So glad to find Kundalini addressed from a Christian perspective.Perhaps my own story will raise a few issues for folks to ponder.I'll try to be brief.
Was brought up in Brethern churches.Devoted Christian until about the age of 18 when began to wander into drug culture(And here's something interesting - Kundalini and drug use). 7 years ago, aged 24, began experiencing these symptoms -
burning sensation at the base of my spine,
hearing my name called as I lay to sleep,
sensation of a bird flying around inside me,
energy rushes - sometimes blissful;othertimes anxious,
burning in my body, telepathic sensitivity, precognition.
Because I was unprepared and on drugs I had a weird mental breakdown.Every night, when I went to bed, conversations and scenarios filled my head. I thought I had tapped into some collective consciousness.

Eventually gave up drugs and things settled down.
My research into what had happened to me led me to a knowledge of Kundalini and Eastern mysticism - so I explored.

Got involed with new age groups, spiritual healers , practised yoga and all kinds of taoist exercises.

Then I began to suffer psychic attacks and for a while ,3 years ago went thro' a traumatic time. These attacks sprang from fool-hardy practise and association with "healers" and I found that I was living in a massive deja vu. Everything I had heard as voices while lying in bed at night during my mental breakdown was now being lived thro, 3 years on. I felt trapped, was completely taumatised.

I have recovered and given myself to Christ once again, although I still suffer attacks from dangerous individuals, not demons but occultists. Indeed just this month psychic channels have re-opened after contact with a Christian healer .I am very attracted by Charismatic worship and praise and go to a local Chrrismatic church but find that there is a confusion with the work of the Holy Spirit and Kundalini in what they do and that there is an ignorance of the relationship between Charismatic phenomena and Kundalini.

The Lord has certainly enriched my life recently and , despite continuing attack ,he is teaching me acceptance and hope and faith in His power.There are many overlapping phenomena in Kundalini awakening and the work of the Holy Spirit. The Lord is teaching me discernment. Praising Him, enjoying His creation is a continual delight .

Thanks for sharing of your story, Stephen. Sounds like you've been around the block with this struggle, but judging from your last two paragraphs, it's coming out in a very good place.

Ditto your observation of a connection between pentecostalism and kundalini phenomena, only you can have the latter without the former, which should tell us something. I find the pentecostal gifts--especially glossalalia--very stimulating of the energy, but in a way that orders and balances it in the process.

Keep us posted on how things go for you.

Phil

Stephen

Now that you have found your way back to Christ, handling all those strange experiences should be easier because Jesus is the rock you can cling to. Spiritual experiences are not necessarily divine. Along the spiritual path, high emotional states are distractions at best. Once you stop desiring those emotional states and stop mistaking them for deeply spiritual experiences, you can learn to live through the storm, clinging to Jesus. My two cents worth : accept the experiences without resistance, but do not give them a value they do not possess. Slowly the intensity will decrease when you focus your attention on Jesus. Have you tried centering prayer? Phil can give you more help and guidance there. That should be the best solution to your problem.

Thanks for your replies, guys.

Faith, hope and love are the keys, learning to be grounded and focused on the Rock. Any advice on centring prayer would be welcome,Phil. Good advice, priya ,on not giving too much value to the experience. Someone else told me that recently.

Stephen

I'm sure Phil will get back to you with his guidance and help. In the meantime I thought I should let you know that there are several good books on the subject. Some of the really well known authors are:

Thomas Keating
Basil Pennington
John Main
William Johnston
Thomas Merton
Bede Griffiths (www.bedegriffiths.com):
Return to the Centre

To continue:

Some of the advice given by Dom Bede Griffiths:

"Recollect yourself in the presence of God everyday, if possible morning and evening. This can change your whole life. You can begin by reading the Gospel - the Sermon on the Mount or St. John's Gospel 14-17 so as to establish a living relationship with Christ. Then I suggest using the Jesus prayer or some other 'mantra' to bring the mind to stillness. This is the major need, to control the mind and get it 'centred'. It takes time and energy but if you can once bring the mind under control, you can organise your whole life. But this means also that you have to surrender your life to God. "Cast all your care on Him for He has care for you". This is fundamental. If you can once make the act of surrender and renew it daily, you will find that God will take over. Another power comes into one's life and takes charge of it.

"Meditation is very important. You have to learn to go beyond your physical and psychological conflicts to the deep centre where you discover your true self and the healing power of God's love. Try to sit quietly every day and try to recollect yourself and let all the conflicts subside using the Jesus prayer or whatever appeals to you. The healing power is there deep within you, but it cannnot work unless the mind becomes calm.

"My advice always is to try to give time to meditation - to recollect oneself in the presence of God. If one can establish an inner peace and renew it every day for half an hour or so, one can get the strength to face all the problems as they arise, and to realise that God is present in one's life. All these trials and difficulties will pass with time but one's relation to Christ as the indwelling Spirit remains constant and will survive all the trials of life.

"In prayer one has to open the heart in love, beyond all the fears and frustrations of this present world. There is infinite love behind and beyond all this, if one can only break through to it. You should read St. John's Gospel, especially chapters 14 to 17. "If anyone loves me, my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him". It is spoken to you.

"In a crisis the supreme need is to find the deep self which is always in touch with God and gives one an inner security and peace. Of course it is not easy...Meditation, just attending to God alone can make all the difference.

"Surrender your life to God. Become totally detached from all things and persons and open yourself to the total love of God which is going to be given to you and is going to transform your life. There is no doubt and no fear if you trust yourself completely to that love.

I haven't been visiting these boards as frequently as I was, but wanted to respond to Stephen in hopes that he's checking in now and then. I also experimented with the spiritualist types in my kundalini experience, and it led to dire psychic attacks,which years later, I still experience. I completely turned to Christ and all methods of spiritual protection (i.e. St. Michael), which has helped and really kept me sane through the worst of it. In my research on those topic and also after talking to many people, I think think the best recourse is to stay grounded, keep yourself around the best hearted people and most positive situations that you can, a positive physical environment, and take care of your health - i.e. keep your body, mind and spirit in as much balance as possible.

And beware of putting yourself even in very stron g Christian charismatic energy for too long of a time. The light also attracts the dark, and as much of a relief that a lengthy time in terrific energy can bring, the darker entities can also retaliate. In fact, it can be expected. I've discussed in particular with a well known Catholic charismatic nun, Mother Nadine Brown of Intercessors of the Lamb, who are considered experts in Christian spiritual warfare. Be assured Christ will protect you, but you are likely to be battling darker, denser spirits, particularly with an imbalanced kundalini situation. Mother Nadine doesn't speak about this in terms of kundalini, but as one of the most grounded and holy people I've ever encountered, she has talked about battling the dark forces. If she can feel and see it, and she's not dealing with imbalanced subtle energy bodies, then you'll understand why those of us whose energy is less centered due to exposure to occultic disorder are seeing and experiencing far more dire energy ont he lower astral planes.

Stephen, hang in there, and really study up on the Christian path of purificaiton. I hope the negative stuff abates for you.

Linda,

At least 20 years ago I attended some Charismatic meetings. At a Charismatic retreat however I realised that the Charismatic prayer can throw some emotional aspects totally out of balance. There were lots of hysterics at the retreat and those of us who didn't get hysterical felt that we were somehow not really participating. I remember going around feeling that I was possessed because every single thing not in order seemed/implied to be due to possession by an evil spirit. I remember feeling sorry for everyone who wasn't in the Charismatic movement. I remember trying to concentrate on the flowery prayers I wanted to say before the 'audience', rather than focusing on Jesus. I remember that there was supposed to be a case of possession, that needed intense prayer. I remember dreading the prayer of a group member because when she started she would go on and on about some white clouds that I wanted to scream "For God's sake stop it and let the white clouds be"!

I'm glad that after that retreat I came to the conclusion that I needed something less emotional. There could well be a lot of hysterics and emotional display without any depth you know.

I believe each of us can find our way to God in different ways. You are right about remaining rooted and grounded in Christ being the most important aspect to focus on no matter what happens in the course of our spiritual journey.

What about sexual/kundalini energy that is released? There is only one simple rule to follow: Submit that energy to the power of love. Everyone may have as many sexual feelings as they like but if one makes a commitment to give physical expression to that energy only in the context of a loving relationship, then there is no dilemma. There is always a struggle involved in controlling the urge/impulse of course, but it gets easier to handle with time and practice once we know the reason for keeping it under control.

Saying the Jesus prayer is a great help there as in everything else.

Although some great Christian meditation teachers claim it really doesn't matter what 'mantra' we use in meditation, I do believe that the name 'Jesus' has a lot of power. When the disciples worked miracles they always said 'In the Name of Jesus be healed'. If that name did not have power, the disciples would not have found it necessary to use the Name of Jesus each time. Even in Hindu meditation, the mantra that is chosen is in most cases, the name of the favourite diety of the devotee. Calling out the name of their favourite deity is supposed to be important in meditation. It is not just a symbol to still the mind.

Priya,

Several comments to your post. Re Chrisitan charimatic meetings, I've also had the same reaction you have, and after observing them over the years, I've come to the conclusion that the Holy Spirit works the way it needs to. For participants who have repressed emotional lives, they may be stimulated to become more expressive in joy or even negative emotions, such as acting out dramatically, or even more silly (I've watching amazed with the "holy laugther" phenemona when I've watched it sweep through a crowd.) I've learned to stay in a very objective somewhat detached stance in those settings and quietly drinking in any healing energy that I can. But since my subtle energy bodies, as a result of the kundalini awakening, are more sensitive, I do find the emotionalism somewhat difficult to manage energetically. ANd, as I noted in my last post, I've also seen and experienced demonic energies both during and after these kinds of sessions.

After some horrific psychic experiences in other paths, i.e. Eastern mystic, Buddhism, etc., I mistakenly thought that I would be completely safe in any Christian worship setting and what I wanted to point out to Stephen was that I didn't find that the case, and that was validated by people like Mother Nadine,w ho are certainly more advanced in their spiritual walk than me. I do indeed find praying to Jesus, simply through repeating his name, helpful. But you also have to remember that the mantras of the Eastern traditions are shaped to match the sound of the words themselves to certain chakras, energy phenomena as defined by some of the great mystical masters and may be helpful to other people. I have to say that I had incredibly unimpleasant aftereffects after using certain mantras that had been recommended to me - another reason I decided to follow CHristianity exclusively. But perhaps that's because I'm best wired for Christianity genetically, emotionally,etc. That's what I came in as, was baptised and raised, and though I veered from from the path, my return has been redemptive, and was certainly pushed forward by an umbalanced kundalini awakening that happened when I was exposed to the siddha energies of a Eastern mystic.

Linda,

Many thanks! Your advise and experience are much valued.
I find that music acts as mantra or protection.During severe attacks( some recent) my mind automatiacally plays a tune . Top of my hit parade recently has been Bach's "Jesu, joy of man's desiring" and some modern choruses from the likes of Mission Praise. I believe that this music is acting as a kind of lock.The name of Jesus has been my lock during the most stormy moments.
The path of purification referred to (and this relates to priya's comments on sexuality within a loving relationship) is a long re-learning process, after years of Christian morality being eroded, and your comments on health and positivity are invaluable.
The Lord has blessed me with an optimism, despite the darkness.
Also, regards light attracting darkness and the Charismatic experience, you are really confirming things I am in the process of learning.
I would be interested in hearing more about/from Mother Nadine.

God bless.

Stephen,

Glad to be of some help. Actually, a kundalini imbalance itself leds to a very personalized process of healing. What works for one person, specifically, may not work for you. Just depends on how you're wired and what the negative psychic influences have been. Here's some suggestions if you plan to follow the Christian path above all others: Eucharist as much as your path permits. It is truly, from my standpoint, the most important puritication ritual. And really all the classical spiritual disciplines - confession re going to the other psychic healers, repentence, coming humbly before Christ and asking his forgiveness. It is truly a personal relationship that you're forming. Healing prayer (short and too the point, unless your kundalini is really steadying out. I found the hands on stuff, and any emotionalism by a participant didn't help much at all. Christ doesn't need the dramatics) at least on a weekly basis, preferably after Eucharist, with a trusted prayer partner(s), reading the bible and writings by the Christian saints, etc. to cleanse your mind and center on the glory of God. It sounds as if you're automaticaly doing that with the Jesu song. Kundalini can lead to a form of clairaudience, as I assume you know, so some part of your consciousness may be already and automaticaly plugging into the celestial realms.

Re the heightened sexuality aspects an imbalanced kundalini can bring up, that can be a really rough period and I advise really keeping in mind only the most healthy aspects of what sex is about and practicing a great deal of self control in darker periods.

Intercessors of the Lamb has a website: www.bellwetheromaha.com and I advise two books by Mother Nadine: God's Armor and Interceding with Jesus. Her tape series on spiritual warfare is also invaluable.

I also went to several herbalists to help with my bio chemistry, which was severely out of whack at one point and I found regular medication that my MD prescribed (from tranquiliers to a light anti depressant) didn't help the weird movement of the pranic energy at all or the mind gamaes. It actually made me sick since my body has a hard time with any kind of medication, so herbs were easier and helped.

And I certainly heard all the regular advice re balancing the kundalini, from controlled breathing, yogic postures, mantras, and went to my share of energy healers, shamans, and psychic healers who claimed they could help or give additional insight. In my case it was a complete waste of money and a lot of the feedback I could have been pretty damaging without discernment ( I.e. past life explanations of why I'd had a kundalini awakening, and experiencing psychic attacks.) Yoga helps for keeping body/mind flexible, and to keep the energy running in a more balanced way, but if you're in a severe imbalance, any strenous physical activity can really do more harm that good. (I had to give up a jogging routine for nearly a year and still don't regularly follow one since my kudanlini awakening. It's the wrong exercise for my body now) Remember, balance is the key.

Remember our Christian God is a god of deep love and also of order. (look at the later chapters of Isaiah - sp? sorry!) and pray for the Holy Spirit to heal your body mind and spirit and bring you into the order that you were created for and the grace to be guided each step of the way.

One last recommendation for Stephen or anyone else out there suffering from pranic energy chaos re kundalini, I did find a particular kundalini yoga helpful. Book: Eight Human Talents by Gurmuckh, a kundalini yoga instructor at The Golden Bridge in Los Angeles very good in recommending postures, breathing exercises, for each chakra. She's a kindly soul (though her classes are pretty difficult!) and book can be ordered via amazon.com or website www.goldenbridgeyoga.com. Also, her instructor/guru, Yogi Bhajan has published a paperback "Yoga for Health and Healing," and I found particular poses for certain distressing times really helpful. He recommends poses, breathing, for various physical and emotional imbalances, and I found certain poses helpful when pranic energy was burning through various organs - I just took his recommendations for say, stomach disorder, and practiced for that particular organ if the energy was a problem there. OF course, nothing too strenuous, but I generally found some relief. Also, Stephen, for demonic/astral distress, that's usually located around the third eye (sixth chakra) and I found that mental focussing exercises he recommended, such as fixing my concentration on the third eye point, and turning my eyes gently upward and inwards for small periods of time helped.

I had practiced yoga (though hardly as a devotee) prior to my kundalini imbalance and have gone to various instructors afterwards, but found Gurmuck and Yoga Bhajan the most knowledgeable. In fact, some of the poses recommended by other so-called experts actually were completely wrong, which is why I found no relief. The problem with this whole kundalini phenomena that so many people are experiencing symptoms and there are too many people in various walks - from yoga to naturalist healing and energy healers, spiritual instructors - claiming to have expertise, but they really don't. Most conventional spiritual teachers, such as the most well meaning priest, may have some great input on spiritual direction, but know nothing about the kundalini on a physical level and how devasting it can be. SO its trial and error for those of us struggling along in finding good advice.

Nice going, gang! This has turned into a very substantive discussion touching on a lot of issues that we've gone into on some of the other threads, but not in the same way. I haven't really much to add, except to say amen to much of what you've all noted. In all my dealings with people struggling with this energy process, one thing that's really stayed with me is how individualized the process is, and also how important it is to create a healthy, balanced "container" for it. But even do's and don'ts for that are not easy to numerate, except that practices like prayer, moral living, a balanced diet, moderate exercise, and Eucharist seem to be helpful to almost everyone. Beyond that, it's "catch as catch can" with the yogic practices.

I would like to put in a plug for glossalalia, though not in the context of highly-charged charismatic prayer meetings. I've found this form of prayer spontaneously suggesting itself for years and years, and believe it plays a part in both stimulating the energy process and in balancing it. Recall, as Linda noted, how sound has an effect on the energy. I believe the sounds uttered in glossalalia, even under the breath, stimulate the chakras, but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in just the right way to move the energy into conformity with the divine will.

I'm aware that those reading this thread who don't know much about kundalini, glossalalia and so forth must wonder what it's all about. But that's OK. I'm happy to sponsor this public discussion of this issue, as I, too, am aware of how difficult it is to find other Christians struggling with the process, not to mention good guidance on how to integrate it.

Phil,

My own experience of glossalalia has been, in the main , edifying, but, right now, while parts of my consciousness just happen to be "occupied" or invaded by some form of nasty nastiness, practising tongues seems to provoke that nastiness .
Praying with any level of intensity provokes a similar response so I have to keep things short and cool - a bit like my posts at the moment!!

Stephen.

Stephen,

Brief comment on your last post, generally, yours is a good plan. What you dub "nasties" actually take the form of energy loops in the auric field - a loop that gets aggrevated and sort of blows up more as more energy is fed into it. (Which is why a lot of trauma therapy, where people go screaming their heads off thinking they're offloading and will be healing usually just stirs things up more and shoots out their brain chemistry.) SO when you're working through a loop that has a verbal component, (you notice if you feed it, even by the most well meaning prayer, that the "nasties" take over), the best action is silence, practicing the fruit of self control) and concentrating on your heart and compassion, (i.e. holy music may be a great way to stimulate) for yourself and your memories. Like any loop, energy loops can be broken by making them brittle - i.e. feeding little energy into them and weakening them. Spend time praying for discernment about that the loop is about and ask for guidance about how to break it. It really is a form of binding, bondage, emotional, spiritual, subconscious, whatever. Ask Jesus to break you from that bondage and heal whatever factors led you there.

Hope you find helpful.