Welcome to Day 25of our 40 Day Retreat 2009.
Yesterday, we spoke about the cleansing activities that spontaneously take place when we are initiated by a true master, through the process of Shaktipat. Today, I want to continue with that subject. We use the word kriya and I explained it to you by saying that those are cleansing actions that spontaneously come. I want to say a little more about kriya.
Shat Kriyas From Hatha Yoga
In hatha yoga we hear about Shat Kriyas and they are six forms of purification meant for the body. It involves the cleaning of stomach, cleaning of the lower colon, cleaning of nose and throat, cleaning of eyes and cleaning of the colon area by special exercise for churning and cleaning of the respiratory system through the use of breath of fire. These are cleansing exercises that are called kriyas from hatha yoga.
Science of Kriya Yoga
There is also the Science of Kriya Yoga. These involve practices that cleanse the different bodies and bring about more harmony and synchronization between the life force inside and the energy from that infinite Source within us into a synchronized or harmonized flow in the other bodies. This is the Science of Kriya Yoga that will involve concentration practices, breathing practices and practices devoted to the energy field.
Maha Yoga - Spontaneous Physical, Mental and Emotional Kriyas
In the Maha Yoga or Siddha Yoga also called Sahaja (natural) Yoga, kriyas come up spontaneously along the journey. Hatha yoga kriyas may come up which involve different postures and breathing. Also, I spoke about emotional kriyas, this is taking kriyas in a more expansive dimension, and also kriyas on the mental plane. These kriyas that take place can be positive or negative, as I have said before. Some may involve very strong experiences that we may consider painful. They are all meant for cleansing.
Depending on where we are in this lifetime that will determine our experiences when we become initiated in this powerful way. As these kriyas begin to happen and we begin to understand them, then we can work meaningfully with this energy as it moves inside. I have spoken about the kundalini energy waking up inside of us by initiation and being a guide within us. We spoke yesterday about being programmed to evolve, that the energy is programmed to work in an evolutionary way through the different chakras. As it begins to ascend it cleanses the pathway.
The central channel along which the chakras exist is called Sushumna Nadi. Nadi means an energy channel. According to the yogic science we have 72,000 Nadis distributed throughout the body. I said, we may feel heat in the body as these Nadis become purified, then the energy from the inner being can flow harmoniously through the body.
Dealing With Difficult Points on the Journey
I also spoke about when negative experiences come up during initiation; even when we become stagnated at certain points we need to understand it. These would be the blocks or difficult points on the journey. Here is where we need to work harder. I want to give a few points on this when we are faced with difficulties on the sadhana (spiritual journey) and how do we deal with it? These may be in different areas physical, mental or emotional.
The beauty about being initiated through shaktipat and by a master is that we are supported throughout the entire journey, so it is not like reading from a book only. Once we are initiated by contact with a master that journey begins inside and the kundalini energy is supported throughout the journey by that power of the master, whether you are physically with the master or not. Once the master bestows that kind glance or that kind touch causing the awakening then you have the master’s connection with you and if you continue to use that connection then that provides a stable path to complete freedom.
When negative experiences come your way, some of these may be painful. For example you may feel strong pains in the heart area and you can swear it is something physical when it is not, or in the head area with headaches or along the spine, very strong energies along the spine in terms of heat or strong movements of the body. These are all signs of awakening.
Proper Guidance Comes
When they begin to happen we need proper guidance; if there is a Guru whom you can talk to or if it is the Guru who initiated you then it is the best when you can have that kind of direct guidance.
If not, if you have been strongly initiated and you cannot have that kind of direct guidance then what is amazing is that the universe is going to send it to you, because you have been initiated. The energy of kundalini does not only work in and through you when initiated but through everything outside of you. Information can come towards you as well. When you begin to understand that this energy awakening is happening in a bigger context that this kundalini is able to guide you not only from inside you when awakened, but also from outside so the right book, the right information and everything will come to you, because Guru is not just a person. If you are initiated by a true master, the energy of that true master is everywhere, it is omnipresent. If you begin to search for the wisdom to deal with these problems they will come to you through other people, books and dreams.
Have Faith in the Process
What is required is faith in the process, if you can really understand what is happening within you. Not to think that painful experiences are things that you may not be doing rightly. It is important to understand that these things happen and guidance is required.
I have seen people come to the center and initially when they come I see how they struggle with difficult experiences: some will be crying, some feeling completely uneasy, and some with all kinds of thoughts in the mind. These are the things that happen when you come into a stable atmosphere.
Sometimes the negative traits like pride, jealousy, lust and a number of different things may come up in the space and when it is coming up we may think, “Why is all of this happening in a spiritual environment?” It is the kundalini energy inside bringing it up for you to see, it becomes visible to you. If you really think about that, then you will see it is an act of grace that negative things can come up in the field, and when they come up then you have the opportunity to expel them completely.
Not only will this happen in a spiritual center where you are surrounded by a strong field of energy but even in the world. When you begin the spiritual journey and you are blessed, even in your work place or in your homes or where ever you are, you can become challenged to see all these negative traits that might be within you, that is hindering the energy flow of the kundalini and hindering you on the journey. These things are your challenges and it is important to begin to observe them when they come up, they are coming that you may see them and that you may work on them.
Process of Working on Negative Traits
Whenever you find that spiritual awakening comes and then in your life these negative traits, are coming up to be expelled, it is important to begin to work on them. As you begin to work on them you will find guidance coming. Kundalini as it moves up the chakras begins to expand your awareness that you see more. Things that you did not notice before, you begin to notice now. Qualities such as pride, jealousy, anger, lack of forgiveness and lack of compassion, they all come up from inside of you. As your awareness grows you begin to realize that these are not qualities I want to be friendly with. I want to get rid of these qualities.
What is important at this stage is to distance yourself from these things, they are in me but I am not going to identify with them as I used to. That is an important step because if you do not do this, if you do not work on those negative qualities that come up, then how are you going to advance. That is where stagnation can happen, when we stay with the negative qualities and we do not work on them, as we should.
Signs on the Right Path - Physical, Mental, Emotional
If we are really on the spiritual journey we will realize that when we manifest these qualities or express them that they are not good for us. We do not feel comfortable when we do them. If you do not feel comfortable when these negative qualities come up within you, then you are on the right path. You need to be uncomfortable with them. That will drive you to want to change them. As you begin to do that you will find that your energy channels will open up more and more, as you begin to work on bringing more love where negative emotional qualities exist, like hate, animosity and negative thinking towards others. As you begin to work on them and replace them with compassion, love, kindness and forgiveness, you will actually feel support from inside. The kundalini itself will show you that it is supporting you as you begin to display the positive qualities, so it is important that you do that.
Even on the physical level as you begin to do your yoga practice or meditate, (you will notice) that yogic exercises are coming. They are coming to help you cleanse the physical and vital fields. As you practice these exercises that are coming to you, you will actually find that your body feels different and your vitality improves.
On the mental field challenges can come, we can have the cleansing in the mental field. When you hold on to beliefs that are limiting you will find that these beliefs will be challenged. As the kundalini wakes up more and more and she comes to the higher planes, she will challenge all the old beliefs you have. You will begin to feel confused when what is happening. If you continue to understand what is happening by reflection and introspection, you will be guided and led to the information. As you begin to recognize this, because the guidance is always there, you will be able to work through those mental blocks to come into a deeper space.
Remove Blocks with the Help of the Energy
In the 40-days of 1978 it was a series of mental transformations. I could have seen myself going through a number of changes in my awareness to see life differently as the energy moved in the upper areas and forced itself to open or move away blocks. It was an amazing experience.
Trusting in that path and trusting in the process of the kundalini journey, which is the Maha Yoga journey, you can remove these blocks with the help of the energy. Working in harmony with the energy is extremely important on the journey. Begin to understand what she is trying to do with you and following that and surrendering to the process, will help you to remove blocks inside and to ultimately free you.
Great Experiences Will Come
On this journey it is a large cleansing process and we need to understand and have faith in the process. We need to work through the cleansing and of course the great experiences will come. As you begin to work on it, and you begin to make positive changes in your own life, you will actually feel that the energy supports you more and more. The positive kriyas when they come they are very exciting. When the beautiful experiences of kundalini come they are very exciting. As you work more and more on the negative the more beautiful ones will come. You will actually feel that the mantras you chant, they have more power. You will feel that your thoughts are more powerful, that your focus is more powerful and that your ego is being transformed in a more beautiful way. The positive experiences of the kundalini are marvelous.
On the journey of the Siddha or Maha Yoga you will find that in a very natural way, guided by this power inside, you are led to freedom. You are supported throughout the path by this process.
Stay with the journey, no matter how difficult it may be, have faith in the process, and certainly you will get to that space of freedom.
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