Can anyone recommend...

[Arden_Aurelius]

I was wondering if anyone could recommend to me some books on kudalini and opening the chakras and third eye? i've heard you could use kudalini energy to aid in healing and other things.

[Nahemah]

Nadis are thought to carry a life force energy known as prana in Sanskrit, or qi in Chinese-based systems. In particular prana (active) is supposed to circulate inside Pingala, while apana (passive) is supposed to circulate inside Ida. Inside Sushumna is supposed to circulate kundalini when awakened. The Ida and Pingala nadis are often seen as referring to the two hemispheres of the brain.
Pingala is the extroverted (Active), solar nadi, and corresponds to the right hand side of the body and the left hand side of the brain.
Ida is the introverted, lunar nadi, and corresponds to the left hand side of the body and the right hand side of the brain (crossing occurs in the optical chiasma).
These nadis are also said to have an extrasensory function, playing a part in empathic and instinctive responses. The two nadis are believed to be stimulated through different practices, including Pranayama* The word nadi comes from the Sanskrit root nad meaning "channel", "stream", or "flow". The rhythmical breathing and special breathing techniques are supposed to influence the flow of these nadis or energetic currents. According to this kind of interpretation (which is the Yoga interpretation) the breathing techniques will purify and develop these two energetic currents and will lead to breathing special exercises whose goal is to awake kundalini.


Amongst these ducts or nadis, three are of the utmost importance:

the Medullar Sushumna:
which interpenetrates the cerebrospinal axis from the perineum to the juncture of the lamboid and sagittal suture of the cranium,


the lunar Serpentine Ida:
of the left side, of a pale color, negative polarity;

the solar Serpentine Pingala:
of the right side, red color, positive polarity. Those are the main nadis,

The Sat-Cakra-Narupana, one of the earliest text on nadis and chakra, explicitly refer to these three main nadis, calling them Sasi, Mihira, Susumna.

Sushumna Nadi connects the base chakra to the crown chakra. It is very important in Yoga and Tantra in general. Alternative medicine also refers to Sushumna sometimes. In Raja Yoga or Yoga of Patanjali, when the mind is quietened through Yama, Niyama, Asana and Pranayama the important state of Pratyahara begins. When a person enters this state, he/she never complains of Dispersion of Mind. This is characterised by observing the movements/jerks in Sushumna, the central canal in the subtle body. The movements indicate the flow of Prana through the central canal and in the process, the sushumna makes the way for the ascent of Kundalini.

Pingala is associated with solar energy. The word pingala means "tawny" Sanskrit. Pingala has a sunlike nature and male energy. Its temperature is heating and courses from the left testicle to the right nostril. It corresponds to the river Yamuna The Ida and Pingala nadis are often seen as referring to the two hemispheres of the brain. Pingala is the extroverted, solar nadi, and corresponds to the left hand side of the brain. Ida is the introverted, lunar nadi, and refers to the right hand side of the brain.

Ida is associated with lunar energy. The word ida means "comfort" in Sanskrit. Idā has a moonlike nature and female energy with a cooling effect. It courses from the right testicle to the left nostril and corresponds to the ganges river. Ida nadi controls all the mental processes while pingala nadi controls all the vital processes.

Taken from here ...

http://www.tantra-kundalini.com/nadis.htm

A good online resource:

http://www.kheper.net/topics/chakras/chakras.htm

http://www.kheper.net/topics/chakras/ma ... minor.html

Book recommendation page:

http://www.kheper.net/topics/chakras/books.html

There is a lot of good information available online for free too.

http://kundalini-teacher.com/chakras/3rdeye.php

http://swamij.com/kundalini-awakening-1.htm

[Arden_Aurelius]

Thanks a mil!

[Arden_Aurelius]

I've found a few on amazon but I'd figured i'd ask since there might be a few experienced kudalini users here.

[Rin]

I'm currently reading QiGong Empowerment. It's much better than the title might suggest, full of practical exercises and relatively in-depth explanations and, while it is more focused on chinese practices (obviously), one of the 5 sections into which the book is divided is about Buddhist practices, and deals quite a bit in chakra/kundalini work. On the whole it's an excellent book for any kind of energy work or similar training, I highly recommend it.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/47249807/Qigong-Empowerment

There's another book I read when I first started meditating, it's rather cheesy but gives the basics, I'll try dig up my copy later and find out what it was called again.

[Serenitydawn]

I think this is from Crowley, honestly I've had it so long I don't remember where it came from:

Ajna Meditation

(1) The beginner must first practise breathing regularly through the nose, at the
same time trying hard to believe that the breath goes to the Ajna and not to the
lungs.The Pranayama exercises described in the Equinox Vol. I, No. 4, p. 101 must
next be practised, always with the idea that Ajna is breathing. Try to realise that
power, not air, is being drawn into the Ajna, is being concentrated there during
Kumbhakam, and is vivifying the Ajna during expiration. Try rather to increase the
force of concentration in Ajna than to increase so excessively the length of
Kumbhakam as this is dangerous if rashly undertaken.

(2) Walk slowly in a quiet place; realise that the legs are moving, and study their
movements. Understand thoroughly that these movements are due to nerve
messages sent down from the brain, and that the controlling power lies in the Ajna.
The legs are automatic, like those of a wooden monkey: the power in Ajna is that
which does the work, is that which walks. This is not hard to realise, and should be
grasped firmly, ignoring all other walking sensations. Apply this method to every
other muscular movement.

(3) Lie flat on the back with the feet under a heavy piece of furniture. Keeping the
spine straight and the arms in a line with the body, rise slowly to a sitting posture,
by means of the force residing in the Ajna (i.e. try to prevent the mind dwelling one
any other exertion or sensation.) Then let the body slowly down to its original
position. Repeat this two or three times, every night and morning, and slowly
increase the number of repetitions.

(4) Try to transfer all bodily sensations to the Ajna, e.g., "I am cold" should mean
"I feel cold", or better still, "I am aware of a sensation of cold" --- transfer this to
the Ajna, "the Ajna is aware", etc.

(5) Pain if very slight may easily be transferred to the Ajna after a little practice.
The best method for the beginner is to imagine he has a pain in the body and then
imagine that it passes directly into the Ajna. It does not pass through the intervening
structures, but goes direct. After continual practice even severe pain may be
transferred to the Ajna.

(6) Fix the mind on the base of the spine and then gradually move the thoughts
upwards to the Ajna. (In this meditation Ajna is a Holy of Holies, but it is dark and
empty.) Finally, strive hard to drive anger and other obsessing thoughts into the Ajna.
Try to develop a tendency to think hard of Ajna when these thoughts attack the mind,
and let Ajna conquer them.

Beware of thinking of "My Ajna". In these meditations and practices, Ajna does not
belong to you; Ajna is the master and worker, you are the wooden monkey.