Awakening the Kundalini

 

MOTHER KUNDALINI'S PRAYER



Mother Kundalini, wake up!

The Bliss of Brahman, whose essence is Eternal Bliss.

Thou, who sleeps like a snake on Muladhara's lotus,

Do thou bless me and leave thy place at the simple lotus, for I am sore, affected, and troubled in body and mind.

Taking thy upward path across the central canal, Consort of Siva, the Self-caused Lord of the Universe.

Svadhishthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Vishuddha, and Ajna were left behind.

Join thyself to Siva, thy Lord and God.

At Sahasrara, the brain's thousand-petaled lotus.

O Mother, Giver of Supreme Bliss, play openly there.

Mother, that is Life, Wisdom, and Absolute Bliss.

Mother Kundalini, wake up! Get up.


 

EXPERIENCES ON AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI


During meditation you behold divine visions, experience divine smell, divine taste, divine touch, hear divine Anahata sounds. You receive instructions from God. These indicate that the Kundalini Shakti has been awakened. When there is throbbing in Muladhara, when hairs stand on their roots, when Uddiyana, Jalandhara and Mulabandha come involuntarily, know that Kundalini has awakened. When the breath stops without any effort, when Kevala Kumbhaka comes by itself without any exertion, know that Kundalini Shakti has become active. When you feel currents of Prana rising up to the Sahasrara, when you experience bliss, when you repeat Om automatically, when there are no thoughts of the world in the mind, know that Kundalini Shakti has awakened. 

When, in your meditation, the eyes become fixed on Trikuti, the middle of the eyebrows, when the Shambhavi Mudra operates, know that Kundalini has become active. When you feel vibrations of Prana in different parts inside your body, when you experience jerks like the shocks of electricity, know that Kundalini has become active. During meditation when you feel as if there is no body, when your eyelids become closed and do not open in spite of your exertion, when electric-like currents flow up and down the nerves, know that Kundalini has awakened. When you meditate, when you get inspiration and insight, when the nature unfolds its secrets to you, all doubts disappear, you understand clearly the meaning of the Vedic texts, know that Kundalini has become active. 

When your body becomes light like air, when you have a balanced mind in perturbed condition, when you possess inexhaustible energy for work, know that Kundalini has become active. When you get divine intoxication, when you develop power of oration, know that Kundalini has awakened. When you involuntarily perform different Asanas or poses of Yoga without the least pain or fatigue, know that Kundalini has become active. When you compose beautiful sublime hymns and poetry involuntarily, know that Kundalini has become active.


THE GRADATIONAL ASCENT OF THE MIND


The Chakras are centers of Shakti as vital force. In other words, these are centers of Pranashakti manifested by Pranavayu in the living body, the presiding Devatas of which are the names for the Universal Consciousness as It manifests in the form of these centers. The Chakras are not perceptible to the gross senses. Even if they were perceptible in the living body which they help to organize, they disappear with the disintegration of organism at death. 

Purity of mind leads to perfection in Yoga. Regulate your conduct when you deal with others. Have no feeling of jealousy towards others. Be compassionate. Do not hate sinners. Be kind to all. Success in Yoga will be rapid if you put your maximum energy in your Yogic practice. You must have a keen longing for liberation and intense Vairagya also. You must be sincere and earnest. Intense and constant meditation is necessary for entering into Samadhi. The mind of a worldly man with base desires and passions moves in the Muladhara and Svadhishthana Chakras or centers situated near the anus and the reproductive organ respectively. 

If one’s mind becomes purified the mind rises to the Manipura Chakra or the center in the navel and experiences some power and joy. If the mind becomes more purified, it rises to the Anahata Chakra or center in the heart, experiences bliss and visualizes the effulgent form of the Ishta Devata or the tutelary deity. When the mind gets highly purified, when meditation and devotion become intense and profound the mind rises to Visuddha Chakra or the center in the throat, and experiences more and more powers and bliss. Even when the mind has reached this center, there is a possibility for it to come down to the lower centers. When the Yogi reaches the Ajna Chakra or the center between the two eyebrows he attains Samadhi and realizes the Supreme Self, or Brahman. 

There is a slight sense of separateness between the devotee and Brahman. If he reaches the spiritual center in the brain, the Sahasrara Chakra, the thousand-petalled lotus, the Yogi attains Nirvikalpa Samadhi or superconscious state. He becomes one with the non-dual Brahman. All sense of separateness dissolves. This is the highest plane of consciousness or supreme Asamprajnata Samadhi. Kundalini unites with Siva. The Yogi may come down to the center in the throat to give instructions to the students and do good to others (Lokasamgraha). The mind of a worldly man with base desires and passions moves in the Muladhara and Svadhishthana Chakras or centers situated near the anus and the reproductive organ respectively. If one’s mind becomes purified the mind rises to the Manipura Chakra or the center in the navel and experiences some power and joy. 

If the mind becomes more purified, it rises to the Anahata Chakra or center in the heart, experiences bliss and visualizes the effulgent form of the Ishta Devata or the tutelary deity. When the mind gets highly purified, when meditation and devotion become intense and profound the mind rises to Visuddha Chakra or the center in the throat, and experiences more and more powers and bliss. Even when the mind has reached this center, there is a possibility for it to come down to the lower centers. When the Yogi reaches the Ajna Chakra or the center between the two eyebrows he attains Samadhi and realizes the Supreme Self, or Brahman. 

There is a slight sense of separateness between the devotee and Brahman. If he reaches the spiritual center in the brain, the Sahasrara Chakra, the thousand-petalled lotus, the Yogi attains Nirvikalpa Samadhi or superconscious state. He becomes one with the non-dual Brahman. All sense of separateness dissolves. This is the highest plane of consciousness or supreme Asamprajnata Samadhi. Kundalini unites with Siva. The Yogi may come down to the center in the throat to give instructions to the students and do good to others (Lokasamgraha).


PRANAYAMA FOR AWAKENING KUNDALINI



When you practice the following, concentrate on the Muladhara Chakra at the base of the spinal column, which is triangular in form and which is the seat of the Kundalini Shakti. Close the right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale through the left nostril till you count 3 Oms slowly. Imagine that you are drawing the Prana with the atmospheric air. Then close the left nostril with your little and ring fingers of the right hand. Then retain the breath for 12 Oms. Send the current down the spinal column straight into the triangular lotus, the Muladhara Chakra. Imagine that the nerve-current is striking against the lotus and awakening the Kundalini. Then slowly exhale through the right nostril counting 6 Oms. Repeat the process from the right nostril as stated above, using the same units, and having the same imagination and feeling. This Pranayama will awaken the Kundalini quickly. Do it 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening. Increase the number and time gradually and cautiously according to your strength and capacity. In this Pranayama, concentration on the Muladhara Chakra is the important thing. Kundalini will be awakened quickly if the degree of concentration is intense and if the Pranayama is practiced regularly.


KUNDALINI PRANAYAMA



In this Pranayama, the Bhavana is more important than the ratio between Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka. Sit in Padma or Siddha Asana, facing the East or the North. After mentally prostrating to the lotus-feet of the Sat-guru and reciting Stotras in praise of God and Guru, commence doing this Pranayama which will easily lead to the awakening of the Kundalini. Inhale deeply, without making any sound. As you inhale, feel that the Kundalini lying dormant in the Muladhara Chakra is awakened and is going up from Chakra to Chakra. At the conclusion of the Puraka, have the Bhavana that the Kundalini has reached the Sahasrara. The more vivid the visualization of Chakra after Chakra, the more rapid will be your progress in this Sadhana. Retain the breath for a short while. 

Repeat the Pranava or your Ishta Mantra. Concentrate on the Sahasrara Chakra. Feel that by the Grace of Mother Kundalini, the darkness of ignorance enveloping your soul has been dispelled. Feel that your whole being is pervaded by light, power and wisdom. Slowly exhale now. And, as you exhale feel that the Kundalini Shakti is gradually descending from the Sahasrara, and from Chakra to Chakra, to the Muladhara Chakra. Now begin the process again. It is impossible to extol this wonderful Pranayama adequately. It is the magic wand for attaining perfection very quickly. Even a few days’ practice will convince you of its remarkable glory. Start from today, this very moment. May God bless you with joy, bliss and immortality.