Hi Yves:
That was a beaut. Balance and self-pacing in practices are the first things that come to mind on reading your dramatic kundalini experience.
That, and a reminder that the idea of "breaking through" to higher levels in the body with these kinds of experiences is somewhat of an illusion. I know this is not your intention. It just happened, right? Yet, the idea can creep in that "this is it," and we should now focus on cultivating these kinds of dramatic breakthrough events. To be honest, there is no such thing as a final opening of this kind, and there is barely such a thing as a significant incremental opening. These things rarely happen in quantum leaps, even though they might appear to be doing so. There is the idea out there that all we have to do is bring the energy up to the top and then we are done -- enlightened. Not so.
Rather, there are endless degrees of purification and opening going on to infinity. The
Secrets of Wilder novel provides a scenario representing this process. No matter how big a jolt we might get, or how high up, we are still only at the beginning of the next stage. So there is no rush to open a particular physical area and break through into higher centers with all this. We can arrive there via natural means (a la AYP style practices), and be much more comfortable going at it that way.
Of course, our bhakti will always be begging for more, and therein lies the balancing act. John Wilder had a tough time with this, balancing his bhakti with his sometimes frenetic pace, learning his lessons as he went along. We all have to do this...
I mention all this because, while the big experiences may seem like a lot progress-wise, they are all baby steps. The real big progress comes from
long term stable daily practice. And that can be with no big jolts at all. In fact, the big jolts can lead us into energy overdoses that can delay our practices for days, weeks or months. An intentional big jolt breakthrough approach is a slower path!
Which is not to say we will not ever have them. It can can happen sometimes, as you have experienced, even with a stable practice routine. It is a reminder that we are dealing with powerful forces within, and should keep that in mind as we manage our practices day-to-day. If we are pushing too hard in practices, we can have this kind of delayed reaction. Therefore, it is good to keep a smart foot on that accelerator (our practices).
So now you have some proof that something is really going on in there. You have become a believer in your own inner potential.
May it be an inspiration to settle down into a long term stable routine that will steadily open things up. Then, one morning you will wake up and realize that without even noticing you traveled a thousand miles further than all the jolts in the world could take you.
If we are steadily cultivating inner silence, and gently coaxing up ecstatic conductivity, all will unfold naturally and more quickly than any energy breakthrough experience can deliver.
Thanks for sharing that one, and all the best as you move ahead from here.
The guru is in you.