I would like to add to wonderful and honest comments that I have read on the Christian and Kundalini Energy forum as well as Shalom Place. As one who was raised and instructed in the Roman Catholic Faith, and as one who, in a small humble way, has somewhat of an understanding through experience and study of the phenomenon of Kundalini, which is often misunderstood and incorrectly defined, I hope my comments will be helpful. Though the word Kundalini itself can be traced to India, it is in fact the common denominator of all faiths, and is present (whether anyone likes it or not) in a awakened or dormant state in every human being. It is the evolutionary agent within, the Divine presence, the Kingdom of God within, the Holy Spirit, and the guardian of evolution. If the Holy Spirit is the action arm of the Trinity, then Kundalini is simarly defined as the creative energy of the Absolute. As a child growing up in the Catholic faith, I became entranced with the lives of the saints, pondering their close relationship with the Divine, and captivated by their charasmatic gifts which seemed to be part and parcel of their experience. I wondered about Christ's transfiguration in which he was seen as engulfed in light; I wondered about the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles; I followed the apparitions of the Blessed Mother past and present. I would slip into a nearby Catholic bookstore pouring over the shelves desireous of learning more about the saints and their extraordinary experiences and lives.

The Holy Spirit was always bathed in mystery without any explanation other than it could not be explained and everything must be taken on faith. Some part of me sought a practical explanation, and I do credit Kundalini's prodding from within as the source which lay behind my search for deeper understanding. There was a time where paranormal experiences were increasing for me, and then they abated. I thought about joining Opus Dei; I often visited a local Catholic Church on my lunch hour to meditate and pray. I became an Eucharistic Minister. This was done in the spirit of assuaging an inner thirst, and finding ways to express outwardly the holy longings and feelings I felt inside in addition to deepening my faith. I followed and still do the prescription "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all else will be given". This is still the motto by which I live my life and I hold fast to it as others around me seek instead to acquire psychic powers thinking that they are spiritual.
I have been blessed with a slow and safe awakening, unfolding layer by layer, as if I am a work in progress. Yes, primal cries and automatic breathing are some of the phenomena that have emerged, but trusting in a Divine authority, I surrender as best I can and stay calm. So far so good!
Along with the pain at the base of the spine, and the energy rushes, I experience most days a thirst to know God above all, and a growing calm and trust from within. I don't believe in psychiatric medications to soothe the rough edges, and though I don't judge someone for taking anti-depressants (I took them for a brief period once myself), I understand that it's also necessary to feel and work through these dark places...only then can true full fledged healing come about, in my humble opinion. Pharmaceutical chemicals and other intoxicants serve to keep everything nicely buried under the surface so one doesn't feel too much pain. Sometimes prescribed medications can get us over a rough patch, but more often they are prescribed way too enthusiastically.
If anyone thinks they are experiencing a Kundalini rising, I personally would caution them to try to stay away from pharmaceuticals, instead embracing a moderate approach in all things and using the simple but profound and time tested tools of prayer, surrender, purification and trust. We are talking about a Divine force here that is attempting to remold the nervous system and brain...and chemicals can stall or poison this holy process.
I know and understand that Kundalini, as an agent of the Divine, needs to clear out all obstructions in order to reach the goal which is our ultimate merging and communion with our source, God. I came to an understanding that the great prophets and founders of all faiths had at their core a full Kundalini awakening, lifting them to an expanded plane of consciousness and allowing a glimpse into divine realms. In fact, we are all headed as a human race towards a greater degree of cosmic consciousness and fuller experience and relationship with the Divine, and that this process proceeds through the mysterious workings of the Kundalini mechanism. It is not that it is new in the West, it is that more people are reporting experiences in increasing numbers.

Our modern way of life which involves concentration, reading, driving, watching TV pulls on the mechanism of Kundalini resulting in more and more reports of the phenomenon as compared to past history. Anything that involves absorption and one pointed concentration will pull on the lever of Kundalini. This explains why Philip St. Romain’s intensive prayer and meditative practices awakened this soul force, and can explain the unusual experiences of such mystics as St. John of the Cross and St. Theresa who engaged in intensive spiritual practices.
It wasn’t until I opened up a book by Kashmiri philosopher Pandit Gopi Krishna that my burning questions began to be answered slowly, one by one, over years. He wrote with such practical, scientific and myth-blasting clarity on the subject of Kundalini, and correctly called for a world-wide investigation into the phenomenon. He said that scientists had studied every field except one…religion. Kundalini, he postulated, was behind mystical experience, genius, creativity, and even could explain some cases of mental illness.
From reading the experiences on this Christian and Kundalini Energy forum, one can immediately see how a person could be totally unprepared for a Kundalini rising, especially when every dark shadow accumulated in the deep psyche of the person is released. That is why Pandit Gopi Krishna always cautioned as well not to deliberately seek the experience or to coax its premature release, instead allowing for a natural unfolding. He stressed always the importance of a moral life, and saw the tenets and paths of major faiths as guides to the mode of life that was important for man’s evolutionary climb. Whatever community of faith we belong to, it becomes vital for our future and for our cooperation with these evolutionary forces to demand and lobby for an investigation into Kundalini. This is bound to remove the fear and mystery that Kundalini is shrouded in.
When one looks at Kundalini as a biological phenomenon, albeit one on the more subtle unseen levels, then the labels surrounding Kundalini which conjure up the devil, fear, darkness, madness, strange phenomena, can finally be cleared up. I appreciate the fact that Christians are speaking up, because again this is not a phenomenon reserved for the east only; far from it, it is humanity’s birthright. The trouble is, most people either don't know how to handle it or to assimilate it, and there are even fewer who can counsel credibly on the issue. Why should this one subject be continually clothed in darkness without any attention paid to it by any of our scientific disclipines? It stretches credulity, especially in light of studies being done on meditation at major universities which are showing that the brain is not fixed at birth, but can change with certain meditative
practicies.
Gopi Krishna wrote over a dozen books on consciousness, the brain, Kundalini, and all from the perspective of a man with deep faith in the Divine. For anyone trying to assimilate the experience of Kundalini, Krishna’s books will provide a firm and sensible ground. Taken as a whole, Krishna’s books present the world with a revival of a lofty spiritual science acknowledged and practiced in our greatest civilizations of the past and brought to fruition in Jesus Christ who came to show us the way to our own Kingdom of God within.
Others who are advocating for Kundalini investigation are the Institute for Consciousness Research, www.icrcanada.org and the Kundalini Research Foundation (www.kundaliniresearch.org). Iain Carstairs ( of the United Kingdom) writes a stunning blog @ www.scienceandreligion.com and is also doing phenomenal work to address Kundalini in a scientific way, and to broadcast the evolutionary benefits of religion and faith.

Keep speaking up, because in numbers we are strong.

Respectfully submitted
Susan Grace Pacifica, Calif.

Thank you, Susan, and welcome. I'm glad you found your way to the forum and shared the email you'd sent me. It seems you have a depth of experience and wisdom to offer.

I do agree that it's best if one is properly prepared for k rising, but that's not always easy to do. Even Gopi Krisha, whom you mentioned above, had a very rough ride for many years.

It does seem that one of the main "tasks" of K is to clear out the gunk in our system and to help "engineer" an integration of body, mind and spirit unto higher consciousness. That, to me, is what I understand people to mean when they call it an "evolutionary energy." As such, I take this to be a potentiality of the soul that can work in concert with the Holy Spirit to effect deep transformation in individuals. Because we are all so wounded, however, there are usually painful turns along the journey.

Well said, Phil. Thank you so much for inviting me to the forum. It's a great place for people to share in the spirit of friendship and compassion. I had had no idea such a forum existed for those of Christian background speaking about their experiences with Kundalini. The great thing about Gopi Krishna that can inspire others is that although he did have a rough go, his tremendous will, strength of character, and ultimately surrender and trust in the Divine, brought him to a place of stabilization, where then amazing things could happen and did happen. Your book is an amazing resource as well, and you have an elegant turn of phrase that is inspiring. Thank you again for your kindness!

You're welcome, Susan.

Re. Gopi Krishna, in addition to what you write about his will, character and surrender, he eventually introduced meat into his diet and this seemed to make a huge difference in stabilizing the process. It could well be that the divine prompted him in that direction, of course. Diet and other lifestyle issues are very important, in my experience; that's an ongoing learning for me.

Thank you for sharing this Susan:

It does indeed seem like there is an increase in the number of awakenings occurring throughout the globe, and the steps that Susan mentions, as well those Phil has suggested, help tremendously.

Having myself experienced such a rather strange 'psychological turn', it concerns me greatly that there are individuals suffering from a genuine stirring of this cosmic force, who have little awareness of what is transpiring within them, and what steps to take.

Indeed, as Susan has pointed out, sharing our experiences, as well as simple remedies that have worked for us, is a brilliant step forward. No doubt, many will find they are not in the throes of a full blown awakening, but for those who are, such information will indeed be priceless and life-saving.

Based on my own [continuing] experience with this force, I hope to contribute to discussions from a physiological as well as neuroscientific perspective with the hope that it may enable individuals to frame their experiences within a more pragmatic, and less sensationalist context. Applicability, as I am sure we all agree, is key.

The Lord, as always, is our shepherd, in whatever form he presents himself to our ever-blossoming and expanding consciousness.

Solarius.

Welcome, Solarius. I look forward to hearing more from you. Perhaps you'd consider sharing something of your story sometime. Here's a link to a discussion where some have done so.
- https://shalomplace.org/eve/for...25010765/m/735302724

And another forum, here, where you might do so; start a new discussion if you'd like.
- https://shalomplace.org/eve/forums/a/frm/f/19110765

Thank you Phil and Solarius for adding much to the discussion! I feel it's vital for thoughtful people to speak up so that superstition and sensationalism aren't the automatic labels afixed to this subject matter. Unfortunately, not everyone can get to the countryside north of Toronto to network with the folks there (www.icrcanada.org) who have made it their life's work to put this subject onto a practical and scientific footing.
A bright spot occurred when the science writer of a major American newspaper attended one of the ICR summer conferences and admitted to another soul that Kundalini is the most important subject in the world. If a prominent newspaperman can get it, then we can't be far from the day where the idea catches fire on a bigger stage (one would hope!). It can't be easy in the world we live in to admit that Kundalini is a subject worthy of recognition and examination. Afterall, that is to admit too that a Higher Power is in charge and rules the cosmos, and evolution has a direction and purpose. Just think of recent statements made by world reknown scientists such as Richard Dawkins or Stephen Hawking who both trumpet again and again -- "the universe didn't need a God to come into being."
We probably have a ways to go to show that the changes that Kundalini unloads are a natural outgrowth of our evolutionary path, i.e. that we as a race are evolving towards higher consciousness, and that our brains are already stamped with the blueprint of our own evolution. Otherwise, why do non-religious people, who are perhaps gifted in other fields, report phenomena which the hypothesis of Kundalini might explain. To bring it down to earth, as Solarius suggests, on practical physiological and neuroscientific footing, is totally based in common sense and sanity. I don't know if Phil received any flak for going public with his experiences and publishing his story, but it couldn't have been easy. I've been helped and inspired by Phil's story, as well as by the writings of Pandit Gopi Krishna. Solarius - you are right, many people are floundering and rudderless when it comes to having an explanation for their Kundalini experience. This becomes the seeds for a modern tragedy. It's going on near half a century since Gopi Krishna advocated for investigation. I don't know of one major researcher in the consciousness or brain field who would even deign to give Kundalini an open hearing. And it's not for lack of people trying! This is the challenge, which reminds me of a quote that a Kundalini awakened scientiically trained young man sent me: "A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it." ~Max Planck

Truly, I hope that we don't have to see opponents pass away before Kundalini can become a topic and field for open discussion and enquiry.

~Respectfully, Susan Grace

quote:

Originally posted by Susan Grace:
...Kundalini, which is often misunderstood and incorrectly defined... It is the evolutionary agent within, the Divine presence, the Kingdom of God within, the Holy Spirit , and the guardian of evolution. If the Holy Spirit is the action arm of the Trinity, then Kundalini is simarly defined as the creative energy of the Absolute....
The Holy Spirit was always bathed in mystery without any explanation other than it could not be explained and everything must be taken on faith....

Susan,
Thanks for sharing about your experiences. I too found Phil's book and website during an earnest seeking for understanding kundalini and what it meant with regard to my Christian faith. I was misled by Eastern gurus into believing that kundalini energy is the SAME as the Holy Spirit. Likewise, you seem to be equating kundalini with the Holy Spirit in your statement above.

This is a false teaching and it is a dangerous teaching.


If you're interested, there's a discussion on the difference between k. and the Holy Spirit somewhere on SP. I'll search for it...

here it is:
https://shalomplace.org/eve/for...10765/m/68310806/p/1

There are false gurus who have charisms and psychic talents who misuse and abuse Kundalini for their own agendas. The charisms and psychic powers do not make them spiritual. Buyer beware! For those who have experiences with shakti pat gurus who often equate Kundalini with the Holy Spirit, and who inflict harm and suffering on others, and way too often, require blind obediance, then Kundalini will come off as something negative. These type of individuals have given a bad name to Kundalini as something evil, satanic, or fearful. When we read the writings of St. Theresa, and other great saints who write of the workings of the Holy Spirit in their life, it sounds very close to the experiences of those genuine searching souls of all faiths who have rather healthy dealings with "Kundalini". Whether or not Kundalini is equivalent to the Holy Spirit or not, we can't say for sure, because this subject matter is so shrouded in confusion and ignorance, that it will take centuries, if not more, to unravel correctly, dispassionately, and without prejudice. Many gurus and self proclaimed spiritual teachers, of all
faiths(!),have absolutely given Kundalini a bad name. Gopi Krishna, whom I admire greatly, knew that Kundalini was not for sale, and he refused to be a guru to anyone or take on any followers. More power to him...he passed away a poor man but with a great heart swollen with a love for God and humanity. He met with eminent scientists who respected him and agreed with his position, such as the former director of the Max Planck Institute in Germany, Carl Von Weizacher. So for genuine information regarding Kundalini, I advise souls to read G. Krishna's sober material as well that of Philip St. Romain. The Holy Spirit works in materious invisible ways that are often translated into certain observable phenomenon; same with Kundalini. If some of us equate Kundalini, an Eastern term for what sages of old called their version of the mysterious workings of the Divine, with the Christian "Holy Spirit", please know that many of us who have sincere motives, are simply trying to afix a familiar term that might build bridges instead of stirring up fear and mistrust. If we look at the genuine revered writings of sages of all faiths, we will see that Kundalini, in its purest form, is the bridge between different religions and again, the description of its manifestations closely match up with descriptions of the workings of the Holy Spirit.
I am not in the business of convincing anyone and no one has to accept this premise; I do know that negative experiences with unscrupulous folks who are in a "kundalini business" have gone a long way to promote confusion in the matter. What is the difference between a Christian experiencing unusual phenomena related to intense spiritual practices, to a Hindu sitting in silence and contemplation, and undergoing the same phenomenon? One calls it the Holy Spirit; the other calls it Kundalini. For those who have had negative experiences with charlatans who might have psychic powers, portraying themselves as genuine masters or saints, then kundalini can not and will not be equated with something holy like the Holy Spirit. However, we have seen abuses by Christian ministers who might have charismatic abilities calling on the Holy Spirit, all the way laughing to the bank, while their devoted followers are hoodwinked.

Out of curiosity, Susan, how do you reconcile the term spiritual (as is used in the Bible) and the concept of kundalini. That one has always been an insolvable riddle for me. I want to use kundalini (and all it implies) because it answers so many things for me, but, I have a deep leeriness of it in spite of my own experiences with it and a very deep grasp of what it implies. Spiritual (versus soulish) in Christianity seems to have a narrow, specific meaning. Kundalini seems to have a universal connection to all faiths, but, that, in and of itself, concerns me. It's the whole issue of putting kundalini into relationship with Jesus' claim "I am the way, the truth and the life" and the reality of messenger of the Holy Spirit.

For many individuals, like myself, who are advocating for investigation of the "Kundalini Hypothesis", we often are very reluctant to use the term Kundalini because of the connotations that come up for various religious communities. Bear in mind Baptist leaders have banned yoga. Yet, we seem to stick with the word for lack of something better; some who advocate for research use the term bioenergy, but that doesn't grasp fully the import of what Kundalini is about which under a more scientific viewpoint is labled as the subtle psycho-physiological mechanism within responsible for human evolution. I've mentioned this before, but the man who brought forth the Kundalini hypothesis was a Hindu, and greatly respectful of Christ, and was a stellar human being. Shall his profound writings be dismissed or ignored simply because his personal savior was not Jesus Christ? We say give his writings a hearing because they are totally practical and down-to-earth when it comes to shedding light on the subject of Kundalini and taking it out of the realm of superstition and abuse.
For some, Kundalini is thrown under the umbrella of spiritual energy or terms like Holy Spirit. This may be imperfect but it's all we've got at this stage. I've had positive experiences with Kundalini and having read of great Cathoic saint's mystical experiences which they equate with the Holy Spirit... in my experience, it IS the equivalent of what Kundalini is described by in the eastern sacred literature. If that is flawed, then all should be sorted out in truly open debate and discussion. Even the Catholic Church now openly accepts Evolution and that came about because of thoughtful reasoning. It is wonderful that individuals find salvation through Jesus Christ and inspiration from the Bible. Some of us wish to go a step further beyond purely religious interpretations. For those who are ready for that, great; for others, still searching and questioning this whole issue, and trying to find reconciliation for it within their particular religious faith, I respect your position. I have little to say on the subject of the terms spiritual vs soulish, and reconciling what is in the Bible or not, but simply wish to demystify Kundalini. I can not solve theological questions for others, but can certainly be sympathetic. For those who have had challenging experiences with Kundaini and/or challenge its interchange with the words 'Holy Spirit', I can't solve this question for them. Each must work it out for themselves. But it truly is a shame that religious leaders, fully cognizant of this issue, choose to leave people foundering in the dark about it, instead of having a reasoned debate like they did about evolution. I've found many answers for myself, and some might disagree, but I went outside certain theological perameters, constraints and boundaries; and I've found peace.

I think the word peace, as you mentioned in your last sentence, is a key goal. That unsettled sense is one that I cannot seem to quiet. Thanks for the reply; it is a little explored subject. For me, I have tried to find understanding on the issue. In Proverbs there is a verse that suggests (or is interpreted--perhaps incompletely) are to fully rely on God for all things. (Actually, there are several.) So, if that's the case I look at the issue in a logical light. Either, one, kundalini is of God or, two, it's not. When I start adding more questions (and answers) to the logical analysis it becomes more complex very quickly. That doesn't even start to touch on the personal, "illogical" experiences I have had which are real, but, hard to integrate. Years ago I stuck my head in the sand and said to myself, "Only do what the Bible says." Well, if I stuck to that I wouldn't be using this computer. The Bible says nothing about that. So, I guess part of the challenge is figuring out how to make sense of things that are not directly discussed or addressed. If only there was a clear, simple answer, right? An obvious yes or no.

Susan,

I can see that you do have sincere motives. I see that you genuinely want to share about the value of objective, scientific research on kundalini. However, it won't help your cause to assume all oppositions to conflating the HS with k. are fear-based, superstitious, irrational, etc.

And I appreciate your thoughtful responses above to my concern that you are offering a false teaching in equating the HS with K. It sounds like you are equivocating a bit on this issue in some places in your last two posts, but you are also suggesting that kundalini and the HS are just *semantic* differences.

My take on kundalini being different from the HS is not based on bad experiences with gurus. (I've had both good and bad guru experiences; those don't confuse my thinking on this issue).

I believe that kundalini is different from the Holy Spirit based on several factors:

1) My personal experiences of discerning a difference between k. and the HS.

2) The teachings of others who have had extensive, intimate experience with both k. and the HS. For instance, in his book Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality, our very own Phil writes: "...separating the Holy Spirit from the kundalini process--I am convinced that it is important that this distinction be made..." p. 67.

In that thread link I provided for you above, Phil shares more detail about discerning the two.

3) Reasoning and comparison of the observable behavior and teachings of kundalini masters and those of Christians reporting on the HS.

4) Reasoning on the differences of k. and the HS in terms of what they are and their goals.

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. K. is a spiritual energy.

The Holy Spirit is UNCREATED. K. is created. Big difference right there, wouldn't you say?

Kundalini leads to an expansion of consciousness or metaphysical enlightenment. The goal of the HS is to transform humans into a New Creation. Christ and the Holy Spirit don't need k. to do that.

5) Notice that K. can go wrong. Like misfiring hormones which can go array in the maturing physical body, kundalini energy is reportedly responsible for a lot of painful, destructive experiences among some people. Have you ever heard of the Holy Spirit going 'wrong' in somebody's body or life?!

No.

The kundalini can reportedly be awakened without preparation in some seekers, much to their detriment and those around them! Does the Holy Spirit make those kinds of mistaken judgments?! No, never heard of that.

to WLSteele: Wonderful thoughtful post! Your questions are not isolated whatsoever but part and parcel of deep spiritual longing and searching. Great saints went through dark night of the souls. St. Theresa thought God a tough taskmaster! So much can not be accessed or explained away by the intellect; so much of what we are talking about is beyond the intellect. Yet, we can still strive to explain the seemingly physiological manifestations of "spirit" in the best practical we can. This is where science came in to explain the manifest universe, but science has since become cold and materialistic and lost its soul, if I can be allowed to say that. We may not be able to intellectually explain the source of all this, for the brain is am imperfect instrument and the most mysterious and complicated 'machine' in the universe (so say scientists...think about it, the brain is the most complex instrument!) Great spiritual figures have come onto the scene all throughout history to point us to our own grand potential. Doubting and despair are part of the human experience; may peace come to all. A Protestant minister once said to me that "knock and the door will be opened" meant knock and knock again, and then knock once again. That changes it a bit! But tells me exactly what I need to do.

Shasha: a great and illuminating reply, thank you. If I equivocate, then that may be representative of exactly how difficult it is to "language" this subject. It would be wonderful to settle this one day, and that can only come about through public discussion and enquiry and investigation...and it may need to go beyond Christian context and embrace other views. In the meantime, you offer compelling data which will be embraced by Christians, but possibly still open to discussion by others who do not view this in a Christian context -such statements that K is created but HS is not, and that K is simply a spiritual energy may not necessarily hold up in the long term.
I don't go by what Kundalini masters say - the great majority of them know as much about Kundalini as a local mayor. They think they know, but much disinformation is disseminated.
Because they say they are Kundalini masters, does not make them anything of the sort.
This is the crux of the problem...these so called K-masters! They get away with so much simply because there is all this confusion about what is Kundalini and what is not. Christians seem to dislike using K and HS interchangeably for the reasons you kindly set out above. If I gave the impression that I think anyone who is resistant to interlinking K and HS is superstious or ignorant, then I am profoundly sorry and would not mean to do that at all. People have their sincere beliefs and I recognize that sincere people do believe that HS is not K, and K is not HS. However, I still think it's open to debate, and that is my sincere view.
Shasha: I think your contribution to the discussion is most worthy and something that gives thoughtful people much to discuss and ponder.