A Chakra & Kundalini Workbook
A Chakra & Kundalini Workbook
A Chakra & Kundalini Workbook
8-473-)'
2003
Llewellyn Publications
St. Paul, MN 5 5 164-0383, U.s.A.
A Chakra and Kundalini Workbook. © 1994 and 1997 by Dr. Jonn Mumford. All rights reserved. No part
of this hook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without
written permission from Llewellyn Publications except in the case of brief quotations embodied in criti
cal articles and reviews.
FOURTH EDITION
Second Printing, 2003
Llewellyn Worldwide does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private
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All mail addressed to the author is forwarded but the publisher cannot, unless specirically instructed by the author,
give out an address or phone number.
Llewellyn Publications
A Division of Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
P.O. Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
"I've come half way 'round the world to meet you," were the first word s spoken by
J onn Mumford when we first met twenty years ago in the lobby of the Minneapolis
Holiday Inn.
Of course, that was literally true since he then, as now, resided in Australia.
But it was as if there were another "truth" involved with those words, as if we
were meeting "at long last, once again. " This meeting was the beginning of a
friendship that is as deep and meaningful as few relationships can be, and " Uncle
Jonn" is as close to my wife and son as he is to me.
He came to the Twin Cities to give a week-long series of seminars on Kriya and
Tantra Yoga as part of the fifth of the annual Gnostic-Aquarian Festivals (nicknamed
"Gnosticons") that Llewellyn sponsored back in the 1970s when the "New Age"
was still new. Earlier that day of our first meeting, my wife Sandra had metJonn at
the airport and brought him to the Holiday Inn where she briefed him on the sched
ule of events and gave him the various items and equipment he had requested for
his workshops. Suddenly, with a lemon in one hand and a twelve-inch long steril
ized hat pin in the other, Jonn shouted a mantra and Sandra found that the hat pin
was now in one side of her lower lip and out the other!
No pain, no bleeding-Jonn had effectively demonstrated "mantra anesthesia"
when, for a second, her consciousness was focused outside the body on the mantra
he had suddenly shouted. Instead, as realization came flooding in, she experienced
a euphoria in the new awareness that indeed she was more than the body, and that
mind was not confined to the brain.
The workshops with Jonn were filled with practical work and demonstrations
building on this same theme. Among them was "Yoga Nidra: The Sleep of the Yogis"
during which we were guided into a deep state of relaxation followed by the move
ment of consciousness throughout the body and into the brain. Another practice
involved Tratak-fixed gazing on the projected image of one of a series of Tattwas,
by which we experienced the "mind outside of the body," while also stimulating var
ious chakras in tum. Yet another practice guided our imaginations through a series
of colorful and often incongruous images, often projecting consciousness right out
of the physical body.
ix
A Chakra al1� 1<.ul1�al{l1{ 'WDrkbDDk
These were exciting, mind -expanding experiences for all of us. But all of
them were solidly based on Jonn's primary training in Yoga and meditation tech
niques that started when he, at fourteen years of age, visited India. During his
many extended stays in India he studied with such prestigious people as Yogen
dra of Bombay, Shatananda of Delhi, Gitananda of Pondicherry, and Satyananda
of Monghyr. These "Eastern" studies were supplemented over the years by his
"Western" studies during which he qualified as a psychotherapist and as a chiro
practor. In addition, he studied in London, and later in Sydney, with several
occult lodges, and studied hypnosis, autogenics, and other techniques all related
to the mind-body interface and the acceleration of "normal" evolution.
Jonn Mumford is a "global" person,who brings East and West together in a
new synthesis. He is initiated in three different ashrams and is recognized and hon
ored in India for his knowledge and teaching. He is a Doctor of chiropractic therapy
and a lecturer of international repute on psycho-physiological disorders. Several
years ago he retired from active chiropractic practice and opened an esoteric school
in a Sydney suburb under the name of "The Scientific Samkhya Yoga Association."
In addition to his deep knowledge and amazing ability to condense esoteric
practices to their essence, Jonn is a charismatic person. He radiates love, vitality,
and-above all-joy. He infects you with his presence, but unlike all too many
charismatic teachers and leaders, he gives his knowledge and withholds nothing. He
knows that the wisdom necessary to properly use knowledge is something that
comes only with experience, and it is experience as well as knowledge that he works
to give his s tudents, whether they study with him in person or through his books.
As a "Westerner" studying in India, Jonn was not merely a theoretician. He
has many times given proof of his own self-mastery in public demonstrations of
cardiac cessation (voluntary stopping of the heart) , obliteration of individual
pulsebeat at will, sensory withdrawal (tolerance of pain) , voluntary breath reten
tion over the five-minute range, peristalsis control using ground glass as media,
start and stop bleeding on command, ability to handle white hot steel rods, etc.
Even more importantly, just as he demonstrated on his first meeting with San
dra, he leads his students to experience this same kind of control. As he writes in
this book, ''Theory without practice is sterile! " Many students have experienced that
"hat pin," while others-with only hours of training-have been able to experience
much greater control over the normal physiological responses as you will see pic
tured in this book when two students at another Gnosticon likewise were able to
handle, and even lick, white hot steel bars in public demonstration.
That "first" meeting in Minneapolis was neither the first or the last. Aside
from any esoteric considerations, Llewellyn had already published Jonn's second
pioneering book, Sexual Occultism (since revised and enlarged as Ecstasy Through
Tantra) , and he came to other Gnosticons. One year we put on a full week "mini
ashram" entirely of his teaching on Kriya Yoga. Since the last of these teaching
x
'Forewor�
visits, he has joined us nearly every year around the time of my wife's and son's
birthday (yes, they have the same birthday) , july 1 . Every visit has been both a
learning experience for me and an inspiration. I've learned more from this one per
son than I have from anyone else, and in some ways he has fulfilled my own youth
ful ambition to study in India through his powerful, effective, and efficiently
condensed teaching. And it is that-powerful, effective, and efficiently condensed,
experiential instruction-that you will find in this book.
The book itself is a vastly expanded and augmented edition of j onn's first
book, Psychosomatic Yoga, that was first published in English in 1962 and later in
eight additional languages. I need to emphasize that this not merely a revised
version of that early very successful book; rather, it is totally rewritten and
expanded beyond the original concept based on the thirty years of experience
during which that first edition was used as a textbook and manual by tens of
thousands of students and teachers around the world. In addition, I have used my
own experience as one of jonn's students and as an editor and publisher to make
many suggestions that he has incorporated into this book to add to its power and
effectiveness in hopes that it can serve the reader/student not only as a practical text
and personal manual, but also, as nearly as is possible, as a direct and real contact
with the charisma of this master teacher!
The text is supplemented with tables and illustrations to bridge the distance
from information to personal understanding. In addition, the author has added
a simple outline of a twelve-week practice schedule referenced directly back to
the first nine chapters. Only a relatively few minutes each day-no more time
than you might otherwise spend in less efficient physical workouts-will quickly
build a solid experience of psycho-physiological techniques that will lead toward
better health, a longer life, greater control over your personal destiny, and lay a
firm foundation for the subsequent chapters leading to the attainment of super
normal powers, an enriched Inner Life, and ultimate transcendence.
Unlike many teachers, jonn does not advocate a life of celibacy and seclu
sion, but teaches ways that you can use the experiences and opportunities of
everyday life, and particularly of the shared life, as levers toward spiritual attain
ment. This is a truly global kind of Yoga, a practical system of personal training
most suited for anyone in today's active and complex world. Indeed, as j onn
writes, you-each of us-are destined for the stars, to be a star. We are "gods in
the making," but god realization is totally your choice, and your responsibility.
xi
The genesis of A Chakra & Kundalini Workbook began in India 1 9 6 1 with the
writing of Psychosomatic Yoga and, reminiscent of the proverbial cocoon crea
ture, emerged in 1 994 with the first edition.
Now in the new Millennium I am delighted to present the Fourth Revised
&: Expanded Edition- a grand-child from the progeny of forty years ago !
I would like to express my thanks to Dr. Frank Ros in Adelaide, Australia,
for his assistance in sorting through the dialects, Telegu and Tamil names for
the Martial Art Varmam points to arrive at a consensus of the most common
Sanskrit equivalent terms.
Uniting the past with the present, and East with West, it is fitting to quote
from my forward to the original Psychosomatic Yoga:
"Lastly it is my hope that students of the Western occult tradition may
find these notes a convenient reference and guide to the most practical and
effective techniques of the Eastern path. "
J onn Mumford
Sydney, Australia
July 2000
x[[
Intr,,�ucti"n
x{{{
These men gave me the most precious gift humans can grant one another:
unconditional regard. For this l owe a debt that can only be paid by honoring all
sentient beings.
This book, although entitled A Chakra and Kundalini Workbook, is neither
a quick fix or a panacea. The exercises are grounded in classical technique,
with contemporary innovations, and developed over a lifetime of learning,
experimenting, and teaching.
I write in the same way that I teach: Information is added incrementally
and we take various stances or viewpoints according to necessity and conve
nience. My Western education has enamored me of the hypothesis, and my
Indian training has made more than willing to sacrifice understanding for
experience and logic for being.
By lifestyle I am Western and by disposition Hindu . Philosophically, I
adhere to the classical school of Samkhya. Samkhya was developed by a con
temporary of Buddha, Kapila, around 500 Be, and, like Buddhism, is non-the
istic. Samkhya provides the theoretical constructs for the practice of Yoga, and,
again like Buddhism, is perfectly reconcilable with the new religion of the
West-Science.
The theory of Samkhya and the practice of Yoga are so compatible with
certain Western positions that I, without paradox, support sociobiology and
favor biochemical reductionism. Sociobiology is the belief that human behav
ior is deeply cemented in biological necessity, while biochemical reductionism
is the doctrine that sees changes in neurotransmitter brain levels as responsible
for brain function variations and, hence, psychiatric states and mood.
Both sociobiology and reductionism seem quite probable and reason
able-they present no problem for the Samkhya philosopher, as Samkhya
views mind and body as merely different manifestations of the energy-matter
dance of creation and neither affect the core essence of being, the transcenden
tal self, or Purusha.
We are at the end of a millennium and the close of a century. Such peri
ods are always marked by tremendous social upheavals and radical political
changes. Dr. Swami Gitananda stated, in the 1 950s, that "it used to be the
problems of man, now it is man, the problem ! " Sigmund Freud, CarlJung, and
Herman Hesse were just a few of the great European minds that saw the forth
coming social and psychological chaos, inherent in the transition to the
twenty-first century. The great Indologists, Heinrich Zimmer and Mircea Eli
ade, and their compatriot, mythologist Joseph Campbell, have all passed away,
leaving us a heritage of understanding and a pointer for the future.
x ii!
Il1tr,,�ucti"l1
]ONN M UMFORD
St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN, USA
1993
xv
The author practicing 'Yoni Mudra.' The Ganges River is flowing in the background with the
Himalayan foothills in the distance. Hardwa r, Uttar Pradesh State, North India, 196 1 .
�art One
Hatha is perhaps the aspect of Yoga best known to Westerners. To most stu
dents it is simply a difficult system of physical control involving the use of sta
tic poses (asanas) and the learning of specialized breathing techniques
(pranayama) .
The introduction of dynamic, calisthenic-like movements for the perfor
mance of the poses, as seen in the last twenty-five years, is strictly a modern
innovation, for the original Sanskrit meaning of asana is simply "a firm seat. "
Few realize that the base upon which Hatha Yoga rests is an implicit
axiom stating that if the mind can influence the body (psychosomatics) , than
the converse is equally true. The body influences the mind (somatopsychics) .
When we are nervous, depressed, or suffer from chronic anxiety, our men
tal state is reflected in the function, control, and appearance of our physical
being. At a later stage (in chronic anxiety, for instance) , our mental state and
the concomitant arousal of the sympathetic nervous system may encourage
organic changes in the body resulting in such disabilities as (depending upon
our genetic predispositions) ulcers, colitis, heart disease, immune system
impairment, and a host of other manifestations.
Hatha Yoga reestablishes the mental stability of the individual and thus
reverses the process which results in psychosomatic diseases. This is accom-
3
A Chakra an� 1<un�a[{n{ "Workbook
plished by first teaching the student to acquire control of his or her body.
Control of the body, in turn, requires effort at controlling the mind, since no
muscle is flexed, no nerve activated, and no blood circulated unless under the
control (voluntary or involuntary) of the mind.
The Sanskrit roots of Hatha break down into Ha and Tha. Ha refers to the
sun, a positive masculine symbol, while Tha refers to the moon, a receptive
feminine symbol. Generally Hatha is understood as indicating the union of the
positive, sun-drenched inhalation (Ha) with the cleansing, cooling exhalation
(Tha) . Given a deeper interpretation, we see that Ha esoterically symbolizes the
positive mind uniting with its polar opposite, the material vehicle of Tha, the
body. Herein lies the clue to the true esoteric teaching of Adam (the mind) and
Eve (the body) as depicted in Genesis.
Hatha Yoga may be defined as the "science of uniting and coordinating the
physical and mental aspects of one's being through consciously attempted dis
cipline of the body. "
We may also note that the original Sanskrit root from which Hatha derives
is HATH, meaning " to strike a blow against" (by implication, working to over
come the inherent inertia of the mind-body complex) .
It was during this century that the Russian scientist Pavlov rediscovered
the principle of conditioning and the conditioned reflex known for several
thousand years by the Hatha Yogis. It is with this idea of being able to condi
tion the body and consequently the mind that we begin our study of the first
exercise, Sukhasana.
4
J\1in� Over J\1atter: Sukhasana
Sukhasana l iterally means "Easy Pose" (Sukha Easy; Asana Pose). It is one
= =
Specific Advantages
1 . A solid, triangular base for trunk and head.
2. The sp ine is kept straight and thus the nerve flow along spine and
between vertebrae is uninhib ited.
3 . The lungs are free for exercises in deep breathing as taught in Pranayama.
4. Said to aid awakening of kundalini (latent nervous energy locked within
the central nervous system) .
For those who cannot bend their legs o r s it upon the floor, s imilar mental
advantages may be cultivated by s itting in the "Egyptian Pose," or "Egyptian
God Posture," on a chair. We will discuss this variant after the floor method.
Technique
1 . Place a cushion or folded blanket on the floor. Sit upon the blanket or
cushion using only the front edge, or first third of the support-this
assists by tilting the hips forward. Have your legs stretched out in front of
you in preparation for bending.
2. Bend your right leg under your left thigh and the left leg under the right
thigh, assuming the cross-legged "ta ilor pose." Check that your kneecaps
are roughly level with each other. If they are not, your trunk will lean
slightly to the lower s ide, disturbing body symmetry and balance.
5
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �"rkb(l"k
3 . Keep your spine erect and your head nicely poised upon your shoulders.
4. Place your hands, palms down, upon your knees in such a fashion that
they will not slip off. Be certain that your elbows relax naturally against
your body.
5. Firmly close your eyes as if you were drawing down shutters. Continue to
keep your eyelids under control for the duration of the session.
6. You are now introverted within yourself. Concentrate your mind upon the
natural rhythm of your breath, control yourself from dreaming, reasoning,
or otherwise becoming mentally active, and keep your body erect,
motionless, and as relaxed as possible. Concentrate upon just "being."
Meditate upon the movement of Life Force by attentively observing the
natural, spontaneous breath cycle as it goes through four phases: L e . ,
inhalation, momentary pause, exhalation, momentary pause. Each time
your mind wanders, return to this breath awareness, simultaneously cul
tivating a sensation of total frozen immobility in your body-utter
motionlessness.
6
�In� Over �atter: Sukhasana
SUKHASANA:
CLASSICAL FLOOR POSTURE
Elbows
relaxed
Knees
Fingers level
pointing
down and
relaxed
7
.A. Chakra an� 1<"m�a{ini 'W(�rkh()(lk
This pose for those who cannot sit upon the floor or bend their knees is also
known as "The Egyptian God Posture," and is often seen as the Western equiv
alent of an asana for meditation.
Technique
1 . Sit upon the forward half o f the chair with your spine away from the chair
back.
2. Let your feet turn slightly out and check that the lower legs are at a 90-
degree angle with your thighs. Place books or cushions under your feet to
ensure this. Your thighs may be open and comfortably separated.
3 . Your kneecaps should now b e level and you may place your hands, palms
down, upon you knees, in such a fashion that the four fingers are pointing
downward (earthward) and they will not slip off. Allow your elbows to
relax naturally against your body.
4. Keep your spine erect and your head nicely poised upon your shoulders.
Vertically align your nose with your navel.
5 . Firmly close your eyes a s if you were drawing down shutters; continue to
keep your eyelids under control for the duration of the session.
6. You are now introverted within yourself. Concentrate your mind upon the
natural rhythm of your breath, control yourself from dreaming, reasoning,
or otherwise becoming mentally active, and keep your body erect,
motionless, and as relaxed as possible. Concentrate upon just "being."
Meditate upon the movement of Life Force by attentively observing the
natural, spontaneous breath cycle as it goes through four phases: i.e. ,
inhalation, momentary pause, exhalation, momentary pause. Each time
your mind wanders, return again to this breath awareness, simultaneously
cultivating a sensation of total frozen immobility in your body-utter
motionlessness.
.:Min� Over .:Matter: 5ukhasana
Nose in line
with navel ------�
-
_ _ _ _ _ Spine free
from back
of chair
Elbows relaxed __
Allow mid-back
(lumbar) to
maintain natural
______
Hands palm.
down rmgers --
curve (lordosis)
pointing down
9
You are now in a position to experience yoga (union)
by sacrificing thinking for "being."
Performance Time
Perform this exercise for a minimum of five minutes in the first week, rapidly
building to twenty minutes by the third week. Using a timing device (pocket
alarm, watch, kitchen timer, etc.) is helpful.
Check Points
1 . After commencement o f the exercise, check your elbows to see that they
are relaxed and swing freely.
2 . Check your eyelids t o see that they are steady and controlled. Any flicker
ing of the lashes indicates mental agitation and lack of absorption in lhe
exercise.
3 . Make certain that you do not unconsciously slip into a slouch and thus
bend the upper ( dorsal) spine.
As with any of the classical Hatha asanas, very distinct performance prob
lems arise. Let us list them along with appropriate remedies.
1 . The pressure of the floor upon your feet may cause pain and thus distract
attention. This is overcome by practice in which the feet are gradually
conditioned.
2. The spine may tend to slouch. The remedy lies in sustained, disciplined
effort.
3 . The mind may become agitated and refuse t o become calm. We follow the
same principle of quieting a bored or upset child: We provide something
suitable in the way of distraction, such as concentration upon simple
10
.:!\;tin� Over .:!\;tatter: 5ukha5ana
For those who have problems with eyelid flutter, I have discovered a very sim
ple and effective remedy. A functional "meditation hood" can be easily made from a
piece of spandex material, roughly 1 8" x 1 4 ", folded over to 9" x 1 4" and sewn
together on one short side and the remaining long sides, leaving the other short side
open so as to pull it over the entire head and face like a ski mask. If desired, the top
portion (the first short side) can be rounded before sewing. The advantage of the
spandex is that it exerts just enough pressure against the eyelids to hold them firmly
but comfortably shut-hence no flutter-but the material is thin and porous
enough for easy breathing. The further advantage of such a "meditation hood" is
11
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini "Workbook
that it does give a feeling of isolation, as would a cave or a magical ritual, from the
everyday world. Even though the spandex material is too thin to block out sound,
the feeling of isolation given by the hood makes it a kind of portable meditation
chamber.
We include a simple drawing to explain the home sewing. Obviously, the
concept can be modified if materials other than spandex, such as thin kidskin,
are preferred. Then it would be necessary to fit the hood more carefully to
actual shape and measurements of the head, and to provide a shaped form for
the nose with an opening at the nostrils for breathing as well as an opening
from the crown down to the neck that can be laced or zippered shut. To accom
plish the effect of a minimal amount of pressure against the closed eyelids, the
hood (or head-mask) must be form -fitting, but not uncomfortably tight. For
persons who suffer a degree of nasal congestion, this shaped form of hood may
be preferred to the spandex.
12
Min� Over Matter: 8ukhasana
Spandex material
cut to shape
,
, ,
, ,
, ,
,
"
14
open
1 TOP NECK
2 AROUND MOUTH
3 AROUND NOSE
4 AROUND FOREHEAD
13
Chapter �W()
15
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'Workbook
Shavasana means " corpse pose" (Shava corpse, asana pose) and it has
= =
The student will discover that the classical names given to this exercise
rather dramatically emphasize the relaxation accruing from its practice.
Specific Advantages
l. A deep state of muscular relaxation is brought about.
2. The blood pressure is lowered (individuals with unusually low blood
pressure may suffer discomfort from practice of Shavasana) , while at the
same time heartbeat and respiration are considerably slowed.
3 . A transfer of prana (nervous energy) to the internal organs takes place.
4. The nervous system is rested and rejuvenated.
5. The mind is brought to the point of complete relaxation from which it
may go into a deep, dreamless sleep. (This is optional, depending on the
student's desire. )
Elementary Technique
The practice of Shavasana is conveniently divided into two steps or stages.
In the first stage, you learn to relax the body as a unit and give in com
pletely to the force of gravity. If you observe an animal or a baby sleeping, you
will see that upon awakening they leave a deep impression in the cushion or
mat slept upon. Animals and babies instinctively "let go" completely and allow
gravity to do the work.
TECHNIQUE ONE
l. Lie supine (face up) on the floor upon a suitable folded blanket or mat.
Loose clothing should be worn, and the room temperature ought to be
comfortably warm.
2. Place your feet about twenty inches apart and allow your ankles and toes
to relax to the outside.
3 . Place your hands palms u p (or comfortably o n the little finger edge of the
hands) as we are trying to avoid stimulus to the sensitive tactile receptors
*Sanskrit Mrit is the etymological antecedent to such English words as mortal, post-mortem,
and moribund.
16
underneath the fingertips, thus dampening the alerting responses in the
brain.
4. Check that your shoulders are flat and that the small of your back is
relaxed into the floor.
S. Adjust your head to a comfortable position.
6. Completely surrender your body weight to the floor.
Note: In steps 4 and S you may place small cushions under your knees, neck,
and shoulders to increase comfort. Anyone with low back trouble must be cer
tain to place several pillows under each knee. Also be aware that Shavasana
may be practiced upon a bed or couch, but training on a floor teaches you to
overcome discomfort by melting into the floor.
7. Preliminary Rotation Sequence: Tighten-Lift-Release-Drop
The following sequence commences on the right side of the body and pro
gresses to the left, for both arms and legs, and finishes with awareness of
the whole trunk of the body. If necessary, you may repeat the routine sev
eral times before progressing to the more classical Step 8.
Right arm: On inhalation (breathing naturally) , make a firm fist, extend
ing the contraction up the arm to the shoulder, while simultaneously
stretching your arm and raising your whole arm a few inches from the
floor. Upon exhalation, release the tension in your arm and let it "flop"
(drop) to the floor.
Left arm: Switch the searchlight of your mind to your left arm, mentally
scanning from shoulders to fingertips; on inhalation, make a fist, stretch
your arm from the shoulder, and lift it several inches from the floor. Upon
exhalation, allow your arm to relax and collapse to the floor.
Right leg: Focus your attention down your right leg (from groin to toes) .
On inhalation, bend your foot back (dorsiflexing) , pointing your toes
toward your kneecap (stretching the calf muscle) , and raising your leg
several inches from the floor. With the exhalation, relax your leg and let it
drop to the floor.
Left leg: Turning your concentration to your left leg, sense and feel it,
repeating the inhalation-contraction-elevation sequence, as with the right
leg, and following with the exhalation-relaxation-releasing sequence, let
ting it drop to the floor.
Whole body awareness: In this inhalation-exhalation cycle, direct your
awareness to your spine and trunk, mentally traveling from your pelvis to
the back of your head, cultivating a "melting" sensation on exhalation.
17
A Chakra an� 1<.un�al{n{ "Workbook
ADVANTAGES OF STEP 7
This step begins elementary Shavasana proper, and basically is intended as a
five-part routine to commence the practice at each session.
The specific advantages of Step 7 are:
1 . Encourages release o f physical tension in the limbs by muscular contrac
tion followed by flaccidity.
2. The contraction-release phases increase proprioceptive, kinesthetic, and
circulatory consciousness of the limbs.
3 . Both hemispheres of the brain, alternatively, become involved with the
sequential firing of motor strips (contractive phase) and sensory strips
(relaxation phase) within each cerebral cortex. This becomes an auto
matic psychophysiological attention fixer for centering consciousness.
SUMMARY OF STEP 7
l. Right arm: Inhalation while sensing, contracting, and lifting.
Exhalation while relaxing, dropping, and melting.
2. Left arm: Inhalation while sensing, contracting, and lifting.
Exhalation while relaxing, dropping, and melting.
3 . Right leg: Inhalation while sensing, contracting, and raising.
Exhalation while relaxing, dropping, and melting.
4. Left leg: Inhalation while sensing, contracting, and raising.
Exhalation while relaxing, dropping, and melting.
5 . Whole trunk: Mentally scan from the pelvis , up the spine, to the back
of the head while "surrendering" the trunk of the body
to gravity.
8. Commence concentrating upon your upper and lower extremities (the
arms and legs) , and with each exhalation feel your arms and legs becom
ing heavier and heavier. Imagine yourself melting or sinking into the floor.
It should be noted that the placing of the extremities permits the individ
ual to take maximum advantage of the natural pull of gravity. Hatha Yoga
teaches, as a fundamental tenet, the use of natural forces such as gravity.
1�
Shavasal1a: rrhe J\1il1�j5,,�y 'Relaxer
Focus upon a feeling of total sagging, going with gravity, and simultane
ously cultivate the imagined sensation that the ground or floor is moving up to
meet you, rather like an elevator going up.
Advanced Technique
In the advanced step we learn to localize each part of the body and systemati
cally relax and inhibit afferent and efferent (sensory and motor) nervous
impulses. This is accomplished through commencing concentration at the feet
and slowly working up to the head.
The Yogis (whose knowledge of neuroanatomy was gained by introspec
tion) long ago discovered the secret nerve zones of the human body and
divided them into sixteen major areas called Marmasthanani. These positions
are as follows:
1 . Feet 5. Abdomen 9. Hands 13. Back of head
2. Shins 6. Solar plexus 10. Forearms 14. Jaw
3 . Kneecaps 7 . Upper chest 1 1 . Upper arms 15. Eyes
4. Thighs 8. Spine 1 2 . Throat 1 6 . Scalp or
Bramapura
In fact, there are 108 of these zones listed in the Ayurvedic (Hindu) med
ical texts; the above list is just one classical selection used for concentration.
They divide the body up conveniently, from major joint to joint, cavities, and
partitions. The word "Marma" is usually translated "joint," but is better ren
dered "j oint complex. " The Hindu surgeons maintained that a person would
die or be permanently maimed if struck in these areas. In fact, they were cor
rect because any injury to a joint by an non-sterile, penetrating weapon, from
arrow to bullet, guarantees septic arthritis, barely treatable with modem antibi
otics. When these j oints and inclusive areas are reduced to heaviness, relax
ation, and motionlessness through Yoga concentration, we disconnect major
nerve receptors called proprioceptors (from the same Latin root that gives us
the word "property;" meaning "one's own") , thus blurring body-mind bound
aries and escaping physical confines.
19
A Chakra an� 1<un�a[ini �orkbook.
.,\
Back of head "
,
, .•
Fee:
Throat .·····
•. O·
Upper Arms Forearms • •
Spine • Thighs
Hands
20
CLASSICAL MARMASTHANANI CHART II
Back of head
(occiput)
[
shoulder joints)
l.
Forearms • (navel to tip of breast bone)
(including
elbow joints)
Q
Lower abdomen
(groin to navel)
Hands (including
fingertips and •
wrist joints)
[
and calf muscles)
Feet (including 0
ankle joints)
21
The first stage is to experientially fix the order of the sixteen places in
memory. This is done by a combination of visualization and physical contrac
tion of each Marma. Lie supine as per instructions for the Elementary Tech
nique.
Visualization-Contraction Exercise
1 . Feet: Visualize-Sense-See your feet, including the ankle joints. Simultane
ously curl the toes of both feet, then relax suddenly and be aware of any
tingling sensations. Mentally repeat: "Feet, First Zone . "
2. Shins: Visualize-Sense-See your lower legs and calf muscles. Increase
awareness of your calf muscles by turning your toes up toward your knee
caps (dorsiflexion) , then suddenly relaxing while consciously scanning
your shins and calves. Mentally repeat: "Shins, Second Zone. "
3 . Knees: Visualize-Sense-See both knee joints and become aware of the area
in a 3600 area. Push the hollows (popliteal spaces) behind each knee
against the floor, release, access any sensations, and repeat silently:
"Knees, Third Zone."
4. Thighs: Visualize-Sense-See the thighs, tense them by inverting the toes
(turning them in toward each other, causing the adductor muscles to
contract) , relax, and let go, allowing your legs to flop back outward
(eversion) . Note the sensations and verbalize to yourself: "Thighs,
Fourth Zone . "
5. Abdomen (navel to pubic bone) : Visualize-Sense-See the pelvic basin from
groin to navel, expel your breath while simultaneously squeezing your
buttocks together, and suck in your abdomen in as if trying to pull your
navel and anus together. Release, letting air rush into your lungs, note the
sensations, and mentally state: "Lower abdomen, Fifth Zone."
6. Solar plexus (navel to tip of breastbone) : Visualize-Sense-See your midriff,
expelling your breath while contracting the navel, as if your were pulling
it back and up to touch your spine. Release abdominal tension while let
ting air reflexively flood back into your lungs, and with an awareness of
midriff sensations, affirm silently: "Solar plexus, Sixth Zone."
MNEMONIC TIP: "s" is common to the words solar plexus and sixth, so later,
when mentally going over these zones, you will know you are at the sixth
Marma when you reach the solar plexus.
22
5htll,/tl5tll1tl: Efhe .:M[I1�-'5o�y �e[tlxer
23
TECHNIQUE TWO:
ADVANCED SHAVASANA USING THE
SIXTEEN MARMASTHANANI
24
PSYCHIC SHAVASANA
This exercise can produce out-of-body experiences and profound altered states
of consciousness. The method is dependent upon prior mastery of the elemen
tary and advanced Shavasana techniques.
The essence of the exercise involves two keys:
1 . The amalgamation o f the Marmasthanani zones into ten areas by verbal
cue.
2. Preliminary conditioning through performing Tratak (open-eyed fixation)
upon a rotating spiral disk, followed by gazing at a picture or the wall and
experiencing apparent expansion of the environment.
1 . TOE
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
On the following page we present the complete list with associated, inclu
sive body parts. The exercise of attempting to fill in the chart helps integrate
these zones into memory and bridges the area with the classical Marmas
thanani you have already learned.
25
A Chakra an� 1<.un�al{n{ "Workbook
TEN-ZONE CHART
We are now ready to rotate the consciousness through the established ten
regions. This is done bilaterally-Le . , going from the toes up the left half of the
body to the left ear and down the right half of the body from the right ear and
ending at the right toe.
Sweeping the attention up the left side Marmas and down the right side
may be practiced sitting in a chair, although for the full Yoga Nidra it is better
to recline on a couch or the floor. Your eyes are to be closed and you may even
use a sleeping mask or meditation hood.
Focusing involves simultaneously feeling the part, visualizing the
anatomy, and mentally repeating the name of the zone. This will produce
intense monoideism, or a single-pointedness of consciousness with an ensuing
tranceCscendant) state.
SSS Rule:
Sense it!
See it!
Say it!
26
Become aware of your left foot and sense circulation pressure, tingles,
and any other sensations from toes to ankles. See (visualize) a picture of your
left foot, and silently say "Toe." Next, encompass your entire left leg with your
attention and repeat the procedure. Continue to work up the left side in this
manner, and then down the right side. Repeat three times. (See the diagram
on the following page.)
27
A Chakra al1� 1<ul1�a[il1i "Workbook
Ear 0 G Ear
Eye . • Eye
Gum e e Gum
Lip . • Lip
Jaw Jaw
.1 1 .
Arm .
1 1 .Arm
Leg • • Leg
Toe 0 O Toe
29
PSYCHIC SHAVASANA CLOCKWISE REENTRY SPIRAL
WITH ALTERNATIVE CHAKRA ENTRANCE POINTS
Third eye:
"Command" Center
(Intuition, Insight)
Throat:
"Purity" Center
(Communication, Cleansing)
Heart:
"Unstruck Sound" Center
(Compassion, Cooperation)
Navel:
"Gem City" Center
(Energization, Enthusiasm)
30
Shavasana: 'The j\{in�-'''l)o �8 'Relaxer
What is Required?
A) One CD no longer wanted (i.e. unloved)
B) One thumbtack (variously referred to as 'tacks' or 'drawing pins' )
C) Blu-tack or freshly chewed wad of gum (Plastercine could also be used)
D) Some masking tape (the kind used to seal up packing cartons) or Scotch tape
(Geoff tells me the adhesive on masking tape is better as it lasts longer! )
Procedure
l. Make a photocopy of the "Tratak Spiral for use with Psychic Shavasana"
(See page 33) and another photocopy of "Geoff Whitefield's Magic Trance
Spiral" on page 34. Paste the spirals onto another piece of good quality
paper and cut around the circumferences of the spirals. You should now
have two spirals, exactly the size of a CD. They both will attach to a CD,
as we shall see, which allows them to be spun on a smooth surface.
2. Take the CD and put two pieces of masking tape over the central aperture,
in an 'x' pattern. Do this on both sides of the CD (As per diagram page 34) .
3. Put a small blob of blu-tack on the playing (grooved) side of the CD and flat
ten it out so a circle is made over the masking tape coveling the aperture.
4. Take the thumbtack and push it through the masking tape (on the label
side) and at the very center, so the point projects through both the mask
ing tape and blu-tack on the grooved side.
We now have a perfect spinning device as the convex surface on the head
of the brass thumbtack provides a perfect pivot for the CD to spin around
on any smooth surface.
5. Now it becomes a simple matter to carefully align the center of one of the
spirals with the point of the thumbtack and then settle it onto the CD sur
face; the blu-tack will firmly mount the spiral onto the CD
Geoff recommends cutting the tip of the thumbtack back by a third with pliers.
31
A Chakra ano 1<unoalini rw(lrkbMk
The point of the tack sometimes protrudes enough above the spiral to
throw a shadow and distract the attention. A smooth-surface clipboard
provides a. good portable surface for spinning the CD and spiral.
Geoff emphasizes two additional points:
1. Best effects are produced under a bright fluorescent white light. You could
also experiment with colored light bulbs.
2. Resist the tendency to "smooth out" the jagged lines and serrations along
the vanes of the spiral. These serrations are a design feature incorporated
into the spiral design to produce a light diffraction of white light into the
component colors of the visible spectrum.
32
Shal/asana: �he J\1in�-'6('�8 'Relaxer
clockwise movement are activated, producing the illusion of an "expanding
universe. " We are using this phenomena to encourage the consciousness to
release, with awareness, beyond the physical body (sometimes, in this context,
referred to as the "shell") .
A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT GEOFF WHITEFIELD'S MAGIC TRANCE SPIRAL:
Geoff showed me a number of different spirals and I particularly liked one
basic design used in America as a Hypno-disk. Geoff promptly went to work,
modifying and improving the design radically. One of the special features of his
'Magic Trance Spiral' is the serrated edges which act as a diffraction pattern for
light waves. The consequence of this is that, like a Benham's disk, you will start
to see colors emerging as the spiral spins. The colors vary at different speeds
and Geoff comments that the colors "are also dependent on the clockwise or
counterclockwise rotation of the spiral. "
33
A Chakra an� 1<un�a[[n[ 'Workbook
CD T humbtack Tape
1. Apply tape in 'X' pattern on both sides 3. Push thumbtack through center of masking
tape on label side so point penetrates mask
ing tape and blu�tack on the grooved side
@
covering aperture on grooved side 4. Use point of thumbtack to gUide cut-out
photocopy of "Magic T rance Spiral" onto
the center of the CD and push firmly
onto blu-tack
34
Chapter �hree
-=-he eternal, age-old path of Yoga has techniques which permit a person not
.'ust to escape the illusion (Maya) we term life, but to escape within him or her
�lf to a true inner reality wherein may be found the flaming lamp of transcen
iental consciousness. As we use Yoga to probe deeper within the grottoes of
::>ur own minds, we approach the core of our own beings until we experience
�lf-reintegration physically, mentally, and emotionally.
One such technique of turning within is Yoni Mudra. "Yoni" means
-'womb or source." This reference is to the Absolute, or Brahman, as the source
::>f all existence. The word "Mudra," in this case, denotes a physical practice
�'hich has effect on the mind. Yoni Mudra has also been called Sanmukhi
-San" means "six" and "mukhi" means "orifice or mouth") indicating that the
�LX body orifices (namely eyes, ears, nose, mouth, anus, and genital opening)
.ile closed. Another classical name is Parang Mukhi. "Parang" suggests a turn
�:i1g away from the outside world and a closing of the senses, resulting in
?ratyahara (sense withdrawal) .
35
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �orkbook
Specific Advantages
1 . The five senses are shut off mechanically, leading to a semiautomatic state
of Pratyahara.
2. The nervous system is rejuvenated, particularly in terms of diminished
gross sensory input through blocking the eyes and ears by the forefingers
and thumbs respectively. The remaining three fingers produce partial sen
sory blocking (tactile) via pressure on branches of the trigeminal cranial
nerve. (See "Neurological Basis for Psychosomatic Action of Yoni Mudra"
on page 4 1 . )
3 . Psycho-physiological homeostasis, o r balance, is induced through pres
sure on the Nadis (psychic channels in Yoga) . This is most easily under
stood in terms of acupuncture points and meridians. (See "Acupuncture
Points Stimulated During Yoni Mudra" on page 45.)
4. Cooperation is brought about between the mind and the body as a result
of the disciplined conditioning required to maintain the pose.
5 . The mind is given an opportunity to introvert and experience a complete
withdrawl from what may be a disturbing environment.
6. In the advanced phase, the student uses a powerful procedure that ends in
Self-realization or an intense U3 experience ("Ultimate Universal Unity") .
36
'Yon{ Mu�ra: 'The <Vo{ce or S{lence
Elementary Technique
1 . Sit in a meditative pose. Padmasana is preferred for those already experi
enced in Hatha Yoga, but Sukhasana or the Egyptian Chair Pose will be
adequate for the beginner.
2. Raise the elbows level with your shoulders and at right angles to your
body, jutting out on each side.
3 . (a) Close your ears by inserting your thumbs in your ears.
(b) Close your eyes with your forefingers by placing your fingers along
the lower lids to trap the upper eyelashes.
(c) Place your middle fingers on either side of the bridge of your nose,
leaving the nostrils open for breathing.
(d) Press your upper lip shut with the ring fingers, the fingertips touching
each other.
(e) Press your lower lip shut with the little fingers, the fingertips touching
each other.
4. Breathe slowly and evenly while concentrating upon any visual images,
spots, or colors that may arise. If spots appear, visualize them contracting
and expanding.
The pose should be held for at least five minutes and maintained for up to
fifteen minutes. You will notice that colors appear brighter after practice and a
feeling of tranquillity ensues. Spend a week on this exercise before attempting
the advanced technique.
The initial conditioning involves learning to keep the arms up with the
dhows straight out at the sides, at shoulder height. Discomfort tends to vanish
-.\;thin a week.
37
A Chakra al1� 1<ul1�alil1i 'Workbook
--+
Advanced Technique
1 . Repeat the elementary technique up to and including Step 3 .
2. Commence alternate nostril breathing by pressing shut the left nostril
with the left middle finger, and inhaling slowly and evenly through the
right nostril. After a full inhalation, press the right nostril shut with the
right middle finger, then open the left nostril and exhale slowly and
evenly through it. Inhale slowly and evenly through left nostril, close it,
open the right nostril and exhale through it, and continue repeating the
cycle of alternate nostril breathing.
3 . After firmly establishing the breathing rhythm, begin the mental repeti
tion of the mantra So Hum. So is mentally repeated on the inhalation and
Hum is mentally repeated on the exhalation. The japa (repetition) of the
mantra is to be carried on in conjunction with, and while being mindful
39
A: Tragus
C: Antitragus
of, the alternate nostril breathing. This particular mantra will have a deep
effect upon the subconscious as well as quieting the conscious mind.
4. Absorb yourself deeper and deeper in the exercise with the object of expe
riencing what might be best described as a conscious moment of "No
Thought."
This advanced stage should be performed for fifteen minutes and a goal
set of thirty minutes.
40
In the early stage of Yoni Mudra the mind has been shut off from extrane
ous sensory stimulation and mental agitation and further calmed by deep, even
respiration. It is now that the mind needs a "pole," L e . , a concentrative point,
if it is to climb into higher states of consciousness. The pole, or focal point, is
provided in the form of the mantra So Hum, which means "He I am. "
"He" is the eternal source of all being, Brahman, the Paramatman, the
_-\bsolute. You could not have a more powerful pivot or focal point from which
to spring into higher states of consciousness. Through this audgita (silent
chanting) you pass from Pratyahara proper into 5amyama (concentration, con
templation, and meditation) .
Yoni Mudra is one of the most suitable methods in Hatha Yoga for passing
into Antaranga, the higher branches dealt with in Raja Yoga. It should be men
tioned that just as 5havasana is the hidden key to Yogic trance states, so Yoni
Mudra is the key to the siddhis (psychic powers) of clairvoyance and clairau
dience.
The thumbs indirectly inhibit sensory stimulation of the eighth cranial nerve.
This is the purely sensory acoustic nerve.
The fifth cranial nerve, the trigeminal, is the primary nerve affected by
pressure of the fingers in Yoni Mudra. The trigeminal is the largest cranial
nerve. The trigeminal divides into three major branches: the ophthalmic (sen
sory) , the maxillary (sensory) , and the mandibular, one branch of which is
sensory.
During the performance of Yoni Mudra, the first fingers touch over the
infra trochlear branch of the ophthalmic and the infraorbital branch of the
maxillary. The middle fingers depress the nasal rami (branches) of the infraor
bital nerve. The ring fingers press upon the superior labial rami of the infraor
bital nerve. The little fingers affect the inferior labial branch of the mandibular
nerve (sensory branch) . (Note: The nerves pressed by the fingers are tactile.)
The second cranial nerve, the optic, is indirectly affected by the closure of
the eyes and thus a saving of body energy is brought about by Yoni Mudra.
41
A Chakra an� 1<un�a[ini 'Workbook
42
'YOI1{ �u�ra: �he 'Vo{ce of SLlel1ce
T Difficulties of this type may warn the student that the pose is incorrectly per
formed. Such disturbances may also have something to do with changes in
blood pressure due to the position of the arms.
43
.A. Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ ruJ"ykh""k
First fingers
Infratrochlear nero
Little fingers
Labial rami
44
'Yoni .1v1.u�ra: 'The 'Voice of 8ilence
Bladder
Stomach •...,.�
Governor v---- __
�
\Tessel
Conception
,.,..----l
Vessel
Plethora of ear
points within ear
canal (external
auditory meatus)
having profound
effects on balancing
autonomic nervous
system
45
In shallow souls, even the Jish oj small things
can cause a commotion. In oceanic minds, the largest Jish
makes hardly a ripple.
- Hindu proverb
47
Chapter �()ur
Polarization
" Raja" means "king," thus Raja Yoga is the "Kingly Yoga" or "Royal Way." The
-King" or master in our lives is the mind, and it is the control of mind that Raja
Yoga teaches .
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras is considered the classic text on Raja Yoga. Its four
chapters deal with the discipline of the mind and psychic potential. Ashtanga
toga, as Patanjali's book is often called, is a specific study of the inner or eso
teric four limbs of Yoga. These four limbs are Pratyahara (sometimes consid
::-red a part of Bahira-anga or as the transitory stage from Hatha to Raja) ,
Jharana (concentration) , Dhyana (Contemplation or sustained concentra
jon) , and Samadhi (states of ecstasy, realization, and cosmic consciousness) .
SUPERNORMAL ABILITIES
49
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini <Workbook
Raja Yoga may be defined as the science of concentrating and focusing the
conscious mind upon the unconscious mind until a merger takes place
between them, resulting in a new superconscious state of mind. As you have
gathered by now, Raja Yoga deals exclusively with the mind and may therefore
be considered as applied Eastern psychology.
In this age of Western psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, a
few words would not be amiss concerning the essential differences between
Eastern psychology, as typified by Raja Yoga, and contemporary Western psy
chology.
Modern Western psychoanalysis may be said to have really commenced
with the work of Freud, some ninety years ago . The psychology of Raja Yoga,
as expounded by Patanjali, is nearly 2000 years old and the source from which
Patanjali drew his material is even older.
Western psychology is based upon theory proved empirically by tests
which have provided statistical data. Eastern psychology has as its fundamen
tal basis personal, subj ective experience. The Eastern student does not ratio
nalize truth-he or she experiences it. It is an Eastern maxim that the student
accepts nothing as true until he or she validates it by personal experience.
DIFFERING METHODOLOGY
Western and Eastern psychology both have the goal of aiding people to solve
their problems. Where they differ is in methodology.
What is needed is a synthesis of the best of Eastern and Western psychol
ogy. Where Eastern psychology lacks objective data for providing empirical
proof, Western psychology lacks objective techniques which will produce sub
jective changes within the patient or student.
The emergence of the "Trans-personal" psychology movement in the
eighties is certainly a promising amalgamation of East and West. Let us hope
this trend continues through the nineties, as it is certainly a healthier perspec
tive than the "pop" psychology fads espoused by some. The one thing certain
in Western clinical psychology is that this year's theory will be replaced by a
new one next year.
Raja Yoga, as taught by a competent teacher, has two aspects which are
emphatically denied as impossible by Western psychologists.
First, through graded steps in visualization, the development of a photo
graphic memory is ensured. Second, the raising of an individual intelligence
quotient to well above average and perhaps even genius level can be done.
50
1'olar{zatiol1
Keeping these claims in mind, the student can see just how interesting the
implications of an East-West psychological synthesis would be.
WORRY-ABSORBING EXERCISE
We finish our "fifty-minute hour" with the psychiatrist and once again find
ourselves alone to face the worries, frustrations, and problems of our lives.
What have we gained, that we personally may apply, in the way of a concrete
technique for self-help? Raja Yoga fills the gap of Western psychology with a
worry-absorbing exercise that we call polarization.
Let us use an analogy as an aid to understanding the mechanics of polar
ization. Suppose we have a magnet and an ordinary piece of iron bar and desire
to magnetize, or polarize, the metal. You will recall enough of elementary sci
ence to know that the molecular arrangement of a magnet is in alignment, so
that a single force field is produced. This is not the case with the unmagnetized
iron bar as its molecular structure is not harmoniously patterned, and conse
quently the individual force fields of each molecule are working at cross pur
�ses to each other.
If we commence, slowly and systematically, to stroke the iron bar with the
:nagnet, we shall gradually align the bar's molecular structure and a sLaLe of
;,vlarization will result, turning the bar into a magnet.
The magnet represents the mind, while the iron bar symbolizes the emo
=0nal and psychic aspects of the physical being. Raja Yoga teaches polarization
is an exercise that brings about harmony and balance between all positive and
;"':'.'.1 Yoga.
�pecific Advantages
Practiced regularly, polarization will give relief from anxiety and mild
depression. The mind is forced to absorb itself during the exercise and
thus the "worry circle" is broken up.
Polarization may be practiced to induce Yoga Nidra, and therefore is use
ill in conjunction with Shavasana to ease exhaustion and insomnia.
51
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'Workbook
Technique
1 . Lie supine (face up) on the floor upon a folded blanket or mat. The bod:-·
should be so oriented that the head is north and the feet south. This is
again the Yoga principle of taking advantage of natural forces-in this
case, the earth's magnetic field.
2. Place the feet together and the hands palm up, close to the body (actually
touching the sides) .
3 . Start polarization proper b y visualizing-on a slow, even inhalation-pos
itive, pranic, sun energy, warm and golden yellow in color, being dra\\'""Il
through the top of the head, down through the body, and out of the soles
of the feet.
4. On a slow, even exhalation, visualize negative, apranic, moon energy, cool
and blue in color, being drawn up through the soles of the feet, through
the body; and out of the top of the head.
S. If you are practicing polarization for the relief of anxiety, neurasthenia, or
insomnia, prepare yourself by doing Shavasana in reverse. Start with the
vital zones of the head and work down to the feet, maintaining con
sciousness and not falling into Yoga Nidra.
6. Continue the respective visualizations of inhalation and exhalation, and at
the same time try to feel the passage of these energies sweeping the body
and producing a sensation similar to an electric current.
With the colored inhalation feel a tingle vibrate from head to toe, and
from toe to head with the colored exhalation. Synchronize the breath, visual
ization, and sensation of energy flow.
52
'Po[arlzatLOI1
2. Some students will find it more beneficial to break each of the two phases
into inspiration-expiration cycle by themselves, Le.:
(a) On inspiration, draw golden solar energy through the top of your skull
to your solar plexus. The solar plexus is located under the diaphragm,
above the navel, and just below the tip (xiphoid process) of the breast
bone.
(b) On expiration, push golden energy down through the remainder of
your trunk, through your legs, and out the soles of your feet.
(c) On the following inspiration, draw blue (or silver) moon energy up
through the soles of your feet to the solar plexus region.
(d) On the subsequent exhalation, draw the blue-silver energy up through
your chest, neck, and out through the top of your skull.
Continue the above sequence until the proper result has been achieved.
53
A Chakra al1� 1<ul1�alil1i "Workbook
O-�� s?
� ::?-�
54
<Po {arizat{on
55
Chapter �ive
Concentration
DHARANA YANTRA
:-:0W may we test for a relaxed state of mind ready to begin Dharana or con
� ::ntration practice? Close your eyes and deliberately create a warm, smooth,
::h-ety darkness as if you were looking up into a moonless, starless tropical
=5ht. The more tense your mind is, the more your inner blackness will be dis-
�..:rbed by colors and white spots.
It was to aid in gaining the necessary relaxed state of mind that Yogis rec
: :::J.mended meditation in dark caves, monastery cells, and similar places. The
�::-cation of a pure, black field of mental vision will often so relax the mind that
::-:� sensations from tension headaches are inhibited. (Recall in earlier chap
. :::-5 that we mentioned the meditation hood and also suggested the use of a
57
A. Chl1krl1 I1n� 1<.un�l1lini 'Workbook
The student may be wondering what specific result was gained by Dha
rana in the Yoga scheme of self-development. The mind may be thought of as a
wave-covered (emotionally turbulent) lake. Such stormy waters perturb boats
(the external obj ects perceived through the five senses) and also obscure the
view of the lake bottom.
Through concentration, the waters of the mind are calmed and we achieve
a clear focus upon the boats or objects of the senses. At a later stage (Dhyana) ,
we focus within our own being and catch a glimpse of the pearls lying upon the
lake bottom of our lives.
Specific Advantages
1 . Develops concentration to the level required in Raja Yoga.
2. Increases the ability to visualize by transferring an external image to the
inner mind's eye.
3. Facilitates unconscious access by opening a " tunnel" within the stilled
conscious mind.
Preparation
It will be necessary for the student to construct a special Dharana Yantra or
concentration diagram (a Yantra is a geometrical figure used for concentration
purposes) . The Dharana Yantra is made by pasting a two-inch square of white
paper upon the center of a black piece of paper of average writing size.
Technique
1 . Assume a meditative pose or sit in a chair facing a blank, light-colored
wall at a distance of two or three feet.
2. Pin the Dharana Yantra diagram (see page 6 1 ) upon the wall in such a
fashion that the center of the white square is at eye level. Have sufficient
light thrown upon the wall from behind you to see the diagram clearly.
3 . Close your eyes and spend two or three minutes creating a warm, velvety
blackness. Relax and gently push all disturbing or distracting images aside
by repeatedly creating the black field in your inner vision.
4. Open your eyes and perform Tratak, or fixation, on the center of the dia
gram for three to five minutes. Gaze steadily and firmly, inhibiting the
blinking reflex somewhat (but avoiding strain) , until an aura forms
around the edges of the white square.
Concentration
5 . Slowly and without strain transfer your gaze t o a blank portion of the wall
on either side and concentrate upon the afterimage (a black square)
which should appear on the wall. Hold your concentration for as long as
the image is perceptible. When it becomes faint, use your imagination to
strengthen it.
6. When the afterimage has faded completely again, close your eyes and
mentally recreate it. Attempt to hold it as steady as possible on the screen
of your conscious mind.
The practice of Dharana Yantra should be continued for at least a week
before starting the technique for Internal Dharana. Practice time should be
extended to fifteen minutes, and you should spend as much time upon each
stage of the exercise as is necessary.
This Yantra is constructed using color patterns opposite to the ones you will
visualize with your eyes closed. The chart may be used as a preliminary stage
to Internal Dharana.
Gaze upon the white circle until a rim aura has begun to show around the
edges. Wait at least a minute after the first appearance of the rim aura, and then
close your eyes. The afterimages will manifest in the correct sequence of black
background, white square, and black circle.
Specific Advantages
1. Develops concentration and visualization to the point where a photo
graphic memory becomes a distinct possibility.
,
May be specifically used to stimulate latent memory tracts of the subcon
scious and thus recall forgotten material.
59
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ �"rkb""k
Technique
1 . Lie down, supine, in a semi-dark room.
2. Close your eyes; with great care create a mental field of warm, velvety
blackness as in Step 3 of Dharana Yantra.
3. Proj ect upon your black field a white square about the size of writing
paper and centered ten to twelve inches from your eyes. Concentrate upon
holding the image steady and prevent it from moving to either side or up
and down.
4. Holding the image of the white square framed by the black background,
imagine a black circle or black hole in the center of the white square. The
black spot should be roughly the size of a fifty-cent piece. Concentrate
upon the black circle while maintaining the composite visualization of the
black background, white square, and black center.
S. End the exercise by suddenly releasing the entire visualization and watch
ing the images that may flash across the mind's eye.
This particular form of Internal Dharana may be cultivated to the point
where you close your eyes for a few seconds and instantly recall the desired
material that had slipped beyond conscious recall.
All forgotten memories have simply passed from the conscious mind into the
subconscious storehouse. When we forget something, in an examination for
instance, what has happened is that the conscious mind has frozen momentar
ily and thus shut off communication with the memory tracts of the brain. This
exercise " thaws out" the conscious mind by relaxing the tension and permit
ting a free flow along the association stream of preconscious and subconscious
memory reservoirs.
Note: If recall does not come after fifteen to thirty seconds with your eyes
closed, break your pattern ! Open your eyes and focus on your fingers flicking
in front of you. Get up and walk around. Do a clean-up task (dishes, filing, tak
ing the garbage out, dusting, etc.). Later, the memory will flood back.
60
C:mccntrati()n
CONCENTRATION
DHARANA YANTRA DIAGRAM 1
This diagram is designed, along with the one on the other side of this page, to
':Je cut out. It may be enlarged by a photocopier to the desired size and used as
:Jer instructions.
61
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'WDrkhDDk
CONCENTRATION
DHARANA YANTRA DIAGRAM 2
<
1,-,
This diagram is designed, along with the one on the other side of the page, to
be cut out. It may be enlarged by a photocopier to the desired size and used as
per instructions.
62
Concentration
The next time you forget a desired fact or name, close your eyes, give
yourself the sharp mental command that you will remember, and then absorb
your mind in this Internal Dharana exercise. After completing the visualiza
tion, concentrate intensely upon holding it steadily for a few seconds, and then
shatter the picture and wait (with eyes still closed) for the desired association
to pop itself into your conscious mind. With practice, recollection will take
place in ten to fifteen seconds.
You should now find that you have effortlessly memorized five items,
.,. �-cdy match, rabbit, toothbrush, river, and deer. It is as easy to link together
-" ::::J.ty obj ects as it is five. The student is encouraged to experiment with this.
63
Chapter Six
Pranic Rejunvenation:
The Key to Psy chic Healing
Yoga has always had very definite theories concerning mind and its potential
J5es. The Yogi considers mind to be the highest evolution of energy, and this
-:..�
. eory is not limited to just individual mind but is applied to the universe as a
...-hole. Yoga suggests that the ultimate and original state of the universe is
:::Iergy in the form of Cosmic Mind, which permeates everything conceivable;
;s a result we are said to be surrounded by mind, much as goldfish are sur
:-:>unded by water.
When Cosmic Mind manifests itself in building matter, the fundamental
�:lergy involved in such phenomena as cohesion, electricity, magnetism, etc . , is
-::rrned prana, the basic kinetic energy of the universe. Such a cosmology nat-
-=--ally leads to the theory that since mind is all and a fundamental form of it is
:-:.Jed prana, then each individual's mind should be able to control the prana or
-:.-:ryous energy within the individual physical body. Contrary to Western sci
:=-.:e. Eastern science claims that nervous energy within the body may be
65
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workbook
Raja Yoga holds the key which explains the apparent failure many people
experience with Pranayama. The key is concentration of the mind upon the
body while performing Pranayama. Just as the blood circulates through the
body, so Raja Yoga teaches that the mind may be made to circulate consciously
throughout the body.
The practice of Shavasana has taught you to carry the mind through and
to any of the Marmasthanani, while Polarization started you on the first exper
iments in controlling pranic energy. You are now ready for an effective rejuve
nating technique that requires no mastery of a difficult Pranayama exercise, but
only the comfortable retention of breath, coupled with intense concentration
upon the basic sixteen Marmasthanani or vital zones.
Specific Advantages
1 . Increased oxygen absorption as breath retention has a tendency to con
tract the spleen, throwing more red blood cells into circulation.
2. The full inhalation required enlarges the chest cavity, improving the heart
action, and aiding the suction return of venous blood (deoxygenated red
blood cells in the circulatory system) to the heart and lungs.
3 . Prana, o r hypothetical life force, is consciously infused into the body; this
results in the recharging of organs, tissues, and cells.
4. Considered a psychic healing technique for any part of the body.
5 . A specific antidote for quickly counteracting mental fatigue and physical
exhaustion.
Technique
1 . Lie supine (face up) with your feet comfortably together (allowing the
toes to fall outward) , your hands comfortably by your sides with palms
up, or as close to this as is comfortable.
66
'Pranic �ejuvenation: 'The 1<.eg to 'Psgchic <Healing
2. Inhale a slow, even, deep breath and hold it as soon as the lungs feel full.
Retain the breath as long as is comfortable.
3. While retaining the breath, mentally become aware of the feet (first vital
zone) , and visualize golden pranic energy saturating the area with stimu
lating, tingling energy.
Tip: Use your imagination to actually see the area glowing, scintillating
from the inside out, filled with sun-gold vitality, forming an aura sur
rounding the Marmasthanani.
4. Slowly exhale, relaxing the intensity of concentration.
5 . Inhale again, retain the breath, and move t o the next Marmasthanani, the
shins, and repeat your concentration.
6. Work up the body, retaining the breath and concentrating at each of the
basic sixteen vital spots until you finish at the head.
7. If necessary, go over the entire body several times until you feel a distinct
glowing and tingling from toe to head.
Allow at least fifteen minutes for the exercise. In that time you should be
able to go over the body once or more, depending upon the retention period.
The student should strive for thirty seconds kumbhak, or breath retention, at
the end of several months' practice. The key point is to become so consciously
lware of each of the zones that your awareness creates a tingling indicative of
:he successful infusion of prana into that zone.
Before proceeding to practice, we need to do a more detailed analysis of
:.he Marmasthanani list given in Chapter 2. Each zone focused upon must be
-sensed" as three-dimensional layering. Often the area involves a bone, so we
3ltivate the feeling of golden prana being taken into the lungs (subtle energy
�xtracted from the air by the alchemical "will" of your mind) and then trans
:.,:'fted by consciousness to the body part concentrated upon. At the site of
: �ncentration, visualize the bio-energy diffusing from marrow cells through
:.�'ne cells, blood vessel cells, muscle cells, skin cells, and outward for several
=-=hes, forming a force field.
Pranic rejuvenation, when used in conjunction with other exercises, is
�,--=dlent for bringing the consciousness back from a deep state of introspec
-= : :1 . You will discover that not only are physical results apparent with this
:::.:hnique, but also psychological effects appear in the form of a calm, relaxed
=�ntal state. This is due to the respiratory process acting as a psychosomatic
�=--:..: between mind and body, as discussed in the chapter on Yoni Mudra.
67
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'Workbook
Pranic rejuvenation may be practiced daily and there are virtually no co:=.
tra-indications, provided we always adjust the breath retention in terms : :
avoiding strain.
'Pranic �ejuvenation: l"he 'Key to 'Psychic rHealing
69
A Chakrtt an� 1<un�alini 'Workbook
Parathyroids
Lungs
70
�tlrt f{hree
Over it shines the sleeping kundalini, fine as the fiber of the lotus
stalk. Like the spiral of a conch shell, her shining snake-like form
goes three and a half times 'round Shiva and her luster is as that of
a strong flash of young lightning. Her sweet murmur is the indis
tinct hum of swarms of love-mad bees. She maintains all the beings
of the world by means of inspiration and expiration, and shines in
the cavity of the root chakra as a chain of brilliant lights.
- Shatchakra Nirupana
Verses 10, 1 1
71
Chapter Seven
Now I speak of the first sprouting shoot [of the Yoga plant] of the
complete realization of the Brahman, which is to be achieved by
means of the six chakras in their proper order.
- Shatchakra Nirupana
Introductory verse
Laya Yoga is the science of unleashing latent energy hidden within the human
nervous system. As we have evolved from a primarily physically motivated ani
mal to a mentally motivated animal, we have lost much of our physical
strength and capacity for endurance. It could be that the strength and
endurance of our cave-dwelling ancestors still lies locked within our central
nervous system (namely, the brain and spinal cord) in the form of potential
energy. Laya Yoga is the key that attempts to unlock these hidden energy
reserves. (Carl Weschcke has pointed out how the archetypal dream of primal
power release has been evidenced in the former popularity of the television
series The Incredible Hulk.)
This latent energy is called kundalini and is symbolized by a snake coiled
three-and-a-half times. The symbology of the snake gives us the secret impli
cations of kundalini.
The snake has been a sexual symbol from time immemorial, and this tells
us that kundalini is intimately connected with the sexual expression of human
ity. Indeed, sexual activity springs from the stream of kundalini force and is the
most concrete example we have of a latent energy lying within us that has far
reaching effects in our life. The orgasm of sexual union is said to be similar to
the trembling and bliss of kundalini rising.
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A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ �orkbook
This connection between sexual activity and kundalini has led to the devel
opment of two distinct schools of thought. The Tantra school teaches the rise
and release of kundalini by using the physical act of intercourse as a channel for
this energy to express itself. The Yoga school teaches that sexual activity should
be curtailed (Brahmacharya) , thus suppressing kundalini until the pressure
becomes sufficiently strong for kundalini energy to force itself into arousal. Both
schools of thought have half the key in their respective viewpoints, and the
result has been that both schools have thoroughly confused Westerners who
have taken to practicing the exercises prescribed by each tradition.
PROCESS OF INTROSPECTION
The ancient Yogis obtained their remarkable knowledge of the human body
largely through a process of introspection. By Raja Yoga they became so
intensely aware of themselves that they internally felt, rather than saw, the
major blood vessels, nerves, and organs. Out of such introspections grew a the
ory concerning the existence of certain nadis, or psychic nerves, through
which kundalini could manifest.
74
LtlJjtl 'Y"tftl: Efhe 'PsJjchic Centers
The three most important of these astral channels were called Ida, Pingala,
and Sushumna. Ida and Pingala are said to run up the left and right sides of the
spine (corresponding with the sympathetic nerve ganglion on either side of the
spine) , while Sushumna runs between them in a position corresponding to the
spinal cord.
Ida carries feminine, lunar, cooling energy, while her partner, Pingala,
conducts hot solar energy. This allocation is transcultural, as exemplified by
the alchemical art of Renaissance (and earlier) Europe. In alchemy the same
polar juxtapositions occur: via Sun and Moon, King and Queen, hot, burning
sulphur (the Soul) and cooling, liquid mercury (the Spirit) .
Allegorically, Sushumna is said to represent the channel of " Christ Con
sciousness" in us all which is kept vacant, or "crucified," by the emotions run
ning rampant in Ida and Pingala (the two thieves hanging on either side of the
crucified Christ) .
Albrecht Durer, generally acknowledged as the greatest of German Renais
sance artists, has a magnificent portrayal of the Crucifixion, with the thieves
hanging on either side of Christ. The Sun (Pingala) is above the thief on the
right, while the Moon (Ida) crowns the thief hanging to the left.
Kundalini is stored at the base of the spine in the egg-shaped Kanda, from
which is said to emanate 72,000 psychic nerves including Ida, Pingala, and
Sushumna. The object of Laya Yoga is to bring about quiescence of Ida and
Pingala and arouse the fire of kundalini so she ascends Sushumna, awakening
various vital centers (chakras) situated along the way, and finally uniting with
the top center, Sahasrara, where a union takes place between Kundalini Shakti
(feminine receptive) and Shiva Shakta (masculine proj ective) .
This concept may be taken as either symbolic or literal. Each chakra, or
psychic center, as it is touched by the ever climbing flame of Kundalini, has the
particular God and Goddess dwelling within consummate. This is the story of
the union between the solar (logic) and lunar (emotion) aspects in our life,
which takes place upon the ascent into spiritual consciousness.
Laya Yoga is transcendental alchemy. The body becomes both Athanor
(Furnace) and Crucible (Latin cross + thurible, back to Greek "sacrificial
cross" ) . The fire of kundalini calcinates (purifies) the salt (material aspects) ,
sulphur (Soul) , and mercury (Spirit) .
Ultimately, with repeated purifications and extractions, transmutation and
reconstitution into a more perfect being occurs. The spagyric of Body, Soul, and
Spirit manifests and the alchemistIYogi becomes the "Lapis Philosophorum. "
75
THE CRUCIFIXION
76
i.aga 'Yoga: Efhe 'Psgchic Centers
Most commonly, it is taught that the human body contains seven major psy
chic centers, five situated along the spine and two found within the head.
These centers are called chakras or padmas. Chakra means "wheel," and thus
it is implied that these centers are moving or active. Padma means "lotus, " and
as a lotus, like any plant, is something that grows, so the psychic centers are
not fully developed in us but have yet to open their "petals" into full bloom.
The Greek mystery schools espoused the same idea of inner growth
potential when they called their first degree initiates "Neophytes," or literally
"New Plants." The European alchemical and Rosicrucian analogous lotus was
the rose, the color coding of red, yellow, or white signifying the degree of open
ing in the psychic centers. The Western equivalent to the implication of
chakra, Le. , movement, was the concept of planets orbiting within the micro
cosm-man himself.
The flower is a particularly powerful feminine symbol of cup-like recep
tivity to impregnation by fire power (focused attention) .
The six-petaled lotus is the macrocosm (Universe at large) , sacred to
Vishnu, the Preserver. Within this context, kundalini becomes the functional
equivalent of an insect insuring cross-pollination with each padma.
The flower sacred to Shiva is the hibiscus-five-petaled, representing the
five senses of the human person, and is therefore analogous to the microcosm.
The God (Deva) and Goddess (Devi) in each chakralpadma respectively
become the stamen (lingam) and pistil (yoni) , and hence the inherent poten
tial for cohabitation with each psychic center when stimulated by kundalinL
Even more importantly, the hibiscus is sacred to Shiva's Shakti, whose
many names include the epithet Kali. Ebony Kali is the timeless mother of all
manifest (Prakrit) matter. The blood red of the hibiscus is her sacred menstrual
fluid and is also symbolic of the Rajasic or active principal of nature.
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workbook
]
- Stigma Pads,
five in number
Pistil
Stamen
(Yoni)
. --- Anthers (Ungam)
Goddess
God
(Devi)
(Deva)
Style
Staminal Column,
.-----....---ap..
...
hollow
----��- Petal
Calyx -+-...
'
Ep
7�
!aya 'Yoga: 'The /fsychic Centers
79
A Chakra an� 1<un�a[ini "Workbook
80
I.asa 'Yoga: �he 'Psschic Centers
It is said that when kundalini rises and unites with Sahasrara, the result
ing shock to the nervous system awakens the pineal gland from its dormant
state and we finds ourselves possessed of siddhis, or psychic powers. These sid
dhis represent dormant sensory faculties within us that have been lost through
disuse.
Australian aboriginals, for example, are still capable of appearing to track
by smell, much as a dog does. The native senses water in desert areas and gen
erally displays an acute sensitivity to the environment which is lacking in his
or her modernized counterpart. The native's siddhis, like those of an animal,
have remained active through force of circumstances.
CHAKRA CHART I
At this point I must emphasize that Westerners, over the last hundred
years, have launched a momentous rationalization in attempting to correlate
the chakras with physical correspondences. This is best exemplified by careless
"snap" allocations of the endocrine glands to the padmas. For example, Swad
his thana is aligned with the adrenal glands (more properly in primates, the
suprarenal glands) . But Swadhisthana is below the navel; if you should have
your adrenal glands that low you are in serious trouble and need to consult an
endocrinologist !
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A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �orkbook
Yet consider this: the Tantric Yogis matched Swadhisthana with the sen
sory input of taste (gustation) , the element of water (fluid) , sexuality, and the
moon, and related it intimately to Muladhara chakra (earth, salt-"Salt of the
Earth ! ")
I will vastly oversimplify the suprarenal glands by designating them as the
SSSS glands (salt, sex, stress, sugar) . Underactivity of the suprarenals (Addi
son's disease) produces taste hyperacuity and inadequate reabsorption of water
and salt (specifically sodium) . Alternatively, overactivity of the suprarenal cor
tex (Cushing's disease) results in "moon face," excessive reabsorption of water
and salt (sodium) , diminished taste sensitivity, and excessive production of
androgens (sex hormones) .
Comparing the chakras with the endocrine glands is strictly an Occiden
tal habit of logical materialism and popular copycat convenience-few people,
Eastern or Western, are capable of any real thinking or originality. All
endocrine correlations with the chakras should be approached from a physio
logical, functional stance and never from an anatomical, structural stance. Fur
ther evidence of the subtle, intuitive genius displayed by the Hindu sages may
be found in "A Tantric Synoptic Commentary on the Shat Chakras" in my
book Ecstasy Through Tantra.
I have by no means exhausted the material available on the theory of Laya
Yoga, but have been concerned with only what is pertinent to the purpose of
this book. Above all, I have concentrated upon rationalizing all such theory
into a more or less acceptable form.
Regarding the theory as a whole, the reader will readily discern two
points:
1 . The theory may be taken as an allegory of the ascent and transmutation of
human consciousness into divine consciousness.
2. This ancient theory contains material which has an undeniable implica
tion for and relationship with the hypothesis of modern psychosomatic
medicine.
82
!aJla 'Yoga: "The 'PsJlchic Centers
Medulla Oblongata
Lumbar
Nerves
Cauda
Conus
Equina
Medullaris
Sacral and
Coccygeal
Nerves
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workhook
CEREBRUM
SAHASRARA
::. ..
CEREBELLUM
NASOCILICARY PLEXUS
AJNA
_ _ -O- Eye
�o
�� - � Lacrymal Gland
-
-
- _ _
� - D 1_ _�
_ _
<J.J.J..J.V Mucous Membrane of
-- - -- _
-
-- -- : : :- :- :- - - t-, ,
-0
-
_ a:::r-
- -
.JNose and Pharynx
L
S-- ubmaxillary and
, " D ' c:::;>- Sublingual Gland VISHUDDHI
One !... _ � of
BRAIN CONE -
I Mucous Membrane
" '
, GangIIOn L
Mouth
CJ-- Parotid Gland
" 1- - <&-
-
t-
Heart
,.:::C:..:::O:..o.R:.:::D'-K:'::4� -- ANAHATA
.
SPINAL CARDIAC
(BLACK) PLEXUS
� _-___
,Q
TraChea, Bronchi,
, -
, SOLAR ---- and Lungs
MANIPURA
_ __ _ _ _ _ _ -¢, " '.�. R Stomach
PLEXUS :
,
= = = = = =:
,
= = = = = =: �� ' ' \
\
uver, GaU Bladder
,
, \ \
and Bile Ducts
pr- ,
Blood Vessels \
\
\
\
Mesenderic 6
Superior of Abdomen \
' \
%..
- - - - - .... 1
\
�
Ganglion � Pancreas \,
-'-'-"
- - - - --- -i- - �L_E�� - - J
PELVIC Gemtals
' H
(Jf
�
---- - MULADHARA
SPINE
84
f.aya 'Yoga: r'fhe 'Psychic Centers
Thyroid Parathyroids
Thymus
( Adrenals
�Jr '
Ovanes
;
. I
Testlcl s
Kidneys
Pituitary
Pineal
85
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workbook
This is an artifical construction of the Western mind. What is important to note is the common
confusion between the central nervous system plexuses (spinal cord and thirty-one pairs of
peripheral nerves) and the autonomic plexuses.
Cervical - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pharyngeal
Thyroid
Brachial - - - - - - - -
Q------*------:-- - - - - - Cardiac
Thymus
Pancreas
Saraswati Chakra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Akasha Chakra · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · .. �
Thyroid
O · · · · · · · · · . . . . . . . . . . . Hrid Cha
� kra
, I I"
B =Thymus�
Surya Chakra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chandra Chakra
Agni Chakra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . y
/ 1 \"
. . . .
Pancreas
Hrid ("Heart" as the English "hearth" derivative) chakra: heart and lungs.
Agni ("Fire god;" English derivative "ignite" ) chakra: Pancreas and stomach.
�7
A Chakra al1� 1<f,m�al{l1{ �orkbook
Chakra Dharana:
Focusing Psychic Power
Humankind has always been aware of the existence of certain vital areas in the
human body. The use to which the esoteric knowledge of these nerve zones
was put varied from civilization to civilization.
The work we are embarking upon relates to the shat-chakras, or six cen
ters. Be aware that doing visual Yantra and color awareness classically involves
the five primal elements:
D �v ¢ O
.A. Chakra an� �un�alini 'Workbook
Hence, the exercises are panch chakra (five centers) only. Ajna and Sahas
rara open automatically when the first five centers are stimulated. However, we
will deal with the sixth center, Ajna, in Chapter 13, and answer your inevitable
questions about the seventh, Sahasrara, in that chapter as well.
The student will be interested to note that a correlation exists between the
chakras of the Indian Yogi and the kyushos of the Japanese Judo expert. The
seven most deadly kyushos (jiu-jitsu pressure points) taught in Atemiwaza, one
of the esoteric branches of Judo, exactly correspond with the traditional posi
tions of the seven chakras. While the Indian mind used this knowledge for
spiritual and psychic purposes, the Japanese mind used the same knowledge
for concrete physical purposes, namely, the induction of unconsciousness or
even death (Atemiwaza) and the revival of those who had been so disabled
(kwappo) .
There is evidence to indicate that the martial arts originated in India, and
were taken up by the Tibetan monks as a means of self-defense (their religious
vocation forbade the carrying of arms) and spread from Tibet to China, where
they were picked up and developed by the Japanese in the fifteenth century.
This is plausible if we also recall the migration and transmutation of Indian
Buddhism to Japanese Zen.
Note: This chart only denotes a trend, as each race also had meditation,
acupuncture, and martial arts utilization of vital zones.
90
Chakra <Oharana: 'Focusing 'Psychic 'Power
If you are in doubt about the existence of an ancient Indian martial art,
then I must inform you that it is a living tradition in South India today. Not
only does this art exist, but ear acupuncture and control of the elephant
through 90 vital points has been an established Indian medical science and
everyday practice by the Mahout (the elephant driver) for 2500 years.
38
•
49
46
47
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92
Chakra 'Oharana: £focusins 'Psychic 'f{nvcr
ONLY HUMAN
By Sidney Fields
The little man over in the Broadway studio who calls himself Swami Vyragiananda
says that trying to compare Varmannie to Ju-jitsu is like comparing bird watching
to the medieval torture rack.
93
A Chakra an� 1<ul1�a[ini 'Workbook
Courteously, but with doubt, I said, "Show me the difference. " The Swami is
only five feet, two-and-a-half inches tall, weighs 1 40 pounds, and is 69 years old. He
led me to the mat, and recalled that once, while demonstrating the art of Varmannie
at a doctors' convention, one doubting physician used a suddenJu-jitsu hold to floor
him and sat triumphantly on his chest. "I gave him the warning he didn't give me, "
the Swami said. "I asked him: 'A re you ready ?' and when he was, he flew off my
chest in a second. Come on, I will show you how. " He let me get a double wrist lock
on him, force him to the mat, and sit on his chest, still holding the wrist lock. "Are
you ready ?" he asked. I nodded. He just pressed against my elbow. I flew off his chest,
and my arm felt like it was leaving my shoulder. "Ifyou wish to enjoy a happy con
fidence in life you must learn to defend yourself, " the Swami said, helping me to my
feet, while I rubbed my arm and shoulder. "With such confidence you can use all
your mental power to enjoy life and not waste it with unnecessary fear and worry. "
He offered to demonstrate a few Varmannie holds: Serpent Clinging, Arm Saw
Cut in Belt, the Elephant Grab, or the Breath Plugger. I took the last one with the
understanding he wouldn't plug the breath off completely. He agreed graciously,
allowed me to put a tight hammerlock on him from the rear. Up went his rump, jar
ring me, and up went his fingers deep under my chin and deeper into my throat.
"Uncle?" he asked.
"Uncle, " I wheezed. He led me to a chair.
"In Varmannie, " he soothed, "we use the enemys strength and weight to dis
able him. The simple way you can apply Varmannie is the nice part. I would like to
show you now the Skull Cracker Throw. "
"Lets talk for a while, " I countered.
Swami means teacher, and Vyragianand is ''joy of determination" or "drunk
with spirituality, " and he admits humbly that both are assumed-the names, that
is. He learned his Varmannie from an uncle back in Trichur, India, where his father
was a farmer. "Varmannie is handed down from family to family, " he explained. "It
is at least 5, 000 years old. The Chinese learned it from us when Buddhist monks
crossed Tibet. So you can imagine how weak it became there, and the Japanese
learned it from the Chinese. "
In 1 92 1 he left the poverty of his fathers farm, and came to America as a
sailor. Not knowing any English, he washed dishes and worked with a shovel until
he learned the language, and began teaching Varmannie. He got to teach the entire
Gary, Indiana, police force by throWing the chief a few times. Theres a framed let
ter on his wall, signed by the chief, L. T. Studness, testifying to that fact and this
confession: "During the course, none of them [the police] got hurt. "
From Gary, the Swami moved to Chicago with his Varmannie; in 1 94 1 , he
brought it to New York.
94
Chakra 'Dharana: 'Focusing �sychLc 'Power
VARMA POINTS
FRONT OF BODY
Shakthi Anahata
Varman
Manipura
Vayu Kalam
(Siddha Tradition,
approximations only)
95
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini "Workhook
96
Chakra 'Oharal1a: -r('ICUSiI18 'Ps8chic 'Rnver
It has been suggested by several modern schools of Yoga that the chakras,
with their associated symbology, represent nothing more than a method of
forcing the mind to concentrate upon the body.
This may be so, especially when we consider that one of the literal mean
ings of the Sanskrit Laya is absorption. Such absorption, or concentration of
the mind upon the body, would lead to the opening or harmonizing of the
chakras and their respective psycho-physical functions.
Harmonizing the chakras implies an ancient scheme of psychic anatomy
that corresponds with our western physical, or gross/macroscopic anatomy, of
the central and autonomic nervous systems. Consider the following correlative
analysis.
CEREBRUM
SAHASRARA
' - �
<.J.J.J.J.V
CEREBELLUM
- = Y"\ �
NASOCILICARY PLEXUS
AJNA
�
,
0- - - -@-
Eye
�
" u,crymal Gland
-
- -
-
_ _
' _ _ .0 -r �Mucous Membrane of
_
_-_-_ _ ::.t- _ _ _ -0 .r - Nose and Pharynx
:: :: :: :: :: - -
- -
�- _
_ • - C:::;:S:>- ubmaXlllary and
, - •Sublingual Gland
- VlSHUDDHI
BRAIN CONE SphenopaIanne
" V
,, �
,_ _ � Mucous Membrane
, -- t-
,
Ganglion , One
, GangI"Ion.' - of Mouth
Su b"man"IIary ,
,
"=L...S---' - Parotid Gland
Ganglion
_ _ _ _
,
�C:..:::O:..:.;R�D��-,L
Heart
SPINAL CARDIAC : ANAHATA
(BLACK) PLEXUS ,
-",---...1.- -
'
,
.... - - -
''
'
I Trachea, Bronchi,
- - - - - "i - _ _ _ _ _
SOLAR and Lungs
= = = = = =: . R
-Q:. -
PLEXUS - _
_
MANIPURA
_ _ _ _ _ -:- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
�
Stomach
Q
'
- - - - -
I
' ,
\ � , ...-
'
.... Liver Gall Bladder
,_""-...1.- _ _ _ _ _ .J
\\ and Bile Ducts
-
, -'
pr- Blood Vessels
6
'
'
'
Superior
\ of Abdomen
Mesenderic
�
\_
, %
_ _ � Pancreas
Ganglion
_ _ _ _
.
' ' , ' D=. Adrenal Gland
- -
- - -: I
�f�n-"; - - -0 :: - _'� small lntestine
Mesendenc
Ganghon '
'
_ -
',
- -
u,rge Intestme
--:-:-:-:-:-=f PELVIC
��E��? - - J
-'-'-" Gemtals
'
(J!
�
-
H MULADHARA
SPINE
98
Chakra 'Oharana: 'Focusing "Psychic 'Power
Sympathetic branch: Left and right chains of ganglion, tethered to the spinal
cord but running down each side of the anterior bodies of the vertebral col
umn, and averaging twenty-two ganglion a piece, spread out from the coccyx
up to the cervical vertebrae. This symmetry is reminiscent of Ida and Pingala
with Shushmna, the spinal canal, as the "Middle Pillar" of Western magical
practice. The twenty-two ganglion represent the number of the Avatar, or com
ing savior in Hinduism, and in Western occult anatomy the twenty-two gan
glion correspond to the twenty-two paths on the Qabalistic Tree of Life,
twenty-two letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, twenty-two bones of the skull
(used as a "communion cup" as in the Nordic Skoal) , and the twenty-two cards
of the Major Arcana in the Tarot. Functionally the sympathetic nerves most
often act as an accelerator, producing Pingala reactions, an extreme example
being the so called "fear, fight, flight" syndrome.
Parasympathetic branch: The major section comprises a pair of vagus (in Eng
lish, "vagrant") nerves, which emerge from the base of the skull to wander
down the neck, through the chest, and deep into the abdominal cavity. Again
remember the symbolic twins: Boaz and Jachin, Ida and Pingala. Parasympa
thetic branch fibers constantly meet with sympathetic branch fibers to form
plexuses, the major ones on the physical plane representing the materialization
of the non-physical chakras. Functionally the parasympathetic nerves most
often perform braking actions; I call them the "rest, relaxation, recuperation"
fibers, and hence they may be allied to Ida reactions.
Now examine, on the following page, the anatomy chart we first presented
in Chapter 7.
99
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ �()rkb()()k
A few simple examples may help us relate to the autonomic nervous sys
tem in a meaningful way.
100
Chakra 'Vharana: 'Fo('using �sy('hi(' �o",er
The above examples demonstrate a delicate "union, " or Yoga, that must
occur between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the auto
nomic nervous system. In the sexual example, we could express it in Laya Yoga
terms and say that a fine balance is necessary between Muladhara and Swad
histhana, and between the God and Goddess cohabiting within each chakra.
The discussion of the nervous system has been vastly oversimplified but
it can form a solid physical matrix to build a much more subtle base for inner
concentration. Someone once defined Laya Yoga as autonomic nervous system
gymnastics.
Indeed, more specifically, we could define most meditation as parasympa
thetic gymnastics. Examining the above sympathetic-parasympathetic action
chart, it will become apparent why Dr. Swami Gitananda will not commence
EEG or ECG readings in male subjects until their nipples are erect.
Examine the chart on the following page. Some parasympathetic branches
have been placed on the left and sympathetic on the right. Realize they con
stantly intertwine; this device allows us to perceive their delicacy a little more
easily. On an etheric plane the ramifications are even more intricate, but
regardless, we can learn to control the physical more easily by focusing upon
the chakras.
101
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ rw(lrkb""k
PARASYMPATHETIC SYMPATHETIC
Sphincter of pupil and
ciliary muscle
(IDA) (PINGALA)
AJNA ZONE
Dilator of pu pi!
Hypophysia
VISHUDDHI
'"""�__ Thyroid gland ZONE
Sweat-glands and blood-vessels of
upper limb
Bronchi and ANAHATA
- - - - - Heart
lungs
ZONE
- - - - Bronchi and lungs
Esophagus - - - .
Stomach _ _ _ . - - - • Stomach MANIPURA
'--------- - _ . Small intestine
Small Intestine - - _ . Proximal colon Z0 NE
Proximal colon
CHAIN OF GANGLION
102
Chakra �haral1a: �ocu5il18 'P5J:/chic 'Power
Yoga postulates that the focus of psychic power may be developed through
concentration (Dharana) upon the chakra zones. The result is dispersion of
psychosomatic tension that so often occurs at one or more of these vital zones.
An analogous situation is autogenic training, developed in the early part
of the twentieth century when the German psychiatrist Dr. Johannes H.
Schultz amalgamated Yoga methodology with a then current European fasci
nation-hypnosis. For example, concentrating upon the hands, visualizing
them flushing red with blood, and telling yourself they are getting warm will
actually raise the hand temperature by as much as ten degrees Fahrenheit,
depending on your starting point.
This type of autogenic training is a form of "Western Yoga" and works
exactly the same way as most meditation methods. The sympathetic nervous
system is dampened, allowing the peripheral arterioles to dilate and flood the
extremities with blood. By now you will have empirically discovered that suc
cessful meditation is always accompanied by an end result of warm hands
and feet.
In the initial stages, the mind is best trained by giving it something con
crete upon which to concentrate. This is the purpose of the elaborate symbol
ogy. Each chakra has a certain number of petals, and each petal is inscribed
\\ith a letter of the Sanskrit alphabet (this is for awakening the chakra through
�fantra Yoga) , an animal, a god and goddess, a geometric form, a color, and a
Bija, or seed, mantra.
All that will be necessary, for our purposes, will be a knowledge of the last
three symbolic components: color, form, and Bija mantra. Students who wish
to learn the full symbolic implications of each chakra are encouraged to peruse
.-\.rthur Avalon's classic study of Tantra, The Serpent Power.
The form and color of the first five chakras represent the Tattwa, or ele
ment, assigned to each. The Bija mantra is a basic sound which groups or
awakens the dormant energy of the individual chakra.
A special comment about the sound vibrations or Bija mantras is required.
Learning Yoga from a book can be a delicate matter; in fact, Indians are quite
sarcastic about it, and refer to many self-styled Western "experts" as "Kitab
book) Yogis. " In a market inundated with Yoga books written by people who
have not trained in India and have no knowledge of Sanskrit pronunciation,
errors can occur in the intonation of sounds. I was myself guilty, in early edi
tions of Psychosomatic Yoga, of neglecting to clarify the pronunciation of the
Bija mantras, and since an integral part of this approach involves very specific
103
A Chakra al1� 'Kul1�a[{I1{ 'Workbook
vibratory patterns during the intoning of the mantras, I have to address this
issue now.
The five primary Bija sounds we are concerned with are, to be simplistic.
consonants. In Sanskrit every consonant has an inherent "a" vowel. The fiye
consonants are:
LVRYH
Or, when transliterated with the inherent vowel:
La Va Ra Ya Ha
104
We will now replace the inherent "a" of each Bij a with an "u" as in the
English "up" ("yuppie," "rut") . I am only employing an artificial device which
will get us within the correct intonation range. Therefore, we have:
105
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ �orkhook
CHAKRA CHART
Chakra Two-dimensional Color Body space
geometric form
Muladhara Square Yellow Gonads,
pelvic floor
Swadhisthana Crescent moon Silver Between pubic bone
and navel
Manipura Triangle, apex Red Between navel and
down breast bone tip
(sternum)
Anahata Hexagram Blue Behind breast bone,
roughly on a line
between the nipples
Vishuddha Oval (egg) Black Inside "voice box"
(thyroid cartilage,
"Adam's apple")
106
Chakra 'Oharana: Efocusing 'Psychic 'Power
Reference to the diagram on the following page will provide a clear picture of
the symbolic representation of each chakra through its Tattwa, or quality. To
produce models for these yantras suitable for use, the student will require a
selection of yellow, silver, red, blue, and black drawing paper such as is com
monly given to children for cutting and pasting.
With a ruler and compass, construct each geometric figure upon the cor
rect color of paper: the square is inscribed upon yellow, the crescent upon sil
ver, the triangle (apex down) upon red, the hexagram upon blue, and the oval
upon black. It is now a simple procedure to cut out each pattern and paste it
on the center of a larger square of black paper (with the exception of the black
oval, which needs a white background) . The final result is a set of five Tattwa
yantras which may be affixed to the wall for the technique of External Chakra
Dharana. Alternatively, the student may find it advantageous to mount each
Tattwa yantra on a cardboard backing for durability and ease of handling. It is
then easy to stand the Tattwa yantra card selected against any stable object on
a table or desk top for the Dharana exercise.
107
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'Workbook
Prithivi-Yellow Apas-Silver
Muladhara Swadhisthana
Tejas-Red Vayu-Blue
Manipura Anahata
Akasha-Black
Vishudda
10�
Chakra 'Oharana: r'focusing 'Psychic 'Power
109
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workhl'Ok
The word "Sanskrit" means "perfectly formed," and this is a hint about
how scientifically the language was structured 2500 years ago. Each of the
thirty-three consonants is carefully grouped according to the parts of speech
used in the production of its spoken vibration. An additional tip about the Bija
mantra for Manipura ("RuNG") is worth noting: Although the Sanskrit "r" is
normally untrilled, the psychic effect may be enhanced by trilling somewhat as
in Russian. "R" in Sanskrit is designated as a cerebral, along with five other con
sonants. A cerebral sound is one which is produced by the tip of the tongue
retro-flexing or flapping its underside against the palate (roof of the mouth) .
The result is that a vibration is sent through the skull bones affecting the frontal
lobes of the cerebral cortex. If you place one hand on the top of your forehead
and strongly trill the "r," you will feel the frontal bone momentarily shake with
the sound; needless to say this effect is physiologically and psychically benefi
cial so it is worth emphasizing the trill in "RuNG"-if you can. Unfortunately,
some people cannot trill, and if that is the case, just get as close to it as you can. *
Each technique in this book is carefully designed to be synergistic and is
firmly grounded in classical Yoga. By the same token, I have not hesitated to
use contemporary innovations when they enhance the value of these practices.
It is important that the exercises in any given chapter are not hurried and that
ample time is given to practicing initial forms before moving to the more
advanced phases.
Find the complimentary color Tattwa yantra plates in this book. They may be
cut out, or you may prefer taking the book to a copying or quickprint place and
having color copies made, and even enlarged, for your use.
The principle with Internal Chakra Dharana is that we start by perform
ing fixed gaze Tratak on the complimentary color Tattwa yantra in order to
fatigue specific color cone receptors at the back of the eyeballs. When the eyes
are then closed, an inner experience of the correct color will be perceived.
For example, the square of the Muladhara complimentary color Tattwa
yantra is blue-consequently, after a minute or two of gazing at it, when you
close your eyes the complimentary color of yellow will manifest as an after
image.
* If you look at a chart of the Sanskrit alphabet you will find "r" grouped with "y," "1," and "v" as semi
vowels. Such charts often fail to show you that each of these letters is often subgrouped according to the
position of the tongue when the letter is pronounced: thus "ya" (palatal), "ra" (cerebral), "la" (dental),
and "va" (labial) .
110
Chakra 'Oharana: �Dcusing 'Tsychic 'TDwer
111
A Chakra an� 1<un�a[ini �(lrkb(l(lk
Remember that the appropriate Bija Mantra with the "M" ending is used at all
stages of Internal Chakra Dharana.
Practice Routine
The technique of Chakra Dharana should be practiced for ten minutes or more
each day. Begin with Muladhara chakra the first day, Swadhisthana chakra the
second day, and so on, doing each chakra in turn until you return to Muladhara
and start the cycle over again.
After the first two or three weeks, you may dispense with External Dha
rana in the form of concentration upon a Tattwa diagram and may proceed
with just Internal Dharana upon the chakra symbols within the body.
With practice, a sensation of physical stimulation will be produced by
mentally moving the Tattwa symbol down into its proper position along the
spine and concentrating upon the area. The yellow square of Muladhara should
be visualized as at the base of the spine; the silver crescent of Swadhisthana is
two inches below the navel; the red triangle of Manipura is about three inches
above the navel, level with the pit of the stomach; the blue hexagram of Ana
hata should be visualized as level with the heart; and the black egg of Vishud
dha chakra is level with the Adam's apple.
In essence, Internal Chakra Dharana is the familiar Tantric technique of
internalization of gods, colors, forms, etc.
112
Chakra '-Oharana: "Focus{ng '-Psychic '-Power
BLUE
Prithivi-Yellow Apas-Silver
Muladhara Swadhisthana
Tejas-Red Vayu-Blue
Manipura Anahata
WHITE
113
Chapter �ine
The student has now reached the point of introduction to pure Laya technique.
I must, however, warn that the material presented in this chapter is beyond
rationalization, although I will not hesitate to draw some correlative compar
isons with Western anatomy.
The absolute and sole purpose of Laya Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, or simply
Yoga is to induce a profound altered state of consciousness that I will describe
as a singular grasp of multiplicity. This is a concept beyond the dogmatism of
both Western science and orthodox religion, East or West. The end "goal" of
Yoga has nothing to do with the plane of material existence, and that this is so
.:an only be appreciated from the perspective of mysticism, and in particular
the most profound aspects of traditional Indian mysticism.
I will affirm that mysticism is the immediate experience of Ultimate Uni
'.-ersal Unity. Mysticism is the direct apprehension of "reality. " The word
-apprehension" deserves definition as I am using it in a specific philosophical
.md psychological context.
115
A Chakra an� 1<un�al[n[ 'Workbook
In traditional logic: "That one of the three operations of thought by which one
grasps what is expressed by a term or a name-contrasted with judgment or
reasoning. "
KRIYA
116
Solar �lexu5 Charging
the solar plexus. Later the currents become hot, and anyone passing a hand
along the student's spine will feel distinct heat waves emanating from whatever
chakra region the kundalini energy has ascended to. As kundalini rises, the
heat waves move from the base of the spine to the top cervical region.
Tibetan Yogis make particular use of this psychic heat in a process called
cummo, mastery of which permits wandering naked in the snow-covered
Himalayas.
My friend, the Belgian writer on Yoga, Andre Van Lysbeth, shared with me
the superb description of tummo given by Professor Jacques Keyaerts. This
except is from the article " Glances at Tibetan Yoga," which I have translated
from the French.
117
.A. Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ �()rk.b()()k
Specific Advantages
1 . The solar plexus storehouse (Manipura chakra) overflows with pranic
energy; this surplus is automatically distributed wherever needed.
2. The arousal of kundalini and the resulting heat produced will surely
change the student's attitude toward cold. Once it is experienced, the
body never really becomes cold again.
3 . The mind becomes deeply absorbed in the exercise a s the production o f
heat increases.
ll�
Solar £(Jlexu5 Charging
The exercise should be carried out for a minimum of thirty minutes. Once
me student succeeds, he or she will be surprised to realize that the inner psy
.:: hic heat produced is not the result of self-hypnosis. The mechanics of the
exercise, when analyzed, reveal several interesting theories peculiar to Yoga.
Yoga physiology maintains that the hands and feet are terminals through
which the body throws off psychic energy in the form of prana. The crossing
,)f the feet and interlocking of the hands short-circuit the escape of prana and
,esults in an additional source of energy for solar plexus charging. The cross-
119
A Chakra an� 1<un�a[ini 'W"rkb""k
ing of the feet relaxes sexual tension as well, and thus another possible source
of energy waste is prevented. It is with this kriya that we realize the need for a
new physiology capable of explaining the release of hitherto unsuspected
energy reserves.
Once the induction of psychic heat is accomplished, the student will find
his or her mind becoming more and more absorbed in the performance of this
type of kriya. The student will come to understand that Laya truly means
absorption and rhythm such as can be found only within the eternity of one's
own consciousness-the link with Universal Consciousness.
Those who would quench their thirst at the ocean of Indian metaphysics
are exactly in this position.
120
Solar 'Plexus Charg[ns
Solar Plexus �
� Coeliac ganglion
Visceral branches
' . of lumbar
ganglion
Parasympathetic
- fibers to inf.
Hypogastric .
plexus
12 1
A Chakra an� 1<un�al[n[ 'Workbook
122
Efart EfDur
123
Chapter 1en
MIND-BODY DURABILITY
Over the decades a constant source of personal excitement for me has been the
t'�lJloration of my own mind-body durability against the fundamental elements
Jf nature; fire, blood, and steel. We are conditioned from infancy to fear fire,
':Jlood, and steel, and the conquest of such fear is symbolic of the ascent of
spirit over matter. For my own mastery, I am indebted to a series of adepts both
Eastern and Western. Indeed, in India some of the secret Siddha Yoga Kriya is
125
.A. Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workbook
inherited from father to son and may be passed down generation after genera
tion. Immunity to fire and pain is not a trick in the sense of sleight of hand or
mirrors, but rather the ultimate confidence trick.
Confidence literally means a mental state of togetherness (Greek prefix
con ) in perfect trust, faith, and fidelity (Latin fides) to one's own true self-in
MULADHARA CHAKRA
Opening of Muladhara gives power over all the elements of the earth, includ
ing metals (particularly steel) and the earth part of the person, or flesh.
After the opening of Muladhara, pain control becomes a reality with the
skewering of the flesh, spiking, the oft-joked about "bed of nails" (everyone's
life ! ) , and ultimate crucifixion preceded by the crown of thorns (opening the
Sahasrara chakra) producing "at-one-ment. "
SWADHISTHANA CHAKRA
Mastery of the blood flow in the deha, or physical body, of the Yogi arises with
the opening of this force center. Vasoconstriction and vasodilation of the arte
rioles at will and even cessation of capillary oozing occurs. Stigmata or the per
colation of blood through the skin to the outside environment can also be
demonstrated.
Swadhisthana is the fluid control point for the entire system. With the
opening of Swadhisthana, the inherent "swami" or water-walker of each man
and woman emerges.
MANIPURA CHAKRA
This is the center of the salamander, fire-walker, and fire-breather, whose inner
life is sustained by the primal heat element. The fire-walkers of North India
who tread across beds of glowing embers and the Pacific islanders who walk
upon white-hot stones employ the Manipura chakra, as do those who lick
white-hot bars.
So-called " fire-eaters" unwittingly use the Manipura chakra in conjunc
tion with the Anahata chakra (air or pranayama center) to perform their feats.
Simultaneous mastery of earth, water, and fire with subsequent immunity
to pain and searing of flesh by heat is accomplished through juggling of the
126
'Y0lJic "Power "Flows
forces inherent in the first three chakras blossoming upon the tree of life. Clas
sical demonstrations include dipping the hands into boiling water, boiling oil,
molten lead (lead melts at three times the temperature of boiling water) , and
molten steel-also bathing in and drinking these substances.
Tongue Piercing
In the Hindu tradition, siddhi rituals are a religious act of supplication to the
goddess Durga for karmic purification. All ceremonies begin by piercing the
tongue with a dirty; non-sterile spike or skewer. This results in the reflex awak
ening of the Swadhisthana chakra, permitting "fire to be fought with water."
Just transfixing the tongue alone is no petty feat, for although the sensi
tivity to pain varies in different body areas, the tongue-along with genitals,
eardrums and the eye cornea-shares the distinction of being one of the most
painful and sensitive regions in the body. (Remember the last time you bit your
tongue? )
A group of medical doctors investigating Hindu torture rituals in Fiji
stated:
The piercing of the tongue, however, is a different matter. It is a very
sensitive organ. The participants maintain that no pain was felt
when the tongue was pierced, and that no bleeding took place. There
was certainly no sign of either. Whereas the absence of blood during
skin puncturing can perhaps be explained in other tenns, the pierc
ing of the tongue cannot. It is blood-filled and tender. There can be
no doubt that the nonnal bleeding reaction, as well as the nonnal
pain reaction, was successfully overcome by whatever processes are
involved in the rituals.
- Holy Torture in Fiji, Pacific Publications, Sydney; Australia
127
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �orkbook
12<5
The swami in trance, having conjoined steel (Muladhara)
with flesh (Swadhisthana) to evoke and invoke the
Water element in preparation for Fire (Manipura) .
129
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'Workb()()k
Margery and Robert using a mantra to transcend fear, pain, and heat.
TANTRIC SEXUALITY
131
A Chakra ano 1<unoalini 'Workbook
Sexual Terminology
Etymology and semantics, coupled with psycho-linguistics, reveal the esoteric
and arcane function that the erotic impulse serves in the human organism. The
following are a few examples taken from my book Ecstasy Through Tantra.
Climax: The word, which we use as a term for the desirable culmination of
sexual stimulation, comes from the Greek klimax meaning "ladder" or "stair
case to heaven. " It indicates the inner significance of sexuality as a spiritual
path. This is unconsciously implicit in the joke that a "run" in nylon stockings
or pantihose is a "ladder to heaven. "
Clitoris : From Greek through Latin, a s i n davis, a "key. " That part of the
female vulva which unlocks her nervous system in the way a key unlocks a
door. The central genital push-button for ecstasy.
132
'Yogic "Power 'Flows
or perfection, make perfect (siddhi), highest, topmost, utmost, and the crown.
(The obj ect of Tantric intercourse is to open Sahasrara, the crown chakra) .
Create: From the Sanskrit root kr meaning "to make," through t o Latin as
creare, implying production, growing, to bring into existence. The close rela
tionship between sexual fecundity and mental originality is demonstrated by
our use of the word to denote both creation of life and artistic creativity.
The birth of ideas is analogous to physical birth. We interchange words
like " conceiving" and " conception," using them both for either physical preg
nancy or mental agility. We also speak of a "fertile woman" and a "fertile imag
ination."
Occult psychology views the mind as divided into the masculine active
consciousness and the feminine passive unconscious. The art o f mental cre
ation is an alchemical process of impregnating the unconscious mind with a
seed or germinal idea, grasped by the consciousness but ejaculated into the
deeper unconscious realms for incubation. Gestation continues in the uncon
scious womb, until the sudden birth of the idea as "flash" or "inspiration"
which emerges-fully formed-into consciousness.
Orgasm: Found in English, through French and Latin, from two closely
related Greek roots; orgio, a sacred rite or sacrifice (of semen?) ceremony in
the early Greco-Roman mysteries celebrating the feast of Dionysus or Bac
chus, hence our expression "an orgy. " The second related root is orgasio,
meaning "to swell" with ardent desire, passion (expansion of the auric field in
the way a balloon is over-inflated) , "to burst;" namely, an experience of such
intense excitement that the ego is momentarily fragmented, producing a
nameless-formless inner state.
Yenerate: Allied to the Sanskrit van, "to love or honor," but directly taken from
:he Latin vena; "to revere and love." Related words from the same Latin stem
.!Ie venerable, venereal, and Venus (the Roman goddess of love) . To venerate is
�,J recognize the sexual parts as truly worthy obj ects of our adoration and awe.
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A Chakra an� 1<�m�a[{n{ 'Workbook
The word "mudra" (as applied to hand positions) has the multiple meanings of
sign, symbol, and gesture. Mudra, in this context, is a secret sign language
sending a message from the body to the mind via the nervous system and from
conscious to unconscious spheres of existence.
A simple example of this occurs when practicing Savasana (deep relax
ation pose) lying supine with the palms placed uppermost in Shunya mudra or
the "empty gesture," signaling the mind to become receptive (empty) . Shunya
mudra is that universal open-handed sign "1 give in," " trust," "surrender,"
"relaxation," or "letting go. "
Mudra also means " seal," "short cut," and "short circuit"-indicating an
actual physiological basis for the effects of hand gestures by closing or uniting
certain neurological reflex points which terminate on the surface of the hands.
The famous Gnana (pronounced " G-yan") mudra formed by joining
thumb and forefinger, leaving the remaining three fingers gently extended,
demonstrates the anatomical, neurological, and psychological principles of
mudra. Gnana mudra means literally " the wisdom gesture. " The Sanskrit
Gnana gives rise to Greek gnosis, which comes through into English as "know
ing." The person who meditates in Gnana mudra affirms a subsuming of all the
wisdom of the universe, thus placing the mind automatically in an optimum
state for higher consciousness. Why?
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'Yog[c 'Power Ff[OW5
resents God, the absolute sea of cosmic energy that is infinite, limitless, and
eternal.
Uniting the thumb with the index finger forms a circle in which finite,
limited humanity is linked with the infinite, unlimited absolute. The circle is
a (w)hole, being both absolute zero and utter completeness. Pascal, the seven
teenth-century French theologian, defined God as a circle whose circumfer
ence is nowhere and center everywhere.
It is incorrect to say that God exists; only humanity exists and the
moment something exists it is already limited by form and name (Namarupa) .
God subsists and persists but never exists.
Principle of Trinity
When forming the Gnana mudra gesture, the remaining three fingers represent
the principle of trinity in major world religions. Christianity conceives the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Ancient Egypt immortalized Horus, Isis, and
Osiris as a triplicity, while Hinduism rests upon a tripod of Brahma, Vishnu,
and Shiva.
The gods and goddesses of theology esoterically represent-not per
sons-but rather forces responsible for the manifestation of all creation. Exis
tence is the result of an interplay of three forces: positive, negative, neutral;
male, female, hermaphrodite; the sun (positive) , the earth (receptive) , and the
moon (neutralizing transformer) .
Hasta Mudras
A very interesting group of mudras are referred to as Hastha Mudras, which
automatically gesture the breath into the abdominal ribcage or collar-bone area
of the lungs. These special hand positions readjust the relationship between
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the pelvic girdle and the shoulder girdle in such a manner that expansion c =
desired lobes of the lungs occurs.
For the beginner in Hatha Yoga, the Hasta mudra technique is a dramati.::
introduction to Yoga breathing or Pranayama, bestowing breath control UpOl:
the merest tyro. At any given moment the position of our hands exerts a subtle
but profound influence which actually determines the manner in which We
breathe.
Mudra is the psychic science relating hand and brain, gesture and state (If
consciousness. Following the Hermetic axiom "as above, so below, " our finger
movements betray our inner state at an instant in time; hence, the nervous
drumming with fingertips by the agitated or eager person is described as "itchy
fingers. " Conscious assumption of ritual mudra reverses this psychosomatic
arc, molding mind, breath, and body into the willed or desired state required as
a prelude to ultimate inner life experience.
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Chapter �leven
Yoga is the world's oldest and most effective method of achieving total mental
and physical health. The whole person is included in Yoga, all aspects of the
self. What do we mean? The United Nations World Health Organization has
defined health as "A condition of mental, physical, and social well-being and
not merely the absence of disease." This statement is in perfect agreement with
the goal and aims of Yoga in general.
Yoga is evolutionary in approach. Western science, from the time of Dar
"in, has accepted the principle that all living creatures have evolved their phys
ical features over a period of time on the basis of adapting to change and
survival of the fittest. In terms of the human animal, Western biologists consider
that the body is fully mature and ceases growth around the age of twenty-five.
But what of the mind?
SELF-REALIZATION
Yoga has always taught that growth does not cease with maturity of the physi
.:al body. Each of us contains an unlimited potential for mental and psychic
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Who has not heard of the Indian rope trick? This legendary feat of Asian magic
involves the magician throwing a coil of rope into the air. Suddenly the rope
hangs erect, suspended by magic. A small boy appears, climbs to the top of the
rope, and vanishes into thin air.
Everyone has heard of this trick but no one has ever witnessed it. Why?
Because the trick is not a feat but an allegory or story about your life and mine.
The magician is the creative power of mind, the unrealized or immature self.
The rope is an astral umbilical cord, Shushmna or Jacob's ladder, giving access
to heaven or the sky. ("Heaven" is a state of mind.) The whole legend is a state
ment about how we may use Yoga to rise above the earth or for escaping the
pettiness of ego and limited self to find freedom of mind and body.
In the summer of 327 BC, Alexander the Great invaded a small section of what
we now call India. Having conquered the then known world, he ambitiously
sought to subjugate the last unknown land. Alas, India was to become Alexan
der's "Russia"-his supply lines too long, the territory too vast-and by 325 BC
he retreated with a shattered army.
Plutarch, the Greek historian, left a record of Alexander's experiences in
India and thus gives us some idea of the cross-fertilization that occurred from
the meeting of these two civilizations: the Western Greeks, with their love of
philosophy, and the Eastern Indians, possessed of an even deeper value for phi
losophy and for the introspective life.
As a boy, Alexander was tutored by Aristotle and inherited an appreciation
for philosophical dialogue and a keenness to understand foreign religions.
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'Yoga an� the 'West
After one battle in which he nearly lost his life, he captured a group of ten
Yogis. The Greeks called these ascetics gymnosophists ("naked philosophers, "
or, more literally, "nude sophisticates" ) and greatly admired their sagacity and
perspicacity in giving pithy answers to impossible questions.
Upon pain of death for unsatisfactory answers, Alexander asked each of
the Yogis a question. I will quote three of the questions and answers as partic
ularly good examples of the inherent realism within Hindu philosophy-easily
the equal of the shrewd Diogenes and the Epicurean school of Greek realism.
Alexander: "Which are the more numerous: the living or the dead? "
Answer: "The living, for the dead n o more are ! "
Alexander was delighted with all their answers and sent them away richly
rewarded. However, he begged one of the Yogis to stay with him and become
his teacher and advisor. The Yogi agreed and left India with Alexander.
After about a year, Alexander's personal Indian sage became ill and
requested that a funeral pyre be built for him. The Greeks did so and the Yogi
climbed atop the pyre, locked himself into the Lotus posture, and ordered
torches put to the wood. As the flames mounted he gave one last glance at
Alexander and said: "My Lord, in a year I will meet you at Babylon." He closed
his eyes and impassively allowed himself to be consumed by Agni, the fire god.
One year later, June 1 3 , 323 Be, Alexander the Great was dead outside the
walls of Babylon.
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from his many published research papers, flowered in his magnificent docu
mentary film, BioJeedback: Yoga oj the West. In 1979, I attended one of his auto
genic training workshops as a student, and the cross-referencing between Yoga
and psychology was amazing. In 1982, I was able to catch up with his research
at the Transpersonal Psychology Conference held in Bombay, India.
At the same time Dr. Green was exploring Eastern connections, Dr.
Charles Tart, Ph.D . (University of California) was breaking new ground with
research into brain tracings arising out of altered states of consciousness (he
legitimized, for psychologists, the abbreviation ASC) , as well as pioneering
psychophysiological investigations of meditation, sleep, dreams, hypnosis, and
parapsychology.
This efflorescence in the seventies also sprouted the best theoretical expla
nation, in my opinion, of kundalini. Dr. Lee Sannella, M .D . , published his Kun
dalini: Psychosis or Transcendence? ( 1976) . In the Spring of 1977, I had the
privilege of spending a few days with Dr. Sannella in San Francisco, and exper
imenting with Itzhak Bentov's apparatus for measuring micromotion during
meditation. It was impressive, to say the least, and I have not seen anything so
clever since.
The list could go on endlessly. I have merely highlighted three Western
scientists whose work influenced me.
The Yoga Earth Summit (February 1993 , Pondicherry, South India, organized
and chaired by Dr. Swami Gitananda) brought academic delegates from all over
India together.
Yoga is intrinsic to Indian culture, despite the fact that, as one of the six
classical schools of Indian philosophy, it is hetero-orthodox in relationship to
Hinduism.
An impression left deeply with me, as always when I am in India, is that
Yoga is very much an Indian philosophy, science, and art-only capable of
being appreciated fully by the Hindus themselves. A Western mind, even our
best Indologists, probably never plumbs its depths completely.
I can report that many India medical schools, universities, and institutes
are funded by the Indian government to establish full-time research depart
ments devoted to investigating Yoga as a medical and psychological therapy for
somatic (if there exists exclusively such an entity) and psychosomatic disease.
The doctrine of Panch Kosha (five sheaths) denies simplistic separation of
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'Yoga an� the 'West
mind-body in terms of pathology; and the Yogis understand instantly our West
ern dilemma that "a specialist is someone who knows more and more about
less and less, until ultimately, he or she knows everything about nothing."
Yoga was never intended as a therapy in classical India; however, beyond
a doubt, it has therapeutic efficacy, including very powerful behavioral condi
tioning effects as well as allowing imagination to establish a healing bridge
between the physical and mental realms.
The techniques discussed in the first nine chapters of this book may be
formed into a loose and flexible Yoga therapy guide.
The obj ect of all Yoga is to induce a harmonious release of energy at the intel
lectual, emotional, and physical levels of being. In Hatha Yoga, the two sylla
bles ha (Sun) and tha (Moon) refer to the inherent duality of all living
organisms expressed as expansion and contraction, relaxation and tension,
reflected down to the cellular levels of metabolic building up (anabolism) and
breaking down (catabolism) .
In terms of the gross energy known to Western science, Hatha Yoga prac
tice achieves a correct balance of using sugar and oxygen for energy and throw
ing out carbon dioxide and water as breakdown products of this burning.
The effect of all asanas, or poses, in Hatha can be summed up once the
principle that "nature tolerates no empty spaces" is understood. All twisting
and bending of the body through asanas produce an internal compression mas
sage of the tightly packed body organs, releasing vitality just as a sponge (or
body organ-for example, the liver) can be cleansed by immersing it in a basin
,)f water (the body and circulating fluids) and systematically squeezing and
releasing it.
Every student of the philosophical life should find at least a few minutes
laily for some of the classical life-affirming poses of Hatha. In Lawrence Dur
rdrs Justine, Balthazar-the cabalistic physician-comments: " . . . after all the
-:.-ork of the philosophers on his soul and the doctors on his body, what can we
"dY we really know about man? That he is, when all is said and done, just a
�:3..5sage for liquids and solids, a pipe offlesh. " (My emphasis.)
The efficacy of Hatha Yoga maintains the "pipe of flesh" as the perfected
::rucle of expression (tha) for the enlightened consciousness (ha).
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*Early morning sudden awakening with an inability to fall back to sleep may be
caused by severe depression involving a disruption in brain biochemistry, and
should be checked out with a doctor-especially if accompanied by ceaseless
worry, feelings of hopelessness, and suicidal ideation.
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'YotJa al1� the "West
Some students may find it an advantage to drain their legs by elevating them
using a large cushion or padded chair during certain practices in this book.
These practice include:
Advanced Savasana (Chapter 2)
Polarization (Chapter 4)
Pranic Rejunvenation (Chapter 6)
Solar Plexus Charging (Chapter 9)
Note: In the case of Solar Plexus Charging place the right ankle over the left
foot. This has an equivalent effect to lying supine in Sukhasana; i.e, the termi
nals of the feet are short circuited.
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Nothing is never
and nothing is ever.
144
MULADHARA TATTWA CARD FOR INTERNAL
CHAKRA DHARANA
SWADHISTHANA TATTWA CARD FOR INTERNAL
CHAKRA DHARANA
MANIPURA TATTWA CARD FOR INTERNAL
CHAKRA DHARANA
ANAHATA TATTWA CARD FOR INTERNAL
CHAKRA DHARANA
VISHUDDHA TATTWA CARD FOR INTERNAL
CHAKRA DHARANA
2:
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SAHASRARA TATTWA CARD FOR INTERNAL
CHAKRA DHARANA
CAUDUCEUS CARD FOR INTERNAL
CHAKRA DHARANA
Lf'a rt �ive
145
Chapter £(welve
Yoga students are often confused about meditation. The Oxford English Dictio
nary states that to meditate is "having in mind to do or make, to ponder over,
indulge in thought. " This definition gives the impression that meditation is an
active, ongoing process of the mind with many thoughts, like fish, swimming
through the stream of consciousness. The implication is that meditation is a
form of thinking; namely, a problem-solving activity. Nothing could be further
from the truth!
The word "meditation" is inadequate to describe the higher mental states
sought in Yoga. The obj ect of Yoga exercises is to induce a state of mental
quietness, of tranquillity, which is far removed from pondering or indulging in
active thought. A state of "no-thought" better describes the result of Yoga.
The author of the world's first known text of Yoga was Patanjali, who
defined Yoga as stilling the mind, making the consciousness motionless, and
suppressing emotional fluctuations.
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A Chakra an� 1<un�a[{n{ �orkbook
erally the eight limbs or branches leading to absolute integration of the se�
through fusion of the personality in trance consciousness.
The first two phases of A�htanga Yoga are the Yama and Niyama, COII:
prising ten rules of conduct or behavior for the student desiring a unified life:
Western scholars have confused the Yama and Niyama precepts with the TeL
Commandments of Moses, not understanding that the concept of sin or pun
ishment is foreign to Yoga. Karma, the law of action and reaction, is impa�
in Eastern teaching. Karma is the psychological equivalent of Newton's physi
cal law that for every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction. The
Yama-Niyama practices are based upon a knowledge of karma, and unlike the
Ten Commandments, are devoid of moral or ethical meaning.
For example, "Ahimasa is the Yama of observing non-violence towards all
creatures. " This dictum is based on the knowledge that we pay for violent acts
or feelings by the loss of our peace of mind. Mental agitation precludes higher
psychic states.
Santosha, the cultivation of contentment, is the Niyama rule of living in
the present time without brooding over the past or daydreaming about the
future. Living in the present time conserves the psychic energy needed for
meditation or superconsciousness.
The aim of these precepts is purely the maintenance of mental hygiene.
Yamas
l. Ahimsa: Non-violence.
2 . Satya: Truth. Maintaining a lie wastes energy and disrupts internal states.
3 . Asteya: Non-stealing. We have a right only t o that which w e have earned.
4. Brahmacharya: Sexual energy "response-ability. "
S. Aparigraha: Non-possession or detachment from materialism.
Niyamas
l. Saucha: Purity of the physical body and freedom from toxic wastes.
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Me�{tation an� Inner �5e{ng
The third stage of Patanjali's classical system is asana, meaning any posi
tion which is relaxed and sustained, allowing the body to be held motionless
while mental silence is sought. Body activity is linked with mental states and
the object of asana is to reduce the tendency of the physical body to disrupt
mental poise.
Pranayama (life energy control) is the fourth branch for mastery. It con
sists of breathing techniques resulting in controlled respiration which is char
acteristically deep and slow. Slow, full breathing, deliberately performed with
conscious awareness, signals profound relaxation to the mind of the aspirant
preparing for meditation.
HATHA YOGA
From the thi rd and fourth stages of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga has arisen the
well known and excellent school of Hatha Yoga with its postures and breath
controls contributing to the maintenance of health or freedom from "dis-ease. "
Hatha Yoga is designed to bring into reality the dictum o f "mind over mat
ler." Through Hatha Yoga, the consciousness gains rulership of its vehicle for
e:x-pression, the physical body.
Pratyahara, the fifth step, is withdrawal of the senses from the stimulation
,:-f the environment as preparation for the journey into the mental space
c.�lored
. in meditation. It may be induced by fixing the attention upon a men
:al image so intensely that conscious recognition of impulses from the five sen
SLlry gates are excluded or diminished. Physical aids, such as retirement to a
::ark underground cave or blocking the body orifices with cotton wool, may
:3cilitate Pratyahara.
The final three stages are the jewels of Yoga meditation. In these states the
=ind is cleared of the multitude of thoughts characteristic of normal con
�iousness, leaving the lake of consciousness placid.
This process is termed Samyama and may be likened to dropping a pebble
:::nage concentrated upon) among a school of minnows (thoughts) with the
�--ult that the fish immediately flee, leaving the pebble resting on the bottom,
�"ible through the clear, calm water of consciousness.
\Vhen the consciousness can contain a chosen mental image for approxi
=-<.tely twelve seconds without interruption, the sixth stage of Dharana has
:-�en reached. This is more difficult than may appear. Subtle breaks in concen
�::ion occur, such as the thoughts "I am doing this well" or " twelve seconds
=.�l be up."
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A Chakra an� 1<un�alini rworkbook
Interior Depths
Yoga mind control offers a state of consciousness accessible to all, in which
ceaseless mental chatter is finally stilled and we plunge into the interior depths
of our minds to find rejuvenation of the nervous system and a new awareness
of living.
Meditation takes us upon the journey into inner space which is as limit
less and infinite as outer space. The particular method used-mostly concen
tration upon sound or visual imagery-varies in each tradition, but whatever
the technique, it may be considered to be a navigational aid, bringing us to the
shores of meditative experience.
Meditation is not one experience but many experiences. Bliss, creative
thinking, meaningful emotional experience, and heightened sensory awareness
all form some of the concrete results of meditation.
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Me�{tat{()n an� Inner /(je{ng
The criteria for validity of psychic or spiritual experience lies in the inte
grating, settling effect upon all levels of the meditator's personality. Those who
experience real meditative states are loath to discuss their experiences, as
opposed to those who manifest their personality disturbances, which they
interpret as "spiritual experience."
We initiate in a particularly potent form of meditation known as Surya
Shabda or "listening to the solar currents. " These "currents" are inner, subtle
sounds heard in the right hemisphere of the brain and related to the flow of
certain nerve channels originating in the right sympathetic ganglion, which
together with the left sympathetic ganglion-form a "Jacob's ladder" to
"heaven" on either side of the spine.
The classical texts compare focusing upon internal sounds in the head to
luring a deer (the restless mind) with a hunter's flute (nada or inner music)
into a snare or trap to be slain (thought dies) .
To begin practicing the most elementary aspect of the Surya Shabda kriya
: =- technique) , sit comfortably in a quiet, darkened room with your elbows
--:�ting upon a table or your knees. Lick the thumbs (moistening them thor
� -.:�hly) and then screw them firmly into the ears, letting the fingers cover the
:: :::5 \\ithout pressing upon the eyeballs. External noise and light should now
-
:-.: diminated.
Focus your attention upon your right ear and begin listening for inner
'-.: "::1d. Do not analyze the sounds you hear but simply accept them, searching
_ �,ierneath each manifestation for a yet more delicate sound, thus carrying
: -..:r:.elf deeper and deeper within the cavern of the mind-brain complex.
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The doctrine of Yama and Niyama has been so crudely interpreted in popular
Hinduism and in popular Western Yoga that it has been thought to be mere
morals and dogmas. Such simplistic attitudes simply do not work.
When the Yamas and Niyamas are taken to be a set of rules for moral
behavior, we are faced with a profound problem. It is not possible for people to
be perfect in the moral sense. It is not in our nature. In every person, no mat
ter how highly developed, there are the basic uncivilized instincts deep in the
normal brain, and as long as they are there the possibility exists of the crisis sit
uation which will release them.
I have found out two things about humans by my own personal experi
ence: in every person there exist twin buttons. One of these buttons I call the
"killer button" and the other I term the "Judas button. "
The killer button is an emotional response for a certain area of the brain,
and when it is found in a person (normally by pushing that button with
words) , you can turn the most innocuous, the most passive, the most harmless
person into a killer. The Judas button is related to the particular flaw in each of
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::Me�{tat{on an� Inner '5e{ns
Satya: Truth
"The second Yama is Satya-Truth. It is a familiar moral injunction to always
�dl the truth-at an external level. Now humanity possesses a very curious
�1.ing. It is called the unconscious mind. As each of us reads this, we are oper
.:ung with approximately one-tenth of our total mental activity, because-like
.:.:J. iceberg-nine-tenths of our mind is submerged. What person can claim to
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know the contents of that submerged part of his or her mind? How do you teL
when you are being truthful?
If Satya means "non-lying," then are you practicing Satya when you refuse
to tell the white lie that saves someone from hurt? It is obvious that a simple
interpretation of what constitutes the truth is not Satya. For that inner spiritual
truth has to do with the most difficult thing that any of us can come to-that
is the truth to the Self, acknowledging the flaws, looking within and seeing
what is there, facing it without fear, and going within, even if it tears one apan.
In the West we have a particular type of Yoga that does this very success
fully-yes, this is Yoga-called psychotherapy; it is one of the most valuable
heritages that Western civilization has produced. In fact, I do not believe that
for Western people who are serious about Yoga there can be any Yoga in their
life without-at some time-psychotherapy. That going within and facing the
truth about the self and the acceptance of the self, this is Satya.
Asteya: Non-stealing
The third Yama, Asteya, literally means "non-stealing." At a general level we
say that stealing is taking that which one has not earned. I accept that each of
us must earn what we possess, that if we take something that we have not
earned then we are breaking Asteya, or the rule of non-stealing.
However, Asteya goes much deeper than that. Each person in life, in his or
her personal existence, is a vital cog in the wheel of life. Each person fulfills a
potential. Each person, in being part of that cog of this whole thing that we call
life, fulfills Dharma, or obligation to life. Esoterically, one who steals, one who
breaks the law of Asteya or non-stealing, is one who steals the time of the
spirit, the time of the higher consciousness, that is meant to be devoted to the
unfoldment of the higher being.
That stealing that takes place in our life is the stealing of time. From birth
to death, from womb to tomb, and each moment of life that we fail to struggle
with ourselves, we are stealing the time of the spirit, that time of Dharma that
has been given to us. This is the true essence of that rule of Asteya. Killing time
isn't murder-it's spiritual suicide !
154
sexual forces. Yet one who has any knowledge of Indian philosophy, who
examines Buddhist and Tantric tradition, knows that there are other traditions
in Indian philosophy, besides the simplistic Bhakti Vedantist tradition, that
belie the whole concept of Brahmacharya as mere celibacy.
In the Upanishads it is clearly indicated that the sexual potential lying
within each human is communion, a divine force. The Upanishads say that the
vulva is an altar and that the hairs upon the vulva are the flames upon the altar.
The body is a temple and the sexual act is an act of divine worship.
And yet fools have said that Brahmacharya means celibacy. Consequently,
whole hordes of people in India and the West are knotting themselves up sex
ually trying to follow this rule, thinking it means celibacy. Well, it doesn't mean
that. What does it mean?
Brahma means God, charya means action. And the word itself means
"God-action" or "Divine action. " What it says is that the celibacy of sex is not
in the act, but in the attitude that is held in consciousness. Brahmacharya is an
attitude of divine worship. It has nothing to do with the physical action itself.
In the scriptures the body is spoken of as the castle of Brahma, and in this cas
tle we worship an inner instinct as an aspect of the Divine self.
Charya is even more accurately translated as " to wander," and the Brah
machari wanders for eternity, in the consciousness of GOD , his or her mental
body rapt in contemplation of the infinite varieties of Cosmic G-eneration, O
rder, D-ecay-a kaleidoscope of shifting aspects of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
Freud's Discovery
Freud discovered for the Western world what the Tantrist of India, the early
Dravidians, and certain schools of Buddhism had known for thousands of
years. He found that the primal force of power within each of us is the sexual
mainspring, that the foundation of being lies in sexual forces. People have
badly misunderstood Freud when they interpreted him to mean that every
thing has to do with sex.
What Freud said was not that the sexual energies were the most important
thing in life, but that they provided the power for the basis of behavior.
Just as the wiring in a factory provides the power for the making of its
products, and if that wiring is faulty nothing will be properly made, so if the
sexual energies that run in us through the nervous system are faulty or twisted,
then the rest of the activity of the person is going to be influenced.
This is what the whole concept of Brahmacharya is about. It means some
thing very special. What it means in each person's life, I cannot tell you. At a
:heoretical level, it means that this worship of the body should be for everyone.
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A Chakra an� 1<.un�alini "Workbook
But at a personal level, in practice, this is something that each person has to
struggle to work out for him or herself.
In theory we say that this divine act of expression of love should be free.
provided that no hurt accrues and provided no uncared-for children result.
That is simple common sense. But each person has to work out the inner sig
nificance of this on a deeply personal level.
Aparigraha: Non-possession
Finally, we come to the last Yama-Aparigraha, which means non-possession.
In the classical Vedantist tradition it should mean that when a person becomes
a Sannyasin he or she abandons all worldly goods. Now, what is important
about this idea of Aparigraha? It is obvious that if you are a Westerner living in
a materialistic, commercial world, you cannot survive without goods. What is
meant by non-possession?
Only fools take the Yamas and Niyamas literally. This Yama has nothing to
do with the acquisition of goods. What it has to do with is the attitude or the
attachment to these goods. All things, all material goods, are here for our use
or for our misuse. All goods, all fruits of the earth, all fruits of the brain in the
sense of manufacture of material goods, are here for enjoyment and pleasure,
provided our consciousness does not center around acquisition. Again, Apari
graha is not an act, it is an attitude of mind. It is not a question of possessing
goods-rather, do the goods possess us?
Saucha: Purity
Now we move to the Niyamas. They represent the positive element in the sense
of things to be done, acts to be worked at, concrete realities. The first of these
is Saucha, which means purity. Fools have thought that it means purity of
mind. Who can say that one has purity of mind? Only an infant-and even that
can be argued from a certain psycho-analytic viewpoint-has the possibility of
a pure mind, if it means the mind.
Saucha does not mean the mind; it refers to the body. It means purity of
the body in a physiological sense. For the purity of the body, which is the vehi
cle for the expression of consciousness, is the removal of toxic wastes, the
malas, the phlegms, that alter the nervous system of humanity, that clog up the
consciousness, the brain. The maintenance of that purity of the body temple
has to do with the ways that each one of us starts to die. There are four ways in
which each person begins to die. I will talk about three of them now and the
fourth one later.
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:Me�{tat{on an� Inner "(je{ng
BEGINNING TO DIE
The first way in which each of us begins to die physically and mentally we can
call the psychosomatic act. We begin to kill ourselves by misuse of the
mind/body relationship. How? By misunderstanding and abusing the Yamas,
by committing mental acts of violence, by killing our higher consciousness, by
refusing to acknowledge the truth of the self, by stealing the time that has been
given to us from birth to death, by misusing the nervous system in its sexual
function, and by becoming attracted to physical goods and . suffering the ten
sion of their loss.
Perhaps sixty to seventy percent of people who come to doctors are suf
fering from psychosomatic diseases, a disease process that started from emo
tion tensions.
The second way we start to die has to do with the fundamental care of our
being, the nucleus of the cell. It is currently thought in Western biology that
individual cell death is programmed in the chromosomes. We suspect that the
practice of Yoga may be able to alter the programming in the nucleus of the cell
and thus prolong the physical act of life.
The third way that we start to die has particularly to do with Saucha, or
purity. It is simply this: we begin to die at a cellular level by drowning in our
own excretion. The semipermeable membrane of the cell wall becomes
clogged with wastes and loses its ability to take in nutrients and throw out
waste products.
The practices of Hatha Yoga-the internal cleansings, the internal mas
sage of the postures, diet and fasting-maintain the health of the cell wall and
prevent its deterioration. Saucha (purity) means consistent removal of internal
wastes from the physical body to prolong life and cleanse the nervous system
for higher states.
Santosha: Contentment
The second Niyama, Santosha, means contentment-the practice of being con
:ented. How? By living in present time, forgetting the past, leaving the day
.ireams of the future, keeping the energies of the mind/body complex for the
?resent moment. We can cultivate contentment by using the twilight period
�tween waking and sleep and between sleep and full waking to seed our
�nconscious mind with positive suggestions of happiness.
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Yoga is one who can pull the mind together to stop those fluctuations; one whc
can reach inside to bring out the energies, regardless of what has happened; one
who can, in his or her mind, be chased by the hounds of hell and torn to pieces_
and can stop these fluctuations of mind when necessary-this one has Yoga.
Tapas: Indifference
The third of the Niyamas is called Tapas, roughly translated as "indifference.
Tapas is the practice of indifference to discomfort when no useful purpose is
served by taking notice of that discomfort. Tapas is a cultivated attitude of non
chalance to extremes.
Swadhyaya: Self-study
The fourth Niyama is Swadhyaya-self-study. Its inner essence deals with the
fourth way we begin to die. This self-study means that the act of living is a con
tinuous process of learning. Stop learning, and you begin to die in a very spe
cial way. Psychologists know that at least fifty percent of senility is
psychological-loss of interest in life, loss of willingness to learn by life's expe
rience. In this context, Yoga is a form of reeducation.
1515
Chapter �hirteen
Advanced Techniques
We have dealt with the Panch Chakra system (Le. , the five chakras below the
head) . Now we can begin to meditate upon Ajna (pronounced "ag-nyah"-G
as in "agate" ) , the so-called "Third Eye," and in doing so we enter the realm of
the shat-chakra or six center system. (The classical Tantric text is Shat-Chakra
Nirupana).
Ajna, between the eyes, is usually compared with the pineal gland, on the
functional basis that:
1 . The pineal gland is light-sensitive.
2. The pineal has a braking or accelerating effect on puberty (this is a direct
connection to the Swadhisthana-Muladhara complex) .
3 . In terms of the phylogenetic scale, the pineal is considered related to a
vestigial eye, which a particular type of Australian lizard actually has at
the top of its skull.
4. Some of the pineal secretions trigger sleep-wakefulness cycles and are
implicated in producing altered states of consciousness.
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160
A�vance� "Techniques
INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION
The Sanskrit word "Ajna" means "command center," that place where we wor
ship with our consciousness the Guru-Atman, or highest self, and receive
instruction.
The element associated with Ajna is Manas, or "mind-stuff," the very
energy of consciousness.
The Bija mantra is the "lost word" OM, and the yantra symbolizing Ajna
is a winged globe, an emblem of the imagination which can "fly" anywhere,
beyond limitations of space and time. Other more traditional yantras include
the triangle, apex down (as also found in the Chakra mandalas of Muladhara
and Manipura) , and the unconscious symbol of OM embossed upon a gold
disc.
Note in the sketch outline of Ajna, that the two Dalas or petals (to become
:he wings) have the Sanskrit letters upon them of Ha and K'sha, representing
:...�e
. Sun and Moon, mind and body, Ida and Pingala, all subsuming at Ajna or
:...�e
. root of the nose.
Our symbol upon which we will perform Tratak will be a black winged
;lobe (like Hermes' caduceus) , so that with our eyes closed the complementary
=nage will be a white winged globe.
161
A Chakra an� 1<.un�a[ini �()rkh()()k
chair; in either case, have the control of a bright desk lamp within reacr_
2. Place the Ajna Internal Chakra Dharana Yantra at eye level or upon yoc
lap.
3 . Gaze, inhibiting your blink reflex (Le. Tratak) , at the white Bindu or spc :
in the center of the black winged globe (it may take one or two minutes
until a white rim aura starts to appear around the black margins and th{
black itself probably begins to tum whitish or pale.
4. At the same time as you are performing Tratak, silently recite the Bija
mantra OM, aligning it with the natural inspiration (Oh) through the fore
head, and the natural expiration (Mmmmm)-the "Oh" flows into the
Ajna with the inspiration, and "Mmmm" flows out through the Ajna point
with the expiration. (See the illustration on the facing page.)
5. When the rim aura is well manifested, simultaneously switch the light off
and close your eyes. Continue the silent repetition of the Bija OM, as in
Step 4, while gently looking through your forehead and closed eyes. With
relaxation a white winged globe will gradually emerge, floating in the dark
space in front of you . Watch the winged globe, constantly adjusting the
focus of your attention, in order to perceive the afterimage as long as pos
sible.
6. When the afterimage has totally faded, recreate it with your imagination
and hold it between your two physical eyes while continuing with the Bija
mantra meditation. This can be continued for up to twenty minutes.
After one or two weeks, concentration upon the Ajna External Dharana
Tattwa may be dispensed with and you may proceed with the Internal Chakra
Dharana phase only, visualizing the winged globe behind the forehead and
focusing on the Bija mantra OM synchronized with the breath.
External Chakra Dharana produces the afterimage, which serves as what I
call a psychophysiological attention fixer. Swami Satyananda used to teach us
to smear the Ajna point, about where the Tilak of Hindu women is, with
saliva-which has just the right viscosity for producing a slow evaporation sen
sation that makes concentration on the Marma easier. Of course, the creation
of these Tattwa afterimages accelerates contact with unconscious archetypes.
162
A�llance� Efechniques
Natural
Inspiration
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�
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_
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# # .. , .. "
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, ,
, ,
, ,
Physical , ,
, ,
Breath , ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
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163
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ "Workbook
2. Dreaming: REM (rapid eye movement) and sudden flaccidity of the neck
muscles, producing head nodding, with subj ective images, dream scenar
ios, and psychedelic color patterns.
This sixth sense is intuition (inner tutor), the consequence of a Yoga between the
right and left hemispheres of the brain. The feminine, receptive, right hemisphere
processes information and flashes the conclusion across to the masculine, logical
left hemisphere, producing an altered state of consciousness experienced as a sud
den gestalt or "Eureka! " grasp of reality.
- Ecstasy Through Tantra
(page 80)
164
A�vance� r'fechn[ques
165
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workbook
166
A�"ance� Efechn{ques
This meditation employs an unusual attention fixer for Ajna, coupled with a
process of breath visualization and backward counting. The method is
extremely effective for smoothing out the brain wave patterns, synchronizing
the hemispheres, and allowing the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic
nervous system to quickly gain ascendancy.
Remember, concentration upon an image, idea, sensation, or sound is not
meditation but only the method (yuktO to achieve the state of integration
(Yoga) . In other words the brain is, in the Hindu view, only the vehicle through
which the consciousness has to filter itself on a material plane. As we alter our
brain state so we experience pristine consciousness or "supra-consciousness. "
Inherent in all practices o f this book is an underlying recognition that for
true meditation to take place, integration of both cerebral hemispheres is nec
essary. Each technique has built-in methods for occupying the brain holisti
cally.
The left hemisphere may be said to represent Pingala, Shiva, the Sun,
rational, verbal processes; while the right hemisphere is the polar opposite,
relating to Ida, Shakti, Moon, intuitive, non-verbal processes.
With this meditation we take care of the left hemisphere by silently count
ing backward, in synchronicity with the respiratory cycle, from 10 to 1. Since
we tend to count forward automatically, by counting backward the "gears" of
the left brain tend to become more "engaged. "
The right brain is occupied by visualizing a stream o f white light (or blue
or yellow light, if preferred) going into Ajna, also in synchronicity with the
breath.
Finally, both hemispheres have their respective sensory cortex strips (tac
tile-touch areas) simultaneously bombarded by pressure over the Ajna region
with a common United States copper penny, or one-cent coin.
The "magic" of the penny, is, of course, copper, and the association of
copper with Venus or Aphrodite (remember the IUD " Copper 7" 7) is tradi
tional, as well as the fact that copper is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory
substance (copper bracelets for arthritis have long been in vogue) now made
into a cream for joint pain. These are just a few of the interesting relationships.
Copper is also a fine conductor of heat and electricity; its magical properties,
according to folklore, are comparable with those of quartz crystal.
At a serious level, the penny becomes a superb and inexpensive biofeed
back device, monitoring the tension of the forehead frontalis muscle, contrac-
167
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �"rkb(lOk
tions of which trigger tension headaches (in which the head feels squeezed .?.;'
Technique
(Refer to the chart on the following page.)
l. Place the penny flat between the eyebrows, just at the root of the nose, or
nasion, holding the penny with a forefinger.
2. Slide it up to roughly the center of the forehead.
3 . Push the penny firmly into the forehead with the forefinger and take the
forefinger away.
4. The penny will now stay in position as long as you keep the frontalis mus
cle relaxed; it will continue to stay there for the duration of the medita
tion. Note that if you contract the muscles of the forehead, voluntarily or
involuntarily, the penny will drop off.
168
A�\lance� r'fechn{ques
169
A Chakra an� 1<un�a[[n[ �orkhook
I n the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Ten. "
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Nine."
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Eight."
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Seven. "
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Six."
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Five."
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Four. "
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Three. "
170
A�"ance� Efecftniques
VERTICAL BREATHING
171
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �orkbook
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "Two. "
In the right nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the left nostril.
In the left nostril to Ajna, from Ajna out the right nostril.
Say "One . "
Now repeat the sequence. This countdown is done for the duration o f the
meditation (twenty to thirty minutes) and it should be expected that you ""ill
lose count. This is a sign of dropping into dreaming or dreamless sleep. When
you do lose count and become aware of coming out of the state you are in, sim
ply pick anywhere you thought you left off, or start at the beginning. The
counting is a device intended to "cut out" the left brain.
Summary
1 . Prepare yourself in a sitting meditation posture, on a chair or the floor.
2. Place the copper penny on the Ajna spot. (Note: if the penny should drop
during meditation, do not try to retrieve it but continue with the counting
in rhythm with the breath.)
3 . While sensing the tactile pressure of the penny against your skin a t Ajna,
become also aware of your breath flowing through the nostrils.
4. Begin to exclusively focus on breath movement in the right nostril, then
exclusively out the left nostril, tracking the movement of air with a psy
chic imagined color leading up to Ajna on inspiration and down from
Ajna on exhalation. Count down one round each time you return to Ajna.
Count from ten to one and repeat.
Simultaneously, you imagine the colored breath reaching and receding
from Ajna, you sense the penny at Ajna, and you count the rounds down and
repeat for the duration of the technique.
172
A�vance� r'fechniques
YOGA NIDRA
The particular form of Yoga Nidra ("Yoga Sleep") we are going to discuss was
first released to the Western world by Paramahansa Satyananda Saraswati
around 1 965. Swami Satyananda was a brilliant Yoga Mind-Body technologist
(he is now in retirement) and this method , as with so much in Tantra and
Yoga, contains very clever mechanisms not approached in Western psychology.
Many epithets have been used to attempt to convey in English the mean-
ing of Yoga Nidra. Descriptions include:
Psychic sleep
Sleepless sleep
Sleep in a state of awareness
Yogic tranquilizer
The prefix "Ni" is the Sanskrit root of our English word "nether," or
down, as in "nether world" (underworld) , while the suffix " dra" may be cog
nate with the English "drowsy:" "to be half asleep, to be inactive or present an
appearance of peaceful inactivity or isolation" CWebsters Third International
Dictionary) .
Therefore I will define Yoga Nidra, in essence, as a practice producing an
altered state of consciousness, marked by some physical " drowsiness" with
accompanying mental access to "worlds under" the perception of normal wak
ing consciousness.
Upanishadic doctrine, and at least three classical schools of Indian phi-
losophy, teaches the existence of four levels of consciousness; these are:
1. Waking consciousness
2. Dreaming consciousness
3. Dreamless sleep
4. Turiya (Conscious dreamless sleep?)
173
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ �()rkb()()k
174
A�lIance� rrechn{ques
A short comment regarding hypnosis and meditation states: They are not
the same, although they share some common features; the psychophysiological,
particularly EEG, correlations of meditation are much more specific. One com
mon feature is the starting point. Both phenomena involve concentration pro
ducing monoideism or single-pointedness of attention. In Sanskrit, Ekagrata
(one-pointedness) .
" "See Altered States of Consciousness, edited by Charles T. Tart Oohn Wiley and Sons, 1969) . This is a
classic, over twenty years old; extensive research in the interval has only refined and substantiated the
data.
175
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �()rkb()()k
!�
Start Yoga Nidra Beta End Yoga Nidra
tf
(or most meditations)
Alpha
� t
During Yoga Nidra (The pattern is
frequencies oscillate Theta more random and
or phase repetitive than this
Delta chart indicates)
176
A�"ance� "Techn{ques
Sense it!
See it!
Say it!
�Jasmine Riddle, M.A. and I collaborated in 1977 to produce an advanced Yoga Nidra tape. She recorded
:his with a musical background. This tape is available through Llewellyn Publications.
177
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ �"rkb""k
Third Finger
'"
�� Second Finger
- -
/
\
1
Fifth ...-----Ire-
�---e Thumb
Palm .- ----+--�-.......
\ 1
Wrist ...----,/--
17[5
A�"ance� 'Techniques
179
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini "Workbook
Preparation
Lie down in Shavasana* , your body stretched out, feet apart, the palms of your
hands turned upward. Close your eyes. (pause) Make all the necessary adjust
ments so that you are as comfortable as possible-there must be no movement,
conscious nor unconscious. (pause) Remember that you are about to practice
Yoga Nidra, psychic sleep, and that you have only to maintain awareness of
hearing and feeling. (pause) The body sleeps but the mind remains awake . . .
you remain alert so that you do not sleep. (pause) Take a deep breath; as you
breathe in, feel calmness spreading throughout your body . . . as you breathe
out, feel your cares and concerns flowing out of you.
Relaxation
Become aware of your body and relax yourself completely; make yourself
physically calm and steady. (pause) Feel that your legs are relaxed, your trunk,
your head, your arms and bones. (pause) Develop the awareness of your phys
ical body right from the top of your head to the tip of the toes, and say in your
mind: O-o-o-m-m-m. (pause) Have complete awareness of the whole body . . .
say to yourself again, O-o-o-m-m-m; and again, mentally: O-o-o-m-m-m. (pause)
Relax your whole body, relax yourself mentally, relax yourself by breathing
normally and becoming aware of the breath as it moves between the navel and
throat. (pause) Have awareness of your natural breathing; do not force it.
(pause) Breathing from the navel to the throat, please go on with this aware
ness and slowly feel yourself becoming more relaxed. (long pause) Now leave
your breathing and become aware that you are going to practice Yoga Nidra.
Let your mind jump freely from one part to the next. (pause)
Right side: Right-hand thumb, second finger, third, fourth, fifth, palm, wrist,
elbow, shoulder, armpit, waist, hip, right thigh, kneecap, calf muscle, ankle,
heel, sole, right toes: one, two , three, four, five . . .
*(Alternate script for use with sitting position) Seat yourself comfortably, as in the the Egyptian God
Posture: your back is erect, your feet are flat on the floor, and your hands are relaxed and on your knees
with your palms turned upward.
A�llance� 1echniq ues
Left side: Left-hand thumb, second finger, third, fourth, fifth, palm, wrist,
elbow, shoulder, armpit, waist, hip, left thigh, kneecap, calf muscle, ankle,
heel, sole, left toes: one, two, three, four, five . . .
Right side reverse: Go to the right toes and start from the bottom. Right big
toe, second toe, third, fourth, fifth, sole, heel, ankle, calf muscle, kneecap,
thigh, hip, waist, armpit, shoulder, elbow, wrist, palm, right thumb, second fin
ger, third, fourth, fifth . . .
Left side reverse: Go to the left toes and start from the bottom. Left big toe ,
second toe, third, fourth, fifth, sole, heel, ankle, calf muscle, kneecap, thigh,
hip, waist, armpits, shoulder, elbow, wrist, palm, left thumb, second finger,
third, fourth, fifth . . .
Whole back down: Go to the back of the body; go to the back of the head,
where it touches the floor. Back of the head, right shoulder blade, left shoulder
blade, whole spine, right hip, left hip, right buttock, left buttock, back of the
right thigh, back of the left thigh, back of the right knee, back of the left knee,
right calf muscle, left calf muscle, right ankle, left ankle, right heel, left heel . . .
Whole back up : Right ankle, left ankle, right calf muscle, left calf muscle, right
back of the knee, left back of the knee, right back of thigh, left back of thigh,
right buttock, left buttock, right hip, left hip, whole spine, right shoulder
blade, left shoulder blade, back of the head . . .
Whole front down: Go to the front of the body; go to the top of the head. Top
of the head, forehead, right eyebrow, left eyebrow, the space between the eye
brows, right eye, left eye, right ear, left ear, right nostril, left nostril, right
cheek, left cheek, upper lip, lower lip, chin, throat, right collarbone, left col
larbone, right chest, left chest, middle of the chest, navel, upper abdomen,
lower abdomen, right groin, left groin, right thigh, left thigh, right knee, left
knee, right toes, left toes . . .
\\'hole front up: Right toes, left toes, right knee, left knee, right thigh, left
thigh, right groin, left groin, lower abdomen, upper abdomen, navel, right
chest, left chest, middle of the chest, right collarbone, left collarbone, throat,
chin, lower lip, upper lip, right cheek, left cheek, right nostril, left nostril, right
car, left ear, right eye, left eye, right eyebrow, left eyebrow, space between the
eyebrows, forehead, top of the head . . .
�{ajor parts: Now the major parts of the body. The whole of the right leg,
,,-hole of the left leg, both legs together. Whole of the right arm, whole of the
�dt arm, both arms together; whole of the back; whole of the front; whole of
Ml
A. Chl1krl1 I1n� 1<un�l1lini "Workbook
the head; the whole body, whole body, whole body. Visualize the whole bee
. . . say "whole body" and visualize the whole body. (pause) Intensify y(':.:.�
awareness . . . the whole body, the whole body, the whole body. (long pause,i
Body Awareness
Become aware of the meeting points between your body and the floor. (palL'<:
Feel the meeting points between body and floor . . . sharp meeting points .
body and floor. (pause) Feel the floor holding you, like a baby in arms. (paU5i
Now concentrate on your body as if seeing it from the outside; look on yot:�
body as an object. (pause) See your head, your clothes, your whole body fror:.
top to bottom, lying in Shavasana on the floor of this room. (pause) See you�
body as an object, a reflection in an imaginary mirror. (pause) You are lookin;
at your own reflection in the mirror and you see yourself lying on the floor . . .
your feet, legs, belly, chest, arms, hands, clothing, nose, closed eyes, forehead._
hair . . . everything reflected in that mirror. (pause) Have awareness of your
body as an object. (pause) Make sure you are not sleeping. (long pause)
Breathing
Bring your attention to the natural breath, the quiet breath; become aware of
the breath through the nostrils. (pause) The natural breath flows through both
nostrils and meets at the top of the nose to form a triangle. (pause) The spon
taneous breath enters through the nostril openings, moves upward and draws
together to form a triangle with its apex in the eyebrow center. (pause) Be
aware of the breath passing through both nostrils . . . become aware of both
breaths, separately . . . and simultaneously. (pause) Think of the breaths as
starting separately from a distance, drawing near and uniting in the eyebrow
center. (pause) Now concentrate on each breath and try to determine its tem
perature . . . move back and forth and compare the temperatures. (pause) In
Yoga we say the left nostril breath is Ida, moon, and the right is Pingala, sun.
(pause) Ida, the left breath, is cooler; Pingala, the right breath, is warmer.
(pause) Continue your awareness of breathing, but imagine you are now
breathing through alternate nostrils . . . in through one nostril, and out through
the other; up and down the sides of the triangle and back again. (pause) Main
tain your awareness and start counting each breath with full attention: inhale
left . . . 54, exhale right . . . 54, inhale right . . . 53, exhale left . . . 53, inhale left
. . . 52, exhale right . . 52, inhale right . . . 5 1 , exhale left . . . 5 1 , and so on . . .
.
continue counting to zero. (long pause) Keep total awareness of counting and
breathing; if you make a mistake or reach zero, start again at 54. (long pause)
1<52
.A.�vance� 'Techniques
Stop your counting and remain aware of the breath only . . . inhaling evenly
through both nostrils, exhaling evenly through both nostrils; you have total
awareness, no sleeping . . . no sleeping. 0-2 minute pause)
Feelings
Heaviness: Heaviness; waken the experience in the whole body of the feeling
of heaviness. (pause) Become aware of heaviness in each part of the body as it
is named: toes, heels, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, buttocks, back, belly, chest,
shoulders, arms, palms, head, eyelids, the whole body . . . heavy, the whole
body . . . heavy. (pause) Experience this feeling of heaviness in the whole body.
(pause)
Lightness: Lightness; manifest the experience of lightness in the body. (pause)
Manifest the feeling of lightness from the top . . . from the top of the head, then
the whole head; then shoulders, palms, back, chest, abdomen, thighs, knees,
calves, heels, soles, toes . . . manifest the experience of lightness in the whole
body from top to toe. (pause) The lightness of the body can be developed by
feeling the meeting points between the body and the floor . . . point by point, or
as a whole; a whole surface of meeting of body and floor. (pause) Concentrate
on this area of meeting and gradually experience lightness. (pause) Feel your
self floating up from the floor . . . you are so light that you are floating to the
ceiling, drifting back and forth. (pause) Continue this experience until light
ness is manifest, then go on. (pause)
_-\SCENDING
Muladhara: Yellow cube in the lower pelvis
Swadhisthana: Silver crescent moon melon below navel
Manipura: Ruby red inverted pyramid
1�3
.A. Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ �"rkb""k
Anahata: Blue sapphire six-pointed star behind the breast bone on a le\"e�
with the nipples
Vishuddha: Black oval egg nestled in the throat
Ag-n-ya (Ajna) : White winged globe behind the forehead and between the
eyes
Sahasrara: Red lotus occupying the brain or cranial cavity
DESCENDING
Sahasrara: Red lotus filling the brain
Ag-n-ya (Ajna) : White winged globe behind the forehead and between the
eyes
Vishuddha: Black oval egg occupying the throat
Anahata: Dark blue sapphire six-pointed star behind the breast bone
Manipura: Deep red inverted pyramid inside the abdomen between the
navel and the bottom of the breast bone
Swadhisthana: Silver crescent melon moon below the navel and above the
pubic bone
Muladhara: Yellow-gold cube within the pelvic floor
ASCENDING AGAIN
Muladhara: Yellow solid cube in the pelvis (See it . . . sense it . . .)
Swadhisthana: Silver crescent melon moon in the lower abdomen
Manipura: Deep ruby red inverted pyramid ("fire in the middle") above
the navel
Anahata: Dark blue star sapphire occupying the heart cavity
Vishuddha: Black egg within the throat
Ag-n-ya (Ajna) : Winged white globe between the eyes
Sahasrara: Red rose filling the skull
Rapid images
Bring your awareness to the present and make sure you are not sleeping; no
sleeping, please. I am going to name a few objects and you should try to visu
alize them on the levels of feeling, awareness, emotion, and imagination as best
you can. (pause) As fast as I go, so fast should you move . . . jumping your mind
from image to image; do not waste your time concentrating on one image, but
keep moving.
184
A�vance� Ffechniques
Ocean/]ungle
Intensify your awareness . . . intensify your awareness . . . go to an infinite
ocean, calm and quiet . . . try to discover a sound there. (pause) There is a
sound, an infinite ocean, dark green jungles on the shore, snakes, lions, and
goats living in friendliness. (pause) From the shore a path leads to a lonely cot
tage in the jungle, and a Yogi sitting in the lotus position. (pause) There is a
small fire and a smell of incense, the fragrance of flowers, and an atmosphere
of tranquillity. (pause) All around can be heard the sound of OM, the chanting
of OM over the infinite ocean. (long pause)
Golden Egg
Become a witness of your awareness . . . not the body, not the senses, not the
mind, nothing but the different awareness. (pause) Become aware that you are
aware of yourself. (pause) Look within and try to be aware of one who is look
ing, who is aware of what you have been doing so far. (pause) Go into chi
Jakash . . . go into the cave you find there. (pause) Within the cave, within the
..::aye, very dark, very dark . . . within that cave there is a flaming light . . . find
�at light. (pause) Find that light and find a small golden egg in the center of
:.t.'e light . . . a small golden egg, very bright, with light all around. (long pause)
Finish
:he whole body . . . the whole body . . . the whole body. (long pause) Relax all
::fforts and bring your attention to the natural breath, the natural breath flow
=-,-g in and out of the nostrils. (long pause) Maintain your awareness of breath
1�5
A Chakra al1� 1<.ul1�al{l1{ �orkb""k
and at the same time develop your awareness of physical relaxation. (pause
Develop awareness of relaxation . . . and awareness of your physical existence:
become aware of the physical existence of your body. (long pause) Develop
awareness of your body and visualize your body lying on the floor. (pause
Take your mind out and visualize the surrounding room; let your mind become
completely external . . . do not open your eyes. (pause) You are practicing Yoga
Nidra; become aware of this fact. (pause) Lie quietly until your attention is
completely externalized. Start moving, moving your body and stretching your
self . . . please take your time, there is no hurry. (pause) When you are sure thaI
you are wide awake, sit up slowly and open your eyes. The practice of Yoga
Nidra is now complete. Han om tat sat.
186
�art Six
Tantra, like love, promotes neither the rational nor the irrational,
but rather the para-rational.
1�7
Magical Sexuality
Our culture has divorced mind and body (Cartesian dualism) , brain and sp�
cord, cerebral cortex and limbic system; slain intuition ("inner tutor" ) k'�
logic, and castrated emotion for thinking. This ritual is the coupling Yoga of
left and right hemispheres: intellect and feeling; Adam (mind) and Eve (body).
This is the Yoga of sex: The "sex" comes from the Latin root secare, meaning
"divided," and yet through magical sexuality may this schism be "re-paired."
Let the Man-God and Woman-Goddess be a-ware of absolute purity nec
essary for the magical implements before proceeding to "square the circle.
Shiva will enter with wand and Shakti with rose, the "squared circle," and each
with "wise serpent" and "gentle dove," for it is written:
During communion of serpent and dove, wand and rose, let the heart contain
ing the blood of red wine soften and the skull chalice become empty and void.
for only the empty vessel can receive.
The material I have presented herein is delicately balanced. I do not wish the
instructions to be misconstrued as either a sexual manual or a sex therapy
book. Excellent volumes on both these topics abound.
Tantra is to be approached from a sensitive experiential viewpoint. Sexual
Tantra cannot be vulgarized, nor entirely excised from its traditional Indian
heritage. Realize also, that what I share represents but a fragment of the Tantric
teachings.
Individual differences dictate unique and myriad responses to the exer
cises. Each student will discover hislher favorite exercise, but all the methods
require practice and patience to be fully appreciated.
The heightened sensations ensuing may result in extended orgasm and
certainly a profound altered state of consciousness.
1�9
A Chakra an� 1<.un�a[ini "Workbook
190
rrantra 'Yoga for the 5hare� Life
The purpose of this optional meditation is, through a ritual (Sanskrit "rita," "to
flow" ) , to submerge the island of consciousness beneath the cosmic ocean of
the unconscious. This allows the archetypal images of Tantra to emerge.
The ritual is to be performed three nights before the Full Moon and the
last thing before falling asleep.
Each evening w(rite) out the following statement three times on three
separate pieces of paper by candlelight:
Place the three pieces of paper under the candleholder and retire. As you
fall asleep, visualize as many of the above image pairs as you can. It is not nec
essary that the statement is consciously understood, as the evocative images
speak to the subconscious.
Repeat the above on the second and third evenings adding each night's
papers to those already under the candle holder.
On the night of the Full Moon, burn each of the nine papers in the candle
flame while chanting the incantation given above.
"Magical childe"
(Creation of wish or desire)
Ungam Yoni
"Sanskrit: "Loom," prefix "tan"-meaning "weave" or "extend. " English derivative "tender."
" �Sanskrit root "yug" means "yoke." "Yoga" means "union. " The French derivative "jugum" moves into
�nglish as "jugular"-Le., veins uniting the head and the heart.
191
A Chakra an� 1<un�al[n[ 'Workhook
The number three stands for the three points of an equilateral triangle
with its base on the earth plane. It signifies action, reaction, and result, or
lingam, yoni, and "magical childe. "
The number nine is " thrice times thrice" (Shakespeare's Macbeth) o r " triple
triplicity," meaning absolute completion.
The Purpose
This ceremony affiliates the student with the egregore or mental plane of
Tantric tradition through the centuries.
EXERCISE ONE
192
'(antra 'Yoga for the Share� £{{e
PSYCHOSOMATIC CENTERS
7
6
4
,
3 T
193
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �orkbook
o
bones and frontal bone)
Anahata
(ring finger, middle sternum
in line with nipples)
* Blue hexagram-air
v
Manipura Red triangle-fire
(middle finger, navel to tip
of breast bone)
a
Muladhara Yellow square-earth
(thumb, anus, vulva,
urethra)
194
rrantra 'Yoga for the 8hare� .lite
This is the original form of a secret kriya practice called Chakra Nu Sadhana.
This will powerfully stimulate the chakras from below to above, raising the
psycho-sexual energy.
It may be performed by couples or individuals and may be likened to a
psychic acupuncture with an imagined rose bud. When done with attention,
this is very sensual and will also relieve tension in any dis-eased body area.
Now imagine using the rose to psychically penetrate each of the secret, inti
mate parts of your body and then rotating the rose half a dozen times clock
wise and half a dozen times counterclockwise.
�ote: Women and men may also wish to psychically penetrate each breast
through the nipple.
See it . . . sense it . . .
195
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'Workbook
Feel the velvet bud sensually and slowly penetrate, while simultaneously imag
ining it merging deep into recesses and melting through skin and bone. Savor
the rotations and sense the slow psychic withdrawal, allowing erotic shivers to
go through you as you get ready for the next penetration point.
Male visualization: Perform Tratak on the above rose drawing, close your eyes,
and see it float before you as a red rose. Use it in the exercise as described.
Female visualization: Perform Tratak on the above rose drawing, close your
eyes, and see it float before you as a white rose. Use it in the exercise as
described.
196
rrantra 'Yoga for the Share� Ll{e
EXERCISE TWO
ADVANCED PHASE
Continue this exercise until both partners climax. This may be accelerated by:
1 . Rapid anal contractions alternating with rapid contraction of bladder
sphincter (as if repeatedly cutting off midstream urine) .
2. Intense erotic fantasy involving mental consummation with partner.
197
A Chakra al1� 1<ul1�a[{I'1{ �()rkh()()k
Yoga teaches that Ida and Pingala unite at the Third Eye-"Insight. "
Sexual Tantra reveals that the contact points for activation o f Ida and Pin
gala are the left and right ear lobe respectively
19<5
'Tantra 'Yoga for the Share� Life
PSYCHIC PATHWAYS
Feminine Masucline
Receptive Projective
199
.A. Chakra an� 1<un�alini �(.wkb()()k
Ida and Pingala flow downward to j oin the base, then flow upward
through Sushumna to form a glowing ball of light cupped in the skull.
200
"{antra 'Yoga for the Share� L{fe
EXERCISE THREE
201
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini "Workbook
VARIATION
The technique may be done with the partners lying side by side. The man �:::
on his left side, cradling the woman's head in his left arm, leaving his r.�:.
hand free to stroke down the left side of her spine to her buttocks, while st:.=
ulating her ear lobe. She lies on her right side facing him.
This position also has an added advantage: Once the Shakti lubrical�
Shiva may manipulate his right hand so that his thumb seals her anus (Mub..:.
hara) , his forefinger inserts into her yoni (Swadhisthana) , and middle fin§:-::.
gently lies alongside her clitoris (Manipura chakra) , providing additional str=
ulation.
ROLE REVERSAL
The partners should alternate roles so that the woman stimulates the ma:r: �
right ear lobe (Pingala) bringing him to erection and inserting the lingam in: =
her yoni for climax.
CONSIDERATIONS
1 . Most humans are sensitive to ear lobe stimulation as this is an establishe-':
reflex pathway in many mammals-remember scratching behind a dog·�
ear and watching its hind leg involuntarily shake? Because of individua.
differences, ear lobe stimulation may have to be cultivated with some sen
sitivity, as much as nipple responsiveness is latent in most males but car:
be consciously developed.
2. Many women may experience multiple orgasms with this technique
(focused ear lobe stimulation) although this should not become a goaL
anymore than simultaneous orgasms or female ejaculation should become
a goal. Such experience are bonuses, not success indicators !
3. The method may b e equally applied t o the nipple i f the woman is breast
sensitive.
4. Prolonged excitement phase that does not end in orgasmic release may
produce uncomfortable venous congestion in the female pelvis. When this
happens, any method (oral sex, manual stroking, vibrator, etc.) should be
used to provide release.
S. The male partner is required to sustain erection and prolong excitement
phase as long as possible before ejaculation. As mentioned previously,
involuntary ejaculations may be expected and should not to be considered
failures or loss of energy. This is an outdated idea still often espoused, not
only by Yogis and western practitioners of sex magic, but by physicians,
athletic coaches, and others that indeed should know better.
202
'Tantra 'Yoga for the 8hare� Life
Pingala: Ida:
Right ear lobe Left ear lobe
Right nipple Left nipple
�he two Shakti-yoni triangles point down to awaken Muladhara (genital cen
::::: r ) while one Shiva triangle points up to the Third Eye. This is a neuro-phys
�]logical tract from a woman's nipple to the pituitary gland that then releases a
=-�rmone stimulating uterine contractions. Thus the visionary world opens for
=--er with mounting excitement.
203
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini "Workbook
RETARDING EJACULATION BY
TANTRIC BREATH POWER
204
"Tantra 'Yoga for the Share� L{fo
A FINAL SECRET
At the moment of climax, Shiva and Shakti may intensify their mutual experi
ence by holding their breath for as long as the orgasmic reverberations con
tinue.
This Pranayama conj oins life (Prana) and death (Yama) , and floods the
psychic bodies with bio-energy (Prana) while controlling (Yama) the mind
body complex.
205
CHAKRAS
-
r ____ ___ - - - - - - - - - - -JJ Red Rose
.... - - - - - -
f -
---V Red Inverse Triangle
206
�pilogue
Kissing awakens the sleeping princess of beauty, and there begins the ultimate
ritual* of Tantra leading to the Yoga of lingam and yoni, wand and cup, spine
and skull, arrow and heart, wafer and wine, bell and candle, sword and blood,
taper and flame, thorn and rose.
Upon "nowhere" will be inscribed the Templar temple foundation, and in
the center will the thorn wed the rose "now-here," secreting the dew of vicar
ious immortality.
The resulting conjunction of Mars and Venus, Ares and Aphrodite, gives
birth to the divine hermaphrodite and the existential state of androgyny.
This is the celestial dance of lovers inj ected with the aphrodisiac venom
of the tarantula. Coupled, they perform the tarantella* * to free themselves
from the spider woman's tangled Tantric web.
The ceremony-"karma-mony" (Sanskrit)-is not for the mundane,
those who spurn sperm, or sacrifice velocity for intensity. t
Kundalini (Cinderella: "lady of the sleeping embers" ) is quiescent in the
pelvis of Homo sapiens (wise ones) . She is bride, virgin, wife, divorcee, and
widow.
Shiva, her spouse, bridegroom, divorced one, and widower, sleeps in the
skull chalice. (Latin calvarium is Aramaic Golgotha-"hill of skulls. " )
207
A Chakra an� 1<.un�alini "Work.book.
20�
'The �ltimate 'Ritual
PRELIMINARY PURIFICATION
let the couple preparing for Tantric coupling ascertain the directions of
N(orth) , E(ast) , Weest) , and S(outh) in a clean room of their choice.
Rose incense may be burned in the East (feminine) and sandalwood in the
West (masculine) while the psychic circuit (yantra) is being drawn upon the
floor.
Construction
At the center of the chosen space, let the man hold a cord that is equal to the
woman's height (or, if space is limited, equal to the distance from her navel to
the soles of her feet) ; the radius of the circle described using half this length.
The woman, holding the other end of the rope, traces a circle with white chalk
as she walks.
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A Chakra al1� 1<tm�a[[I'1[ 'Workbook
210
'('he 'Ultimate 'R{tual
Symbology
The circle is a cross-section both of lingam and breast, the white chalk is both
semen and milk-they respectively represent the nutrients for the unconceived
and nourishment for the newborn, as well as cosmic elixir ("Milky Way") . The
circle center is the nipple, lingam-phallus, clitoris, omphalos (center of the
microcosmic world) , and axis mundi (axle of macrocosm or universe) .
The man now moves to the East of the circle and extends the cord the full
diameter of the circle to the woman standing at the opposite (Western) point
on the circumference. She inscribes a half arc North-South, with red chalk.
They reverse positions and repeat the procedure by walking clockwise around
the circumference. The same construction is used from North and South posi
tions so two vesica pisces are provided at right angles to each other. The vesica
pisces is intrinsic to sacred architecture around the world.
The capital city of Australia, Canberra (Australian capital territory) , was
centred on ley lines crossing a vesica pisces, in the tradition of Ancient Rome
and Stonehenge.
The eccentric, brilliant American architect, Walter Burley Griffin, early
this century surreptitiously incorporated sacred geometry into Canberra's
urban design. (See The Secret Plan of Canberra, Professor Peter Proudfoot, Pub
lished 1 993 by the University of N .5.W)
A vesica pisces is the arched oval (ovary-egg) used in medieval painting as
an aura depicting sanctification. Tantra and Hinduism recognize this as the
perfect yoni, vulva (enfolded petals) , vagina, or birth canal (sheath) , the
emblem of initiation between the thigh pillars (Boaz and Jachin) into the jour
ney from womb to tomb. The two yonis at right angles form the four dalas or
petals of Muladhara chakra. Each yoni represents a different "magical childe. "
One is procreation o r physical birth, while the other represents birth o f
thought, i . e . , mental children (true Tantric progeny) .
The red chalk outline is the sign of each woman as lunar goddess, the
·'rose flower" or "flow-er" weeping blood between conceptions and at births.
The magical geometry is completed by pulling the cord taut between the
points where the two vesica pisces intersect and drawing straight lines with
yellow chalk to form a square.
211
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'Workbook
N 5
Symbology
The yellow square is the element earth, signifying solidarity, stability, ground
ing, and material existence. The square may be filled in with a yellow woolen
blanket, preferably overlaid with yellow silk.
This becomes consecrated ground wherein a psychic bridge may be cre
ated between the mundane and the arcane, the physical and the spiritual
realms.
The tantric linkage occurring within this sacred area transforms the par
ticipants into divine (deva) beings possessed of wisdom (veda). Therein mutual
desires will crystallize, actualize, and materialize when implosive sex magic
occurs within this "squared circle. "
The constrained, contained power of the square is demonstrated in terms
of sacred geometry by noting that perfect squares can be constructed within the
primal square, each with ever-decreasing area, to infinity.
212
rrhe Vlttmate 'Ritual
This design is found on the roof of the "womb house" or sanctum sancto
rum in all Hindu temples.
Note also that the two-dimensional outline of the square extends into the
astral as a three-dimensional cube or "perfect Ashlar. " The cube with six sides
unfolds to become the Latin or "rosy" cross, consisting of six equal squares.
When, within the central square, a cross is formed by the supine male
body (head East, arms extended North and South) with the woman assuming
kali asana (female astride) , her yoni pressed against the male breast bone
(over the heart chakra) , then the shakti becomes the "rose," moist with dew,
upon the cross of Shiva's body awaiting the nuptial moment. Theirs is an
anticipation, a tension between the immanent and the transcendent, the phe
nomenal and the noumenal, the immaterial transfixed upon the crucifix of the
material, resolved by the climactic transfiguration.
213
A Cltakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workbook
E
�------� - - - - - - - - - - - - - �------�
"'-------_+_ - - - - - - - - - - - - 1------1
214
�he Vltimate 'Ritual
The mystic diagram on the next page, now complete, is "ga-Iactic" space,
a sacred area within which we each work out our ka(r)ma. Through kama,
(love) , karma is eradicated according to the purity of each male and female
candidate (candida "whiteness; " i.e., the blending of the whole solar spec
=
trum) .
The square is the earthy, material bodies of the two participants in sex
ual communion. The circle is the eternal rebirth of the species and birth after
birth of thought patterns. The two vesica pisces (forming four dalas or petals
of the Muladhara chakra) become the doors to initiatory birth-physical and
spiritual.
215
A Chakra an� 1<.un�alini �()rkh()()k
, ,
, ,
.. - .. �
, ,
, ,
• •
� 6
, ,
"T'
- - .. -
•
•
N S
216
£fhe Vltimate �itual
Ritual Accoutrement
THE VESTMENTS
After a mutual hot bath with oils (amber or rose) , Shiva should don a white
(shukra semen) cotton or silk robe, and Shakti a red (rajas menses) cotton
= =
Let the couple now enter the sacred space, a realm o f self-created sacred
geometry, with knowledge of TAN-gible TRA-nscendence.
Theirs is to become a unique, unrepeatable journey, as is existence itself
unique and unrepeatable.
217
.A. Chakra al1� 1<ul1�alil1i "Workbook
RITUAL ARRANGEMENT AT
COMMENCEMENT OF CEREMONY
Incense
(Red)
Square covered with
yellow bedding and
N S
cushions
(White)
2M
'The �lt{mate 'R{tual
219
T he male and female construct a microcosmic circle,
from a circle a square,
then mutually evolve a triangle
around which emerges a macrocosmic circle,
and they shall possess the Philosopher's Stone.
For a philosopher is not a lover of wisdom
but one who knows the wisdom of love.
220
'The Vlamate 'Ritual
/\ Male: Shiva
=
v = Female : Shakti
Heaven Descending
to Earth
221
Memorial
This is a program designed to insure mastery of the core techniques in the first
nine chapters of this book.
THIRD WEEK
Sukhasana: Twenty minutes each morning.
Savasana, Advanced: Thirty minutes each evening.
FIFTH WEEK
Sukhasana: Ten minutes each morning.
Yoni Mudra, Advanced: Fifteen minutes each morning.
Savasana, Advanced: Thirty minutes each evening.
223
SIXTH WEEK (CHAPTER 4)
Yoni Mudra, Advanced: Fifteen minutes each morning.
Polarization: Fifteen minutes each evening, or
Savasana, Psychic: Thirty minutes each evening.
EIGHTH WEEK
Yoni Mudra, Advanced: Fifteen minutes each morning.
Polarization: Fifteen minutes each evening.
Internal Dharana: Fifteen minutes each evening.
Savasana, Psychic: Thirty minutes each evening.
224
Loss of Consciousness
During the Yoga Class:
A Guide for Yoga Teachers
(This article was written in 1 973 while I was studying with Parahamnsa
Satyananda Saraswati at Monghr, Bihar State, India.)
Your maturity as a yoga teacher may be judged by how efficiently you handle
emergency situations in the class. The moment an incident arises, if possible,
isolate the student requiring attention and keep the others occupied under the
supervision of a senior student.
A faint: When a person falls or sags unconscious to the ground and rapidly
recovers.
A seizure : The collapse of a person who falls unconscious and then j erks or
twitches. (Most commonly epileptic.)
A fall: A student slips or trips and lands on the floor, often in balance exercises.
When this occurs, consider the possibility that the student may have struck his
or her head when landing, particularly if the student seems dull after the inci
dent and fails to get up. Although you may think that the student overbalanced,
always ask if the fall was because he or she felt strange, weak, giddy, or sick.
225
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workbook
226
.£oss of ConSclousness £()uring the 'Yoga Class: A gui�e for 'Yoga 'Teachers
police to differentiate between a stupor and a coma is to press a thin coin, key,
or other thin, blunt object strongly under the thumbnail. If the condition is a
stupor, arousal will be almost instantaneous, as the nerve fibers conducting
pain impulses are exquisitely sensitive under the fingernails, inducing cortical
alertness. (Ever heard of bamboo splinters inserted under the nails? The Chi
nese have found them marvelous for facilitating memory when people seem to
be having difficulty answering questions.)
Frequently the student has warning signs of an impending faint; these
include a feeling that things are receding far away, or the world is becoming
strangely quiet. He or she may go pale, yawn, or begin to perspire (particularly
if hypoglycemic or suffering from lowered blood sugar) , with beads of sweat or
droplets bursting out on the forehead. (Treat by getting sugar, candy, honey,
etc., into the person immediately.) Fellow students may notice the above signs.
Let the student assume the hare posture, prone with the head low and
hips or buttocks high to restore normal circulation to the brain; or place him
or her supine with feet propped up at a right angle against a wall.
In the case of a full faint, quickly observe the following points:
1 . See that there is no obstruction to the neck from tight clothes.
2. Check that false teeth are not loose in the mouth or have not fallen back
into the throat.
3. See that the student is not in a position that is harmful o r dangerous to
him or herself-for example, with one arm bent at an unusual angle
under the body.
Place the student supine and-quickly grasping his or her heels-firmly raise
his or her legs abruptly and sharply to a right angle with the floor, then quickly
smack the soles of his or her feet with the fingers of one hand, while holding
both feet upright with the other hand. You are stimulating a point we call
"Talahridaya" (a sub-chakra related to Muladhara) , which is very popular with
Indian and Chinese healers for reviving victims of drowning and initiating the
cardio-respiratory cycle in cases of syncope.
In Western medical practice, obstetricians have now abandoned the rou
tine of slapping the buttocks of the newborn to stimulate breathing. They have
discovered that if this is done carelessly, spinal damage can sometimes result.
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A Chakra an� 1<.un�al{n{ 'Workbook
The preferred method is to grasp the infant upside-down by the ankles with
one hand and slap the soles of his or her feet with the other. Raising the legs
suddenly at right angles reverses venous stasis in lower limbs and rushes blood
out of the limbs, through the abdominal cavity, into the chest, and then to the
brain.
As the person recovers, persuade him or her not to get up for a while, as a
faint may occur if there is too rapid a return to the normal upright posture.
(Note: Placing a person upright who is still in a dead faint will induce an
epileptic seizure, as the motor cells of the cortex will then be so severely oxy
gen-deprived that they will discharge erratically, causing tonic and clonic con
tractions of the muscular-skeletal system) .
There are no after-effects of a simple faint, unless the patient is held
upright while he or she is unconscious. This has occasionally happened when
a person in a crowd cannot fall or a person sitting upright in a dental chair
faints.
Bhastrika (the bellows) , Bhujangasana (the cobra) , and Simhasana (the
lion pose) may all induce fainting in students with organic abnormalities or
low blood pressure.
In cases of an epileptic seizure, use a cushion to protect the patient's head
from banging on the floor, and otherwise make no attempt to restrain the per
son. Recovery is usually spontaneous and followed by the desire to sleep. A
post-incident medical check should be advised.
In Yoga, we have a special secret science of "fainting" called Murcha. This
induces ecstasy and a state beyond Nama-rupa (name-form) , which is egoless.
There are forty-four such Murchas, which alter the blood chemistry and the
blood flow to the brain, as well as affecting the activity of the autonomic ner
vous system. My own master of this hidden science was Swami Shantananda,
who initiated me at Birla Mundir Temple, New Delhi, in 1 960.
22�
Appen�ix rrhree
A Note Regarding
Indian Yoga Schools
229
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'WorkhDDk
Yogarishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri founded the school in 1969. Excellent
residence facilities for live-in three-month and six-month teacher training
courses. Correspondence study is a prerequisite for entrance.
Swamijii founded Ananda Ashram upon a firm foundation of Ashtanga
Yoga plus a unique Kriya and Yoga therapy (Yoga Chikitsa) .
Dr. Swami Gitananda had his Mahasamadhi (transition) December 29th,
1993 and his successor is his son, Dr. Ananda, now completing his medical res
idency.
South Indian culture is totally different, and an extra feature for Western
students is an opportunity to study Bharat-Natyam and Carnatic vocal music
within an integrated Yoga course.
Swami Gitananda was the most creative mind I have ever encountered;
they didn't call him "The Lion of Pondicherry" for nothing. The result of his
work with Indian village children is spectacular.
2 30
Kuvalayananda Birth Centenary Publication.
Spiral Concepts
P.O. Box K474
Haymarket NSW 1 240
Australia
231
Sanskrit Glossary
is, doing no hurt, being harmless, and avoiding injury. Philosophically, the
application incorporates not only action (conation) , but speech (affect) and
thought (cognition) . Ahimsa represents a 3 ,OOO-year-old ideal of transcending
the inherent biology of humankind.
Ajna: " Command Center. " The sixth psychic center (Third Eye) anatomically
indicted by the pituitary gland, and in terms of psycho-physiology, the pineal
gland. Ajna is described as a two-petaled lotus between the eyebrows
(nasion)-the two petals corresponding to the anterior and posterior pituitary
lobes. Conversely, the mandala of Ajna represents the "winged" (of imagina
tion) Hermes Caduceus with the coloured iris (globe) , framed by the two white
pennants of the sclerotic coat of the eyeball.
Akasha: The fifth element, Ether (compare with the European alchemists'
"Quintessence") , is symbolized by a black oval or a spiral. Akasha is the Tattwa
(quality) associated with Vishudda chakra; its manifestation is sound vibration
(sabda) , yet it is not sound. Neither Ether nor Quintessence are exactly equiva
lents to Akasha. Akasha is a form of reality described as dimensionless, all-per
vading space. The root of Akasha is "kas," meaning " to shine" or " to appear. "
Vyasa Bhasyam mentions infinitude and indivisibility as properties of Akasha.
The Hindu philosophical implication of Akasha predates Greek Epicurean
atomistic physics and is a cogent concept equitable with current astronomical
233
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini 'Workbook
cosmology. Lucretius (c. 94-55 Be) , the greatest Roman apologists of the Epi
cureans, in his hexameter poem "On the Nature of Things," makes two state
ments which approach the Indian concept of Akasha:
1 . "Whenever I step I am a t the Center o f the Universe" (implied infinitude
2. Nothing comes out of Nothing" (implied eternity) .
Anahata: "Unstruck Sound. " The fourth psychic center, indicated physically by
the heart, thymus gland, and the cardio-pulmonary plexus. The spiritual
essence of this chakra may be best expressed by "Where the heart lies, let the
brain lie also" (Robert Browning, 1865 ) .
Antar-Anga: "Inner limbs. " The four higher phases o f Ashtanga Yoga, compris
ing Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.
Apas: The second element, Water, symbolized by a silver crescent. The Tattwa
of Swadhisthana. In the body, Apas rules from the knees to the hips. The root
"ap" means "water," which is to be understood as the principle of liquid; that
is, fluid manifestation of matter. Contraction (evaporation) and taste (Rasa) are
inseparable qualities of ap. Consider the tongue, which cannot have its gusta
tory receptors fire without saliva or fluid present in the mouth.
Asana: "Seat. " Also taken to mean the eighty-four classical body posture or
exercises taught in Hatha Yoga. Unfortunately no one knows which are the
eighty-four classical Asanas, as the Hatha texts enumerate them into the hun
dreds. The literal meanings of Asana is "sitting, sitting down, sitting position,
halting, encamping, abiding, seat, throne, or office." Asana is the third stage of
Ashtanga Yoga, and Patanjali mentions four sitting postures only. Within this
context, Asana is any position in which the body has a stable base of gravity,
the proprioceptors (joint movement indicators giving the sensation of "one's
own property" or body boundaries) and touch receptors are inhibited from
impinging into the central nervous system; e.g. , body sensations do not disturb
concentration.
Bahira-Anga: "Outer limbs. " The four lower phases of Ashtanga Yoga compris
ing Yama, Niyama, Asana, and Pranayama.
Bhakti: That path of Yoga which seeks realization through the practice of devo
tion and love in both a religious (Bhakti) and a philosophical (Para-bhakti)
sense. Sanskrit root is "bhaj ," meaning "to serve, honor, love, trust." Bhakti is
a difficult concept for Westerners as they associate it with deification of the
Guru; Ramakrishna stated that your Guru could be a tree, a criminal, or a god,
which is reminiscent of our saying "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. " I will
transpose this proverb to "Love is in the heart of the lover. " We may also
remind ourselves of Edward Ill's comment, upon rescuing the fallen garter of
the Countess of Salisbury: "Honisoit Qui Mal Y Pense" (Evil be to him who
thinks evil of this) .
Bija: "Seed. " The root sound of each chakra which, when intoned as a mantra,
will release its potential. The Bija sounds of the first five chakras are Lng, Vng,
Rng, Yng, and Hng.
Bramacharya: In Yoga, the fourth Yama or discipline of the first stage (Yama)
of Ashtanga Yoga. The first of the four Hindu Ashramas (life stages) , that phase
of education and studentship. Compound of the roots "brahm" (divinity) and
"char" (to study, to perform) . Bramacharya is popularly interpreted as sexual
celibacy, but is better interpreted as moderation and control of passion. Con
sidering that both celibacy and monogamy are biologically unnatural, Bra
macharya, taken as literal "continence," is another attempt to oppose the
dictum "Biology is Destiny" (Freud) . Bramacharya (as indeed all the Yamas and
23 5
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workbook
Chakra: "Wheel, disc, whirlpool." The term is applied to the basic seven p�.
chic centers outlined in Yoga and Tantra. Chakra implies a vortex, and thus ",. �
may define a psychic center as a "whirling vortex of psychic energy at the co=
junction points of the mind and the body. " I must emphasize that just as tr: "
Cartesian division of "Mind" and "Body" is arbitrary, so a "chakra" may well e>:::
an imaginary, albeit useful, artifact for purposes of attention-fixing. I perceiY:.
a chakra as outside the space-time continuum and equivalent to the Euclidea=
"Point"-i.e., without magnitude, possessed of location but not dimension.
Dhyana: "Sustained concentration. " The seventh stage of Ashtanga Yoga ane.
an advanced state of Dharana. Some have applied the English words "contem
plation" and "meditation" to Dhyana, but the classical Yoga texts state that sc
many Dharanas (measured in a specific time unit) equal one Dhyana, and in
turn so many Dhyanas equal one Samadhi. The essential difference between
Dharana and Dhyana is of degree (quantitative) rather than kind (qualitative) .
Gnana: That path of Yoga which seeks realization through the pursuit of philo
sophical knowledge. The Sanskrit root means "knowing," and is cognate with
the Greek "Gnosis" (direct appreciation of universal truth) . Unswerving cen
tering of the mind upon cosmic oneness.
Ham Sa: A mantra affirming "I am He" or "I am Brahman. " When used in med
itation, becomes "So" (on the inhalation) "Hum" (on the exhalation) . Ham Sa,
translated by nineteenth century indologists as the "Divine Swan," a symbol of
purity. Actually, Ham Sa is the Indian goose (Indicus anser), a most elegant bird,
but called swan because of the English tradition of denigrating geese. This
mantra is one of the most potent methods for releasing positive emotional atti
tudes, of omniscience and omnipresence, from the unconscious.
Hatha: "Violence; obstinacy; absolute necessity (as the cause of all existence) ;
forced meditation, inevitably, compulsorily. " (A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary,
Arthur Anthony MacDonell.) One of the four Yogas mentioned in the
Upanisads (the remaining being Mantra, Raja, and Laya) , and misunderstood
in modern parlance as being a set of physical postures. The Yogasikhopanisad
defines Hatha as the union ("Yoga") of the sun ("Ha") and the moon ("Tha" ) ;
the dissolvement o f all polar opposites experienced through the mind-body
interface. Hatha, from the root "Hath" ("to strike" ) , esoterically implies a
"blow" against the inertia of the total human organism.
236
Sanskrit glossary
Ida: One of the three major psychic nerves or nadis. Ida is visualized as run
ning up the left side of the spinal column conveying feminine, cooling, intu
itive energy. Exits in the left nostril and is a trigger for right-hemisphere
functions.
Japa: The practice of driving mantric affirmations deep into the subconscious
through constant repetition, either silently or audibly.
Karma Yoga: The path of Yoga seeking realization through detachment from
the fruits of all action and dedicating all activity to Ishvara (anthropomorphic
aspect of God) , or-in a more Western mode of expression-as exemplified by
Ralph Waldo Emerson's dictum (1844) , "The reward of a thing well done is to
have done it! " The Karma Yogi seeks conscious, aware action-"See the need,
do the deed! " Karma, as a doctrine, is the recognition of the fundamental laws
of action and reaction in the human nervous system. It is a sophisticated
overview of Western psychology's "Stimulus-Black Box-Response arc" with
ramifications into the past (lives) and the future (lives) .
Kundalini: Hypothesis of latent nerve energy within the central nervous sys
tem. Symbolically and allegorically represented by a snake coiled three-and-a
half times. Although a cobra may seem a little sluggish, anyone who has seen
the Indian krait (Hindi "karait" ) attack by throwing itself three feet through
the air will understand how graphic the coiled snake metaphor is. Tradition
ally, kundalini can move from static to kinetic activation in a split second. The
profusion of anecdotal and apocryphal stories concerning superhuman
strength released under stress gives credence to the concept of kundalini, as
does the acceleration of mental activity experienced in the manic phase of a
bipolar affective incidence. Kundalini means "coiled, spiral," and stems from
an earlier root: "kunda," meaning "fire pit."
Laya Yoga: "Rhythm, absorption. " That branch of Yoga dealing with the
arousal, release, and control of latent nerve energy (kundalini) hidden
(absorbed) within a human's nervous system.
Unga: "Mark, totem, sign, emblem, characteristic, proof, evidence, sign of sex,
sexual organ, Shiva's phallus (as an object of worship) ; image of a god, subtle
body (indestructible original of the gross, visible body in Vedanta philoso
phy) . " (From MacDonell� Sanskrit Dictionary.) In Hindo temples displaying a
Shiva Ungam as the central object of veneration, it should be noted that the
base of the Ungam is set in a Yonic base; it does not represent penetration of
the Yoni but rather is emerging from the Yoni as matrix; Yoni gives birth to the
Ungam.
237
A Chakra an� 1<.un�al{n{ 'Workbook
Manipura: "Gem city. " The third psychic center; physically represented by the
pancreas and the solar plexus. Also known as Nabhi (navel) chakra, Agni (God
of Fire) chakra, and Surya (Sun God) chakra. The latter two epithets reinforce
the metabolic, heat producing activities associated with the epigastric area.
Mantra Yoga: The systematic use of sound vibrations (usually monosyllables :'
to bring about physical, psychic, and psychological changes. Composed of the
prefix "man" ( "mind, to think") and the suffix "tra" (a tool or instrument) , so
literally, a "mind tool" for manipulating consciousness.
Marmasthanani: The sixteen vital body areas that are concentrated upon in
certain exercises of Raja and Hatha Yoga. The location varies in different tradi
tions.
Mritasana: "Dead pose . " Another name for the relaxation posture commonly
known as Shavasana.
Muladhara: "Root base . " The first psychic center physically represented by the
testes or ovaries and the sacral, or pelvic, plexus. The Earth center; also called
Adhi chakra (base center) , suggesting grounding and the fecund matter (Latin
"Mater," meaning "Mother") from which our being evolves as a seed sprouts.
Nadi: "Motion." A psychic or astral nerve tube, with the Sanskrit root suggest
ing the polarization and depolarization waves of activity in the nervous system.
Yoga teaches that 72,000 such nadis exist in the psychic counterpart of the
gross body.
Nadisuddhi: The purification of the nadis through conj oined breathing and
mental exercises.
Padma: "Lotus. " Another term for the psychic centers. Padma refers to the
potential growth and development of our psychic centers, just as a lotus bulb
is capable of development into a lotus in full bloom. The lotus root is embed
ded in mud (darkness, unconsciousness, inertia, blind instinct, ignorance) ,
with the stem immersed in water (emotions, activity, sea of sorrow, conscious
ness of sentience through feeling) , and the bloom floating above water in the
full sunlight of "self-real-ization."
Padmasana: "Lotus pose." An advanced foot lock suitable for meditation. The
symmetrical arrangement of the legs produced by placing the right foot on the
left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh (Buddhists reverse the pOSition
23�
Sanskrit 0l()ssary
with the right foot on top) is said to resemble a lotus flower. The pose produces
a total solid base with a low center of gravity, while conserving blood for the
torso and head.
Parang Mukhi: "Turning away. " Another term for Yoni Mudra used in the text
Hathayogapradipika. The Sanskrit "parang" has found its way into Malaysia as
a type of machete for cutting undergrowth away.
Patanjali: The author of Yoga Sutras who lived sometime between 200 Be and
AD 200 (the earlier date is now more plausible) . He is responsible for the divi
sion of Yoga into eight distinct branches, or stages, and as a result his outline
of Yoga is known as Ashtanga.
Pingala: One of the three major nadis. Pingala is visualized as running up the
right side of the spinal column conveying masculine, heating, rational energy.
It exits in the right nostril and is a trigger for left-hemisphere functions.
Pranayama: The control of life force (prana) through the regulation of the res
piratory process, coupled with visualization. "Pra" means "first or before," and
"ana" means "breath"-literally, the first essence underlying the breath. Prana
is comparable to Chi (Chinese) , Ki Oapanese) , vitality globules (Theosophi
cal) , N ous (Rosicrucian) , Orgone (Wilhelm Reich), animal magnetism (Mes
mer) , Quintessence (Alchemical) , and Mana (Hawaii priests) .
Prithivi: The first element, Earth, symbolized by a yellow square or a cube. The
Tattwa of Muladhara with cohesion and solidarity as principle characteristics.
Raj a Yoga: "Kingly or Royal Yoga. " The science of creating a merger or union
(Yoga) between the conscious and subconscious mind, thus producing a third
state which becomes superconsciousness. Sanskrit "Rajan" becomes the Hindi
"Raj" ("rule or reign") , and Hindi "Raja" ("King") is cognate with Latin "Rex,"
while Hindi " Rani" ("Queen") is cognate with Latin "Regina. " The implication
of Raja Yoga is a rulership over the many facets of our being.
239
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workhook
Samadhi: "With God. " The state of consciousness resulting from the merging:
of the individual consciousness with universal consciousness. In terms of
Jung's psychology, Samadhi would be the eruption of the " Collective Uncon
scious." Samadhi is the final stage of Ashtanga Yoga and the goal of all Yoga_
Samadhi, in Samkhya, is the connective "at-one-ment" of the meditator with
the universe as a process of eternal G-eneration (Brahma) , O-rder (Vishnu) .
and D-ecay (Shiva) .
Samyama: "With control." The three higher phases of Ashtanga Yoga. These
are Dharana, Dhyana, and SamadhL
San Mukhi: "Six orifices. " An alternative term for Yoni Mudra found in the
Yogasopana. "Mukhi" means "mouth," as well as an opening or orifice; the
implication is that we feed upon sensory impressions from outside our bodies
and therefore are distracted from subtle inner impulses.
Shavasana: " Corpse Pose." The technique of consciously relaxing the body.
section by section. An exercise of immense value for fatigue, exhaustion, auto
immune diseases, insomnia, and certain types of high blood pressure. It is par
ticularly efficacious if combined with certain mental exercises. Only
Occidentals could be upset by the name " Corpse Pose," for the Hindu mind
has accepted that each night we die into dreamless, Delta wave sleep, and are
reborn each morning upon awakening.
Sukhasana: "Easy pose. " Simple cross-legged position for meditation and neu
romuscular training. European tailors sat cross-legged (Le . , "Tailor's Pose")
and Sukhasana stretches the " tailor's" muscle, the sartorius; hence, "sartorial
elegance."
240
Sanskrit (il"s5ary
Sushumna: The major central nadi corresponding to the spinal cord. The
channel through which spiritual fire (kundalini) ascends to unite with Sahas
rara. The physical correlates of Sushumna with the spinal column and spinal
cord are amazing; consider the following quotation from the Yoga
Shikopanisad, Chapter One, Verse 1 1 9 : "There are twenty one round bony
structures forming the vertebral column (Brahmadandu-God's Stam , which
are situated just around the Sushumna , like many beads (forming a chain)
inter-woven with a thread. " In 1 968, Dr. KS. Joshi, Ph.D. , Head of the Depart
ment of Yogic Studies, University of Sagar, Sage (M.P.) , India, commented, in
an unpublished manuscript:
Tantra: "System, ritual, doctrine, loom. " Traditionally the original philosophy
of the Dravidian inhabitants of India, but historical proof of this is sparse.
Probably developed by the Aryan warrior class as a reaction to Brahmanical
control and now considered the revealed teaching for this age (Kali Yuga) .
Tantra possibly contains the deepest doctrines and the most potent techniques
of Indian philosophy. Three distinct types of Tantra exist: Hindu Tantra, Bud
dhist Tantra, and Jain Tantra. Hindu Tantra also subdivides into North Indian
and South Indian.
Tattwa: "Quality." The essence or quality of any given substance. Reality, cate
gory; "Tattwa" means "Thatness. "
Tejas: "'Sharp." The third element, Fire, symbolized by a red triangle o r a tetra
hedron. In Western alchemy, the symbol for fire is always a triangle with the
241
A. Chak.ra an� 1<.un�alini ru/orki:Jook.
apex up; in Yoga, it often appears with the apex down; e.g., the Trikona (rr!.£:
gle) in Manipura chakra. The Tattwa of Manipura. Heat, incandescence. ::;-.
transformation are Tejas characteristics. Its highest function is transmutatioI'-
Vayu: Sanskrit root " to blow. " The fourth element, Air, symbolized by a b:�
hexagram. The Tattwa of Anahata (heart center) . Vayu represents moti:,=
(unceasing beat of heart) , principle of vapor, and gaseous manifestations (ox-.
genation of red blood cells) .
Vishuddha: "With purity. " The fifth chakra; physically represented by the tb-
roid gland, the parathyroid glands, and the pharyngeal plexus. Also termc.:
Kantha (throat) chakra, Vishuddha is considered a main alchemical transmc
tation point in Kriya Yoga. It is said to secret a fluid of immortality ("AmriL
meaning "against death" ) which is usually burned by Manipura chakra. Whc
this process is reversed, decay is slowed.
242
Sanskrit glossary
Yoni: "Lap, vulva, womb, birthplace, home abode, nest, lair, place of produc
tion, origin, source, repository, receptacle, seat, place, birth, produced or
sprung from. " (From MacDonells Sanskrit Dictionary. )
Yoni Mudra: "Womb gesture. " So named by the Gerandsamhita (c. tenth cen
tury) . A profound technique of neuro-muscular coordination designed to
induce profound sensory withdrawal (Pratyahara) leading to the oceanic one
ness with the "unconscious," or Brahman. Western psychophysiology has
determined that constant bombardment through sensory input is necessary
for activation of the reticular system (that area of the brain responsible for
alerting and awake responses) . In the 1 950s, numerous experiments were
243
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �orkbOt)k
done with the effects of sensory deprivation and isolation stress. Sensory Lc;.c
lation tanks were used and most experimental subj ects demonstrated em.::
tional disintegration, anxiety, and frightening hallucinations. Yoni Mudr;
produces the opposite spectrum of calmness, positive hallucinations, and inte
gration of mental processes. The difference has to do with "goal orientation
(the Yogi actively seeks Ultimate Universal Unity) and the method is sensoI!'
withdrawal (freedom from environmental disturbance) . The experimenta
subj ect is goaless (prey to random eruption of unconscious material) and �
involved in a method called sensory deprivation (implied attitude that emi
ronmental stimulus is a prerequisite for reality anchoring) .
Warer al
body temperalure
produCIng tacule
homogemty ... ... ... ...
__ Subjecl
(Yoni Mudra)
- - - (yogin)
Lighl-proof
- - sound-proof
lank (Yogi's
Medilalion Cave)
244
Bibliography
P. Kutumbiah MBBS. Ancient Indian Medicine. New Delhi, India: Orient Long
mans Limited, 1 969.
Probably out-of-print but worth finding. An excellent section on the 108 Marmas.
Lok Swasthya Parampara Samvardhan Samith; c/o Center for Indian Knowl
edge Systems, No. 2 , 25th East Street, Thiruvanmiyur, Madras 600-04 1 ,
India.
They produce a stunning series of monographs which may be ordered by writing
them; the following list is current and current as of 1993. Marma Chikitsa is par
ticularly useful in relationship to Indian martial arts and I acknowledge kind per
mission from them to use the Elephant Marma Chart.
245
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini �"rkhook
Frank Ros, M.D. The Lost Secrets oj Ayurvedic Accupuncture. Twin Lakes, WI:
Lotus Publications, 1 994.
This book may be the best available that describes the teaching of Ayurvedic prin
ciples of point therapy with Ayruvedic terminology. Dr. Ros communicated with
me on the most appropriate and comon Martial Art striking points in South India.
Robert E. Svoboda, M.D. Ayurveda LiJe, Health and Longevity. Arkana: Penguin
Books, 1992.
I consider this the best single book on Ayurveda written by the first Westerner to
graduate from an Indian Ayurvedic course. I have also had the pleasure of attend
ing some of Robert's courses, and have gained from them immeasurably.
Heinrich Zimmer, Ph.D. Hindu Medicine. Baltimore: The John Hopkins Press,
1 948.
Out-of-print and rare. A series of lectures he gave at Columbia University in 1943
collected and published after his death. Well worth accessing at university libraries.
HINDU PHILOSOPHY
B. Bhattacharya. Saivism and the Phallic World, Vols. I and II. India: Oxford and
IBH Publishing Co. , 1 975.
A definitive, monumental work.
Mircea Eliade. Yoga, Immortality and Freedom. New York: Bollingen Series, LVI
Pantheon Books, 1958.
Not to be missed.
246
�5iblio8raphJf
Benjamin Walker. The Hindu World, Vols. I and II. New York: Fredericka
Praeger, 1968.
Mostly available in reference libraries. Despite the author's prejudice against
Hindu culture (he was educated in Calcutta) , a brilliant resource work.
Heinrich Zimmer, Ph.D. Philosophies of India. New York: Meridian Books, 1956.
The classic textbook from my student days.
KUNDALINI
Itzhak Bentov. Stalking the Wild Pendulum. Great Britain: Wildwood House
Ltd., 1978.
Bentov was closely associated with Dr. Lee SanelIa. Stalking the Wild Pendulum was
one of the first bridges between scientific (quantum physics) and the mystical
model of existence.
Yvonne Kason, M.D. and Teri Degle. A Farther Shore. HarperCollins Publishers,
Toronto, Canada, 1994.
Dr. Kason's book is the best guide I have ever encountered for adjusting to kundalini
247
A Chakra al1� 1<ul1�a[il1i "WDrkbDDk
meditations, psychic experiences (including NDEs) , and spiritual transformations of
all types. This book is full of practical tips of interest to those striving to come to
terms with their own inner growth, and health professionals alike. I am profoundly
impressed with her attitudes and work.
Shyam Sundar Goswami. Laya Yoga. Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1980.
Wonderful chakra diagrams and the most comprehensive comparative analysis of
Sanskrit kundalini texts to appear in English.
John White, editor. Kundalini, Evolution and Enlightment. Garden City, NY:
Anchor Books, 1 978.
Scintillating anthology of everybody who is anybody and their kundalini theories.
Michael S. Gazzaniga, Ph.D. Mind Matters. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1988.
Very readable account of biochemical reductionism in terms of brain function and neu
rotransmitters.
24<5
'5[h[[ography
Charles T. Tart, Ph.D. Altered States of Consciousness. John Wiley and Sons,
1 969.
Edited by Dr. Tart and an A-Z of A.S. C.s.
TANTRA
always find someone or something to litigate ! ) , all blended with body piercing,
sex therapy, gay and lesbian lobbies, Wicca and Goddess worship and a liber
tine underground press.
Do not take my comments as a criticism-these are precisely the things I
love about America-my only fear is that one of the more totalitarian groups
will gain ascendancy to the detriment of the others. Better to have a boiling
cauldron than a stagnant pond !
Although the Indians do not all agree upon what constitutes Tant;a, I
didactically state that only the Hindus are capable of fully appreciating Tantric
philosophy. I have hand-picked six references, which in my opinion, offer
Westerners the best approach to the sea of Tantricism and its inherent depth
and beauty.
Professor Agehananda Bharati. The Tantric Tradition. London: Rider and Com
pany, 1965.
If not reprinted, freely available in libraries. Scholarly, heavily academic-not for
tyros to cut their teeth on. Professor Bharati is a first class Indologist and Sankri
tist and generally would not speak to lesser mortals-although he and my father
spent hours drinking and talking at the University of Washington staff club in
Seattle. You may think they were engpe:.ed in STDs ( "Serious Theoretical Dialec
tics") about the universe and everything-no ! They were World War II ex-army
officers and enj oyed replaying the battle lines with knives, forks, glasses, and
napkins.
Miguel Serrano . ElIElla Book of Magic Love. (Translated from the Spanish)
Great Britain: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd . , 1 973 .
Miguel Serrano is one of my favorite authors. He was the Chilean Ambassador to
India for nine years and displays a delicacy and transcendence in ElIElla that is
250
�5ibliolJraph8
unparalleled. Wonderful to read before bed as Tantric archetypes will be conjured
up during sleep.
A.K. Sinha, Ph.D. Science and Tantra Yoga. Kurukshetra, India: Vishal Publica
tions, 1 98 1 .
Still available in India. Good analysis by a Hindu scholar o f Western science and
Tantric cosmology, cosmogeny, and mysticism.
Andre Van Lysebeth. Tantra: The Cult of the Feminine. Samuel Weiser Inc., 1995.
An excellent book for Westerners by my friend, Andre Van Lysebeth. Highly
recommended.
Sir John Woodroffe. The Great Liberation ( "Mahanirvana Tantra"), Sixth Edi
tion. Madras, India: Ganesh and Company, 1985.
Always in print. Direct translation, with footnotes, of one of the most important
classical Tantric texts.
YOGA
Kovoor T. Behanan, Ph.D. Yoga: A Scientific Evaluation. New York: Dover Pub
lications, 1 994.
Good introduction with special reference to Samkhya.
Aleister Crowley. Eight Lectures on Yoga. Dallas, TX: Sangreal Foundation Inc . ,
1970.
Always in print, but with varying publishers. Priceless and witty commentary by
one of the most controversial geniuses of this century. In retrospect, I realize that
reading this book thirty-five years ago enabled me to dismiss literal interpretations
of the Yamas and Niyamas.
Dr. Swami Gitananda GirL Mudras. Privately printed and available from Inter
national Centre for Yoga Education and Research; 16-N16-b, Mettu
Street, Chinnamudaliarchavady, Kottakuppam 605 1 04 (via Pondicherry) ,
Tamil Nadu, India.
251
A Chakra an� 1<un�al{n{ 'Workhook
Swamijii has written many books but I recommend his Mudras as outstanding.
Details of the Hatha Mudras I allude to in Chapter 10 are fully explained.
Swami Kuvalayananda and Dr. S.L. Vinekar, M.B.B.S. Yogic Therapy. New Delhi:
printed by Ministry of Health, Government of India, 1 97 1 .
This, and the other two books by Kuvalayananda, are the products o f India's fore
most Yoga Research Institutes. Kaivalyadhama S.M.Y.M. Samiti, Lonavla, 410 403
India.
Shri Yogendra. Yoga Physical Education. Santa Cruz, India: The Yoga Institute,
1966.
Shri Yogendra. Yoga Personal Hygiene, Volumes I and II. Santa Cruz, India: The
Yoga Institute, 1958.
These volumes are classics, first written in 1931 and subsequently updated over the
years. I am deeply grateful that I had the privilege of studying with Shri Yogendra,
as he taught me the appropriateness of scientific methodology in approaching
some aspects of Yoga.
ADDENDUM
252
Index
253
A Cltakra an� 1<un�al{n{ "Workbook
254
In�ex
padma, 77, 94, 238 Sahasrara, 75, 80-8 1 , 90, 94, 1 26,
Padmasana, 37, 238 133, 1 76, 183 , 194- 195, 239-240
pineal gland, 69, 80-8 1 , l l8 , 159, Satya, 148, 1 53- 154, 222
233 , 239 Saucha, 148, 156- 1 57
Pingala, 75, 94, 97, l l9 , 1 6 1 , 166 , Shavasana, 1 5 - 1 9 , 21, 23-25 , 27-29 ,
1 8 1 , 1 98-200, 202-203 , 239 3 1-33, 37, 4 1 , 5 1 -52, 55, 66,
Plutarch, 138 1 34, 142, 1 79-180, 182, 223-
polarization, 49, 5 1-53, 55, 66, l l9 , 224, 238, 240
142, 224, 238 SCM Formula, 63
prana, 1 6 , 52, 65-67, 93, l l 7, l l9, self-realization, 36, 1 20, 137-138
205, 239 , 259 sex, 82, 132, 155, 188- 189, 202, 2 1 2,
Pranayama, 3, 5, 65-66 , 126, 136, 249 , 257, 262
149, 205, 234-235, 239, 25 1 Shakti, 75, 82-83 , 125, 1 34, 152, 1 66 ,
Pratyahara, 35-36, 4 1 -42, 49, 1 88, 201-203 , 205 , 2 1 3 , 2 1 7 ,
149, 234, 243 240
psychology, 50-5 1 , 133, 140, 1 72, Shiva, 7 1 , 75, 77, 82, 123, 1 2 5 , 1 3 5 ,
237, 240, 243 , 259 1 5 5 , 1 66, 184, 1 88, 20 1-203 ,
psychotherapy, 143 , 1 54 205 , 207-208, 2 1 3 , 2 1 7 , 222,
239-240
255
A Chakra an� 1<un�alini "Workhook
256