Kundalini as Avatar

[guided]

Excuse my ignorance, I know very little about Hindu faith and practice but I have a question.

I had an unusual experience after meditating a few weeks ago and was left with a word that I hadn't consciously been aware of knowing beforehand...the word was Kundalini.

This was quite significant given what I now understand the word to mean. But my question is...could Kundalini be referred to as an Avatar or Aspect of the Divine or would this be a gross misunderstanding.

I hope this question does not offend...I am seeking to learn and better understand the significance of this peculiar event.

Thankyou

 

[Vinayaka]

Welcome to RF, and to the Hindu DIR.

There are lots of on-line sites that deal with kundalini, and I'm sure you can find them. In Hindu mystical traditions, it is the force resident in the spine of an individual that slowly rises as that individual soul matures on their way back to God.

Expect quite a variety of answers here (and on all the sites) though.

In my particular tradition, we ignore it, although we know it's there. We don't mess with it, because premature wisdom from it can lead to undesirable effects. So the key would be to be prepared via ethical behaviour, seva (service), bhakti, and all that. Then when it;s time, your physical body, ego, and all that can handle it without going insane.

This probably doesn't help much.

Avatar, on the other hand, is a totally separate concept. The two are not related. An avatar is God incarnate, and only applicable in certain branches of Hinduism.

 

[guided]

Welcome to RF, and to the Hindu DIR.

There are lots of on-line sites that deal with kundalini, and I'm sure you can find them. In Hindu mystical traditions, it is the force resident in the spine of an individual that slowly rises as that individual soul matures on their way back to God.

Expect quite a variety of answers here (and on all the sites) though.

In my particular tradition, we ignore it, although we know it's there. We don't mess with it, because premature wisdom from it can lead to undesirable effects. So the key would be to be prepared via ethical behaviour, seva (service), bhakti, and all that. Then when it;s time, your physical body, ego, and all that can handle it without going insane.

This probably doesn't help much.

Avatar, on the other hand, is a totally separate concept. The two are not related. An avatar is God incarnate, and only applicable in certain branches of Hinduism.

I realise there is some confusion in what I'm asking, thankyou for clarifying As I say, I am merely seeking to learn and describe my experience as best I can. Your answer has been helpful, I know more than I did before.

I would describe myself best as a practitioner of western yoga...meditation, prayer and service in order to lead a more useful and realized life. I practised Zen Buddhism and martial arts as a younger man but have found my approach has softened in recent years and become a little more practical in nature.

I have been trying to find out more about the term Kundalini and attended a meditation class last week that claimed to specialise in this area. But I have been concerned by promises of "Spiritual shortcuts" that don't fit very well with my experience and don't seem to serve a useful practical end if you understand me?

Perhaps if I rephrase the question...could Kundalini be seen as an aspect of Deva? Are there traditions within Hinduism that would teach and allow within to practice seva and bhakti within a community, with devotion offered towards a particular aspect of Deva?

I would hope not to appear ignorant or be offensive with such questions but would like to speak plainly!

Thankyou

P

 

[Vinayaka]

Don't worry about appearing ignorant. Everyone has that problem topics new to them. You won't learn anything not asking questions.

I'm suspicious of 'short-cuts' . We're looking for long term gain, not short term intensity. At least that's how most Hindus would look at it. However, here in the west, there are schools who seem to go after the big stuff right away, if you get the idea. But if that works, great.

Since we believe in reincarnation, there is no hurry. My sampradaya teaches stability first, the rest will come naturally. If not this lifetime, then next. I personally believe this urgency thing you see is a result of leftover subconscious programming relating to one lifetime only. But that's just me.

So we (bhaktars) use God and gods for assistance in stabilising, in developing intuition, even in mundane things like love and money. So the first step on the Hindu path, in this more traditional view, is to develop a relationship with Ganesha, a deva of high regard in his own right.

 

[Jaskaran Singh]

Perhaps if I rephrase the question...could Kundalini be seen as an aspect of Deva? Are there traditions within Hinduism that would teach and allow within to practice seva and bhakti within a community, with devotion offered towards a particular aspect of Deva?
P

Don't you mean devI (particularly kAlI and lalitA) rather than deva, since you are talking about kuNDalinIshakti? Just wondering....

 

[Maya3]

I have had some kundalini experiences, and my advice is to not take short cuts, don´t hurry this. Take it very slooowly. These experiences will come and go, don´t force them.
Don´t be afraid of them, but take it slow.

I think it is the power within you that is starting to rise, this is fine as long as you don´t force it to move.

Maya