Meditation-Life Without Limits

Innovative Stress Busters

2011-05-04T23:49:00.000-07:00

Try something totally different without inhibitions. After all it’s your life.

Here are some unique methods.

1. Yell! But---be sure you are alone. The best place is in the car with the windows up. Stuck in traffic? Try it.

2. Sing. This is close to the first one. Lots of people swear by the power of music to release tension and stress. Sing wherever you feel comfortable. It doesn’t matter what. Just have some fun with it. Try dancing, small movements’ maybe or wild ones, whatever works for you. Why not, it works.

3. Do something soothing. Start or try an activity like knitting, crochet, pottery making. Don’t worry about being good at it. It’s the process that’s beneficial. Sitting still while performing repetitive movements is calming and stabilizing for many people. It helps to collect your thoughts. It’s your “me” time.

4. Start a garden. Even apartment-dwellers can do this. Inside in pots, pots on the patio, pots, a small spot in your yard. There is a little work to setting it up. Tending plants, fruits, vegetables, flowers and watching them grow, bloom, or yield food is rewarding. Avid gardeners say working a garden is the best way to control stress and worry. An added benefit is the creation of a more beautiful, restful environment.

5. Play with a dog or cat. Experts say Pet owners live longer and have fewer stress symptoms than non-pet owners. Playing with your pet provides good vibrations. It’s a form of social interaction with no pressure to meet anyone’s expectations!

6. Gaze at the stars. Preferably in a still, dark, and quiet area, sit back and observe the heavens. The vastness of space is awesome. This way can make a lot of problems seem very small.

THE INSTANT CALMING SEQUENCE

2011-04-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

Meditation and mindfulness are great when you have enough control over your time to enjoy them. But what happens when a crisis requires immediate action?

Here is a six-step program of Instant Calming Sequence that minimizes the negative effects of stress the moment the body begins to feel stressed.

Step 1: Practice uninterrupted breathing. When stress strikes, immediately focus on your breath and continue breathing smoothly, deeply and evenly.

Step 2: Put on a positive face. Smile a grin that you can feel in the corners of your eyes. The conventional wisdom is that happiness triggers smiling but recent studies suggest that this process is a two-way street. Smiling can contribute to feelings of happiness, and in a stressful situation, it can help keep you calm. Try this simple test: Smile a broad grin right now and see if you feel better.

Step 3: Balance your posture. People under stress often look hunched-over.

Maintaining good posture works like smiling. Physical balance contributes to emotional balance. Keep your head up, chin in, chest high, pelvis and hips level, back comfortably straight and abdomen free of tension. Imagine a thread lifting your body from a point at the center of the top of your head.

Step 4: Bathe in a wave of relaxation. Consciously sweep a wave of relaxation through your body. Imagine you're standing under a waterfall that washes away all your tension.

Step 5: Acknowledge reality. Face your causes of stresses head-on. Don't try to deny it or wish that it hadn't happened. Think: "This is real. I can handle it. I'm finding the best possible way to cope right now."

Step 6: Reassert control. Instead of fretting about how the stressor has robbed you of control, focus on what you can control and take appropriate action. Also, think clear-headed, honest thoughts instead of distorted ones.

Quick Relaxation Techniques

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The relaxation response technique consists of the silent repetition of a word, sound, or phrase while sitting quietly with eyes closed for 10 to 20 minutes. This should be done in a quiet place free of distractions. Sitting is preferred to lying down in order to avoid falling asleep. Relax your muscles starting with the feet and progressing up to your face. Breathe though your nose in a free and natural way.

You can choose any word or phrase you like. You can use a sound such as "om," a word such as "one" or "peace," or a word with special meaning to you. Intruding worries or thoughts should be ignored or dismissed to the best of your ability by focusing on the repetition. It's OK to open your eyes to look at a clock while you are practicing, but do not set an alarm. When you have finished, remain seated, first with your eyes closed and then with your eyes open, and gradually allow your thoughts to return to everyday reality.

The technique requires some practice and may be difficult at first, but over time almost anyone can learn to achieve the desired state of relaxation. I would recommend practicing the technique once or twice a day. Please do not practice the relaxation response within two hours after eating a meal because the digestive process may interfere with it.

How to Start a Meditaion Practice

2011-02-06T23:27:00.000-08:00

Starting a meditation practice

Here is all you need to begin your meditation practice:

• A quiet environment. Choose a secluded place in your home, office, garden, place of worship, or in the great outdoors where you can relax without distractions or interruptions.

• A comfortable position. Get comfortable, but avoid lying down as this may lead to you falling asleep. Sit up with your spine straight, either in a chair or on the floor. You can also try a cross-legged or lotus position.

• A point of focus. You can begin with focusing on your breath or a meaningful word or phrase and repeat it throughout your session. You may also choose to focus on an object in your surroundings to enhance your concentration, or alternately, you can close your eyes.

• As you breathe, let your abdomen expand and contract, rather than moving your shoulders up and down. This deeper breathing is more natural and similar to how babies breathe.

• Don't breathe too quickly or too slowly; just breathe at a natural rate.

• If you find your thoughts drifting a lot at first, don't worry that you're doing it 'wrong'. Noticing that you've drifted and refocusing to your breathing is part of the practice, and something you're doing 'right'!

• An observant, noncritical attitude. Don’t worry about distracting thoughts that go through your mind or about how well you’re doing. If thoughts intrude during your relaxation session, don’t fight them. Instead, gently turn your attention back to your point of focus.

• The idea is to stay unattached to thoughts of any kind. That means that, if that inner narrative voice in your mind speaks up, gently come back to your point of focus, such as your breath and opt for internal silence. Keep letting go of any thoughts that may pop into your mind and the quiet spaces between thoughts will become longer and more frequent. You’re on the road of meditation

Tips:

• Give it time. Meditation often takes practice. If you’re expecting to do it ‘perfectly’, you may actually create more stress for yourself than you relieve, and you won’t want to stick with it.

• Start with shorter sessions—like five minutes—and work your way up to longer sessions—like 30. With practice, this type of meditation becomes easier and more effective.

• If the experience is frustrating for you and you don’t really want to continue, you may find more success with other types of meditation. Experiment!

Types of Meditation

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Types of Meditations

Some practitioners stick with the same meditations indefinitely, but most people like to mix up the types of meditations they use in order to have a sense of variety. There are many type of meditations one can experiment with. The underlying theme of all is awareness and calm abiding in the present moment.

Researchers generally classify meditations into one of two categories: concentrative meditations and non-concentrative meditations. I personally like to use the terms analytical and single pointed meditation.

Single pointed (Concentrative meditations) involve concentrating deeply on one focal point (e.g. on breath.

Analytical meditation (non-concentrative meditations) can involve different points of focus, but still involve deep, non-judgmental concentration.

Some meditations can even seem to fit into both categories. Many beginners find Single pointed meditation to be a little simpler to learn.

Some examples of different types of meditative techniques are as following. All of these entail mindfulness.

Walking meditation - You don’t have to be seated or still to meditate. In walking meditation, mindfulness involves being focused on the physicality of each step — the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath while moving, and feeling the elements against your body.

Mindful eating – If you reach for food when you’re under stress or gulp your meals down in a rush, which causes acidity and discomfort later on. One should eat mindfully. Sit down at the table and focus your full attention on the meal (no TV, newspapers, or eating on the run). Eat slowly, taking the time to fully enjoy and concentrate on each bite. Experience the taste, texture and flavor of what you are eating.

As you become more experienced with your meditative practice you can further explore other types of meditations which can enhance your practice such as, Visualizations, Healing meditation, Compassion meditation, Present moment meditation, Kundalini meditation and many others.

Benefits of Meditation

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The Benefits of Meditation: The benefits of meditation are manifold because it can reverse your stress response, thereby shielding you from the effects of chronic stress. Your mind also clears and your creativity increases. Meditations have been found to bring far-reaching benefits to those who practice them regularly. If you're new to meditations, you should expect a few benefits with even your first meditations.
These benefits can include:

Slowed heart rate

Release of physical tension

A sense of having a break from stress for a few minutes

A calmer mood afterward

After regular meditations, you'll likely see more long-term benefits, such as:

Less reactivity toward stress

Lower blood pressure

Greater clarity

Better decision-making

Greater resilience to stress

Dealing With Stress

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How to deal with Stress

It is very important that we learn how to control stress. I have good news and bad news about controlling stress.

The bad news is: We create our own stress.

The good news is: We create our own stress.

Since we create our own stress, it also means we can learn to deal with it and avoid creating excessive stress.

Healthy ways to relax and recharge

Go for a walk.
Spend time in nature.
Call a good friend.
Sweat out tension with a good workout.
Write in your journal.
Take a long bath.
Light scented candles

Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.
Play with a pet.
Work in your garden.
Get a massage.
Curl up with a good book.
Listen to music.
Watch a comedy

These are just some of the ideas. You can experiment and find your own stress busters.

How do people react to stress?

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Reactions to stress

Here are some common but unhealthy reactions to stress. Do any of these describe your reactions? If you're not sure, consider keeping a daily journal for a week or so to monitor your reactions to stressful situations.

Pain: You may unconsciously clench your jaws or fists or develop muscle tension, especially in your neck and shoulders, all of which can lead to unexplained physical pain. Stress also may cause a variety of other health ailments, including upset stomach, shortness of breath, back pain, headaches and insomnia.

Overeating: Stress may trigger you to eat even when you're not hungry, or you may skip exercise. In contrast, you may eat less, actually losing weight when under more stress.

Anger: Stress may leave you with a short fuse. When you're under pressure, you may find yourself arguing with co-workers, friends or loved ones — sometimes with little provocation or about things that have nothing to do with your stressful situation.

Crying: Stress may trigger crying jags, sometimes seemingly without warning. Little things unrelated to your stress may leave you in tears. You also may feel lonely or isolated.

Depression : Sometimes stress may be too much to take. You might avoid the problem, call in sick to work, feel hopeless or simply give up. Chronic stress can be a factor in the development of depression or anxiety disorders.

Negativity: When you don't cope well with stress, you may automatically expect the worst or magnify the negative aspects of any undesirable situation.

Smoking: Even if you quit smoking long ago, a cigarette may seem like an easy way to relax when you're under pressure. In fact, stress is a leading cause of having a smoking relapse. You may also find yourself turning to alcohol or drugs to numb the effects of stress.

These are just some of the reactions produced by stress. Different people in different circumstances may react differently to stress.

Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms

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Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms

Some of the warning signs one should look out for are as following:

Cognitive Symptoms

• Memory problems
• Inability to concentrate
• Poor judgment
• Seeing only the negative
• Anxious or racing thoughts
• Constant worrying

Emotional Symptoms

• Moodiness
• Irritability or short temper
• Agitation, inability to relax
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Sense of loneliness and isolation
• Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms

• Aches and pains
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Nausea, dizziness
• Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
• Loss of sex drive
• Frequent colds

Behavioral Symptoms

• Eating more or less
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Isolating yourself from others
• Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
• Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
• Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

What causes Stress?

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Stressors or factors causing stress

What's stressful for you may be quite different from what's stressful to others. For example:
• Some people enjoy speaking in public; others are terrified.
• Some people are more productive under deadline pressure; others are miserably tense.
• Some people are eager to help family and friends through difficult times; others find it very stressful.
• Some people feel comfortable complaining about bad service in a restaurant; others find it so difficult to complain that they prefer to suffer in silence.
• Some people may feel that changes at work represent a welcome opportunity; others worry about whether they'll be able to cope.

Common external causes of stress

• Major life changes
• Work
• Relationship difficulties
• Financial problems
• Being too busy
• Children and family

Common internal causes of stress

Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated:
• Inability to accept uncertainty
• Pessimism
• Negative self-talk
• Unrealistic expectations
• Perfectionism
• Lack of assertiveness

What is Stress?

2011-02-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

What is Stress?

The word stress is derived from the Latin word "stringi", which means, "to be drawn tight".

Definition: Stress is the body's reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response to events that causes bodily or mental tension.

The word "stress" is generally used when a person feels that everything seems to have become too much – the individual feels overloaded and wonders whether he really can cope with the pressures placed upon him. . Anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being is a stress.

What causes stress?

Stress can be thought of as resulting from an “imbalance between demands and resources” or as occurring when “pressure exceeds one's perceived ability to cope”.

Stress is a normal physical response to events that make one feel threatened or upset ones balance in some way. When a person senses danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response.

Positive effects of stress

Some stresses get you going and they are good for you. Positive and negative stress is a constant influence on all of our lives. The trick is to maximize the positive stress and to minimize the negative stress.

High performance and achievement, and increased satisfaction are most often experienced under conditions of stress. The challenge before us is therefore to control stress within reasonable and productive bounds, rather than to eliminate it all together.

The Seventh Chakra

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The seventh chakra is located on the top of the head. Physically it maybe merely located on top of the body above the other chakras but spatially it is eons away from the lower chakras. The seventh chakra is also called the Crown Chakra.

According to ancient Kundalini masters the real nature of the Crown Chakra is beyond human comprehension. A serious Kundalini practitioner should never force himself into the seventh chakra consciousness. One should let the experience of energy of the crown chakra seep in gradually ad you progress in your meditative practice.

The Crown chakra is the gateway to infinite realization and union with the creative forces of the universe. This experience will come to a practitioner when his nervous system is fully prepared through constant meditative practice.

For a beginner in Kundalini practice it is wise to focus on this chakra directly for short durations so that energy of all the lower chakras is balanced. There should be no hesitation or inhibition in focusing directly on the seventh chakra. This will also help you to receive the universal energy flow from above through the seventh chakra. As long as you are not forcing yourself to focus on this chakra you will receive insights and energy through gentle practice of meditating on the crown chakra.

The seventh chakra stimulates the pineal gland in the brain. Medical science claims that the pineal gland in humans has no function. The practitioners of Kundalini meditation have known for centuries that pineal gland is awakened through Kundalini energy and starts to secrete hormones into lower glandular system when a person is spiritually awakened.

When we are regularly practicing the seventh chakra focus meditation we are welcoming the universal life force energy into our system thus causing a unification with the whole creation and also healing our bodies and mind for our final awakened destination.

The Sixth Chakra

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The seat of the sixth chakra is right between and just above the eyes. The fifth chakra was the chakra of sound and vibration while the sixth chakra is that of light which does not need any medium to communicate or travel. The creation of sound is within human powers by expulsion of air with our lungs but the creation of light is beyond personal human power.

The first five chakras are located lower than the mind itself. With the sixth chakra meditation we are going to focus on the mind itself. In other words for the first time the mind is actually and consciously going to look at itself.

The sixth chakra is also referred to as the “intuitive chakra”. This chakra is believed to be the true seat of wisdom and intuition. This is where the biological thinking mind comes into contact with the spiritual intuitive mind.

Also known as the “Third Eye Chakra” because of its location between the eyes just above the two eyebrows and also because the activation of this chakra gives true intuitive wisdom. In Hindu mythology, Shiva the God of destruction, has a third eye which is all powerful.

The sixth chakra stimulates the pituitary gland in the brain and influences the well being of the whole body and mind. Meditating on this center can help people to over come their phobias, paranoia and warped sense of being. Healing of headaches, sound sleep without any nightmares and improved vision are some of the peripheral benefits of meditating on sixth chakra.

According to many Kundalini masters this is a very powerful chakra as this is the seat of wisdom. Many learned masters urge to maintain a primary focus on the Heart Chakra while activating the sixth Chakra so that love is always the primary foundation of spiritual insights.

The Fifth Chakra

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The fifth chakra is located in the throat region. As you are aware this part of the body has a major role in human communication. Through verbal communication human beings express their inner most feelings, emotions and inner depths of their very being. That is the reason this Chakra is often called the “Communication Chakra”

In Kundalini meditation spoken mantras or vibration created by the sound is a very important part and tool of Kundalini awakening. Through vocalization and chanting the fifth chakra helps to empower the other chakras. (We will discuss this aspect later when we talk in detail about how to activate this chakra)

In our day to day life we communicate with other using the fifth chakra and pass on our spiritual realization which in turn helps to reinforce our progress to ourselves and make our practice strong and beneficial. This is also the Chakra where we first learn to listen to ourselves and find out what we are saying and meaning in relation to the universe around us.

This Chakra is also the center for conceptualization. Human imagination and dreaming are related to this center and it also causes out of body experiences sometimes. Fifth Chakra is the pathway between experiencing and meditative state and it helps in spiritual visualization.

The fifth chakra is active in human beings even without the help of the lower chakras already discussed earlier. In most modern cultures the fifth chakra is overly stimulated. This causes us to fixate on conceptual mode of the mind without proper heart chakra stimulation to balance intellect with love.

This chakra is located in larynx and thyroid gland and is controlled by thyroid and parathyroid, which affects the whole nervous system, metabolism and muscular control. Any disturbance in this can cause many physical ailments such as chronic cols, sore throat, neck stiffness etc.

Meditating on fifth chakra helps to relieve these ailments and also opens the Kundalini flow between the lower and top two chakras. It also helps to balance the verbal skills of a person.

The Fourth Chakra

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The Fourth Chakra is also known as the “Heart Chakra”. This chakra is the guiding force for the previous three chakras. It helps the first chakra merge the physical with the divine. The sexual energy of the second chakra is transformed into loving light and the raw energy of the third chakra is converted for higher spiritual purpose of life.

Heart chakra is located in the center of the chest and is the center of all the seven chakras. This chakra is the source and receptor of primary energy of love. Heart chakra helps to balance all the seven chakras with loving guidance. This chakra influences the functioning of the Thymus Gland, located in the center of the chest, just behind the upper breastbone. Thymus Gland controls the functioning of the immune system and focusing on the heart chakra has beneficial affect on your over all health.

Before we move any further there is one point that needs to be clarified. In human terminology above is usually supposed to be better or superior than below, but in Kundalini chakras this distinction is meaningless since all the chakras above or bellow the heart chakra or of equal importance. They all compliment each other and none is complete without the other. Just as in the universe every part has a meaning in the whole while no part is complete in itself.

As you progress in your Kundalini meditation you will realize that the heart chakra being at the center of all the chakras is of crucial importance, since it balances the physical realm with the spiritual realm. Love is the essential quality of the fourth chakra and hence it helps us avoid extremes on either side.

The Third Chakra

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The Third Chakra is also called the “Power Chakra”. Third chakra is located between the navel and the solar plexus. According to ancient Hindu scriptures this chakra generates the fire in the human belly, in other words it is the source of raw physical energy. This energy finds its out let in human emotions.

Third Chakra is associated with fire, combustion and thus generated emotions like anger, laughter, joy. Third chakra influences the adrenal glands. Meditating on the third chakra brings harmony in physical and emotional energies.

Third chakra helps to balance your will power and raw emotional energy. You will be more in tune with the spiritual than the material. In certain disciplines like Zen meditation and martial arts, the trainee is told to focus on solar plexus region as it helps to focus on the raw physical energy and transforms it into intuitive defense by sending it into lower chakra.

Third chakra empowerment awakens human contact with the source of energy. It is the same energy that is available in the sun and the stars. It is the energy of the universe. You can send this energy into lower chakra to enhance your sexual prowess or in upper chakra
Or heart chakra to transform yourself from the mundane physical to ecstatic spiritual.

When you are able to meditate and manage this flow of energy upwards through heart chakra and downwards to root chakra your whole life experience changes dramatically as you feel your oneness with the creation.

The Second Chakra

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The second chakra is also known as the sexual chakra. This chakra is located in the sexual organs. The second Chakra gets activated after the first chakra work is completed at puberty.The first two chakras correspond to your physical growth and these chakras get activated at various stages of your growth. This chakra gets activated as your sexual creative powers awaken and from being a creation you become capable of creating life itself through sexual activity.

Focus on second chakra through meditation brings a spiritual vitality to sexual energy. This raw sexual energy is tamed and the procreative energy moves up to charge up other chakra and also percolates to first chakra to enhance your survival instincts.

Many practitioners of Kundalini mistakenly believe that the purpose of second chakra meditations is just to enhance ones sexual pleasure. Although it does have that effect, but the real purpose of focusing on second chakra is to utilize the second chakra sexual charge to balance your emotional and spiritual aspects.

If you have a source of electric energy and abundant supply, you can use it to melt metal or use it to warm up your home. Both purposes are useful. Trick is to know which is more beneficial for you at any given moment.

The Chakras support each other, just as the first chakra is the support system for the second chakra; sexual energy itself leads to other chakras. Harnessing of sexual energy and using for appropriate purpose is the purpose of second chakra meditation.

The First Chakra

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The first Chakra is also called the “Earth Chakra”. This Chakra is the gateway between material world or Earth and the spiritual realm. First chakra lies at the base of your spine. The Kundalini Goddess lies in three and half coils around this chakra. The purpose of the Kundalini meditative practice is to awaken this Goddess and move her along the spinal chakras from the base upwards.

First chakra is your connection to your past, your childhood and the material world around you. The energy of this chakra has been the catalyst during your growing up years till puberty and also connects your to your outer environment.

Meditating on this chakra makes you more stable person, grounded and adaptable to your physical environment. It strengthens your survival instincts and helps the body deal with physical and health problems. The energy of this chakra has a bearing on your success in the material world.

Since this is the base chakra it is also seen as a foundation for working on higher chakras as you move along in your meditative practice. The focusing on the Earth chakra the Kundalini goddess is awakened and consciously sent upward through other chakras or energy centers.

Introduction to Kundalini Chakras

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Let me introduce you the Energy chakras. These chakra points have both, physical and spiritual significance. They have the concentration of nerve ganglia which control different regions of physical body and also vortexes of energy which connect with the divine.

These chakras are centers of flow for basics life force energy of universe. During meditation they become receptors and distributors of cosmic energy in physical body. These energy chakras are both physical form and pure energy, as rest of creation.

Ancient Yoga masters discovered that the human body has seven main energy vortexes which are correlated to seven nerve ganglia up and down the spine. These are nervous systems delicate and sensitive centers for control and organization of human body and mind’s functions

In the following articles I will introduce you to the primary qualities of each of the seven chakras that are actively present in your own body at this moment.

Your previous Kundalini experiences

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It is believed that during our childhood we are able to experience the flow of Kundalini energy easily as the life force energy flows more spontaneously during childhood. If you remember the intense moments of your childhood, whether during play, wrestling with a friend, reading comics or living in moment, you will understand what I am talking about. This also means that Kundalini experience is not something alien to you as you have already experienced it as a child.

As you will progress through your meditative practice these moments of childhood experience will come back to you in flashes. During human growth period through adolescence your Kundalini energy is directed towards nurturing and guiding your growth. Now as an adult your Kundalini experience will be more subtle and directed towards your spiritual growth.

Even during adulthood people have had experiences of Kundalini surges. It could happen playing a sport, during sexual intercourse, watching something intense and some people feel it by using artificial stimulants like alcohol or drugs. Practicing Hath Yoga is another method to induce a Kundalini rush.

With so many diverse ways to experience Kundalini surge of power, pleasure, bliss, and self realization, you can experiment with your everyday routine and find your own zone for such an intense experience. The biggest road block with most people in modern society is total focus of the mind on the material aspects of life with little or no attention paid to our spiritual nature.

When you consciously learn and practice Kundalini meditation you are just speeding up the natural process of spiritual awakening. By focusing and nurturing the inner self we are strengthening our connection with ourselves and the divine spark which every one possesses. The gradual process leads to ultimate liberation and everlasting joy.

This life force energy permeates the entire universe and is available to all creatures. Most use it for basic survival and procreation purpose. We, as humans, have the intellect and the choice to tap into this energy and develop it to its full potential. We have the potential to develop our neurological system to receive unlimited energy flow by enhancing our deeper levels of consciousness which are beyond the physical survival instincts. I will discuss and give you an introduction to the seven energy chkaras (centers) in the next write-up. Meanwhile I would suggest that you continue with the practice of breath meditation as told earlier by me.

Four tools of Kundalini Meditation

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General meditation and specifically Kundalini meditation is not a vague mysterious process that lies beyond our normal awareness.

It is like a flower in your garden which you have not observed and watched bloom ever. When someone mentions this flower to you it evokes mysterious images and thoughts of something hidden and beyond your grasp. Once you learn to observe the flower bush and become aware of the tiny sprouting bud which gradually unfolds into a radiant flower with all its glory and color it is not a mysterious or meaningless event anymore. Your awareness of it makes it a source of unlimited joy and happiness for you.

Kundalini awakening is a similar process. You learn to focus your power of attention in a particular potent direction in order to awaken areas of consciousness that lie dormant until you consciously tune into them.

The four basic tools to direct your power of attention toward enlightening experience:

1. First and foremost you can turn your attention inward to your own moment to moment sensory experience of being alive in the present moment. You can do this by focusing on your breathing, your heartbeat or pulse, the pull of mother earth on our bodies which finally converges into whole body awareness in the present moment.

2. The second part of the technique for carrying you deeper into contact with your spiritual self is to focus the power of attention directly on each of the seven chakras in your body in order to stimulate these energy centers into higher and more balanced level of participation in the cosmic dance of life

3. The third tool which I am going to teach you about as we go along this journey is the use of sound vibration-specifically the power of your own voice to awaken each of the chakras along your spine.

There are particular sounds and sound vibrations (Mantras) that are associated with the awakening of each of the energy center or chakra. Chanting of these sounds creates vibrations in particular energy chakras and taken them to higher level of consciousness.

4. The fourth tool for Kundalini awakening is the use of visual images for activating and balancing each of the chakra. These traditional chakra paintings are known as Yantras (literally meaning tool) and they provide a special impetus in chakra activation.
These paintings provide a thought form to help you focus internally and retain a color memory of the energy encountered in meditation.

I will take up each if the seven energy chakras and we will learn the particular visual image, vocal chant, focusing technique and breathing pattern that helps energize and awaken a particular chakra.

Please remember we are not going to try a sudden rush of energy awakening or sudden enlightenment attempts. Each article is designed to make you gradually progress into step by step illumination that can be entwined with your everyday sense of being.

Each meditation session will encourage you to move towards less anxiety and tension in your mind and body while increasing your spiritual insight, sexual pleasure, mystic bliss, heightened self awareness and cosmic communion.

Right from the beginning of preliminary meditation you will feel something changing, expanding and something awakening in the deep realms of your being. You will experience yourself more here in the present moment.

Please do not start your meditative practice with a goal oriented mind state, trying to achieve some final state of mystic realization. You will find that all such things are misleading and lead to a sense of restlessness and dejection. You will soon discover there is nothing to achieve in the future as you will dwell in the eternal present moment.

Great masters said that if you are not enjoying your meditation fully in the present moment then you are not doing it with the proper spirit. The right way is the simple observation of what is happening to your expanding consciousness from moment to moment.

Kundalini meditation is a great tool for expanding into interrelated dimensions of human consciousness. It allows you to function in the midst of everyday life as the perfect serene conscious being which is your very essence even at this given moment.

Avoiding Kundalini Meditation extremes

2008-08-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Many of you must have read or heard about warnings given out against practicing Kundalini meditation on your own. There are many horror stories floating around about a few who experienced spontaneous total Kundalini awakening and suffered physical and mental turmoil.

This spontaneous tapping of Kundalini energy is a rare occurrence. It might happen when the practitioner has an unstable personality or other serious physical or mental issues. This kind of awakening of Kundalini can cause chaos and fear in a person’s life and can be totally shattering. It is like sending a million volt energy burst through a wire meant for handling 120 volts. You can imagine what it can be like.

The idea is to prepare you gradually through practice and have a gradual awakening of the Kundalini. Any kind of extreme is not the desired aim of our Kundalini practice. My aim is to prepare you meditatively to understand and channel the up flow of energy in a beneficial manner. I do not want you to overstress your system with extreme energy flow of any kind, and if you follow what I prescribe we will achieve that end effortlessly.

We will walk together through a practice which leads you through a gentle and safe process of Kundalini awakening. If you were looking for sudden bursts of energy then this is not the place for you. There are some traditional practices which aim at sudden surge of Kundalini energy through all the seven chakras, so that the top chakra (crown chakra) will be fully activated. This might make sense for a person seeking complete disconnection with normal consciousness for once and all. I personally do not teach such a method as I find it can be extremely de-stabilizing for some.

Although I like to maintain that I do not fixate on any particular chakra as I like to balance the attention we pay to all the chakras. Still I might be a little partial to the fourth, “middle” chakra, the heart or the love centre of human body and integrate the other six chakras around this one.

My aim is not to teach you how to achieve complete nirvana and detachment from everyday human life, rather how to charge our everyday life radiant compassion and spiritual power and use it in our day to day life activities in the contemporary life.

Kundalini and sexual awakening

2008-08-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

One of the most talked and pondered about effect of Kundalini meditation is relating to the sex and arousal. Popular press and non serious mediators are fixated on this aspect of Kundalini meditation.

There is no denying that Kundalini energy is rooted in our personal creative energy, which no doubt is sexual in nature. As a matter of fact Kundalini meditation increases our sensibilities and consciousness to experience intense bliss in everything that we do, including sexual union. Sexual intercourse is the ultimate union of male and female energies in an act of creation; hence a surge of Kundalini energy is experienced.

All the learned teachers tell us that first a person should tune into his spiritual energies and devote time to solitary meditation. It is this practice that will bring a heightened sense of energy and an intense pleasure during the sexual intercourse.

Some schools of Kundalini meditation encourage the use of sensuous fantasies in order to awaken the first chakra, where the Kundalini goddess lies dormant at the base of the spine. This might be a good method for celibate monks studying under a master and living a solitary life but in our modern environment it can be counter productive.

Despite the myths to the contrary the purpose of Kundalini meditation is not to generate masturbatory rush of sexual energy through the human body. The idea and purpose is to consciously increase and nurture the overall balance of energy in the system.

You will definitely experience more sexual pleasure and potency as you progress with your meditation, but that is not the purpose or the goal of Kundalini meditation. I would say that it is just a very pleasant side effect which will happen on its own without you making any conscious effort.

You can and should explore the deepening of your sexual awareness and intensities of your orgasms with your sexual partner which results because of conscious awakening of Kundalini. I would deeply stress that your daily meditation alone is of prime importance and the sexual manifestations of Kundalini should be treated with gratitude and received as a gift of your spiritual practice.

I can assure you that with disciplined practice and dedication you will reach a stage where the continued blissful state will be far beyond any pleasure, sexual or other, that you might have experienced in life. Your daily mundane chores will give you intense pleasure and your awareness expands and engulfs everything within and without.

Kundalini Chakras and Scientific view

2008-06-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

According to Kundalini tradition there are seven distinct chakras (energy centers) located along the spine and in the brain. The internal energy centers are not only symbolic notions they are in fact definite energy movement inside our body.

These chakras are empowered by a force called prana, which enter the human body through the process of breathing. In scientific context these subtle energy vortexes empowering the human system can be understood in terms of electromagnetic dynamics of particle physics. The chakras are in fact a cosmic primal dance of matter shifting into energy and vice versa as described by quantum physics.

As scientists are discovering, and what the ancient practitioners of Kundalini knew centuries ago, our bodies are not just matter rather they are energy in motion. Science also admits that it does not really understand the underlying forces that generate and sustain life force.

Spiritual experiments through the ages have shown that the human mind itself is capable of focusing directly upon the creative source of life. Consciousness is the ultimate tool for participating and encountering in the ultimate underlying force that empowers our life.

Kundalini meditation is a specific and precise technique for awakening the conscious mind to the presence of the seven energetic centers or chakras in the body. Through focusing regularly on these chakras we learn to balance our energetic systems for profound awakening of consciousness. This helps in balancing the energetic systems in our body and also increasing the flow of energy through all the seven chakras, so that the entire being becomes one with the universal.

To the reader:

There are a couple of reasons why I do not post regularly. First of course is the constraint of time and my slow typing speed. But the second and according to me the more important reason is that I want you to grasp what and deeply understand the concepts.

There is no point in rushing through and reading it all if you are not going to practice the basics I have written about so far. Breath meditation is an essential tool and requires a lot of practice and discipline. I would encourage you to continue with it regularly, setting aside a time of day to sit for meditation and focusing on your breath.

Eventually when we move together into the realm of Kundalini meditation step by step, breathing meditation is going to be an important tool for you to go deeper.

I would be happy to help you if you face any hurdles in your practice. You can post in the comments and I will surely respond if I know the answer to your query. Meanwhile enjoy the solitude within which comes with regular breath meditation.

More about Kundalini Meditation

2008-04-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

Many different meditation traditions have come into being during the last five thousand years, developing specific theologies and rituals, for deep spiritual exploration. All these meditative traditions have one goal in common-bringing human beings into more direct experiential contact with the spiritual realities of the universe.

Although various human civilizations have developed quite diverse ways for approaching spiritual reality, the Infinite Presence we seek communion with is always the same.

The reason Kundalini meditation is such a remarkable process for spiritual awakening is that it is not based on complex theological arguments, or religious concepts. Kundalini meditation is focused instead upon immediate, ultimate experience of divine within all of us, not upon belief systems regarding that divinity. Therefore, regardless of your particular religious upbringing and theological beliefs, all of us can employ Kundalini meditation to aid in our spiritual evolution.

Once we learn to look beyond concepts, we are free to encounter-through direct spiritual illumination-the radiant core of love and life that lies at the centre of our own personal consciousness.

The yogic meditation techniques of ancient India are the original source of present day Kundalini meditation technique. This path included, concerted breathing meditation, chanting of certain sounds, meditating upon certain visual images and focusing on the seven energy centers, or “chakras” that lie up and down the human spine.

The reason for Kundalini meditations’ universal appeal lies in its experience based approach for awakening our minds to the presence of our spiritual nature.

Through Kundalini meditation we can master the quieting of our habitual flows of thought, which normally block deep spiritual reflection. Then in this calm state of consciousness, we can observe and participate in the infinite life-force as it flows through our bodies. With regular meditation we come to experience a most remarkable phenomenon directly at the centre of our own being-the bright flash of illumination that brings us into immediate contact with the divine force of creation that animates all of life.

During the course of writing these posts I have removed all religious and esoteric overtones to Kundalini meditation. We are going to focus on core meditative technique that enables us to quiet our mind and know through immediate personal contact our oneness with universal life force-or whatever name you want to call it.