From KUNDALINI YOGA by Sri. Swami Sivananda:

■Preface - The Essence of Kundalini Yoga

The word "yoga" comes from the root "yuj," meaning "to join," and in its spiritual sense, it is the process by which the human spirit, according to its nature, draws near to, consciously interacts with, or merges with the Divine Spirit. The human spirit is held as separate from the Divine Spirit (Dvaita, Visishtadvaita), or (Advaita). According to Vedanta, the latter proposition is affirmed, and yoga is the process by which the two (Jivatman and Paramatman) identities (which were previously separate identities) are realized by the yogin or practitioner. This realization is achieved by the yogic process that pierces the veil of Maya, and it is so realized that the mind and the material cover this knowledge from itself. The means to achieve this is the yogic process that liberates the Jiva from Maya. Therefore, the Yoga Sutras state: "There is no bond like Maya, and there is no power to break that bond like yoga." From the Advaitic or monistic point of view, yoga, in the sense of ultimate union, cannot be applied. Because union implies a dualism of God and the human spirit. In such a case, it indicates a process rather than a result. If the two are considered separate, then yoga applies to both. The person who practices yoga is called a yogin. Not everyone has the capacity to try yoga. Very few do. In this or another life, they must go through karma or selfless service and ritual observance, without attachment to action or its results, and upasan or devotional worship, to attain the true, namely the pure mind (chittasuddhi). This does not simply mean a mind free from sexual impurities. The attainment of this quality and other qualities is the ABC of sadhana. A person may have a pure mind in this sense, but still may not be able to do yoga completely. Chittasuddhi consists of not only all kinds of moral purity, but also abilities such as knowledge, discrimination, pure intellectual function, attention, and meditation. The mind is brought to this state through karma yoga and upasan. And in the case of Jnana Yoga, when there is detachment from the world and its desires, the path of yoga opens for the realization of the ultimate truth. Very few people are actually capable of yoga in its higher forms. Most must seek their progress along the path of karma yoga and devotion.

According to one school, there are four main forms of yoga: Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga, and Raja Yoga. Kundalini Yoga is truly Laya Yoga. There is another classification: Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga, Laya Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Mantra Yoga. This is based on the idea that there are five aspects of spiritual life: Dharma, Kriya, Bhava, Jnana, and Yoga. Mantra Yoga is said to be of two kinds, as it is pursued along the path of Kriya or Bhava. There are seven sadhanas of yoga: Satkarma, Asana, Mudra, Pratyahara, Pranayama, Dhyana, and Samadhi. These are the purification of the body, the yogic posture for sitting, the abstraction of the senses from objects, the control of breath, meditation, and two kinds of ecstasy - the incomplete (Savikalpa) and the complete (Nirvikalpa) monistic experience - the realization of the truth of Mahavakya AHAM BRAHMASMI - which is something that should be realized, and it does not produce liberation (moksha), but is liberation itself. The samadhi of Laya Yoga is called Savikalpa Samadhi, and the samadhi of complete Raja Yoga is called Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The first four processes are physical, the last three are mental, and the seventh is a mysterious process. By these seven processes, certain qualities are obtained, namely: purity (shuddhi), firmness and strength (dridhta), steadfastness (sthirata), constancy (dharya), lightness (laghava), realization (pratyaksha), and separation leading to liberation (nirbija).

What is known as Ashtanga Yoga, or the eight limbs of yoga, includes the five sadhanas mentioned above (Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dhyana, and Samadhi) and three others: Yamas, which include non-harm (Ahimsa) and other virtues, and the method of self-control; Niyamas, or religious observances, such as devotion to the Lord (Isvara-Pranidhana); Dharana, which is to fix the internal organs on the object, as instructed in the practice of yoga.

Humans are microcosms. Everything that exists in the macrocosm also exists within them. All tattvas and worlds are within them, including the highest Shiva Shakti. The body can be divided into two main parts: the head and torso, and the legs. In humans, the center of the body is between these two, at the base of the spine where the legs begin. The spine supports the torso and runs through the entire body. This is the axis of the body, just as Mount Meru is the axis of the Earth. Therefore, the human spine is called the Merudanda, Meru, or Axis. The legs and feet are less conscious than the trunk, which contains the white and gray matter of the spinal cord. The trunk itself is largely dependent on the head, which contains the physical brain and has white and gray matter in reversed positions. The lower part of the body and the legs are the lower seven worlds or hellish worlds, supported by the enduring Shakti or cosmic force. From the center upwards, consciousness manifests more freely through the spine and the cerebrum. There are seven upper regions or lokas, which means "that which is seen." This means that they are experiencing karma and bearing its fruits in the form of a specific rebirth. These regions, namely, Bhur, Bhuvah, Swar, Tapah, Janah, Mahah, and Satyaloka, correspond to six centers. There are five centers in the trunk, six in the lower cerebrum, and the seventh is the brain, or the abode of the highest Shiva Shakti, the Sahasrara.

The six centers are: the Muladhara or root support, located in the perineum between the root of the genitals and the anus; above it are the Swadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Visuddha, and Ajna chakras, or lotuses, located in the regions of the genitals, abdomen, heart, throat, and between the eyes, respectively. These are the main centers, but some texts speak of others, such as the Lalana and Manas chakras, and the Som chakra. The seventh region, beyond the chakras, is the upper brain, which is the highest center of manifestation of consciousness in the body, and therefore the abode of the highest Shiva Shakti. When it is said to be "above," it does not mean that the highest is placed there in the sense of "location," but that it is there, nowhere! The Supreme is not localized, but its manifestations are localized. It is everywhere, but it is said to be in the Sahasrara because that is where the realization of the highest Shiva Shakti has occurred. And this is undoubtedly true, because consciousness is realized by entering and passing through the Sattvamayi Buddhi, which is the higher manifestation of the mind. From the perspective of their Shiva Shakti tattva, the mind evolves as Buddhi, Ahamkara, Manas, and the centers associated with them are the corresponding sensations (indriyas) that are above the Ajna chakra and below the Sahasrara. From the Ahamkara, the Tanmatra, or the generals of the sensory substances, proceed. These are the five forms of sensory substances (Bhutas), namely, Akasha (ether), Vayu (air), Agni (fire), Apah (water), and Prithvi (earth). The given English translation does not mean that the Bhutas are the same as the English elements of air, fire, water, and earth. These terms represent different degrees of substance, from ether to solid. Therefore, Prithvi or earth is the issue of Prithvi. That is, it can be perceived by the sense of smell. The mind and substance permeate the entire body. However, there are centers where they are dominant. Therefore, Ajna is the center of the mind, and the five lower chakras are the centers of the five Bhutas.

In short, the human being, as a microcosm, is spirit (which manifests most purely in the Sahasrara) carried by Shakti in the form of mind and substance, and each of these is centered in the sixth and fifth chakras.

The six chakras are identified by the following nerve plexuses, starting with the lowest, the Muladhara: the sacral plexus, the coccygeal plexus, the solar plexus (which forms a large junction with the left and right sympathetic chains of the brain and spinal cord), and the lumbar plexus. Associated with this is the cardiac plexus (Anahata), the pharyngeal plexus, and finally the Ajna, or cerebellum, which has two leaves. Above it is the Manas chakra, or the midbrain, and finally the Sahasrara, or the cerebrum. The six chakras themselves are important centers of white and gray matter in the spine. However, they may influence and dominate the total nerve pathways outside the spine, in the regions of the body that are in the same range as the centers where they are located, even if they are not located on the spine itself. The chakras are centers of Shakti as vital energy. In other words, these are centers of Prana Shakti revealed by the Pranavayu, and their presiding deities appear in the form of the names of universal consciousness. The chakras are not perceived in the totality of sensation. Even if they were perceptible within the body as they organize, they disappear with the breakdown of the organism at death. The fact that these chakras do not appear on the spine during postmortem examination does not mean that some people believe that these chakras do not exist at all, but are simply fertile formations of the brain! This attitude is reminiscent of the doctor who declared that he had performed many postmortems and had not yet discovered the soul!

The petals of the lotus flower vary, with each having 4, 6, 10, 12, 16, or 2 petals, starting from Muladhara and ending at Ajna. There are a total of 50 letters, similar to the letters on the petals, which is the number of Matrikas associated with the Tattvas. Both are products of the same creative cosmic process that manifests as physiological or psychological functions. The number of petals is either the number of letters excluding Ksha or the second La. It is noteworthy that these 50 are multiplied by 20, resulting in the 1000 petals of Sahasrara, which represents infinity.

However, one might ask, why are the number of petals different? For example, why does Muladhara have 4 petals, while Swadhisthana has 6? The given answer is that the number of petals in a chakra is determined by the number and position of the nadis, or yogic nerves, surrounding that chakra. Thus, the 4 nadis that flow around and through the Muladhara Chakra give it the appearance of 4 petals. This is therefore constituted by the position of the nadis at a specific center. These nadis are not known to Vaidya, who refers to physical nerves. However, here, these are called Yoga-Nadis, which are subtle channels (Vivaras) through which prana flows. The term nadis comes from the root "nud," meaning "to flow." The body is filled with countless nadis. If they were visible, the body would appear as a very complex chart of currents. The water appears the same on the surface, but upon investigation, it is found to be moving in all directions with varying degrees of force. All these lotuses exist in the spine.

The spine, called Merudanda, is divided into 5 regions by Western anatomy. It is worth noting that these 5 regions correspond to the locations of the 5 chakras, as support for the theory described here. The central nervous system, which includes the brain (Lalana, Ajna, Manas, Somachakra, Sahasrara) contained within the skull, and the spinal cord extending from the upper boundary of the atlas to below the cerebellum and down to the second lumbar vertebra, tapers to a point called the terminal line. Within the spine are tracts of gray and white brain matter, within which are the 5 lower chakras. It is noteworthy that the filum terminale, which was once considered a mere fibrous cord, is considered an inappropriate means for Muladhara Chakra and Kundalini Sakti. However, more recent microscopic investigations have revealed the presence of highly sensitive gray matter at the terminal, representing the location of Muladhara. According to Western science, the spinal cord is not only a conductor between the periphery and the center of sensation and will, but also an independent center or group of centers. Sushumna is the nadis in the center of the spine, with its base called the Brahmadwara, or the gate of Brahman. Regarding the physiological relationship of the chakras, it can be said with some certainty that the 4 Muladhara mentioned above are related to sexual excretion, digestion, the heart, and respiration, while the 2 upper centers, Ajna (related chakras) and Sahasrara, represent the various forms of brain activity that end in the pure consciousness achieved through yoga. The nadis on both sides of Ida and Pingala are the left and right sympathetic nerves, crossing from one side to the other, and at Ajna, which is the Sahasra, they form three knots called Triveni. It is said that this is where the sympathetic nerves converge and from which the medullary spots originate. These nadis, along with Sushumna, which is the two-lobed Ajna, form the shape of the caduceus of the god Mercury.

How does the stimulation of Kundalini Shakti and her union with Shiva affect the spiritual experiences claimed to be states of ecstasy (Samadhi)?

There are two main types of yoga: Dhyana or Babana Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. There is a significant difference between the two. In the first type of yoga, ecstasy (Samadhi) is achieved through intellectual processes (Kriya-Jnana), with the help of auxiliary processes such as mantra or Hatha Yoga (excluding the awakening of Kundalini), and through separation from the world. In the second type, intellectual processes are not ignored, but the creative and continuous Shakti of the entire body actually and truly integrates with the Lord's consciousness as part of Hatha Yoga. The yogin introduces himself to her as her Lord and enjoys the bliss of union through her. She awakens him, but she gives him knowledge, Jnana. The Dhyana Yogin gains acquaintance with the highest state that his own meditative power can give him, and does not know the enjoyment of the basic body-power and the union with Shiva through it. The two forms of yoga differ in both method and result. The Hatha yogin considers his yoga and its fruits to be the highest. The Jnana Yogin may think the same. Kundalini is very famous, and many people want to know her. After studying this theory of yoga, the question arises, "Is it possible to ride without her?" The answer is, "It depends on what you are looking for." If the goal is to ascend Kundalini, enjoy the bliss of the union of Shiva and Shakti through her, and gain the associated powers (Siddhis), then this goal can only be achieved through Kundalini Yoga. However, if liberation is sought without the union through Kundalini, then such yoga is not necessary, because liberation can be achieved through pure Jnana Yoga, through detachment, exercise, and stillness of mind, without stimulating the central body-power at all. To achieve this result, the Jiva Yogin leaves the world instead of entering and leaving the world to unite with Shiva. One is the path of enjoyment, and the other is the path of asceticism. Samadhi can also be achieved through the path of devotion (Bhakti). Indeed, the highest devotion (Para Bhakti) is not different from knowledge. Both are realization. However, liberation (Mukti) can be achieved through either method, but the two methods also have significant differences. The Dhyana Yogin should not neglect his body, because he knows that it is both mind and matter, and that they react to each other. Neglecting the body or considering it merely a source of humiliation is likely to produce disordered imagination rather than true spiritual experience. However, he is not interested in the body in the same way that the Hatha yogin is. The Dhyana Yogin may be successful, but he is weak in body and health, and may be sickly and short-lived. His body, not himself, determines when he will die. He cannot die when he wants. When he is in Samadhi, the Kundalini Shakti is still asleep in Muladhara. In his case, the physical symptoms, spiritual bliss, and powers (Siddhis) that are described as accompanying her arousal are not observed. The ecstasy he experiences is due to the nature of meditation, which enters a void (Bana Samadhi) through the negation of all forms of thought (Chitta-Vritti) and separation from the world. The central power of the body is not involved. Through his efforts, the mind, which is a product of Prakriti-Shakti, becomes still, along with its worldly desires, and the veil created by spiritual functions is removed from consciousness. In Raja Yoga, Kundalini herself achieves this illumination for the yogin when she is aroused by him (such excitement is his act and part of it).

However, one might ask, why are there problems with the body and its central power, especially in relation to abnormal risks and difficulties? The answer is already given. The complete and certain realization of existence is achieved through the power of knowledge (Jnanarupa Sakti), the intermediate acquisition of powers (Siddhis), and the intermediate and ultimate enjoyment.

If the ultimate reality exists in two aspects: the self's static enjoyment and the active enjoyment of all forms and objects, that is, pure consciousness and consciousness as a problem, then complete union with reality is unity in both aspects. It must be known both "here" (Iha) and "there" (Amutra). The teachings teach that humans must make the most of both worlds, and that there is no real incompatibility between them if actions are performed according to the universal, apparent law. It is considered a false teaching that happiness can only be achieved now, either without enjoyment or by deliberately seeking suffering and repentance. The ultimate bliss is experienced in the form of a man in whom joy and pain are mixed, which is Shiva. If these identities of Shiva are realized in all human actions, then both happiness here and the bliss of liberation in this world and the hereafter can be achieved. This is achieved by sacrificing and worshipping all human functions through religious acts (Yajna). In ancient Vedic rituals, there were sacrifices and rituals that preceded the enjoyment of food and drink. Such enjoyment was the fruit of sacrifice and the gift of the Devas. In the higher stages of Sadhana, all gifts are given, and the Devas offer them to those who are inferior in form. However, this offering also includes the dualism that is released through the highest Monistic (Advaita) Sadhana. Here, individual life and the life of the world are known as one. And when a Sadhaka eats or drinks, or performs other natural functions of the body, he feels "Shivoham." To act and enjoy in this way is not simply another individual. It is Shiva who does so within and through him. As it is said, such a person recognizes that his life and all his activities are not separate, but are part of the sacred activity of nature (Shakti) that manifests and functions in human form. He becomes aware of the pulsating rhythm of the universal life song. To ignore or deny the body's needs, to consider it unholy, is to ignore and deny the greater life of which it is a part, and to falsify the great doctrine of ultimate unity with all things. The identity of matter and spirit. When dominated by such a concept, even the lowest physical needs become significant to the universe. The body is Shakti. Its needs are the needs of Shakti. When a person enjoys, it is Shakti who enjoys through him. In everything he sees and does, it is the Mother who appears and acts, and his eyes and hands are hers. The entire body and all its functions are her manifestations. To fully realize her is to complete her in this particular manifestation, which is she herself. When a man wants to be his master, he is asked to do so in every way, physically, mentally, and spiritually. They are all related, and are different aspects of the consciousness that permeates everything. One might ask, who is more sacred: the one who ignores the body and mind in order to gain a purely spiritual superiority, or the one who cherishes both as a single form of the spirit? Realization is achieved more quickly and truly by the spirit that perceives all existence and its activities. Then, avoid those that are escapist, unspiritual, or illusory, and that hinder the path. If not understood correctly, they can be causes of obstacles and setbacks. Otherwise, they become tools for achievement. And what else is there? Therefore, when actions are performed with a sense of struggle and determination (Bhaba), they bring enjoyment. And repeated and prolonged Bhava eventually gives rise to the sacred experience of liberation (Tattva-Jnana). When the Mother is seen in everything, she is finally realized as being beyond all things.

These general principles are more frequently applied in worldly life before embarking on the proper path of Yoga. However, the Yoga described here also applies these same principles, as long as it is claimed that both Bhukti and Mukti (enjoyment and liberation) are achieved.

The lower processes of Hatha Yoga aim to achieve a perfect body, one that is so well-suited to the functioning of the mind that it becomes a perfectly tuned instrument. Again, as the mind approaches perfection, it transitions to Samadhi, a state of pure consciousness. Therefore, the Hatha Yogi seeks a body that is strong like steel, healthy, free from suffering, and thus long-lasting. He is the master of his body, the master of both life and death. His form enjoys the vitality of youth. He lives and enjoys in the world, as long as he has the will to do so. His death is a voluntary death (Ichcha Mrityu); he departs grandly, performing a wonderfully expressive gesture of dissolution (Samhara Mudra). However, does the Hatha Yogi not become ill and die? Indeed, strict discipline carries risks, and can only be pursued under the guidance of a skilled guru. Without support, failure can lead not only to illness but also to death. He who seeks to conquer death risks a more rapid conquest by death if he fails. Of course, not everyone who attempts this yoga will succeed, nor will they all achieve the same level of success. Those who fail may suffer not only the weaknesses of ordinary men, but also the consequences of practices that are not suited to them or that they have not earned. Those who succeed will do so to varying degrees. Some may extend their lifespan to the sacred age of 84, while others may live to 100. Theoretically, at least, those who have achieved perfection (Siddhas) transcend this limitation. Not everyone has the same capacity or opportunity, whether due to a lack of will, physical strength, or circumstances. Not everyone is willing or able to follow the strict rules necessary for success. Moreover, modern life often does not provide the opportunities necessary to complete such a practice. Not every man desires such a life, and some may consider that the benefits are not worth the associated troubles. Some may simply wish to rid themselves of their bodies as quickly as possible. Therefore, it is said that it is easier to attain liberation through death than through immortality! The former may be due to a lack of selfishness, detachment from the world, and moral and spiritual discipline. However, conquering death is even more difficult, as these qualities and actions alone are not sufficient. He who conquers death holds life in the hollow of one hand, and with the other, liberation. He has both pleasure and liberation. He is the emperor, the master of the world, the possessor of all bliss beyond the world. Therefore, Hatha Yogis claim that all other practices are inferior to Hatha Yoga!

The Hatha Yogi who works for liberation does so through Laya Yoga practices or Kundalini Yoga, which bring both pleasure and liberation. As Kundalini awakens, he experiences a special form of bliss and gains special powers at each center. When she is brought to the center of his brain, Shiva, he experiences the ultimate bliss, which is essentially the liberation of mind and body, a permanent state of relaxation.

Energy (Shakti) is polarized into two forms: static or potential (Kundalini) and dynamic (the vital force of the body as Prana). Behind every activity, there is a static background. This static center in the human body is the power of the Kundalini serpent. It is the force that supports the entire body and all its moving Pranic forces (Adhara). This center of power (Kendras) is the totality of consciousness. That is, it is itself (Svarupa), it is consciousness. And outwardly, as the highest form of power, it is its manifestation. Just as there is a difference between the Supreme Quiescent Consciousness and its Active Power (Shakti) (although they are essentially the same), when consciousness manifests as Energy (Sakti), it has two aspects: potential and kinetic energy. In reality, there is no partition. For the Siddha's perfect eye, the process is an illusion (Adhyasa). But for the Sadhaka's imperfect eye, that is, the aspirant to perfection (Siddhi), the mind appears to be still traversing the lower realms, identifying itself with various aspects, and appearing to be real. Kundalini Yoga is a rendering of the Vedantic truth from this practical perspective, representing the process of the world as a polarization of consciousness itself. This polarity exists within, and is broken by yoga. Yoga disrupts the balance of consciousness in the body. Consciousness is the result of maintaining these two poles. The human body, which is the potential pole of the highest power, is stirred and agitated so that the dynamic force (dynamic Shakti) that supports it is drawn to it, and the overall dynamism that acts upon it moves upwards, so that it aligns with the quiescent consciousness in the highest lotus.

Shakti has a duality of static and dynamic forms. In the mind or experience, this duality is a patent for reflection, meaning the polarity between pure Chit and the stress related to it. This stress, or Shakti, develops the mind through a transformation of Chit, which is pure, unconstrained ether, into infinite forms and consciousness. This analysis shows the primal Shakti, which is also the two polar forms of static and dynamic, as previously mentioned. Here, the polarity is the most fundamental and approaches absoluteness, but remember that there is no absolute rest except for pure Chit. The cosmic energy is in a relative state of equilibrium, not an absolute one.

Let's take a problem from the mind and address it. In modern science, the atom is no longer an indivisible unit of matter, but rather, according to electron theory, an atom is a small universe similar to our solar system. At the center of this atomic system is a positive charge, around which a cloud of negative charges called electrons rotates. The positive charges inhibit each other, so the atom is in a state of equilibrium energy and usually does not decompose, but this is a characteristic of all matter, except for the radioactivity of radium. Thus, here again, there is a positive charge that is stationary at the center and a negative charge that moves around the center. What is said about the atom applies to the cosmic system and the entire universe. In the world system, planets orbit the sun, and the system itself is a mass that moves around other relatively static centers until it reaches a point of absolute stillness, the Brahmavindu, around which all forms rotate and are maintained. Similarly, in biological tissues, working energy is assimilated into two forms of energy: anabolic and catabolic, one tending to change and the other tending to protect the tissue. The actual state of the tissue is simply the result of the coexistence or simultaneous occurrence of these two activities.

In short, when Shakti appears, it divides itself into two polar sides: static and dynamic. That is, just as a magnet has poles, it cannot be realized without simultaneously having a static form and a dynamic form. In certain areas of the activity of force, we must have a static background, that is, the "Shakti" or "coiled" cosmic principle in a state of rest. This scientific truth is shown in the figure. In the heart of Sadashiva, who is the static background of pure, unmanifest Chit, is the Goddess, the kinetic Shakti, who moves as the mother of Guna Maya. The mother of Guna Maya is the one who performs all activities.

The cosmic Shakti is the collective (Samashti) that is related to the individual (Vyashti) Kundalini of a particular body. The body, as I said, is a microcosm (Kushmandal). Therefore, the body has the same polarities that I have spoken of. The universe was born from Mahakundalini. In her supreme form, she rests, is round, and is one with Shiva, as the Chidrupini. Then she rests. Next, she releases herself and manifests. Here, the three coils spoken of in Kundalini Yoga are the three gunas, and the three and a half coils are Prakriti and her three gunas, and Vikriti. Her fifty coils are the letters of the alphabet. As she continues to unwind, the Tattvas and Matrikas, the mothers of the varnas, are emitted from her. Thus, she is in motion, and even after creation, she continues to move to the created Tattvas, because they were born from movement, and therefore they continue to move. The entire world (Jagrat) is in motion, as shown in Sanskrit. Therefore, she continues to act creatively until she evolves the last, or Prisvitattva. First, she creates the mind, and then the problem arises. This latter becomes increasingly dense. Maabukta is suggested to be the density in modern science—the air density related to the maximum gravitational velocity; the density of fire related to the speed of light; the density of water or fluid related to the molecular velocity and the equatorial velocity related to the Earth's rotation; the density of basalt related to Newton's speed of sound. However, this indicates that the density of matter is increasing until it reaches the shape of a three-dimensional solid, the Bhuta. What does Shakti do when she creates this last, or Prisvitattva? Nothing. Therefore, she rests again. Again, rest means that she takes a static form. However, Shakti never runs out. Therefore, at this point, the Kundalini Shakti is, so to speak, the remaining Shakti that was left after the last Bhuta, Prithvi, was created (but is still plenum). Thus, we completely rest and rest the Chidrupini Shakti of Sahasrar, which is Mahakundalini, and the relatively static center is the Kundalini, which is the body, and all the forces of the body move around this center. They are Shakti, and Kundalini Shakti is also Shakti. The difference is that the former is a specific, differentiated form of Shakti, while the latter is the undifferentiated, remaining Shakti, that is, the coiled one. She is coiled in the Muladhara, which means "basic support," and is at the same time the seat of Prithvi, the last solid Tattva, and the remaining Shakti, or Kundalini. Therefore, the body can be compared to a magnet with two poles. As far as the relationship to the rest of the body, which is dynamic, Muladhara is the static pole, as it is the seat of Kundalini Shakti, which is the relatively gross form of Kundalini Shakti, and is also Chit Shakti and Maya Shakti. The work of the body presupposes and finds such a static support, and that is why it is called Muladhara. In one sense, the static Shakti in Muladhara coexists with the Shakti of creation and evolution of the body. Because the dynamic side or pole cannot exist without its static counterpart. In another sense, it is the remaining Shakti that is left after such an operation.

Subsequently, what happens in this yogic achievement? This static Shakti is influenced by pranayama and other yogic processes, becoming dynamic. Therefore, when it is completely dynamic, that is, when Kundalini merges with Shiva in Sahasrara, the body's polarization collapses. The two poles become one, resulting in a state of consciousness called samadhi. Of course, this polarization occurs within consciousness. The body continues to exist as another object of observation. It continues its organic life. However, human consciousness of the human body and all other objects is withdrawn, because the mind is still, and its function is withdrawn into its ground of being, which is consciousness.

How is the body maintained? In the first place, Kundalini Shakti is the static center of the entire body as a complete conscious being, but each part of the body and its constituent cells have their own static center that supports that part or cell. Furthermore, the yogi's theory is that Kundalini rises, and the body is maintained as a complete being by the nectar that flows from the union of Shiva and Shakti in Sahasrara. This nectar is a release of power produced by their union. The potential Kundalini Shakti is not completely converted into kinetic Shakti, but only partially. However, since Shakti is infinite, as given in Muladhara, it does not exhaust. The potential store is never exhausted. In this case, dynamic equivalence means partially converting energy from one mode to another. However, when the coiled force in Muladhara is completely uncoiled, the three bodies (gross, subtle, and causal) dissolve due to the static background associated with a particular form, resulting in videha-mukti, liberation without the body. According to this hypothesis, the very existence of existence would have completely yielded. As Shakti departs, the body becomes cold like a corpse. It is not due to the depletion or deprivation of the static force in Muladhara, but usually due to the concentration or convergence of dynamic force that spreads throughout the body, that Kundalini Shakti is set against its static background. The fivefold prana that has spread out gathers back to its home, drawn from other tissues of the body and converging along the axis. Therefore, usually, the dynamic equivalence is the prana that has spread throughout the tissues. In yoga, it converges along the axis. In either case, the static equivalence of Kundalini Shakti persists. A portion of the dynamic prana already available is made to work at the base of the axis in the appropriate way. This causes the base center or Muladhara to become saturated and react to the entire spread of dynamic power (or prana), drawing it from the tissues and converging it along the axis of the body. Thus, the diffused dynamic equivalence becomes the dynamic equivalence that has converged along the axis. According to this view, it is not the entire Shakti that rises, but a condensed, lightning-like eruption, which eventually reaches Parama Shiva-tana, where the central power that supports individual world consciousness merges with the supreme consciousness. The limited consciousness that transcends the concept of passing through worldly life intuitively perceives the immutable reality that underlies the flow of the entire phenomenon. When Kundalini Shakti is asleep in Muladhara, a person is awake to the world. When she awakens and unites, uniting with the supreme static consciousness, which is Shiva, consciousness is asleep in the world and is one with the light of all things.

The main principle is that when one is awake, Kundalini Shakti, either she herself or her ejection, ceases to be the static force that maintains the consciousness of the world, and its content is held only while she is asleep. And once it begins to move, it is drawn to other static centers, such as the thousand-petaled lotus (Sahasrara), and becomes one with the ecstasy of consciousness that transcends the world of form and Shiva consciousness. When Kundalini is asleep, a person is awake to this world. When she awakens, he sleeps, that is, he loses all consciousness of the world and enters the causal body. In yoga, he remains in formless consciousness.

Glory to Kundalini, the Divine Mother! May her infinite grace and power kindly guide Sadaka from chakra to chakra, illuminating his intellect and realizing his identity with the highest Brahman! May she bless us!