A brief overview of Kundalini Shakti in the west

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I am reposting this from last year. Those interested in a discussion of

Kundalini Shakti and the role it plays in Jnana can look at Sri Ramana's

comments on the topic. The Sage in a clear and simple way points out the

role played by the Shakti in Self-Realization for those who tread the path

of Shakti Yoga.

 

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Kundalini Shakti is really at the heart of all yoga and is

 

embedded in virtually all Eastern traditions regardless of the name or label

 

that is given. If you look at any school of yoga, tantra, or various

 

traditions (Shakti, Shaivite, Kashmiri Shaivism), there will usually be some

 

descriptions of Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Kriyas, Mudras, Mantras, and

 

different types of meditations on the energy centers and Kundalini Shakti,

 

and descriptions of the Goddess, etc.

 

Even in Advaita Vedanta, we see that Shankracharya has written great hymns

 

to the Goddess. At a very practical level, the notion of the Divine Mother,

 

Shakti, the Goddess, is intertwined with most Indian Philosophies. Hatha

 

Yoga Pradipika, for example is one of the classics of Kundalini Yoga and

 

describes how one moves from the physical aspects to the mental aspects (Raj

 

Yoga) through various types of postures and mudras and pranayama.

 

As far as I know, Swami Vivekananda in the late 1800's introduced the notion

 

of Kundalini Shakti in the West. The term Kriya Yoga was popularized by

 

Swami Yogananda who came to the U.S in the early 1900s and settled here.

 

Again, awakening the Kudnalini Shakti is central to that tradition as well

 

although they do not engage in very heavy duty pranayama exercises.

 

Kundalini related literature from the East started to be translated into

 

English in the early 1900s, and one of the earliest translations which is

 

still widely available today was by Arthur Avalon (Shakti Yoga). It is a

 

translation of an esoteric text and describes the process of raising the

 

Shakti by a variety of Kriyas and Mudras and Pranayamas.

 

There are many good books on Kundalini Yoga from a variety of people

 

belonging to different schools. Swami Sivananda's books on Kundalini, Hatha

 

Yoga, and Pranayama are widely available and are quite comprehensive and

 

excellent. Just look around and see what appeals to you. In

 

the past, many of these teachings were kept secret. Today, however, there is

 

enough literature on the topic to satisfy everyone's curiosity.

 

 

 

Love to all

 

Harsha