TANTRA 3rd ARTICLE (FINAL): THE PURPOSE OF LIFE

The eternal power, full of joy, which resides in each one of us, feels like ‘the ocean flowing through a wave.’ When an individual is able to awaken this power – the result will be a transformed being that is one with the universe, i.e. the transformed being and universe become one and the same.

The status quo

The human brain is evolving rapidly because from morning till evening individuals are applying their brains to different tasks like reading newspapers, watching television, studying in school/colleges, working at offices, checking email and sending messages through the internet etc, which was not the case in earlier times. In times gone by there was no need for them to apply their brain in such a concentrated manner, which the modern individuals are doing. In other words it can be said that ‘although the modern individual is meditating, but on material objects,’ which resulted in a rapid evolution. It would have been better if the modern individuals have changed their way of life, but sadly that is not the case, the modern individuals have made their lives more complex and intricate as throughout the day individuals are extremely busy in their lives, in the process forgetting their mind. The result is that there is a disproportionate evolution: on the one hand individuals have developed powerful intellects as proven by the scientific discoveries which are helping man to live an easy and comfortable life, but on the other hand individual’s moral and spiritual growth has been negligible.  

What happen?

According to sacred Hindu texts there is a region in the brain below the crown and above the palate which is called cavity of Brahman. This region can be activated by certain disciplines and which when activated gives the individual the same vision of the universe which the great mystics have described. For the activation of this region the normal energy of the body or the blood is not able to fuel that, as the region needs a more powerful and concentrated fuel, which comes from the reproductive system which is transformed into a kind of radiation and this radiation, awakens the centre, the cavity of Brahman. With the rising of the kundalini an individual is entering a new phase of development where he/she sheds of the old patterns; both physical and emotional. And once the serpent power is awakened it will help the individual to recognize his/her true nature ‘as being one with God.’ In simpler word it can be said that – ‘kundalini awakening clears away the old debris of conditioning.’ Spiritual awakening does not change individual’s physical life itself – ‘it changes how he/she interact and respond to what is.’ Kundalini awakening provides a perspective ‘that is inherently accepting and willing to be ever present,’ leading to  greater sensitivity, higher energy levels, sometime psychic abilities, deep knowing, and increases the creativity and charisma.

Awakening

In meditation when the mind settles down to dwell on a single focus, attention begins to flow in a smooth, unbroken stream, and as this happens, attention retreats from other channels, for example, ears although they function properly, but do not hear. In these profound moments the body is forgotten which dissolves the individual’s physical identification. Thereon a time comes when individual gets up from meditation and knows that the body is not ‘him;’ this is not an intellectual understanding, i.e. there are sure signs in health and behavior: yet no physical craving will be able to dictate the individual and the compulsion to full fill emotional needs through physical activity also vanishes - leading to the loss of ‘fear in death.’ As the awareness is withdrawn from various layers of consciousness one by one – the power of the mind would also start to have no effect, i.e. the mind is not consciousness and it is only an instrument of the consciousness. So when awareness is withdrawn from the mind a realization comes that ‘l’ is not the mind. When the awareness has been consolidated beyond the mind only the awareness of ‘I’ remains – space is gone and time so attenuated seems real: this is the taste of ‘shanti.’ For a long while it may seem that there is nothing stirring in the still world, but the limited self ‘I’ still remains, which is the only layer that is preventing from merging into the sea of infinite consciousness. At this time the thin envelope of personal identity remains which is not erased. Yet suddenly the ‘I’ vanishes – which lifts the barrier of individuality: dissolving in a sea of pure consciousness. This state is called ‘turiya’ the fourth, for it lies beyond the walking, dreaming and dreamless sleep. This is what the sacred texts call Brahman, from the root ‘brih’ meaning ‘to expand.’   

Narration of an experience

The following is the narration of an individual who was able to awaken his kundalini – ‘I sat steadily, unmoving and erect, my thoughts uninterrupted centered on the shining lotus, intent on keeping my attention from wandering and bringing it back again and again whenever it moved in any other direction. The intensity of concentration interrupted only by breathing: gradually it slowed down to such an extent that at times it was barely perceptible. My whole being was so engrossed in the contemplation of the lotus that for several minutes at a time I lost touch with my body and surroundings. During one such spell of intense concentration I felt a strange sensation below the spine at the place touching the seat, while I sat cross legged on the floor. The sensation was so extraordinary and so pleasing that my attention was forcibly drawn towards it. The moment my attention was thus unexpectedly withdrawn from the point on which it was focused the sensation ceased. Thinking it to be a trick played by my imagination to relax tension, I dismissed the matter from my mind and brought my attention back to the point from which it had wandered. Again I fixed it on the lotus and as the images grew clear and distinct at the top of my head, again the sensation occurred. This time I tried to maintain the fixity of my attention and succeeded for a few seconds, but the sensation extending upwards grew so intense and was so extraordinary, as compared to anything I had experienced before, that in-spite of myself my mind went towards it and at that very moment it gain disappeared. I was now convinced that something unusual had happened for which my daily practice of concentration was probably responsible.  My heart began to beat wildly and I found it difficult to bring my attention to the required degree of fixity. After a while I grew composed and was soon as deep in meditation as before. When completely immersed, I again experienced the sensation, but this time, instead of allowing my mind to leave the point where I had fixed it I maintained a rigidity of attention throughout. The sensation again extended upwards, growing in intensity and I felt myself wavering, but with great effort I kept my attention centered round the lotus. Suddenly, with a roar like that of a waterfall, I felt a stream of liquid light entering my brain through the spinal cord. Entirely unprepared for such development, I was taken by surprise, but regaining self control instantaneously, I remained sitting in the same posture, keeping my mind on the point of concentration. The illumination grew brighter and brighter, the roaring louder, I experienced a rocky sensation and then felt myself slipping out if my body, entirely enveloped in a halo of light. It is impossible to describe the experience accurately. I felt the point of consciousness that was myself growing wider, surrounded by waves of light. It grew wider and wider spreading outward while the body, normally the immediate object of its perception, appeared to have receded into the distance until I became entirely unconsciousness of it. I was now all consciousness, without any outline, without any idea of a corporal appearance, without any feeling or sensation coming from the senses, immersed in a sea of light simultaneously consciousness and aware of every point, spread out, as it were in all direction without any barrier or material obstruction. I was no longer myself or to be more accurate, no longer as I knew myself or to be more accurate, i.e. a small point of awareness confined in a body, but instead was a vast circle of consciousness in which the body was but a point, bathed in light and in a state of exaltation and happiness impossible to describe. After sometime the circle began to narrow down, I felt myself contracting, becoming smaller and smaller, until I again became dimly conscious of the outline of my body, then more clearly, and as I slipped back to my old condition, I became suddenly aware of the noise in the street, felt again my arms, legs and head, and once more became my narrow self in touch with body and surroundings. When I opened my eyes and looked about, I felt a little dazed and bewildered, as if coming back from a strange land completely foreign to me.’                           

Vision of an awakened being

All of mankind has uniform perception of the world, i.e. one perceives what the other perceives. Mystical perception; when kundalini is awakened, the seer do not see the world as a solid, objective creation, the seer sees consciousness everywhere: seer sees the ocean as if it is living, the seer sees a mountain as if it is living, the seer sees the sky as if it is living, the seer sees the earth as if it is living. What the seer sees with the mystical is so unique, so glorious, so elevating that it would be difficult to explain clearly in words, which is why the mystical vision is unfathomable for the common humans; whose serpent energy is dormant. An awakened being is able to see into the future and can also be able to see into the past. New knowledge is granted to the awakened being and he/she becomes devotee of divinity, and is always in a constant state of prayer within because he/she feels the presence of divinity around as well as in him/her. The vision of an awakened being is such that the seer would like keep looking; say the sky, for days and months on ends. In this vision the awakened sees consciousness in its majestic form. This is the reason why it is said that – ‘no mystic would change his state even for a kingdom.’           

If Kundalini is awakened the wrong way

On the awakening of the kundalini, the power is said to rise up from the base of the spine from the root cakra; Muladhara, this energy ascends to the peak the crown cakra; sahasrara. But, if an individual is unprepared there can be an experience of total inner chaos due to change in motivation, appearance, diet, weight loss or gain, sensations in the crown of the head and shifts in personality that an unguided or an uninitiated or an unprepared individual might not be able to handle. Some may experience difficult emotions from a traumatic past as if the trauma is being relived in the moment. Leaving out the extreme situations, which ends in madness, in cases of those in whom the awakening occurs all at once as a result of yoga or other spiritual practice, the sudden impact of powerful vital current on the brain or other organs is often attended with grace risk and strange mental conditions, varying from moment to moment, exhibiting in the beginning the abnormal peculiarities of a medium, mystic, genius and madman all combined into one. This may also cause spiritual distress and a total breakdown resulting in massive crisis. If an individual is trained and guided with strong and steady spiritual practice, the individual is likely to manage these astonishing changes and sensations.         

How to follow the path of an awakened being?

The individuals need to live a life of humility, a life of love, a life of purity, a life which individuals wishes for themselves, a life in which individuals do not wish for the bad of others, a life of simplicity, a life where individuals are not wasting the resources of earth for their wanton luxuries and pleasures. In short for an individual to awaken his/her dormant kundalini power a pure and simple life needs to be lead.

The most important point

There is a potential in every human being which is the most precious asset that he/she has, and which if awakened can transform him/her from being a mortal to an immortal and eternal source of happiness.

              

   

NOTE:

Hi guys,

If you find this article useful/informative, then please ‘like’ and ‘share’ it, so that, this article reaches more like minded people.

And, if you like to get information on any topic related to Hinduism, please email me the topic at (gauravgoswami0412@gmail.com) ,and I will prepare an article on the said topic, and then post it on this blog.

Thank you for your participation.