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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 15 2013 : 1:16:22 PM
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Hi All:
Someone in kechari stages 2 and 3 without snipping recently asked me how important it is to go to stage 4, and should they resort to snipping to get there. The premise was that the higher the kechari stage, the more nectar flow there would be coming down from the brain through the nasal pharynx, in this case getting nectar flow going for the first time.
Below is my reply, pointing to a broader view on kechari and the rise of ecstatic conductivity, and beyond.
The guru is in you. 
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Hi:
Kechari is not a primary cause of nectar dripping down. The rise of balanced whole body ecstatic conductivity is. Kechari is more of an automatic yoga component associated with the overall rise of ecstatic conductivity in the nervous system, which then contributes to its advancement. Increasing bhakti (spiritual desire) is also a symptom of rising ecstatic conductivity, and with that we feel compelled to do more. If that is what you are feeling, then going to a higher stage of kechari can be natural, with or without snipping. It is presumed you are covering the rest of your practices in a balanced way, including other mudras and bandhas (mulabandha and sambhavi especially) which are important complements (and often prerequisites) to kechari.
It should be pointed out that many are advancing just fine without higher stages of kechari. Some do not use it at all beyond a natural drawing back of the tongue on the roof of the mouth to where the hard and soft palates meet (stage 1). This location is a proxy for the "secret spot" (ecstatic connection point), which lies on the back edge of the septum in the nasal pharynx directly above, a place where you are already reaching. If you are feeling an ecstatic connection there, it can be enough, in conjunction with meditation, pranayama, and other mudras and bandhas. All of these things work together, with meditation being the most important, because it cultivates the abiding inner silence from which all else flows.
In AYP we have coined the term "whole body mudra" in recognition of the integrated nature of the rise of ecstatic conductivity and the physiological components (mudras and bandhas) associated with it. See Lesson 212. It is a broader view, which sees kechari as a part of the whole.
Healthy ecstatic conductivity (kundalini) is built on stillness (witness), and it serves as a vehicle for stillness to move in us and through us in the world. This leads to a reduction of identification of self with outer objects (including body, mind and emotions), a corresponding reduction in suffering, increasing outpouring of joy and divine love, and a rising sense of unity with all beings, with natural service to all.
So even the ecstatic conductivity stage is transcended, blending in with the divine flow of stillness and unity. The contrast of ecstasy becomes less and the component mudras and bandhas become "micro-movements," kechari included. So all the stages of kechari eventually melt into that, which is an aspect of the whole body mudra mentioned above. Necessary causes become less as results become more, which is why the broad topic of "self-pacing" of practices is so important. In AYP we often say, "Less is more."
All of which is to say, best to keep a balanced approach to practices and ordinary daily living, which facilitates a natural rise of the above-mentioned process of development. Too much focus on a single practice or belief as be-all and end-all can actually be limiting while it is going on. Certainly we will have various obsessions along our path, but the destination is beyond these. What do the Zen people say? "Before enlightenment: Chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: Chop wood, carry water." So true ... but with a different point of view, and more laughter. :-)
So not to worry. Keeping up a balanced daily practice and engaging in normal daily activity is the formula suggested in AYP for cultivation and integration of accelerated spiritual evolution. The tools are there as and when we need them. But it is about much more than that. It is about enjoying life and bringing up the divine flow which then serves as an aid to ourselves and many others.
Wishing you all the best on your continuing path. Enjoy!
The guru is in you.
Yogani
www.aypsite.org
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2013 : 2:17:43 PM
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Thanks for sharing Yogani!
I have a question then. You state that the ecstatic spot is in kecari stage 1, and I have found that this is the case. So then is there a benefit to going beyond kecari 1? I understand that its an individual matter, but is kecari 3 more ecstatic than kecari 1?
Also, is it really an ecstatic spot as you describe it? I'm still somewhat new to kecari and of course experiences will change over time. However, rather than ecstacy, I feel like I've taken a hit of a drug when I do kecari. It really calms down the nervous system immediately and produces a kind of opiate type feeling of 'everything's cool no matter what'. However, i would say that it calms down ecstatic conductivity rather than elevates it. Can you elaborate?
Thanks again |
Edited by - tonightsthenight on Dec 15 2013 2:43:48 PM |
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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2013 : 09:39:39 AM
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Hi TNN:
The idea of one state being "more ecstatic" than another is subjective, and not very relevant in terms of the rise of steady-state enlightenment in daily living, which is beyond ecstatic states. Likewise, how far we might feel compelled to go with kechari is subjective and may or may not be directly related to our spiritual progress. It depends much more on the rise of ecstatic conductivity in our nervous system, which involves many factors. So what one is experiencing with kechari stage 1 could be subjectively more ecstatic than what someone else is experiencing in stage 3, because there are so many other factors involved.
Does this mean those who are drawn to higher stages of kechari should not bother? Absolutely not. It is a function of our bhakti, and that can be honored within the context of each practitioner's overall path. As you say, it is an individual preference, colored by the unique dimensions of our unfoldment.
The "secret spot" is a place where a circuit is completed, a whole body stimulation facilitated, so it is not a point of local ecstasy alone. As mentioned, it can occur in any stage of kechari, depending on the degree of whole body conductivity.
Your feeling of being drugged while in kechari is a sign of nectar being present and the nectar cycle functioning. You'll get used to it. 
And, yes, it is moving beyond ecstasy, dissolving it in stillness. This is what the nectar cycle is about, the merging of the neurobiology of ecstatic conductivity in stillness. This leads to an outpouring of divine love in daily living and the rise of unity, as mentioned in the first post above.
Does this mean everyone will have exactly this kind of experience along the way? Maybe. But, as we know, there are many variations of experience depending on the unique matrix of obstructions being dissolved in the practitioner, and how it is occurring. Nevertheless, there is a commonality in what we experience along the way, in the emergence of the characteristics of freedom, and with the tools and understandings that can be applied according to individual need.
The guru is in you.
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2013 : 11:28:23 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by yogani
Hi TNN:
The idea of one state being "more ecstatic" than another is subjective, and not very relevant in terms of the rise of steady-state enlightenment in daily living, which is beyond ecstatic states. Likewise, how far we might feel compelled to go with kechari is subjective and may or may not be directly related to our spiritual progress. It depends much more on the rise of ecstatic conductivity in our nervous system, which involves many factors. So what one is experiencing with kechari stage 1 could be subjectively more ecstatic than what someone else is experiencing in stage 3, because there are so many other factors involved.
Does this mean those who are drawn to higher stages of kechari should not bother? Absolutely not. It is a function of our bhakti, and that can be honored within the context of each practitioner's overall path. As you say, it is an individual preference, colored by the unique dimensions of our unfoldment.
The "secret spot" is a place where a circuit is completed, a whole body stimulation facilitated, so it is not a point of local ecstasy alone. As mentioned, it can occur in any stage of kechari, depending on the degree of whole body conductivity.
Your feeling of being drugged while in kechari is a sign of nectar being present and the nectar cycle functioning. You'll get used to it.
And, yes, it is moving beyond ecstasy, dissolving it in stillness. This is what the nectar cycle is about, the merging of the neurobiology of ecstatic conductivity in stillness. This leads to an outpouring of divine love in daily living and the rise of unity, as mentioned in the first post above.
Does this mean everyone will have exactly this kind of experience along the way? Maybe. But, as we know, there are many variations of experience depending on the unique matrix of obstructions being dissolved in the practitioner, and how it is occurring. Nevertheless, there is a commonality in what we experience along the way, in the emergence of the characteristics of freedom, and with the tools and understandings that can be applied according to individual need.
The guru is in you.
Thank you, again, Yogani!
I apologize for my very intellectualized question  its my tendency with new things.. Hmmmm.. Something to work on still. I'll cease with the comparisons for now!
I feel that I'm completing the circuit, as you put it, with the tongue facing forward, filling the mouth and touching the hard palate. This is where my tongue is automatically sitting these days.
However, when I stick my tongue tip back to the soft palate, bam, its like I just took a happy pill.
Also, sambahvi and a smile comes along for the ride.
Fun stuff! There's a whole lot more to do here, with the dissolution of ecstacy within the eye of consciousness. Freedom does not feel like I always imagined it would, it is much more simple, much more serene.
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Kechari Mudra - How important are higher stages?
