YOGA, AYURVEDA, AND SIDDHA MEDICINE

The original Indian system of medicine is known as Ayurveda ("Science of Life"), which is typically written as a single word in English.

Ayurveda is basically naturopathic medicine, stressing prevention while also offering a wide range of treatments. 

It is used alongside modern treatment in India and is promoted as a way of life for people seeking excellent health and longevity. 

• Although it cannot be considered a philosophical tradition, Ayurveda is based on Hindu metaphysics. 

• The old Atharva-Veda is usually thought to be supplemented by the Ayurveda. 

• The oldest documented ideas on anatomy, as well as curative and preventative medicine, may be found in this holy text. 

Ayurveda is often considered as a fifth branch, or "collection," of the Vedic legacy, due to its cultural significance. 

• According to legend, the Ayurvedic body of knowledge initially consisted of 100,000 stanzas collected in a book with over a thousand chapters. 

• While medicine was certainly performed in the early Vedic period, no complete work has survived to the present day. 

The Sushruta Samhita and the Caraka-Samhita are the oldest surviving medical texts of encyclopedic breadth. 

The previous work dates back to pre-Buddhist periods in certain parts, but it was only finished in its current shape in the early years of the Common Era. 

• In the Mahabharata ( l.4.55), Sushruta is described as the grandson of King Gadhi and the son of the sage Vishvamitra, which, according to the corrected chronology used in this book, places him approximately sixty-two generations before the Bharata war, or around 3000 e.C.E. 

• Sushruta's name literally means "well heard," implying that he was especially adept at hearing and comprehending information. 

It's impossible to say how much of the original medical information may be discovered in the surviving Sushruta Samhita. 

• We do know, however, that there were competent doctors throughout the Vedic Era, according to hymns in the Rig-Veda and Atharva-Veda. 

• Around 800 c.E., the later medical collection, which was also constantly updated, was most likely given its current form. 

• However, its purported creator, Caraka, lived several centuries earlier, since he is believed to have been King Kanishka's court-physician (781 20 C.E.). 

Caraka's name recalls us that ancient doctors used to wander (cara) from place to place providing their medical services, albeit maybe not the famous Caraka himself. 

According to the Sushruta Samhitd ( l. l.59), the Ayur-Vedic system of medicine is divided into eight branches: 

( I ) surgery;

(2) treatment of diseases of the neck and head; 

(3) treatment of physical diseases of the torso, arms, and legs; 

(4) treatment of childhood diseases; 

(5) processes for counteracting baneful occult influences; 

(6) treatment of childhood diseases ( vajikarana). 

The formal resemblance between Ayurveda and Patanjali's eightfold Yoga, which has been noted by Hindu authorities, is entirely accidental, but certain traditional authorities have taken note of it. 

Ayurveda and Yoga, on the other hand, share a number of significant ideas and practices. 

Most importantly, the writers and editors of the aforementioned medical reference books embraced the Yoga Samkhya tradition's philosophy. 

• As a result, the Sushruta-Samhita seems to have been altered at some time in the light of ishvara Krishna's dualist method of thinking, as outlined in his Samkhya Karikd. 

• On the other hand, the Caraka-Samhita includes echoes of epic Samkhya Yoga philosophies. 

• It's also worth noting that some ancient Sanskrit interpreters thought that the same Patanjali who authored the Yoga-Sutra also penned a renowned grammar treatise and a treatise on medicine. 

Both Ayurveda and Yoga emphasize the interconnectedness of the body and mind. 

Physical disorders may have a negative impact on the psyche, and mental imbalance can contribute to a variety of illnesses. 

• A healthy existence, according to Ayurveda, must be both joyful (sukha) and morally decent (hita). 

• A happy life, according to Ayurvedic definition, is one that is physically, intellectually, morally, and even smart. 

• The Yoga literature also emphasizes the close connection between ethical behavior and happiness. 

The Ayurvedic experts advise cultivating calm, self-knowledge, and caution. 

• Self-actualization (in Abraham Maslow's meaning) was integrated into Hindu doctors' medical philosophy and practice. 

• We can easily see how such a life would provide a solid foundation for pursuing the spiritual goal of Self-realization (atma-jnana). 

• David Frawley goes so far as to declare in his book Ayurveda and the Mind, "Ayurveda is the healing branch of yogic science." Ayurveda's spiritual component is yoga. 

Yoga's therapeutic component is known as Ayurveda. 

The idea of the different life currents (vayu) in the body, which dates back to the AtharvaVeda, is a significant link between AyurVeda and Yoga. 

• The various kinds of life energy (prana) are believed to flow via thirteen conduits (nadis) according to medical experts, while the HathaYoga texts typically cite fourteen such major channels. 

• A difference is often drawn between these conduits and bigger ducts (known as dhamanf) that transport fluids such as blood. 

• The Ayurvedic concept of this network of channels differs significantly from the Tantric approach, which focuses more on the subtle body. 

• The significance of starting breath control practice in the appropriate season is acknowledged in Hatha-Yoga. 

Ayurveda provides the medical foundation for this tradition, according to which the body humors (dosha) fluctuate with the seasons. 

The doshas are also mentioned in a number of Yoga texts, such as the fifth-century Yoga-Bhashya (1.30), which defines disease as a "imbalance of the components (dhatu) or the activity of the secretions (rasa)." 

Vacaspati Mishra, in his nineteenth-century interpretation on this scripture, argues that the components are air (vata), bile (pitta), and phlegm (kapha), or the doshas. 

• This is medical terminology. 

• The doshas are also often mentioned in Hatha-Yoga literature, which is concerned with the body's optimum functioning. 

• The correct balance of body components is thought to be the key to good health. 

• These may be found all throughout the body, although in varying concentrations at different locations. 

Vata rules the neurological system, heart, large intestines, lungs, bladder, and pelvis, whereas pitta rules the liver, spleen, small intestines, endocrine glands, blood, and sweat, and kapha rules the joints, mouth, head and neck, stomach, lymph, and adipose tissue. 

• Vata builds up below the navel, kapha builds up above the diaphragm, and pitta builds up between the diaphragm and the navel. 

Ayurveda also identifies seven kinds of tissue (dhdtu) and three impure substances (ma/a) in addition to the three doshas. 

• Blood plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), flesh (mamsa), fat (meda), hone (asthi), bone marrow (majjan), and sperm (semen) are the dhatus (shukra). 

• Feces (purisha), urine (mutra), and perspiration are the ma/as, or waste products (sveda, lit. "sweat"). 

• These physical components are also addressed in the Yoga texts on occasion. 

This is also true of the susceptible or sensitive zones (marman), which the Rig Veda previously mentions (6.75 . 1 8). 

There are 107 marmans, which are essential links between flesh and muscle, bones, joints, and sinews, or between veins, according to Ayurveda. 

• As part of the Chinese and Japanese martial arts' hidden knowledge, a strong strike to certain of these marmans may result in death. 

• Kalarippayattu, a South Indian martial art, identifies 1 60 to 220 such sensitive spots in the body. 

• The body is divided into three levels in this system: the fluid body (which includes tissue and waste products), the solid body (which includes muscles, bones, and the marmans), and the subtle body (which includes important energy pathways and collecting places). 

Injury to a marman disrupts the flow of the wind element, resulting in serious bodily issues that may lead to death. 

• A quick slap to the wounded region may sometimes restore the flow of life energy and therefore avoid the worst from happening. 

• The marmans rely on the flow of prana, and there are no marmans without priina. 

• The moon regulates the flow of life energy via these sensitive points. 

In ancient Hindu sexology, a similar teaching advises stimulating certain sensitive regions on the woman's body only on certain lunar days. 

Some Yoga texts, such as the Shandilya-Upanishad ( 1. 8. 1 f. ), mention about eighteen marmans, while the Kshurikii-Upanishad ( 1 4) says the yogin should use the "mind's keen blade" to cut through these important places. 

• In other words, the marmans seem to be seen as obstructions in the flow of the life energy that may be cleared by focus and breath control. 

• The notion of ojas, or vital energy, which is described in the Atharva-Veda, is one that both Ayurveda and Yoga share (2. 1 7 . 1 ). 

• Both systems use different methods to increase ojas (the "lower" kind). 

• Sexual abstinence is the most commonly advised technique for increasing vital force in Yoga.

Hunger, bad nutrition, overwork, anger, and worry—all the physical and emotional conditions that drain one's enthusiasm for life—decrease Ojas with age. 

Their polar opposites produce ojas, which ensures excellent health. 

• When ojas levels are low for a long time, it causes degenerative illnesses and premature aging. 

• Ojas is found throughout the body, but it is particularly concentrated in the heart, which also serves as the physical anchoring for awareness. 

• While there are half a handful of "lower ojas" in the body, there are only eight droplets of "upper ojas" in the heart, according to Cakrapani's commentary on the Caraka-Samhita. 

• The smallest waste of this essential energy is believed to result in death, and it cannot be replaced. 

Hatha-Yoga and Ayurveda also use purification methods, such as self-induced vomiting (vamana) and physical cleaning (dhauti). 

These methods have a beneficial impact on the body's metabolism, among other things. 

• Furthermore, Ayurveda recognizes thirteen types of internal heat (agni), among which the digestive heat (jathara-agni) is often addressed by Hatha-Yoga experts. 

• Physical well-being (arogya) is unquestionably one of Hatha-precondition Yoga's and intermediate objectives. 

Even Patanjali cites "adamantine robustness" of the body as one of the characteristics of physical perfection (kaya-sampad) in his Yoga-Sutra (3.46). 

• Patanjali talks about the perfection of the body and senses as a consequence of the decreasing of impurities as a result of asceticism in another aphorism (2.43). 

• Furthermore, he claims (2.38) that chastity provides vitality (vlrya). 

• Patanjali mentions illness (vyadhi) as one of the mind's distractions (vikshepa) that impede development in Yoga in aphorism 1.30. 

The Shiva-Svarodaya, a several hundred-year-old yogic text, emphasizes breath control as the most important method of attaining or sustaining well-being, as well as gaining esoteric knowledge and abilities, wisdom, and even liberation. 

The method of svarodaya—derived from svara ("sound [of the breath]") and udaya ("rising")—is described as a science promoted by the siddha-yogins in one verse (3 1 4). 

• A wide variety of purificatory acts are described in the Sat-Karma-Samgraha ("Compendium of Right Acts"), a Yoga book written by Cidghanananda, a student of Gaganananda of the Natha sect. 

• These are designed to prevent or treat a variety of diseases caused by bad luck or a failure to follow the recommended dietary and other regulations, such as those concerning the appropriate place and timing.

• To cure oneself, Cidghanananda instructs the yogin to first employ postures (asana) and occult medicines. 

The connection between Yoga and Ayurveda is explicitly recognized in Yogananda Natha's AyurvedaSutra, a sixteenth-century book in which the author uses Patanjali's Yoga-Sutra and also examines food and fasting as effective methods of health. 

The relative prevalence of the three gunas in food is investigated. 

• The gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—are also a component of Ayurveda's medicinal philosophy. 

• Asymmetry in the body's components or humors indicates asymmetry in the gunas, and vice versa. 

• All limited life is, in some ways, the consequence of a disequilibrium of the gunas; they are only perfectly balanced at the transcendental plane of Nature (prakriti-pradhtina). 

The three humors (dosha) are sometimes thought to be physical faults, whereas the three gunas are thought to be mental problems. 

• Wind sattva, bile rajas, and phlegm tamas are the three elements that are connected. 

• Ktiya-kalpa is an Ayurvedic practice that closely aligns with Hatha Yoga's goal of producing a long-lived, if not immortal, body. 

• This is a tough rejuvenation process that requires extended seclusion in darkness, strict food restrictions, and the use of hidden potions. 

• Tapasviji Maharaj, a modern-day saint, is said to have undergone this therapy many times, each time emerging from his solitary confinement in a dark hut looking and feeling completely revitalized. 

The medieval Siddha tradition of northern India shows a strong link between Ayurveda, Yoga, and alchemy (rasayana, from rasa "essence" or "silver" and ayana "course"). 

The followers of this significant school sought physical immortality via kaya-sadhana, or "body cultivation," a complex psychophysiological technique. 

• The many schools of Hatha-Yoga sprang from this, which may be considered the preventive branch of Hindu medicine on one level. 

• Surprisingly, one book on medicine, written by a man named Vrinda, is titled Siddha-Yoga. 

• Yoga-Shataka is the title of another medical book attributed to Nagarjuna ("Century [of Verses] on Yoga"). 

South India has developed a second separate medicinal system, which is similar to Ayurveda. This method is linked to the Siddha tradition, which originated in Tamil-speaking nations. 

• It has a stronger link to alchemy than Ayurveda and uses a huge variety of medicines derived from plants and chemicals. 

• Astrology, mantras, and medicines, which are called as mani, mantiram, and maruntu in Tamil, are its three main diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. 

• It also incorporates asanas (postures) and breath control. 

This alternative medical system, which has received little study, was established by the mythical Sage Akattiyar (Sanskrit: Agastya), who is credited with over two hundred publications. 

• He is the first of eighteen siddhas, or completely accomplished adepts, who are revered in the Indian peninsula's south. 

• Agastya was an old seer who wrote many Rig-Veda hymns, and this archaic text ( 1. 1 79) even has a dialogue between him and his wife Lohamudra. 

• He is known as being of tiny height, and he is often portrayed as a dwarf in iconography. 

• His name has long been linked to South India, where he is revered in the same way that Matsyendra Natha is revered in the north. 

Teraiyar was an adept and famous healer who was historically regarded one of Agastya's pupils yet lived as late as the fifteenth century C.E. 

• Only two of his masterpieces, the Cikamanivenpa and the Natikkottu, are still accessible (on pulse diagnosis). 

• A portion of the Noyanukaviti (on hygiene) has also been discovered. 

The following stanzas appear in the previously stated work: 

We will sleep only at night, not during the day; we will have sexual intercourse once a month; we will drink water only at meals, even if we are thirsty; we will not eat any bulbous root of any plant other than karanai; we will not eat any unripe fruit other than the tender plantain; we will take a short walk after a friendly meal; what does death have to do with us? We shall take an emetic once every six months; a purgative once every four months; naciyam once every month and a half; we shall shave the head twice every fortnight; we shall anoint ourselves with oil and bathe once every fourth day; we shall apply collyrium to the eyes every third day; we shall never smell perfumes or flowers in the middle of the night; So, what role does death play in our lives? 

The siddhas of South India, like their northern counterparts, were interested in longevity and even aspired to immortality in a transubstantiated body, as shown by the following words.

You may also want to read more about Kundalini Yoga here.

You may also want to read more about Yoga here.

You may also want to read more about Yoga Asanas and Exercises here.

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.

BRAHMARANDHRA

What Is Brahmarandhra?

The term "Brahmarandhra" refers to the Brahman's hole. It is the human soul's permanent residence.

Dasamadvara, or the tenth opening or door, is another name for this. The Brahmarandhra is the hollow spot in the crown of the head known as the anterior fontanelle of a newborn infant. Between the parietal and occipital bones is this room. 

In a baby, this part is very delicate. The growth of the head bones obliterates the child's face as he or she ages. Through this Brahmarandhra, Brahma formed the physical body and entered (Pravishat) it to provide illumination inside. 

That is how it is mentioned in some Upanishads. This is the most crucial section. It's excellent for Nirguna Dhyana (abstract meditation). 

When the Yogi splits from his physical body at death, this Brahmarandhra bursts free, allowing Prana to flow out (Kapala Moksha). 

“There are a hundred and one nerves in the heart. One of them (Sushumna) has pierced the head, and by ascending through it, one attains immortality” (Kathopanishad). 

The 'brahmarandhra,' or crevice in the crown of the head, is named after Brahman (vara or God), who is thought to have entered this body via this randhra or gap. 

By creating it, Brahman brought it to life. 

If a person is able to depart the body at the moment of death, he enters Brahmaloka, or the realm of Brahm, through this randhra. 

As a result, it is given that name. 

Only great yogis, those at the pinnacle of spiritual progress, are capable of doing so. 

Brahmarandhra and the Kundalini.

This brahmarandhra is described as the upper end of the suumn channel in Hathayoga works. 

"Brahmarandra and the Sushumna tunnel of Maha Kundalini Sakti, the primary nadi that finishes in the Kundalini chamber, are the entry and fall of the Atman into the phenomenal world through man." Like the lotus, the seed matures through time, passing through impure land, impure and pure land, and eventually pure land and fulfillment. 

Man is also said to have opened a thousand petal lotus on his head when fully matured and purified, the sahasrara chakra, as depicted in the iconography of Buddha - the awakened one. 

The growing body of knowledge about the Kundalini phenomenon has elicited a variety of viewpoints on the nature of this mysterious mechanism, its modes of operation, and how it operates in the physical body. 

Recently, there has been an effort to combine the remnants of ancient knowledge that have come down to us with information gained from the experiences of people who are currently experiencing Kundalini arousal, and to integrate this knowledge with the picture of the body/mind complex presented by modern disciplines such as anatomy, physiology, and psychology. 

The goal of this talk is to present one aspect of Gopi Krishna's Kundalini process theory, according to which a complete understanding of the process can only be achieved when the activation of the center at the base of the spine is considered in relation to the awakening to activity of an evolving or developing center in the brain. 

This brain center has been referred to as the Brahma-randhra, or 'Chamber of Brahma,' in some ancient East Indian esoteric treatises on the subject, and was held by Gopi Krishna to be the source of all the higher mental faculties associated with the enhancement of consciousness brought about by Kundalini awakening when fully operative. 

Many contemporary perspectives on Kundalini focus on the psychological aspects of the process, citing the rising of energy up the spine and the opening of the chakras as the foundation for the various mental transformations (and problems) that can occur. 

However, in recent years, Western medical science has made significant advances in the field of brain research, indicating that many of what were previously thought to be purely "psychological" disorders or states of mind, such as schizophrenia or manic depressive disorders, are actually the result of chemistry imbalances in the brain at its finer levels. 

To reconcile the disparities between current medical understanding of brain functioning and more traditional theories of Kundalini awakening, we must first examine ancient Kundalini concepts, which were developed over thousands of years through practical experimentation and from which many modern ideas on the phenomenon have evolved. 

Prana's Characteristics 

Many ancient esoteric systems are based on the idea that the human body is pervaded by an intelligent, vital medium, which has been referred to as prana in Indian tradition, chi in Chinese systems, or gone by Wilhelm Reich, and many other names throughout history in various esoteric traditions. 

This vital element is said to be intimately connected with the manifestation of life and consciousness in the body, and can be thought of as the interface between our non-physical, spiritual self and the gross body of which we are directly aware. 

Although the ultimate nature of reality was held to be a unity, which was termed Brahman, the nature of creation, as experienced from the limited, sense-bound human perspective, is of a dual form: on the one hand, consciousness, and on the other, mind/matter/energy. 

These can be thought of as the static and kinetic aspects of creation, as described by Arthur Avalon in The Serpent Power (p 24). 

The static aspect of the cosmic perspective is what is known as Universal Consciousness, also known as Paramatma or Shiva, and the kinetic aspect is Shakti, the primordial, creative energy that is responsible for the manifestation of this physical universe. 

The aspects of Shiva and Shakti are said to take the forms of limited human consciousness (jivatma) and vital energy (prana) in the human form, which is said to be a microcosmic reflection of the universal form. 

When the Kundalini energy is fully arouse, the conscious center in the head, known as sahasrara, or the 'Thousand Petalled Lotus,' opens, allowing the limited human consciousness, or jivatma, to realize its oneness with the paramatma, or Universal Consciousness. 

In The Serpent Power (Page 246), Arthur Avalon says: Kundalini is the physical manifestation of the great Cosmic Power (Shakti), which is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the universe. 

When this individual Shakti manifesting as individual consciousness (Jivatma) merges with the Supreme Shiva's consciousness, the world dissolves for that Jiva, and Mukti (liberation) is attained. 

The Cosmic Creative Energy, or Shakti, manifests life on the physical plane through Prana, which allows a limited form of Universal Consciousness to be expressed in the bodies of living organisms. 

The amazingly skillful and complex process by which a single fertilized ovum develops into a fully formed human being in just nine short months process that is nothing short of miraculous when studied in detail is the most striking example of this creative activity. 

The general theory of acupuncture, which posits a set of energy meridians passing through the body that are associated with and affect the functioning of the various internal organs, appears to support the idea of an all-pervasive vital energy in the body. 

Illness is said to be caused by the blockage of these meridians and the resulting interruption of the flow of vital energy. 

Both the Taittiriyaka Upanishad (VII:2) and the Prasna Upanishad (III:3-10) refer to five different types of prana in the body: 

prana, apana, udana, samana, and vyana, which appear to be different aspects of the energy that carry out respiration, digestion, assimilation, circulation, elimination, and other functions that keep the body alive and healthy. 

Pranayama

Pranayama, one of Yoga's eight limbs, is directly concerned with the intake and control of this vital principle. 

It achieves this primarily through control of the breath, implying that prana is a component of the surrounding environment. 

Because oxygen is the active principle that is absorbed and carried by the bloodstream to every part of the body, vivifying all tissues and cells, it is possible, as Gopi Krishna has suggested, that this element is intimately connected with the physical operation of prana. 

Gopi Krishna writes about Kundalini in his book Living with Kundalini: Prana is divided into two types. 

The individual's prana is one. 

The second is universal prana, which pervades all of creation, from matter's energy fields to galaxies. 

It is a fundamental component of every atom and molecule, occupying vast swaths of empty space between sub-nuclear particles and the billions upon billions of stars and planets that make up our universe. 

Individual prana, or, to be more precise, undifferentiated universal prana with an extremely subtle biochemical sheath through which it acts on all of the organism's cells and tissues, is the vehicle through which universal prana operates in a living body. 

It is not accurate to say that the pranic body, also known as prana-kosha in India, is entirely ethereal or unsubstantial. 

The reality is that it is so subtle and fine that it has yet to be detected experimentally or fully determined. 

This vital essence... circulates in the organism as motor impulse and sensation, conducting all of the body's organic functions, permeated and worked by the super-intelligent cosmic life energy, or (universal) prana, by which it is constantly affected, much like the sensitive chemical layer on a photographic plate is affected by light. 

The rare organic essence undergoes chemical changes as soon as the body dies, ceasing to serve as a channel for the former (universal prana) in the previous capacity. 

He also believes that the gross form of this essence is extracted from the body's cells and tissues and converted into the bioenergy that powers the brain and nervous system through a transmutation process. 

This extraction occurs on a very limited basis by a limited set of nerves in people who are not engaged in Kundalini activity. 

He theorized that in those who are, as well as in people with high levels of creativity and genius, this extraction is enhanced, resulting in an increase in both the quality and quantity of energy sent to the brain. 

He outlines the process in relation to this latter class as follows: 

• There are special nerves connecting the reproductive system with the various organs in the body, as far as I've been able to determine. 

• The essence travels to the erotic zone after being extracted by vast networks of nerves, where it mingles with that arriving from other organs and parts of the body, eventually forming an ingredient of the human seed. 

• The essence of the brain travels down the spinal cord in a mysterious way, eventually converging with the other nerve channels that serve the same purpose. 

Although it may appear on the surface that something descends from the head to the reproductive system is a stretch, recent genetic research is beginning to suggest that such a link does exist. 

Scientific Research

Recent research has discovered that the brain can produce hormones that can modify the genetic code via protein triggers via the pituitary gland, implying a direct link between the brain and the reproductive system. 

Similar statements about the nature of sexual energy have been made by Arthur Avalon in The Serpent Power (p 199). 

He declares, "Semen (Sukra) is said to exist in a subtle form throughout the entire body in Hindu beliefs. 

It is withdrawn and elaborated into a gross form in the sexual organs under the influence of sexual desire... 

If the substance, which under the influence of sexual desire develops into gross seed, is made to flow upward (Urdhva-retas), control over Manas and Prana is gained." "This Shakti is the supreme Shakti, in the human body, employing all powers and assuming all forms," he says elsewhere (page 224). 

As a result, the sexual force is one of these powers that is used. 

Rather than descending into gross seminal fluid, it is preserved as a form of subtle energy and ascends to Shiva with Prana." According to Gopi Krishna, this collected substance is sublimated or converted at the base of the spine into a more refined form, which is then sent up the spinal canal to the brain during Kundalini arousal. 

As he described his own awakening process: With the intensely pleasurable sensation I was experiencing, two distinct entities moved up the spine side by side. 

One was a type of radiation that was initially orange in color but later changed to silver with a slightly golden hue. 

The second was an organic essence that entered the brain simultaneously with the radiation. 

The fact that some people with significant Kundalini activity experience orgasmic sensations, even orgasms, at various points in the spinal cord and/or a sucking sensation drawing secretions upward from the sexual organs would seem to corroborate this close connection between the brain and the reproductive organs via the spinal axis. 

The Evolving Conscious Center, or Brahmarandhra. 

The goal of this process appears to be to send a very potent form of vital energy to the brain, where it will eventually arrive at the sahasrara, or evolving conscious center, or Brahmarandhra. 

In the following passage, Avalon (p 243) emphasizes the significance of the sahasrara in the Kundalini awakening process: Kundalini does not stay in Sahasrara for long at first. 

The length of stay is determined by the Yogi's level of practice. 

Kundalini has a natural tendency (Samskara) to return at this point. 

The Yogi will exert every effort at his disposal to keep Her above, because the longer he does so, the closer he gets to the time when she can be permanently retained there. 

For it should be noted that merely leading Kundalini to the Sahasrara, and even less so stirring it up in the Muladhara, or fixing it in any of the lower centers, does not result in liberation. 

Kundalini attains liberation only when she takes up her permanent residence in the Sahasrara, and only then by the sadhaka's will. 

"This force is raised from its latent potential state to one of activity, and there reunited with Itself in its other aspect as the Static Light which shines in the cerebral center," says Avalon, emphasizing that the Kundalini process is not complete until this union occurs. 

The ultimate goal of the Kundalini process, as stated in these statements, is to enhance mental faculties by stimulating the activity of certain areas of the brain with a more enhanced form of vital energy. 

As a result, Kundalini is a bipolar phenomenon, with two poles: the energy center at the base of the spine and the conscious center in the brain at the top of the spinal cord. 

"There is a direct and immediate connection between the basic mechanism close to the genitals, and Brahma-randhra in the brain," Gopi Krishna writes in Living with Kundalini about the relationship between these two centers. 

"What arouses one also arouses the other." We can see that the Indian esoteric systems are not incompatible with modern Western concepts about the brain by making the ultimate goal of Kundalini arousal the enhancement of mental faculties through stimulation of certain areas of the cerebral cortex. 

The brain is the primary center of consciousness from a Western perspective, and the evidence is overwhelming that the brain is intimately connected with the control of all physiological processes that occur in the body. 

It exerts control over the various nervous systems, including the central, sympathetic, and parasympathetic nervous systems, as well as the endocrine and glandular systems. 

Although electricity is currently thought to be the primary energy used by the brain and nervous system in their functioning, the introduction of the concept of a new form of life energy in the body into this picture would bring modern ideas much more in line with ancient ones. 

Hopefully, science will develop instrumentation with the required level of subtlety before this new factor can be quantified in the near future. 

As a result, some current Kundalini theories will need to be revised in order to align with modern scientific models, taking into account both the brain's role and the biological aspect of the vital energy. 

Perhaps the lack of recent cases of Kundalini awakening in which the energy rises in an unending or continuous stream and the brain's center becomes fully or perennially active explains why the brain's importance has not been recognized. 

The Kundalini Process and Brahma-Randhra So, where exactly is the Brahmarandhra in terms of physical location? Gopi Krishna has made a number of statements worth considering in this regard. 

It's 'directly above the palate and below the crown of the head,' according to him. 

In his book The Secret of Yoga (page 162) he mentions it and says, "It is the point where the canal from the spinal cord and the ventricles of the brain meet. 

The cerebrospinal fluid, which is a blood derivative and similar to plasma, fills this cavity and those adjacent to it." Arthur Avalon places it "above the foramen of Monro and the middle commissure" in The Serpent Power (p 258). 

Subjects have described a specific sensation occurring in the brain, above the palate, and below the crown of the head in a number of recent case histories of Kundalini awakening. 

Some people believe that this seventh center is actually the pineal body. 

"The soul has its principal seat in the little gland which exists in the middle of the brain, from which it radiates forth through all the remainder of the body by means of the animal spirits, nerves, and even the blood," wrote Rene Descartes in i>The Passions of the Soul/i>. 

Although the function of this mysterious body is still unknown, it is known to produce the hormone melatonin and to be linked to sexual maturation and possibly sleep. 

The way the Brahma-randhra appears to work suggests that, while the pineal is most likely involved in its functioning, it may not be sufficient to account for the wide range of mental faculties affected by a full awakening. 

The pituitary gland, which is often associated with the sixth chakra and regulates hormone balances in the body, is also in close proximity to the general location of the new conscious center. 

Both the pineal and pituitary are likely to play a role in the new center's operation. 

Another aspect of Kundalini awakening that appears to be linked to the brain's center is the sensation of a nectar-like substance flowing from the area above the roof of the mouth. 

Various sensations of this nature have been reported by a number of people in recent Kundalini awakening case studies. 

 "13 definitions for Brahmarandhra, Brahman-randhra, Brahma-randhra, and Brahmaramdhra Rasashastra is a Hindu scripture (chemistry and alchemy) The name Brahmarandhra  refers to an Ayurvedic recipe described in the fourth volume of the Rasajalanidhi." (chapter 2, dealing with jvara: fever). 

These treatments are classified as Iatrochemistry and are based on the ancient Indian science of Rasastra (medical alchemy). 

Reference In Ayurveda

As an ayurvedic treatment, however, it should be used with caution and in accordance with the rules outlined in the texts. 

When using such recipes (for example, brahmarandhra-rasa), "the minerals (uparasa), poisons (via), and other drugs (except herbs), referred to as ingredients of medicines, are to be duly purified and incinerated, as the case may be, in accordance with the processes laid out in the texts." (See the section on Iatrochemical Medicines for more information.) 

Shaktism is a type of Hinduism that is (Shakta philosophy) According to the rmatottara-tantra, an expansion of the Kubjikmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjik cult, Brahmarandhra  refers to the "cavity of Brahm." As a result, Bhairava says, "I will tell (you) in brief about the Command [i.e., j] that gives bliss." (First the Command) is envisioned as a lightning flash in the Triangle's center (in the End of the Twelve). 

Then (the teacher) should cause it to be felt in the other body (that of the disciple), which enters through Brahm's Cavity [i.e. brahmarandhra]. 

The piercing (of the Wheels in the body) occurs in a split second as a result of this visualization practice. [...]”. 

In his 11th-century aradtilaka, Lakmaadeika explains Brahmarandhra using the concept of kualinyoga. 

— The body is described from the "bulb" (kanda), which is located between the anus and the penis (28–9) and is where the subtle channels (n) originate. 

I (left), pigal (right), and suum (middle) are the three main channels (in the centre of the spine and the head). 

Citr, a channel inside the suum that connects to the brahmarandhra (30–4) on the top of the skull, is present. 

Note: The brahmarandhra, or "brahman opening," is a small opening near the fontanel on the top of the skull; its name comes from a belief expressed in the older Upaniads that it is a place where the tman can leave the body to unite with the soul. 

Brahmarandhra In Shaivism. 

Shaivism is a religion that is based on (Shaiva philosophy) According to the Netratantra, Brahmarandhra (, "cranial apperture") is one of the sixteen types of "locus" or "support" (dhra). 

These dhras are named after the fact that they "support" or "localize" the self and are frequently identified as places where breath can be held. 

They are taught in two ways: tantraprakriy and kulaprakriy, respectively. 

The latter system includes Brahmarandhra. 

According to the Jyotsn 3.73 (Cf. Gorakaataka 14 and Svtmrma's Hathapradpik 3.72), Brahmarandhra  refers to one of the sixteen vital centers of the body (i.e., dhra). 

— Dhra refers to a vital point of the body, a seat of vital function in Hathayoga. 

The dhras are listed as [e.g., brahmarandhra,...] in Jyotsn verse 3.73, according to a passage attributed to Goraka. 

The Hathapradpik mentions sixteen dhras without naming or explaining what they are. 

The Gorakaataka also mentions sixteen dhras as being something the Yogi should be aware of, but it does not name them. 

According to the commentary on the Kuika-upaniad verse 28, the Vedanta (school of philosophy) Brahmarandhra refers to the "crown of the head." — The worshippers of the attributeless Brahman (abala-brahma) enter the world of Brahma (brahmaloka), that is, the sphere of Hirayagarbha, by exiting from the crown of the head (brahma-randhra) through the suum canal, following the path of the Sun (sryamrga, or uttaryaa-mrga), and remain there until the end of the kalp (till pralaya, or great dissolution, takes place). 

They eventually merge with Brahman on the attenuation of their subtle desires and attractions (vsan-kaya) after having lived there for such a long time. 

They never return to the plane of relative existence after that. 

This is the gradual liberation (krama-mukti) that Brahman-knowers with attributes (saviea brahmajn) achieve. 

The knowers of the attributeless, absolute Brahman (nirviea brahmajn), on the other hand, will achieve direct, instant liberation (sadyo-mukti) right now (ihaiva). 

Vedanta (, vednta) is a Hindu school of orthodox philosophy (astika) that draws its subject matter from the Upanishads. 

Vedanta has a number of sub-schools, but they all expound on the basic teachings of the ultimate reality (brahman) and individual soul liberation (moksha) (atman). 

Related Terms: 

Murdhajyotis, Mudramarga, Shunyapadavi, Sushumna, Dashamadvara, Shmashana, Brahmya, Badariyashrama, Mahapatha, Krama, Uttarayanamarga, Brahmajnanin, Dhumragni, Nadi, Vasana, Shabala, Pralaya, Kramamukti, Mukti Brahmarandhra, 

~ Kiran Atma

You may also want to read more about Kundalini Yoga and Holistic Healing here.

You may also want to read more about Gnani Yoga here.

You may also want to read more about Kundalini Yoga here.

You may also want to read more about Yoga here.

You may also want to read more about Yoga Asanas and Exercises here.

You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.

References And Further Reading

• Banerji, S.C., 1979. Influence of Tantra on Indian music and dance. Journal of the Indian Musicological Society, 10(3), p.20.
• HOFFMANN, H.H., 1969. An account of the Bon religion in Gilgit. Central Asiatic Journal, 13(2), pp.137-145.
• Kumar, P. and Patwardhan, R.P., 2016. TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF MAHABHRINGARAJA TAILA SHIROABHYANGA ON HEALTH WSR TO NIDRANASH.
• Pradhan, C.R., 2011. Yoga Nidra in Hatha Pradipika. ORISSA REVIEW, p.34.
• Klimburg-Salter, D. and Taddei, M., 1991. The u. sn. ı. sa and the brahmarandhra: an Aspect of Light Symbolism in Gandharan Buddha Images. Aks. ayan‡ v‡, Essays Presented to Dr. Debala Mitra, pp.73-93.
• Lad, V.D., BAMS, M., Anisha Durve, M.S.O.M. and AP, D.A., 2008. Marma Points of Ayurveda.
• Cantú, K.E., Śrī Sabhāpati Swāmī: Forgotten Yogi of Western Esotericism.
• BORN, A.B.B.B., 1985. Kasiksetrà represents the purest part of the body which exists between the eyebrows--the place of the third eye of Sri Paramesvara (Siva). In the opinion of Krsna Misra, Varanasi means' three-in-one', the three being Varana, Asi and Ganga. The Varana stands. The Journal of Indian Writing in English, 13, p.64.
• Paul, S. and Khanna, P., 2002. " SAHAJA-NIŞTHA" BUDDHA IN GANDHĀRA SCULPTURE. In Gandhāra Sculpture in the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh: In the Light of the International Colloquium Held in 1998 at Chandigarh (p. 67). Government Museum and Art Gallery.
• Kiehnle, C., 2004. The secret of the Naths: The ascent of Kunalinī according to Jñāneśvarī 6.151-328. Bulletin d'études indiennes, 22, pp.447-494.
• Lad, V. and Durve, A., 2008. Marma points of Ayurveda: The energy pathways for healing body, mind, and consciousness with a comparison to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Ayurvedic Press.
• Pal, A., 2020. Pindavichar.
• Nerkar, R.N., Tirpude, S., Parwe, S. and Mhaiskar, B., 2021. Study to Assess the Benefits of Tila Taila Shiroabhyang in Medical Health Professionals: A Study Protocol. Occup Med Health Aff, 9, p.2.
• Rao, D.V., 2021. Sarngadeva’s Primal Sonances. In Performative Reflections of Indian Traditions (pp. 81-89). Springer, Singapore.
• Mehta, D.N., PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVES ON VARIOUS INDIAN CULTURAL TRADITIONS.
• Arora, K., Pyari, P. and Prakash, S., 1. Consciousness and Mystic Sounds Perceived in Human Form during its Increased State of Self Absorption.
• Kiehnle, C., 1994. Metaphors in the Jñāndev Gāthā. Studies in South Asian Devotional Literature. Research Papers 1988-1991, pp.301-323.
• Tyagi, A., 2015. Full span of human consciousness: readings and practices from Mandukya Upanishad, Yoga Sūtra, and the Vijñānabhairava Tantra.
• Vasu, S.C., 1925. An introduction to the Yoga philosophy (Vol. 15, No. 4). Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the function of Brahmarandhra in the human body?

In the crown of the head, there is a suture or opening.

In the head, where is Brahmarandhra?

The Sanskrit term "Brahmarandhra" refers to the Brahman's hole. It is the human soul's permanent residence. This is also known as "Dasamadvara," or the tenth door or opening. The Brahmarandhra is the hollow region in the top of the skull known as the anterior fontanelle of a newborn kid.

What is Shambhavi Kriya and how does it work?

Shambhavi Mahamudra kriya is an Isha Yoga lineage program that incorporates both pranyanama and meditation practices. A yogic activity, or inner skill, such as breath control, is known as a kriya.

How many times I should perform Shambhavi Mudra?

Shambhavi Mahamudra kriya should ideally be completed in 21 minutes (excluding Upa Yoga practice). Siddhasana is used to accomplish the full kriya. It's recommended that you do this kriya twice a day (preferably morning and evening).

What is the best way for me to study Shambhavi Mahamudra?

Here are the steps to doing shambhavi mahamudra:

• Begin by seated in a contemplative position.
• Pose in Gyan mudra by straightening your spine and head.
• Relax your whole body, including your eyes, facial muscles, forehead, and even behind the eyes, by closing your eyelids.
• Slowly open your eyes and attempt to focus them at a certain position.

When all seven chakras are open, what happens?

The seven chakras are the body's principal energy centers. You've certainly heard people speak about "unblocking" their chakras, which refers to the concept that when all of our chakras are open, energy can easily flow through them and the physical body, mind, and spirit are in harmony.

What are the signs that my chakras are open?

Symptoms of Root Chakra Opening: If you naturally feel accomplished about the things you've done for yourself, such as obtaining or developing riches, and providing stability for yourself and people around you, your root chakra is open.