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tadeas
Czech Republic
314 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2007 : 12:05:29 PM
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Hello Yogani,
I have a question regarding the mechanics of "natural" vajroli. You mentioned in the lessons that the seminal fluid is being constantly released at the root and reabsorbed via the bladder. I've had a discussion with my friends on this topic and it seemed to them (according to the "normal" anatomy) that it'd be strange if something was actually reabsorbed from bladder as it's the final destination for toxins leaving the body.
Are you directly feeling the reabsorbtion? Is the seminal fluid actually being released all the time? Although I've been experimenting with the mechanics of orgasm and tantric practices, have not lost practically any semen since April, and considering it's really a fundamental change in the male anatomy :) I still cannot perceive how the process functions physically.
The next thing I'd like to ask is how all this is related to the production of amrita. If it's a fluid natural to the body, has it's composition been identified?
I understand all this is not that important for overall progress, but as it's quite controversial for a lot of people who are not engaged in any practices (and even for some of those who are, but don't experience those phenomena atm), it wouldn't be bad to point to the actual physiological changes occurring in the body.
Anyway, thanks in advance for clearing this up, if you can :) |
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2007 : 12:29:07 PM
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Hi Tadeas:
Good question. It is hoped that as more people are having these experiences, science will investigate and describe what is happening in ways that will strengthen knowledge and conviction on the phenomenon of human spiritual transformation.
Regarding "natural vajroli," I am assuming you read my comments elsewhere here in the forum: http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....OPIC_ID=2953
Yes, the upward absorption of sexual essences becomes more or less constant as ecstatic conductivity becomes a constant experience. The two go together. It is not only through the bladder that it occurs. Sexual essences also find their way upward through other pathways beginning in the pelvic region. And this applies to both men and women.
It appears that the bladder is not only about eliminating toxins. Otherwise, we would not have the age-old and highly effective practice of amaroli.
When the ecstatic connection is awake, the whole process can be stimulated with sambhavi (easy centering and raising of the eyes). This creates the "whole body mudra" effect, which natural vajroli is part of. Even without sambhavi it will be going on all the time, fed by our bhakti and outpouring divine love. Then it is a closed loop neurobiological operation, where all parts reinforce all other parts for the whole. It is not unlike the rest of our neurobiology, which is all connected and occurring mostly unnoticed within us. Rising spiritual biology is just a refinement and expansion of our neurobiological functioning. When there are more people experiencing this, I am sure science will step in to fully map it, and that will be a wonderful and welcome development.
As for the over all process leading to amrita (nectar) produced in the brain (usually experienced as a sweet aroma in the nasal passages and mouth), and related phenomena., I wrote something on this in the Diet, Shatkarmas and Amaroli book, in this case tying in the relationship of diet, and in the language of kundalini:
"As we engage in our spiritual practices over months and years, we are gradually coaxing our nervous system to move to a higher level of functioning. Many of the characteristics of this are measurable in our neurobiology. And quite a few of the changes that are occurring are directly observable. A complex process of purification and opening is occurring in those who practice yogic methods.
There are two main aspects to our purification and opening, each with its own biological signature.
-- The Rise of Inner Silence – an abiding inner quietness, or stillness, that is beyond our thoughts, feelings and the ups and downs of daily life. We come to know this as our “self.”
-- The Rise of Ecstatic Conductivity (Kundalini) in the Body – sensations of pleasurable energy moving within us, penetrating every aspect of our neurobiological functioning. We come to know this as the “radiant aspect of our self.” While diet is not a primary cause of these changes in our inner functioning, it is a participant in them. As we find more abiding stillness within ourselves coming with daily deep meditation, we will naturally be drawn to a lighter more nutritious diet.
Likewise, as the neurobiological changes associated with a stirring kundalini begin to occur within us, our diet preferences may change. In addition, certain diet adjustments may be helpful to aid us in navigating some of the excessive energy symptoms that can occur as our inner experiences advance. The process of kundalini is famous for its many symptoms, which can include sensations of heat or coolness in the body, surging emotions, physical vibrations or bodily movements, visions, occasional dizziness or nausea, etc. Sometimes there can be some pain as inner energy (prana) is moving through areas where there are remaining obstructions in our nervous system. All of these symptoms eventually give way to much higher and enjoyable experiences.
Depending on the pattern of inner obstructions in our nervous system and the degree of prudence we exercise in self-pacing our practices, we may experience little in the way of uncomfortable symptoms – just steadily increasing ecstasy and bliss, which can bring its own challenges (distractions from stable practice). Regardless, when kundalini becomes active, a good knowledge of yoga practices and the methods of regulating them will pay off in a big way. For those who experience an unmanaged kundalini awakening without knowledge of the particulars involved, it can be a challenging experience, lasting sometimes for years.
Once the kundalini process has begun within us, it can be managed by self-pacing our practices in ways that maintain good progress with reasonable comfort. It is a long term transformation we are engaged in, leading to a permanent condition of abiding inner silence, ecstatic bliss, and divine love radiating naturally outward from within us in all that we do in daily life.
Digestion is at the center of the kundalini process and many of its associated symptoms. So it stands to reason that diet has a role to play. And the role of diet will not always be the same, depending where we are on our path. To understand this better, let’s look at the process occurring in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in a person who has an active kundalini, and how this relates to diet.
While there are many aspects to the functioning of kundalini, both physical and non-physical, we will focus on the physical here, as far as we can go with it. For the purpose of this discussion, we will take the view that spiritual experience rises from neurobiological processes occurring in our body. There are more mystical ways of looking at it, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is the same process occurring, no matter how we choose to describe it. When we are reviewing the effects of diet (and shatkarmas and amaroli in the next two chapters) looking at the biology can be helpful, as far as we can trace it with direct perception. There is little doubt that modern science will be taking a much closer look at the neurobiology of kundalini in the years and decades to come. It is the next great frontier of scientific exploration – the causes and effects of human spiritual transformation!
Kundalini is traditionally viewed as the awakening of a vast latent energy located near the base of the spine, which rises up the spine to the head. There, a union occurs between the rising energy and stillness, with the energy being feminine (shakti) and the stillness being masculine (shiva).
When we look at the experiential neurobiology of this, a few more components can be added, which are consistent with the metaphors found in many of the world’s scriptures, including the more direct descriptions found in Indian Yoga and Chinese Taoism.
When there is sufficient inner silence present via the daily practice of deep meditation, and then the breath and body are brought into the process via spinal breathing pranayama, asanas, mudras, bandhas, and tantric sexual methods, we will notice three things occurring.
1. An expansion of sexual energy from the pelvic region upward, with part finding its way into the GI tract.
2. The natural retention of air in the GI tract.
3. The interaction of food with the sexual essences and air in the GI tract.
The natural combination of these three elements in the digestive system through an emerging higher form of digestion gives rise to a new substance emanating from the GI tract, which permeates the entire body. Much of this penetration occurs as this substance enters the spinal canal and rises up through the chest cavity to the head. The highly penetrating and sometimes intoxicating substance produced in the GI tract has been given many names. A name prevalent in yoga is soma. The word soma also refers to a hallucinogenic plant, which is not what we are talking about here. In Taoism, the GI tract, when engaged in this higher functioning, is called the caldron, recognizing the alchemy that is occurring there – three ordinary substances (sexual essence, air, and food) being combined to create an extraordinary substance that is a key to the process of human spiritual transformation.
The process continues in the head, with further refinements occurring in the brain, which lead to another substance being secreted through the sinuses, down through the inside nasal passages, into the throat and then down into the GI tract again, where it joins in the process already described. This recycling of subtle essences leads to even more refined processing in the GI tract. The substance coming down from the brain into the GI tract is referred to as amrita (nectar) in the yoga tradition. It can sometimes be experienced as a sweet aroma in the nasal passages and taste in the mouth.
The overall experience of this combining and transformation of substances, and the recycling of the resulting essences in the body leads to large flows of ecstatic pleasure throughout the body, and the radiation of energy beyond the body. This is why those who are advancing in spiritual practices are sometimes said to be radiant. There is a specific neurobiology behind it. In yogic terms, the body-wide radiance of ecstatic energy indicates the rise of the mythical quality of ojas, which is a greatly enhanced manifestation of vitality that is easily noticed by others.
If we begin to understand that such a process really exists and, better yet, begin to experience aspects of it within ourselves as a result of our daily practices, then we are able to look at diet from an entirely new angle. And we can also see the relevance of shatkarmas (cleansing techniques) and amaroli (urine therapy) as well. All of these methods are aimed at enhancing and optimizing the process just described.
As mentioned earlier, diet is not a core practice in yoga, but an important supporting element. If we look at this that way, we can see how our cooperation with inner urges relating to diet can enhance the overall process that is occurring on the road to enlightenment.
The higher form of digestion described above can generate a lot of heat in the GI tract, radiating out to fill the whole body. It is sometimes referred to as the kundalini fire. When the fires are burning, it can be beneficial to eat heavier foods more often. Then the fire (intense digestive activity) can be used to consume the substances in our GI tract in a more regulated way to produce more soma, rather than frying us from the inside, which is the sensation we can get sometimes if eating too lightly when energy is surging within us. It is also possible to quench the inner fires and related inner energy imbalances with application of the diet methods of Ayurveda, which take into account our bodily constitution and inner energy flows, and how certain foods can either aggravate or pacify these. See the appendix for more on ayurvedic diet guidelines.
To keep it as simple as possible, we just listen to what we are being called to do from within with respect to our diet, and in other aspects of our daily activity. When we are engaged in daily deep meditation, we may feel inclined to eat a lighter diet. And when our kundalini becomes active, we may feel inclined to eat a heavier diet at times, and a lighter diet at other times. It will depend on the energy dynamics occurring within us, and the process of purification and opening that is underway.
We learn to become good listeners to the inner voice of our neurobiology as we travel the road to enlightenment." -------------------
And, also from the book, covering amaroli in relation to the rise of natural vajroli:
"Vajroli is a practice described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and involves the drawing up of sexual fluids inside the body. In the AYP system of practices we do not go to the extremes that are described in this ancient treatise on yoga. Rather, natural vajroli is achieved through a full range of yoga practices, including deep meditation, spinal breathing pranayama, asanas, mudras, bandhas, tantric sexual techniques, and other methods.
By natural vajroli, we mean a natural drawing up of sexual essences through the urethra into the bladder and through many pathways upward in the neurobiology. This natural upward migration of vital essences gradually evolves to become a full-time occurrence in the life of the spiritual practitioner. This process occurs in both men and women, and is an integral part of the rise of full-time ecstatic conductivity in the body, which evolves further to become ecstatic radiance going out beyond the body.
In conjunction with this evolution in the sexual neurobiology, it may be observed that there is a gradual internalization of amaroli to become an automatic recycling within, which can result in less outflow. While there is no scientific verification of the internal recirculation of urine via natural vajroli, it has been observed in enough cases to be worthy of mention. It is well known that urination can become quite irregular with the awakening and advancement of kundalini (ecstatic conductivity). Whether amaroli itself plays a role in this evolution is not known. It will suffice to say that there is a relationship between amaroli and vajroli. This is pointed to in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and has been observed in practitioners in modern times, as well.
The integrated application of a full range of yoga practices gives rise to this phenomenon. It is also related to long term engagement in yoga practices. The changes described do not occur overnight, which is why a steady daily routine of practices that can be sustained long term is advised.
The extreme elements of practice which are sometimes seized upon by enthusiastic aspirants do not make a great difference in the overall scheme of things, because they cannot be sustained over the long term. Nor should they be. It is the practices we can engage in easily in a balanced way as part of our normal daily routine that will carry us steadily forward to the rising condition of abiding inner silence, ecstatic bliss and outpouring divine love.
We will know it is working for us as we find the practical results of the transformation emerging from within us day by day in our daily activities." --------------------
All good stuff for the scientific community to be investigating in the years to come. What we need is more people engaging in practices and having the changes occurring so there will be lots to investigate.
All the best on your path. Enjoy!
The guru is in you.
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2009 : 12:44:25 PM
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manig
India
88 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2009 : 05:38:08 AM
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Beautiful Yogani!
I was so surprised and happy to read your reply above. How all the things mentioned relate to me and my present state... its just amazing.
I am relieved that I was on the right path all these years... and now joining AYP, I will not have any trouble or confusions in future.
AYP is now my online Asharam :)
I bow down to the Guru in me, in you. |
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