What is Kundalini, Chakra and Nadis ?

Kundalini Yoga and Tantra -The Evolutionary Energy in Man, in which that " the human organism is evolving in the direction indicated by Siddhas, Yogis, Rishis and Sadhus, by the action of the wonderful mechanism located at the base of the spine.
 

Science has yet to explain the extraordinary abilities and feats of the Siddhas, Yogis, Rishis and Sadhus, The Hindu holy men of India. They are believed to have ability to read and transmit thoughts, able to duplicate themselves and appear in two places at once, to give flowers completely different scent, and to call back the spirits of dead. For the Siddhas, Yogis, Rishis and Sadhus, the entire universe is driven by urge, to unite with the divine and this gives them extraordinary powers.

Researchers in the field of parapsychology have studied the mysterious abilities of these holy men, and have confirmed many of these astonishing observations. Modern science, however,generally rejects any notion that Siddhas, Yogis, Rishis and Sadhus posess any extraordinary abilities, because this goes against our rationalistic mode of thought. 

For the Hindus the abilities of Siddhas, Yogis, Rishis and Sadhus are certainly not seen as unusual. Indeed, all the holy scriptures of Hinduism which include the Tamil scriptural classic Tirumantiram, Vedas and Bhagavad-Gita agree that the human soul, the self(atman), is identical with the cosmic principle, the absolute(brahman). Perhaps there is a lesson for the sceptics here, for it seems that deeper we probe into enigmas of human life, the closer we come to the mysterious and unacknowledged forces that dwell within us all.

What is Kundalini ?

According to the philosophy of Tantra, the entire universe is a manifestation of pure consciousness. In manifesting the universe, this pure consciousness seems to become divided into two poles or aspects, neither of which can exist without the other.

One aspect, Shiva, is masculine, retains a static quality and remains identified with unmanifested consciousness. Shiva has the power to be but not the power to become or change.

The other aspect, Shakti, is feminine, dynamic, energetic and creative. Shakti is the Great Mother of the universe, for it is from her that all form is born.

According to Tantra, the human being is a miniature universe. All that is found in the cosmos can be found within each individual, and the same principles that apply to the universe apply in the case of the individual being.

In human beings, Shakti, the feminine aspect is called Kundalini. This potential energy is said to rest at the base of the spinal cord. The object of the Tantric practice of Kundalini-yoga is to awaken this cosmic energy and make it ascend through the psychic centres, the chakras, that lie along the axis of the spine as consciousness potentials. She will then unite above the crown of the head with Shiva the pure consciousness. This union is the aim of Kundalini-yoga: a resolution of duality into unity again, a fusion with the Absolute. By this union the adept attains liberation while living which is considered in Indian life to be the highest experience: an union of the individual with the universe.

Tantra, "The cult of the feminine",is the root of yoga and the most all-inclusive spiritual system ever developed. Yoga is well-known whereas Tantra is in mystery. Yogis and quantum physicists share a wonderful view of the universe as a sea of "quantum foam", of space and time existing not as fixed realities but as mental constructs. The yogi is concerned with this "unspeakable mystery".

What is Chakras ?
Chakras are psychic centres that lie along the axis of the spine as consciousness potentials. The chakras are not materially real and are to be understood as situated, not in the gross body, but in the subtle or etheric body. Repositories of psychic energies, they govern the whole condition of being. They are usually represented as lotuses.

When kundalini is struck, she awakens, uncoils and begin to rise upwards like a fiery serpent, breaking upon each chakra as she ascends, until the Shakti merges with Shiva in sahasrara chakra.
As kundalini reaches each chakra, that lotus opens and lift its flower; and as soon as she leaves for a higher chakra, the lotus closes its petals and hangs down, symbolizing the activation of the energies of the chakra and their assimilation to kundalini.

The increasing number of lotus petals, in ascending order, may be taken to indicate the rising energy or vibration-frequencies of the respective chakras, each functioning as a transformer of energies from one potency to another.

                               

Each of the chakras, according to the Tantras, corresponds to one of the elements of which the known world is compounded. Muladhara represents solidity; Svadhisthana, liquidity; Manipura, the gaseous; Anahata, the aerial; Vishuddha, the etheric, or space. One can see the whole process as a progressive transformation of the elements, with an increase of volatility.

This ascent through the chakras can be viewed as an upward journey through the self which refines and subtilizes the energy that is the kundalini, until at the sixth chakra, the Ajna, centre of command, a qualitative change has taken place

What is Nadis ?
In addition to the seven chakras of the subtle body, the Tantras have described a network of subtle channels known as Nadis. According to the tantric treatise Shiva Samhita, there are fourteen principal nadis.
                                                  

Of these, Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are considered the most important. Ida is the left channel. Ida is white, feminine, cold, represents the moon and is associated with the river Ganga (Ganges). Originating in Muladhara, Ida ends up in the left nostril. Pingala is the right channel. Pingala is red, masculine, hot, represents the sun and is associated with the river Yamuna. Originating in Muladhara, Pingala ends up in the right nostril. Sushumna is the central channel and is associated with the river Saraswati. Running up the body from just below

Muladhara chakra to Sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head.
Muladhara is the meeting place of the three main nadis and is known as Yukta Triveni (Yukta : "combined", tri : "three", veni : "streams"). In Muladhara, Shakti, the static unmanifested Kundalini, is symbolized by a serpent coiled into three and a half circles around the central axis Svayambhu-linga at the base of the spine. The serpent lies blocking the entrance to Sushumna, the central channel with his mouth. Sushumna remains closed at its lower end as long as Kundalini is not awakened.

The technique of Kundalini Yoga consists in using Prana (the vital air), guiding its circulatory movement through Ida and Pingala down to the base of the spine into the space where Kundalini lies coiled. Shakti Kundalini will then awaken and rise up Sushumna, energizing the seven chakras.

by Vijayakumar Alagappan

Hinduism in Ghana

The African Hindu Monastery Of Ghana





The Swami Of Accra
The West African nation of Ghana is an unlikely place to encounter a Hindu monastery.

AS AN Indian in Ghana, I soon became aware of the country’s Indian community. It was while working on a photo-essay about crosscultural interactions, especially interracial marriages, that I learnt of the African Hindu Monastery. Now, Ghana is by no means homogenous when it comes to religion. Though predominantly Christian, with Islam being prominent in the north, most Ghanaians still maintain their connections to older traditions of ancestor worship and belief in the spirit world. Hinduism, though, is a foreign and recent entrant, associated with the Sindhi business families who dominate the immigrant Indian population. The presence of an African Hindu community, therefore, came as a surprise. I decided to go and see the place for myself.

The African Hindu Monastery (AHM) is a simple white structure in Odorkor, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital city of Accra. Started in 1975, it is headed by Swami Ghanananda Saraswati. The gentle-voiced Saraswati was born into the traditional African faith. Although he converted to Christianity when both his parents became Christian priests, he continued his search for truth. Attracted by Hindu beliefs and the practice of yoga, he travelled to India. While staying at Swami Sivananda’s ashram in Rishikesh, he decided to embrace Hinduism. At 35, he returned to Ghana and acquired his first disciples, holding lectures to educate Ghanaians about this ancient and foreign religion. Initially, his teachings attracted the literate and the academic – university lecturers and lawyers. Soon, some Indian families started to come. Later, a meeting with one Swami Krish- nananda (who was visiting from India) inspired him to set up a monastery “where he could tell people about all that he had learnt in India”.

TODAY, GHANA’S population of 23 million includes 12,500 Hindus, of which 10,000, like their Swami Ghanananda Saraswati, are indigenous Africans. While an older Sindhi temple still exists in Accra (and the Sathya Sais, the Ananda Margis, ISKCON and the Brahma Kumaris are also active), the African Hindu Monastery (AHM) is now Ghana’s largest centre of Hindu worship.

Ghana now has a Hindu population of 12,500, of which as many as 10,000 are indigenous Africans

The AHM’s iconography and practices provide clues to its hybrid origins. Its nonexclusionist attitude is apparent from the picture of Jesus alongside the Hindu gods on the main mantelpiece, as well as images of spiritual leaders from other religions. There are even images of secular leaders from India. The monastery’s members also believe that the Supreme God is known by other names, such as Yahweh and Allah.
While it identifies itself with Vedic philosophy, with Vishnu as the primary deity, there is an adjoining temple for Shiva. In fact, the day starts with a Shiva Abhishek, followed by an aarti, conducted by the Swami or one of his disciples. This is followed by a havan (fire sacrifice) and the reciting of the Hanuman Chalisa. In contrast to the specially commissioned havans in most Indian temples, all those present can pour a spoonful of oil into the sacred fire. Bhajans in Hindi — sung exquisitely in a Ghanaian accent — might follow. Later, a Vedic text might be discussed, either in English or in a Ghanaian dialect.



The AHM is not just accommodating of multiple religious traditions but also open to people of all races, classes and communities. Indian worshippers are not only members of the dominant Sindhi community, but also recent immigrants: managers and contract labour alike. But most worshippers are Africans, again from different professions and backgrounds. When I asked a disciple about the group’s opinion of the caste system, he pointed out that there is no society in the world that does not break its people up into the privileged and the unprivileged, be it through profession, ancestry or race. Ghanaian Hindus like him, however, are clear that people have an equal right to education, the means to a good life and most importantly, religion.

Some have given their children Hindu names like Rama or Krishna after a naming ceremony

CONTRARY TO its name, the monastery has only one monk. Saraswati explains, “Hinduism is a new thing [in West Africa], and I do not want to make somebody a monk who later on abandons monkhood. It would bring a bad name to me and to Hinduism.” Believers who want to become disciples enroll in a six-week residential course, after which they are initiated. The transition to Hinduism is a gradual one. For instance, an African Hindu would continue to have a Christian or Muslim first name and a traditional African last name – for example, Daniele Otchere. But there are disciples who have given their children Hindu first names like Rama or Krishna after a Hindu naming ceremony. Hindu rituals at marriage and cremation (rather than burial) at death are also beginning to be adopted, though not obligatory.

The monastery likes disciples to pray and perform pujas at home. In fact, the performance of rituals is seen as essential to being Hindu. Sometimes, new believers’ desire to perform Hindu-ness is so great that it feels like they are play-acting – like the time when several people fell at the feet of a visiting dignitary to show respect ‘in the traditional Hindu manner’. But then, ritual is often the embodied route to faith.

To know more about Hinduism in Ghana, please visit the following website:

http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/spirituality-connect-your-center/39368-african-hindu-monastery-ghana.html

The Sun of Dharma is Rising in America

Published on 08-23-2010 12:06 PM Number of Views: 312
By Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya


Sanatana Dharma teaches us that nature, and the underlying metaphysical reality that directs nature's course, operates in a cyclical pattern. What is prominent today will be anathema tomorrow. What is seen as controversial today will be tomorrow's norm. Nothing in nature is static. Nothing remains the same. Poles shift, tendencies are altered, world-views are turned upside-down, failed civilizations perish and new ones take birth. The Sun of Dharma becomes temporarily concealed by a dark cloud in one area of the world, even as the clouds dissipate in another region of the globe to reveal the light of Dharma in all its warm brilliance for all the world to see.

The Sun of Dharma once reigned over the entire earth, bathing all beings on every continent in the living light of Truth. There was at one time no nation, people, city-state or tribe that did not have at least a basic understanding of the Natural Way. Within the context of human history, we have seen that the Sun of Dharma then focused its living rays more pointedly upon the sacred geography of the ancient nation of Aryavarta (roughly corresponding with today's South Asian Himalayan region, Central Asia and Persian region) for the last several thousand years.

Today, unfortunately, that Sun of Dharma is quickly setting in the remaining remnants of that sacred land of Aryavarta in what is today known as the modern nation-state of "India" and the rest of South Asia. That once Vedic land is now continuing its rapid descent into the darkness of blind consumerism and greed, rampant corruption, secular materialism, base hedonism, Marxist tyranny, Abrahamic fundamentalism, and the very worst of degenerate Bollywood culture. But that eternal Sun of Dharma, which is never destined to ever truly set, is arising again. It is arising - of all the most unexpected places - throughout the entire Western world.

In our immediate future, all living beings will witness, and directly participate in, a Golden Dawn of Dharma in the Western world, and specifically in America and Europe. Dharma, being Sanatana (eternal), never disappears entirely, but merely resituates itself where it can be maximally appreciated, understood, and practiced with fidelity, dignity and devotion. We now see the very heart of Dharma in the form of Yoga, meditation, Vedantic philosophy, and Ayurveda, being increasingly practiced by multiple millions in the West today, though often without yet the proper understanding of what the actual religious context of these many practices are.

With the creation in America of a dynamic movement designed to couple Americans' sincere interest in authentic Vedic spiritual practices with a proper understanding of authentic Sanatana Dharma philosophy, we will soon have the ability to establish in America nothing less than a living Dharma Rashtra - a Dharma Nation - a newly born Vedic civilization dedicated to instantiating Dharmic ideals in the everyday lives of its people in such a manner as to ensure both material prosperity, combined with spiritual fulfillment for all.

More, it will only be by reconstructing authentic and Vedic-based Sanatana Dharma here in the Western world that the Sun of Dharma will eventually arise again in the East. Once we've set the example here of what a Vedic civilization looks like, the traditionally Dharmic nations of Asia will themselves eventually be inspired to use the vibrant model they see here to then reconstruct Dharma themselves in their own lands. There is no other alternative right for the rebirth of Vedic civilization right now other than this scenario.


My personal goal and mission is, thus, to ensure the existence of a dynamic movement that will accomplish precisely this rebirth of Dharma that our suffering world so needs at present. This will be a movement that is based in America, and that is prepared to reach out to both the traditional Indian Hindu community and to the non-Indian Yoga spirituality community. It is a movement that is designed to teach pure, authentic and shastra (scripture) based Dharma in such a way as to effectively communicate the most ancient wisdom known to man in its most pristine from, but doing so in the most modern of ways. It is a movement that will spread Dharmic ideals into the deepest levels of the American psyche, and powerful American institutions, and which will inform and transform the West on every level imaginable - philosophically, spiritually, politically, economically, medically, socially, culturally and religiously.

The creation of such a movement has now become manifest in the form of the International Sanatana Dharma Society.

America is potentially a new Dharma Rashtra. America is the place where Dharma is most attractive to people - even if under different names, like "yoga", "meditation", "ayurveda", etc. It is here that we will re-instantiate a living, breathing Dharma Nation. America has the infrastructure, the sincere interest, the intelligence, technology, wealth, established media empires, sincere volunteers, etc. to effectively change the world. It is up to us to create a new Dharmic civilization here in the most affluent, healthy, technologically advanced, communications-sophisticated, and politically savvy nation on earth.

What is Homam?

Homam are pujas performed for a particular deity by invoking Agni – God of fire. Homam is refers to any kind of "ritual in offerings" that is made into a consecrated fireplace. Homas are an important religious practice in Hinduism, where they are a part of most of the ceremonies, in all creeds and castes.

During a Homam, various rituals are performed successively in order to trigger various positive energies and also to develop the right sensation during the Homa. Some of these rituals are common and must be practiced before any fire ritual. After these rituals are executed, the main Homa would instigate; wherein the rituals differ depending on which deity you want to invoke.

The goal of all Homams is the prosperity of the people at large by energizing and protecting the environment. The Sun is considered as the main source of energy supply, and fire is considered as a representation of the Sun’s energy. According to the ancient texts on Homams, any offer to Fire as God, is actually an offer to Sun. Any such offer is either to enrich energy in the environment or to destroy the undesirable elements in the environment, and thus, in both ways, environment is protected. The Ghee and other ingredients that used in homams when burnt purufies air and atmosphere as they have medicinal values. The some that emerges from the Homam Kunda mixes with wind and spreads to far and wide. Perhaps this is the best method one can say that Hindus identified to purify the environment at a very low cost which the modern technology yet fails to do.

Homas can be performed for kundalini activation, marriage, health, career, success, business, wealth and prosperity. They can be performed for fulfillment of any worthy goals or desires.

Homams can be performed for any desires, goal, issues or problems. So they can be requested for any purpose or motivation, as long as they are for highest good.

When a sadhaka(aspirant) participates with sincere devotion in a homam acivities and as various offerings like molten butter, herbs, twigs of certain trees are offered into the sacrificial fire along with the powerful chanting of mantras, the energy generated enables the sadhaka to tune into the Cosmic consciousness or God, whereby his prayers are answered. It is well known that the presence of fire has an immediate bearing on the sadhaka's Kundalini and the energy fields of that place, which makes the prayers all the more sincere and dedicated to God. The time taken to perform a homa varies between 1 hour to 3 hours, depending on the nature of the homam.
Homams can be performed for neutralization, transcendence and alleviation of difficult karma, for appeasement of sufferings, for removal of obstacles and blockages, for dissolution of crisis, for clarity through chaos, for healing of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual imbalances, for protection from dangerous situation, and for reversal of already manifested problems.

Homas influence and modify your DNA. Eventually you realize that the functioning of your mind is different. Your perception of reality changes and evolves, therefore your suffering diminishes, answers and solutions are provided to you mare and more spontaneously, you start to feel happier and more joyful, and you have more peace of mind. People also start reacting to you differently because they react to the new you.

Lord Agni

Lord Agni (God of Fire) is one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire, the messenger of the gods, the acceptor of sacrifice. Agni is in everyone's hearth; he is the vital spark of life, and so a part of him is in all living things; he is the fire which consumes food in peoples' stomachs, as well as the fire which consumes the offerings to the gods. He is the fire of the sun, in the lightening bolt, and in the smoke column which holds up the heavens. The stars are sparks from his flame. He was so important to the ancient Indians that 200 hymns in the Rig Veda are addressed to him, and eight of its ten books begin with praises dedicated to him.

Lord Agni brings fire in all what you do. When your inner fire is on and burning well, it means you have energy and it shows as good health, beauty and a bright, sparkling personality. Since energy equivalent to money, the more energy you have, the more money you can make. All the main processes in your body: breathing, digesting and entire metabolism is a form of burning reaction.

Agni Mantra

The Secrets in Your Name Mantra - Suya Nama Japam

Sound Wave of Your Name Can Attract Success and Prosperity
The sounds involved in a Name are significant, because they generate in the individual, an unusual mystic power. Ancient Siddhas, Yogis and Rishis used to give name, the occult formula of vibrations which are nothing but a sound waves which can produce low or high sound frequencies. When uttered repeatedly, they become the source of enormous vibrations and infinite power which have the power to attract positive energy from the cosmic.

In the Ramayana, after redeeming Sita from Ravana, Rama was returning in the "Pushpa Vimana" with her, Lakshmana and Hanuman. Sita asked Rama that she wanted to see the stones which had bridged the sea to Lanka. She had heard that they had floated as the Vanaras had chanted Rama's name.

Immediately, the "Pushpa Vimana" was put down in that place. Rama picked up a rock and threw it into the sea. But rock which had floated when the Vanaras had chanted Rama's name, now sank even though it was thrown by Rama himself this time. Everyone was  surprised. Hanuman explained that they had written Rama's name 'Sri Ram' on the stones before throwing. That was only they had floated. If Rama were to do the same, he could made them float too. It happened as he had said it would.

Your name is more important than you

Thus we can see that Rama's name is more important than Rama himself. In Tantric Astrology consultation you will be given a personalised mantra to recite ( Suya Nama Japam) that is constructed using your own name. Your name is by itself a mantra and your destiny is coupled to it. What a coincidence, it is not by accidents that your parents named you as they did.

You are the giant magnet that can attract positive and negative energy. Regular chanting of these mantra would energize your body with positive energy and turn your auric field into negative energy so that your auric field will work as a shield of your body to attract positive energy and repel negative energy in your daily life. This technique is the greatest secret gift given by our ancient mystics to us for a successfull life with greater health, wealth, prosperity and enlightenment.

Make your life worth living it! This science has assured many people of all walk of life, with success, peace and prosperity!

For your personalised mantra consultation appointment call

VIJAYAKUMAR ALAGAPPAN @ 012 910 7301 / templeofscience@yahoo.com

NOTE: Only serious knowledge seekers are welcome

- 90 to 180 minutes per session ( in Tamil or English )

- place @ Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

- only one reading scheduled on each day - price p/consultation :- RM 240 for Malaysia USD 150 for overseas

for more info visit

http://indianknowledgesystemacademy.blogspot.com/2010/01/would-you-like-to-learn-about-yourself.html