| KUNDALINI – A VIEW | | | | manifestation. |
| Kundalini Yoga is a meditative discipline - or a system | | | | Kundalini-experiences are often understood in terms of |
| of meditative techniques and movements - within the | | | | the Hindu chakra system, the understanding of |
| yogic tradition that focuses on psycho-spiritual growth | | | | psycho-spiritual energy centers along the spine |
| and the body's potential for maturation. The practice of | | | | (Scotton, 1996). According to Hindu tradition the |
| Kundalini Yoga consists of a number bodily postures, | | | | Kundalini raises from the root-chakra up through the |
| expressive movements and utterances, | | | | spinal channel, called sushumna, and it is believed to |
| characterological cultivations, breathing patterns, and | | | | activate each chakra it goes through. |
| degrees of concentration. The movements and the | | | | Each chakra is said to contain special characteristics |
| body-work should not - according to some scholars of | | | | (Scotton, 1996). In raising Kundalini, spiritual powers |
| religion - be considered mere stretching exercises. The | | | | (siddhis) are also believed to arise, but many spiritual |
| concept of life-energy - pranotthana - is central to the | | | | traditions see these phenomena as obstacles on the |
| practice and understanding of Kundalini Yoga. It also | | | | path, and encourages their students not to get hung up |
| gives special consideration to the role of the spine and | | | | with them (Kason, 2000). Although the opening of |
| the endocrine system in the understanding of yogic | | | | higher chakras is believed to mark advanced spiritual |
| awakening. Recently, there has been a growing | | | | unfoldment, it is important not to measure spiritual |
| interest within the medical community to study the | | | | growth solely by the opening of higher potentials. |
| physiological effects of meditation, and some of these | | | | According to this view chakras might be under- or |
| studies have applied the discipline of Kundalini Yoga to | | | | overdeveloped and lower chakras are thought to be |
| their clinical settings. | | | | just as important as higher. Spiritual literature also |
| Kundalini in the World's Religions: Kundalini is mainly | | | | describes instances where Kundalini is said to be |
| associated with Hinduism. However, Kundalini as a | | | | initiated. Initiation of kundalini activity is usually |
| spiritual experience is thought to have parallels in many | | | | considered to take place by a practice called shaktipat. |
| of the mystical and gnostic traditions of the world's | | | | This is a form of 'laying on of hands' where physical |
| great religions. Many factors point to the universality of | | | | contact to the body or the forehead of the subject by |
| the phenomenon. The early Christians might have | | | | the guru, or initiator, is supposed to cause an |
| referred to the concept as 'pneuma', and there are | | | | experience of Kundalini that later may persist or grow |
| some recent parallels in contemporary Christian | | | | with continuing practice, or fade away if practice is |
| Charismatic 'Holy Ghost' phenomena. Religious studies | | | | stopped. Scotton (1996) mentions that |
| also note parallels in Quakerism, Shakerism, Judaic | | | | kundalini-symptomatology is associated with such |
| Shuckling (torso-rocking prayer), the swaying zikr and | | | | practices as shaktipat. He also gives a case-example |
| whirling dervish of Islam, the quiverings of the Eastern | | | | of such a practice from an American meditation |
| Orthodox hesychast, the flowing movements of tai chi, | | | | retreat. According to much contemporary spiritual |
| the ecstatic shamanic dance, the ntum trance dance | | | | literature, and the field of Transpersonal Psychology, it |
| of the Bushman, Tibetan Buddhist tummo heat as | | | | is not considered wise to engage in any of these |
| practiced by Milarepa, and the Indically-derived | | | | practices without the guidance of a credible teacher or |
| Andalusian flamenco (Sovatsky, 1998). Kundalini | | | | without thorough psychological preparation and |
| practice is centerfold in Japan's Aum Shinrikyo group | | | | education in yoga. Any form of intense contemplative |
| and Kundalini-yoga is also one of the stages the | | | | or spiritual practice without the support of a cultural |
| practitioner is able to achieve. | | | | context, or without the support of thorough |
| Kundalini Rising: According to yogic terminology the | | | | psychological preparation, is usually considered to be |
| force of Kundalini is supposed to be raised through | | | | unfortunate, and in some cases even dangerous. |
| meditative exercises and activated within the concept | | | | Traditional teachers of kundalini meditation also warn |
| of a subtle body, a body of energy and finer | | | | neophytes of the potential dangers of experimenting |
| substance. This process has been explained in detail | | | | with kundalini Yoga techniques. These warnings should |
| by Motoyama (1981) and by Sharp (2005). Motoyama | | | | not be underestimated. A growing body of clinical and |
| bases the bulk of the Kundalini raising practices listed in | | | | psychological literature notes the growing occurrence |
| the book on the notable Swami Satyananda | | | | of meditation-related problems in Western |
| Saraswati, as well as on personal experience in helping | | | | contemplative life. Among these we find the Kundalini |
| people in various stages of Kundalini awakening. Sharp | | | | Syndrome (which is presented more closely later in this |
| provides a kundalini meditation called The Great | | | | article) and different forms of "wind illness" described in |
| Invocation along with detailed guidance on controlling | | | | the Tibetan tradition. |
| and managing the energy flow and subsequent | | | | |