KUNDALINIANDTHEPARANORMAL:

PROCEEDWITHCAUTION
by
PaulPond,Ph.D.
1998InstituteforConsciousnessResearch
AllRightsReserved
Abstract
TheKundalinihypothesisassertsthatthereisaspecificpsychophysiologicalmechanisminhumanbeings
thatisresponsibleformysticalexperience,creativity,genius,psychicphenomenaand,undercertain
conditions,sometypesofmentalillness.Webelievethatmysticalexperienceistheultimategoalofthe
Kundaliniprocessandtheotherbenefitsor"gifts"whichresultfromthisprocessaretobeusedcautiously
lestthegoalbelost.
Thepurposeofthisworkistoexaminetheparanormalintermsofpsychicpowers,suchastelepathy,
clairvoyance,precognition,healing,etc.andthedangerthepursuitofthesepowersissaidtoholdforthe
spiritualseeker.
Warningsofthedangersofthedevelopmentanduseofpsychicpowerscomesfromestablishedreligious
traditions,respectedspiritualteachers,contemporaryresearchersintotheparanormalandfrompracticing
psychicsthemselves.Wewillexamineawidevarietyofopinionsonthissubject.
ThesewarningsarefoundintheBible,theteachingsofBuddhaandineasternesotericwritingssuchas
thoseofPatanjali.YogissuchGopiKrishnahaverecommendedrestraint.Practicingoccultistssuchas
EliphasLeviwhoissuedcautionsinthe19thcenturyandmorecontemporarymediumssuchasEdgarCayce
allwarnofthepossiblelossofmysticalideals.
Thedangersspokenof,asidefromthedistractionfromspiritualgoals,arethepsychologicalandphysical
damagethesepracticescanhaveontheindividual.Therearealsotheethicalimplicationsofthemisuseof
thesepowersbothfortheindividualandsociety.
Yogatheoryisbasedupontheexistenceofprana(bioenergy)asasubtleintelligentlifeenergy.Thispranais
unlikeanyenergybeinginvestigatedbypresentdayscience.Kundaliniisheldtobethemechanismby
whichanenhancedflowofpranareachesthebrain.Undertherightconditionsthisenhancedpranaoperating
inthebraincanleadtohigherstatesofconsciousnesssuchasgenius,psychicabilitiesandmystical
experience.
Thefactthatthisintelligentenergy(prana)isofsuchanextremelysubtlenaturecouldexplainwhythe
empiricalverification ofpsiexperimentshasbeensodifficult.Thatthisenergyhasitsownintelligencemay
alsoexplainwhymanypsychicswhenunderpressuretorepeattheirsuccesseshaveoftenbeendiscredited.
TheKundalinihypothesisemphasizesthattherealtreasuresofthisprocessaremysticalexperienceand
inspiredknowledge.ItisforthisreasonthatwesuggestthatattemptstoverifytheKundaliniexperiencevia
psychicresearchisanavenuethatisbothlimitedanddangerous.

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KUNDALINIANDTHEPARANORMAL:
PROCEEDWITHCAUTION
PsychicPhenomena,YogaandKundalini
Websterdefinesparanormalassomethingwhichcannotbeexplainedscientifically.Thisdefinitioncanbe
appliedtoabroadbaseofoccurrencesi.e.mysticalexperience,occultpractices,magic,miraclesandother
psychicphenomena.ForthepurposeofthispaperwewillconfinethetopictoKundalini,itsconnectionto
psychicphenomenaandtheneedforcautioninthepursuitofthisknowledge.
TheKundalinihypothesis1holdsthatthereisapsychophysiologicalmechanismresponsibleformystical
experience,genius,psychicabilitiesand,undercertainconditions,sometypesofmentalillness.Mystical
experienceisconsideredtheultimategoaloftheKundaliniprocess.Psychicpowers,suchastelepathy,
clairvoyance,precognition,psychokinesis,etc.arebelievedtobegiftsthatcomewithaKundalini
awakening.
ThefactthatKundaliniisassociatedwiththeappearanceofsiddhis,orpsychicgiftsispresentedinesoteric
writings.Forexample:ThefirstcantooftheKashmirihymnPanchastaviillustratesthisrelationship.2
"OGoddessTripuraPervadingthevisibleandinvisibleworlds,whatsoeverbetheSiddhiforwhich
Thydevoteesofstableintellectpray....theyundoubtedly,freedfromallobstruction,gain
fulfillment...".
inthethirdcanto,verse15:
"...WhatSiddhithereis,OThouadoredoneoftheDeities,thatcannotbegainedbyThyworship
andwhatYogaistherethatcannotbeachievedbycenteringthemindonThee?"
TheKundalinihypothesis1furtherassertsthatthereisanevolutiongoingoninthebrainwhichisrefining
boththebodyandthemindandpreparingitfortheultimatemysticalexperience.Concentrationonpsychic
powersalonecouldinterferewiththisevolvingprocessproducingalifestylewhich,atbest,interruptsor,at
worst,damagesthisevolution.Itisnotunheardof,thatunderpressureto"perform",psychicsandhealers
becometemptedtofakeit,thusbecomingslavestotheirabilities,jeopardizingtheircredibilityandoften,
theirphysicalandmentalwellbeing.
TheKundalinihypothesisalsoholdsthatthisenergyisintelligentandthatthesubjectisnottheonein
controlofit.Ifthisisso,otherthanpreparingoneself,i.e.livingabalancedlifeandpracticingmethods
recommendedbyallspiritualbeliefsystems,wearenotincontrolofKundaliniandshouldproceedwiththis
understandinginmind.
ClassicalyogaasdescribedbyPatanjalicontainseightstepsorlimbsthatshouldbefollowedbytheearnest
spiritualseeker(3,4),Thefirsttwolimbs,yama(restraint)andniyama(discipline)areessentiallytheproper
codesofconductandthoughtthatmustbefollowedbeforeanyrealspiritualadvancementcanoccur.The
nextthree,asana(posture),pranayama(controlofbreathing)andpratyahara(controlofsenses)leadthe
seekertothenecessarycontrolofthephysicalsenses,andprana.Thefinalthreestagescollectivelyknown
assamyama.Dharana(concentration),dhyana(unbrokencontemplationormeditation)andsamadhi
(completeabsorption)aremeanttobringaboutcontrolofconsciousness.CertainlyintheWest,thesecond
andthirdstageshavereceivedthemostattention.Howeverwewillseetheimportanceofthefirststagein
relationtoourpresentdiscussion.
InaccordancewithBookIIIoftheYogaSutrasoncethepractitionerhasreachedthethirdstagesamyama
certain"miraculouspowers"orsiddhisareacquired.Thesepowersorperfectionsaredescribedinmany
waysandincludewhatarecurrentlyconsideredtobeoccultorpsychicpowers.Fromthisperspectivethe
attainmentofsiddhisisanindicationoftheseeker's"spiritual"progress.
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Thelivesofsaintsandmysticscontainawealthofmiraculousepisodes."InIndiaanaccomplishedyogihas
alwaysbeenconsideredtobeamahasiddha,apossessorofoccultpowers..."5.Miraculouspowersare
ascribedtothosemysticsandsaints,suchasMohammedandBuddha,whohavestronglydenouncedtheir
use.GopiKrishnasaysKundaliniisthebasicleverinallformsofYogaandsiddhisaretheharvestofan
awakenedKundalinianditsascentintothebrain.(6,2)
LeeSannellabelievesthattheKundaliniprocessisnotnecessarilyconnectedwiththeappearanceofpsychic
phenomena,i.e.therearepsychicswhohavenotundergonethepsychophysiologicaltransformationhe
associateswithKundaliniandtherearethoseinwhomKundaliniisactivebutwhoshownoapparent
psychictalents.However,hedoestendtoagreewithGopi Krishna'sappraisalthat"Kundaliniisthereal
causeofallsocalledspiritualandpsychicphenomena."7

WarningsfromReligions&SpiritualTraditions
Warningsofthedangersoftheuseofpsychicpowersorsiddhiscomefromavarietyofsources,from
biblicaltimetothepresent.Thesewarningsrunthegamutfromcautiontooutrightdamnation.
BoththeOldandNewTestamentsoftheBiblecontainwarningsofvaryingdegrees.Forexample:
Leviticus.,Chapter19,Verse31
"...andtheLordspokeuntoMoses"Regardnotthemthathavefamiliarspirits,neitherseekafter
wizards,tobedefiledbythem.IamtheLORD,yourGod."
Deuteronomy,Chapter18,Verses10,11and12
"...Thereshallnotbefoundamongyouanyonewhomakethhissonordaughtertopassthroughthe
fireorthatusethdivination,oranobserveroftimes,oranenchanter,orawitch.
...Oracharmeroraconsulterwithfamiliarspirits,orawizardoranecromancer.
...forallthatdothesethingsareanabominationuntotheLord.. .."
FromSt.PaulCorinthians,Chapter13,Verse2
..."AndthoughIhavethegiftofprophecyandunderstandallmysteriesandallknowledgeand
thoughIhaveallfaithsothatIcouldremovemountains,andhavenotcharity,Iamnothing..."
ItisinterestingtonotethatJesusneverusedhispowerstoexalthimself,i.e.whengoadedbythepriestsor
histemptationinthedesert.Itappearsheonlyusedthemtohealorsaveothers.
Buddha,notunlikeSt.Paul,wasconcernedthatthepossessionofpsychicpowersmighttempttheseeker
awayfromhisoriginalgoalmysticalexperience.Yet,Buddha(aswellasPatanjali)tooktheacquisitionof
siddhistobeanindicationoftheseeker'sspiritualprogress.Thepossessionofsiddhisisnotharmfulinitself
buttheseekermustnotsuccumbtotheirtemptationandmustnotexhibitthese"powers"infrontofothers.
Buddhaforbadetheuseanddisplayofsiddhissinceheconsideredthemdoublydangerous.Theytemptthe
practitionerwitha"vainmagicalmasteryoftheworld"andconfusethemindsofthepublicatlarge.5
AccordingtoPatanjali,BookIII37,3"thesepowersstandincontradistinctiontothehighestspiritual
vision.Inmanifestationtheyarecalledmagicalpowers".Thusthesepowersinthewakingstaterepresent
obstaclesinthemysticalstate.

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EvelynUnderhill8hasgivenasplendidexplanationofthedifferencebetweenthepursuitofselfknowledge
andthepursuitofoccultknowledge.Sherelatesmankind'sattitudetowardtheunseenintermsof twopaths
the"wayofmysticism"andthe"wayofmagic".Accordingly,shesays"thefundamentaldifference
betweenthetwoisthis:magicwantstoget,mysticismwantstogive..."Underhillgoesontosaythat"the
greatmysticsthemselves...areunanimousinwarningtheirdisciplesagainstthedangerofattributingtoo
muchimportanceto`visions'and`voices'."
Warningsoftheabuseofsiddhiscomefromallagesandfromvariedbeliefsystems.
LalDed,afamousHindumysticofthe14thcenturyisdescribedbyJayalalKaul:"Shecleansedthemirror
ofherheartfortheTruthtoshineunmistakableandclear.Shetookthemiddlepath,ofmoderationinfood
anddrink,neitherpanderingtoherappetitesnorundergoingextremepenance.Nordidshehankerafterthe
siddhis,themiraculouspowerswhichshecondemnedasfraudandjugglery."8
KirpalSingh,20thcenturyspiritualmasterin Man!KnowThyselfwrites:"MasterSaintsnevershowany
miracles,exceptinveryrarecases,toadiscipleduetospecialcircumstances.Miraclesareinaccordance
withthelawsofNaturebutarenevertheless,terribleentanglingwebsdetrimentaltothehigheridealsofman
toapproachtheAlmightyGod...Themiraculouspowersachievedafterlengthyperiodsareinstrumentalin
doingbothgoodandharm,andastheyareutilizedmoretoharmthananythingelse,arelookeddownupon
byalltrulyspiritualpersons.TheMastersareinpossessionofSupremePowerbuttheirmissionissacred..
.Thosewhoareanxioustoseemiraclesarenottrueseekers."10
VeraStanleyAlderin FindingoftheThirdEyealsopointsoutthepitfallsoftheseekerafterTruth.Shesays
oneofthedistractionsissensationalismandwarns"Itmustalwaysberememberedthatsensationalism(or
emotionalexcitement)istothementalitywhatsexualoverindulgenceistothebody.Evenreligiousemotion
canbeatypeofmentalsensualityandthereforeunbalancing."11
IfwecanacceptthebasicteachingofEmanuelSwedenborgthattherearegoodspiritsandevil spirits
associatedwithmananditispossibletocontactthem,hiswarningshavesignificantmeaning.Histeachings
indicatethatwearemorelikelytocontactevilspiritsbecausethesespiritsarefulfilledandsatisfiedbybeing
associatedwithpeopleintheworldwhoaredoingthethingstheylove.TerrySchnarr,Directorof
InformationSwedenborginCanadagivesushisinterpretationofSwedenborg'steachings:"Basicallyhis
warningisnottoseekcontactwiththeotherworld,asisthewarningoftheBible.Thisdoesnotmeanthat
contactcannotbemade,onlythatitshouldnotbesoughtafter.Ifandwhenithappensnaturally,the
chancesareverygoodtheLordarrangedittohappenforgooduse."12
WilsonVanDusenin ThePresenceofOtherWorldstalksofSwedenborg'sreluctancetodisplayhis
miraculouspowersandsays"Inseveralplaceshesaidthatmiracleshaveacoerciveeffectonbeliefand
destroythefreewillinspiritualmatters."13
Inhisbook TheMysticsofIslam,ReynoldNicholsonsays"InearlyMohammedanVitaeSanctorumitisnot
uncommontomeetwithsayingstotheeffectthatmiraculouspowersarecomparativelyofsmallaccount."
ThePersiansaintBayazidsaid"Godusedtobringmewondersandmiracles,butIpaidnoheedtothemand
whenHesawthatIdidso,hegavemethemeansofattainingtoknowledgeofHimself."14
Wehavequotedfromavarietyofspiritualteachersandreligioustraditionstoshowthattheappearanceof
siddhisisuniversallyacceptedasanoccurrenceonthepathtoselfknowledge.Further,eachsuggeststhat
toomuchattentiontothedisplayofthesepowerswillpreventtheseekerfromattainingtheultimategoal
mysticalexperience.

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CautionfromPsychics/ExamplesofProblemsRelatedtoPsychicActivity
Inadditiontothewarningsfromestablishedreligioustraditionsoccultistsandpracticingpsychicshave
issuedtheirownconcerns.
Underhill8quotesfromEliphasLevi,a19thcenturyoccultphilosopher:"Toodeepastudyofthemysteries
ofnaturemay estrangefromGodthecarelessinvestigator,inwhommentalfatigueparalysestheardorofthe
heart."
EdgarCayce,the20thcenturymedium,hadsomeveryspecificviewsconcerningthedevelopmentanduse
ofpsychicabilities.Hefeltthatpsychictalentsshouldnotbesoughtinthemselves.Cayce,likeGopi
Krishna,feltthatpsychictalentswerethedirectresultoftheactivityofKundaliniandthatthepracticeof
spiritualdisciplinewasaprerequisiteforahealthyawakening.15
Followingareafewexamplesfromhisreadings:16
"DevelopmentinthespiritualsensebymeditationandprayerisdependentupontheCreative,the
soulorspiritualenergytrappedinthebody,ratherthanuponthatwhichiswhollyofthematerial.
Thisbringsaboutwhatmaybetermedpsychicdevelopmentofindividuals."
"Theactivitiesoftheglandsusedarightmaybringserenity,hope,peace,faith,understanding...
.Misdirected,theenergiesmaybringdoubts,fears,apprehensions,contentions,disorders,
disruptions....raisedinpowerandthenmisdirectedmaybringdeathitself."
HughLynnCayce,Edgar'sson,repeatedlymentionsthedestructionofpersonality,thesufferingcausedby
oversensitivityandthecomplicationsthatcouldresultthroughignoranceandmisuseofsuchenergies.16
Shortlybeforeherdeath,theTheosophist,H.P.Blavatskywrote:"Psychiccapacitiesheldperfectlyunder
control,checkedanddirectedbytheManasicprinciple,arevaluableaidsindevelopment.Butthese
capacitiesrunningriot,controllinginsteadofcontrolled,usinginsteadofbeingused,leadthestudentinto
themostdangerousdelusionsandthecertaintyofmoraldestruction..."17
Allseemtoagreeonthedangerinherentinthedevelopmentofpsychicpowersasendsinthemselves.Not
onlydoestheearnestseekerrisklosingsightofhisrealgoalbuthemaysufferbothpsychologicaland
physicaldamage.Thefollowingcasesareillustrative:

TheCaseofEusapiaPalladino
IntheEncyclopediaofOccultismandParapsychology,LeslieShepard18recountstheexperiencesof
EusapiaPalladino,amediumwhosepsychicpowerswereobservedbynumerousacademics,including
CaesareLombrosoandMme.Curie.LombrosonotedthatalthoughPalladinopossessedakeenvisual
memoryandremarkableintuitionandsubtletyforanuneducatedperson,shehadmanymarked
characteristicsi.e.moodswings,hallucinations,strangephobiasandwasgiventoviolentoutbursts.Itwas
alsoobservedthatshebecameillimmediatelyafteraseance,sometimesformorethan twodayswhenshe
couldnoteatandwouldvomit.Shebegantousedeceptionandfraudtoavoidthephysicaldiscomfortof
usingherpsychicpowers.

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TheCaseofVangaDimitrova
Accordingtoscientistswhohaveworkedwithandnotedherabilities,theblindBulgarianpsychicVanga
Dimitrovaisunhappywithherpsychicgift."She'softenverysadaboutthethingssheforesees....But,on
theotherhand,shecan'tlivewithoutit.Shecan'tstop."19Thissuggeststhatapersoncanbecomeobsessed
bypsychicdesiresandabilities.
Vangaadmitsherowninabilitiestocontroloraccesstheimagesthatgiverisetoherpsychicabilities.She
says"Ican'tforcethem.Theymaybeaboutthepast,thepresent,orthefuture."19
NinaKulaginaaRussianwhohasdemonstratedpsychokinesis(PK)hasdevelopedseriousmedical
problemsasaresult.Inaddition"...shefeelsastrongenergylikeapricklingsensationbegintomoveup
herspinetothebaseofthebrain.Shehasalsosaidthatsheknowswhensheisgoingtomoveanobject
becauseshefeelspainandherbloodpressurerises.20
Itisnotdifficulttoimaginetheeffectthatmisuseofpsychicpowerscouldhaveontheethicaldevelopment
oftheseeker.Ifashasbeenexpressedsooftenbythegreatteachers,thespiritualstudentshouldusehisgifts
formaterialgainorfame,hehasvirtuallydestroyedhismoralprogressandhassurelytradedtherealthing
forfool'sgold.
Onanotherlevel,whatmighthappentothebalanceofpower,worldeconomiesorsociallawsifsomeone
withhighlyadvancedpowerschosetousethemforpersonalgain?Theseandtheotherdangerscautioned
againsthaveleadustobelievethatinvestigationintotheparanormalshouldbeapproachedcarefully.

Conclusion
Wehavediscussedtheappearanceofpsychicgiftsorsiddhisasamarkofprogressinspiritualdevelopment.
Traditionalwarningsfromawidevarietyofspiritualdisciplinesandreligioustraditionshavebeencitedto
emphasizetheinherentdangerinthemishandlingofthese"talents"bytheseeker.Eventheversequoted
fromthefirstcantoofPanchastaviemphasizesthattheseekermustbeofstableintellectandfreefromall
obstruction.
ThefactthatdefinitedemonstrativesignsappearasproofofspiritualprogresssuggestthatYogawasindeed
developedasaverifiablescience.Thisproofwasavailabletotheseekerandcouldalsoserveasevidenceto
othersthatspiritualprogresshadbeenmade.Thusboththestudentandteacherhadawaytodistinguish
factualprogressfromwishfulthinking.
Itshouldbeemphasizedthattheappearanceofsiddhisisnotproofthatmysticalconsciousnesshasbeen
attainedonlyasignthatprogresshasbeenmade.Manyhavemadethemistakeofequatingpsychictalent
withmysticalconsciousness.
Theunwaryseekermayfallpreytothedistractionprovidedbyappearanceofthese"gifts"resultinginthe
lossofthespiritualgoal.Inaddition,physicalandpsychologicaldamagemayresult.Afewexamplesofthis
havealsobeencited.
Giventheseconcerns,thoseinwhompsychicgiftsappearshouldbeextremelycautiousanddiligent.Their
lifestyleshouldfollowthestandardsoutlinedinclassicalyogatheory.Inadditiontoamoderatelifestyle
withpropernutrition,particularattentionshouldbepaidtothefirsttwostepsofyogarestraintand
discipline.Thisisequallyimportantforsomeonewhomaynotbepracticingadirectedspiritualdiscipline.
Extremecautionmustalsobepracticedbyscientistsusingpsychicsintheirresearch,lestthey"push"the
studenttoofarandcausedamage.Thestudent/teacherrelationshipoftraditionalyogawasthereforgood
reason.Theessenceofspiritualdisciplinecan onlybetrulyunderstoodbyonewhopracticesitonhimself.
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Today'sscientistsneedtounderstandthatindealingwithconsciousnesstheyareattemptingtodirectlyprobe
asuperintelligentlifeenergy.Thisenergypranahasitsownagendaunliketheinsentientenergiesaccepted
bypresentdayscience.Thismaymeanthatpsiexperimentscannotbeverifiedorrepeatedinthestandard
empiricalway.
GopiKrishnaoffersapossibleexplanationforthedifficultyinestablishingempiricallyverifiabledatafrom
psiexperiments.21
"Howcannatureallowmantowinthissovereignpositionunlesshehasalsogainedthecapabilityto
shoulderthehighlyincreasedresponsibilityinabefittingmannerandnottoabusethealmost
superhumanpowersgained.ThisisthereasonwhyineverycaseoftheawakeningofKundalini
secretdevicesinthebraincomeintoplaytomoldtheindividualtowardsastateofmindwherethe
possibilityofabuseofpsychicpoweriseliminated.Thisisalsothereasonwhyalmostallthosewho
possesspsychictalentsareneverabletocontrolthepowerortoremainalertandconsciouswhenthe
phenomenacometopass."

KundaliniResearch
Ageneralframeworkfortheverificationofparanormalexperiencemustbedevelopedandtestedaspartof
anyseriousresearchintotheKundaliniexperience.Accordingtoclassicalyogatheoryandother
research,(22,4,23,24)onewhohasattainedthetranscendentstateshoulddisplaythefollowing
characteristics:newknowledge(genius),senseofinnerlightorsound,detachment,cosmicexpansion,
religiousimpulse,highlydevelopedmoralnature,psychicability.FromVedictimes,oneinwhom
Kundaliniisawakenedwasbelievedtobetransformedfromanaveragepersonintoanintellectualprodigy,
aneloquentspeaker,evenapoet.14EvenWhitmansaidthatthefuturemanwillbeapoet.
From"APrayertoColumbus".25
"Aftertheseasareallcross'd,(astheyseemalreadycross'd)
Afterthegreatcaptainsandengineershaveaccomplish'dtheirworks,
Afterthenobleinventorsafterthescientists,thechemist,thegeologist,ethnologist,
FinallyshallcomethePoet,worthythatname:
ThetrueSonofGodshallcome,singinghissongs."
AsGopiKrishnahaspointedout4thedevelopmentofincreasedintellectualpowersandliterarytalentsi.e.
geniusaspartoftheKundaliniprocesshasessentiallybeenignoredbymodernauthors.In Cosmic
Consciousness,Dr.Buckealsopointsoutthatintellectualilluminationisakeyfeatureofonewhohas
attainedwhathecallstheCosmicSense.23Theassociationofintellectualdevelopmentwithspiritual
perfectionisconstantlyreferredtointhetraditionalwritingsonKundaliniandshouldbeusedasatestpoint
foranyoneclaimingafullKundaliniawakening.
Toillustratethe"powers"ascribedtooneinwhomKundaliniisawakenedwereproduceportionsofthree
versesfromthesanskritSatChakraNirupana(DescriptionoftheSixCenters)aspresentedbyArthur
Avalonin TheSerpentPower22

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fromverse10and11
"....Her (Kundalini)lustreisasthatofastrongflashofyoungstronglightning.Hersweetmurmur
isliketheindistincthumofswarmsoflovemadbees.SheproducesmelodiouspoetryandBandha
(literarycompositioninwhichverseisarrangedinthemannerofadiagramorpicture)...."
Herewecanclearlyseetheobviousreferencetolight,sound,andliterarytalents.
Fromverse27
"ForemostamongYogis,heevenisdearerthanthedearesttowomen,Heispreeminentlywiseand
fullofnobledeeds.Hissensesarecompletelyundercontrol.Hismindinitsintenseconcentrationis
engrossedinthoughtsoftheBrahman.Hisinspiredspeechflowslikeastreamof(clear)water.Heis
liketheDevata....andheisableatwilltoenteranotherbody."
Theaboveclearlyillustratesthecharacteristicsofhighmoralnature,detachment,cosmicexpansion,
inspiration,andpsychictalents.
All thoseclaimingsometypeofKundaliniawakeningshouldbemeasuredbythepresenceofthe
characteristicslistedabove.UnlessthoseprofessingknowledgeandexpertiseoftheKundaliniprocesscan
betestedtodeterminethevalidityoftheirownunderstandinghowcanwedetermineabalancedpathfrom
anunbalancedone?Manysincereseekershavepaidwiththeirmentalandphysicalhealthinsearchof
transcendentalexperience.
ThoseclaimingpartialawakeningoranincreaseinKundaliniactivitycouldalsobemeasuredagainstthe
samestandards.Theexpectedresultswouldofcoursenotcomeuptothoseofafullawakening.Inanycase,
somemarkeddegreeofthemaincharacteristicsshouldbemeasurable.
Inallcasesfurtherstudyofphysiologicalchangescouldbemadeonthoseclaimingtohavesomedegreeof
Kundaliniexperience.Thechangesandtheenergyinvolvedmaybesubtlebutifparanormalstatesmystical
consciousnessgeniuspsychicgiftsarerealtheymustbesomehowanchoredinthehumanphysiologyand
empiricallymeasurable.
ThestudyofparanormalphenomenaprovidesafertilefieldforunderstandingtheKundaliniprocess.Inthis
investigationboththeseekerandresearchermustpracticeyogaespeciallyyama(restraint)andniyama
(discipline).Aboveallwheninvestigatingtheparanormal,cautionappearstobethekeyexercise.

ThispaperwaspresentedinMay1989
attheannualAcademyofReligionandPsychicalResearchConference
atRosemontCollege,Philadelphia.

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(23)Bucke,R.M., CosmicConsciousness,Dutton,NewYork,1923
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