What are the benefits of meditation and can it be learnt on your own ?
Will Meditation awaken kundalini ?
Meditation belongs to three higher processes in Yoga (concentration, meditation, contemplation) that respectively lead to the three higher states (dharana, dhyana and samadhi).
Sometimes, the processes are taken as synonyms of the states. But there is very important difference. While processes need skills and are to be honed on any external object, the states are a result of these processes when practiced internally. But, in a way, processes are essential vehicles of the states.
Mind is naturally flitting that keeps attention scattered. So, the first skill to acquire is concentration. Initially, mind does waver and attention does divert. One has to repeatedly pull the attention back to the object of concentration. Mind is also habit-forming, so it takes less and less efforts to concentrate, if one is regular and determined to make concentration a habit.
If concentration is pulling back wayward mind, meditation is to eliminate the causes of mind’s dancing around. The causes are mostly desires and instincts begging for satiation. Understanding this and slowly getting over them allows one to hold and sustain concentration. Really speaking, we use mind only as an effort in concentration to bring mind back on the target. Ironically, that effort also causes mind to waver and hence, the effort is also to be reduced and eliminated.
Benefits are many. Meditation arrests mind’s jumping around, letting thoughts to slow down. In the immediate environment one enjoys unprecedented clarity of thinking. When confronted with tricky problems, a less chaotic mind allows proper weighing of pros and cons. Mind drives emotions (and vice versa) so, one’s actions and decisions are less influenced by unnecessary emotions.
Eventually, when meditative ability is settled in the inner domain the objects of meditation change to images, symbols, subtle things like breath, and finally no object at all. This results in the inner quietude as never before. Thoughts are not only slowed down, but now the objects being less provocative, one can experience gaps in thoughts. In these gaps, one can receive intuitions and absolutely out-of-box inspirations. Stress is completely removed and many health issues are pre-empted.
Meditation does not awaken kundalini. Meditation is channeling of thought process while kundalini is channelizing prana energy itself. Asana, pranayama, yama and niyama cleanse the body-mind system and rejuvenate the sources of prana energy. Meditation only allows a vision of our inner being that is getting ready for prana and its proper circulation. When prana fountain is up and running at muladhara chakra and the rest of the chakras can carry the energy unfettered, that’s when kundalini is said to be active.
There are many misconceptions about kundalini. But, enough to say here that later, meditation becomes contemplation (and samadhi) when the awareness too is dissolved that means one is not even aware of meditating. This is followed by another process called sanyama where the earlier three processes occur instantly. At that phenomenally advanced stage comes awakening of kundalini.
[QUOTE=Suhas Tambe;68389]Meditation belongs to three higher processes in Yoga (concentration, meditation, contemplation) that respectively lead to the three higher states (dharana, dhyana and samadhi).
Sometimes, the processes are taken as synonyms of the states. But there is very important difference. While processes need skills and are to be honed on any external object, the states are a result of these processes when practiced internally. But, in a way, processes are essential vehicles of the states.
Mind is naturally flitting that keeps attention scattered. So, the first skill to acquire is concentration. Initially, mind does waver and attention does divert. One has to repeatedly pull the attention back to the object of concentration. Mind is also habit-forming, so it takes less and less efforts to concentrate, if one is regular and determined to make concentration a habit.
If concentration is pulling back wayward mind, meditation is to eliminate the causes of mind’s dancing around. The causes are mostly desires and instincts begging for satiation. Understanding this and slowly getting over them allows one to hold and sustain concentration. Really speaking, we use mind only as an effort in concentration to bring mind back on the target. Ironically, that effort also causes mind to waver and hence, the effort is also to be reduced and eliminated.
Benefits are many. Meditation arrests mind’s jumping around, letting thoughts to slow down. In the immediate environment one enjoys unprecedented clarity of thinking. When confronted with tricky problems, a less chaotic mind allows proper weighing of pros and cons. Mind drives emotions (and vice versa) so, one’s actions and decisions are less influenced by unnecessary emotions.
Eventually, when meditative ability is settled in the inner domain the objects of meditation change to images, symbols, subtle things like breath, and finally no object at all. This results in the inner quietude as never before. Thoughts are not only slowed down, but now the objects being less provocative, one can experience gaps in thoughts. In these gaps, one can receive intuitions and absolutely out-of-box inspirations. Stress is completely removed and many health issues are pre-empted.
Meditation does not awaken kundalini. Meditation is channeling of thought process while kundalini is channelizing prana energy itself. Asana, pranayama, yama and niyama cleanse the body-mind system and rejuvenate the sources of prana energy. Meditation only allows a vision of our inner being that is getting ready for prana and its proper circulation. When prana fountain is up and running at muladhara chakra and the rest of the chakras can carry the energy unfettered, that’s when kundalini is said to be active.
There are many misconceptions about kundalini. But, enough to say here that later, meditation becomes contemplation (and samadhi) when the awareness too is dissolved that means one is not even aware of meditating. This is followed by another process called sanyama where the earlier three processes occur instantly. At that phenomenally advanced stage comes awakening of kundalini.[/QUOTE]
Thanks Suhas,
I am reading a few online guides to start meditating, so can one awaken Kundalini through prana, asana etc… by self or does one need an experienced teacher/guru ? As people say that kundalini can be dangerous if not awakened properly, sometimes I feel my kundalini is awakened but I am not sure, I have never ever done any meditation or yoga.
As long as you are not practicing ‘kundalini awakening’ (which is more a tantra method) by itself there is no danger. Through Yoga practices of asana, pranayama and all, including meditation, prana rejuvenation is gradual and in sync with the overall progress.
I hope (and pray) that kundalini awakening is not your one-point goal. If yes, seek an experienced teacher. If meditation is your immediate interest follow online resources as a starter but real success will come your way only through eventual practice of asana, pranayama, yama-niyama as they complement the meditative process. Even in that effort, seek a teacher if possible.
[QUOTE=Suhas Tambe;68394]As long as you are not practicing ‘kundalini awakening’ (which is more a tantra method) by itself there is no danger. Through Yoga practices of asana, pranayama and all, including meditation, prana rejuvenation is gradual and in sync with the overall progress.
I hope (and pray) that kundalini awakening is not your one-point goal. If yes, seek an experienced teacher. If meditation is your immediate interest follow online resources as a starter but real success will come your way only through eventual practice of asana, pranayama, yama-niyama as they complement the meditative process. Even in that effort, seek a teacher if possible.[/QUOTE]
Kundalini Awakening is one of the goals. I have a DVD of Baba Ramdev (not sure if you have heard of him, but here in India he is quite famous) showing the methods of Pranayama and Asanas. In which he does talk about Kapalbhati helps with Kundalini Awakening (just one of my goals) , my main is aim for a strong stomach and stronger digestive system and immune system (my first post “Asanas for Inguinal Hernia” ) , and meditation as my concentration is bad and have tremendous negative thoughts which include religious beliefs and lack of self confidence and few other things.