Recommendations for daily yoga regimen?
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Hi.
This is my first post here. I'm pretty new to thelema and magick but I need some advice on yoga and meditation.About 1,5 years ago now I was doing some meditation exercises that involved focusing on chakras & energy etc. that was designed to raise the kundalini. I was completely new to any theory about kundalini and pretty sceptical in nature so I was pretty shocked by the actual rising of the energy through my spine. It was a burning sensation and at first I was worried and anxious about it as the following months was followed by some very dynamic shifts between a blissful state and an anxious state.
After the first few months I finally got a hold of a so called "Kundalini Yoga"-class (the founder was a guy called Yogi Bhajan), which I continue with to this day. I have arrived at studies in hermeticism (and mr Crowley) about half a year ago and I have noticed that the approach to yoga is very different from what I have learned in the class I attend and since I intend to continue my path under the hermetic and magical system I wonder how you think I should continue from here on?
I have read some of Crowleys writings and lectures on yoga and understand that its best to start practicing 1 single Asana every day until some mastery is achieved.
In the system I have learned yoga we have never concentrated on a single position but a few each set for a maximum of 2 classes. I have definitely learned to handle the kundalini and strengthened my nervous system some during these classess, but now I want to learn yoga in the way that is most beneficial for the great work according to Crowley and perhaps other masters of hermeticism, alchemy & magick.
I've recently had a "down period" in which little to no yoga has been done on a daily and regular basis.
Do you think I should continue with the regular yoga set as I have done so far or should I start from scratch according to Crowleys instructions working on One single Asana and pranayama? Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated
I have not joined a lodge yet, but are in the process of joining the OTO.
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I personally believe that BKS Iyengar is an invaluable source for incorporating the 8 limbs of Yoga into life. There is no better tradition for retraining the muscles of the body through asana then Iyengar yoga. BKS has written some of the most powerful and easy to understand materials, ie Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama are priceless resources for people who are drawn to yoga.
He also has some nifty videos on YouTube that he did as a very young man that are just incredible to watch.I personally do not look to AC as an authority on Yoga, he was insightful and did a great service back in the day promoting and advocating it's benefits, but we have the benifit now of others who were brought up ingrained in the living system and have gifted us with there insider insights. I will admit biais though I was also brough very close to that culture and my sister is Chairwoman of the Board of the Iyengar Institute of Los Angles and she is close to the Iyengar family.
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Who says you should rigorously stay to the one system?
From the sounds of it to me- you are doing alright mate. Keep up the work.
Yes you may do it in your own way- it is NOT a religion. Use your own intuition to guide you- as it sounds like you are doing. Take lessons from both teachers and practice both- cut your own way through the jungle.
Just how long does it take to 'master' an asana? When I was an initiate- I had to balance a saucer of water on my head for 30 mins and not spill a drop- do it for an hour and you have mastered it. Sounds to me like you are doing well.
I like the way you said you could feel the fire energy- what else did you feel? Oh and the anxiety- you have blocked chakras.
Reguards Yogi Bhajan- perhaps you should take him lightly? Why? Because after reading a few of his web pages- first thing I noticed is he asked for money. Second is that NOT ONCE - not once at all did he mention ENLIGHTENMENT/KCHGA. This tells me something Shamati- do you know what that is?
Q
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@Q789 said
"Who says you should rigorously stay to the one system?
From the sounds of it to me- you are doing alright mate. Keep up the work.
Yes you may do it in your own way- it is NOT a religion. Use your own intuition to guide you- as it sounds like you are doing. Take lessons from both teachers and practice both- cut your own way through the jungle.
Just how long does it take to 'master' an asana? When I was an initiate- I had to balance a saucer of water on my head for 30 mins and not spill a drop- do it for an hour and you have mastered it. Sounds to me like you are doing well.
I like the way you said you could feel the fire energy- what else did you feel? Oh and the anxiety- you have blocked chakras.
Reguards Yogi Bhajan- perhaps you should take him lightly? Why? Because after reading a few of his web pages- first thing I noticed is he asked for money. Second is that NOT ONCE - not once at all did he mention ENLIGHTENMENT/KCHGA. This tells me something Shamati- do you know what that is?
Q"
It felt like a very hot "steam" was being released from the base of the spine that continued upwards and when it reached the brain it literally felt like I had a "brain-orgasm" that extended to my whole body. All the time it felt like the top of my head was "opened up" and energy was pouring out upwards while I felt a pressure/tingling between my eyebrows.
The heat in my spine was such that it was on the verge of painful and my whole body was trembling/shaking. I was shaking in my hands and fingers during certain positions for at least 3 months after but this dissapeared when I did yoga & meditation everyday, sort of like my nervous system was to weak to handle it without side-effects but got strengthened the more yoga I did.
Mentally I felt completely "One" with "creation" and I remember that I could suddenly feel a caring kind of Love for any random person or dog I saw walking by. It was a spiritual high.
Every feeling increased.
I later "landed" with my feet back on the ground and eventually I started feeling negativity again but I have had a couple more of these enlightening experiences during meditation (without the energy in the spine this time) that has put my mind in a peaceful exalted state for some time but I always slip back after a while.I know that the Yogi Bhajan was probably a quack and his classess can in some places resemble sects. But after my experiences I felt I had to learn to live with this energy flowing in me and yoga was the first thing that came to my mind. Where I live you can choose to either attend a class of "Kundalini Yoga by Yogi Bhajan-class" or a more aerobics-like yoga class and I felt that at least the Kundaliniyoga class was oriented around spiritual matters such as chakras, energy etc. It has definitely worked to some degree but now I feel it's time to master some basic asana(s) and concentration which I never bothered doing.
This is because at these classess they seem to sincerely believe that when you have raised the Kundalini you are enlightened. I figured that since I still feel the same feelings of hate, greed, fear from time to time this is not true for me.
I have read some Taoist alchemy which talk about 3 stages called Air, Water & Fire and from what I have understood I may have experienced the "Air" part of this process and the next step is to transmute sexual fluids to travel upwards the spine. -
Shamanti- you are doing very well just recognizing these things- many do not.
'It felt like a very hot "steam" was being released from the base of the spine that continued upwards and when it reached the brain it literally felt like I had a "brain-orgasm" that extended to my whole body. All the time it felt like the top of my head was "opened up" and energy was pouring out upwards while I felt a pressure/tingling between my eyebrows. 'Yes, I to can remember this. It is important to learn and practice regular the Middle Pillar ritual. This will help ground you. I too have had several expereinces where I felt my nervous system was over loaded, burnt out, I once was unconscious for a time. I too have had this feeling of the need to 'land'- i went to woolworths and did shopping.
I hope you are keeping a diary.
Yes sure Yogi Bhajan is a quack. You see, i ask you that question so you would notice something. That is that he does not promote the importance of 'enlightenment' well not at first glance anyhow. This means that he has not had the 'vision of sorrow' and most likely, most not achieved enlightenment. So following him would be like the blind leading the blind wouldn't it? A progressive magickain would use him up and move along. Otherwise it is a religion.
I suggest you read up on Chakras, activation of them, more reading of Kundalini, concentration and visualization exercised (daily), WORK WITH PRANA-LOTS.Let me clear a few things up. An enlightened person still feel anger etc We all feel that. However, eventually he does learn to see through it- to deal with it, to control it. Enlightened people sill have personal issues( i feel society has a myth of them) HOWEVER, THEY DO DEAL WITH THEM MORE EFFECTIVELY.
I think this idea of 'raising the Kundalini' to achieve enlightenment is BS. It is the other way around. Enlightenment is achieved through dam hard work, through introspection and circumspection. By looking deep into your self and sorting out the mess, psychoanalysis. The raising of the Kundalini will follow- of course with a little help from you.
The sexual fluids practice will come later(IMO). Perhaps Bhajan is just talking it to attract people. However, by all means work with it if you wish. I think you will find that exploring your own sexuality is the core of it. An initiate will not truly understand what the orgasm can do, IMO that is for those who have crossed. Go ahead experiment.
If I where you I would be looking at GD and OTO. They offer a more complete system that this initiate Bhajan(probationer- Black Brother?) and you know dam well that both systems where developed by those who have done it.
Keep up the good work and message me with any questions.
Q
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I have been accepted into the O.T.O so I am moving forward, leaving the Bhajanite system which lost my confidence that it'll take me all the way I have the capability to go. It's more of a religion of sorts where all the people (mostly women) are deep into new age thinking thinking about "laws of attraction" being used with the sole purpose of accumulating personal wealth & the yoga classess have been heavily leaning toward sets designed to tighten up parts of the body sexually attractive to males etc, instead of pranayama which I thought was going to be what the "advanced" classess was about. So i understand it is not a serious movement for this kind of work but i think it may have introduced others like ma e to look deeper into the mysteries of Kundalini and arrived at serious places
Where can i find the best and most authorative information on chakras?
Also, I have noticed a thing in my meditation which have been worrying me with a feeling that I might have lost something.
Before winter I easily got to a state of just "awareness without form" where it felt like I was just a floating conscioussness in a larger whole but lately I have been having trouble getting there again. Somehow it seems harder for me now to detach from the speculative ego and right when I can feel I'm going deeper, instead of detaching I somehow attach or identify with this part out of habit and as an effect of emotions etc. Do you know of a good meditation or excercise to practice detachment from the Ego?
This is a phenomena that had started after stress and bussiness increased in my regular working life which got me to shift my focus away from spirituality into the mundane for too long.Isnt ejaculation emptying some of the energy? Thats what it felt like to me and many traditions say one needs to observe strict celibacy to refrain from orgasm to transmute this into the kundalini energy.
Are there ways in sex magick to retain this energy even after ejaculation?
I'm gonna keep from this part until I get to that stage of either initiation or from other work. I'd like it to be a surprise.Thank you for your help!
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"Before winter I easily got to a state of just "awareness without form" where it felt like I was just a floating conscioussness in a larger whole but lately I have been having trouble getting there again"
Brother, There is something I have noticed with regards to spiritual experiences.
the first time has the most impact- you get used to it and the next and next just seem normal.
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For me, I think the *best" daily yoga regimen is one that I can perform daily... day after day after day, year after year.
It must be short and simple. Otherwise the random distractions of modern life start to squeeze out the practice on the odd day now and then, which all too easily becomes several days in a row. Then before I know it my practice is totally shot to heck.
A short practice that you perform daily for three years, or thirteen years will have more positive impact than a very long, deep, involved, expertly crafted practice that lasts for a few months (imho).
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Considering you are accustomed to movement,
Taking the time to sit still in asana
Shall certainly give you good results
As well as a little balance.@Shamati said
"This is because at these classess they seem to sincerely believe that when you have raised the Kundalini you are enlightened"
That is just raising Kundalini
The Balanced, when invested with these energies becomes the Adept
Other wise you find your self with your bigots and fanatics@Q789 said
"Let me clear a few things up. An enlightened person still feel anger etc We all feel that. However, eventually he does learn to see through it- to deal with it, to control it. Enlightened people sill have personal issues( i feel society has a myth of them) HOWEVER, THEY DO DEAL WITH THEM MORE EFFECTIVELY."
I agree with this.
It becomes more about what you do with them than what they are.@kasper81 said
"this kundalini-heat phenomena it is enhanced during the summer months apparently. I don't want to get too hot that I am driven to distraction. Any tips and advice on how to make this a balanced experience or is it just a matter of roll with the heat and any other intense effects?"
Turn it up slow.
In my opinion, during the summer it is best to work on control.
Winter is for turning it up.
This, of course, concerns a training regime.@Labyrinthus said
"For me, I think the *best" daily yoga regimen is one that I can perform daily... day after day after day, year after year."
This is why I try to stress variety.
For I feel it is equally important to have a set time and exercises to perform,
As it is to be able to fit something to the natural unfolding of the day