Kundalini Yoga Nadis

 

The astral tubes made of astral matter that contain psychic currents are known as nadis. 

The Sanskrit word 'Nadi' is derived from the root 'Nad,' which means 'motion.' The critical force or Pranic current passes or flows through these Nadis (Sukshma, subtle passages). Since they are made up of subtle matter, they are invisible to the naked eye and cannot be tested in a test tube on the physical plane. These Yoga Nadis are not the same as the Vaidya Shastra's muscles, lungs, and veins (Anatomy and Physiology). Yoga Nadis are not the same as these.

There are so many Nadis in the body that they can't be counted. The number of Nadis is reported differently by various scholars, ranging from 72,000 to 3,50,000. When you look at the internal anatomy of the body, you feel a sense of reverence and wonder. Since the Divine Lord Himself is the architect, aided by professional builders and masons—Maya, Prakriti, Visva Karma, and so on.

In this Yoga, the Nadis are extremely important. When Kundalini awakens, it can pass through Sushumna Nadi, which is only possible if the Nadis are pure. 

As a result, the purification of Nadis is the first step in Kundalini Yoga. A thorough understanding of the Nadis and Chakras is needed. Their position, roles, and composition, among other things, should all be extensively investigated. Yoga Nadis, or subtle lines, have an impact on the human body. The human body manifests and operates all of the subtle (Sukshma) Prana, Nadis, and Chakras. The gross nerves and plexuses are intertwined with the subtle nerves and plexuses.

This is something you should be aware of. Since the physical centers and the astral centers have such a similar relationship, the vibrations emitted in the physical centers using specified methods have the desired effects in the astral centers. The term "plexus" refers to a center where many nerves, lungs, and veins intertwine. Pampiniform, Cervical, Brachial, Coccygeal, Lumbar, Sacral, Cardiac, Esophageal, Hepatic Pharyngeal, Pulmonary, Ligual Prostatic Plexus, and other physical substance plexuses are known to the Vaidya Shastra. In the Sukshma Nadis, there are plexuses or centers of critical powers. They're called 'Padma' (lotus) or 'Chakras.' Many of these centers have detailed guidelines that can be found elsewhere. 

The Kanda is the source of all Nadis. It is at this point that the Sushumna Nadi and the Muladhara Chakra meet.

This Kanda is said to be 12 inches higher than the anus. Of the numerous Nadis, 14 are said to be important. Sushumna, Sushumna, Sushumna, Sushumna, Su Ida is a character in the film Ida Pingala Pingala Pingala Pingal Hastajihva Gandhari Saraswati Kuhu Pusha is a character in the film Pusha Payasvini Sankhini Varuni Alambusha is a character in the film Varuni Alambusha Yasasvini Vishvodhara Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna are the most important of the 14 Nadis mentioned above, with Sushumna being the chief. It is the Yogins' best and most coveted prize. This subordinates every such Nadis. The following pages provide detailed guidance on each Nadi and its purposes, as well as the procedure for awakening the Kundalini and moving it from Chakra to Chakra.

Since all of the Chakras are bound to the Spinal Column, you must first learn about it before moving on to the study of Nadis and Chakras. Meru Danda is the name given to the spinal column. This is the body's axis, just as Mount Meru is the earth's axis. As a result, the spine is known as Meru. The back is also known as the spine, axis-staff, or vertebral column. 

The human being is a microcosm. (Kshudra-Brahmanda - Pinda). 

Mountains, seas, Bhutas, and other objects seen in the world occur in the body as well. The body contains all of the Tattvas and Lokas (worlds). The body is divided into three major parts: the head, trunk, and limbs, with the head and legs forming the body's core. From the first vertebra, the Atlas bone, to the end of the trunk, the spinal column runs. The spine is made up of 33 bones known as vertebrae, which are classified into five regions based on their positions:— 7 vertebrae in the cervical area (neck) 2. 12 vertebrae in the dorsal area (back) 3. 5 vertebrae in the lumbar zone (waist or loins). 5 vertebrae in the sacral area (buttocks, sacrum, or gluteal). Coccygeal region (number 5) (imperfect vertebrae Coccyx) There are four vertebrae in all.

The vertebral bones are stacked one on top of the other, forming a pillar for the cranium and trunk to rest on. Spinous, transverse, and articular processes, as well as fibro-cartilage pads between the bones, bind them. The vertebral arches form a hollow cylinder, a bony covering, or a passageway for the spinal cord. The vertebrae vary in size from one another. The vertebrae in the cervical region, for example, are smaller than those in the dorsal region, but the arches are larger. The largest and most important part of the lumbar vertebrae is the body. The spine as a whole is not rigid, but has curvatures that lend it a springy feel. This spine connects all of the other bones in the body.

There are apertures between each pair of vertebrae from which spinal nerves travel from the spinal cord to various parts and organs of the body. Muladhara, Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, and Vishuddha are the five regions of the spine that refer to the five Chakras: Muladhara, Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, and Vishuddha. Ida is on the left side of the spine, and Pingala is on the right side. Sushumna Nadi flows into the hollow cylindrical cavity of the vertebral column. 

SUKSHMA SARIRA

The human form takes on the characteristics of the astral body. Sthula form's outer body is similar to water. The astral body is represented by the steam or vapour generated when water is heated. The astral or Sukshma body is also included within the gross or actual body. Without the astral body, the gross body is powerless. Any physical center of the body has an astral counterpart. Since this Yoga deals with the center of the astral body, a thorough understanding of the gross body is essential. As a result, in the following pages, you'll find a brief overview of the gross body's centers and their Sukshma Sarira counterparts. In the human body, you'll find examples of the astral centers and their associated functions.

KANDA

Between the anus and the base of the reproductory gland, this is located. It has the appearance of an egg and is surrounded by membranes. This chakra is located directly above the Muladhara Chakra. This Kanda is the source of all the body's Nadis. It is at this point that Sushumna and Muladhara Chakra come together. On the sides of this Kanda are the four petals of the Muladhara Chakra, and the intersection is known as Granthi-Sthana, where Maya has a heavy influence. Kanda is 9 digits above the anus, according to some Upanishads. Kanda is the astral body's core, from which Yoga Nadis, or subtle pathways, emerge and bring Sukshma Prana (vital energy) to all areas of the body. The gross physical body has a ‘Cauda equina' that corresponds to this core. From the hippocampus to the end of the vertebral spine, the spinal cord tapers off into a fine silken ribbon. It emits a large number of fibres before terminating, which are clumped together into a cluster of nerves. In the gross body, this group of nerves is known as the ‘Cauda equina.' Kanda is the astral core of the Cauda Equina.

The hippocampus and spinal cord, also known as the cerebro-spinal axis, make up the central nervous system. The Bulb, or continuation of the Medulla oblongata, serves as a connection between the brain and the spinal cord. The involuntary processes of breathing and swallowing are closely linked to the Medulla oblongata's middle. From the tip of the spinal canal to the second vertebra of the coccygeal zone, the spinal cord tapers off into a fine silken thread known as Filum terminale. The spinal cord is a column of grey and white brain matter that is very soft. On the sides of the grey matter, the white matter is arranged.

The gray matter is made up of brain cells and fibers, while the white matter is made up of medullated nerves. This is not closely fitted with the spinal canal, but rather suspended or lowered into the spinal canal, similar to how the brain is suspended in the cranial cavity. The membranes provide nourishment for this. In the cerebro-spinal fluid, the brain and spinal cord float. As a result, the fluid protects them from any damage. A fatty tissue lining protects the spinal cord as well. An anterior and posterior fissure divides it into two symmetrical halves.

A small canal called canalis centralis runs through the heart of the city. From Muladhara to Sahasrara Chakra, the Brahmanadi flows along this canal. Kundalini, when awakened, passes through this Nadi and through Brahmarandhra. The brain and spinal cord are not isolated or split. It is linked to the brain in a continuous manner. This cord connects both of the cranial and spinal nerves. This is linked to every nerve in the body. This spinal cord controls the organs of reproduction, micturition, metabolism, blood supply, and respiration. The medulla oblongata connects the spinal cord to the brain's fourth ventricle. It extends from the fourth ventricle of the brain to the third, then the fifth, and eventually the crown of the head, the Sahasrara Chakra.

SUSHUMNA NADI

When we examine the structure, place, and role of the Spinal Cord and the Sushumna Nadi, we can easily conclude that the Spinal Cord was once known as the Sushumna Nadi. The gross form and functions of the Spinal Cord was dealt with by Western Anatomy, while the Yogins of ancient times dealt with the subtle (Sukshma) existence. You should now have a detailed understanding of this Nadi in Kundalini Yoga. Sushumna stretches from Muladhara Chakra (second coccygeal vertebra) to Brahmarandhra. The Spinal Cord has a central canal called Canalis Centralis, and the cord is made up of grey and white brain matter, according to Western Anatomy.

 

Kanda is 9 digits above the anus, according to some Upanishads. Kanda is the astral body's core, from which Yoga Nadis, or subtle pathways, emerge and bring Sukshma Prana (vital energy) to all areas of the body. The gross physical body has a ‘Cauda equina' that corresponds to this core. From the hippocampus to the end of the vertebral spine, the spinal cord tapers off into a fine silken ribbon. It emits a large number of fibres before terminating, which are clumped together into a cluster of nerves. In the gross body, this group of nerves is known as the ‘Cauda equina.' Kanda is the astral core of the Cauda Equina.

The hippocampus and spinal cord, also known as the cerebro-spinal axis, make up the central nervous system. The Bulb, or continuation of the Medulla oblongata, serves as a connection between the brain and the spinal cord. The involuntary processes of breathing and swallowing are closely linked to the Medulla oblongata's middle. From the tip of the spinal canal to the second vertebra of the coccygeal zone, the spinal cord tapers off into a fine silken thread known as Filum terminale. The spinal cord is a column of grey and white brain matter that is very soft. On the sides of the grey matter, the white matter is arranged. The gray matter is made up of brain cells and fibres, while the white matter is made up of medullated nerves. This is not closely fitted with the spinal canal, but rather suspended or lowered into the spinal canal, similar to how the brain is suspended in the cranial cavity. The membranes provide nourishment for this. In the cerebro-spinal fluid, the brain and spinal cord float. As a result, the fluid protects them from any damage. A fatty tissue lining protects the spinal cord as well. An anterior and posterior fissure divides it into two symmetrical halves.

A small canal called canalis centralis runs through the heart of the city. From Muladhara to Sahasrara Chakra, the Brahmanadi flows along this canal. Kundalini, when awakened, passes through this Nadi and through Brahmarandhra. The brain and spinal cord are not isolated or split. It is linked to the brain in a continuous manner. This cord connects both of the cranial and spinal nerves. This is linked to every nerve in the body. This spinal cord controls the organs of reproduction, micturition, metabolism, blood supply, and respiration. The medulla oblongata connects the spinal cord to the brain's fourth ventricle. It extends from the fourth ventricle of the brain to the third, then the fifth, and eventually the crown of the head, the Sahasrara Chakra.

When we examine the structure, place, and role of the Spinal Cord and the Sushumna Nadi, we can easily conclude that the Spinal Cord was once known as the Sushumna Nadi. The gross form and functions of the Spinal Cord was dealt with by Western Anatomy, while the Yogins of ancient times dealt with the subtle (Sukshma) existence. You should now have a detailed understanding of this Nadi in Kundalini Yoga. Sushumna stretches from Muladhara Chakra (second coccygeal vertebra) to Brahmarandhra.

The Spinal Cord has a central canal called Canalis Centralis, and the cord is made up of grey and white brain matter, according to Western Anatomy. In the cavity of the spinal column, the spinal cord is fallen or suspended. Sushumna is similarly placed inside the spinal canal and has subtle portions. It has the same red color as Agni (fire). There is a Nadi named Vajra inside this Sushumna that is as lustrous as Surya (sun) and has Rajasic qualities. Another Nadi, called Chitra, exists inside the Vajra Nadi. It has a Sattvic nature and is light in color. The three aspects of Sabda Brahman are Agni, Surya, and Chandra (fire, sun, and moon). There is a very good minute canal here inside this Chitra (which is known as Canalis Centralis). When Kundalini is awoken, it travels from Muladhara to Sahasrara Chakra through this canal, which is known as Brahmanadi. All six Chakras are present in this middle (lotuses, viz., Muladhara, Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha and Ajna).

Since Kundalini must pass through this door to reach Brahmarandhra, the lower extremity of the Chitra Nadi is known as Brahmadvara, the door of Brahman. In the macrocosm, this corresponds to Haridwar, which is the gate of Hari of Badrinarayan (physical plane). In the Cerebellum, the Chitra comes to an end. The Sushumna Nadi (gross Spinal Cord) is called Brahma Nadi in general since Brahma Nadi is located inside the Sushumna. Since the river is inside the Sushumna, the canal within the Chitra is also known as Sushumna. On the left and right sides of the spine, Ida and Pingala Nadis are located. Chitra is the most powerful and well-liked of the Yogins.

It looks like a lotus cord. It is located in the heart of Sushumna and is brilliant with five colors. It is the most important organ of the body. This is referred to as the Heavenly path. It is the one that bestows immortality. The Yogi destroys all sins and attains the Highest Bliss by imagining the Chakras that reside in this Nadi. It is the one who bestows Moksha. The mind becomes steady as the air runs through Sushumna. The highest state of Yoga is known as "Unmani Avastha," or mental stability. You would have wonderful meditation if you sit for meditation while Sushumna is around. The breath cannot flow through the middle Nadi because the Nadis are clogged with impurities. As a result, Pranayama should be used to purify the Nadis.

 

 

SYSTEMS OF PARA-SYMPATHETIC AND SYMPATHETIC

The sympathetic and para-sympathetic cords, a double chain of ganglia, run to each side of the spinal cord. A ganglia is a group of nerve cells. The Autonomic System is made up of nerves that supply and regulate involuntary organs like the heart, lungs, intestines, kidneys, and liver. The sympathetic system produces the vagus nerve, which is important in human economics. The sympathetic nervous system activates or speeds up. The parasympathetic nervous system slows or stops. Nerves dilate or widen the arteries, which contain pure oxygenated blood to nourish the muscles, lungs, and cells of the body's various components. Vaso-dilators are what they're called. Filaments bind the sympathetic links on the left and right sides. These cross from right to left and vice versa, but the precise locations of these crosses are unknown, despite many attempts to locate them. “Where the sensory fibres migrate from one side to the other is not known,” M'Kendrick and Snodgrass write in Physiology of the Senses. “In certain areas of the spinal cord, sensory fibres do cross from the right to the left side and vice versa.”

PINGALA NADIS AND IDA

The gross compassionate chains are not Ida and Pingala Nadis. The Sukshma Prana is carried by these slight Nadis. Both roughly equate to the right and left sympathetic chains of the human body. Ida begins with the right testicle and Pingala with the left. They meet at the Muladhara Chakra and tie a knot with Sushumna Nadi. Mukta Triveni is the name given to the intersection of three Nadis at the Muladhara Chakra. Pingala, Ida, and Sushumna Nadis are home to the Ganga, Yamuna, and Sarasvati, respectively. Brahma Granthi is the name of the meeting spot. These come together again at the Anahata and Ajna Chakras. In the macrocosm, the three rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Sarasvati converge at Prayag, forming a Triveni. Ida and Pingala circulate from the left and right nostrils, respectively. Ida is also known as Chandra Nadi (Moon), and Pingala is known as Surya Nadi (Sun) (sun). Pingala is heating and Ida is cooling. The food is digested by Pingala. Sakti Rupa, Ida is pale. It is the world's great nourisher. Rudra Rupa's Pingala is a flaming red. Sushumna swallows time, while Ida and Pingala suggest Kala (time). The Yogi knows when he will die; he enters Sushumna, holds his Prana in Brahmarandra, and defies time (Kala—death). By bringing the Prana into Sushumna, Maharashtra's famed Yogi Sri Chang Dev battled death many times. Sri Jnanadev of Alandi, near Poona, was his contemporary. Via his Yogic rituals, he achieved Bhuta Siddhi, or dominance over wild animals. He came to see Sri Jnanadev on the back of a tiger.

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

What is Kriya Yoga?

 

What is Kriya Yoga?

Kriya Yoga, as described by Yogananda, 

"The Kriya Yogi mentally directs his life energy to revolve around the six spinal centers (medullary, cervical, dorsal, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal plexuses), which correspond to the twelve astral signs of the zodiac, the symbolic Cosmic Man, upward and downward." 

The Kriya yoga method consists of several levels of pranayama, mantra, and mudra based on practices designed to hasten spiritual growth and induce a profound state of calm and God-communion. 

Sri Yukteswar Giri, Lahiri Mahasaya, and Mahavatar Babaji are among Yogananda's lineage of gurus who helped him describe Kriya Yoga. 

The latter is said to have presented the notion as fundamentally identical to Patanjali's Raja Yoga and the Bhagavad Gita's description of Yoga. 

Kriya Yoga, as taught by Lahiri Mahasaya, is historically only studied through a Guru-disciple connection, with a secret initiation ritual. 

"Babaji trained me in the old rigorous laws which regulate the transmission of the yogic technique from Guru to pupil," he said following his entrance into Kriya Yoga.

The practice of Kriya Yoga is said to purify the blood, allowing the life energy to retreat into the spine. 

One half-minute of energy revolution around man's sensitive spinal cord causes subtle development in his growth; one year of natural spiritual unfoldment is equal to half-minute of Kriya.

Kriya Yoga is a basic psycho-physiological strategy for decarbonizing and recharging the human blood with oxygen. 

The additional oxygen atoms are converted into life current, which rejuvenates the brain and spinal areas. 

The yogi can minimize or avoid tissue degeneration by halting the buildup of venous blood; the accomplished yogi can transform his cells into pure energy. Elijah, Jesus, Kabir, and other prophets were masters of Kriya or a comparable method, which allowed them to control the materialization and dematerialization of their bodies."

"Kriya sadhana may be understood of as the sadhana of the 'practice of being in Atman,'" wrote Swami Satyananda.

INITIAL KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUE

The Sushumna nadi, which goes up the body from the Muladhara chakra (at the base of the spine), passes through the spinal column, and pierces the bases of the skull. 

It splits at the larynx, with the anterior portion going to the ajna chakra (the region between the brows) and the posterior piece going beyond the skull to the Brahma chakra (at the top of the head) 

Sit cross-legged or in lotus pose in a chair, feet flat on the floor. Straighten your head and neck, then place your hands in your lap, palms upwards. Close your eyes completely or partially. Maintain a steady stare on the ajna chakra (the point between the eyebrows). The neck should be expanded.

Directions for pranayam:

• 1. Breathe deeply and slowly via your nose, generating the steady sound of "AW" deep in the enlarged throat. Feel a chilly current being dragged up the sushumna as you pull in the breath to a count of 10 (or up to 15). Feel the coolness in your throat and hear the sound "AW," and mentally transport these feelings and sounds to your spine, as if a cool breath were coming up the sushmna with a "AW" sound. "AW's" sound should be detectable but not too loud.
• 2. After drawing the cold stream up to the ajna chakra, take a little rest; three counts should enough.
• 3. Slowly and quietly exhale through the nose to a count of 10 (or up to 15), generating a consistent "EE" sound high in the enlarged throat. Feel the breath moving down the sushumna as a warm, delicate (threadlike) stream. Feel the warmth in your throat and concentrate on the sound of "EE," then mentally transfer both the sensation of warmth and the sound of "EE" to your spine, envisioning the warm breath flowing down your spine with the delicate sound of "EE." Exhalation and inhalation should both be gradual and even.

Repetition is key. Concentrate on the chilly or warm currents you sense in the sushumna. Take a mental journey down the spine. Put all of your thoughts and feelings there. If you're feeling agitated, start your meditation by repeating the soham or another mantra to quiet your mind. The method should then be practiced (listening to the Om sound). Kriya should be performed on an empty or minimally full stomach.

MAHA MUDRA

 

1. Take a seat on the floor, upright.

2. Bring the left leg back under the body, with the sole of the left foot supporting the left hip.

3. Pull the right leg up against the body, bringing the upper half of the leg as near as possible to the chest and the sole of the foot flat on the floor.

4. Wrap your hands around your right knee, fingers clasped.

5. Inhale deeply into the extended throat, generating the sound "AW" and carrying the cool stream up the sushumna.

6. While holding your breath, lean your head forward and downward until your chin hits your chest, while releasing your grip on the right knee and lengthening your right leg forward till it is straight on the floor.

7. Holding the breath, grab the big toe of the right foot with the interlaced fingers of both hands and gently draw it toward you, mentally counting from one to six in this bent stance.

8. Sit up straightening your spine and raising your right knee until it is back in the initial position (see items 3 and 4 above).

9. Exhale with a high "EE" sound in the wide throat, allowing the heated circulation to go down the sushumna.

10. Reverse the leg positions such that the right foot is tucked behind the right hip and the left leg is brought up toward the body.

11. Sit with your left and right legs drawn up toward your body and your hands clasped over your knees.

12. Breathe deeply and carry the chilly stream up the sushumna, generating the sound "AW" deep in the throat.

13. While holding your breath, bow your head forward and downward until your chin hits your chest, then release the clasped hands and stretch both legs forward until they are straight out in front of you.

14. While still holding your breath, wrap your hands over the great toes of your left and right feet and draw them toward you, counting one to six.

15. Stand up straight with your back straight, both legs brought up close to your body, and hands clasped around your knees.

16. Exhale and send the heated current down the sushumna, generating the sound "EE."

17. Repeat steps  three times.

 

Relax the muscles that go down the spine. The extended leg's knee should not be bent.

JYOTI MUDRA 

1. Sit upright on a straight chair with your feet flat on the floor, cross-legged, or in a lotus position.

2. Place the thumb of the left hand over the left tragus and the thumb of the right hand over the right tragus. (The tragus is the cartilaginous protuberance in front of the ear's entrance or hole.)

3. Lightly push the index fingers of each hand over the closed eyelids' outer corners with a moderate pressure.

4. Place the middle fingers towards the nostrils on the sides of the nose.

5. Place the fourth and little fingers over and below the corners of the.

6. Inhale with the sound of "AW," pushing the cold river upward via the sushumna while staring at the ajna chakra with your fingers softly in these locations.

7. Close the ear, nose, and openings entirely and keep the eyeballs locked in the upward-gazing posture by holding your breath and knitting your eyebrows firmly and swiftly. At the same time, apply strong yet mild pressure with all of your fingers.

8. Watch the rotating light of the spiritual eye—the spiritual aurora borealis—while continuing to hold your breath for a mental count of 1 to 12 (or as long as you can hold your breath without pain).

9. With the sound of "EE," release the pressure on the fingers (without removing them from their places) and exhale, releasing the warm current downward down the spinal tube. Rep three times more. When you see the spiritual eye in its entirety, you'll see a five-pointed star in the center, surrounded by a blue light, which is encompassed by a halo of golden light.

 

When holding the breath during Jyoti Mudra (see point 8 in outline), the rib-cage tenses reflexively in order to sustain the chest expansion. 

During this section of Jyoti Mudra, the Kriya yogi might improve his or her results by intentionally relaxing the chest. If his attention is deep and peaceful, he may notice that the epiglottis relaxes (i.e., opens), letting air into the. The escape of air (and consequent deflation of the chest) is avoided, however, since the fingers securely block the and nostril holes.

THE SECOND KRIYA

• Place your chair in front of a table high enough that you may comfortably rest your elbows on it while sitting with a straight spine and cover your ears by pushing the tragus of both ears with your thumbs after doing Kriya Yoga, the First Initiation. 
• Then press the tips of your forefingers into the closed eyelids' outer corners. 
• Rotate the fingertips on the corners of the eyes gently with slight pressure, while simultaneously contracting the muscles below the muladhara chakra. 
• Focus your focus on the constricted muladhara chakra while listening for the sound of the bumble bee. Sound and light will be produced as a result of positive attention on the negative muladhara chakra. It's a lot easier to make the sound. 
• To perceive the ray-petaled lotus-stars or chakras, you must have a high level of development. The spiritual eye, on the other hand, may take on a dark reddish color, or orange, or blue, depending on the vibrations of the five centers below, and will reflect in the sixth spiritual center, or taluka chakra. 
• Keep your eyes closed and your concentration on the muladhara chakra muscles until you hear the bumble bee, then relax your eyes and the muladhara chakra muscles. 
• Allow your attention to travel up the spine an inch or two, contract the swadhisthana chakra muscles, and rotate the fingertips on the closed eyes' corners softly but slightly, listening for the sound of a flute. Then watch how the hue of the spiritual eye changes. 
• Then mentally go up the spine to the manipura chakra opposite the navel, relaxing the swadhisthana muscles and your eyeballs. 
• By jerking the navel, you may pinpoint the exact location of this spot. 
• Hold the tension in the manipura chakra while slowly spinning the fingertips on the closed eyes' corners with a mild pressure; then listen for the harp sound. 
• Relax your eyelids and the manipura muscles. 
• Bring the shoulder blades together and concentrate on the spine opposite the heart to find the anahata chakra. 
• Rotate the fingertips on the closed eyes' corners gently and with a gentle pressure, noticing the color shift and listening for a deep bell sound. 
• The shoulder blades should be relaxed, and the eyes should be pressed together. 
• Raise your mind to the Vishuddhi chakra. Moving your head swiftly from side to side produces a cracking or grinding sound in the Vishuddhi chakra vertebrae, which you may feel. 
• Listen for the sea roar at that precise location. Gently rub your hands over the closed eyes' corners, observing the shift in color in the spiritual eye.
• Continue to concentrate until you hear the sea roar emanating from the Vishuddhi chakra, and then relax. 
• Then, opposite the taluka chakra, tension the rnuscles at the rear of the head. Concentrate on the symphony of the bumblebee, flute, harp, bell, and sea roar by gently rotating the fingertips on the closed eyes' corners. 
• Try to see the spiritual eye as well. Muscles and eyes should be relaxed. Finally, knit your brows and gently spin your fingertips on the closed eyes' corners with slight pressure, with your closed eyes centered at the spot between the brows. 
• Visualize the golden ring surrounding the blue center with the diamond star while doing this, and focus on the symphony of sounds from the five centers under the taluka chakra. Then let your brows and eyes relax. 
• Repeat the above procedure 6-12 times while moving. Mentally move your attention downward and then upward down the spine, focusing on the various sounds emanating from the various centers until all of the centers' positions are well established in your mind. 
• Finish your practice with an upward movement to the ajna chakra. If you don't hear or see the light from each center right away when you concentrate on it, try deepening your focus there for a few seconds longer. If you still don't see or hear anything, move on to the next center.

WHERE DO YOU FIND THE CHAKRAS OR PLEXUSES?

1. Ajna chakra (Spiritual Eye). By squeezing the muscles between the brows, you can find it.

The "two-edged sword" is the Taluka chakra, which has two petals or blue and gold rays. Tensing the muscles at the base of the skull will help you find it. 

3. The lotus-star of sixteen rays of the Vishuddhi chakra. By rotating your head and hearing the "cracking" of vertebrae, you can find it. 

4. lotus-star of twelve rays anahata chakra Contract the muscles in the spine opposite the heart and draw the shoulder blades together to locate. Locate the 

5 manipuralotus-ten-ray star by squeezing the muscles in the spine opposite the navel. 

6. swadhisthana lotus-six-rayed star By compressing muscles in the spine an inch or so above the muladhara chakra, you can find it. The lotus-star with four rays is the seventh muladhara chakra. Locate the muladhara chakra, or base of the spine, by squeezing muscles in the spine. 

THE THIRD KRIYA

1. The popular krisha mantra, Om namo bhagavata vasu devaya, is utilized in the Third and Fourth Kriya.
2.  Take a seat in a straight chair and sit up straight. 
3. Maintain a straight spine, shoulders back, chin parallel to the floor, chest out, abdomen in, hands interlaced and put over the navel, eyes closed or half open, eyeballs tilted upward, and gaze fixed between the brows without effort. 
4. Practice Kriya twenty times before moving on to the third initiation. 
5. For the first three months, stick to this timetable, and then repeat the third introduction twelve times.

Instructions

• First, take a full, cold Kriya breath, slowly drawing the current up the sushumna with the sound of AW.
• Mentally recite the following as the current ascends from center to center in the spine:

• 1. At the muladhara chakra center, say Om. 
• 2. Swadhisthana chakra, at the swadhisthana chakra 
• 3. At the manipura chakra, Mo 
• 4. At the anahata chakra, Bha 
• 5. Ga is located at the vishuddha chakra. 
• 6.Va is located at the ajna chakra. 

• Continuously use mental pressure to force the breath from the lower region of the belly, gradually pushing it up to the breast bone and into the chest, while chanting mentally and pulling the cool breath and stream up the sushumna. 
• At the ajna chakra, hold the breath and current. Consider the point between your brows as the source of all physiological energy and breath.
• Then, while holding your breath, slowly jerk your head to the left shoulder and mentally say Ta, focusing on the taluka chakra and feeling the current reach it. 
• While keeping your breath held, slightly jerk your head to the right, envisioning the current traveling downhill to the Vishuddhi chakra. C
• hant Va in your mind while keeping your concentration and subtle current focused on the vishuddhi chakra. 
• While still holding your breath, swiftly lower your head forward until your chin lands on your chest. Feel a gentle current reaching the anahata chakra, like a thread of warmth. Mentally recite Su-as to achieve this. 
• At the anahata chakra, feel the breath and current resting. Continue to convey the warm thread of breath and current downward with the sound of EE (as in Kriya during exhale), mentally reciting Da at the manipura chakra, Va at the swadhisthana chakra, and Ya at the muladhara chakra. 

THE FOURTH KRIYA

The highest of the initiations, the fourth, varies from the theory and practice of the preceding initiations only in a little but crucial technicality, which is highly fundamental to the eventual achievement of samadhi.

This fourth initiation uses the same strategy as the third, but with the following modification: 

• Instead of spinning the head once while you mentally chant Ta, Ba, Su-(with the breath held), rotate the head three times, repeating Ta, Ba, Su with each revolution and holding the same breath throughout. 
• For six months, practice this fourth introduction, turning the head three times. After then, progressively increase the number of revolutions to twenty-five, as long as you can hold your breath easily and without strain throughout the entire series of revolutions. 
• The exercise is mentally chanting Om, Na, Mo Bha, Ga, Va to bring the breath, life current, and awareness upward to the ajna chakra, and then holding the breath and spinning the head while mentally repeating Ta, Va, Su. 
• The technique's trick is to increase the amount of times you rotate your head while holding your breath and mentally reciting Ta, Va, Su. 
• The head is transformed into a spiritual magnet as the number of revolutions rises (while holding the breath as long as possible without discomfort). 
• This cerebral astral magnet draws all currents traveling through the neural system upward as one through the six cerebrospinal plexuses, concentrating them in the pineal gland, medulla oblongata, and cerebrum, where they are ready to flow out through the medulla oblongata into the Spirit. 
• The more attentively the pupil increases his head rotation and chanting of the Ta, Ba, Su while holding his breath, the stronger his brain magnet gets.

You may also want to read more about Yoga, Yoga Asanas, Kriyas, Pranayama and Mudras here.

WHAT ARE YOGA CHAKRAS OR PADMAS OR PETALS?

 CHAKRAS OR PADMAS

The Linga Sarira contains chakras (astral body). 5 Jnanendriyas (ears, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose); 5 Karmendriyas (speech, hands, legs, genitals, anus); 5 Pranas (Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, Samana); Manas (mind); and Buddhi (mind) (intellect).

The spinal cord and the nerve plexuses of the gross body have corresponding centers. Each Chakra is in charge of and functions over a certain part of the body. These are invisible to the naked eye. Any irresponsible doctors look for Chakras in the physical body. They won't be able to find them there. They lose trust in Shastras and Yogic Kriyas because they can't locate any Chakra in a dead body.

The Linga Sarira's nervous system pushes Sukshma Prana (astral body). The nervous system of the gross human body is where Sthula Prana travels. The two classes are inextricably linked.

They behave and respond in response to one another. And after the actual entity has disintegrated to death, the Chakras remain in the astral body. The Chakras are only created through reflection and meditation, according to one school of thought. This is not an option. Since gross matter is the product of subtle matter, the Chakras should remain there in a subtle state. The gross body cannot exist without the subtle body. The sense of this statement is that the Sukshma Chakras can only be felt and understood during reflection and meditation.

Plexuses are found in areas where many nerves, lungs, and veins intertwine. Hepatic, Cervical, Brachial, Coccygeal, Lumbar, Sacral, Cardiac, Epigastric, Esophageal, Pharyngeal, Plumonary, Lingual, Prostatic, and other physical gross plexuses are known to the Vaidya Shastra. Sukshma Prana plexuses or centers can also be used in the Sushumna Nadi. These centers in Sushumna regulate all of the body's functions, including nervous, intestinal, circulatory, gastrointestinal, genito-urinary, and other systems. This are critical energy's subtle centers. They are the consciousness centers (Chaitanya). Sushumna's subtle centers refer to the human body's subtle centers. The Anahata Chakra, for example, is located in the Sushumna Nadi and has a physical counterpart at the heart (Cardiac Plexus).

Lotuses or Chakras are other names for the subtle centers in the Sushumna Nadi. Per Chakra is dominated by a specific Tattva. Each Chakra has its own presiding deity. Each Chakra is symbolized by a different species. It indicates that the center possesses the attributes, Tattvas, or Gunas of the animal in question. Muladhara, Svadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, and Ajna are the six major Chakras. The chief Chakra is Sahasrara. It's all in your brain. The Lokas refer to these 7 Chakras (Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah, Maha, Jana, Tapa, and Satya Lokas). The Pancha Bhutas (five elements): earth, water, fire, air, and ether have their centers from Muladhara to Vishuddha.

When Kundalini awakens, it travels across all of the Chakras from Muladhara to Sahasrara. The Yogi encounters a unique type of Ananda (Bliss) and receives unique Siddhis (psychic powers) and wisdom at each Kundalini center to which he guides the Kundalini. When Kundalini is brought to Sahasrara Chakra, he experiences Supreme Bliss.

Adhara (another name for Muladhara Chakra), Amrita, Ananda, Lalita, Balvana, Brahmadvara, Chandra, Dipaka, Karnamula, Gulhaha, Kuladipa, Kundali, Galabaddha, Kaladaada, Kaladhvara, Karangaka, Kalabhedan, Lalana, Mahapadma, Niradhara, Naukula, Prana, Som Any of these names are specific to the six major Chakras. There are several small Chakras as well. Some Hathayogis believe there are 21 minor Chakras in addition to the 13 main Chakras, whereas others believe there are 49 Chakras. The ancient Yogis taught that there are 144 Chakras. The twelve red petals of the Talana Chakra are found at the base of the palate, while the six petals of the Manas Chakra are connected with sensations, visions, and astral flight.

CHAKRAS WITH PETALS

Each Chakra has a certain number of petals, each of which has a Sanskrit alphabet on it. The Sanskrit letter that corresponds to the vibration emitted at each petal is used to describe it. Devi Kundalini's Mantra is represented by each letter. The letters are present in the petals in a dormant state. During focus, these can be manifested, and the movements of the Nadis can be sensed.

The number of petals on a lotus flower can vary. Muladhara, Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, and Ajna Chakras each have four, six, ten, twelve, sixteen, and two petals. The 50 petals contain all 50 Sanskrit letters. The number and location of the Yoga Nadis around each Chakra decide the number of petals in each Chakra. I'll make it transparent once more. A certain number of Yoga Nadis emerges from each Chakra. The Nadis serve as the petals of the Chakra, which resembles a lotus. The Sanskrit letter that corresponds to the sound made by the vibrations of the Yoga Nadis. When Kundalini is at the Muladhara Chakra, the Chakras' petals hang downwards. They turn towards Brahmarandhra as it awakens. They are still facing Kundalini's side.

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

OBSTACLES TO YOGA PRACTICE AND HOW TO GET RID OF THEM

The seven causes of disease in the body are mentioned below. The first is sleeping through the day, the second is keeping late vigils overnight, the third is doing so much sexual contact, and the fourth is running around crowds. The consequence of unwholesome food is the fifth source. The sixth step is to examine the urine and feces discharge. The seventh is Prana's difficult mental process.

When confronted with those diseases, the Yogi who is fearful of them says, "My diseases are the product of my Yoga activities." After that, he will stop doing it. This is the first stumbling block to Yoga.

The second impediment to Yoga practice is skepticism about its effectiveness.

The third impediment is carelessness or a state of perplexity.

The fourth is laziness or ignorance.

The fifth impediment to Yoga practice is a lack of sleep.

The sixth is the failure to leave the objects of one's senses, and the seventh is mistaken vision or illusion.

The eighth is concerned with earthly relations or sensual things. The ninth reason is a lack of confidence.

The tenth is a lack of aptitude for grasping Yoga's realities.

These ten stumbling blocks should be avoided by a wise Yoga practitioner by careful investigation and deliberation.

Pranayama should be practiced on a regular basis with the mind set on the Facts. The mind then finds solace in the Sushumna. As a result, the Prana does not pass.

One becomes a pure Yogin when the impurities of the mind are eliminated and Prana is engulfed in the Sushumna.

When the accumulated impurity clogging the Sushumna Nadi is fully eliminated and the flow of essential air through the Sushumna is restored by Kevala Kumbhaka, the Yogin forcefully induces the Apana with the downward path to climb upwards by contracting the anus (Mula Bandha).

As a result of being raised, the Apana joins Agni. They then easily ascend to Prana's seat.

Then, as Prana and Apana unite, they travel to Kundalini, which is coiled and sleeping.

Kundalini spreads its body in the interior of the Sushumna's mouth, heated by Agni and agitated by Vayu.

CHALANA OF SARASVATI

Sarasvati Chalana is the Sarasvati Nadi's rousing. 

Saraswati Nadi is one among the fourteen Nadis, west of the navel.

• The medha, lakshmi, and saraswati nadis are the three nadis that run up the front of the body. Sushumna, Vajra, Chitrini, Brahma, Saraswati, and Lakshmi are the Shakti nadis. 

• Susumna, Vajra, and Saraswati nadis are the most prevalent risings. 

• In these paths, there are also several energy center (chakra) levels at which she can act or settle in the course of her endeavors till she can go higher.

Arundhati is Sarasvati's name. It literally means "that which aids in the execution of good deeds."

The Kundalini, which is spiral, straightens out as a result of Sarasvati Chalana practice and Prana discipline.

Only by rousing the Sarasvati will the Kundalini be roused.

• As Prana, or breath, passes through one's Ida Nadi, or left nostril, one can sit squarely in Padmasana and lengthen the Akasa of 12 digits inwards 4 digits. 

• Prana goes out 16 digits on exhalation and just 12 digits on inhalation, resulting in a 4 digit loss. 

• The Kundalini is aroused when inhaled for 16 digits.

The wise Yogi should carry Sarasvati Nadi by lengthening his breath and, while keeping both ribs near the navel tightly together with the forefinger and thumbs of both hands, one hand on each side, stir up Kundalini with all his might, from right to left, over and over. 

• This stirring could go on for up to 48 minutes.

• When Kundalini makes its way into Sushumna, he can draw up a bit. 

• This is how the Kundalini makes its way into Sushumna's mouth.

• Prana, like the Kundalini, joins the Sushumna on its own.

• The Yogic student can also compress the neck to enlarge the navel. 

• The Prana is then sent above to the chest by shaking Sarasvati. 

• Prana rises above the chest due to the contraction of the jaw.

Sarasvati's womb is filled with echo. She should be shook or vibrated on a regular basis.

• Dropsy or Jalodara, Gulma (a stomach disease), Pliha (a spleen disease), and all other diseases growing inside the belly are healed simply by shaking Sarasvati.

~ Kiran Atma

You may also want to read more articles on Yoga and Holistic Healing Here.

Cosmic Consciousness by Kundalini Yoga

The holy Himalaya, from wherest daughter Ganges has its source, in the mountains where Shiva Mahadeva, the snowy king was born. The peaks rising high above humanity are his Earthly abode, and the place his wife, Parvati, considers Her home. 

The holiest spot (kshetra), the Pilgrims have traveled there since the beginning of time to meet and circumambulate (parikrama) Mount Kailasha (Kang Rinpoche), where Lord Shiva lives. The holy Mansarovar Lake is to the north-west of this noble mountain (Mapham Yum-tso). Shiva's paradise has been characterized as a land "resplendent with females, with lasting fragrances of all season's flowers, fanned by cool breezes, shadowed by the still shade of stately trees,... where troops of apsaras sing with madden passion."  

It is said that whoever contemplates Shiva's abode in the Himalaya is better than whoever worships Shiva in Kashi. This is the pilgrimage's destination, as well as the scene and location of the discovery of several holy scriptures known as Tantras, in which Parvati normally asks Shiva questions regarding the purpose and road to salvation.

However, there are various types of divine force and directions to sacred action and revelation in Hindu thought. As a result, the Tantric revelation holds that paying obeisance to Shiva and his consort does not require a trip to the actual peaks of the Himalaya or to Kailasha. All Tantras, whether Shaiva or Shakta, insist that a trip to Mount Kailasha is unnecessary, if not useless, since his mystic and symbolic abode is to be found in the thousand-petalled lotus, the Sahasrara-chakra, in the seeker's subtle or divine form. This abode is known as the shivasthana, the location where Shiva resides eternally and where all Yoga and meditation seekers are welcomed.

Tantra practitioners take a daily path as part of their devotion. An inner journey into the still-yet-vibrating center of cosmic consciousness in the subtle body is imperative and mandatory for the Tantric path seeker, even though an external journey to a pilgrimage center is taken. Although all schools of Indie religion talk of the divinity of the body, the Tantras articulate it in its most complete and structured form. A devotee who abandons the divinity that resides inside his body to worship that which resides beyond his body is likened to a person who abandons his home's riches and wanders as a beggar asking for alms.

The Cosmos of the Body

Immutability is a Hindu concept, whereas the celestial divine body is a Buddhist concept. Tantras have a physical form. They thought they were wonderful and had attained enlightenment. They say there is a "etheric double" in addition to the gross or material body, which is subject to degradation and death. The subtle body (sukshama-sharira), also known as a sacred body (divya-deha), or a pure body (siddha-deha), is unveiled, tamed, energised, and sublimated during an arduous Tantra-yoga process for the attainment of consciousness unity. The subtle body is free of defilement and exists independently of the cosmos' spatio-temporal matrix. The pure category of the universe is inextricably bound to this subtle entity. It is associated with the union of the male and female principles, Shiva and Shakti, and serves as a purified dynamic powerhouse for the evolution of the universe across ever subtler planes of universal consciousness. According to the Tantras, awakening the sacred potency of the subtle body does not simply result in the possession of spiritual strength (siddhi). It has the ability to change the body's very substance over time.

Human ascension to a superconscious state of consciousness, according to the Tantras, entails embodying the whole universe. A state of enlightenment, a shift in influence from the human world to the realm of cosmic consciousness. The body is seen as condensing the whole universe through this comocization. The citadel of the heart has been thought to be the sacred center among us since ancient times. The Chandogya Upanisad is where the concept of divinity-in-the-heart first appeared (VII, 1,1-3)

The heart is located within the city of Brahman, which is the flesh, and within the heart is a small dwelling. This house is shaped like a lotus, and it contains all that should be searched for, enquired about, and realized.

So, what is this lotus of the heart that resides within this house?

The cosmos within the lotus of the heart is as vast as the universe beyond. Heaven and earth, the sun, the moon, lightning, and all the stars are all included within it. Anything that exists in the macrocosm exists in this microcosm.

The lotus of the heart does not age, despite the fact that the body does. It does not perish as the body perishes. The true city of Brahman is the lotus of the heart, where Brahman resides in all his glory, not the body. 

The heart of the Supreme Principle, symbolized by the lotus, is the true city of the Supreme Principle, untainted by the mundane realities of everyday life. Later on, this idea was massively extended and developed.

Tantras and medieval Yoga-Upanisads include a formal paradigm of the microcosm, with lotuses serving as psychic centers of consciousness and self-realization. The micro-macro hypothesis of body universe is the scientific term for this. The divine or subtle body may be visualized in a variety of ways. The holy geography of India's terrain inspired one of the most convincing pictures to explain the correspondence and equivalence between the macrocosm and the microcosm. The Shiva Samhita paints a vivid picture of the divine self's sacred geography, in which the body reflects the sacred land's landscape:

Mount Meru is encircled by the seven continents in your body; rivers, seas, mountains, plains, and gods of the fields are also present. It contains priests, nuns, pilgrimage sites, and the deities that preside over them.

There are stars, planets, and the sun and moon; there are also the two celestial forces; that which kills, and that which creates; and all of the elements; ether, air, and fire, water, and earth. Yes, all that exists in the three realms is contained within your body.

All of the Yogis are doing their specified tasks around Mount Meru, but only the one who understands this is considered a real Yogi. In a related vein, the Shaktananda Tarangini (Chapter l,39ff) depicts the nine planets, twelve zodiac signs, fourteen cosmos planes, seven mountains, seven oceans, and seven islands circling Mount Meru, the Universe's central axis, as forming the framework of the body cosmos. There is a subtle body or celestial body within this outer shell that represents all the stars, planets, astral planes, and elements like a mirror reflects the natural universe. Whatever powers rule the external universe, the inner cosmos is governed by the same rules.

These are basically poetic representations of God's flesh. The Tantras vividly depict alternative maps of the subtle body that embodies the universe. According to the Tantrikas, we do not perceive our mind as anything apart from our body, like an outer garment, since it corresponds to and is the most personal extension of the Universe. 6 Since the subtle body is regarded as a miniature universe, its arrangement presupposes an inextricable connection with Tantra's ontology and worldview.

The Supreme Truth, according to Tantric philosophy, is self-luminous— pure consciousness, absolute, and all-pervasive. In its descent to manifestation, this consciousness polarizes as fire. In a religious level, Shiva, the static male principle, represents this consciousness. Shakti, his power, is associated with the feminine principle.

Shiva and Shakti are also at the heart of life. Shakti is a complex and active form of consciousness. During evolution, the Shakti philosophy completes itself and produces the realm of materiality, which is manifested in a variety of universe categories, including cognitive faculties, senses, their things, and the five elements. The map of the delicate body represents both of these types. Any form in the universe is a manifestation of consciousness (ctl).

The person loses sight of the unity of cosmic consciousness and lives with a false sense of self as a result of the veiling of shakti. Devi Kundalini, or the Coiled One, is the Shakti philosophy of the universe in the delicate body, conceived as an eternal pool of electricity (Shakti). Kundalini is depicted as a sleeping snake in her unmanifest, latent form. Muladhara, the 'root reinforcement' chakra, is found between the anus and the genitals, and is coiled in three-and-a-half circles along the central axis at the base of the spine. The act of resting

Kundalini Shakti is as subtle as a perfect lotus-stalk fibre and as vivid as a bolt of lightning. The microcosm is akin to an electric battery in which this cosmic force is stored in a dormant state. When this force is not channeled in a systematic manner, it either withers away or manifests in a small way.

Kundalini is the spirit that lies at the heart of all life in its broadest sense. It is the source of all forces, qualities, and life forms that this world will take. The energy in the gross form of a normal human is inert, since it does not vibrate or revolve. That it "knots" together our differentiated and dualising mind, which empowers us with a distorted sense of egohood, it lays inert in tangles. These knots are shown in three planes around the body's central axis. They are the results of our previous deeds (samskaras), dooming us to a life of deception.

They block Kundalini Shakti's complete and unrestricted movement. The ultimate aim of the cosmic awareness inner quest is to rediscover one's veiled cosmic existence. To get the goddess Kundalini up to the highest level of consciousness. This is thought to be the home of the para-bindu, the ultimate locus of the universe's seed.

Kundalini Shakti is as subtle as a perfect lotus-stalk fibre and as vivid as a bolt of lightning. The microcosm is akin to an electric battery in which this cosmic force is stored in a dormant state. When this force is not channeled in a systematic manner, it either withers away or manifests in a small way.

Kundalini is the spirit that lies at the heart of all life in its broadest sense. It is the source of all forces, qualities, and life forms that this world will take.

The energy in the gross form of a normal human is inert, since it does not vibrate or revolve. That it "knots" together our differentiated and dualising mind, which empowers us with a distorted sense of egohood, it lays inert in tangles. These knots are shown in three planes around the body's central axis. They are the results of our previous deeds (samskaras), dooming us to a life of deception.

They block Kundalini Shakti's complete and unrestricted movement. The ultimate aim of the cosmic awareness inner quest is to rediscover one's veiled cosmic existence. To get the goddess Kundalini up to the highest level of consciousness. This is thought to be the home of the para-bindu, the ultimate locus of the universe's seed.

Kundalini, in a microcosmic context, is the root of the two most vital currents that control life. The first is Prana, or essential energy, which is present in all of us as air, life, or a source of energy.

The second is virya or ojas1, a virile vitality that encourages all forms of artistic expression and mystic unfoldment. The awakened Kundalini is felt as a current, kinetic, and effulgent rising up the subtle channel, the Sushumna-nadi, at the crown of the head, the abode of Shiva, the Absolute as Pure Consciousness, in its manifest state (rif).

Shiva and Shakti are thus found at diametrically opposed points that are linked by the body-cosmos' central axis.

Numerous etheric pathways and vortices make up the subtle body (chakras). While the details of their arrangement and symbolism may differ from one school to the next, there is a universal model. 8 In the microcosm, there are three key subtle pathways. The most notable, the Sushumna-nadi, the body-cosmos' central axis, is flanked on the right by a lunar line, Ida, which represents the female principle, and on the left by the solar channel, Pingala, which represents the male principle. From the base of the spine, two waves of energy flow from Ida and Pingala, spiraling in opposing directions around the Sushumna, which reaches them between the eyebrows. They then split up into two groups.

Both the left and right nostrils are involved. Yoga entails bringing these two slight currents together in the Sushumna, the median tube.

The subtle body simply maps one's divine path from the stage of material life to the final state of beatitude.

Each of the psychic vortices refers to one of the stages of this yogic path. The microcosm's inner map is made up of seven psychic vortices depicted as circuits (chakras) or lotuses. They are spaced around the Sushumna, the subtle body's vertical axis, which corresponds to the spinal column's line from the base to the crown of the head. In Kundalini yoga, the seven main points of influence in the subtle body (according to Hindu tradition) serve as yantras for inner meditative experience. Geometrical figures, such as wheels (chakras) or lotuses, are used to represent them. They are arranged on the Sushumna, the subtle body's vertical axis, which approximately corresponds to the spinal column and cortex. Each chakra is identified with a sound sensation, aspect, color, deity, animal image, and category of the universe, since these chakras encompass the whole psycho-cosmos.

The Muladhara (root) Chakra is located at the base of the spine and is the first chakra. It serves as a focal point for the psychic body's powers. A square with an inverted triangle is one of its symbols. The snake-symbol of the latent microcosmic form of energy, Devi Kundalini, is coiled around a linga icon in the center of this yantra. It is governed by the element earth, and its seed motto is Lam.

Svadishthana Chakra is located behind the genitals. It's a vermilion color. It takes the shape of a circle with six petals and a white crescent moon in the middle. The mantra of the water factor Vam is inscribed in the middle.

The navel center, Manipura Chakra, is ruled by the element fire. It is pictured as a ten-petal lotus. A red triangle with three swastika symbols appears inside the lotus (T-shaped). Am is the seed mantra.

The fourth, Anahata Chakra, is found in the heart level and is shaped like a lotus with twelve petals and a hexagon in the middle. The Anahata Chakra is the seat of the air elements, and it is a key revealer of celestial sound in meditation. Yam is the seed mantra.

The Vishuddhi Chakra is located at the level of the throat and is the fifth chakra. It has a smoky purple color to it. A sixteen-petaled lotus with a downward-pointing triangle is the symbol. The symbol of the ether element, represented by a circle, is in the middle. Ham is the seed mantra.

Ajna, the sixth chakra, is situated between the brows and is in charge of different stages of meditation. A shell with two petals and an inverted triangle bearing a linga emblem is the symbol. Om, the primordial vibration, is the seed mantra.

The pinnacle of yogic practice, the seat of the Absolute, is represented by the seventh chakra, Sahasrara Chakra (Shiva-Shakti). Four fingers' width above the top of the head is how it's visualized. It is symbolized by a thousand-petalled inverted lotus, which symbolically rains divine radiance on the subtle body. The Sahasrara is colorless since it neutralizes all colors and sounds.

There are 50 lotus petals from the root center to the center of the brows, corresponding to the letters of the alphabet (matrika) inscribed on the petals. These are the divisions that make up the universe and reflect Vaikhari vak's gross state. Each chakra has its own distinct image, which is associated with a god, animal symbol, mantra, color, rank, and universe plane (see Figure 1). This intricate symbolism depicts the Goddess Kundalini as the microcosm and forms the inner map of the body universe. 9

The five psychic sheaths of the human body are all attached to these chakras: the Muladhara, Svadhishthana, and Manipura are associated with the visible or corporeal sheath, the Annamaya-kosha. The Pranamaya-kosha, or essential energy sheath, is connected to the Anahata and Vishuddhi-chakras, which manifest in air and ether. The Ajna-chakra represents the third sheath, Manomaya, the emotional sheath, and Vijnanamaya, the intelligence sheath. Finally, the Anandamaya kosa, or happiness body, is connected to pure consciousness, which is housed in the Sahasrara-chakra.

Awareness and meditation (jnanadhyanaprakasah) expose these internal chakras, which mark the stages of the Kundalini Shakti's spiritual journey. They embody the seven ascension planes and provide the internal structure by which the adorer works out his universe unification. The subtle body scheme also acts as a framework for reciprocal correspondences between the body universes' internal layers and the cosmos' exterior planes.

In the Subtle Body, the Path and Goal of Cosmic Consciousness

Internal waystation markers and mirrored yogic mark symbolically unique journey phases as subtle-channels in the to evolution wholeness and lotus of consciousness. The body currents of crucial breath serve as the vehicle for the yogic journey. They quickly pass through the Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna delicate pathways of the body universe to join with Shiva at the crown of the head.

These psychic sources have been likened to the Ganga, Yamuna, and Sarasvati rivers. And their meeting (triveni) in Prayag, Uttar Pradesh, is symbolically depicted in the Ajna Chakra, in the center between the eye brows, to signify that the worshipper's delicate body contains the greatest holy center. The Ajna Chakra is where certain yoga schools start the meditative path. They conclude that the adept must purify his cognitions and the dross of the dualising mind at the confluence of the three channels before beginning the awakening of the energy. It is the confluence of the three holy rivers, symbolically, and it is here that the original purification takes place before the journey.

In the same way as a pilgrim is guided by the holy scenery, an inward psychic path is guided by the psychic centers symbolized by the lotuses.

The Kundalini Shakti ascends like a blazing snake on her way, bursting through vortices and untying psychic blockages that lie in the direction of the Sushumna, the subtle body's central axis. Ascension (aroha) and regression (pranayama) are the two distinct stages of the yogic path (avaroha).

"She shines brightly in her ascent; she looks like nectar in her descent," the Devigita (Chapt 10.3) says. First and foremost, the yogi, when roused by contemplative methods, leads the cosmic force.

In the shape of a tapering blaze of light, this force rests in the breath alongside the true self (jivatma). It is brought to the root-centre at the base of the spine by the Yogi. The inner quest then continues. The five gross elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether, as well as their respective cognition organs, are found in the five psychic centers, starting with Muladhara (=earth element), Svadhisthana (=water element), Manipura (=fire element), Anahata (=air element), and Vishuddhi (=ether element). Symbols of god and action.

The sense of smell and the theory of smell (tanmatra) are related to the earth factor at the base of the spine, as well as the feet as the motion organ. Similarly, other chakras have specific associations.

The Kundalini Shakti ascends like a blazing snake on her way, bursting through vortices and untying psychic blockages that lie in the direction of the Sushumna, the subtle body's central axis. Ascension (aroha) and regression (pranayama) are the two distinct stages of the yogic path (avaroha).

"She shines brightly in her ascent; she looks like nectar in her descent," the Devigita (Chapt 10.3) says. First and foremost, the yogi, when roused by contemplative methods, leads the cosmic force.

In the shape of a tapering blaze of light, this force rests in the breath alongside the true self (jivatma). It is brought to the root-centre at the base of the spine by the Yogi. The inner quest then continues. The five gross elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether, as well as their respective cognition organs, are found in the five psychic centres, starting with Muladhara (=earth element), Svadhisthana (=water element), Manipura (=fire element), Anahata (=air element), and Vishuddhi (=ether element). Symbols of god and action.

The sense of smell and the theory of smell (tanmatra) are related to the earth factor at the base of the spine, as well as the feet as the motion organ. Other chakras, too, have specific associations with elements and celestial categories (see figure 1.) They make up the twenty-five categories of formation when taken together (tattvasrishti).

The celestial energy's primary goal in the body is to remove and consume (layakrama) all five elements, their properties, and the associated consciousness and action organs at each psychic base.

The method of dissolving these elements into pure celestial awareness starts with each of the five elements consuming and dissolving into the next in their respective psychic centres, together with their mantras, deity reflection, and animal icons. Thus, at the Muladhara Chakra, the earth-element is incorporated into the subtle concept of scent (gandha-tanmatra), contemplating the diety with his animal symbol. The world is melted into water in the next step when meditating on Vishnu and his consort; the subtle concept of scent can be transformed into taste. The true self (jivatma), Kundalini Shakti, and the water aspect should then flow into the navel center's fire field. The yogi should think of Rudra and his Shakti, as well as the lustrous sense of vision, and absorb all of this, as well as the principle of taste (rasa-tattva), into the principle of sight/form (rupa-tattva). The yogi can then move on into the area of air at the centre of the throat. He meditates here on Isha, the air divinity and his Shakti, and absorbs the principle of seeing into the principle of touch (sparsha). And, while discussing Shiva and his consort, he meditates on the area of ether, where he absorbs the previous principle of touch into the principle of expression (vak) and the sense of hearing. The theory of expression (shabda-tattva) is then absorbed into egosense (ahamkara), egosense into mind (mahat-tattva), and mind into subtle Prakriti at the Ajna Chakra. And Prakriti into the ultimate bindu, which represents the Shiva philosophy, residing in Shiva's abode, the thousand-petalled lotus. 10

Spiritual enlightenment is commonly thought of as a journey from the gross to the subtle, but this movement is just half of the journey's total cycle. The descent of the subtle knowledge of cosmic consciousness is the other part of the inner path. The nectarine bliss of harmony at the Shivasthana, in the highest chakra, is visualised as a spray of nectar flowing down to the lower chakras from the cold rays of the moon of consciousness (citcandrika). The cyclic transition from the essence of consciousness to the mind and intellect, to the sensory organs, the earth aspect, and finally to the outside world of the senses comes to an end here.

The twin poles through which the whole period of involution and evolution of celestial energy takes place are the earth sphere, the lowest concept in the order of creation and the highest pinnacle of cosmic consciousness. The climb is called samhara-krama, and it is the first half of the path to completeness.

The Kundalini Shakti is taken back to its original resting ground at the base of the spine on the reverse journey. In the course of her descent, the current divine body is recreated.

With ambrosial nectar extracted from Shiva and Shakti's union, the energy now reverses her movement and empowers the vortices that lie in her way. This energy must be returned in the same way that she was directed upwards. She returns with a trickle of nectar that she sprinkles on each of the chakras. In other words, she infuses and inundates each psychic vortex with rasa, bursting with Shiva and Shakti's ultimate bliss of unification of consciousness. This union resurrects them and sets the stage for the flood of nectar that results from their joy. The Kundalini Shakti is referred to as the "universal vessel bearing the stream of celestial nectar (brahmandabhanda)" in this act.

In strictly psychic terminology, the journey can be translated as the unfolding of consciousness from its incipient state to the outpetalling of the soul flower. C.J. Jung has beautifully represented a visual philosophy of consciousness through the animal symbols of the psychic vortices through his long years of study into the mechanisms of the psyche. These are sometimes defined as "vehicles of consciousness."

Symbols of Animals

The fundamental elephant force that drives our atus facilitates the reconstruction of root consciousness, our chakra, aware of the Muladhara, which represents the cosmos. The earth aspect represents the earth's sustaining powers.

Kundalini energy ascends to the plane of Svadhisthana Chakra, where it meets the Makara, or Leviathan, propelled by the energy of the root support. If the elephant is the driving force, the Leviathan is the "engine that keeps you alive in the conscious world," according to Jung.

Waters, too, are essential for life to exist. Yet, as Jung points out, there is a power it obstructs that for what it is: "the greatest blessing in the waking world is the greatest curse in the unconscious." As a result, the Makara is optimistic, almost like a "dragon that devours." The aquatic energy of Makara turns into a Ram, the holy beast of Agni, or God of fire, in the next chakra, the Manipura Chakra. Ram is associated with Mars, the fiery world, which "represents impulses, impulsiveness, rashness, aggression, and all such things." It symbolises the ultimate act of love. To become mindful of one's passion on a subconscious basis is to seek its sublimation. The robust Ram is replaced in the next Anahata Chakra by a light-footed gazelle, which is also a sacrificial cow. The gazelle is portrayed as a majestic animal that is elusive, quick on its feet, light as air, and "gravity defying," rising high and resembling an eagle. From the Manipura to the Anahata, one experiences "the crossing over" to the sphere of self-recognition, a sign of "lightness of mind and emotion," the ego on its ascent. Here, one travels onto a plane where one recognises one's cosmic ability, leaving behind the mundane social and egoistic personality. This crossing over is very difficult to accept because it entails giving up one's self to the "consciousness that is at the limit." The elephant's symbol reappears in the Vishuddhi Chakra as the milky white Airavata, Indra's bearer. According to Jung, the elephant undergoes a transition, which initially took us closer to our psychic unfoldment. The elephant's blackness has transubstantiated into the purity of white, and the element earth has become ether, the psyche's explosive material. There is no animal sign at the Ajna Chakra. Instead, the chakra's corolla resembles a "winged seed," a full blinding white light perfectly aware of its celestial dimensions. The Sahasrara Chakra, the final summit, is an etheric void that is symbolless since it is "one" with cosmic consciousness.

When the channel awakens and harmonises, she pierces the twin forces. Sheasunders purifies and empowers the six Kundalini chakras by increasing the knots chakras, sharpening and empowering them with divine strength. When the Kundalini cleanses the Muladhara-chakra, which is aligned with the earth philosophy and springs from the delicate nature of smell, the aspirant is able to taste divine fragrances that are not available in everyday life. The Kundalini expands and saturates the entire body in the form of ultra-subtle pranic energy as the related centres awaken. The dreaming mind is fully overtaken by a vibratory stirring. Involuntary body motions, such as arm and leg trembling, may occur, and one may recoil into a waking state of trance sleep (yoganidra) or dive into a state of divine whirling ghurni, or be overcome by a torrent of compassion. One may adopt a variety of postures and movements on the spur of the moment (mudras and asanas). The unfolding of Kundalini Shakti is marked by many lakshanas13. Someone can be moved to write beautiful poems, sing devotional songs, or gain random awareness of some thing, person, or place. In this state, the adept loses awareness of his detachment from the celestial body, which is his own reflection, and breaks his earthly bonds in an instant.

The false sense of identification with the body vanishes and the aspirant is free of dualising thinking until the two discordant currents of the lunar (Ida) and solar (Pingala) channels become firmly harmonised in the median channel, Sushumna. He then reaches a state of samadhi, or undifferentiated immersion, on his own. The condition is a striking characteristic of the Shaiva and Shakta traditions.

Awakened Kundalini 

When the channel awakens and harmonises, she pierces the twin forces. She asunders purifies the six Kundalini chakras, increasing the knots chakras, across and the median. She sharpens and instils supernatural influence in them. When the Kundalini cleanses the Muladhara-chakra, which is aligned with the earth philosophy and springs from the delicate nature of smell, the aspirant is able to taste divine fragrances that are not available in everyday life. The Kundalini expands and saturates the entire body in the form of ultra-subtle pranic energy as the related centres awaken. The dreaming mind is fully overtaken by a vibratory stirring. Involuntary body motions, such as arm and leg trembling, may occur, and one may recoil into a waking state of trance sleep (yoganidra) or dive into a state of divine whirling ghurni, or be overcome by a torrent of compassion. One may adopt a variety of postures and movements on the spur of the moment (mudras and asanas). The unfolding of Kundalini Shakti is marked by many lakshanas13. Someone can be moved to write beautiful poems, sing devotional songs, or gain random awareness of some thing, person, or place. In this state, the adept loses awareness of his detachment from the celestial body, which is his own reflection, and breaks his earthly bonds in an instant.

The false sense of identification with the body vanishes and the aspirant is free of dualizing thinking until the two discordant currents of the lunar (Ida) and solar (Pingala) channels become firmly harmonised in the median channel, Sushumna. He then enters a state of samadhi, or undifferentiated absorption, on his own. The state of samadhi is viewed as a state of active consciousness, conscious and absolute, in which the immanent and transcendent are woven into a continuous spectrum in the Shaiva and Shakta traditions.

The yogi is supposed to undergo both internal and external extension of consciousness. In the ascending and descent of the Kundalini Shakti, he internalizes the world in the subtle body in the first step. His beatific vision of oneness openly manifests in the external universe, mediated by the senses, in the next phase. Unmilana samadhi, or feeling the joy of consciousness with open eyes14, is the term for this. The blissful and holy body is where Shiva and Shakti's artistic union is felt. The planet is not negated or abolished; rather, every atom of the universe is infused with the all-pervasive force of blissful consciousness. The cosmic play of Kundalini Shakti is maintained by the exteriorization of the referential universe into harmony and the exteriorization of bliss into the outer world.

Bibliography

1. [Mahanirvana Tantra] Tantra of the Great Liberation. Translation from the Sanskrit

with introduction and commentary. Arthur Avalon, New York: Dover Publica

tions, Inc. 1972, (reprint) Chap. 1,1-4.

2. I have mainly followed the text of Sritattvacintamani (Chapter VI) for my inte

pretation. This text has been translated by Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe

in his book The Serpent Power. Translations have been suitably revised or par

phrased. Sritattvacintamani of Purnananda. Critically edited from original man

scripts (Chapters I—XVIII) with an original commentary by Bhuvanamohan

Sankhyatirtha and (Chapters XIX-XXVI) with Notes by Chintamani

Bhattacharya. Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass Publishers, 1994 (reprint), Chapter

VI, 183-210; Avalon, Arthur. The Serpent Power (Being the Sat-Chakra-nirupan

and Paduka-Pancaka. Two works on Laya-yoga. Translated from the Sanskrit

with introduction and commentary. New York: Dover Publications, 1974 (re

print); Shaktanandatarangini of Brahmananda giri. Rajanatha Tripathi (Editor).

Yogatantra granthamala Vol.. II. Varanasi: Sampurnanda Sanskrit University,

Chap. 1 and IV.

3. Shaktanandatarangini, Chap. IV.99 op.cit.; Shiva Samhita Chap V, 71.Op.cit in not

no. 5.

4. Chandogya Upanisad (VIII.l, 1-3) in Thirteen Principal Unanisads. Trans., E. Hume

London: Oxford University Press, 1975, pp. 262-263.

5. The Shiva Samhita. Trans., S. Chandra Vasu. Allahabad: Oriental Books Reprin

Corporation, 1975 (reprint), Chap. II ff.

6. Siva Sutras: The Yoga of Supreme Identity. Trans with Notes, Jaidev Singh. Delh

Motilal Banarasidass Publishers, 2000, sutra 14, p.56-57.

7. Silburu, Lilian. Kundalini: The Energy of the Depths. Albany: State University o

New York, 1988, pp. 3,161.

8. There are different models of the subtle body schema. For the model of the

body cosmos with thirteen psychic centres see: Khanna Madhu, The Subtle Body—

A Tantric Scroll, with translation, commentary and notes, Ahmedabad: Calico

Museum, 2004.

9. Khanna, Madhu. Yantra: The Tantric Symbol of Cosmic Unity. London: Thames

and Hudson, 1997 (reprint), pp.121-122.

10. Sritattvacintamani, Chap. VI, 53-54, pp. 224-227. The Serpent Power, pp. 446-47

Op. cit.

11. Sritattvacintamani Chap. VI, 54, p.226. Op.cit

12. Jung, C.G., Psychological Commentary on Kundalini Yoga, Lectures One, Two,

Three and Four, 1932 (from the Notes of Mary Foote), published in Spring, New

York, 1975-76.

13. Nigamananda, Tantrikaguru (in Hindi). Halisar: Assam Bangiya Sarasvata Matha,

1988, pp.206.ff, see also Mookerjee, Ajit. Kundalini The Arousal of the Inner En

ergy. London: Thames and Hudson, 1982, p.71 ff, has documented the process

and effects of the Kundalini experience.

14. Pratyabhijnahrdayam, The Secret of Self-Recognition. Text with English transla

tion and notes by Jaidev Singh. Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass, 1963, p 103 ff; c.f.,

Siva Sutras, sutra 45, pp 231-232. Op.cit.