Is Kundalini a sentient being?

[psionickx]

there are accounts of people worshipping Kundalini as a goddess or diety -- that leaves me wondering wether you treat K as a sentient entity or an inanimate type of body engery?-- as K seems once aroused does seem to have a definite agenda of its own

[Ouroboros]

Based on everything I've read, I would consider Kundalini to be an intelligent force. I can understand why some might worship it. I wouldn't go that far myself, but I would respect and honor it as a powerful - and living - energy.

[sleeper]

I doubt anyone will agree with me but i'll share anyway.

My experience with Kundalini differed considerably from what I'd heard about it and read about it, both before and since. in fact, my experiences differ quite a bit from what Robert has written about it and during the last year I've tried quite hard to figure that stuff out. In the short term, i would have benefited much more by meditating but in the long term, i realized that I'd benefit most by studying.

The first, as i see it, is that so little is known about kundalini even among the people who have had the pleasure(haha) of experiencing it many times. Of course there are secrets regarding the serpent of fire, in particular regarding the techniques used to awaken the serpent. so the language used to describe the kundalini event is not as precise as it should be. At times, it is likened to something else (metaphorically), at times it is called the Goddess (as it is in principle), at other times only the experience is described but in all cases, kundalini is a mystery and her descriptions are a riddle.

of course, that may not be a bad thing. As far as idolatry goes, it is a modern supposition by many skilled spiritualist that you must idol worship. so the picturing of kundalini as the goddess, and as the serpent, and as a riddle to be solved fits well in the modern model because us humans need an object to concentrate on during meditation and it ought to be an object that leads us to our goal of liberation. At least, that's what many modern Hindus think, among others. yogiraj gurunath siddinath has often said that "you must idol worship! (he says this in his youtube video titled: "was Moses wrong")."

Kundalini as the goddess is much more than an idol; she is a real mystery. clairvoyant viewed, she has often appeared to me as the caduceus, among other symbols, but always as a serpent in some form. i find this troubling, however, even if it is true because symbols, icons, riddles and idols are easily and often misinterpreted and misunderstood. Today, we have widespread use of the word "kundalini" and near zero understanding of it. I am completely opposed to the use of symbols as descriptors mostly because of that reason. A picture is worth a thousand words - but a thousand different words depending on the person who views it and that's why we don't convey ideas with pictures - because we each take our own meaning from what we see. i would much prefer people to describe their experiences (rather than communicate in symbols) with kundalini because experiences are very revealing and are not misleading.

But i break my own rules and call her the goddess all of the time; mostly because i'm intrigued by the mystery of her. As far as i can say, it goes like this:

we are like children who are helpless without our parents. Kundalini shakti is our mother and the goddess, who conceives of and nurtures our growth and attainment and perfection and who carries us up to the heavenly realm of the father. without her, we would never reach the father on our own and the father would never reach down to us and anoint us with his gift.

That is the mystery of enlightenment as well...but you asked about Kundalini. Kundalini as the Goddess is a mystery, a principle, a riddle and a metaphor. If you want to understand her, you must not see her as one thing but as each of those things and the best way to do that, is to seek her out and find her.

[CFTraveler]

I doubt anyone will agree with me but i'll share anyway.

My experience with Kundalini differed considerably from what I'd heard about it and read about it, both before and since. in fact, my experiences differ quite a bit from what Robert has written about it and during the last year I've tried quite hard to figure that stuff out. In the short term, i would have benefited much more by meditating but in the long term, i realized that I'd benefit most by studying.

The first, as i see it, is that so little is known about kundalini even among the people who have had the pleasure(haha) of experiencing it many times. Of course there are secrets regarding the serpent of fire, in particular regarding the techniques used to awaken the serpent. so the language used to describe the kundalini event is not as precise as it should be. At times, it is likened to something else (metaphorically), at times it is called the Goddess (as it is in principle), at other times only the experience is described but in all cases, kundalini is a mystery and her descriptions are a riddle.

of course, that may not be a bad thing. As far as idolatry goes, it is a modern supposition by many skilled spiritualist that you must idol worship. so the picturing of kundalini as the goddess, and as the serpent, and as a riddle to be solved fits well in the modern model because us humans need an object to concentrate on during meditation and it ought to be an object that leads us to our goal of liberation. At least, that's what many modern Hindus think, among others. yogiraj gurunath siddinath has often said that "you must idol worship! (he says this in his youtube video titled: "was Moses wrong")."

Kundalini as the goddess is much more than an idol; she is a real mystery. clairvoyant viewed, she has often appeared to me as the caduceus, among other symbols, but always as a serpent in some form. i find this troubling, however, even if it is true because symbols, icons, riddles and idols are easily and often misinterpreted and misunderstood. Today, we have widespread use of the word "kundalini" and near zero understanding of it. I am completely opposed to the use of symbols as descriptors mostly because of that reason. A picture is worth a thousand words - but a thousand different words depending on the person who views it and that's why we don't convey ideas with pictures - because we each take our own meaning from what we see. i would much prefer people to describe their experiences (rather than communicate in symbols) with kundalini because experiences are very revealing and are not misleading.

But i break my own rules and call her the goddess all of the time; mostly because i'm intrigued by the mystery of her. As far as i can say, it goes like this:

we are like children who are helpless without our parents. Kundalini shakti is our mother and the goddess, who conceives of and nurtures our growth and attainment and perfection and who carries us up to the heavenly realm of the father. without her, we would never reach the father on our own and the father would never reach down to us and anoint us with his gift.

That is the mystery of enlightenment as well...but you asked about Kundalini. Kundalini as the Goddess is a mystery, a principle, a riddle and a metaphor. If you want to understand her, you must not see her as one thing but as each of those things and the best way to do that, is to seek her out and find her.

I actually agree with you, if for a different reason.
I have seen many people say "you're doing it wrong" or worse, "that's not Kundalini" because the description is too different from what they expect-experience it to be, and I find that this is not helpful, only antagonizing.

[sleeper]

...and I find that this is not helpful, only antagonizing.

yes indeed. i've been actually working on some models of the various things i've read and experienced re: kundalini. i would hope to write a book about it one day - but that's still far off. this winter, when i anticipate some changes in my life, i'll take the time to hammer out the details of the Goddess/Mother and in the spring, by april, the Father.

I'm going to give away one little (big) secret here: the real reason i think people have such trouble with kundalini (understanding her, raising her, etc.) is that they're guessing which techniques will work, and guessing what to expect, rather than properly assessing their current state of being. in other words, we all are at different places mentally, emotionally, physically - and using the wrong techniques at the wrong time can work to one particular person's benefit or detriment, depending on their needs.

also, kundalini raising techniques are kept secret secret secret...and i mean secret. what Americans know as "kundalini yoga" is of course different depending on who's teaching it, but it is mostly made of preparatory or purificatory postures that have nothing to do with raising K. the best hope for a person using modern methods is that they get to a point of purification such that they realize they need help and they seek out a teacher that can share with them the occult knowledge. personally, I think that is complete B.S. and i'd like to make it a point to make such information more widely available.

of course Robert could write his book and cover it all ad-nauseum. that would be cool. he's got a lot more experience and knowledge than me but our approaches and goals seem to be quite a bit different so even if he does write an epic book on K., there may still be a place in the future for me as well.

~Dale

[psionickx]

For K to be an intelligent force is understandable -- the dance of shiva and shakti takes certain paths and times .
But what im asking is that is the Kundalini Force by ITSELF sentient/alive? or is it simply just engery....say like flow of electrons or photons or chi in accupuncture that simply need a medium and circuit to complete flow .I'm asking this because in order to expedite K's arousal im thinking of adding invocational/devotional prayer to my meditative routine but herein lies the problem : If the illumination of light appeals to me should i start worshipping lightbulbs? s

[Ouroboros]

Personally, I think Kundalini is alive and sentient.

[sleeper]

what im asking is that is the Kundalini Force by ITSELF sentient/alive? or is it simply just engery

are you alive? are you energy? are you simply just one thing?

....say like flow of electrons or photons or chi in accupuncture that simply need a medium and circuit to complete flow .

kundalini is a novel transformative life changing empowering confusing destructive creative woman. so she's kind of like all women *wink.
but she's not simple...not nearly as simple as electronics. maybe you could say that chi is like electricity, your body is like computer hardware, and kundalini is like an operating system update...or something. i dont' think that of her, because she's not like physical things as far as i can imagine. saying K. is like electricity is like saying that philosophy is like a book. philosophy is bigger than any book. it can not be so easily quantified.

If the illumination of light appeals to me should i start worshipping lightbulbs? s

if you devote yourself to whatever appeals to you, you make yourself a target for commercialism and advertising, and miss spirituality completely. devote yourself to truth and meaningful activities regardless of whether they are appealing to you. ya dig?

[Jananz]

Grace comes in spades when kundalini is up. This in itself is worthy of many lifetimes of contemplation.

[Palehorse Redivivus]

I can vouch for the fact of kundalini being intelligent and sentient. This actually helped a lot in having it be a healthy and non-destructive process, because I was able to dialogue with it and get rid of a lot of the entrenched grandiosity from the religious thoughtforms, and have it play out my way. When they wake up, I'd strongly recommend dealing with it as something that can be worked and even dialogued with rather than something one submits to being blown apart by.