Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini (11 page)

Shaṅkara has disclosed the contraction process which is a part of the mantra process in rousing Kundalini in Kundaliniyoga. The contraction process comprises locks (bandhas) in conjunction with pranayama.

Shaṅkara says that by the application of the anal-lock (mulabandha), navel-lock (uddinabandha = uddiyanabandha) and neck (or chin) lock (jalandharabandha) (in conjunction with sahita kumbhaka) Kundalini is roused and enters into the sushumna (that is, the brahma nadi lying within the sushumna). Moreover, he states that sahita kumbhaka, practised in conjunction with anal-, navel-, and chin-locks, finally develops into kewala kumbhaka (automatic breath-suspension)
²²
.

Tailaṅga Swami
²³
, the great yoga master, has also mentioned the contraction process. He says
²⁴
: By the application of the contraction process (consisting of different locks) the door of Kundalini should be opened, and the passage leading to liberation (that is, the chitrini nadi in which the chakras are strung) should be pierced (by Kundalini). This yoga (that is, Kundaliniyoga) should be practised after hearing the Wedanta (that is, purifying the mind by hearing and thinking of Brahman).

The well-known Tantrika yogi Ramaprasada
²⁵
has recounted his experiences of Kundaliniyoga in some of the spiritual songs (Padawali) he composed. He relates
²⁶
that the muladhara contains 4 petals in which are situated the ‘earth’ principle and Power Dakini, and here lies Kundalini in 3½ coils round Shiwa (Swayambhu-linga); the swadhishthana has 6 petals where the deities Wishnu and Waruna, and Power Rakini reside; the manipura has 10 petals and a triangular region containing the bija of Wahni, and Power Lakini resides here; the anahata has 12 petals and a hexagonal region in the pericarp containing the wayubija; there resides Power Kamini (Kakini); the sixteen-petalled lotus wishuddha contains vowels (the first 16 matrika-letters) and there the Deity Wishnu is seated on naga (the celebrated serpent) or on an elephant, and Power Shakini; the dwidala (the two-petalled, that is, ajña) is situated in the space between the eyebrows; on its petals are the matrika-letters ‘hang’ and ‘kshang’; there is situated chandrabija (‘thang’), from which nectar oozes; here are also Shiwa-linga (Itara-linga), a circle and a triangle; it is the seat of the mind. This is the clear picture of the chakras. Ramaprasada also states
²⁶
that Kulakundalini is in the muladhara; she is also in the sahasrara and the chintamanipura (hrit chakra); concentration (on chakras, deities, etc.) is to be done in the interior of the body according to the instructions of the guru: there is Brahma, and four other deities; Dakini and five other Powers; the lord of elephants (gajendra), makara, ram, black antelope and the second elephant, the realization of these occurs when there is automatic breath-suspension (in deep concentration). Ramaprasada’s own chosen place for concentration is the hrit chakra (Padawali, Nos 126, 142, 161); his own experience is that Kundalini is in the muladhara as well as in the sahasrara (No 107); he says that there are four Shiwas residing in the muladhara, swadhishthana, throat-region (wishuddha) and the eyebrow space (ajña) (No 104); Srinatha (Supreme Shiwa) is in the thousand-petalled lotus (No 104); a yogi always does concentration on Kundalini in form in the muladhara and sahasrara (No 156). All these statements indicate that he had full knowledge of the chakras and realized Kundalini and the chakras directly in yoga.

Ramakrishna
²⁷
, the great yogi, spiritual teacher and prophet, has expressed his own experiences of Kundalini and the chakras
²⁸
. He ‘saw’ how Kundalini, being roused, ascends through the sushumna (in fact, through the brahma nadi), and as Kundalini enters into a chakra, the chakra turns its face upward and ‘blooms’. He saw that the roused Kundalini passes from the muladhara to the swadhishthana and then to the manipura and the other chakras, and finally, to the sahasrara. He says that the chakra system is like a plant with branches and flowers all made of wax, but actually they are in the nature of life-force (chinmaya). He speaks of one of his experiences, when he saw that a youthful person resembling himself, had entered the sushumna and made each chakra turn upward and open by a ‘deep contact’ with the tongue, one after another, from the bottom to the top. In this manner, he saw that the muladhara, swadhishthana, manipura, anahata, wishuddha, ajña and sahasrara had turned their heads upward and bloomed.

Ramakrishna has described the movements of Kundalini as supreme-force (mahawayu) motions. He experienced five forms of motion leading to samadhi: ant-like, frog-like, monkey-like, bird-like and snake-like; when these motions reach the sahasrara, samadhi is attained. In deep thought, he perceived Kundalini. He says that real spiritual knowledge does not arise if Kundalini is asleep, and when Kundalini passes through the different chakras, various spiritual experiences occur. According to him, Primordial Supreme Power (Adyashakti) resides in all beings (in the muladhara) as Kulakundalini, sleeping like a coiled serpent.

The celebrated Wama
²⁹
, generally known as Wama Kshepa, an accomplished Tantrika yogi, had direct perception of Kundalini and the chakras. He says
³⁰
that the first practice in yoga for the initiated Tantrikas is the rousing of Kundalini. This yoga process is very ancient and highly scientific. In Kundaliniyoga, the practitioner experiences how Kundalini-power is working in different chakras and what is happening there. There are specific experiences, associated with blissfulness, in each chakra, when Kundalini passes through it. These experiences are characteristic of the Tantrika method. In other religions there must also be some means of arousing Kundalini, otherwise it is impossible to proceed beyond the lower mental plane. Kundalini may be automatically roused in intense love, intense happiness, intense sorrow, intense pain and intense fear. But she may again return to a dormant state. This is why the guru’s guidance is so important.

From his own experiences in Kundaliniyoga, my guru has said that Kundali-power becomes dynamic in the muladhara by intense thought-concentration in combination with the mantras, pranayama and bandhas, and passes upwards through the brahma nadi, by piercing chakra after chakra, and finally reaching the sahasrara. When Kundalini reaches a chakra, the head of the chakra turns upward and the whole contents of the chakra—mahabhuta, tanmatra, Deity, Power, everything—first becomes fully illuminated by the light from Kundalini, and then are absorbed into Kundalini. When Kundalini is roused, real concentration starts, and as she goes upward, it deepens more and more. Thought-concentration of the bhutashuddhi process becomes transformed into real concentration through roused Kundalini. When thought-concentration on Kundalini becomes most intense, the chakras automatically appear in consciousness. This is the indication that Kundalini is about to be roused.

My guru has said that after the union of Kundalini with Parama Shiwa in thought-concentration in bhutashuddhi, Shiwa-Shakti should then be transformed into Ishtadewata, and is to be brought first to the sahasrara, and then to the hrit chakra, where concentration should be done. Thought-concentration on Ishtadewata is a very efficient means of transforming thought-concentration into real concentration. It is a great help in making bhutashuddhi more effective and preparing the practitioner for the practice of Kundaliniyoga.

It appears that thought-concentration on Shiwa-Shakti in form, as Ishtadewata, is also an ancient practice and part of bhutashuddhi, though usually omitted; and this is indicated in Shaṅkara’s Ananda Lahari, Verse 8.

Kundalini

Kundalini has been called Kundali-shakti (-power), that is, power in coil. The basic word is kunda or kundala meaning what is spiral or in coil. The term Kundalini or Kundali has been used in yoga in a technical sense, and can be called the spiraliform power, or energy. So Kundalini may be called ‘spiraline’. We will elaborate the technical meaning of it later.

Kundalini has been called Spirit-fire, Serpent-fire, Serpent-power, Serpentine Power, Annular Power, Cosmic Electricity, and so on. This does not help very much in understanding the real nature of Kundali-power.

On the physical plane, all energy appears as chemical, mechanical and electrical. Can we find any trace of Kundali-energy in muscular, nervous, glandular, respiratory, cardiac, alimentary and eliminative functions of the body, in cellular activities, at the atomic and subatomic levels? Is it possible to find this energy playing a part in the mental field, in perception, intellection and affectivity?

Kundali-energy cannot be identified with the energy operating in the body at all its levels, or with the tissues and structures of the body. The energy functioning in the body is physico-chemical in nature; it is derived from food, and when food is not supplied, it comes from the tissues of the body. So this energy is actually food-tissue energy. Food is converted into energy and tissues in the body on the one side, and on the other, the tissues are converted into energy to maintain the more vital parts of the body, as in inanition. If Kundalini is identified with the chemical energy, then it is also the tissues of the body. Such a gross transformation of Kundalini is contradictory to its real nature.

Is it possible to identify Kundalini with special forms of energy in the body? As, for example, muscular energy? Here, also the same objection arises. Muscular energy is essentially chemical energy derived from food. Food also becomes a part of muscle. The energy is involved in muscular contraction. Contraction is initiated by motor nervous impulses. The nervous control is not purely a nervous factor; with it the chemical factor is also involved, because at the nerve endings acetylcholine is also released.

Muscular contraction causes muscular movements. A large part of skeletal, muscular movements is carried out automatically, and it is said that they are controlled by the spinal cord and the lower brain. In everyday life we execute innumerable movements in this way. But also a very large part of skeletal muscular movements is done by volition. Over and above those willed actions which are indispensably necessary in our daily life we can execute movements for muscular growth and development. By systematic application of physical culture, an extraordinary muscular growth can be attained, and strength, speed and endurance can be developed to a very high degree. These are isotonic muscular work. But skeletal muscle can be made to exhibit a very powerful isometric contraction, which enables an expert to support on his chest a weight of 5 tons, and on his throat 1/2 a ton. This isotonic and isometric muscular work is of a conscious type. This great muscular power also depends on food. Thus, in fact, food energy is the basic part without which the body will collapse. Food, combined with muscle training, causes the development of such muscular power. We find that there is really no scope here for Kundalini.

But there are instances which indicate that there is also a possibility of attaining unusual muscular power without specific muscular training and ‘athletic’ diet. The author knows a number of hatha yogis who have demonstrated extraordinary strength and endurance. Their bodies are not of the athletic type, but graceful. How has this been possible? We cannot introduce Kundalini here, as the basic energy part is still chemical. The question is whether ‘will’ can do so, and if it can, whether Kundalini is involved in it.

By the application of will on skeletal muscle, a particular muscle or a particular group of muscles can be isolated and controlled; different degrees of contraction can be attained; contraction can be made hard as stone; controlled movements of the diaphragm, control of sphincter muscles, and full relaxation of muscles are achieved. This voluntary control
³¹
can be developed to an extent when it is possible to attain the following: the passing of the fluid contents through the alimentary canal, urethral suction of fluid and air, voluntary ejaculatory control and very powerful voluntary vaginal contraction.

It is generally thought that this muscular control indicates mental influence on muscles. But it is not so simple. Mind cannot be in contact with the muscle. The brain and mind are bridged by nadi and subconscious mechanisms. The will, being patterned into a definite thought and purpose, develops as conation. This is the extreme mental border. Thereafter, conative impulses are generated and pass in an unconscious form the bridge mechanism and are finally transferred to an appropriate brain area. Then they take the usual course—the motor impulses to the muscles. This ‘will’ is not effective without the help of the nerve force. Such a weak will cannot be the seat of Kundalini, and as the will is associated with chemical energy for its final effectiveness, it cannot be identified with Kundalini and without Kundalini the will, combined with nerve force, can do extraordinary things in the body.

What about extraordinary muscular strength demonstrated by the hatha yogis without physical culture? The yogis are able to concentrate pranic force by pranayama and to direct it through the nervous mechanism to the skeletal muscles. We shall come to this factor later.

Can Kundalini-energy be identified with nerve energy? The energy system operating in the nervous system is not different from the other systems of the body. Basically, it is physico-chemical, but the metabolism in the brain is slight in comparison with other parts of the body. This is why the brain is extremely resistant to the effects of inanition. Though its loss of mass is very slight, there is still some loss, which indicates its dependence on chemical energy. The electrical power, exhibited especially in nerve impulses, functions on the basis of chemical energy, and not without it. Nerve impulses are intrinsically associated with the nerve structure. The electrical phenomena in the nerves may be a replication of the particles-energy system at the atomic level. Here too, the energy is unconscious in nature, and is associated with extremely minute matter and these are inter-changeable. So Kundalini cannot be identified with the brain or any nerve structure or nerve energy.