I've been doing a little journaling lately. I am wondering if anyone else has the experience of an energetic channel from the forehead, to the heart, to the hara (2-3 inches below the umbilicus). This is experienced on the frontal and in the spinal line and the pressures usually continue and release as I go about my daily life. One of the reasons why I ask is that I strongly feel (after doing a bit of research) that Kundalini does not need to awaken in the violent way that it usually does. There is, to my thinking, three key centres that allow for integration:
I believe that I have had an opening of the 3 energetic centres for the past few years. This constitutes an energetic line, which for want of a better word, I will call the hara line. I have noticed that when I breath with awareness, there is an awareness and gentle pressure on the forehead centre, the heart centre, and the hara centre. I have connected the existential experience on this channel to the experience of clarity, love, and presence; also Father, son and holy Spirit (or Mother). The key to my healing is an alignment of these three centers, rather than an awakening along the kundalini line. This will involve a complete dedication (I am thinking 2 hours a day) of mindfulness practice. There are various levels along this line which awaken. In the forehead center, for instance, there is the ability, if pursued, to register the thoughts of others. This is a more superficial level of the forehead center. In the heart, there are latent healing abilities. So as I understand it, there are three existential levels of being: clarity, effortless love, and effortless presence. When one of them predominates, the others are off balance and one cannot attain the purity of the individual center that predominates. Each of these three centers are also connected to a crisis in signification which creates endless seeking. The hara is connected to a crises in the sense of a self as autonomous, enclosed, entity. The crises in the heart is connected to a perpertual yearning, but when one cannot locate what one yearns for, I think that one nears the experience of simple openess of the heart - the heart simply effortlessly radiates. The crises in the third eye is connected to existential doubt. This creates an endless search for meaning.
I understand that this is a life long commitment - that I may be far from this integration. But in the least when I do these practices, I can move into a place where it is possible to see, feel and partially understand what healing means for me.
Whoa! I'd forgotten that I changed the theme for this forum. Kind of striking, isn't it?
Asher, I've read of and even experienced a line of energy coming down from the down of the head over the front of the body and terminating in the "hara." As you may know, the Taoists recognize this as well, and seek to cultivate a circular flow of the energy up the spine to the top of the head then down the front, where it circles back up the spine again. They call this the "microcosmic orbit," and they have a variety of meditation methods to encourage this flow. Google this term and you'll come upon many references and pages.
quote:
The key to my healing is an alignment of these three centers, rather than an awakening along the kundalini line. This will involve a complete dedication (I am thinking 2 hours a day) of mindfulness practice. There are various levels along this line which awaken. . .
That's a lot of mindfulness practice, and it's sure to really intensify the energy flow. Do you have any spiritual practice that relates you to the divine inter-subjectively? My own experience has been that relational prayer / contemplation is more effective in bringing balance to the energy process than non-relational approaches. I pretty much turn it all over to God and let the energy adjust accordingly. Other approaches seem to leave one more or less trying to control or "manage" things, and that just doesn't seem to work as well.
Yeah, it is striking. Nifty colours - feels like a different world:-)
I like what you say about relational practices. I notice a subtle shift in consciousness when I no longer think of this as an energy channel, but as the father, the son and the holy spirit. I truly believe that these aspects of the divine are connected to specific centers. These qualities are not the centers themselves, but they work through them. It is no longer energy to me, but the shift imparts a devotional quality to the energy. It becomes like a communion with the divine. Sometimes I feel that the divine is breathing me. I alternate this practice with breathing and locating where the breath arises from. For instance, one notices that certain parts of the body breath, like there are subtle pores all over the body. This is a balancing and integrative approach which I believe would have physical, mental and emotional benefits. It seems possible that this excess energy can be abused in various ways as well. It thus helps, I think, to have an offering disposition as one circulates the energy via the microcosmic orbit. I think Mantak Chia's books are most sattvic for those interested in the microcosmic orbit as Phil described above.
I wonder if this shift into the devotional could be understood as relational? It certainly seems this may be the case. Although a more "explicit?" kataphatic type of prayer may turn out to be useful and important. I'll experiment and report back in a couple of weeks.
All in all, what I've noticed occuring is a cycle of expansive and contractive states. Where the emotional body and mind will expand for a while and then suddenly begin to contract. One truly sees in this contraction, the vehemence by which the false self resists. But it can also can make one more attentive and in need of God.
I too am enjoying this interchange, very interesting, Asher, your observations and insights.
I have been experiencing pressure in my forehead for several years as well. It has increased of late and often feels sharp, piercing and painful.
I have noticed during meditation a connection of sorts between the areas you mention. For instance, when I experience a release in the forehead, I might feel a pain in the heart or hara. Sometime feels like a stretching sensation. I sometime feel a gentle movement up the spine. I also have lots of cracking and popping in my back and neck. Sometime when there's a big release, my body feels like it's gently humming.
My kundalini awakening was violent and I was at a loss as to what was happening to me. It's been a rough ride. I have discovered, as Phil, that relational prayer/contemplation works best for me at getting the energy moving, and it just relaxes my mind and any fears that arise to give God control of it all.
Look forward to hearing more.
Tate
Posts: 77 | Location: South Carolina | Registered: 18 July 2005
