Ajna and Crown

[yogani]

Hi Katrine:

Clearly, something in you wants to move on, and your job has become to manage it for comfort and safety. If I understand correctly, your illness 10 years ago was an opening where it all took off. Life crises are prominent causes of spiritual progress. Indeed, that is what they can be for, if we open and let them. It seems you are finding a balance in it, and if the light practices are helping, then that is all the proof you need. Self-pacing it you are...

Obviously, we can't go around struggling to ignore our experiences. On the other hand, we can favor balancing practices. I suggest if the energy is going too fast, then that is a good time to "carry water and chop wood" -- in addition to the light sitting practices, getting involved in the everyday things that can help ground us. I think you are. These can vary from digging holes in the garden to engaging fully in service for the benefit of others. The divine energy knows what it needs to be fulfilled at any given time. We are but a channel for that ... self-pacing evolves to become accommodating the expression of the divine flow through us in every moment.  

As for whether you are "trying" to do all this or not. Well, you remind me of our middle son, who, when little (he's 29 now), we might catch with chocolate all over his face and find the lid off the chocolate cookie jar in the kitchen. His response to an inquiry on that? "I didn't do it!"

The truth of the matter is that if we chase spiritual transformation long enough (lifetimes!), we will wake up one lifetime and find it chasing us.

We didn't do it! But the chocolate never lies, you know. Ask John Wilder. He'll tell you. It is cause and effect ... enjoy the ride!

The guru is in you.

[Katrine]

Hi Alan

Thanks!

Love to you too

May all your Nows be Here

[Katrine]

Hi Yogani

quote:As for whether you are "trying" to do all this or not. Well, you remind me of our middle son, who, when little (he's 29 now), we might catch with chocolate all over his face and find the lid off the chocolate cookie jar in the kitchen. His response to an inquiry on that? "I didn't do it!"

*laughing*

Yogani....
You know.....I think he really ment it. Your son.
*still laughing*

Oh well.
I guess I will have to surrender to the fact that at some point...."superconsciously"....or "unconsciously"; I do want it.
As I also must have brought the cancer along. (Yes....this was the start of it all).

The fact remains, however: I do the best I can.

This whole setting coincides with another big issue in my life. I cannot anounce it here because it involves other people. But I made a resolution today. I understood something. Really understood it. My resolution was to integrate the understanding. This is the last block. There is only one way to go: Through it. In depth and direction.

Yogani...
Thank you



May all your Nows be Here

[Katrine]

One more thing:

 

quote:Ask John Wilder. He'll tell you

I just did.
He did tell me.
And not for the first time...

May all your Nows be Here

[Jim and His Karma]

Katrine,
My postings weren't speaking to you, but to curious onlookers (and all of us are curious here) who might choose to start moving in these directions. There is a very VERY fine line (perhaps no line at all) between intentional and automatic processes (per Yogani's cookie jar story).

As for not being able to help it, you have more than once started discusssions asking for suggestions for slowing down. I've detected a certain amount of ambivalence...haven't been entirely sure you truly wanted to slow down. I may be wrong on that. And maybe you shouldn't slow down. Only you and your inner guru know for sure! But the rest of us need to not go near crown. Not think about it. Not subconsciously launch, on the basis of your reports, what might be taken for automatic processes. That's my concern. And someone had to play the part of the loyal opposition here, to make sure people understood the danger.

If you are concerned and truly want to pull back, I've given my best advice already in a couple of threads with you. If I think of anything else, I'll chime in. I wish you the best!

[Jim and His Karma]

I just noticed this, posted by you in March:

quote:I decided to include Samyama at the end of my practises. I think it will help my energy flow. I only use one of the prayers, though: Love.

We're all on our own sadhanas, of course, and what's "right" for one person may not be for another. But I'd imagine that this samyama modification could drive things out of balance (samyama, done the AYP way, is superbly balancing, but it requires working on a wide range of terms that impact in a wide range of ways) and lead to a conviction of futility re: self-pacing controls.  Just a thought, fwiw.

[Anthem]

Hi Jim,

You're points in regards to the crown are well taken, but I don't believe we are doing people any long term good if we perpetuate fear about the crown either.

It is inevitable that somewhere along the way in our practices, activity will take place at the crown, this has been the case for me off and on since day 1 of my kundalini becoming active, it simply happens by itself. I don't fear it, it just does its thing.

I don't see where Katrine writes that she is deliberately trying to open her crown chakra. I see it as her reporting on activity that is taking place there, her curiosity about it and her reassurances that she is doing the correct things to avoid energy imbalances by not focussing on it. I personally think that it is a good learning experience for all of us to hear her accounts of the openings in her head and hope that she continues to be so generous about sharing her experiences.

A

[alan]

Yes, please continue to be gracious Katrine by sharing your journey with us! It is exciting and inspiring...signposts for each of our Here and Now[]

[Katrine]

Hi Jim, Anthem and Alan

Thanks for being supportive.

Posting this Topic has taught me a lot - on many levels.

I am not perfect - so, with future posts, most certainly there will be ambivalence. I am still not whole. There are still inner conflicts. They will shine through.

It is good to know that I can come here and communicate.

May all your Nows be Here

[yogani]

Hi Katrine:

It goes without saying that inner silence enables us to weather the vast energy movements that can happen in us on our path of purification and opening. With inner silence, we can just watch and know deep within ourselves that this is part of the process. Our witness never moves, does it? no matter how much ecstatic energy is moving. Nevermind that inner silence is a primary cause of such energy movments also. Stillness in action!

This is why deep meditation is first in AYP, for both progress and protection. This is also why it is not a good idea to begin with "energy work" when starting out on our path. If all of this energy stuff is happening without some degree of the witness, a whole lot of catching up with inner silence will be necessary, working from a disadvantage. And that is assuming we even know how to cultivate inner silence. Quite a few have come to AYP with energy issues over the past few years, not knowing how to cultivate inner silence and the witness, or about the basics of managing kundalini excesses. Most have been helped.

Katrine, in case you did not read it between the lines of my last note, your experiences are very beautiful, and you are right on (cautions included - thank you, Jim). It is not always easy for highly driven yoginis and yogis (yes, you are one at the deepest level), but the payoff will be there. It just takes time and prudent pacing in practices and daily living.

So many here are doing so well, and I am very impressed. It is not only a few. It is all of you, managing your own purification and opening with a little help from the AYP writings and each other. Imagine where we all will be in a decade. Lots of sages running around, I bet. Lots of horizontal sharing, with more and more people around the world finding their path. I hope I live to see it.

Bring on the butterflies!

The guru is in you.

[Katrine]

Hi Yogani

 

quote:Katrine, in case you did not read it between the lines of my last note, your experiences are very beautiful, and you are right on (cautions included - thank you, Jim).

Your kindness and support are always visible between the lines, Yogani.  No worries!

quote:It is not always easy for highly driven yoginis and yogis (yes, you are one at the deepest level), but the payoff will be there.

You know; I am so thankful to Life for being what it is. Even if it is not easy; it is a daily payoff to be able to move continually deeper into the mystery of Being. I simply know - in my heart - that I have nothing to worry about. I simply listen and move. Some issues take years; others resolve quickly. Today is a good day - my vision is clear. To morrow might be different; but when I am "muddeled", at least I know that this is a passing thing. As everything else in life. And - as you point out - at the deepest level I am unchangeable.

 

quote: It just takes time and prudent pacing in practices and daily living.

Yes. And thank God for AYP and Yogani for being such a great and easily available source of support in this venture!



May all your Nows be Here

[david_obsidian]

I just got to this post now (been extra busy lately).

Maybe I can throw some perspective on the whole crown issue.  The following are,  to an extent,  my own theories and intuitions.

First,  we all have operative crown chakras -- we would be dead without them.  Whenever we say a chakra is 'awakening' that means that the activity in it is currently noticeably increasing.  'Awakening' is really a relative term,  not an absolute one.

We subjectively accommodate to the steady-state and no longer notice it.  If your crown is in steady-state (hasn't significantly changed in level of activity for some time),  you'll notice nothing there.  That's true no matter what stage of 'development' you are at.  If Buddha's crown is in steady-state activity,  he notices nothing there....

So a sensation in the crown can mean it is 'awakening'.  It doesn't mean that it is 'awakened'.  A person with a more 'silent' crown may actually have a more developed system than a person with a crown that has become noisy.  (By silent here I just mean not 'presenting' or drawing attention to itself,  not 'silent' as in 'inner silence').  In short:

Steady-state hardly active = silent
Steady-state moderately active = silent
...
Steady-state highly active =  silent
In transition = noisy

The warnings on 'crown awakening' as I understand them,  are warnings against practices attempting to physically 'direct energy into the crown'.  Apparently,  people have had major problems stemming from such practices.  I have no personal clue about these,  but I believe these risks.

I saw this as a warning against those kinds of practices.  I didn't see them as a warning against the crown spontaneously awakening,  or even against things which may kind of indirectly awaken your crown,  if it is ready.  If that is a non-AYP position,  let me know, someone.  Yogani?

Any kind of anhanced activity I felt for a while in my crown was never the result of any attempt to 'move' energy into it.  The process was a little different;  a better way of looking at things (with more unity) would spontaneously arise,  or would be stimulated by some other source (such as by a teacher like Nisagardatta). As I started to look at things that way,  some crown 'activity' would follow.  This was typically very peaceful for me.  There was a great sense of completeness and deep rest.  It was joyful,  but not exciting.  And it is in a good way,  that I mean 'not exciting'.

[alan]

Very nice observations David. Thank you.  Peace, alan

[Katrine]

Great post, David - thanks for clarifying this issue

You wrote:
 

quote:So a sensation in the crown can mean it is 'awakening'. It doesn't mean that it is 'awakened'. A person with a more 'silent' crown may actually have a more developed system than a person with a crown that has become noisy.

This is exactly how I have interpreted it. That my crown is NOT awakened - but noisy because the transition is going on. This is how I perceive ecstacy in all the chakras - simply a cleaning process; not a proof of "awakened chakra", but rather a sign of ongoing purification.


May all your Nows be Here

[weaver]

Hi David and Katrine,

Thank you for your posts on this.

David wrote:

quote:If your crown is in steady-state (hasn't significantly changed in level of activity for some time), you'll notice nothing there.

If you mean perceived level of activity, this is not quite in line with what I experience. I have had about the same level of pulsations in the crown for about 2 months, but they are still as noticeable as when they started. However, if you mean an "actual" level of activity, beyond perception, it could be true. I have found a lot of consolation from the following, which is an addition to Lesson 230 in the printed version of Advanced Yoga Practices by Yogani, it is not included in the online lessons, therefore I post it for general interest (my underlining):

"If there are some sensations in the crown, this is normal as we continue with our regular brow to root advanced yoga practices, because the crown is also being gradually opened in a controlled way. Over time the crown sensations will be stronger in concert with overall purification in the nervous system. If the energies do not become uncomfortable, we can just continue with our daily practices. It is not a danger to notice what is happening at the crown, as it does not constitute focused practice. There will be a time when we can go directly to the crown with nothing but complete absorption in ecstatic bliss being the outcome. This is how it is when the nervous system is adequately purified. So, all we do is let the crown come along naturally with our regular advanced yoga practices. If things get excessive, then we know it is time to apply self-pacing and back off a bit. With this approach the crown is not so much difficulty. It is just like any other kind of self-pacing situation we encounter in the nervous system as we proceed with our practices."