Seth Ananda please teach me about kundalini

[Seth Ananda]

Seth,

 

How long do you hold the locks before exhalations?

Hi John Zen

Ideally for as long as possible, but the key is no strain and the key to that is relaxation.

 

The more relaxed you can do the whole breath, the longer you will be able to hold without strain. Also your breath retention will increase over time with practice.

[Seth Ananda]

Kind of ironic how this thread has turned into one the most helpful threads ever, isn't it? Thanks to alwayson

Thanks also, Songs.

 

Blessings.

[sinno]

Seth Ananda for president!!

[unmike]

Seth, you have consistently been a boon to this forum for my entire tenure herein. This was incredibly helpful!

[Creation]

have you met with Mark and sat in his presence yet?

No, I have not yet had the privilege.

[sean]

Cool Sean and others, so ayp is in the spine column?

yes, yogani refers it as spinal breathing.

 

Cobra breath is there to balance the solar and lunar chanels, so its not related to shushumna, until of course that enough balanced energy is generated and then starts to flow into the shushumna. There are further practices that move into the spinal cavity or tube.

i see, very interesting. this leads me to a question if you will.

 

in the beginning of my practice i could not feel distinctions between different areas of the spine. "spinal breathing" was just very very rough attempts to feel any sensation at all in various places (e.g., t3 to c7 was almost blank). it took me months before i had any sense of felt precision. my practice was fueled by intention.

 

so my question, could this intention (at least at first) make a key difference between spinal breathing along front/back channels of spine vs. spinal breathing through the core of the spine?

 

i ask because i'm sure there are still sections of my spine where i could not truly sense (as in with my actual senses, not merely my intention/imagination) the distinction between front/back vs. core.

 

or hmmm.... thinking this through further. maybe it's more like this.(?) intention (and even imagination) are the vehicle. but not much is happening cultivation wise until what i intend leads my awareness to actually feel. it's only to the degree that i can actually feel precisely one way or the other what i am doing (tracing front/back vs. core) that that difference is even very relevant to anything happening.

 

haha, i hope this question (and my own attempt at an answer) even makes sense at this point.

 

have you met with Mark and sat in his presence yet?

for what it's worth, i've done two full day sits with mark, one where i received shaktipat. i have refrained from articulating much of anything about these experiences, but i will just say they were stunningly powerful and mark is an amazing being!

 

sean

[sean]

It Basicly breaks OM NAMAH SHIVIYA up into its syllables, and mentally sounds them at the chakra points, going up and then down and so on...

forgot to respond to this. first off, hell yeah! another awesome share, thank you!

 

second, trunk has stumbled across something similar you may dig, a real gem in my experience, he is mapping the tibetan "om mah nee peh meh hung" to energy centers.

 

I wonder if you could incorporate a partner sometimes when doing your spinal breathing practice. have someone gently touch the areas where you would like to focus your intent and energies.

great idea. thank you. i used to tap sections of my spine to activate sensation but i can't recall exploring this particular work with a partner. will try.

 

sean

[ShaktiMama]

forgot to respond to this. first off, hell yeah! another awesome share, thank you!

 

second, trunk has stumbled across something similar you may dig, a real gem in my experience, he is mapping the tibetan "om mah nee peh meh hung" to energy centers.

 

 

great idea. thank you. i used to tap sections of my spine to activate sensation but i can't recall exploring this particular work with a partner. will try.

 

sean

 

I used to take a hand held set of chimes with me when I taught until the cat chewed up the mallet.

They look like this.

 

http://www.amazon.com/TreeWorks-Chimes-TRE420-Wooden-Mallet/dp/B003EUMPCE/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1301932484&sr=1-5

 

It's a great way to show and feel increasing sensitivity to energy. I stand at the back of the student and hit one of the chimes and move the chimes up and down the spine. Usually from about 6-12 inches away. Most will start shaking and bouncing as the sound waves hit their energy fields. Some actually have had a little orgasmic burst. Before the class they never would have believed they could respond to energy. This really helps show them that they have developed sensitivity and it's not just their mind playing tricks on them.

 

I use it to show them their progress. Some like one specific chime note over another. Some like to "steal" the chimes on break and run up behind their friends and make them shake with a surprise chiming. I do this after about 4 hours or so of training.

 

energy is so much fun.

 

s

[三江源]

I used to take a hand held set of chimes with me when I taught until the cat chewed up the mallet.

They look like this.

 

http://www.amazon.co...01932484&sr=1-5

 

It's a great way to show and feel increasing sensitivity to energy. I stand at the back of the student and hit one of the chimes and move the chimes up and down the spine. Usually from about 6-12 inches away. Most will start shaking and bouncing as the sound waves hit their energy fields. Some actually have had a little orgasmic burst. Before the class they never would have believed they could respond to energy. This really helps show them that they have developed sensitivity and it's not just their mind playing tricks on them.

 

I use it to show them their progress. Some like one specific chime note over another. Some like to "steal" the chimes on break and run up behind their friends and make them shake with a surprise chiming. I do this after about 4 hours or so of training.

 

energy is so much fun.

 

s

oh! that reminds me having done what you describe with drums! Woooooooooooooooooooo!

reverrrrrrrrrrrb o spine. delicious.

[gendao]

I have had the pleasure of Learning several versions all with slight variations and only some 'under oath' so to speak so here goes... [my favourite and the version I teach]

 

Inhale, ujay or that slight rasping restricted epiglottis, darth vader breath:

 

Mind - at beginning of inhale start at tip of Tail bone, move mind during Inhale up the back of your spine [towards the skin] over the head, [just under the skull on top of the brain] and finish Inhale at Brow centre.

 

Body - at start of Inhale squeez pc [moolabhanda][and hold till exhale], when the energy passes abdomen draw in stomach muscles[udiyanabhanda] {navel toward spine} [hold till exhale], when energy reaches skull, pull chin towards chest [jalnabhanda] put tongue back into soft palate [kechari mudra], point eyes up and in at ajna, and focus there, take an extra sniff of air [to be full] and focus and hold without strain.

 

Exhale, ssss kind of soft serpent noise, so obviously your tongue moves forward.

 

Mind - At start of exhale, it passes from brow, in along the underside of the brain to brainstem, and over the rest of the exhale it passes down the smooth front side of the spine [towards the organs] and ends with the exhale at the tip of the spine.

 

Body - just before you start the exhale, tip your head slightly back opening the throat lock, then as soon as you start the exhale relax all the Bhanda's completly.

towards the end of the exhale, as the energy is sinking down, let your head return to a normal straight position on your shoulders.

 

 

You may notice thats its path is a bit like the MCO's but around the spine and brain instead. The front and back chanel of the spine are a 'secret' version of Ida and Pingala.

 

 

Its a lot to get at once at first.

Try remembering 'Inhale 123'

The 123 are the locks in succession over the course of the Inhale. 1Base, 2stomach, 3neck/tounge

And the whole thing should be done in a gentle way, without tension, or relaxed as possible.

 

I may end up in a shit storm for putting this online, but I have not betrayed any groups secrets by teaching this version of the Cobra Breath. Thanks for asking Cat, I have been annoyed that this wonderful technique can not be found on line.

 

That said, do be careful with it. At least at first do not do more that 20 - 30 breaths a session [unless you really feel you should, lol] while you are getting used to it.

 

Once you are used to it, you can add devotional mantra's or visualisations, especially as you come to a point where your relaxation lets you hold your breath [easily] for a long time.

 

Students usually start with brow center as the focus, but the crown is Introduced later. The 3rd eye gets used to connect to specific deity's or Guru's, or to create worldly events by visualising them strongly.

The Crown gets used to merge with the One.

 

Blessings on your practice!

Seth.

Cool, thanks! Yes, very MCOish, lol.. But all breathing is done through the mouth?

 

Is this what you used to awaken your own kundalini though? Or was it some other type of meditation?

Edited April 4, 2011 by vortex

[Seth Ananda]

Cool, thanks! Yes, very MCOish, lol.. But all breathing is done through the mouth?

 

Is this what you used to awaken your own kundalini though? Or was it some other type of meditation?

No problem

And no, my awakening was 'accidental' and caused by MCO, long Tantric sex sessions, and 4 hours a day of Drunvalo's pranic breathing, also in there was daily 'Middle pillar' exercises and Lesser banishing ritual.

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

No problem

And no, my awakening was 'accidental' and caused by MCO, long Tantric sex sessions, and 4 hours a day of Drunvalo's pranic breathing, also in there was daily 'Middle pillar' exercises and Lesser banishing ritual.

 

Israel Regardie's 'Middle Pillar'?

[Seth Ananda]

Israel Regardie's 'Middle Pillar'?

The one and the same

 

I got a lot of mileage out of that exercise over the years, and still consider it to be one of the great circulation practices.

[Seth Ananda]

Another very Important Saftey valve for K, is developing strong Spiritual aspirations.

When you contemplate or meditate upon the Oneness, Divinity, the light... it stimulates the crown centre. When K activates, sometimes just Contemplating divinity is enough keep K 'on track' so to speak.

Many people who have K problems were atheists or non spiritual, or just religious 'believers' [ooh, disgusting! lol] with no real activation or presence in their Crown chakra. Kundalini wants to go 'up' but an active Crown helps draw it up.

 

 

To me a great meditation set would follow:

 

1. A shaking session, To remove blocks and Liberate energy.

 

2. Sensual integration, [gentle pelvic rocking and body undulations with soft voiced pleasure sounds, to increase pleasure conductivity and activate second chakra.]

 

3. Cobra breath, to start energy circulation and balance Ida & Pingala.

 

4. Om Namah Shivaya syllable/chakra meditation or something similar within shushumna itself

 

5. Sit contemplating Oneness, and surrender in Total, and whole-body/energy/mind let go, into it... Using the mantra 'OM SHIVA SVAHA!' to offer/return/let go, of anything that seems unnecessary or appropriate.

 

 

One of the really good points that Alwayson pointed out within Robert Bruce's stuff is also just meditating on the base chakra for long periods to massively energise.

This is strong, but I would want to have my spine humming along, and spend equal time contemplating the One, to keep things safe.

 

 

Peace out!

Edited April 5, 2011 by Seth Ananda

[gendao]

No problem

And no, my awakening was 'accidental' and caused by MCO, long Tantric sex sessions, and 4 hours a day of Drunvalo's pranic breathing, also in there was daily 'Middle pillar' exercises and Lesser banishing ritual.

Cool, thanks!

 

It's always interesting to hear how people actually made their own breakthroughs - because they were often through less-methodical means (sometimes even somewhat spontaneously) than the more systematic ones they later may be teaching.

 

Anyhow, it sounds like your various exercises did nonetheless focus a lot on the spinal column, even if it wasn't traditional "kundalini yoga." Perhaps of greater significance is the intense period of practice you performed them in (4-6-8 hrs daily for up to a year). This amount of daily practice seems to form the critical mass needed to make big internal breakthroughs..

Edited April 5, 2011 by vortex

[Seth Ananda]

Cool, thanks!

 

It's always interesting to hear how people actually made their own breakthroughs - because they were often through less-methodical means (sometimes even somewhat spontaneously) than the more systematic ones they later may be teaching.

 

Anyhow, it sounds like your various exercises did nonetheless focus a lot on the spinal column, even if it wasn't traditional "kundalini yoga." Perhaps of greater significance is the intense period of practice you performed them in (4-6-8 hrs daily for up to a year). This amount of daily practice seems to form the critical mass needed to make big internal breakthroughs..

Yes, 'Excessive' time spent is a guaranteed way to fire it up. lol

Although I did not use these exercises to Awaken K, I did use them to manage it over the years, and to help other students in our school awaken K safely over time.

[Seth Ananda]

Hundun or Creation, Mark Griffin sounds Very cool. Can you tell me more? Thanks

Seth.

[Creation]

Hundun or Creation, Mark Griffin sounds Very cool. Can you tell me more? Thanks

Seth.

Reading this is what first helped me understand who Mark is, what he does, and what he is all about:

http://www.hardlight.org/interview_w_mark.html

 

I had seen videos of him, but after reading that, well, to say that I was impressed is an understatement. I have an enormous amount of respect for him.

[Sahaj Nath]

Hundun or Creation, Mark Griffin sounds Very cool. Can you tell me more? Thanks

Seth.

 

he IS very cool! i've only been with him for a year now, but he is absolutely amazing.

 

he was first recommended to me by my last qigong master who said he had nothing further to teach me. i saw his picture and was incredulous. this was back in 2007. i finally decided to meet him last year after he was highly recommended by Trunk here in the forum. the night before i met him at the intensive, i received a transmission that was so powerful and vivid i'm not sure i could even put it into words. it was like my entire energy body was re-wired, re-calibrated, and adapted to the frequency of his lineage. my body was taken over with energy vibrating so strong that i couldn't feel my physical body anymore, only the vibration. lots of green, blue, and white light flooding through me as well. and his image. and his voice telling me that this was FINALLY the beginning of my True unfolding. hearing his voice is a common occurrence nowadays.

 

i slept less than two hours that night, and i woke up totally refreshed.

 

the next day i met him in-person at the intensive, and i fell in love with him in like the first 10 minutes. my heart just burst open and all i wanted to do was surrender in his presence. his mastery is unlike anything i've ever come into contact with. it was like taking a virtual tour of the universe and the spiritual landscape. i would see & experience things, then the next time he spoke he would talk about what i had just experienced. plus, bliss became an effortless arising, and i wasn't even seeking bliss in any way! but it's as simple as a thought and i can saturate my entire body with bliss and even transmit the energy to others, although many experience it as really hot and electrical. i had practices that could generate some nice bliss states before, but always with effort and never with this intensity. it's so different when it comes purely from grace.

 

Mark is my guru. i'm free to study whatever i like and to teach however i like. he acknowledges and respects my qigong background, but the lessons i learn through him and directly through the lineage are greater than anything i've ever come across. the way in which information seems to just fall out of the sky, alongside corresponding experiences, well,... it's just amazing to me. Mark is TOTALLY who i want to be when i grow up!

 

now obviously not everyone will immediately click in the way that i did, so it's still best to not have too many expectations going in, but if you've already built a strong foundation, or if you're an advanced practitioner, i would think that it's impossible to miss what an incredible being Mark is. newcomers won't have any real means of discerning the quality of his teaching/transmission, but he'll very likely ruin them for other teachers! Mark is a pretty damn tough act to follow. i've never met an open-door teacher before who even approached his ability. and he's just SO giving! attainment isn't a dogfight. it's a simple matter of being open and able to receive.

 

he is a Siddha. truly.

 

PM me if you want to know anything specific. there's lots more that i could share, but i think this is about as far as i want to go in the forum.

 

be sure to read the article behind that link that Creation posted. it's pretty good, i think.

[Seth Ananda]

he IS very cool! i've only been with him for a year now, but he is absolutely amazing.

 

he was first recommended to me by my last qigong master who said he had nothing further to teach me. i saw his picture and was incredulous. this was back in 2007. i finally decided to meet him last year after he was highly recommended by Trunk here in the forum. the night before i met him at the intensive, i received a transmission that was so powerful and vivid i'm not sure i could even put it into words. it was like my entire energy body was re-wired, re-calibrated, and adapted to the frequency of his lineage. my body was taken over with energy vibrating so strong that i couldn't feel my physical body anymore, only the vibration. lots of green, blue, and white light flooding through me as well. and his image. and his voice telling me that this was FINALLY the beginning of my True unfolding. hearing his voice is a common occurrence nowadays.

 

i slept less than two hours that night, and i woke up totally refreshed.

 

the next day i met him in-person at the intensive, and i fell in love with him in like the first 10 minutes. my heart just burst open and all i wanted to do was surrender in his presence. his mastery is unlike anything i've ever come into contact with. it was like taking a virtual tour of the universe and the spiritual landscape. i would see & experience things, then the next time he spoke he would talk about what i had just experienced. plus, bliss became an effortless arising, and i wasn't even seeking bliss in any way! but it's as simple as a thought and i can saturate my entire body with bliss and even transmit the energy to others, although many experience it as really hot and electrical. i had practices that could generate some nice bliss states before, but always with effort and never with this intensity. it's so different when it comes purely from grace.

 

Mark is my guru. i'm free to study whatever i like and to teach however i like. he acknowledges and respects my qigong background, but the lessons i learn through him and directly through the lineage are greater than anything i've ever come across. the way in which information seems to just fall out of the sky, alongside corresponding experiences, well,... it's just amazing to me. Mark is TOTALLY who i want to be when i grow up!

 

now obviously not everyone will immediately click in the way that i did, so it's still best to not have too many expectations going in, but if you've already built a strong foundation, or if you're an advanced practitioner, i would think that it's impossible to miss what an incredible being Mark is. newcomers won't have any real means of discerning the quality of his teaching/transmission, but he'll very likely ruin them for other teachers! Mark is a pretty damn tough act to follow. i've never met an open-door teacher before who even approached his ability. and he's just SO giving! attainment isn't a dogfight. it's a simple matter of being open and able to receive.

 

he is a Siddha. truly.

 

PM me if you want to know anything specific. there's lots more that i could share, but i think this is about as far as i want to go in the forum.

 

be sure to read the article behind that link that Creation posted. it's pretty good, i think.

Wow, Thanks a lot, and I have a lot of respect for your opinion, so again, Wow.

Thank you. Its good to know there are teachers like that still out there

[Seth Ananda]

Oh and I put the Cobra breath and Kundalini practices together in one spot,

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/18071-cobra-breath-kundalini-practices/

Edited April 6, 2011 by Seth Ananda

[sean]

the night before i met him at the intensive, i received a transmission that was so powerful and vivid i'm not sure i could even put it into words.

likewise. i have yet to even try to talk about my experiences with mark.

 

*deep bow*

 

sean

[三江源]

Seth, MarkGriffin has podcasts you can listen to for free. hey presto..you can get his transmission here :

 

Guru Radio

 

 

sometimes when I listen to him, what he is describing in words, takes place in my response. Instant manifestation of very deep meditative states. I could feel my consciousness clicking into different gears in response to him.

 

Really worth downloading, he's great to have around in this format if you cant make it to see him. And he does live streaming too,for a fee, which Trunk posted about previously.

 

this is his website :Hardlight

 

xxx

[VCraigP]

Seth, MarkGriffin has podcasts you can listen to for free. hey presto..you can get his transmission here :

 

guru radio

 

 

sometimes when I listen to him, what he is describing in words, takes place in my response. Instant manifestation of very deep meditative states. I could feel my consciousness clicking into different gears in response to him.

 

Really worth downloading, he's great to have around in this format if you cant make it to see him. And he does live streaming too,for a fee, which Trunk posted about previously.

 

this is his website :Hardlight

 

xxx

 

 

the link you want for Podcasts is:

 

http://www.hardlight.org/podcasts.html

 

Cat's link was close but not correct. Just to save you a step.

 

Craig

[gendao]

"Ram Dass" describes his brief encounter with Muktananda in his fantastic new book, "Be Love Now." In it, he got the impression that Muktananda was very powerful - but had chosen the path of power over the path of love. Which he believed his own satguru, Shri Neem Karoli "Maharaj-ji" Baba, had chosen instead.

 

This tends to square up with various rumored accounts of Muktananda's habitual indiscretions. Not to totally discredit him - just noting that while he had accomplished a lot, he still had some work left to do.

 

I wish I could have met either guru - and would love to meet Mark Griffin too! So, are his sadhanas open-invite to people who have to fly in, or what? How does he handle out-of-towners? Does he have special workshops for those? I'd really like to experience his transmission in person as well!

Edited April 6, 2011 by vortex