some sharing, opinions sought

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

My own spiritual practice has not explicitly been kundalini yoga. Although

I am aware that all true paths ultimately lead to the freeing of the

kundalini energy. My path most recently has been Kriya Yoga as taught by

Ananda which was started by a direct disciple of Yogananda. I am curious

about some of the things that occur in my practice. The practice is

largely one of using breath and concentration to move energy up the chakras

to the third eye with the idea being in part to cleanse energy centers, in

part the opening and development of the third eye, in part to lift more of

the energy to the higher chakras and in part the gentle coaxing forward of

kundalini energy. One thing I have noticed are a build-up of energy during

my practice and sometimes a deep vibrating that starts by body shaking.

Often I feel on edge of some new release or a deep shift within. It is a

feeling of anticipation, sometimes some fear and anxiety stuff will come up,

often when I notice it I fall out of it. It is delicate and yet very

strong. Sometimes I find myself in a peace and a presence that is

breath-taking and incredibly Loving. In my life outside meditation I note

some things that cause me some worry. Like my memory seeming not as good

for technical and every day things. Or being somehow absorbed inside when

in conversation with someone and having some difficulty doing everyday

social conversations as a result. A lot of things in the everyday life I

become quite dispassionate about. It is as if they just aren't of any real

importance. Sometimes this feels like I am removed from what I used to

think life was and not well connected to other people who see things

differently. Often I get this feeling of upwelling energy inside that makes

my eyes want to go upward and my had want to rise heavenward. I will get

this feeling sometimes when I should or believe I should be focusing on work

things.

 

Do other people get these things? Are they good? Just stuff along the

way? Typical symptoms and reactions? How do you integrate some of these

energies with everyday responsibilities? I am a pretty senior high-end

software engineer. Financially and career wise and in the well being of my

dependents there are possible real consequences if I find it harder to

remember and to focus on my work. Any hints or thoughts?

 

Lately I have stopped meditating much of the time. My interest in and

focus on my career stuff became much stronger. Which seemed good. At the

same time I lost a lot of peacefulness and am apalled at an

anger/fear/dis-ease present in me. I deeply miss the peace and the

occassional glimpse of Light and Love. Yet I don't know how to integrate

the spiritual and the technological/scientific, the mystical with being well

integrated into and responsible in the world.

 

Thanks for anything you might wish to offer.

 

- samantha

[Guest guest]

Dear Samantha,

 

How to stay grounded on a spiritual path is a key question. Spiritual

paths traditionally lead us up and out of our bodies with the results that

you have very well described ie. a detachment from the physical world.

Spiritual paths often considered the body, the lower chakras and the world

"bad". The big task of spiritual paths at this time, as I see it, is to

integrate the spirit into the phyical plane--bring heaven to earth, not try

to escape. I have been working on this for the last 20 some years after I

realized that my worldly life was falling apart as I became more

"spiritual."

 

The key is to bring the energy down back into the body and to be present in

your body. This is the hard part. It is often very difficult to even feel

our body because there is so much numbness and pain. But that is the task.

Yogi Bhajan taught us that we have to work on the lower three chakras

until we have a base of the energy. This is the theme of my book

"Transitions to a Heart Centered World."

 

So a summary guideline would be to be present to the sensations in your

body and stay with them during all yoga and meditation. Connect the navel

with the third eye so the fire stays in the body. The set for spinal

flexibility on our KYsite is a good one to cultivate body awarenss and to

feel spiritual energy in all the chakras.

 

There are volumes to be written on this and our goal is to share more on

this very topic. So stay tuned. In the meantime stay in your body and

experience what that feels like. And let us know. I have worked with many

students with similar stories. Once they experienced real grounding and

their own presence, they were able to be both spiritual and make a living

in the world.

 

Sat Nam,

 

Rattana

 

> My own spiritual practice has not explicitly been kundalini yoga.

Although

> I am aware that all true paths ultimately lead to the freeing of the

> kundalini energy. My path most recently has been Kriya Yoga as taught by

> Ananda which was started by a direct disciple of Yogananda. I am curious

> about some of the things that occur in my practice. The practice is

> largely one of using breath and concentration to move energy up the

chakras

> to the third eye with the idea being in part to cleanse energy centers,

in

> part the opening and development of the third eye, in part to lift more

of

> the energy to the higher chakras and in part the gentle coaxing forward

of

> kundalini energy. One thing I have noticed are a build-up of energy

during

> my practice and sometimes a deep vibrating that starts by body shaking.

> Often I feel on edge of some new release or a deep shift within. It is a

> feeling of anticipation, sometimes some fear and anxiety stuff will come

up,

> often when I notice it I fall out of it. It is delicate and yet very

> strong. Sometimes I find myself in a peace and a presence that is

> breath-taking and incredibly Loving. In my life outside meditation I

note

> some things that cause me some worry. Like my memory seeming not as good

> for technical and every day things. Or being somehow absorbed inside

when

> in conversation with someone and having some difficulty doing everyday

> social conversations as a result. A lot of things in the everyday life I

> become quite dispassionate about. It is as if they just aren't of any

real

> importance. Sometimes this feels like I am removed from what I used to

> think life was and not well connected to other people who see things

> differently. Often I get this feeling of upwelling energy inside that

makes

> my eyes want to go upward and my had want to rise heavenward. I will get

> this feeling sometimes when I should or believe I should be focusing on

work

> things.

>

> Do other people get these things? Are they good? Just stuff along the

> way? Typical symptoms and reactions? How do you integrate some of these

> energies with everyday responsibilities? I am a pretty senior high-end

> software engineer. Financially and career wise and in the well being of

my

> dependents there are possible real consequences if I find it harder to

> remember and to focus on my work. Any hints or thoughts?

>

> Lately I have stopped meditating much of the time. My interest in and

> focus on my career stuff became much stronger. Which seemed good. At

the

> same time I lost a lot of peacefulness and am apalled at an

> anger/fear/dis-ease present in me. I deeply miss the peace and the

> occassional glimpse of Light and Love. Yet I don't know how to integrate

> the spiritual and the technological/scientific, the mystical with being

well

> integrated into and responsible in the world.

>

> Thanks for anything you might wish to offer.

>

> - samantha

>

>

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