posted March 23, 2011 03:16 PM            

Maybe I can find the book that talks about these branches more...

posted March 23, 2011 05:27 PM            

I couldn't find the personality types best suited for each style of yoga, although I looked for it. What's dangerous about hatha yoga, although it is really suited for all types, is it is frequently designed in such a way to bring about kundalini, and if not instructed well will cause problems with that.

Here was an interview between several swamis with the section concerning bipolar and schizophrenia psychosis in kundalini energy. This on page 416 of Kundalini Tantra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. The first response won't make sense to most people.

Swami Shankardevananada: Would you associate a highly energized, low evolved mooladhara (base chakra) problem as the cause of manic depression (bipolar)?
Swami Vivekananda: I think manic depression is an ida/pingala thing. We are in another dimension there, because a manic person will undergo all the manifestations of a very highly energized and controlled chakra. He will be rushing around gambling all his money away, trying to get more, getting into all sorts of sexual exploits, going round pushing other people around, the rajasic aspect.
Swami Sambuddhananda: Would you say that schizophrenia and paranoia are related with ida and pingala imbalance?
Swami Vivekananda: Yes, there are people who are stuck in ida. Ida is very much overactive. It is interesting that research shows that the taking in of negative aspects of the environment through the right hemisphere (ida) is paranoia. This is what paranoia is all about. A lot of people, some of them quite highly evolved people, who have specialized much in ida are a bit paranoid. Ida seems to have a negative aspect about it. Even if you come into it at a high level of consciousness, it seems to have a bit of a negative pull. If you are going to activate your chakras, you have to make sure your ida and pingala are balanced.
Swami Shankardevananda: But manic depression, psychosis and other mental problems related to either mooladhara or ajna because it is only at these two points that you have the fusion of ida and pingala. Therefore, psychosis, manic depression and all these things would seem to relate very much to the mooladhara/ajna circuit. If ida and pingala are coming out of mooladhara chakra,then what would be the mechanism dealing with psychosis?
Vivekananda: I think that ida and pingala are only related to the activities of the cerebral hemispheres.
Swami Shankardevananda: But the whole body is controlled by the hemispheres. The whole body gets the energy. Arteries and veins, sensory and motor nerves, right and left hemispheres are all reflections of the ida and pingala process.
Swami Vivekandanda: I see ida and pingala anatomically up here in the brain, not crossing down the spine. I believe that ida and pingala crossing each other is a concept and a symbol of experience.
Swami Satyadharma: I think that awakening of mooladhara is the beginning of psychic awareness. That is why with mooladhara awakening, people often become disturbed.
Swami Vivekandanda: Yes. They can get caught in the psychic consciousness, which is the consciousness in which you have hallucinations, etc.
Swami Shankardevananda: It is much more powerful than anything they have ever experienced before.
Swami Vivekandanda: We slide in and out of it twice a day anyway, even if we are not doing any formal closed eye meditation techniques. I think if you hold the awareness at the psychic level, and you can do it with yoga nidra, you will experience a state in which there is though blocking - what is called thought disorder - where one thought leads on to another one that is unrelated to itand it just goes off into the distance. Paradoxical thinking - where two paradoxical thoughts can exist together, hallucinations, voices talking to you, you see things and so forth.
Swami Shankardevananda: So, therefore we assume that pingala is blocked and ida is flowing. All that stuff is coming out through ida from mooladhara; basic subconscious material.
Swami Vivekananda: At the same time there is psychic withdrawal.
Swami Shankardevananda: Yes, so what does that imply?
Swami Vivekandanda: If there is a psychic withdrawal, then even though we appear to be incommunication with the outside, in actual fact we are still inside from the psychic point of view. Paradoxical thinking, suspicious feelings, voices and all these things, and not being able to keep your thoughts together on one topic for any more than a couple of seconds; all these come from a psychic, inner plane.

There's a saying that when you're first getting into energy work.. you're like a 5 year old being handed a ferrari, and there isn't a lot of information out there on it. Kundalini causes a lot of people a lot of pain and many go crazy and never come back. Almost all shaman go crazy and it's my understanding that they all have active kundalini.

posted March 25, 2011 01:29 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by mochai:
I wouldn't want that karmic responsiblity for causing a person to have a kundalini psychosis and what that might imply. It is very easy for people to be shut off to the nature of their own realities. [/B]

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Very true! People are advised not to go for Kundalini Yoga, Hath Yoga and Pranayama without a proper master to demonstrate and guide you personally. They then can monitor our progress on routine basis and correct us immediately. Also control and direct us (our energies) when the need arises. Reading about it in books or on internet and following can be very very dangerous, if things go out of hand. There are n no of cases where ppl have gone mad or in coma. I am sorry, i don't want to frighten or discourage anyone. Just that i would advise anybody interested in these to go for them with a master to guide personally. 'cause i am aware of several such misdirected cases. Besides while practicing kundalini yoga we have to strictly abstain from certain things like spicy/heavy food like meat and also liquor. Plus sticking to one sexual partner. Needless to say these things are very difficult for many persons to practice and can lead to tremendous energy going berserk as Kundalini once set free is like fire. I apologise again for throwing water on enthusiasm and close the 'lecture' before it becomes worse.

posted March 25, 2011 08:56 PM            

I was afraid of Kundalini yoga before I started but my two teachers by DVD,Ana Bret and Ravi Singh, dispelled myths of terrible things happening so I went with that.
I have only had wonderful things happen.

posted March 31, 2011 12:48 PM            

I think the only difference with Kundalini yoga is the addition of breathing techniques.
I could be wrong,though.
I am self taught so not an expert lol

posted April 15, 2011 05:21 PM            

Abcd efg- I don't like using books and talking to other people on the journey as my only source of information, but as that seems to be the only source I have, I need to know something. I'm just hoping my clairs open up quickly enough to guide me better.

Q&A with Goswami Kriyananda

Q: Is Kundalini yoga dangerous to practice? I'm reading a lot of scary things out there with regards to violent shaking, psychosis, etc.

A: This is a difficult type of question. It's like asking, "Is a knife dangerous?" The answer depends upon the person and how he or she uses that tool. The practice of Kundalini yoga, or any esoteric yoga, is just a tool. The danger lies in how this tool is used and the training the person has had. Having said that, I would add that the practice is dangerous for most people because they jump in unprepared, like a person running in the Boston Marathon without any preparation or practice. The probability is that the person is going to have serious problems. These can range from torn cartilage or dehydration, to a heart attack.

Kundalini is dangerous because the person has not prepared for the "race" ahead. However, having prepared himself, there is little or no danger. However, it is much easier to prepare for a marathon than it is to prepare the body and mind for the practice of Kundalini yoga.

The practice is dangerous because most are not psychologically ready for the transformation of the everyday ego-personality that will take place during this practice. Disorientation often occurs with the forgetting of everyday responsibilities.

Again, it is dangerous because most people are practicing for the wrong reason. Most are practicing to get fast power. Now, the search for power is most often the result of an emotion that says the person needs power because he or she feels helpless in the face of life itself. One feels the need to gain power in order to gain control over one's life. This very emotion often drives a person to the path, revealing the imbalances of that soul. Thus, it is only when the soul is mature enough to take wise counteractions that the path is safe. If short, the person needs to adjust, adapt and acclimatize to life-and not life to that soul. If one is not careful, the emotions will drive the person to use a cannon to kill a fly, doing far more damage to the house than to the fly. I hope you see the meaning of my symbolism.

It is dangerous because people are getting most, if not all, of their data from books. Kundalini yoga, like all esoteric yogas, should not be practiced from a book, but from a living master, from a living sane master. After almost six decades of teaching, I have come across too many unbalanced "masters." Yoga is the art and the science of balanced being. Thus, a soul who has successfully practiced yoga always has one foot in heaven and the other foot firmly planted on the ground.

Again, dangers arise not so much from the techniques but from trying to accomplish something in weeks or months that normally takes years, if not decades. However, the most vital factor in the practice of any esoteric yoga is that of timing. Everything is timing. Yet most people do not have the slightest idea regarding the flow of time and its release of karma.

I do not have first-hand information; however, it is common knowledge that many people have had bad "acid trips." One of the key reasons for these bad trips is that they pick the "wrong time." Now, this phrase has two meanings: a time in which negative thought-forms will be flowing from the subconscious, or a time when the person is under strong stress and strain.

Kundalini yoga, like all esoteric yogas, deals more with the energies from the unconscious mind than with the subconscious energies, and most people's subconscious mind has little or no discipline at all. And they have absolutely no self-discipline of their unconscious mind. Thus, the practice of yama-niyama is essential to the successful and harmonious practice of any esoteric yoga. Now this is not just an intellectual understanding. It is an ethical practice. This practice must be exercised not for a few days or a few weeks, but for years, if not decades, during which both the subconscious and unconscious have balanced out most of the angular energies such as hatred, which irritates the subconscious mind.

Kundalini yoga improperly performed produces what I call the "shakti effect," and not the Kundalini effect. Improperly performed, the method releases symbols that affect the body and/or the mind. If it moves from the center channel to the channel on the right side, biological conditions such as shaking and sickness will manifest. If it moves to the left channel, it produces mental problems such as "DTs" or hallucinations.

Yes, for many people the practice of esoteric yoga is dangerous unless:

a) They have practiced and mastered yama and niyama to the degree that they no longer have deep emotional problems such as hatred, jealousy and envy, etc.

b) They have purified the physical body.

c) They have purified the astral body.

d) They have found a practicing guru who is sane, has successfully run the course, and has mastered the various problems that do manifest while walking this path.

Returning to the symbolism of the marathon, if one wishes to run the marathon, one needs to find a person who has run it successfully, and not just once, but many times. Only this person knows first-hand the problems of running the course. That person also knows how to deal with the various problems that arise. Books are wonderful, but they can never replace a living master. The master knows how to strengthen the muscles, increase oxygen intake, improve endurance, focus and sustain that focus. These are prerequisite to running the marathon. But there is more-and that is to finish the race.

Problems will arise while practicing to run the race. This is not the time to quit. It is the time to solve and resolve the problems so that one can move on to finish the race successfully. It is a time to overcome wisely and safely the problems-and win. In short, to take the lemons and make lemonade.

Deeper insight into this question can be obtained by asking the question, "Why does one want to practice Kundalini yoga?" Looking at the reasons, symbolically, reveals the types of problems that will arise because the very reason for practicing the spinning of the chakras or the elevation of chakric energies reveals what type of energy is being released from the unconscious mind. In short, the person did not choose to practice. Rather it was the unconscious mind choosing to release more energy and also to absorb that released energy.

Kundalini yoga, which is a noble science, is one of the yogas of evolution. However, that speeding up takes a number of years, and not a few weeks or months. Furthermore, if one does not have a basic ethical patterning-if one has not removed greed, hatred, jealousy, anger and fear-then one is not really ready to practice any type of esoteric yoga. These emotions need to be balanced. Until then, other exoteric yogas such as hatha yoga, bhakti yoga or karma yoga should be practiced and mastered before moving into the deeper levels of the mind.

If one has balanced out the negative emotions in his subconscious and unconscious, difficulties will not manifest. However, I have never met an Earthling who did not have emotional problems. Some have greater problems and they manifest more often; others have lesser problems and they manifest less often. But all have complexes in the subconscious or unconscious area of the mind.

Now emotional problems and/or negative experiences from the past are like ghosts from the past. And the ghosts from the past want to live again! Thus, these unconscious energies seek to empower themselves and regain ways and means to re-express themselves. Or are you not familiar with world history?

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Goswami Kriyananda is the founder and spiritual preceptor of The Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago. (See website at www.yogakriya.org.) Please send questions for Goswami Kriyananda to P.O. Box 3324, Princeville, Kauai, HI

posted April 16, 2011 02:28 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by mochai:
I wanted to post more here. Btw, I'm all about having a sane guru, but it's seemingly impossible to get one, let alone a good one.

Abcd efg- I don't like using books and talking to other people on the journey as my only source of information, but as that seems to be the only source I have, I need to know something. I'm just hoping my clairs open up quickly enough to guide me better.

Q&A with Goswami Kriyananda

Q: Is Kundalini yoga dangerous to practice? I'm reading a lot of scary things out there with regards to violent shaking, psychosis, etc.

....................

_____________

Goswami Kriyananda is the founder and spiritual preceptor of The Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago. (See website at www.yogakriya.org.) Please send questions for Goswami Kriyananda to P.O. Box 3324, Princeville, Kauai, HI

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Nothing is impossible as i am sure you know. Only our past karmas come in the way. If you want it from the bottom of your heart i am 100% sure you will get it. In the meanwhile why don't you take initiation if you havn't already done so? This will give you a start and bhakti yoga is OK for us as we are learning. Then later on when you are firmly established in your life on the basics required for Kundalini Yoga your teacher will come to you. One more thing, you don't necessarily have to practice Kundalini Yoga separately. In bhakti yoga that is included. Surprised? Assuming that you are aware of bhakti (faith) yoga have you ever done repetition of HIS name or any mantra or word given during initiation? You will learn as you progress that you dont have to do 'kumbhaka' separately. This happens automatically as you chant the HOLI WORD(S). It works through out the day and even at night when the practice gets advanced. + The kumbhakas which we are required to practice in Raja Yoga or Hath Yoga (i.e. the pranayama part) have to be controlled and monitored and done very carefully. They require the same conditioning like that of Kundalini Yoga as we are playing directly with the prana. BUT IN BHAKTI YOGA WE TRUSTINGLY PLACE OURSELVES IN THE HAND OF OUR DEAR LORD WHO HOLDS US BY THE FINGER AND MAKES US WALK ACCORDING TO OUR CAPACITY WHICH HE IS PRETTY GOOD IN JUDGING FOR US . So as we go on practicing the same kumbhakas occur while we breath and chant HIS WORD. And all this without any mal effects. Then as the months/years pass by (depending upon our cleansing requirement) the kundalini starts rising slowly/in spurts/gushes. Varies from person to person and even in the same person from time to time. TRY IT.

There are a lot of sane gurus around whom i am aware of being sane. But i don't know whether they come in your place or you could come to India. More important than this is whether it is TIME FOR YOU TO RECEIVE ONE. This is most important. As it is said Nothing happens before time.

posted April 16, 2011 11:50 AM            

I HAVE certain things the article talked about.I have been doing OBE's for many years so that does change your vibratory rate.
I went about Kundalini yoga VERY slowly. I built it up little by little.
I have ways to release emotions .I cry very easily,over sadness or joy.
I think the Cancer moon is a great help ,here.
I realize this as I talk to Scorpio Moons in the FB Asteroid group.
They do not release their emotions,easily.

I reach out to people when I am hurting so that allows release of emotions,too.

I am doing it for good reasons not to get power to be used to control others.

I have built it up to 2 hours a day.
I am an earth void so I love when I can discipline myself on anything.
Also, I eat raw food which raises your vibratory rate just as Kundalini yoga does.
I hope I never have any adverse effects from it lol

posted April 16, 2011 12:25 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Ami Anne:
I have been doing Kundalini yoga for 2 years-self taught

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I hope I never have any adverse effects from it lol

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posted April 16, 2011 12:27 PM            

I took into account when the student is ready the teacher approaches. I'm hoping that can happen at some point. I make some sort of bhakti a part of my routine.

posted April 17, 2011 11:40 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by mochai:
abcd- I'd love to have a guru and I never took up yoga. I've thought about taking up karma yoga. I won't have the ability to travel to india for a long time as I'm subject to trying to manage my kundalini with no money. I didn't go about trying to awaken it.

I took into account when the student is ready the teacher approaches. I'm hoping that can happen at some point. I make some sort of bhakti a part of my routine.

There's a textbook precursor course to kriya yoga I've thought about and then there's the 5 tibetans I'm looking at trying to do as I've seen that recommended as doing with kundalini. It's here: http://www.amazon.com/Systematic-Course-Ancient-Tantr ic-Techniques/dp/8185787085/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302971198&sr=8-1

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1) You don't have to take up any particular yoga. If you have somebody to initiate you in your area its enough. Initiation is striking the spark. Once its done you can keep chanting the HOLI word(s) (fanning it) and have faith and do whatever you do with love & faith and can also pray. Surrender to HIS WILL. This is bhakti yoga. It doesnt require doing a course.

2) Karma yoga is not any tantra or technique. It is just doing your 'job' i.e. what you are required to do in any area of your life i.e. personal or career or any other to the best of your ability. And surrender its fruits to GOD. Whether good or bad.

3) For initiation or yoga you don't require any money. There are a lot of genuine enlightened beings out there who will do it without money. SOme purposely put some charges so that public doesn't take it for granted. Otherwise, people have this tendency to take things easy or give less value to them when they are received free.

4) Kriya yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Hath,tantra,raj yoga are all streams that tackle the prana directly. Tantra also has ritualistic part (black or white magic come under this branch of occult). Tantra basically means technique. The link you have given is of tantra and not karma yoga. Yes tantra is also karma in the sense it is an act (karma) as anything we do is.

5) My suggestion would be get hold of an appropriate one to initiate you. Initiation is very important whatever you do i.e. whichever path you choose. And there are lot of Indian gurus going abroad for all this. Genuine ones too. I am not talking about the honky ponkys. You don't necessarily have to travel all the way to India. Besides there might be some from your own area.

6) If you know somebody in your place who can refer you to get a genuine guide, go ahead.

INITIATION IS IMPORTANT

posted June 14, 2011 09:45 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Yrone:
How does this initiation look like?

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Its like kindling the fire. If you are already into meditation, psychic powers etc, if what i gathered from your other posts is correct, then in all probability you have been through initiation in your previous births. But still in India it is a practice to take initiation all the same. Its mostly because it keeps us under an enlightened person's wings. Very helpful.

Initiation can be given in various ways. Sometimes by eyes, at times by touch and there are also some who give long distance. How exactly i don't know. But i surely know that an enlightened entity can do just about anything. But they never interfere in others lives unless asked for.

posted June 14, 2011 10:08 AM            

Stuff started to "get serious" around the december 21st eclipse.