
magazines with photos, beautiful artwork, movies, music, sculpting, painting
being with people, dancing, gardening, walking, and other kinesthetic forms
of expression. You may search for spiritual content, even science fiction.

Advice: You may discover that if you allow your heart and your right brain
to lead you, the left will then be activated appropriately to support you.
And someday we will be well-balanced, using both hemispheres with mastery.

46. Dizziness. This occurs when you are ungrounded. Perhaps you have just
cleared a big emotional issue and your body is adjusting to your "lighter"
state.

Advice: Ground yourself by eating protein. Sometimes "comfort food" feels
right. Don't make any food right or wrong for you. Use your guidance to know
what you need at any given moment. Take your shoes off and put your feet in
the grass for a couple of minutes.

47. Falling, having accidents, breaking bones. Your body is not grounded or
perhaps your life is out of balance. Or your body may be telling you to slow
down, examine certain aspects of your life, or heal certain issues. There is
always a message. When I recently broke my ankle, I understand that my ankle
was taking on what I myself refused to deal with. And that was all of the
above.

Advice: Stay grounded by taking your shoes off and putting your feet in the
grass; even better, lie down on the grass without a blanket under you. Feel
the earth beneath you. Get out in nature. Slow down and pay attention. Be
mindful about what you are doing. Feel your feelings when they come up. Stay
in the present. Surround yourself with blue light when you are feeling shaky


49. Heart palpitations. A racing heart usually accompanies a heart opening.
It only lasts for a few moments and means that the heart is re-balancing
itself after an emotional release. I had one episode that terrified me: I
woke up in the middle of the night, my heart pounding. I thought it was
going to come right out of my chest. It only happened once and was, I
understand, a huge heart-chakra opening. But I did check it out. There is
nothing wrong with my heart.

Advice: Remember what I said about getting medical attention when needed.
Consult your doctor about any conditions you are not comfortable with.

50. Faster hair and nail growth. More protein is being used in the body. Too
bad we can't tell the body where to grow the hair and where not to grow it.
(Or can we? Hmmm.)

51. A desire to find your soulmate or twin flame. More than ever before, the
idea that we can have a relationship that matches who we are seems more
desirable.

Advice: The truth is, we have to be the kind of person we want to attract.
We have to love ourselves and where we are right now before we can attract a
more "perfect" mate. The work begins at home. Here is how I think it works:
Hold the desire for this person in your heart, but without attachment.
Expect that someday you will meet someone who is more suited to you, but let
go of any expectations as to who this will be and how it will happen. Focus
instead on cleaning up your own life and being the kind of person you want
to be. Be happy now. Enjoy your life. Then you may see.....

52. Memories surface. Body memories, suppressed memories, images of past
lives and/or parallel lives. We are healing and integrating all our "selves"
so expect to have some of these experiences.

Advice. Keep in mind that it is best to recall what only what comes to mind,
leave the rest alone, don't analyze everything to death (because you will be
stuck in the tape loop of infinite issues to process), and feel your
feelings as they come up. Ask for help from your guides.
Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening



1. Changing sleep patterns: restlessness, hot feet, waking up two or
three times a night. Feeling tired after you wake up and sleepy off and
on during the day. There is something called the Triad Sleep Pattern
that occurs for many: you sleep for about 2-3 hours, wake up, go back to
sleep for another couple of hours, wake again, and go back to sleep
again. For others, the sleep requirements have changed. You can get by
on less sleep. Lately I have been experiencing huge waves of energy running
into my body from the crown. It feels good, but it keeps me awake for a long
time, then subsides.

Advice: Get used to it. Make peace with it and don't worry about getting
enough sleep (which often causes more insomnia). You will be able to make it
through the day if you hold thoughts of getting just what you need. You can
also request your Higher Power to give you a break now and then and give you
a good, deep night's sleep. If you can't go back to sleep right away, use
the waking moments to meditate, read poetry, write in your journal or look
at the moon. Your body will
adjust to the new pattern.

2. Activity at the crown of the head: Tingling, itching, prickly, crawling
sensations along the scalp and/or down the spine. A sense of energy
vibrating on top of the head, as if energy is erupting from the head in a
shower. Also the sensation of energy pouring in through the crown, described
as "sprinkles". This may also be experienced as pressure on the crown, as if
someone is pushing his/her finger into the center of your head. As I
mentioned in #1, I have been experiencing huge downloads of energy through
the crown. In the past, I have felt more generalized
pressure, as if my head is in a gentle vise. One man related that his hair
stood on end and his body was covered with goosebumps.

Advice: This is nothing to be alarmed about. What you are experiencing is an
opening of the crown chakra. The sensations mean that you are opening up to
receive divine energy.

3. Sudden waves of emotion. Crying at the drop of a hat. Feeling suddenly
angry or sad with little provocation. Or inexplicably depressed. Then very
happy. Emotional roller coaster. There is often a pressure or sense of
emotions congested in the heart chakra (the middle of the chest). This is
not to be confused with the heart, which is located to the left of the heart
chakra.

Advice: Accept your feelings as they come up and let them go. Go directly to
your heart chakra and feel the emotion. Expand it outward to your all your
fields and breathe deeply from the belly all the way up to your upper chest.
Just feel the feeling and let it evaporate on its own. Don't direct the
emotions at anyone. You are cleaning out your past. If you want some help
with this, say out loud that you intend to release all these old issues and
ask your Higher Power to help you. You
can also ask Grace Elohim to help you release with ease and gentleness. Be
grateful that your body is releasing these emotions and not holding onto
them inside where they can do harm. One source suggests that depression is
linked to letting go of relationships to people, work, etc. that no longer
match us and our
frequencies. When we feel guilty about letting go of these relationships,
depression helps us medicate that pain.

4. Old "stuff" seems to be coming up, as described above, and the people
with whom you need to work it out (or their clones) appear in your life.
Completion issues. Or perhaps you need to work through issues of self-worth,
abundance, creativity, addictions, etc. The resources or people you need to
help you move through these issues start to appear.

Advice: Same as #3. Additionally, don't get too involved in analyzing these
issues. Examining them too much will simply cycle you back through them over
and over again at deeper and deeper levels. Get professional help if you
need to and walk through it. Do not try to avoid them or disassociate
yourself from them. Embrace whatever comes up and thank it for helping you
move ahead. Thank your Higher Power for giving you the opportunity to
release these issues. Remember, you don't
want these issues to stay stuck in your body.

5. Changes in weight. The weight gain in the US population is phenomenal.
Other people may be losing weight. We often gain weight because many fears
we have suppressed are now coming up to the surface to be healed. We react
by building up a defense. We also attempt to ground ourselves or provide
bulk against increasing frequencies in our bodies.

Advice: Don't freak out, but just accept it as a symptom of where you are
right now. You will release/gain the weight when all your fears have been
integrated. Release your anxiety about this. Then you might find it easier
to lose/gain the weight eventually. Exercise. Before eating, try this: Sit
at the table with an attractive place setting. Light a candle. Enjoy how the
food looks. Place your dominant hand over your heart and bless the food.
Tell your body that you are going to use the food to richly nourish it, but
that you are not going to use the food to fulfill your emotional hungers.
Then pass your hand from left to right over the food and bless it. You may
notice that the food feels warm to your hand even if the food is cold-- I
like to think that the food is good for me when it feels warm and nourishing
to my hand. I have also noticed that when I practice blessing the food, I
don't eat as much. It is important not to let yourself off the hook when you
forget to bless the food before you eat. If I've forgotten and I've nearly
finished eating, I bless the food anyway. That way I don't slip out of the
habit. Another thing you can do is to stay present while eating -- don't
watch TV or read. Heartily enjoy what blessings are before you.

6. Changes in eating habits: Strange cravings and odd food choices. Some
find they are not as hungry as they used to be. Or hungrier.

Advice: Don't deny what your body tells you it needs. If you are not sure,
you might try muscle-testing before you chose a food to see if it's what
your body wants. Also try blessing the food as described in #5.

7. Food intolerances, allergies you never had before: As you grow more
spiritual, you are more sensitive to everything around you. Your body will
tell you what it can no longer tolerate, as if it, too, is sloughing off
what doesn't serve it anymore. You might be cleansing yourself of toxins.
Some people find they often have a white residue in their mouth, much like
that of runners at the end of a race.

Advice: An acupuncturist told me that this film can be removed by sloshing 2
tablespoons of cold-pressed olive oil in your mouth for 10-15 minutes (don't
swallow, whatever you do), then spitting it out into the toilet -- not the
sink, for you just removed toxins from your body and don't want them in the
sink. Brush your teeth and do the same. Then clean your brush. (Sorry this
is yukky, but it works.)

8. Amplification of the senses. Increased sensitivity.

8a. Sight: Blurry vision, shimmering objects, seeing glittery particles,
auras around people, plants, animals, and objects. Some report seeing
formerly opaque objects as transparent. When you close your eyes, you no
longer see darkness, but a redness. You may also see geometric shapes or
brilliant colors and pictures when eyes are closed. Colors appear more vivid
-- the sky might look teal or the grass an amazing green. Often I see grids
running across the ground. As you become more sensitive, you may see shapes
or outlines in the air, especially when the room is almost dark. When your
eyes are open or closed, you may see white shapes in your peripheral vision
(these are your guides).

Advice: Your vision is changing in many ways -- you are experiencing new
ways of seeing. Be patient. Whatever you do, do not be afraid. Hazy vision
may be relieved by yawning.

8b. Hearing: Increased or decreased hearing. I once thought I would have to
pull off the road because of the painfully amplified sound of my tires on
the freeway. Other symptoms are hearing white noise in the head, beeps,
tones, music or electronic patterns. Some hear water rushing, bees buzzing,
whooshing, roaring or ringing. Others have what is called audio dyslexia--
you can't always make out what people are saying, as if you can no longer
translate your own language. Some hear strange voices in their dreams, as if
someone is hovering near them. You can either ask the presence(s) to leave
or ask Archangel Michael to take care of the situation. Again, there is
nothing to fear.

Advice: Surrender to it. Let it come through. Listen. Your ears are
adjusting to new frequencies.

8c. Enhanced senses of smell, touch, and/or taste. I notice I can now smell
and taste chemical additives in some foods in a rather unpleasant manner.
Other food may taste absolutely wonderful. For some people, these
enhancements are both delightful and distracting. You might even smell the
fragrance of flowers now and then. Many of the mystics did. Enjoy it.

9. Skin eruptions: Rashes, bumps, acne, hives, and shingles. Anger produces
outbreaks around the mouth and chin. I had a dermatitis on my extremities
for several months that accompanied healing an episode from my past. When I
had worked through most of the issue, the condition was released.

Advice: You may be sloughing off toxins and bringing emotions to the surface
When there is an issue to be released and you are trying to repress it,
your skin will express the issue for you until you process the emotions.
Work through your "stuff".

10. Episodes of intense energy which make you want to leap out of bed and
into action. Followed by periods of lethargy and fatigue. The fatigue
usually follows great shifts. This is a time of integration, so give into it


Advice: Roll with the nature of the energy. Don't fight it. Be gentle with
yourself. Take naps if you are tired. Write your novel if you are too
energized to sleep. Take advantage of the type of energy.

11. Changes in prayer or meditation. Not feeling the same sensations as
before. Not having the same experience of being in contact with Spirit.
Difficulty in focusing.

Advice: You may be in more instant and constant communion with Spirit now
and the sensation may therefore be altered. You will adapt to this new
feeling. You are actually thinking acting in partnership with Spirit most of
the time now. You may find your meditation periods shorter.

12. Power surges: All of a sudden you are heated from head to toe. It is a
momentary sensation, but uncomfortable. In contrast, some people have felt
inexplicably cold. I have experienced both. More recently I experience waves
or currents of energy rolling through me. Sometimes the energy seems so
intense when it first comes into my body that I feel a little nauseated. But
if I think of the energy as divine and let go of fear, I feel wonderful and
enjoy the sensation. If you are an energy worker, you may have noticed that
the heat running through your hands has increased tremendously. This is good


Advice: If you are uncomfortable, ask your Higher Power, that if it be for
your best and highest good, to turn down/up the temperature a bit.

13. A range of physical manifestations: Headaches, backaches, neck pains,
flu-like symptoms (this is called vibrational flu), digestive problems,
muscular spasms or cramps, racing heartbeat, chest pains, changes in sexual
desire, numbness or pain in the limbs, and involuntary vocalizations or
bodily movements. Some of us have even had old conditions from childhood
reappear briefly for healing.

Advice: Remember what I said about seeking medical help if you need it! If
you have determined that this is not a medical condition, relax in the
realization that it is only temporary.

14. Looking younger. Yippee! As you clear emotional issues and release
limiting beliefs and heavy baggage from the past, you are actually lighter.
Your frequency is higher. You love yourself and life more. You begin to
resemble the perfect you that you really are.

15. Vivid dreams. Sometimes the dreams are so real that you wake up confused
You may even have lucid dreams in which you are in control. Many dreams may
be mystical or carry messages for you. And in some dreams, you just know
that you are not "dreaming" -- that what is happening is somehow real.

Advice: You will remember what is important for you to remember. Don't force
anything. Above all, stay out of fear.

16. Events that completely alter your life: death, divorce, change in job
status, loss of home, illness, and/or other catastrophes; sometimes several
at once! Forces that cause you to slow down, simplify, change, re-examine
who you are and what your life means to you. Forces that you cannot ignore.
Forces that cause you release your attachments. Forces that awaken your
sense of love and compassion for all.

17. A desire to break free from restrictive patterns, life-draining jobs
consumptive lifestyles, and toxic people or situations. You feel a
compelling need to "find yourself" and your life purpose -- now! You want to
be creative and free to be who you really are. You might find yourself drawn
to the arts and nature. You want to unclutter yourself from things and
people that no longer serve you.

Advice: Do it!

18. Emotional and mental confusion: A feeling that you need to get your life
straightened out--it feels like a mess. But at the same time you feel
chaotic and unable to focus. See #45.

Advice: Put your ear to your heart and your own discernment will follow.

19. Introspection, solitude and loss of interest in more extraverted
activities: This stage has come as a surprise to many extraverts who
formerly saw themselves as outgoing and involved. They say, "I don't know
why, but I don't like to go out as much as before."

20. Creativity bursts: Receiving images, ideas, music, and other creative
inspirations at an often overwhelming rate.

Advice: At least record these inspirations, for Spirit is speaking to you
about how you might fulfill your purpose and contribute to the healing of
the planet.

21. A perception that time is accelerating. It seems that way because you
have had so many changes introduced into your life at an unprecedented rate.
The number of changes seems to be growing.

Advice: Breaking your day up into appointments and time segments increases
the sense of acceleration .You can slow time down by relaxing into the
present moment and paying attention to what's at hand, not anticipating what
s ahead. Slow down and tell yourself that you have plenty of time. Ask your
Higher Power to help you. Keep your focus on the present. Try to flow from
one activity to the next. Stay tuned to your inner guidance... You can also
warp time by asking for it. Next time you feel rushed, say, "Time warp,
please. I need some more time to -----." Then relax.

22. A sense of impendingness. There is a feeling that something is about to
happen. This can create anxiety.

Advice: There is nothing to worry about. Things are definitely happening,
but anxiety only creates more problems for you. All your thoughts --
positive or negative-- are prayers. There is nothing to fear.

23. Impatience. You know better, but sometimes you can't help it. You want
to get on with what seems to be coming your way. Uncertainty is not
comfortable.

Advice: Learn to live with the uncertainty, knowing that nothing comes to
you until you are ready. Impatience is really a lack of trust, especially
trust in your Higher Power. When you focus on the present, you will
experience miracles -- yes, even in traffic.

24. A deep yearning for meaning, purpose, spiritual connection, and
revelation. Perhaps an interest in the spiritual for the first time in your
life. "Constant craving", as k.d. lang says. The material world cannot
fulfill this longing.

Advice: Follow your heart and the way will open up for you.

25. A feeling that you are somehow different. A disquieting sense that
everything in your life feels new and altered, that you have left your old
self behind. You have. You are much greater than you can possibly imagine.
There is more to come.

26. "Teachers" appear everywhere with perfect timing to help you on your
spiritual journey: people, books, movies, events, Mother Nature, etc.
Teachers may appear to be negative or positive when you are trapped in
polarity thinking, but, from a transcendent perspective, they are always
perfect. Just what you need to learn from and move on. By the way, we never
get more than we are ready to master. Each challenge presents us with an
opportunity to show our mastery in passing through it.

27. You find a spiritual track that makes sense to you and "speaks to you"
at the most profound levels. Suddenly you are gaining a perspective that you
would never have considered before. You hunger to know more. You read, share
with others, ask questions, and go inside to discover more about who you are
and why you are here.

28. You are moving through learning and personal issues at a rapid pace. You
sense that you are "getting it" quite readily.

Advice: Keep remembering that things will come to you when they are ready to
be healed. Not sooner. Deal with whatever comes up with courage and you will
move through the issues rapidly.

29. Invisible presences. Here is the woo-woo stuff. Some people report
feeling surrounded by beings at night or having the sensation of being
touched or talked to. Often they will wake with a start. Some also feel
their body or bed vibrate. The vibrations are caused by energetic changes
after emotional clearing has taken place.

Advice: This is a sensitive topic, but you may feel better blessing your bed
and space around it before you sleep. I rest assured that I am surrounded
only by the most magnificent spiritual entities and am always safe in God's
care. Sometimes, however, the fear gets to me, and I call in Archangel
Michael and/or Archangel Uriel. I don't beat myself up for being afraid
sometimes. I forgive myself for not always sovereign at 3:00 a.m.

30. Portents, visions, "illusions", numbers, and symbols: Seeing things that
have spiritual importance for you. Noticing how numbers appear
synchronistically in your awareness. Everything has a message if you take
the time to look. I enjoy the experience of "getting the messages." What
fun!

31. Increased integrity: You realize that it is time for you to seek and
speak your truth. It suddenly seems important for you to become more
authentic, more yourself. You may have to say "no" to people whom you have
tried to please in the past. You may find it intolerable to stay in a
marriage or job or place that doesn't support who you are. You may also find
there is nowhere to hide, no secrets to keep anymore. Honesty becomes
important in all your relationships.

Advice: Listen to your heart. If your guidance tells you not to do something
speak up and take action. Say "no". Likewise, you must also say "yes" to
that which compels you. You must risk displeasing others without guilt in
order to attain spiritual sovereignty.

32. Harmony with seasons and cycles: You are becoming more tuned to the
seasons, the phases of the moon and natural cycles. More awareness of your
place in the natural world. A stronger connection to the earth.

33. Electrical and mechanical malfunctions: When you are around, light bulbs
flicker, the computer locks up, or the radio goes haywire.

Advice: Call on your angels, guides, or Grace Elohim to fix it or put up a
field of protection of light around the machine. Surround your car with blue
light. Laugh.

34. Increased synchronicity and many small miracles. Look for more of these.

Advice: Synchronistic events tell you if you are heading in the right
direction or making the correct choices. Honor these clues and you cannot go
astray. Spirit uses synchronicity to communicate to you. That's when you
begin to experience daily miracles. See #30.

35. Increased intuitive abilities and altered states of consciousness:
Thinking of someone and immediately hearing from them. More synchronicities.
Having sudden insights about patterns or events from the past. Clairvoyance,
out-of-body experiences, and other psychic phenomena. Intensified
sensitivity and knowing. Awareness of one's essence and that of others.
Channeling angelic and Christ-consciousnes s energies.

36. Communication with Spirit. Contact with angels, spirit guides, and other
divine entities. Channeling. More and more people seem to be given this
opportunity. Feeling inspiration and downloading information that takes form
as writing, painting, ideas, communications, dance, etc.

37. A sense of Oneness with all. A direct experience of this Wholeness.
Transcendent awareness. Being flooded with compassion and love for all life.
Compassionate detachment or unconditional love for all is what lifts us up
to higher levels of consciousness and joy.

38. Moments of joy and bliss. A deep abiding sense of peace and knowing that
you are never alone.

39. Integration: You become emotionally, psychologically, physically, and
spiritually stronger and clearer. You feel as if you are in alignment with
your Higher Self.

40. Living your purpose: You know you are finally doing what you came to
earth for. New skills and gifts are emerging, especially healing ones. Your
life/work experiences are now converging and starting to make sense. You are
finally going to use them all.

Advice: Listen to your heart. Your passion leads you to where you must go.
Go within and ask your Higher Power, "What is it you would have me do?"
Watch for synchronicities. Listen.

41. Feeling closer to animals and plants. To some people, animals now seem
to be more "human" in their behavior. Wild animals are less afraid. Plants
respond to your love and attention more than ever. Some may even have
messages for you.

42. Seeing beings of other dimensions. The veil between dimensions is
thinner, so it is not surprising. Just stay in your sovereignty. You are
more powerful than you can ever imagine, so do not entertain fear. Ask your
guides for help if you slip into fear.

43. Seeing a person's true form or seeing loved ones with a different face
-- past life or parallel life.

44. Physically manifesting thoughts and desires more quickly and efficiently


Advice: Monitor your thoughts. All thoughts are prayers. Be careful what you
ask for.

45. Left -brain fogginess. Your psychic abilities, your intuitive knowing,
your feeling and compassion, your ability to experience your body, your
visioning, your expressiveness all emanate from the right brain. In order
for this side of the brain to develop more fully, the left brain must shut
down a little bit. Normally the left-hemisphere' s capacity for order,
organization, structure, linear sequencing, analysis, evaluation, precision,
focus, problem-solving, and mathematics
dominate our often less-valued right brain.

What results are memory lapses, placing words in the wrong sequence,
inability or no desire to read for very long, inability to focus; forgetting
what you are just about to say; impatience with linear forms of
communication (audio or written formats); a feeling of spaciness, being
scattered; losing interest in research or complex information; feeling
bombarded with words and talk and information; and a reluctance to write.
Sometimes you feel dull and have no interest in analysis, lively
intellectual discussion, or investigation.

On the other hand, you might find yourself drawn to the sensate: videos,
magazines with photos, beautiful artwork, movies, music, sculpting, painting
being with people, dancing, gardening, walking, and other kinesthetic forms
of expression. You may search for spiritual content, even science fiction.

Advice: You may discover that if you allow your heart and your right brain
to lead you, the left will then be activated appropriately to support you.
And someday we will be well-balanced, using both hemispheres with mastery.

46. Dizziness. This occurs when you are ungrounded. Perhaps you have just
cleared a big emotional issue and your body is adjusting to your "lighter"
state.

Advice: Ground yourself by eating protein. Sometimes "comfort food" feels
right. Don't make any food right or wrong for you. Use your guidance to know
what you need at any given moment. Take your shoes off and put your feet in
the grass for a couple of minutes.

47. Falling, having accidents, breaking bones. Your body is not grounded or
perhaps your life is out of balance. Or your body may be telling you to slow
down, examine certain aspects of your life, or heal certain issues. There is
always a message. When I recently broke my ankle, I understand that my ankle
was taking on what I myself refused to deal with. And that was all of the
above.

Advice: Stay grounded by taking your shoes off and putting your feet in the
grass; even better, lie down on the grass without a blanket under you. Feel
the earth beneath you. Get out in nature. Slow down and pay attention. Be
mindful about what you are doing. Feel your feelings when they come up. Stay
in the present. Surround yourself with blue light when you are feeling shaky


49. Heart palpitations. A racing heart usually accompanies a heart opening.
It only lasts for a few moments and means that the heart is re-balancing
itself after an emotional release. I had one episode that terrified me: I
woke up in the middle of the night, my heart pounding. I thought it was
going to come right out of my chest. It only happened once and was, I
understand, a huge heart-chakra opening. But I did check it out. There is
nothing wrong with my heart.

Advice: Remember what I said about getting medical attention when needed.
Consult your doctor about any conditions you are not comfortable with.

50. Faster hair and nail growth. More protein is being used in the body. Too
bad we can't tell the body where to grow the hair and where not to grow it.
(Or can we? Hmmm.)

51. A desire to find your soulmate or twin flame. More than ever before, the
idea that we can have a relationship that matches who we are seems more
desirable.

Advice: The truth is, we have to be the kind of person we want to attract.
We have to love ourselves and where we are right now before we can attract a
more "perfect" mate. The work begins at home. Here is how I think it works:
Hold the desire for this person in your heart, but without attachment.
Expect that someday you will meet someone who is more suited to you, but let
go of any expectations as to who this will be and how it will happen. Focus
instead on cleaning up your own life and being the kind of person you want
to be. Be happy now. Enjoy your life. Then you may see.....

52. Memories surface. Body memories, suppressed memories, images of past
lives and/or parallel lives. We are healing and integrating all our "selves"
so expect to have some of these experiences.

Advice. Keep in mind that it is best to recall what only what comes to mind,
leave the rest alone, don't analyze everything to death (because you will be
stuck in the tape loop of infinite issues to process), and feel your
feelings as they come up. Ask for help from your guides.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

MAGICAL KUNDALINI


Kundalini

Kundalini is a Sanskrit word meaning either "coiled up" or "coiling like a snake." There are a number of other translations of the term usually emphasizing a more serpent nature to the word - e.g. 'serpent power'.
The caduceus symbol of coiling snakes is thought to be an ancient symbolic representation of Kundalini physiology.
The concept of Kundalini comes from yogic philosophy of ancient India and refers to the mothering intelligence behind yogic awakening and spiritual maturation. It might be regarded by yogis as a sort of deity, hence the occasional capitalization of the term.
Within a western frame of understanding it is often associated with the practice of contemplative or religious practices that might induce an altered state of consciousness, either brought about spontaneously, through a type of yoga, through psychedelic drugs, or through a near-death experience.
According to the yogic tradition Kundalini is curled up in the back part of the root chakra in three and one-half turns around the sacrum. Yogic phenomenology states that kundalini awakening is associated with the appearance of bio-energetic phenomena that are said to be experienced somatically by the yogi.
This appearance is also referred to as "pranic awakening". Prana is interpreted as the vital, life-sustaining force in the body. Uplifted, or intensified life-energy is called pranotthana and is supposed to originate from an apparent reservoir of subtle bio-energy at the base of the spine. This energy is also interpreted as a vibrational phenomena that initiates a period, or a process of vibrational spiritual development.
The source text for the concept of kundalini is the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" written by Swami Svatmarama (English translation, 1992) somewhere between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries. Any examination of the topic should include this work. The pradipika is one of the later developments in yoga sacred texts. Hatha Yoga is strictly speaking a forcing technique which has as its primary aim the forcing of the arising of kundalini.
The main emphasis is a difficult regime of breathing techniques meant to increase the store of "prana" in the body. The well known physical postures are only meant to be an aid to maintain peak physical fitness, so as to support the real work of the breathing practices. All of this has, according to tradition, to be accompanied by prolonged and unbroken meditation practise (for which the main text is the "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali"). The text adds that great good fortune is another requirement, i.e.luck, for the procedure to succeed. However, these techniques are not without dangers.
The Interpretation of Kundalini
Two early western interpretations of Kundalini were supplied by C.W. Leadbeater (1847-1934), of the Theosophical Society, and the analytical psychologist Carl Jung (1875¬1961).
Jung's seminar on Kundalini yoga, presented to the Psychological Club in Zurich in 1932, has been widely regarded as a milestone in the psychological understanding of Eastern thought and of the symbolic transformations of inner peace.
Kundalini yoga presented Jung with a model for the developmental phases of higher consciousness, and he interpreted its symbols in terms of the process of individuation. (Princeton University Press Book description to C. G Jung - "The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga", 1999).
A few western translators interpret the energetic phenomena as a form of psychic or paranormal energy, although the western parapsychological understanding of psychic energy, separated from its cultural-hermeneutic matrix, is probably not the same as the yogic understanding. Yogic philosophy understands this concept as a maturing energy that expresses the individual's soteriological longings. Viewed in a mythological context it is sometimes believed to be an aspect of Shakti, the goddess and consort of Shiva.
Kundalini might be said to be a popular concept, since it is widely quoted among various disciplines of yoga and New Age beliefs. However, the recent popularization of the term within new religious movements has - according to some scholars of religion - not contributed to promote a mature understanding of the concept (Sovatsky, 1998). As with many eastern contemplative concepts there exist considerable difficulties, and possible semantic confusion, connected to the way these concepts are adapted to a western context.
This has led to somewhat different interpretations and applications of the concept of Kundalini within the spiritual and contemplative culture in the west. On the one hand there are the New Age popularizations, and on the other hand there is the traditional lineage of Kundalini Yoga understood from its cultural background and interpreted within the academic fields of Religious Studies, Pastoral Theology and Transpersonal/Humanistic psychology.
With the tools of these academic traditions it is possible to give different interpretations to the concept of Kundalini; such as physiological interpretations, psychological interpretations, clinical interpretations, religious interpretations, mythological interpretations and spiritual interpretations.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini Yoga is a meditative discipline - or a system of meditative techniques and movements - within the yogic tradition that focuses on psycho-spiritual growth and the body's potential for maturation. The practice of Kundalini Yoga consists of a number bodily postures, expressive movements and utterances, characterological cultivations, breathing patterns, and degrees of concentration.
The movements and the body-work should not - according to some scholars of religion - be considered mere stretching exercises. The concept of life-energy - pranotthana - is central to the practice and understanding of Kundalini Yoga. It also gives special consideration to the role of the spine and the endocrine system in the understanding of yogic awakening. Recently, there has been a growing interest within the medical community to study the physiological effects of meditation, and some of these studies have applied the discipline of Kundalini Yoga to their clinical settings.

Kundalini in the World's Religions
Kundalini is mainly associated with Hinduism. However, Kundalini as a spiritual experience is thought to have parallels in many of the mystical and gnostic traditions of the world's great religions.
Many factors point to the universality of the phenomenon. The early Christians might have referred to the concept as 'pneuma', and there are some recent parallels in contemporary Christian Charismatic 'Holy Ghost' phenomena. Religious studies also note parallels in Quakerism, Shakerism, Judaic Shuckling (torso-rocking prayer), the swaying zikr and whirling dervish of Islam, the quiverings of the Eastern Orthodox hesychast, the flowing movements of tai chi, the ecstatic shamanic dance, the ntum trance dance of the Bushman, Tibetan Buddhist tummo heat as practised by Milarepa, and the Indically-derived Andalusian flamenco (Sovatsky, 1998). Kundalini practice is centerfold in Japan's Aum Shinrikyo group and Kundalini-yoga is also one of the stages the practitioner is able to achieve.

Kundalini Rising
According to yogic terminology the force of Kundalini is supposed to be raised through meditative exercises and activated within the concept of a subtle body, a body of energy and finer substance. This process has been explained in detail by Motoyama (1981) and by Sharp (2005). Motoyama bases the bulk of the Kundalini raising practices listed in the book on the notable Swami Satyananda Saraswati, as well as on personal experience in helping people in various stages of Kundalini awakening. Sharp provides a kundalini meditation called The Great Invocation along with detailed guidance on controlling and managing the energy flow and subsequent manifestation.
Kundalini-experiences are often understood in terms of the Hindu chakra system, the understanding of psycho-spiritual energy centers along the spine (Scotton, 1996). According to Hindu tradition the Kundalini raises from the root-chakra up through the spinal channel, called sushumna, and it is believed to activate each chakra it goes through.
Each chakra is said to contain special characteristics (Scotton, 1996). In raising Kundalini, spiritual powers (siddhis) are also believed to arise, but many spiritual traditions see these phenomena as obstacles on the path, and encourages their students not to get hung up with them (Kason, 2000). Although the opening of higher chakras are believed to mark advanced spiritual unfoldment, it is important not to measure spiritual growth solely by the opening of higher potentials. According to this view chakras might be under- or overdeveloped, and lower chakras are thought to be just as important as higher.
Spiritual literature also describes instances where Kundalini is said to be initiated. Initiation of kundalini activity is usually considered to take place by a practice called shaktipat. This is a form of 'laying on of hands' where physical contact to the body or the forehead of the subject by the guru, or initiator, is supposed to cause an experience of Kundalini that later may persist or grow with continuing practice, or fade away if practice is stopped. Scotton (1996) mentions that kundalini-symptomatology is associated with such practices as shaktipat. He also gives a case-example of such a practice from an American meditation retreat.
According to much contemporary spiritual literature, and the field of Transpersonal Psychology, it is not considered wise to engage in any of these practices without the guidance of a credible teacher or without thorough psychological preparation and education in yoga. Any form of intense contemplative or spiritual practice without the support of a cultural context, or without the support of thorough psychological preparation, is usually considered to be unfortunate, and in some cases even dangerous. Traditional teachers of kundalini meditation also warn neophytes of the potential dangers of experimenting with kundalini Yoga techniques. These warnings should not be underestimated. A growing body of clinical and psychological literature notes the growing occurrence of meditation-related problems in Western contemplative life. Among these we find the Kundalini Syndrome (which is presented more closely later in this article) and different forms of "wind illness" described in the Tibetan tradition.

Kundalini Syndrome
Theorists within the schools of Humanistic psychology, Transpersonal psychology and Near-Death Studies describe a complex pattern of motor functions, sensory, affective and cognitive-hermeneutic symptoms called the Kundalini Syndrome. This psychosomatic arousal and excitation is believed to occur in connection with prolonged and intensive spiritual or contemplative practice (such as meditation or yoga) or as a result of intense life experience or a near encounter with death (such as a near-death experience).
According to these fields of study the Kundalini syndrome is of a different nature than a single Kundalini episode, such as a Kundalini arousal. The Kundalini syndrome is a process that might unfold over several months, or even years. If the accompanying symptoms unfold in an intense manner - that de-stabilizes the person - the process is usually interpreted as what Stanislav Grof has termed "spiritual emergency"
Interdisciplinary dialogues within the mentioned schools of psychology (see references below) have now established some common criteria in order to describe this condition, of which the most prominent feature is a feeling of energy travelling along the spine, or progressing upwards in the body. Motor symptoms are said to include tremors, other spontaneous or involuntary body movements and changes in respiratory function.
Sensory symptoms are said to include subjective changes in body temperature - feelings of heat or cold - a feeling of electricity in the body, persistent sexual arousal syndrome, headache and pressure inside of the head, tingling, vibrations and gastro-intestinal problems. Cognitive and affective symptoms are said to include psychological upheaval, stress, depression, depersonalization or derealization, intense mood-swings, but also moments of bliss, deep peace and other altered states of consciousness. Within the mentioned academic traditions this symptomatology is often referred to as the Physio-Kundalini syndrome or Kundalini-experience Awakening.
Transpersonal literature emphasizes that this list of symptoms is not meant to be used as a tool for self-diagnosis. Any unusual or marked physical or mental symptom needs to be investigated by a qualified medical doctor.

Kundalini and Physiology
Contemporary spiritual literature often notes that the chakras, as described in the esoteric kundalini documents, bear a strong similarity in location and number to the major endocrine glands, as well as nerve bundles called ganglions.
One speculation is that the traditional practices have formalized a method for stimulating the endocrine glands to work in a different mode which has a more direct effect on consciousness, perhaps ultimately by stimulating the release of DMT by the pineal gland, which may be analogous to the 'pineal chakra'.
The late Itzhak Bentov studied Kundalini from an engineering perspective. According to Bentov (1990), the 7.5 Hz oscillation of the heart muscle rhythm induces mechanical Hz frequencies in the brain, that in turn create a stimulus equivalent of a current loop. The nerve endings in that loop correspond to the route through which the Kundalini "rises".
This current polarizes the brain part through which it flows in a homogenous way, effectively releasing tremendous amounts of stress from the body. The body then becomes an effective antenna for the 7.5 Hz frequency, which is one of the resonant frequencies of the ionosphere. In layman's terms, you then pick up information from the air.
This might account for repeated descriptions of heightened senses as a result of rising Kundalini, e.g. as described by Yogananda: "The whole vicinity lay bare before me. My ordinary frontal vision was now changed to a vast spherical sight, simultaneously all-perceptive."

Pathological Kundalini
When practiced in a religious context, Kundalini is mostly beneficial and benevolent. However, examples exist of historical figures suffering from kundalini symptoms, such as zen master Hakuin, Saint Theresa, and Nietzsche. The physiological precursors of kundalini also have the potential to diverge into some peculiar types of pathology, as when induced via violence and outside a religious context, where it may be part of a post-traumatic response. Post-traumatic stress disorder researcher Dr. Jonathan Shay (1994) describes several cases with kundalini-like symptoms in his book Achilles in Vietnam.
According to transpersonal theorists the phenomenon of kundalini is not necessarily pathological in itself, but it might produce serious physiological and psychodynamic symptoms if it is activated outside a proper socio-cultural context, or if it conflicts with already existing and underlying psychopathology or issues connected to overall human development.
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The coiled and dormant 'feminine' energy, refers to the vast potential of psychic energy contained within us all. It is normally symbolized as a serpent coiled into three and a half circles, with its tail in its mouth, and spiraling around the central axis (sacrum or sacred bone) at the base of the spine. The awakening of this serpent and the manifestation of its powers is a primary aim of the practice of Kundalini Yoga. The image of coiling, like a spring, conveys the sense of untapped potential energy that will spring into action soon. For now we remember in small doses.
Kundalini can be described as a great reservoir of creative energy at the base of the spine. It's not useful to sit with our consciousness fixed in our head and think of kundalini as a foreign force running up and down our spine. The concept of kundalini can also be examined from a strictly psychological perspective. From this perspective kundalini can be thought of as a rich source of psychic or libidinous energy in our unconscious.
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Tapping into Kundalini Energy
- Activating Your DNA
- Opening your Clairvoyant and Clairaudient abilities.
- Feeling connected to the oneness of the universe
- Your mind feels expanded in its quest for higher awareness and knowledge
- Allowing your ego to step aside and connecting with higher frequency of thought and consciousness
- Feeling unconditional love, peace, and connection with spirit
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Kundalini Meditation

Kundalini is most often awaken through Yoga meditation - which include Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga or Kriya Yoga. I have prepared a meditation to help you on your path should Yoga not be available to you.
To prepare for this meditation - you might want to tape record the words on this page to listen to as your move through the meditation. Please speak slowly and softly.
Allow lots of time for the meditation - as you will need to relax when you are finished.
You may want to listen to music or be in a quiet place - or be in nature.


Find a quiet place ... free of distractions.

Adjust the lighting and room temperature.

Adjust clothing . . . footwear . . . eyeglasses.

Sit down or lie down
Find a position that is comfortable for you.

Quiet your mind . . . Still your thoughts.

Relax your body

Your face . . . your jaw . . . relaxing

Your shoulders . . . your neck . . . relaxed

Your arms . . . your hands . . . feel at peace.

Your torso . . . your hips . . . letting go

Your legs . . . your feet . . . totally relaxed


Focus on your breathing.

Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose.

Retain the breath as long as is comfortable.

Exhale through the mouth slowly and completely.

Repeat for two more breaths . . . or as is comfortable.


Now focus your attention on your chakras.


Starting from the top of your head visualize your crown chakra opening.
Watch as pure white light enters your crown chakra
and slowly spirals down through your spine.

The white light opens your third eye chakra.

You may experiences vibrant colors especially in blue, and violet . . .

The white light moves down to your throat chakra releasing your blockages.
You may feel like chanting or singing.

Allow the tones to resonant from your throat.

Do this as long as is comfortable . . .


The white light now enters your heart chakra.

You experience a feeling of unconditional love and compassion.

The white light enters your solar plexus.

Gently your fears - anger - tensions are released.


See the white light enter your spleen chakra

releasing pain and guilt linked to that chakra.


The white light now enters your Root Chakra the seat of your kundalini energy.

As it does, it begins to activate the energy of the base (root) chakra.


Feel the energy suddenly emerge from your Root Chakra,
Spiraling up through the base of your spine as if it were a coiled snake.

The coiled snake represents the spiraling DNA -
opening, activating, bringing you to higher levels of consciousness.

Allow the energy to flow through your chakras.

See the energy wheels rotating.



When your are ready - return your consciousness to your physical body.

Relax and balance your energies.

You might want to drink some water.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

KRIYA YOGA



Kriya in the Upanishads
Already in the ancient Upanishads we find Kriya or something very similar to Kriya mentioned as the path to divine Union. The Mundakopanishad has it that: "dhanur grihitvaupanishadam mahaastram sharam hy upaasaainishitam sandhayiita, aayamya tad-bhaava-gatena cetasaa lakshyam tad evaaksharam somya viddhi "pranavo dhanuh sharo hy aatmaa brahma tal-lakshyam ucyate apramattena veddhavyam sharavat tanmayo bhavet" "Seize the bow, the great weapon of the Upanishads, Fix the arrow sharpened through meditation, Stretch it (the bow) through the mind directed on the existence of That, and hit, O dear one, the Imperishable as the target. "Om is the bow, the arrow is the mind, Brahman is said to be its target. It is to be shot by one who is unflinching. Like an arrow he should remain one with it." To all practitioners of Kriya it will be very clear what is meant here. The following is a humble commentary elucidating in hints the various phases. Seize the bow, the great weapon of the Upanishads The bow is Om, the mystical syllable, the sound-manifestation of the Divine. Om is the BrahmaMantra, the Mantra of the Supreme. Yogis use Om in their Kriya. Om is the nucleus of their meditation. It is the spontaneous flow of joy emanating from the divine sound Om which is the aim of the Yogi's Sadhana. Almost every Kriya is an Om-Kriya, a Kriya involving Om. Without Om Kriya is empty of substance. Why is Om said to be the ‘aupanishada mahaastra’, the great weapon of the Upanishads? It is ‘of the Upanishads’ because the Upanishads first revealed its glory. Naturally the glory of Om, the reality of Om, is timeless, but the Upanishads revealed it. In the Kathopanishad we read:

"sarve vedaa yat padam aamananti, tapaamsi sarvaani ca yad vadanti, yad icchanto brahmacaryam caranti, tat te padam sangrahena braviimi - om ity etat" "That Word which all the Vedas proclaim, which all spiritual disciplines herald, desiring which they follow spiritual life, that Word I shall proclaim to thee in short - it is Om." So Om is the way as well as the goal. Why is Om called the Maha-Astra, the great weapon? Because surrender to Om, meditating on Om, doing Kriya with Om, destroys all limitations and brings the mind into the higher realm. All the Cakras are harmonized by the help of Om. The heart-knot is pierced with Om. Lahiri Mahashay explained Astra, weapon, as Pranayam. If Pranayam is Astra, then Om or Nada is the Maha-Astra, the great weapon. These two weapons are enough to bring us to perfection. Fix the arrow sharpened through meditation To translate Upaasanaa as meditation is not so accurate. Upaasanaa means all kinds of spiritual activities: Mantra, Kriya, devotion, study, self-inquiry and so on. What are these for? They are for sharpening the arrow of the mind. If the mind is not sharpened, it cannot dive into the ocean of the Divine. In the first stages of Kriya the Yogi learns to sharpen the mind. A silent mind is a sharp mind. Sharp mind does not mean a mind that can simply concentrate well. It means a mind that can pierce through the countless layers of ignorance. And that is best done through stillness, through pure silence. Then, when the mind is sharp, it is ‘shot at God’. Stretch it (the bow) through the mind directed on the existence of That To stretch Om means to do the respective Kriya. It can also mean Paravastha, when the Om-sound is totally clear and mind is totally concentrated on Kutastha, divinely enchanted by Kutastha. ‘tad-bhaava-gatena cetasaa’, ‘the mind or consciousness gone to the Bhava, the existence, of That’. This shows the mental state necessary for doing the Kriya. Because the mind or consciousness is so pure - and this is related to the harmony of breath that the Yogi has developed - there are no more hindrances. The Kriya brings him directly to the innermost being, the inner realm. And hit, O dear one, the Imperishable as the target. "dvaav imau purushau loke ksharash caa'kshara eva ca ksharah sarvaani bhuutaani kuutastho'kshara ucyate" "There are two kinds of persons in this world: the perishable and the Imperishable. The perishable are all these beings. The Imperishable is the Kutastha." These are the words of Lord Krishna in his divine Song, the Bhagavad Gita. So it is clear what is meant by Imperishable. The mind is ‘shot’ into Kutastha. Naturally this is a process, not a hysterical event. Like an arrow he should remain one with it This is the higher Paravastha when mind has fully merged with Kutastha and the Advaita-Bhava, the non-dual experience takes place. This is Self-realization.


First Steps in Yoga - The Five Yamas
A Story
Our Master once told an old story: "Many hundreds of years ago there was a young student of Yoga. His daily meditation was always inspiring and he was quite satisfied with himself. However, he had not yet experienced God. One day he went to his Master and asked him a question: ‘Master, how great does my devotion to God have to be that I can experience him?’ The Master told him to join him on a walk. They came to a lake. Suddenly the Master grabbed the disciple's head and pushed it in the water. After two minutes the young disciple started getting no air. But he didn't resist, because he knew that his Master was very wise and that even this strange act would have some meaning. But then it became unbearable. He was about to loose consciousness when the Master released his grip. The disciple gasped for air. After regaining his composure he asked the Master about the meaning of the event. The Master told him: ‘Look, my dear. When you shall be gasping for the vision of God, for the experience of the Divine, just as you were gasping for air - then He will reveal himself to you.’"

What is Yoga?
Every attempt to live life deeper, every attempt, however small it may be, to see and understand things a little deeper, is a form of Yoga. Everyone more or less or from to time ascends to a higher understanding, so every human being is a potential Yogi. This simple fact is an underlying concept of Yoga. A Yogi thinks not that he is primitive and that the practice of some special techniques shall change this and make him something special. He simply acknowledges that by nature there is something special about him, that, in contrast to other forms of life, his existence is characterized by a thorough awareness - for only man clearly knows that he is - and he wants to discover this further, he wants to see and experience his own existence in a light more transparent, with a feeling more vast and real. The consequences of this search are that the Yogi begins to experience himself as a being beyond the idle fetters of the physical, as a ‘something’ distant from the limited vision of the ordinary person. He realizes the real thing in him, the vast thing in him, that which is truly valuable since it stands behind all values. And what is that? Himself. He realizes himself. Man has become so engrossed in his thoughts and feelings, in his relationships, work, day-to-day events, that he has forgotten himself. Everything that happens around us, everything that we experience, all problems, all joys, just everything, emanates from something. What is that something? Us. Yoga helps us to find us, the real us, our inner being, that in us which is the same in all. The movement, the progress, the search as a whole, is called Sadhana. The person searching is called the Sadhaka. One whose search has come to an end is a Yogi.

History of Yoga

First Forms of Yoga The roots of Yoga lie in the spiritual disciplines developed and practised by great sages and Yogis of India approximately 3500-4000 years ago. The first Yogic practices are seen in the Upanishads. Upanishads are a famous collection of Indian sacred Scriptures teaching the oneness of God, soul and world. They were greatly loved by the German philosopher Arthur Schoppenhauer. According to the Upanishadic sages God, the soul and the world are one and the same existence-principle. They are in truth not different from each other; it is merely a veil of ignorance that makes it appear so. When this veil is removed, the soul experiences itself as the one nucleus of everything, as the cosmic consciousness, as an existence beyond time and space, beyond all limitations. This concept of oneness, by the way, has stayed alive almost unchanged for thousands of years, and most forms of Eastern spirituality have sprung form it. As an example we would like to show you the following verse possibly describing an ancient form of Yoga. It belongs to one of these highly philosophical and sacred texts having the name ‘Upanishad’: "A wise man should offer his speech into the mind; the mind he should offer into the knowledge-sphere; that he should offer into the vast sphere; and that he should offer into the peace-sphere." - Katha Upanishad No one who is not a Yogi can perceive the exact meaning of this verse. Why? Because the sage who spoke it was doing so from the heights of his own spiritual consciousness. Only one who reaches those heights can see what exactly he means. To offer speech into mind could be a Yogic technique, for example to be silent, not to speak. This technique is called Mauna. It helps the mind calm down and turn more inwardly. To offer the mind into the knowledge-sphere could mean simply to let thoughts rest in the consciousness from which they emanate. In Yoga thoughts are considered tiny rays of the one sun of consciousness. Instead of letting those rays pass into and loose themselves in the jungle of the mind, the sage lets them rest in their source. The vast sphere is the sphere beyond the individual consciousness. The sage goes deeper and deeper; he passes beyond the limitations of the physical and the mental, and enters a sphere of vastness, a sphere of freedom. Yet even this sphere is not the ultimate. He passes on and then takes the ‘stepless step’: he realizes his true being, which is pure silence, absolute peace, which is beyond time and space. Naturally this is merely an interpretation. We cannot know in full what the sage means. And yet, since Yogic progress is characterized by similar experiences, it could be that the sage was in fact a Yogi, one of the first proper Yogis in the history of mankind. Raja-Yoga The first real form of Yoga was called Raja-Yoga. ‘Raja’ means ‘king’. Raja-Yoga was first structured by a Yogi called Patanjali. He is famous for his Yoga-Sutras. The Yoga-Sutras are a set of

small instructions on the nature of Raja-Yoga, Raja-Yogic practices etc. They are available along with translations in several languages and you can obtain them in any spiritual bookshop if you wish to know more about Raja-Yoga. In short, a Raja-Yogi uses his power of concentration to enter the divine Sphere. He concentrates as hard as possible on an object and lets his entire consciousness become merged in it. This merging is called Samadhi. More about other forms of ancient Yoga shall be presented later.

Theory of Yoga
Stages Every kind of Yoga is characterized by a common feature: it is structured into stages. Raja-Yoga, Hatha-Yoga, Kriya-Yoga - all are structured into stages. It is very important for a Yogi to know all of these, to practise all of them, and most of all, to perfect all of them. For example, a Kriya-Yogi who practises only the Kriyas, the techniques, of the higher stages, shall not benefit much from them. Why? His being is not at all tuned to them. He is in no way ready. Similarly, a Raja-Yogi who tries to practise the higher forms of his Yoga will fail drastically if the mind is not mature. There is a verse in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India: "paripakvam mano yeshaam kevalo'yam ca siddhidah" "This - the path of Yoga - is only beneficial to those whose minds are mature." The Stages of Raja-Yoga Raja-Yoga is the first proper form of Yoga. Consequently, many elements of Raja-Yoga are still used in the later approaches. A thorough study and understanding of the basic elements of this ancient Yoga will greatly benefit the newly aspiring Yogi of any approach. Therefore let us understand these basic elements. Raja-Yoga is also famous by the name of ‘Ashtanga-Yoga’, lit. ‘Yoga having Eight Parts’. This is so because the Yogi following this path passes through eight stages. They are: 1. Yama, Virtues of Self-Control 2. Niyama, Virtues of a Regulated Life 3. Asana, Meditation-Posture 4. Pranayama, Control of the Prana, the life-force 5. Pratyahara, Withdrawing the Senses 6. Dharana, Concentration 7. Dhyana, Meditation 8. Samadhi, Absorption We shall now elucidate the first of the eight stages. Yama, Virtues of Self-Control

The word ‘yama’ is made from the Sanskrit root ‘yam’, which literally means ‘to control’. Accordingly it basically just means control. However, the sage Patanjali, the founder of Raja-Yoga, chooses this word as the title of a group of five great disciplines. These are: 1. Ahimsa, Non-harming 2. Satya, Truth 3. Brahmacarya, Conserving the Life-force 4. Asteya, Non-stealing 5. Aparigraha, Non-possession What is Ahimsa? Ahimsa means not to harm anyone, in body, speech as well as mind. It is an attitude of kindness and love towards all. Every kind of aggression is abandoned and the Yogi becomes very peaceful innerly. The sage Patanjali says that the result of Ahimsa is that in the presence of the Yogi all kinds of aggressions are abandoned. The Yogi shall never have any problems. And it is really true. There is a Yogi we know. Once a woman was very angry on him due to some reason. She came to him in great fury, but the moment she stood before him her heart melted. She just couldn't be angry anymore. She had to smile because she couldn't create the anger. How can we learn to follow Ahimsa? First we can abandon physical and vocal Himsa, which means we consciously do not hurt others with whatever we do or say. It is a very powerful discipline, especially if it is done very consciously. A great inner confidence and happiness arises even when it is practised just for a few days. Try it. A kind of love will come up from the soul, from very deep down. Already 2500 years ago Buddha preached and practised Ahimsa. It was his only real teaching. No one would ever have any aggression or aggressive feelings in his presence. So, a Yogi, whether he be a Raja-, a Hatha- or a Kriya-Yogi, consciously develops that inner love, that inner attitude of peace and calm strength. What is Satya? Satya means to be truthful to oneself and to others, both in thoughts, in speech and in actions. This is the most important of all the Yamas, of all the virtues that a Yogi develops and follows. Mahatma Gandhi, a great Indian politician, was able to do great works merely because of the power of his truthfulness. He would never tell a lie. There are several aspects involved. Firstly, by telling lies the character becomes unclear, it is no more able to see or accept things as they are. A kind of veil comes over the whole mind. Secondly, if we go a little deeper into the subject, to be untruthful also to oneself, to make a show of things innerly as well as outerly, is very silly. We can never reach anywhere if we are not truthful to ourselves. So, if we seriously wish to achieve a higher understanding, a deeper knowledge, then we must consciously be truthful to ourselves. Thirdly, by being truthful, outerly, innerly, in all aspects, the faculty of intuition is greatly stimulated. The Sadhaka, the spiritual aspirant, becomes capable of knowing things which a normal person cannot know. His inner eye becomes connected to the cosmic knowledge, the cosmic truth, and he begins to know things from within. That is one of the greatest virtues of truthfulness. Moreover, a person who is always truthful is loved and trusted by all. In the presence of such a person we automatically feel sheltered and safe. Let us try to very consciously speak the truth just for two weeks. Every word that comes from the mouth should be exact and in accordance with what is. A great inner power shall arise.

Swami Vivekananda, the famous sage who spread the wisdom of the East in America in the 19th century, had truthfulness as his power. Whatever he spoke came from the innermost corners of his being, directly from his heart. Accordingly it was filled with a great power. What is Asteya? ‘a-steya’ literally means ‘non-stealing’. It seems to be a very simple rule for a Yogi to follow. However, a deeper scrutiny can enhance the meaning. Asteya means not only not to steal, but to remain complete in one's own heart. There is a verse in the Isha Upanishad indistinctedly yet beautifully describing the substance of this virtue: "All this, whatsoever moves or does not move in the world, is to be covered with the Divine. Enjoy by giving up. Do not desire anything, for whose is real wealth?" So, the virtue of Asteya is in a way connected to an inner feeling of satisfaction. And that satisfaction comes from Sadhana, from spiritual practice. Gradually the Yogi realizes that only the inner world, only the divine world, is really valuable, and he loses all proper interest in outer things. It is difficult to practise the real Asteya, but simply not stealing is a good virtue. One of the Ten Precepts (Gebote) of Jewish moral taught by Moses is also not to steal. What is Brahmacarya? ‘brahma-carya’ literally means ‘moving in Brahman, God’. Accordingly, it can also mean just an elevated state of mind in which the Yogi is aware of the Divine. However, in the Yogic context it means to conserve the vital energy by not engaging in excessive sexual activity. This is an important factor of spiritual life. The vital energy is closely related to the spiritual and mental energies. When a person lacks vital energy it is difficult for him to bloom in spiritual awareness. So, the Yogi controls in a reasonable way his sexual activity. He also lets his mental be totally free regarding sexual matters. He has no problem with anything and his being is saturated by a higher understanding. In detail, the Yogic tradition says that sexual intercourse once or at the most twice a month is healthy. Neither too much nor too little is good for the whole system. Otherwise the mind remains totally caught up in the physical. It understands only a part, not the whole. So, if we wish to understand the whole, if we wish to see truth, to live with and in truth, then we must conserve and use rightly our life-energy. What is Aparigraha? ‘a-parigraha’ literally means ‘non-possession’. A Yogi is not bound by the things he possesses. The most important treasure is always the own existence, the true existence, not the many things projected on it. Of course, a reasonable human being cannot let go of possessions. He cannot give up his house or car or even his clothes because he wants to become a Yogi. What the sage Patanjali wishes to tell is, if we let go from within, if we do not attach ourselves too much to the things around us but rather attach ourselves to the one great Truth in which everything rests, from which everything has come, then we can easily avoid problems. That is the meaning. So, the Yogi develops these five excellent qualities: he harms no one so that no one may harm him. He is totally truthful , so that truth he may see. He does not steal , which means, he is satisfied with what he has, satisfied with what God has given him. He conserves his life-energy , in order that his subtle consciousness can bloom. He does not attach himself too much to outer things , but lives in the outer from the vision of the inner.

Praxis of Yoga
Consequently, the first real practice that a truth-seeker follows is simply to develop these virtues:

- to harm none and have an attitude of simplicity and love towards all - to be truthful, to live in truth - to live in oneself, not in others - to conserve the energy of life - to attach oneself to the inner substance, not the outer. The most important of these virtues are the first two. And among these two, it is truthfulness that shines as the greatest of all. So, let us practise these virtues for only a few days. The results shall be immediate. Om



Kriya and Virtues
...So, my dear, just work on yourself, learn to become steady on all levels. When you become more and more centred in the Self - in the ‘I’-feeling when it is freed from the limiting personality - then Prana and these things are automatically refined and expanded. It all goes alongside. Development of love and broader vision has a great effect on Prana. The Prana becomes refined. You have seen the result of a method like Om-Kriya on your mother. Perhaps she hasn’t practised any yogic techniques in our sense, but she has perfectly developed her vision. That is why her energetic field is so refined and vast. There is always a special radiance on her face and in her eyes. So all these things go alongside. The practice of Kriya simply concentrates everything into the mystical experience. The Prana is refined systematically and very rapidly and then the human experience itself, the mental experience itself, is expanded and reaches dimensions unimaginable by the normal human being. This is the specialty of Kriya. But if one develops virtues like love and compassion alongside then the process goes much quicker still. One achieves ‘Godspeed’ as sweet Yogananda would call it So, I would advice you to practise the method twice a day: only for a short time in the morning, and for a little longer in the evening. Then your whole day is enveloped by Kriya-practice, is blessed by the gradual awakening of higher energies, higher potentials, perceptions, mystic experience... Om