64 Spirituality Studies 10-2 Fall 2024 In my spontaneous event it was the imperative of ending my life, as it was in the case of Eckhart Tolle (1997, 4). Ramana Maharshi, at the age of sixteen imagined his body death and that prompted the full spontaneous experience. For several of my students the symptoms of Kuṇḍalinī awakening also appeared as a result of deep depression, suicidal thoughts and state of detachment from the body. In a classic beginning of an awakening, Kuṇḍalinī energy is at first focused on the body, then it continues moving up into the second chakra. However, emotional focus is often an initial trigger as well. 4.2 Kundalinī and the Second Chakra In my case, while I was discovering the state of emptiness, the time allowed for dwelling in that condition was used to release the emotional charge from the second chakra. The focus on not letting the emotion back helped to keep it away. If the mind is not giving reasons for the emotion to exist, the emotion dissipates. The vacuum created by the loss of emotion pulls up Kuṇḍalinī, which in turn clears the second chakra further until the condition of emotional void is stable. Kuṇḍalinī fully enters the second chakra and is now able to direct its attention on the mind. Some spiritual practices involving sexual rituals are designed not to discharge the Kuṇḍalinī energy through the first and second chakra but assist it in moving up towards the third chakra. There are essential conditions for the process of transcendence to occur: • separation of emotion from thoughts, • dealing with only one main emotion, • identifying the nature of emotion and consequences it brings, • naming the emotion, • non-identification with the emotion, • conscious stepping out (detachment) from the emotion, • having the state of emotional emptiness fully replace the emotion. Just as with the Kuṇḍalinī transit through the first chakra, the nature and results of the passage relate only to the character of the specific dimension, which in this case is only emotional. The final result is the chakra cleared of emotional charge, not a morally, religiously or even spiritually transformed person, as commonly explained in classical or contemporary sources (Kumar and Larsen 2004, 50): “When the sacral center opens one transcends sex.” That said, the practice of attaining emotional emptiness or Kuṇḍalinī clearing the second chakra leads to a happier and brighter outlook. The flow of consciousness upwards from the second chakra begins to bring thoughts that are no longer affected by the emotional charge. Dwelling in the state of emotional emptiness and then observing the thoughts is the point of transcendence from the second to the third chakra. 5 Conclusions In the process of self-transcendence Kuṇḍalinī begins moving by uncoiling into the areas of the first and second chakra. If one is unable to release attention from the body (first chakra) physical sensations can persist. These sensations can include pain in various body parts, heat and stiffening of the body. They appear when Kuṇḍalinī begins uncoiling and if it retracts back to its resting place the sensations can disappear. Kuṇḍalinī entering the second chakra amplifies emotional sensitivity. If uncoiling Kuṇḍalinī is unable to penetrate the second chakra and ascend to the third, emotional rollercoaster, depression and other extreme emotional states continue. Spiritual practices performed consciously or subconsciously on the first and second chakra may further induce Kuṇḍalinī uncoiling, but they don’t guarantee that Kuṇḍalinī will move through the chakras and all points of transcendence will be met. The practices themselves can affect one person deeply and even cause a full Kuṇḍalinī ascension (a rare occurrence), while for others they can bring forth opening of some chakras above the first two. These practices often don’t feel spiritual but can be very healing and rejuvenating to the human system. In my understanding it is the ability to focus all attention on one chakra that is the main mechanism supporting Kuṇḍalinī movement. Insufficient focus is the main reason for problematic process of self-transcendence. Some individuals succeed in raising Kuṇḍalinī by taking the focus away from all three lower chakras at once, but that is possible when one engages in intense practices and the upper chakras are already opened and developed. This topic deserves a separate article once all of the dimensions of perception are discussed.
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