The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
The Guru’s instructions are to go above the Ājnā Chakra, but no special directions are given: for after this Chakra has been pierced, the Sādhaka can, and indeed must, reach the Brahmasthāna, or abode of Brahman, unaided by his own effort. Above the Ājnā the relationship of Guru and Shishya (Master and disciple) ceases. Kundalinī having pierced the fourteen “Knots” (Granthis)—viz., three Lingas, six Chakras, and the five Shivas which they contain, and then Herself drunk of the nectar which issues from Parashiva, returns along the path whence She came to Her own abode (Mūlādhāra).¹ As She returns She pours from Herself into the Chakras all that She had previously absorbed therefrom. In other words, as Her passage upwards was Layakrama, causing all things in the Chakras to pass into the Laya state (dissolution), so Her return is Srishtikrama, as She “recreates” or makes them manifest. In this manner She again reaches the Mūlādhāra, when all that has been already described to be in the Chakras appears in the positions which they occupied before Her awakening. In fact, the descending Jīvātmā makes for himself the idea of that separated multiple and individualised world which passed from him as he ascended to and became one with the Cause. She as Consciousness absorbs what She as conscious Power projected. In short, the return of Kundalinī is the setting again of the Jīvātmā in the phenomenal world of the lowest plane of being after he had been raised therefrom in a state of ecstasis, or Samādhi. The Yogī thus knows (because he experiences) the nature and state of Spirit and its pathway to and from the Māyik and embodied world. In this Yoga there is a gradual process of involution of the gross world with its elements into its Cause. Each gross element (Mahābhūta), together with the subtle element (Tanmātra) from which it proceeds and the connected organ of sense (Indriya), is dissolved into the next above it until the last element, ether, with the Tanmātra sound and Manas, are dissolved in Egoism (Ahangkāra), of which they are Vikritis. Ahangkāra is merged in Mahat, the first manifestation of creative ideation, and the latter into Bindu, which is the Supreme Being, Consciousness, and Bliss of the Brahman. Kundalī when aroused is felt as intense heat. As Kundalinī ascends, the lower limbs become as inert and cold as a corpse; so also does every part of the body when She has passed through and leaves it. This is due to the fact that She as the Power which supports the body is leaving Her centre. On the contrary, the upper part of the head becomes “lustrous,” by which is not meant any external lustre (Prabhā), but brightness, warmth, and animation. When the Yoga is complete, the Yogī sits rigid in the posture selected, and the only trace of warmth to be found in the whole body is at the crown of the head, where the Shakti is united with Shiva. Those, therefore, who are sceptical can easily verify the facts should they be fortunate enough to find a successful Yogī who will let them see him at work. They may observe his ecstasis and the coldness of the body, which is not present in the case of what is called the Dhyāna Yogī, or a Yogī operating by meditation only, and not rousing Kundalinī. This cold is an external and easily perceptible sign. Its progression may be seen, obviously denoting the passing away of something which supplied the previous heat. The body seems lifeless, indicating that its supporting power has
1 As to the Samaya practice, v. post, p. 250 et seq.
(though not entirely) left it. The downward return of the Shakti thus moved is, on the other hand, indicated by the reappearance of warmth, vitality, and the normal consciousness. The return process is one of evolution from the highest state of attainment to the point of departure.
Though not dealt with in this work, reference may here be made to the Sādhanā accompanying the return of Kundalinī to Her resting-place in the ritual practice called Bhūtashuddhi, where the ascent and descent are imagined only.
The Guru’s instructions are to go above the Ājnā Chakra, but no special directions are given: for after this Chakra has been pierced, the Sādhaka can, and indeed must, reach the Brahmasthāna, or abode of Brahman, unaided by his own effort. Above the Ājnā the relationship of Guru and Shishya (Master and disciple) ceases. Kundalinī having pierced the fourteen “Knots” (Granthis)—viz., three Lingas, six Chakras, and the five Shivas which they contain, and then Herself drunk of the nectar which issues from Parashiva, returns along the path whence She came to Her own abode (Mūlādhāra).¹ As She returns She pours from Herself into the Chakras all that She had previously absorbed therefrom. In other words, as Her passage upwards was Layakrama, causing all things in the Chakras to pass into the Laya state (dissolution), so Her return is Srishtikrama, as She “recreates” or makes them manifest. In this manner She again reaches the Mūlādhāra, when all that has been already described to be in the Chakras appears in the positions which they occupied before Her awakening. In fact, the descending Jīvātmā makes for himself the idea of that separated multiple and individualised world which passed from him as he ascended to and became one with the Cause. She as Consciousness absorbs what She as conscious Power projected. In short, the return of Kundalinī is the setting again of the Jīvātmā in the phenomenal world of the lowest plane of being after he had been raised therefrom in a state of ecstasis, or Samādhi. The Yogī thus knows (because he experiences) the nature and state of Spirit and its pathway to and from the Māyik and embodied world. In this Yoga there is a gradual process of involution of the gross world with its elements into its Cause. Each gross element (Mahābhūta), together with the subtle element (Tanmātra) from which it proceeds and the connected organ of sense (Indriya), is dissolved into the next above it until the last element, ether, with the Tanmātra sound and Manas, are dissolved in Egoism (Ahangkāra), of which they are Vikritis. Ahangkāra is merged in Mahat, the first manifestation of creative ideation, and the latter into Bindu, which is the Supreme Being, Consciousness, and Bliss of the Brahman. Kundalī when aroused is felt as intense heat. As Kundalinī ascends, the lower limbs become as inert and cold as a corpse; so also does every part of the body when She has passed through and leaves it. This is due to the fact that She as the Power which supports the body is leaving Her centre. On the contrary, the upper part of the head becomes “lustrous,” by which is not meant any external lustre (Prabhā), but brightness, warmth, and animation. When the Yoga is complete, the Yogī sits rigid in the posture selected, and the only trace of warmth to be found in the whole body is at the crown of the head, where the Shakti is united with Shiva. Those, therefore, who are sceptical can easily verify the facts should they be fortunate enough to find a successful Yogī who will let them see him at work. They may observe his ecstasis and the coldness of the body, which is not present in the case of what is called the Dhyāna Yogī, or a Yogī operating by meditation only, and not rousing Kundalinī. This cold is an external and easily perceptible sign. Its progression may be seen, obviously denoting the passing away of something which supplied the previous heat. The body seems lifeless, indicating that its supporting power has
1 As to the Samaya practice, v. post, p. 250 et seq.
(though not entirely) left it. The downward return of the Shakti thus moved is, on the other hand, indicated by the reappearance of warmth, vitality, and the normal consciousness. The return process is one of evolution from the highest state of attainment to the point of departure.
Though not dealt with in this work, reference may here be made to the Sādhanā accompanying the return of Kundalinī to Her resting-place in the ritual practice called Bhūtashuddhi, where the ascent and descent are imagined only.
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