Crown to Root

[Sparkle]

One of our AYP group participants has been involved in crown work for years. Now I have explained the mechanics to the group using the following excellent post by Yogani http://www.aypsite.com/plus-forum/index.php?topic=1607#12295

In conversation with this person today she tells me she is going through all sorts of stuff. I suggested she might be doing too much crown work and just to focus root to third eye. She answered forthrightly that
"she was not doing any crown work, she was just bringing the energy down through the crown and grounding it to earth all the time"

I seem to remember reading somewhere that "down is up, and up is down" when working with kundalini.
Would I be right in concluding that drawing energy down through the crown, whether or not it be in association with deities such as Jesus, Krishna, The Holy Spirit, The Archangels etc. is still directly opening the crown. That drawing it down has the same effect as going up through the crown?

Thanks in advance
Louis

[Anthem]

Hi Louis,

To me crown work is crown work, it is the placing of attention on the crown that is the critical part of the equation. In terms of imbalance, it doesn't matter to me if it is up down or sideways, if the awareness lingers their too long, one can get excesses.

A good question to ask the person in question is why they believe that bringing the energy down to the earth is necessary at all? Is it truly helping them or causing problems? There is evidently some kind of thought there that is inclining her to the behavior, if she investigates it more fully, you might find the inclination falls away.

It is mind's inclination to tinker, we think we can improve things, but where is the evidence? If it feels good once, does it mean it's working or could it be causing us bigger problems down the road? Why not trust that AYP has everything in it that she needs to make rapid and steady progress with the most amount of stability?

[Balance]

Hi Louis
I'm wondering too why she would bring energy to the earth. If she likes the downward route perhaps you could suggest she bring energy in thru her third eye instead. That may go easier for her?
Alan

[Richard]

This sounds very much like western mystery tradition stuff.

There is a Cabbalistic practice called the "Exercise of the Middle Pillar" which involves bringing a ray of light down from the crown to the earth centre just below the feet.

This is intended to awaken the middle pillar centers (the cabalistic equivalent of the Chakras) the middle pillar being of course the spine.

[riptiz]

Hi All,
Maybe I can throw a different persective on this topic.Moving energy from the crown to the earth is often used for grounding onesself and can be a good way of reducing excess energies.It is often taught in some Tai Chi schools but the emphasis is not specifically on the crown but in bringing the energy down from the heavens above.
Also in the lineage I study, we bring the energy down from the crown to the root. I have tried the AYP method to see the difference and have found the AYP way actually raises more energy than from crown to root.For me the transition is not as smooth and personally I feel it would cause greater energy surges. This topic was discussed before and I stated then that from root upwards seems more likely to draw energy upwards as if raising the Kundalini.In fact since that discussion I have received further intiation/mantra from my guru and understand that in later stages it is used to raise the Kundalini to aid purification in much the same way as the AYP spinal breathing. So there's more food for thought.Still confused? I thought so. LOL
L&L
Dave

[Balance]

Hi Dave
My practice also brings the inbreath down and outbreath up. I haven't really tried the other way, though I had once planned to try it. I don't bring energy into the earth, though what you say about grounding oneself seems practical. I don't experience any awful imbalances or shocks bringing energy down thru the crown. My reasoning guesses it might be more kundalini activating to breathe in at the root.

[Balance]

By the way, i don't want to be the cause of any AYP practitioner to think anything negative or be fearful of the breathing method taught here. As yogani said last time this up/down issue came up that either way will work. It's good to follow the prescribed method. I learned the method I practice elsewhere. I think either way is probably just as safe, and listening to one's body and self-pacing and is key to a successful and smooth practice and a positive experience.

[riptiz]

Hi Balance,
It certainly feels to activate the shakti more by root upwards and I feel the energy immediately in the root chakra this way.From crown to root feels very smooth although as I have advanced in levels I do experience kriyas in the neck now.Also since my last intiation and assimilation of the energies I can bring the shakti up immediately by using intent.
L&L
Dave

[Balance]

Nice. For each to be in tune with their own way as a natural and personal movement is good.

[Sparkle]

Thanks guys
Well now I'm as confused as ever.

Anthem11(Andrew)
To me crown work is crown work, it is the placing of attention on the crown that is the critical part of the equation.
That's how I was thinking of it too Andrew, but seeing the comments of balance and riptiz has got me re-thinking it again.

azaz932001(Richard)
This sounds very much like western mystery tradition stuff.
I think is coming more from her healing background and listening to guided meditation cd's for a number of years.

Riptez said

quote:Maybe I can throw a different persective on this topic.Moving energy from the crown to the earth is often used for grounding onesself and can be a good way of reducing excess energies.It is often taught in some Tai Chi schools but the emphasis is not specifically on the crown but in bringing the energy down from the heavens above.
Also in the lineage I study, we bring the energy down from the crown to the root. I have tried the AYP method to see the difference and have found the AYP way actually raises more energy than from crown to root.For me the transition is not as smooth and personally I feel it would cause greater energy surges. This topic was discussed before and I stated then that from root upwards seems more likely to draw energy upwards as if raising the Kundalini.In fact since that discussion I have received further intiation/mantra from my guru and understand that in later stages it is used to raise the Kundalini to aid purification in much the same way as the AYP spinal breathing. So there's more food for thought.Still confused? I thought so. LOL

What I have gleaned from this, if I am right, is that crown to root is a  precurser to, and less problematic, than root to crown.
Have I got it right?

My own experience with this has been outside of the yogic field. It involved many years of invoking deities such as the Holy Spirit, Jesus or the Christ Vibration, Our Lady and for a period the Archangels.
For me this was done naturally through the crown, as these deities appeared to be coming from above.
In Tai Chi we were told to imagine ourselved suspened along a cord coming out the top of the head and going down through the spine to ground. This however seems to quite a stable practice, in my experience.
In the healing circles I was in, it was common practice to do chakra meditations involving the crown and chakras above the crown. In fact healing books and cd’s etc. are full of these.

I see people in the healing field going through their "stuff" and almost revelling in it, as if it has become part of the identity of being a healer.
For me AYP has proved that this is not necessary and I'm looking at any sort of crown work with suspicion, even when carried out by people who have been at it for years and seem comfortable with it.
It seems like they have become comfortable with the ups and downs of going in and out of their "stuff" and accept this as the norm.

My experience with AYP has been to even out the ups and downs and the ride has been a lot more comfortable. This also allows me to gradually go deeper for longer without the consequences of the plunge into “unself paced stuff”.

The answers in the thread have been helpful but somewhat contradictory, so I feel I am no further along the road of feeling confident (despite my own experience) in saying to this person, that what they are doing with their crown to root is more likely to cause problems than using the AYP system of root to third eye.

You may think I’m taking this too seriously, but this person is quite strong and challenging and well informed, so if anyone has any more perspectives they would be appreciated.

Thanks
Louis

[Anthem]

Hi Louis,

You can always suggest she take a break from her "grounding" exercise and see if stopping this activity alleviates her symptoms?

A

[Balance]

Hi Louis
that sounds like a good suggestion from Anthem. Sorry if i added confusion. This person will ultimately choose her own way, all you can do is suggest alternatives of practice that you feel may be helpful according to your own experience and practice of AYP techniques, since AYP technique is the format of your class. I don't think the direction of pranayama is so much important, but using the third eye instead of the crown may be good to suggest. Not sure what else to say except suggest to maybe step back and relax a little (let go) as you are not responsible for your friend's ultimate choices.
Alan

[Sparkle]

Thanks Andrew and Alan

Yes, all I can do is give her the information and let her make her own decision, the guru is in her, ha ha!

As the fella says, let it go into silence

[kadak]

Hi everyone, I just found this amusing discussion, and it reminds me something I've read a few days ago. For the tibetans, the muladhara chakra involves 3 points :
for men and women :
1) basis of the spine
2) perineum
Now the 3rd point is the most important because it is the lower end of the central channel.
For the men :
3) at the end of the penis
For the women :
3) at the cervix
This makes perfect sense, because one understands easily that during union, the ends of male and female central channel join together.

[emc]

Ah, kadak, you might find this topic even more amusing, perhaps

http://www.aypsite.com/plus-forum/index.php?topic=1787