A book excerpt I found to be thought provoking

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

This is an excerpt from a book that I have that I find so very beautiful. My

best friend reminded me to read it again and I am grateful he did. Its from Sri

Swami Shivananda's-Kundalini Yoga. If anyone wants the whole thing I'll send it

to you in pdf form. I love how Swamiji talks about Kundalini with such fierce

devotion. If you practice yoga you will find the following more than

informational.

 

I hope that many of you will find this at least interesting.

 

Jai Maa

 

Sheree

 

O Divine Mother Kundalini, the Divine Cosmic Energy that is hidden in men!

 

Thou art Kali, Durga, Adisakti, Rajarajeswari, Tripurasundari, Maha-Lakshmi,

Maha-Sarasvati! Thou hast put on all these names and forms. Thou hast manifested

as Prana, electricity, force, magnetism,

cohesion, gravitation in this universe. This whole universe rests in Thy bosom.

Crores of salutations unto thee.

 

O Mother of this world! Lead me on to open the Sushumna Nadi and take Thee along

the Chakras to Sahasrara Chakra and to merge myself in Thee and Thy consort,

Lord Siva.

 

Kundalini Yoga is that Yoga which treats of Kundalini Sakti, the six centres of

spiritual energy (Shat Chakras), the arousing of the sleeping Kundalini Sakti

and its union with Lord Siva in

Sahasrara Chakra, at the crown of the head. This is an exact science. This is

also known as Laya Yoga.

 

The six centres are pierced (Chakra Bheda) by the passing of Kundalini Sakti to

the top of the head. ‘Kundala’ means ‘coiled’. Her form is like a coiled

serpent. Hence the name Kundalini.

 

All agree that the one aim which man has in all his acts is to secure happiness

for himself. The highest as well as the ultimate end of man must, therefore, be

to attain eternal, infinite, unbroken, supreme happiness. This happiness can be

had in one’s own Self or Atman only.

Therefore, search within to attain this eternal Bliss.

 

The thinking faculty is present only in human being. Man only can reason,

reflect and exercise judgment. It is man only who can compare and contrast, who

can think of pros and cons and who can draw inferences and conclusions. This is

the reason why he alone is able to attain God-consciousness.

 

That man who simply eats and drinks and who does not exercise his mental faculty

in Self-realisation is only a brute.

 

O worldly-minded persons! Wake up from the sleep of Ajnana. Open your eyes.

Stand up to acquire knowledge of Atman. Do spiritual Sadhana, awaken the

Kundalini Sakti and get that ‘sleepless-sleep’ (Samadhi). Drown yourself in

Atman.

 

Chitta is the mental substance. It takes various forms. These forms constitute

Vrittis. It gets transformed (Parinama). These transformations or modifications

are the thought-waves, whirlpools or Vrittis. If the Chitta thinks of a mango,

the Vritti of a mango is formed in the lake of Chitta. This will subside and

another Vritti will be formed when it thinks of milk. Countless Vrittis

are rising and subsiding in the ocean of Chitta. These Vrittis cause

restlessness of mind.

 

Why do Vrittis arise from the Chitta? Because of Samskaras and Vasanas. If you

annihilate all Vasanas, all Vrittis will subside by themselves. When a Vritti

subsides it leaves a definite impression in the subconscious mind. It is known

as Samskara or latent impression. The sum total of all Samskaras is known as

“Karmasaya†or receptacle of works. This is called Sanchita Karma

(accumulated works).

 

When a man leaves the physical body, he carries with him his astral body of 17

Tattvas and the Karmasaya as well, to the mental plane. This Karmasaya is burnt

by highest knowledge obtained through Asamprajnata Samadhi.

 

During concentration you will have to collect carefully the dissipated rays of

the mind. Vrittis will be ever-rising from the ocean of Chitta. You will have to

put down the waves as they

arise. If all the waves subside, the mind becomes calm and serene. Then the Yogi

enjoys peace and bliss. Therefore real happiness is within. You will have to get

it through control of mind and not

through money, women, children, name, fame, rank or power.

 

Purity of mind leads to perfection in Yoga. Regulate your conduct when you deal

with others. Have no feeling of jealousy towards others. Be compassionate. Do

not hate sinners. Be kind to all. Develop complacency towards superiors. Success

in Yoga will be rapid if you put in your maximum energy in your Yogic practice.

You must have a keen longing for liberation and intense Vairagya also. You must

be sincere and earnest. Intent and constant meditation is necessary for entering

into Samadhi.

 

He who has firm faith in Srutis and Shastras, who has Sadachara (right conduct),

who constantly engages himself in the service of his Guru and who is free from

lust, anger, Moha, greed and vanity easily crosses this ocean of Samsara and

attains Samadhi quickly. Just as fire burns a heap of dried leaves, so also the

fire of Yoga burns all Karmas. The Yogi attains Kaivalya. Through Samadhi, the

Yogi gets intuition. Real knowledge flashes in him within a second.

 

Neti, Dhauti, Basti, Nauli, Asanas, Mudras, etc., keep the body healthy and

strong, and under perfect control. But they are not the be-all and end-all of

Yoga. These Kriyas will help you in your practice of Dhyana. Dhyana will

culminate in Samadhi, Self-realisation. He who practises Hatha Yogic Kriyas is

not a Purna Yogi. He who has entered into Asamprajnata Samadhi only is a

Purna Yogi. He is a Svatantra Yogi (absolutely independent).

Samadhi is of two kinds, viz., Jada Samadhi and Chaitanya Samadhi.

 

A Hatha Yogi through the practice of Khechari Mudra can shut himself up in a box

and remain underneath the ground for months and years. There is no higher

supernatural knowledge in this kind of Samadhi. This is Jada Samadhi.

 

In Chaitanya Samadhi, there is perfect ‘awareness’. The Yogi comes down with

new, super-sensuous wisdom. When a man practises Yogic Kriyas, naturally various

kinds of Siddhis are acquired. The

Siddhis are hindrances to Realisation. The Yogi should not at all care for these

Siddhis, if he wants to advance further and get the highest realisation, the

final Goal. He who runs after Siddhis will

become the biggest house-holder and a worldly-minded man. Self-realisation only

is the Goal.

 

The sum total of knowledge of this universe is nothing when compared to the

spiritual knowledge that is obtained through Self-realisation.

Ascend the path of Yoga cautiously. Remove the weeds, thorns and the sharp

angular pebbles on the way. Name and fame are the angular pebbles. Subtle

under-current of lust is the weed. Attachment to family, children, money,

disciples, Chelas or Ashram is the thorn. These are forms of Maya. They do not

allow the aspirants to march further. They serve as the stumbling-blocks. The

aspirant gets false Tushti, stops his Sadhana, imagines foolishly that he has

realised, and tries to elevate others. This is like a blind man leading the

blind.

 

When the Yogic student starts an Ashram, slowly luxury creeps in. The original

Vairagya gradually wanes. He loses what he has gained and is unconscious of his

downfall. Ashram develops begging mentality and

institutional egoism. He is the same house-holder now in some other form

(Rupantara-bheda)though he is in the garb of a Sannyasin.

 

O aspirants, beware! I warn you seriously. Never build Ashrams. Remember the

watchwords:-“SECLUSION, MEDITATION, DEVOTION.†March

direct to the goal. Never give up the Sadhana zeal and Vairagya until you

realise Bhuma, the highest goal. Do not entangle yourself in the wheel of name,

fame and Siddhis.

 

Nirvikalpa is the state of superconsciousness. There are no Vikalpas of any sort

in this condition. This is the Goal of life. All the mental activities cease

now. The functions of the intellect

and ten Indriyas cease entirely. The aspirant rests now in Atman. There is no

distinction between subject and object. The world and the pairs of opposites

vanish completely. This is a state beyond

all relativity. The aspirant gets knowledge of Self, supreme peace and infinite,

indescribable bliss. This is also called Yogaroodha state.

 

When Kundalini is taken to the Sahasrara and when it is united with Lord Siva,

perfect Samadhi ensues. The Yogic student drinks the Nectar of Immortality. He

has reached the Goal. Mother Kundalini has done Her task now.

 

Glory to Mother Kundalini! May Her blessings be upon you all!

Om Shantih! Shantih! Shantih!