Chapter 37 Kundalini's Restorative Energy

One of the most outstanding psychiatrists in America was Dr. Carl Rogers.  He spoke of developing our personalities by moving beyond the responses we have developed from our past life-experiences.  For him, deep down in each of us is the innermost self.  This core of personality is basically healthy and positive, basically society oriented. By plunging down into your innermost self in silence, you make contact with God as healer.  As long as you live superficially (noisy and fragmented) in a world of ever-increasing multiplicity and meaninglessness, you will not know the health of body, soul and spirit that God wishes you to enjoy.
George Maloney SJ

Since my kundalini rising in the fall of 2005, I have been relatively free from the effects of ego consciousness as it

relates past life's experiences.  By past life's experiences, I

mean the events that have happened in the past that have led to a conditioned behavior; suppressed feelings and hurts, strict adherence to restrictions and rules imposed on me as a child or early adulthood, etc. The problem with such things is that they would often trigger a compulsive response or reaction to a situation over which I had little control or awareness. Kundalini energy successfully renovated and restored the subtle body system which for the large part, eliminated most of these uncontrolled compulsive responses. 

That's not to say that I no longer struggle with ego

consciousness.  I do. I can still experience anger, frustration and confusion about many issues that crop up in my life. As these new situations occur, particularly if they are in conflict with some of my deeply rooted principals, my mind can easily turn to judgement, criticism, and at times blaming. I generally know when this happens because I immediately sense a dis-ease within myself, and a loss of my of harmony with the offending person, and a loss of a sense of union with the Divine within.

The methods that I have and am pursuing with this ongoing re-dominating ego consciousness are different from the methods that I would have used in the pre-kundalini past.  The

remedies that I would have used in the past were either to stay for a time in an attitude of self-righteous judgement, condemning the action of others as unjust and deserving of my wrath, or undertaking a mental examination on the issue in order to look at the situation objectively, and hopefully arrive

at a more fitting and gentle conclusion.  This involved the work of serious reflection, analyzing my response, speaking with others, coming to terms with the issues, reconciling the situation in my mind, letting go of my judgement, and seeking forgiveness for myself and the other if I had reacted negatively towards them. Then I would be able to set the issue aside and get on with things.  There's nothing wrong with this approach.  It is called an examination of conscience, and is a healthy way to move beyond contentious issues and arrive at an acceptable and peaceful conclusion.      

With the rise of Kundalini energy, I find that this rather lengthy and onerous task of personal examination of conscience is no longer as necessary.  As I do my practices to keep the subtle body open, the flow of energy from the base chakras (root, sacral and solar plexus) advances up the spine to the crown and places me in union with the "One" beyond "self", and restores my inner being to the acceptable and peaceful conclusion that could previously only be attained through the more intense analytical approach.

Kundalini practices seem to continue the flow of restorative

energies into areas of the mental sheath where the ego attempts to retain or regain dominance. This flow of restorative energy to the crown brings one to the state-of-being of "observer" of the negative events, and "healer" of the critical and judgemental mind.  In this way, it is possible to regain quickly that connection and union with the divine.  George Maloney refers to it as a plunging down into your innermost self in silence to make contact with God as healer. 

Future subjects:
Kundalini practices 
What makes up ego consciousness

Chapter 36 The Freedom We All Seek

"That which the yogis seek does not serve their own purpose.  In fact, as long as we have our own purpose, we cannot really be open to higher and sacred purposes.  The whole meaning of yoga can be understood as progressive freedom from the hindrances that impede our availability to the purpose of supra personal intelligence.  The major hindrance is what we usually call our ego or "self", as long as it serves its own ends, it cannot serve the ends of the real "Self".
Ravi Ravindra - "The Spiritual Roots of Yoga"

As I read Ravindra's book on "Yoga The Royal Path To Freedom", I am drawn to its truth, and how it personally speaks to me through my own experience of Yoga and the transforming power of Kundalini energy.  Although, through my Christian faith, I believe that Grace is necessary to make the necessary steps towards "dying" to self in order to enter the power and presence of Christ, we can facilitate the power of Grace through our practice of the eight limbs of Yoga. 

Kundalini, with its ecstatic blissful flow of exuberant energy, keeps us steadfast on the path, gives us the motivation for our journey, and fills us with God's delightful Presence.

All of this must never to done to serve our own purpose, because our own purpose accentuates the "ego" which then becomes the impediment to the whole process. 

What purpose must be always kept in the forefront? 


 As Ravindra points out: The end must be the holiness of the "Real Self", the Divine within.

St. Ignatius begins his spiritual exercises with the following

prayer which speaks of the same reality. He calls it "The First Principle And Foundation".
We are created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save our souls.
The other things on the face of the earth are created to help us in attaining the end for which we were created.
Hence, we are to make use of them in as far as they help us in the attainment of this end, and must rid ourselves of them in as far as they prove a hindrance.

Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not, under any prohibition.  Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life.  The same holds for all other things.
Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created.

What St. Ignatius is saying in respect to his spiritual exercises is similar to what Ravindra is saying in respect to the Yogis and their spiritual practice.  As long as we are driven by our own purpose, that is the purpose of "ego", then the freedom that we seek will never be available to us.  The "ego" is the very cause of the slavery from which we are trying to escape. 

What does the "ego" seek?  Health versus sickness, riches versus poverty, honor versus dishonor, long life versus short life.  Ego is caught up in the world of those things we are attracted to or repulsed by, and as long as we are driven by our attractions and those things that repulse us, we remain caught in this web of our own purpose.  It is only in our "holy indifference" that we can escape this self-made prison and enter that reign where subject/object relatedness disappear.

Such a transition to this new reign is not possible through use of the "self".  In fact our "self" is a contradiction to the "selflessness" we seek because it continues to get into its own way.

Kundalini is the energy that breaks this attachment to the illusionary "self", cuts through years of conditioning, and allows us to enter into relatedness as "I AM". 



The Christian surrenders to Christ through Grace to experience this Oneness with His Spirit.  "I live now, not I, but Christ lives in me."

Chapter 35 - Following Two Paths

The Buddha's first sermon after his Enlightenment

centered on the Four Noble Truths. These Noble Truths, the foundation of Buddhism, are:
1. The truth of suffering (dukkha)
2. The truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya)
3. The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha)
4. The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga)

Janet, a ten year old girl, asked her Sunday school teacher: “Why do we call the Friday before Easter Good Friday?” Considering what happened that day, it doesn't seem "very good".

Her teacher answered: Look at the crucifix. What do you

see? How does it make you feel? When you look at the cross, you see Jesus, loving you, like no other person ever has. It’s a love that surpasses any that we are able to give ourselves. It’s a love that humbles our heart, and gives us strength to bare all that comes our way. It’s a love that saves us, and brings us into relationship with God which leads us to eternal life. That’s why it is called Good Friday.

One of the principal differences between Christianity and the Eastern religions is found in the cross. Christians believe they have been saved through God’s intervention into their lives through Christ. To be a disciple of Christ, one has to pick up

their cross and follow Him. The action of being “saved” has nothing to do with oneself, but only with Grace that comes through faith, and the actions of Christ. God reaches down to fallen humanity, and through Grace, provides the means by which one is saved, which means; “to be made whole”. Through Grace, self-centeredness is transcended. Through the taking up of one’s cross in response to Grace, ego consciousness is transformed into Christ’s consciousness.

“Going a little farther, Jesus fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

In the Christian faith, God reaches down to fallen humanity. In the Eastern religions, disciplines and practices are used to discover that which already exists but is hidden from view; the Divine within. The main obstacle to seeing this "Divine

Presence" is the illusion of the self-constructed ego which gives the appearance of something existing which in fact does not exist, or at least, not in the way it is interpreted by the mind. The Eastern Religions acknowledge that the cross exists, but the path that frees one from the cross is different.

The truth of suffering (dukkha)
The truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya)
The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha)
The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga) 

Where the Christian looks to Christ for the Grace of healing

 and forbearance, to surrender and accept all of life’s circumstances, the Buddhist follows the discipline of the path that leads to enlightenment, beyond ignorance and illusion, to

the truth that sets one free. Yoga, its discipline and practice, is referred to as the Royal Road to Freedom.

It’s not much wonder that the Kundalini experience is very confusing to Christian teaching, and to the Christian who has not experienced it. And for the Christian who has experienced Kundalini Rising, this phenomena can only be understood and integrated into ones life by referring to the rich traditions and teaching of the Eastern Religions.

The Christian, in order to remain faithful to Christ’s teachings, cannot abandon the rich symbol of the cross and what it

represents. Christian meditation, which is similar to the meditation connected with Yoga and Buddhism, is still a prayer of surrender to the Christ who dwells within, and a surrender to Grace which sustains and transforms. This is part of the long-standing tradition of the Christian Church as evidenced by John Cassian and the early fathers and mothers Christian monastic communities.

Yet the Christian who has experienced Kundalini must admit that within the human person there is an energy lying at the base of the spine that, when mobilized, has the ability to

renovate and restore the subtle body to bring about a spiritual transformation that will dismantle the ego and its illusions, and place one in the presence of the Divine. And there are practices that enhance the movement of this energy enabling it to accelerate its transforming activity of raising consciousness to higher levels towards Divine Union and experiences of monism. 

The Christian experience of surrendering to Christ by Grace through the power of the Holy Spirit has similarities in results, but certainly not in approach. Unlike Kundalini, Christianity also discourages one from moving into the monistic worldview which it views as heretical.

“Where Christian dualistic philosophy distinguishes

between body and soul, matter and spirit, object and subject, matter and force, the system which denies such a distinction, reduces one term of the antithesis to the other, or merges both in a higher unity, is called Monism. This is not acceptable to Christian Thinking and Teaching.” 

I remain a Christian with the Kundalini rising experience benefiting greatly from two paths which seem to lead to the same summit.

Chapter 34 The Path Towards Enlightenment

“According to Vedanta, there are only two symptoms of enlightenment, just two indications that a transformation is taking place within you toward a higher consciousness. The first symptom is that you stop worrying. Things don't bother you anymore. You become light-hearted and full of joy. The second symptom is that you encounter more and more meaningful coincidences in your life, more and more synchronicities." 
Deepak Chopra: “Synchrodestiny: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence to Create Miracles”

I’ve read many articles and books on “enlightenment”, and I must be honest: I’m not completely sure what it is or whether

it can be completely accomplished in this life time. But I do know that because of Kundalini, I am journeying towards “enlightenment” and I believe in its possibilities. I relate very much to Deepak Chopra observation above about enlightenment as I continue to move towards greater light-heartedness and joy in my life, and being freed from worrying, about even death, since the renovation and restoration stage of kundalini. 


Advanced Yoga has provided some interesting information on “enlightenment” which helped to explain the evolving experience flowing from Kundalini. Enlightenment, in yoga is broken down into three stages. 

The first stage of enlightenment is evident with the rise of

“silence” in the nervous system. A characteristic of this deep silence is the awakening of "pure bliss consciousness" and a steady state of peace, happiness. This comes primarily from the discipline of meditation. In my previous posting, I spoke about the benefits of meditation and how this discipline has a profound effect on my life. In fact, in advanced yoga, meditation is a prerequisite to a healthy kundalini rising. I followed the discipline of meditation, not for the purpose of kundalini, but as a prayer practice that brought me close to God in a deep and experiential way. This practice over twenty-five years with increasing intensity resulted surprisingly in kundalini rising in 2005.

The second stage of enlightenment which results from kundalini is the rising of ecstasy from the three lower chakras

and its expansion in the nervous system. This prana energy accelerates the functioning of the nervous system and leads to deeper and more lasting experiences of pure bliss consciousness and deeper silence. The expansion and acceleration of this inward sensory experience stimulates greater flow of ecstatic prana which draws us into deeper realms of divine consciousness and deeper levels of meditation. It is a captivating experience as this divine flow heightened through practice, leading to an increased desire to enter and merge with deepening sensory experience. It is seemingly like falling into deeper and an endless abyss of ecstasy. It was in the years following my kundalini rising, with the increase in the flow of psychic energy, that I began to experience very deeply this pure bliss consciousness. The meditation and yoga practices that became a part of my discipline accelerated the flow over time providing the motivation to continue this path of development.

The third stage of enlightenment is the awareness and

expansion of a sense of unity with all things.  I-ness or that sense of separateness from all things created by the ego become like veils, thinly covering the essence of life. We see ourselves now, not as separate, but as the essence of all things. We begin to experience a "joining" of this veiled existence with the ecstasy of pure bliss consciousness and a presence of the divine. The world has not disappeared; we can still act in the world, but our motivation is different than before when we saw ourselves as separate. There is a sense of spaciousness as the “internal observer” is seen connected with all that is being observed. Intellectually, this cannot be understood, but the experience gives a new understanding of this universal union. This has certainly been a great source of inner peace, unshakable security and an increasing source of ecstatic blissful union with the divine as I venture along this spiritual path.

At first we may experience shades of one or all three of these stages, but as we continue along the path, they become deeper and more prolonged. As they become deeper and prolonged, what before were only glimmers of a different experience become more enduring, more real, until eventually, they become reality itself.

The reality of enlightenment becomes increasingly who we are in our interaction with the world.  As the self becomes more universal, our interest for the whole of humanity and for the whole of life also becomes more universal.  

Chapter 33 Beginning of Enlightenment

Krishna said to Arjuna, “Friend, if you want to realize me, you will not succeed if you have even one of the eight occult powers.” This is the truth. Occult power is sure to beget pride, and pride makes one forget God. An egotistic person cannot realize God. Do you know what egotism is like? It is like a high mound, where rain-water cannot collect; the water runs off. Water collects on low land. There seeds sprout and grow into trees. Then the trees bear fruit. “Therefore I say, Never think that you alone have true understanding and that others are fools. One must love all. No one is a stranger. It is God alone who dwells in all beings. Nothing exists without Him” Sri Ramakrishna on Occult Powers

I enjoyed this little story. It answers many questions, and deals with a lot of issues, about our desire for powers and attainment that relates to Spiritual Life. In our culture so

driven by individuality and self-seeking, our awareness is often blocked from the realization that spiritual growth is contingent upon setting self, with all of its desires to attain, aside.

To reach satisfaction in all, desire satisfaction in nothing.
To come to possess all, desire the possession of nothing.
To arrive at being all, desire to be nothing.
To come to the knowledge of all, desire the knowledge of nothing. 

St. John of the Cross

So if we look at “enlightenment” as something to be attained, particularly by our own efforts or for self-gain, then we are setting up the conditions that prevent its very attainment. Why? Because self-attainment is the product of the ego, and what we are trying to do is bypass or diminish ego involvement.

To surrender to the silence, stillness, and simplicity of

meditation is the only means I know of setting ego aside. There is little value in fighting ego involvement. This is like an alcoholic trying to convince him/herself not to take that next drink. Will power has never been very successful in dealing with our obsessions. The twelve-step program of alcoholics anonymous has proven that it is the acceptance of ones condition, and the surrendering of ones willfulness to the higher power "within" that will provide the pathless path through the maze of addiction to the discovery of a place that is beyond willfulness and obsessiveness.

In meditation, we are not trying to attain anything. We are merely saying our mantra or focusing on our breath, or concentrating on an object. If we practice the discipline of meditation with some consistency, then we begin to discover the “inner witness”, the observer of passing thoughts and

feelings. The “inner witness” learns to see all of these thoughts and feelings as coming and going, passing through. We discover that we are not our thoughts, our feelings, our obsessions. So we learn to let them go and return to the stillness and silence of the “inner witness”. And through the miracle of silence and stillness, allowing the “inner witness” to grow, we begin to see that the “inner witness” is also what is being witnessed. The “seeker” becomes the “sought”, which cannot be understood at the intellectual level, but understood from experience.

This is the beginning of “enlightenment”.  Enlightenment is not

something we earn, like money, or learn like a university degree.  It is something we discover we already possess as we let go of all desire to possess anything.

Chapter 32 Do Christians Practice Yoga?

The word Yoga simply means union; the moment of oneness with the absolute. In common parlance currently in vogue, the term has come to represent physical practices, asanas or poses and nothing more. The poses assumed by Yogis to gain control of the body are simply one small aspect of the vast number of spiritual practices called Yoga.
Article in Kundalini Consortium

Since my experience with Kundalini, I have read a lot of books and articles on Yoga from various authors. I also practice yoga every day in conjunction with meditation. 

I have found that some of my more conservative Christian friends issue warnings about involvement in the practice of Yoga. They are quite fearful and critical of anything connected with a religion that falls outside of the Christian faith that they practice. Yoga is therefore taboo to many.  But when I examine the eight branches of Yoga, I cannot see that it advocates anything that is not already a part of a Christian faith practice. Let’s take a look at this.

First branch of Yoga, “yama”, is commonly translated

“rules of social behavior”. They are the guidelines for engaging with others and can be described as: practicing nonviolence, speaking truthfully, exercising appropriate sexual control, being honest and being generous. One is encouraged to adhere to these rules of social conduct because they represent behaving in accordance with the natural law, that which flows spontaneously from our human nature.

In Christian spirituality, we have the ten commandments, and the various instructions on moral behavior found in the Gospels and letters of the New Testament. They are not in conflict with the above since they both flow from revelation, that sacred part of the inner self that finds connection with the divine.

Second branch of Yoga, "Niyama", can be interpreted as the “rules of personal behavior”. They are the beneficial

personal qualities that we naturally express and live that come from the heart. These personal qualities include: purity, contentment, discipline, spiritual exploration and surrender to the divine. They are the qualities that emerge naturally by one who is living a natural and balanced life, and not from moods of moral self-righteousness or indignation.

When we examine Chapter 5 of the letter to Paul to the Galatians, a details description is found there as to the rules of personal behavior.

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are

against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

Third branch of Yoga, “Asana”, means all that is involved in the full expression of mind-body integration in which we become consciously aware of the flow of life energy in our bodies. This includes the postures that people enter into to achieve physical flexibility, but goes much deeper than this. It really includes all actions that unify and integrate body, mind and spirit.

Although in Christian spirituality, there is no emphasis placed on the practice of certain physical postures called asana in yoga, there is definitely a call to actions that lead to a healthy and balanced life-style. Christians are encouraged to look after their health in order live full and productive spiritual lives in society. Christians are certainly encouraged in the action of prayer as a daily discipline for purposes integrating their faith as a way of life.

Forth branch of yoga, “pranayama”, is the engagement of

the life force of prana, a vital energy, throughout our body/mind for health and vibrancy. Pranayama is the use of conscious breathing techniques to manage and enliven life’s energies, which not only improves health, but allows the mind to become centered and quiet so as to enter into God’s presence.

In Christian meditation, both mantras and breath are used as a method of prayer in order to enter into a state of centeredness and quietness of mind. Through this discipline, if followed as prescribed, one has the experience of inner stillness, silence, and simplicity which is not only beneficially health wise, but allows one to be centered on Christ and His Spirit. This represents a form of prayer from the apophatic tradition that moves one away from all types of discursive prayer into “being present" and united with Christ.

Fifth branch of Yoga, “Pratyahara”, is a process of

directing our senses inward to become aware of the subtle elements of sound, touch, taste, small, sight. By going inside, we can access these impulses and directly experience the knowledge that the world of forms and phenomena is a projection of our awareness. Our senses are temporarily withdrawn from the outer world in order to recognize the sensations of our inner world. This practice allows us to experience these sensations on our return to our outer word with more vibrancy.

The practice of Christian meditation provides those opportunities to move away from the distressing sensations relating to sound, taste, sight, smell and touch, which are constantly bombarding us, to enter into the silent and still realms within. As one returns to all the activities of ordinary living, we are able to move back into them with a greater peacefulness and detachment, and vibrancy.

Sixth branch of yoga, “Dharana”, is the mastery of

attention and intention. An essential component of yoga and its discipline is to refine attention in order to facilitate healing and transformation. Once attention is activated, our intentions have a powerful influence to move us in the direction we wish to go, and to manifest those things, activities, and ways of being into our lives. What you place your attention on grows in importance. It increases our awareness or focus on that which is most desirable for our well-being.

In Christian Meditation, we use this time to “give attention” to

Christ. The idea is not to say prayers, but to be “present”. This in turn, increases our ability to give attention to that which is right before us, and not be so distracted, overwhelmed and fragmented when dealing with the multi situations that bombard us in our daily living. Giving attention helps us to focus on what is most important, and it is usually that which is present to us “now”, without the worries of what might happen in the future, or experiences of the past.

Seventh branch of yoga, “Dhyana” is the development of “witnessing” awareness. It’s Christian equivalent would be

knowing that you are in the world but not of this world. It is moving beyond seeing ourselves as permanent, fixed, concrete reality, to being a witness to the change that is happening around us. We witness our thoughts and our feelings as they come and go, but we are not our thoughts and feelings. We observe the multiple activity and confusion around us, but do not identify with it as to become absorbed into it. Witness awareness is cultivated through meditation, during which we learn to observe thoughts, feelings, sensations, sounds that arise in our awareness without the need to react to them. The practice of yoga and Christian meditation are common in this regard.

Eighth branch of yoga, “Samadhi”, is the state of being

settled in pure, unbounded awareness. It is going beyond time and space, beyond past and future, beyond individuality. Samadhi is tasting the realm of the “I am”. It is by-passing the ego, which leaves us with a sense of “separateness” to experience the boundlessness of the divine. Fear and anxiety do not exist here since it is beyond ego consciousness. There is a surrender of “old self” as we would normally experience it to an experience of “selflessness” which some may call “pure bliss consciousness” or the “still point”. There is a sense of being and “one” with the divine. Christians would refer to it as “union with God”.

Chapter 31 Eastern and Western Differences

There is nothing in Christian teaching comparable to the Hindu notions of chakras, astral body, and kundalini energy. Neither will one find in Christianity anything like the spiritualities associated with the yoga system, which are designed to lead one up through the various centers to the experience of union. Nevertheless, the chakras, the astral body, and the awakening of kundalini are events that can be identified in the experiences of many, many Christian mystics. In contrast to the East, however, these experiences were not sought as means to union; they were experienced as a consequence of prayer.
Phillip St. Romain – Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality

When a person deeply rooted in Christian spirituality encounters something like Kundalini, and then has to resort to using Eastern archetypal images to provide understanding of the experience, it throws you for a loop. 

For some reason, experiencing transforming Kundalini itself seem to beckon one with this incessant need to explore for answers as to what has and is happening. But many confusing questions surface as we begin to research for answers that might provide some links between Western Judeo-Christian spirituality and the Eastern experience. What adds to the confusion is that these two branches of spirituality take such a very different approach to salvation and wholeness. 

Another quote from Phillip St. Romain:

“Where Easter religions begin with the human being

reaching out to the divine, Western religions begin with the divine reaching out to humans. Where Eastern religions emphasize practices that transform the human to a divine being, Western religions emphasize divine grace as the transforming energy. Where the East offers sophisticated spiritual “technologies” specifically designed to divinize the person, the West offers very little in the way of “how-to” spirituality. Where the East regards the Ego as an obstacle to the experience of God, the West sees grace working in and through the Ego to bring about transformation. Where the East holds that absolute non-duality is the highest level of consciousness, the West seldom drifts far from duality in its relationship with the divine.”

Ravi Ravindra, in his book “The Spiritual Roots of Yoga,

Royal Path to Freedom” also points out some fundamental differences that exist between the Western and Eastern view.

The major difference pointed out by this author is that in the Biblical tradition, emphasis is placed on "conscience" vs. "consciousness" (Eastern view). In Judeo-Christian thinking, the root cause of the human predicament is the assertion of self-will. 

Willfulness becomes the root cause of what Christians call sin, and the principal means of countering this assertion of the self-will is obedience to the will of God, which can be best effected through Divine Grace. So the Christian surrenders to Divine grace in order to experience the freedom from self-will or the sin that clings so easily to the human condition.

The Eastern tradition, on the other hand, sees the root

cause of human predicament as ignorance, this blindness caused by the ego as to who we really are before God. It is this ignorance, or blindness that gives rise to suffering (dukkha) or to illusion (maya). The path away from this suffering and illusion that flows from this ignorance is the sword of jnana or the knowledge that cuts the knots of ignorance so that we may see with greater clarity. This seeing requires that we move beyond the apparatus of the thinking, feeling mind, largely controlled by ego involvement. Illusions dissipate, and we see reality for what it really is without the distortions caused by past traumas and cultural conditioning. Many exercises in a practiced discipline are required to break free from ignorance so as to enter this non-duality existence free from suffering and illusion.

This creates another fundamental difference which is often a

source of conflict between these two views. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, emphasis is placed on the uniqueness of the human person, not only from all other creatures, but also from each other person. The Christian's lack of individuality and recognized uniqueness, even in the presence of God, is a mark of the lack of responsibility. 

In the Eastern system, separate individuality, is a mark of ignorance. The emphasis here is on oneness of all that there is. The practiced disciplines used in the Eastern approach are for the purpose of breaking the knots of ignorance in

order to establish, in an experiential way, the truth of this reality. Ravindra points out that the words “oneness” and “uniqueness” are derived from the same root, but their meanings diverge radically.

Ravindra summarizes: “The ideal of “oneness” are insight-oriented and from this much wisdom about the various levels of consciousness has been developed. The levels have always to do with degrees of steadiness of attention and graduations of clarity of perception. 

The Biblical traditions extolling uniqueness, on the other hand, are faith and obedient oriented, and have a primary focus on individual responsibility and moral conscious, corresponding to the quality of virtuous conduct or the degree and the gravity of sinfulness.”

With these differences in perspectives between Western and Eastern ideologies, it is no wonder that the experience of "Kundalini Rising" has so much trouble in finding expression in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Chapter 30 Kundalini and God

"They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them, whose love for the Lord of Love has consumed every selfish desire and sense-craving tormenting the heart. Not agitated by grief nor hankering after pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and anger. Fettered no more by selfish attachments, they are not elated by good fortune nor depressed by bad." 
Bhagavad Gita

It seems such a high ideal to aspire too, and to live by. Yet, most religious traditions, through their sacred scriptures, advocate that spiritual wholeness (holiness) has to do with moving away from selfishness, self-centeredness, isolation, and alienation and moving towards selflessness, other-centeredness, unity and community. This is the royal path to wholeness, the path to “being saved”. 

People put different meanings on “being saved”. In

the mind of the conservative Christian, "being saved" is connected primarily with an event occurring after death. The linear mind of a conservative Christian thinks of “life after death” as a continuation of one's existing life, except in a newly transformed state, for eternity. This, of course, would be conditional on how well we have performed in the life we were leaving behind.

I prefer to think of “being saved” as something we encounter now. “Being saved” has to do with wholeness; becoming all that God intends us to be, an encounter with the God who creates us and provides us with the Grace that leads to wholeness (holiness). So our journey towards wholeness begins now and continues into death. It is not a linear form of existence leading to a new place called heaven after death. It is a way of living in a completely transformed "state of being" that leads to fullness and wholeness, now.    

The opening scripture reading from the Bhagavad Gita speaks of this transformed state of "being" which allows one to see and experience life in this new way.

“They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them, whose love for the Lord of Love has consumed every selfish desire and sense-craving tormenting the heart."  

This transformation of heart cannot be accomplished on our

own. It is born from our gentle and persistent surrender to Grace which permeates all things and is accessible at all times to those who are willing to die to “the ego self”, for it is the "ego self" that causes us to cling to sense objects and perceptions. 

From the Bhagavad Gita:

"When you keep thinking about sense-objects, attachment comes. Attachment breeds desire, the lust of possession which, when thwarted, burns to anger. Anger clouds the judgment and robs you of the power to learn from past mistakes. Lost is the discriminative faculty, and your life is utter waste.

But when you move amidst the world of sense from both attachment and aversion freed, there comes the peace in which all sorrows end, and you live in the wisdom of the Inner Self."

The ego-self causes us to see only in terms of “separateness”. It impairs our vision, so to speak, blinding us to who we really are before God.  The inner self allows us to see ourselves in all, and all in ourselves, in union to our source of Grace. 

Christian scripture speaks of this as well. In the Gospel of Luke chapter 12, Jesus speaks to the multitudes:

“Do not worry about your life, and what you are to eat, or your body, and how you are to cloth it; for your life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the birds of the air ......

This indifference to all created and limited things is what leads us to seeing ourselves in all and all in ourselves. We discover that "the Kingdom of God is at hand".

An illustration of this comes from the writings of Thomas Merton, a trappist monk from Gethsemane Abbey in Kentucky during an eventful visit to Louisville.

“On March 18, 1958, in Louisville, at the corner of Fourth

and Walnut, in the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all those people, that they were mine and I theirs, that we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers. It was like waking from a dream of separateness. I suddenly realized that holiness (wholeness) did not require silence, isolation and renunciation of the world.”

Chapter 29 Three Things We Need To Know

Renunciation allows the mind to emerge from its ordinary limited preoccupations to take an interest instead in realizing its unlimited and completely liberated potential. We no longer rely on sensory pleasures for our ultimate happiness. We see the fatality of expecting deep satisfaction from limited transitory phenomena. Renunciation loosens our habitual grasping at pleasure and reliance upon externals for satisfaction. 

Bodhisattva or Service

As long as we remain tightly focused upon our own happiness, whether temporal or ultimate, we will never experience the expansiveness of a truly open heart. This narrow self-cherishing habit of the heart brings us nothing but spiritual suffocation. Narrow selfishness always leads to disappointment and equally clear is the fact that open-hearted dedication to other beings bring about happiness and sense of well-being. 

Emptiness or Correct View

Cultivating a correct view gives us the wisdom to clearly realize the actual way in which we and all other phenomena exist. By cultivating correct view, we remove the obscuration so that we may see the pure vision of reality.
Lama Yeshe – Introduction –Transformation of Desire Tantra

I’ve found the books on Buddhism that I’ve read over the years are fairly simple in their intent, but very complex in their approach. A lot of study is required to understand the path of the sutra, or the teachings and discourses that lead to full spiritual awakening. This study, and the understanding that results from this study, seem to be mainly of an intellectual nature.

I don’t believe a spiritual awakening can be attained from the

intellectual knowledge alone. To accompany this intellectual knowledge, we must also possess the more esoteric “inner knowing” that comes from the raw experience of one who has journeyed the path. Only those who have traveled the path will be able to possess the “inner knowing” that would be necessary to guide others along the way.

The spiritual road of tantra and kundalini that leads to enlightenment must incorporate this “inner knowing”. It is the “inner knowing” that moves the journey from speculative to reality.

Yet, all Buddhist teachers stress, before journeying the path

of tantra and kundalini leading to enlightenment, an intellectual understanding of three things is necessary in order to stay on the right path. They are Renunciation, Bodhisattva or Service, and emptiness or correct view.

Renunciation
We do not generally like “renunciation” because it implies having to give up something. But I prefer not to look at it in that way. There’s a gospel parable which for me speaks of the proper way of understanding “renunciation”.

Jesus said: "The Kingdom of God is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
We focus, not on what is renounced, but on what is

discovered and attained. What is renounced is false and harmful. We just may not know it yet. As a result, we cling or grasp at what we know. But when the truth is discovered or experienced, then we willingly let go of what is false to possess the real treasure. Renunciation is the letting go of what is no longer of any value, or at least accepting it for what it is.

Bodhisattva or Service

Bodhisattva first asks us to take a giant leap in faith and trust that something is true that does not first appear to be true. Jesus speaks about it in the gospel of Luke when he says:

“Do not worry about your life, and what you are to eat, and your body, and how you are to cloth it. For life is worth more than food, and the body more than clothing.” 

He is inviting us to take the focus off “self”, and put it on others. This is not easy because ego consciousness sets us up to believe the opposite; the importance of “self”. But as we dare to surrender “self” to the opposite of what we perceive to be true, we discover Bodhisattva or the service attitude. 

Emptiness or Correct View

Emptiness here is not what it seems. The word itself is inadequate. It helps when we combine it with “correct view”. This is again a case of the truth being something other than what it seems. Our ego consciousness creates the impression that all things including “self” have an established concrete, permanent and enduring reality when in fact they do not.

There is no concrete, permanent and enduring reality. Everything is constantly changing. Nothing stays the same. It’s hard for us to get out heads wrapped around this because what we see is the opposite.

But the truth is, the “self” that we see, the “self” that has

been hurt and is being hurt by past and present trauma does not exist in the way we imagine. And “self” is merely a label we have placed on our perception of what we think is there. In meditation, we can move beyond this perception of “self” and experience emptiness, but we have trouble hanging onto this when our meditation time is over because ego consciousness again creates “self” as something permanent and something real. So we have to stop letting our ego consciousness fool us into believing that something exists in a way it does not. Emptiness, although empty of "self", moves us into being at one with all things.  It is here we experience becoming the compassionate one, the awakened Buddha, Christ consciousness.    

There’s a scripture from the letter of James that speaks to me about all three of these attributes:

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like”.