Coldness after asana
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I'm working primarily on asana right now, doing the dragon pose. I'm at about 45 minutes with a pillow. One thing I'm noticing is that about 5-10 minutes after I'm done with asana, I get an onset of shivers.
Also, yesterday, I climbed one of the local buttes in the afternoon in order to do a Mass of the Phoenix at sunset. I reached the summit early, so sat and did asana. I didn't have my pillow, so the typical discomfort started happening earlier. Numbness and pain at about 20 minutes, getting pretty excruciating at about 25, with minor twitches in my thigh muscles. Then I seemed to disassociate from the pain, and suddenly felt euphoria. Moderate kundalini energy shot up my spine, and it felt like I had a minor body orgasm.
The pain returned, and I quit asana at about 33 minutes. Then about 5-10 minutes later, I get the shivers really bad, even though I was sitting in direct sunlight, and wearing 2 layers of wool.
Again in the evening, I have a moderate kundalini release, and 5 minutes later I get the shivers.
Is this just normal side effects? Or am I doing something wrong? Part of me wonders whether it's somehow a result of using only my own energy reserves, and that I need to somehow tap into a universal energy better - that sounds new age-y but don't know how else to put it.
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"Are you grounding your Muladhara properly with the earth at the start?"
Yes, I focus on grounding at beginning and throughout, but it feels to me more like a downward flow to earth.
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
For what it's worth (and you may already know),the dragon pose is called "vajrasana". I haven't found anything about it, that is, describing your particular effects from the energy work. Maybe you can find some more stuff online?
In my experience, the dragon asana is useful for aiding the other limbs of yoga - mainly, the idea of concentration (dharana, dhyana, samadhi, etc.). I have to agree with Alrah, if these symptoms are becoming physically unbearable, you'll have to assess the objective of your practice and make your decision to continue (or abandon it) accordingly. Obviously, doing anything that would lead to permanent physical issues is ridiculous. I try to examine all of my effects from experimentation in the harshest skeptical fashion, after my license to depart, and then see if the effects are helping my overall objective.
As far as my personal energy work, those "kundalini" moments increase and subside, but noticing those feelings (to me) are taken as "breaks" in concentration -- that is, in the context of asana proper practice. If I'm trying to use the energy for something else, I try to be very clear about my statement of intent. But, as far as asana for yoga, those energies are very distracting to me. In those cases, I tend to look at those physiological phenomena as byproducts of gnosis through sensory inhibition and increased oxygen uptake, aiding in breaking apart old sense-impressions. I try my best to take those feelings in stride.
As far as shivering (in my non-expert opinion), it sounds like there is a physiological link to your meditation work, which makes a hell of a lot of sense, since you're messing around with your neurophysiology when meditating, doing rituals, etc. It also seems to be related to pain/pleasure sensations which would make sense, too.
But hey, I am by no means a doctor. Again, if it's a serious problem, I would say to evaluate the situation to the best of your ability, and, if the practice seems seriously harmful, abandon it.
Again, these are only my opinions and statements based on particular experiences of my own. I can't say for certain what is happening in any situation, especially when dealing with the subjective experience of these experiments.
In any event, good luck with everything. Take care. Keep a good record!
Hope this has been helpful. I wish you the best on your Path.
Love is the law, love under will.
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Avshalom,
I highly recommend the practice of Hatha Yoga PRECEDING your Asana practice. It primes the body for long seated meditation in any asana. Most injuries of Asana are not from metaphysical sources, but rather from the body not being properly oxygenated. After a couple of months of regular Hatha Yoga your heart and body will adjust and it will become almost unnecessary.
My Credentials:
I have been practicing Hatha Yoga for 7 years in the Sivananda School, lived on an ashram, and a Yoga Alliance Certified Instructor. My instructor was a disciple of Vishnu Devananda and by his side at his death. I have received quite a bit of mouth to ear teachings so to speak. -
Are both your nostrils clogged when the shivers start? One open one closed?
Where does the energy rise to?"Moderate kundalini energy shot up my spine, and it felt like I had a minor body orgasm. "
I've never had a minor orgasm. Pls describe.
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Usually, both nostrils are wide open after asana. I didn't make a specific note this time, but it's pretty likely to have been the same case this time.
The energy rises to the top of my head.
I say "minor" because it was much less extreme than the kundalini experience I had earlier this year. I described yesterday's experience in my notes as if my spine were the phallus. The energy bubbled up from the muladhara in a couple waves of euphoria/pleasure. It was brief, and didn't leave me breathless. Hence, minor.
The shivering/coldness that happen afterwards often have a minor element like a post-orgasmic (or end-of-urination) spasm/shudder, but is more focused on the front of my body
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Then I would have to concur with TheSilent1
Hatha to balance sun and moon.
It could also be your blood rushing to your core making extremities feel cold.