How it feels is a tough question to answer. First I’ll attempt a brief explanation of what it is. Spontaneous Shaktipat Yoga happens when the vital force is released from the control of the mind. When this happens the body becomes active under the control of the vital force, which moves the body in various purifying ways, free from control of the mind. The result can be asanas, mudras, pranayam, mantra, all happening spontaneously while with the mind becomes a passive observer. The ultimate purpose is for Prana to purify the physical, then subtle, then causal bodies, and for consciousness to move from the physical to the subtle, then causal body, then become established in the pure soul bringing union with the supreme.
I learned about shaktipat and spontaneous shaktipat Yoga, or Pranopassana, pretty early on so it was pretty much my goal in Yoga from the beginning and I focused on preparing myself for that rather than other specific types of meditation. Thus I have not much to compare it to. I prepared so much and put so much into it that I had some experience of it even before receiving shaktipat from my Guru, (although I had already met him and learned much from him and was already experiencing his blessings). My first experience was absolutely exhilarating. It was something I had never experienced before, but it felt so natural and right. Unfortunately I had great difficulty trying to duplicate this result often until I once again saw my Guru. I was able to strengthen my Prana enough for the release to happen on its own on rare occasion, but it was not sustainable.
When I actually received shaktipat, I was part of a small group. I was sitting with my eyes closed and when it began I just started to feel this feeling welling up inside me and I automatically started performing all kinds of asanas and things that I had never done before. I was completely drawn inside. I could still hear the outside world loud and clear but it was as if it was far away, because I was so deep inside. I was just totally astonished at what was happening and I guess my mind was just observing and trying to take it all in, while my body was busy doing all sorts of asanas and things. It felt like the earlier experiences I had, but much more powerful and deep. If before I was feeling the Prana but still wilfully moving with it, this time it was too strong and my mind was just completely withdrawn from control.
The session lasted for over an hour, by the end of which I was basically exhausted. When getting tired, I found a bit of frustration almost, when my mind wanted to take control again, but in this case I was still too absorbed in the shaktipat to take control again. I think this frustration and desire to re-assume control is a result of my impurities, because it still happens now when I get kind of tired of meditation.
At the end of the session I was told to slowly come out of it and open my eyes, but this was actually more difficult than I thought. It was like I really had to come way back to be able to open my eyes and become extroverted again, which shows how introverted I had become. We had 2 more sessions like this, over the next day and a half to make sure the shaktipat had really taken for everyone.
My Guru said that in olden times a person would search his whole life for a Guru who could give such initiation, and when such a Guru was found, they would have to serve him for 10 years to prove they were fit to receive it. My Guru had to follow a difficult regimen for over a year before his Guru initiated him, and I had to wait and prepare for 2 years. But my Guru has given shaktipat much more widely lately, and I think there must be a good number of people who have received initiation. I think most of them do not continue with their sadhana though, which is what I have also been told. I know for me that shaktipat made a huge difference, but it still took me a while to be able to get to a point where I could meditate in this way regularly and reliably. But I did notice big differences imediately in the way I felt and thought. There was a definite change in me that others commented on, even though I didn’t tell them what happened. It was like a valve had been opened or a fire was lit
I think that there must be 3 parts to shaktipat. The Guru must release your prana, like how I said opening a valve or lighting a fire. The Guru must also strengthen your prana with his own energy transfer, which is why I felt a feeling welling up in me like I was being lifted in a giant wave. And the Guru must also cause your mind to let go and turn inward, which is why my eyes were screwed shut and I felt disconnected from the world and it took me a while to come out of it.
It has taken me a while to get to the point where it happens to me regularly and reliably and I can meditate like this every day. Before there were good and bad days, where it would happen or not happen, and it was frustrating because the harder you try the worse results you will get. It is not a wilful practice, so any will or effort you put in will actually prevent it from happening. But now that I am more established in the practice and most days can just fall right into it. Some days it lasts shorter than others, and in general is pretty hard to sustain for a long period of time. Eventually the body gets tired or the mind wants to assert itself again. But I am told that the duration automatically increases over time if you stick to it. I never want to stop, and regiment my life so I can do it at least a bit every day. It is well worth it though. It has become my highest priority in life, and I owe it all to my Guru.
