Anyone ever do anything with Kundalini?

[IronFist]

I'm reading "Pathnotes of an American Ninja Master" by Glenn Morris right now and he's talking about some CRAZY stuff involved with Kundalini energy. Have any of you worked with it before (I don't know how to phrase that question)?

And what are the dangers of doing so? He said some person went through 20 years of hell or something before she got it under control, but I've only read the first 45 pages or so so I don't really know the whole story (maybe he mentions more later).

IronFist

[Shuul Vis]

I did ALOT of work with it in meditation and also the Middle Pillar if you are familiar with that. The problem with kundalini is that it is different from other types of meditative energy work in that once you get it going, it doesnt stop when you stop the practice. It only stops when the momentum of your practice has worn off. And this is a great concern because with kundalini you absolutely must be in a very calm, centered frame of mind, have an intensely positive self image and be in a very grounded place in your life. Why? Because like i said, kundalini will continue to move even after your meditation is over. So when your mind is back to its normal focus on stress, frustration, greed, anger and all the other negativity found throughout the day your kundalini is still with you, rising and following you through all that negativity.

For me, this led to some of the most terrible suffering of my life. Extremely irrational and intense anxiety attacks, wild delusions of grandeur and painful and irritating feelings of vibrations and burning in my lower spine that lasted for days were but some of the most memorable experiences. Kundalini is dangerous, even those skilled in its use will tell you that there are much better and safer methods of attaining spiritual development. I did have some positive attainments from kundalini work but to me it was a phyrric victory. In the end my conclusion was this, kundalini work is a very quick and powerful method of attainment but without a skilled teacher the risks are too great. There are many other methods that are safer and just as effective.

[Repulsive Monkey]

Kundalini is a genuine Indian practice of energy cultivation, but from the sounds of it I would not take to heart too much of what that book says.
If its root is in Japanese culture why does it refer to a practice which is not indigenous to it's own? Why doesn't it speak of Ki cultivation?
I think the book you are reading is a little supsect, because the truth is, is that when you enter into energy work you gotta sort the wheat from the chaff and for that you need a good master to teach you.

There is no book that will teach this stuff.

[Oso]

Find the book "Kundalini Equation" by Steven Barnes. It's out of print but not hard to find at all. It is fiction but a lot of it jives with other information i've read on kundalini meditation/work. If nothing else, it's a helluva read. Kinda scary and maybe a cautionary statement on the practice.

[Repulsive Monkey]

this still doesn't explain the link between JMA and Vedice esoteric disciplines.

[chen zhen]

I have seen many people go crazy or just plain weird after doing Kundalini. It can be dangerous.

[TonyM.]

You wrote American ninja. I don't think any more explanation is needed.

[Repulsive Monkey]

Thats not just for Kundalini practice, that can be for energy work.

[fa_jing]

Haven't done the work, but there is a fascinating book out there that I've read called "Kundalini," by Gopi Ramakrishnan. I always thought that there was a parallel between Kundalini energy rising through the spine, and the Brain/Bone marrow washing exercises of Chi Kung, which also call for you to raise energy through your spine to the crown shakra. Kind of independant confirmation of the same physical/psychic phenomenon.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by chen zhen
I have seen many people go crazy or just plain weird after doing Kundalini. It can be dangerous.

Can you elaborate, please?

IronFist

[Shuul Vis]

well ironfist i thought i gave a decent description of some of the negative side effects.

[Starchaser107]

if what you say is true shuul vis, then that would explain alot.
care to share other findings , if any on kundalini.

[Shuul Vis]

Everything i said is true. I think it sucks that people are so interested in things like kundalini and think to themselves that they are going to actually practice the methods to raise it very diligently and then when someone gives real experiences they have had with it, they just laugh it off. For a large portion of my life i have lived near and had contact with the people of New Vrindavin, a very large hindu community built in the appalacian mountains near where i was born. Many people from the community have studied kundalini and many other meditation methods both there and in India. Numerous gurus from many different factions of hinduism have visited there and given lectures and seminars. These people have helped point me in the right direction with these practices so i do have some idea what im saying about it, but i am in no way an authority on the subject of kundalini. Basically all i have to say about it is the experiences i posted earlier and that it is a very potent and risky method of attainment considering that there are many safer methods available.

[QuaiJohnCain]

Good subject.... I sometimes think Glenny suffers what TCM calls "fire in the brain"... Almost everything he did, he did wrong, IMO. His method to getting it was simply running the micro orbit until something ripped up his spine. DANGEROUS. He did not do muscle/tendon change, nor did he do the macro orbit or the 8 extraordinary channels.

Within neigong, the equivalent of Kundalini is Marrow/Brain Washing (Shi Swei) when chi is brought through the water path in the spine to the upper dan tien, versus the fire path which is used in the basic micro orbit.

Kundalini Yoga is very unrefined compared to Qigong, and is indeed dangerous to practice, especially as I have seen it taught in the US or Europe. What Yogi Bhajan teaches is not the real thing.

[QuaiJohnCain]

Originally posted by IronFist

And what are the dangers of doing so? He said some person went through 20 years of hell or something before she got it under control, but I've only read the first 45 pages or so so I don't really know the whole story (maybe he mentions more later).

IronFist

Going psycho, endocrine problems, getting locked into a trance (permanently), death.

[CaptinPickAxe]

kundalini? some off as s form of meditation? how does it differ form normal meditation?

[IronFist]

Hmm, so what's a safer alternative?

Do any alternatives have the same positive benefits? (like superior health, psychic-type stuff, etc.)

Shuul Vis, your first post was very informative, I just wanted chen zhen to elaborate.

IronFist

[Oso]

I'm serious fellas, read that book. I believe it gives a pretty accurate depiction of getting in too deep and just barely getting control at the end. and a helluva good read.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Oso
Find the book "Kundalini Equation" by Steven Barnes. It's out of print but not hard to find at all. It is fiction but a lot of it jives with other information i've read on kundalini meditation/work. If nothing else, it's a helluva read. Kinda scary and maybe a cautionary statement on the practice.

That book? It's fiction. Um, can you really learn a lot from a fiction book?

IronFist

[Shuul Vis]

To Ironfist:
If its the "psychic stuff" you are interested in developing, which is what i think attracts most people including myself to kundalini anyway, look into the much safer and easier methods of zazen and shikantaza which are Zen Buddhism meditation practices. These are very easy to understand and perform correctly, unlike kundalini, yet will provide results quickly. Both methods are extremely simple and require daily practice with continuous enthusiasm, but will provide the results you are looking for. Look into these two practices, kundalini isnt worth the hassle man, seriously.

[IronFist]

Shuul Vis, the psychic stuff would be cool, but I'm actually more interested in the "not getting sick anymore" stuff. I tend to get sick a lot and I'd like to not get sick anymore.

But I wouldn't say no to some cool psychic stuff either.

IronFist

[Oso]

IF, if you don't read it you won't know will you? suit yourself, though.

[Marky]

Hi Ironfist,

All branches of Yoga are different paths to the same goal. That being said, while other Yogis will walk the path, Kundalini Yoga is the equivalent of taking a bus. Unfotunately, much like taking a bus in real life, you run the risk of showing up at the destination far too early.

"Enlightenment" creates an amplification of the practitioner on the mental and spiritual levels. For most Yogis the mental amplification isn't of great concern because they've spent years reducing their ego (as well as their mental reactions to stimuli in the world around them) nearly to zero. Unfortunately, Kundalini Yoga doesn't necessarily give a person time to prepare their mind for that "amplification". So a person who's prone to get angry will might start flying off the handle and become physically violent more often, and a sad person might sink into depression. For anyone who wants Kundalini merely for the "powers" that come with it, expect delusions of invincibility, as well as an outcome so different from what was expected that the person might appear "crazy". But I can assure you, any negative results derived from Kundalini Yoga are strictly the fault of the practitioner (who is often ill-informed), and not the fault of the system. There is no magic pill that gives "magic powers" to a person who wants them for their soul benefit (and that's all anyone seems to want it for).

That being said, if you're looking to stay healthy, read "The Spiritual Science of Kriya Yoga" by Goswami Kriyananda. However, this book would only be good if you're looking to stay healthy while moving toward attaining the Kundalini rising. If you're really ONLY looking to stay healthy, there are far easier ways than through this book.

[Repulsive Monkey]

In fact to be honest the equivalent in Qi Gong is to just raise the Shen.

[fa_jing]

Actually you should read the book I recommended, since it is non-fictional and written by someone who actually went through the experience. He recounted that even in India, it was extremely difficult to find someone who actually knew what they were talking about w/respect to this. Basically you create an energy path from your balls up through your spine that feeds your brain. The author ended up with visions and eventually claimed to have written poetry in human languages he had never heard in his life. If true, it would be like making your brain like a radio tower that picked up signals from the human collective consciousness.

The book is a great read, will set you trippin' without the use of psycholdelics.

[_William_]

Hi, Shuul Vis:

I heard Israel Regardie stated that it is necessary to work with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram for a year before starting Middle Pillar, is this true?

Also, is it necessary to vibrate the God-names out loud? I don't like having to freak out my family members. ;)

Thanks.

[IronFist]

Oso said:
IF, if you don't read it you won't know will you? suit yourself, though.

Relax. I'll check it out at Borders.

Marky said:
(the bus analogy)

Cool, that made sense.

That being said, if you're looking to stay healthy, read "The Spiritual Science of Kriya Yoga" by Goswami Kriyananda. However, this book would only be good if you're looking to stay healthy while moving toward attaining the Kundalini rising. If you're really ONLY looking to stay healthy, there are far easier ways than through this book.

What would be a "far easier way?"

fa_jiing said:
Actually you should read the book I recommended,

I'll check that one out at Borders, too.

IronFist

[Oso]

I wasn't tense about it. Otherwise I would have said something like:

Hey...you ****whit, read the goddamed book.

:D

anyway, here's a link to the author's website. The title is out of print but I seem to be able to find it rather often in used book stores. If you can't find a copy PM me and I'll send you a copy, free.

http://www.lifewrite.com/lifewriting_bookstore.htm

and Steven's other books are dang good as well.

I had never heard of kundalini till this book. read it. got scared. did a little research and non-fiction sources paralleled the book.
so, imo, the author at least did some good research if not had some first hand experience.

cast not yee doubt upon sci-fi, sometimes it's just carefully disguised truth.

[Oso]

No. Her dad didn't like me so she had to stop seeing me.
























































surprised no one thought of that one already:)

[turbo76]

:)

[Oso]

kundalini is a specific manifestation of your chi.

[turbo76]

:)

[Oso]

I don't have any personal experience. sorry. shuul vis seems to be the guy to ask. I've just read a bit about it. google turns up a lot.

[Marky]

"What would be a "far easier way?"(of staying healthy)-- Ironfist

Diet and exercise, duh.

Kriya Yoga (and most types of Yoga) follow an eight-fold path called Ashtanga.

Basically, there are four physical levels and four mental levels.

((I'm only going to give English translations, not the original Indian/Sanskrit/whatever))

1. Restraints:
a. non-violence
b. non-lying
c. non-stealing
d. non-sensuality
e. non-greed

2. Observances:
a. cleanliness
b. contentment
c. austerity
d. self-study
e. devotion

3. Physical Exercises
a. body cleansing and diet
b. postures

4. Breath Control

5. Concentration

6. Thought Control

7. Meditation

8. "Enlightenment"


It is most common to practice the first two paths together, and when you are sufficiently skilled, begin practicing the next two levels as well, and so on. As you can see, this goes far beyond a "way of staying healthy". To a degree, you could practice the third path alone and stay physically healthy (and the fourth as well for much greater benefit), but practicing the first two will cultivate not only physical and mental health but happiness as well. And of course, most people disregard the mental levels entirely, except some people sit still for a little while and think, calling it "mediation", which is a far cry from the meditation of Yoga, which is anything but a "sit and think" scenario (as you can see from the list above!).

So even if you were only interested in health, you could use "The Science of Kriya Yoga" that I mentioned earlier, and benefit greatly from it. However, there are probably many books from western culture that are ENTIRELY about physical health. Personally, however, I've never found better exercises than the yoga postures. And this book has A LOT of postures, though they're categorized according to their benefit to the different core chakras, which might be more holistic than what you're looking for. Each posture description also list the spiritual benefits on top of the physical benefits, which might not be what you're looking for.

[IronFist]

Marky said:
Each posture description also list the spiritual benefits on top of the physical benefits, which might not be what you're looking for.

No, that still sounds cool.

IronFist

[IronFist]

Ok, so I just checked this Kundalini Yoga video out from the library by some chick named Carol Carlson and then in parentheses it says (sat nam kaur). I guess that's her Indian name or something.

Ok, anyway, I just watched the first 30 minutes of it and basically it's all

"Do this posture and do breath of fire"

"then do this posture and do breath of fire"

Is that all Kundalini yoga is? Postures and breath of fire?

From reading Glenn Morris I got the impression that he opened the Kundalini through sitting meditation.

IronFist

[Chang Style Novice]

Is Kundalini that tall, goth-y redhead with the snake tattoo right above her crack who hangs out on Thursday happy hour drinking Vodka Gibsons? I got to second base with her, but I was really hammered.

[fa_jing]

There's some really funny footage from the Woodstock festival of a hippy trying to teach Kundalini to a bunch of drunk young people.

Iron - apparently Kundalini, as with many devotions nowadays has been watered down, popularized and commercialized. Soon there will be "Kundilinyizers" being sold on late night TV for $19.99. The real deal is some serious sh!t and an extensive undertaking.

[IronFist]

Where can I find info on the real deal?

IronFist

[fa_jing]

The book is Kundalini, an autobiography of Gopi Krishnan:

I say,on the basis of my experience that the human brain is still in a state of organic evolution.I say this in contradiction of the views held by most leading biologists at this moment. If the brain is still in the process of organic growth to reach a predetermined target,it means thet there is purpose in human existance and that evolution is planned. If evolution is planned it follows that there is intelligence behind the whole phenomenon of life on earth....Solitude and nature are absolutely necessary for the proper development of human being.

Its an admixture of natural life,lived in solitude,amid beautiful surroundings of nature and what we call an arboreal life,which is absolutely necessary for the poise and harmony of the human mind.Otherwise it becomes too much distracted and that distraction is fatal for its evolution toward a higher dimension of conscousness.

The blunder made by us at present is to put the human mind in surroundings among machines,speede cars,and airplanes which do not allow it to have that repose and calm environment where it can grow in the right direction..... What I further affirm is that the human brain is evolving toward that state of transhuman perception through the activit of an organic mechanism named Kundalini by the ancients...I say that this biological evolution is carring all the race towards a higher state of consciousness,the same state possesed by the great prophets like Buddha and Christ.....What I firmly assert is that human consciousness is evolving toward a Predetermined Target ,which I have experienced....

".....I sat breathing slowly and rhythmically, my attention drawn towards the crown of my head, contemplating an imaginary lotus in full bloom, radiating light.I sat steadily, unmoving and erect, my thoughts uninterruptedly centered on the shining lotus, intent on keeping my attention from wandering and bringing it back again and again whenever it moved in any other direction..... My whole being was so engrossed in the contemplation of the lotus that for several minutes at a time I lost touch with my body and surroundings..... The only object of which I was aware was a lotus of brilliant color, emitting rays of light....

During one such spell of intense concentration I suddenly felt a strange sensation below the base of the spine, at the place touching the seat, while I sat cross-legged on a folded blanket spread on the floor.The sensation was so extraordinary and so pleasing that my attention was forcibly drawn towards it....Thinking it to be a trick played by my imagination to relax the tension, I dismissed the matter from my mind and brought my attention back to the point from which it had wandered....

Suddenly, with a roar like that of a waterfall, I felt a stream of liquid light entering my brain through the spinal cord.Entirely unprepared for such a development, I was completely taken by surprise, but regaining self-control instantaneously, I remained sitting in the same posture, keeping my mind on the point of concentration.The illumination grew brighter and brighter, the roaring louder.I experienced a rocking sensation and then felt myself slipping out of my body, entirely enveloped in a halo of light....I was no longer myself....but instead was a vast circle of consciousness in which the body was but a point, bathed in light and in a state of exaltation and happiness impossible to describe...."

[fa_jing]

This mechanism is the real cause of all genuine spiritual and psychic phenomena,the biological basis of evolution and developmeny of personality,the secret origin of all esoteric and occult doctrines,the master key to the unsolved mystery of creation,the inexhaustible source of philosophy,art,and science,and the fountain head of all religious faiths,past,present and future.... It can be accelerated though the discipline of Yoga or through other religous exercises....

The human cerebrospinal system is capable of a new amazing activity that is still unknown to science.The practice of meditation,carried on in the proper way regularly for a sufficient duration of time ,tends to force a normaly silant region in the brain to an astonishing activity.... The idea that under the direct influence of the Cosmic Life Energy the human brain is still in a state of organic evolution is a fact so important that,compared to it,all other discoveries of modern science pale into insignificance.

What I am revealing is not knowledge picket up by study or gained through reflection but gathered from my day-to-day experience for years on end " - Gopi Krishna ( from his books )

[fa_jing]

http://www.ecomall.com/gopikrishna/

[greendragon]

I did some kundalini with no ill effects. a person can get just as over-fired with chi-gung if he pushes the natural processes.
IronFist, Sat Nam kriya is the name of an exercise where "sat nam" is chanted while opening the abdominal "locks", kind of a breathing meditation. As far as health goes, the basic meditation is to GRADUALLY open the crown chakra on top of the head like a camera aperature and call upon the "triune ray" to fill the body with light. Blockages and negativity are dissolved or released into the light. Not unlike dissolving blockages in standing chi kung meditation. Although the chakra will close naturally, you must not let it become stuck open or you may end up following the Grateful Dead around.