Kundalini awakening is said to be the pranic energy rising from the base of the spine, upwards in the central channel (shushumna), which is associated with the spinal axis. This energy flow awakens consciousness (chitt) on all levels of existence.
Another way of seeing it, is to see this energy as the flow of messages along the nerve fibers. Both thoughts center around the spinal cord and the awakening of the human being from different psychological aspects.
The classical descriptions place heavy emphasis on the awakening of kundalini in mooladhara chakra, but this is not necessiraly the only pathway of awakening. Each plexus or chakra has different psycological connections to the brain and we can awaken on different levels in our expression of our reality.
There is a very important fluid, the cerebrospinal fluid within the spine, when this fluid gets excited and moves through the vertebral column, it alters the phases of consciousenss. It is our consciousness that awakens. which is not located in the physical realm, but is controlled by the information coming into the physical senses(indriyas) through the physical experience.
You might have had some of these experiences, feeling so light, that you feel floating, the whole body vibrating, or the complete emptiness, expansion as if there is nothing but space, or perhaps the feeling of physical bliss in the body. Itzhak Bentov, put forward the theory that kundalini is an effect caused by the rotation of nerve impulses around the cortex of the brain during meditation. He considered that this is caused by rhythmical pressure waves which result from the interaction of the heart beat, breathing, and the fluid inside the skull, thereby causing the brain to oscillate up and down which stimulates specific nerve currents in the brain.
The classical descriptions place heavy emphasis on the awakening of kundalini in mooladhara chakra, the base of the spine, in fact, kundalini can be awakened (or the spinal fluid can be excited) on any level of the spine. The true seat of awakening will be at the crown chakra (sahasrara). It might just be easier to awaken different aspects that in turn awakening the centers of the brain. When kundalini awakens in an individual chakra, the experiences which are characteristic of that chakra will be brought into consciousness. This may also occur when one does the practices for an individual chakra. For example, muladhara chakra awakening stimulates sensual physical connection, swadhisthana practices will raise joy; manipura practices will increase the self-assertion; anahata stimulation will expand love; vishuddhi practices will awaken discrimination and wisdom, and ajna practices will increase the flow of intuition, knowledge and perhaps extrasensory abilities and so on.
I want to answer the question by saying, sex, the sexual organs and sensuality has everything to do with awakening and at the same time, nothing. Due to my personal experience with myself and others. I find myself in circles where sex is not something that is just done, on contraire, I have had found myself to promote people to open to their sensuality and sexuality, due to the trauma caused to this part of our psyche through sexual abuse, emotional abuse, sexual misconduct and the societal programming of sinful behaviour, keeping the sexual act as a taboo. I see a great uprising of women seeking freedom from that. I find the path of awakening to ourselves as beautiful expressions of creation, a necessary need to open to ourselves as sexual beings. To allow ourselves to fully accept and embrace who we are on all levels of existence.
The bandhas are used to manipulate the energy and awaken the flow of fluid in the spine. There are 3, Mula Bandha, root lock, Uddiyana Bandha, navel lock and Jalandhara Bandha, neck lock. These three positions correlate to the nerve plexus, coccygeal plexuses, lumbar (sacral) plexus, celiac (solar) & vesical (lumbar) , brachial plexus & cervical plexus.
Expert from Dharan Darshan by Swami Niranjananada.
“Sensuality is another obstacle which one may face on the path of dharana. When dharana occurs, strong sensual feelings develop spontaneously in the lower centres. This can be tolerated once in a while, but during dharana it may happen frequently. As the practice of dharana progresses and the mind becomes controlled, the pranas and chakras are purified. This purification leads to increased production of the sexual fluid. Therefore, sensuality is increased. ”
In laya yoga there are four levels of practices. The first level is refining and managing the consciousness of the four basic instincts: maithuna or the sexual instinct, bhaya or fear, ahara or craving, and nidra or sleep. The second is experiencing the chakras - chakra consciousness. The third aspect is managing the gunas: tamas, rajas and sattwa and the psychic manifestations of the gunas. The fourth level is understanding the transcendental dimensions of consciousness or lokas. Those who have perfected laya yoga have been able to control their life force and, in some cases, even rejuvenate their bodies and their selves, because they gain the ability to direct and channel the life energy. Laya yoga is said to be the last yoga beyond hatha, raja, karma and bhakti yogas
I agree with this that if you are going to indulge in it, it will be an obstacle for focusing the mind, on the other hand, if it is denied, or blocked with shame and trauma, then too it will be a great obstacle to feeling joy, bliss and freedom.
I practice the bandhas for the reason of opening the spinal column for energy flow, and my most excitement of the bandhas is the correlation with postural alignment. It feels like the yogis understood something so crucial. Relax and find the bandhas, the body will align itself and movement will become a joy. Compensation will release and freedom is found physically and emotionally.
Join me for workshops for energy awakening, Bandhas, Maha Mudra, Shakti Chelana and Kaya Sthairyam and more. Visit my webpage, https://www.yogawisdom.co.za
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