Kundalini Yoga - Benefits and Dangers

Kundalini Yoga is the yoga of prana. Prana is the life energy we have within. In Kundalini Yoga a seeker aspires to harness this tremendous power through concentration and meditation. Kundalini Yoga is also known as the power of the Mother aspect of the Divine.

To practise Kundalini yoga we need to take the greatest care, it is advisable to always practise Kundalini yoga under the guidance of a spiritual teacher. The powers of Kundalini yoga can easily be misused causing problems for the seeker.

Sri Chinmoy says:

“If the spiritual centres – muladhara, svadhisthana and manipura – are opened untimely, without full preparation, they can create untold misery for the seeker.”

For this reason Sri Chinmoy advises concentration on the heart centre (anahata) It is here that a seeker can enjoy oneness and pure joy. The anahata centre has purity in abundant measure. This purity can be used to illumine the other centres, especially the lower ones. To open a charka a seeker needs to concentrate all his awareness on the particular energy centre, and invoke the presiding deity of the charka. Successful practise of Kundalini Yoga requires a seeker to gain control over his thoughts. He must become one-pointed and able to concentrate solely on his spiritual practise. For this there is no short-cut. Like other yoga’s an aspirant needs to develop spiritual discipline and learn the art of concentration.

Through practising Kundalini yoga an aspirant can develop occult, psychic powers. These powers can be used for constructive or destructive purposes, but quite often they are misused. For example the ability to read someone else’s mind can create problems and is likely to be resented by those who it is used on. The temptation is for seekers to use the Kundalini powers from an egoistic perspective. This is when problems will start to occur.

Compared to real spiritual power Kundalini powers are like a toy. On there own occult powers do nothing to expedite the spiritual progress of a seeker. Real spiritual progress comes from praying and meditating on God. Great aspirants and spiritual masters often find that Kundalini powers come of their own accord if they attain a certain level of spiritual realisation. However the powers come at a time when they have conquered the ego and so will not misuse them.

There is a story about Sri Ramakrishna and his dearest disciple Swami Vivekananda. Sri Ramakrishna offered to Swami Vivekananda all his occult powers. Vivekananda asked whether these would help him to realise God. Ramakrishna replied they wouldn’t but he could use these occult powers to do good in the world. Vivekananda replied that if these powers didn’t help his spiritual realisation he didn’t want them. Ramakrishna was so proud of his disciple for not being interested in the temptation of occult powers. Vivekananda went on to become a great Spiritual teacher, becoming one of the first Indian Guru’s to travel to the west.

If a seeker wishes to practise Kundalini yoga then it is vital he practises with the utmost sincerity. In particular he must follow the path devotedly. He should feel the need the importance of purity and love. Here we mean Divine love, love for the Divine Mother. We cannot follow the path of Kundalini Yoga whilst also wallowing in the pleasures of the world.

Also at the same time we should feel that the path of Kundalini Yoga is not indispensable. To make the fastest and safest spiritual progress we can follow other less arduous paths.

by: richard