Q. What is the difference between Kundalini and Prana?
Ans: Kundalini is the more prominent manifestation of prana. Prana is the life-force energy that keeps the human mechanism running – the mind-body complex, whereas the Kundalini is the primordial energy, the higher expression of the same prana. While the prana is restorative, Kundalini is like a bolt of lightning that stimulates the energy vortices.
The prana is constantly in motion flowing in-and-out of the energy vortices known as the chakras. Our psychosomatic health depends on the unobstructed flow of this vital energy.
Whenever a chakra blocks this energy flow, we notice symptoms in the form of physical ailments and psychological disturbances like stress, anxiety, depression, and more.
As I mentioned, Kundalini resides in the first chakra – the Muladhara – in a potential state. From there, it ascends, hitting each of the seven chakras. Finally, the Kundalini pierces the last chakra, Sahasrara, where Shiva and Shakti become one.
At this point, the ego dissolves, destroying the false identity. You see the world in a different light. You become the witness that ‘sees’ everything as it is, rather than assigning meanings and labels. The suffering simply drops away, and all questions dissolve. The mind becomes silent, and the heart awakens.
The minor concerns of daily living lose importance. It’s not that we become careless or passive. We continue everyday life as before, but without ruminating on the dead past or imaginary future. We become present to what is ‘here and now.’ It brings serenity and lasting peace.
I’m speaking from personal experience; I used to be a reserved introvert, but when my throat chakra opened, I started expressing myself to others without thinking or worrying about what they would think of me.
Kundalini opens up the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual bodies. It is a highly potent energy that reaches the vast depth of the unconscious and brings out all that resides in the shadow.
Whatever comes from the unconscious into the conscious burns and gets eliminated from the energy body. Therefore, it peels layer upon layer of conditioning, and as the energy ascends, it peels the last layer, i.e., the sense of personal self as a separate name and form.
Q. Why don’t you teach Kundalini Yoga?
Ans: Because I’m not qualified to teach it. I’m not a kundalini master. I have experienced Kundalini ascending, but that does not make me an expert. I can help with trivial matters by sharing what I know, but I don’t feel I’m qualified to teach when it comes to full-blown Kundalini Yoga training.
I teach about elemental chakra balancing to help people cultivate peace in daily living. It is enough to live a peaceful life. Kundalini is a beast. It throws you out of body and mind and strips you of all identifications. Most people desperate for Kundalini resort to methods like Shaktipat (direct energy transmission), only to regret it later. One needs to cultivate a pure state of mind to be receptive to this energy; otherwise, it will create havoc.
I don’t want to create fear, but one must be highly cautious when dealing with Kundalini. There are well-known Kundalini Yoga masters that are far more experienced and capable.
Moreover, I switched from the path of Shakti to Advaita (Non-Duality) to complete my understanding. It was Advaita that opened my mind to “what is.” Both ways lead to the same outcome, the dissolution of the personal self, but each approach is different.
Q. Are you enlightened? Is your Third-Eye Awakened?
Ans: I don’t know. Anyone with the third eye awakened will possibly not know because it marks the destruction of all concepts. The third eye and Kundalini are also concepts. Shiva’s third is the destruction of the world of names and forms; therefore, there’s no individual to observe the opening of the third eye.
Beware of anyone who claims their third eye is open. I have seen many so-called experts and gurus selling third eye awakening sitting in the comfort of your bedroom. A lot of unscrupulous business happens (and has been happening) in the name of Kundalini awakening, but we’ll get to that later.
Answering your first question, I don’t know what you mean by enlightenment. I admit that I have a specific understanding of life processes, but I’m as flawed as any other person. I don’t know what enlightenment is, and I’m not the least interested.
I never project myself as an enlightened guru – not interested in being one. Labels like enlightened being, ascended Master, awakened guru, etc., are your projection of perfection to an object.
When you see a person in that light, you project your ideas of perfection onto that person, and when they don’t act according to your expectations, you feel led down. I have seen this happen many times when people move from one guru to another in the hope of liberation.
Having a Kundalini experience doesn’t make you superior to others. You still live in the same world with the same problems; expect that there’s complete acceptance of “What Is” with the surrender of doership of the ego.
Q. What do you mean by doership?
Ans: Doership is a concept that says individuals are the doer of their actions. The individual thinking that he or she is the doer takes ownership of the actions with an attachment to the outcome. Doership inevitably leads to pain and suffering. I’ll talk in detail about doership as we go further.
Latest book release: Bitten By The Energy Serpent – A New Perspective on Kundalini Awakening
