Shakti Rising

I have to admit, I almost didn't write anything today because I'm not sure if anybody read my last post as there were no comments but I have a lot to say and a body to get in shape so I'm not stopping now.

I just have to reiterate the virtues of Kundalini. Wow, I made it to work a little early this morning because I woke up wide-eyed at 5:30 a.m. Amy, Mike and I did about a 30 minute, high energy  Kundalini yoga session this afternoon and not only did I swim for 30 minutes afterward but I came home and cleaned the kitchen, did laundry and cut up some fruit and veggies for tomorrow. That is big time rare for me. Like I said,  don't spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Kundalini Yoga absolutely rejuvenated, revitalized and kicked my energy into high gear. I have been awake for 16 hours and am just now winding down.

What is Kundalini? Kundalini is a serpentine energy in Hindu mysticism that lives at the base of the spine. I repeat, energy, they don't actually believe that two serpents are really living in our bodies like tape worms. Actually, the symbol for medicine, you know the staff with the 2 serpents intertwining around it? The image is derived from Kundalini. It is also known as Kundalini Shakti. When one invokes Shakti, you invoke the creative force, desire, universal energy, when awakened it moves up the spine awakening all of the chakras along the journey finally meeting with the crown chakra achieving enlightenment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kundalini.
One way to achieve the awakening is to practice kundalini yoga. There are many westerners that practice for this purpose but for the most part the sole purpose is to lose weight and get fit. 

Let me tell you my own personal experience with Kundalini rising. If you stick around long enough you're bound to hear some pretty interesting stories from my life. This is one of those tales.

I had checked out a VHS tape on Kundalini yoga from my university library. It was called "Breath of Fire". I had no idea the differences between yoga disciplines at the time and don't know why I chose that particular tape, perhaps it was the only one available.

All six of my kids were living in the house at the time so it was very rare for me to have the house to myself which was the only time I would ever do any kind of working out. Every time I plugged in a Jane Fonda or Denise Austin tape and I started jumping around with my boobs bobbing the little ones would laugh hysterically, especially River. It was so distracting  and un-nerving that I would never work out in front of them. So, my point is that I managed to get instruction from the tape just a few times. I was about 37-38.

One summer solstice night I was with a group of friends reveling after welcoming the longest day of the year. I was just standing in a room talking to my friend, Larry, when suddenly I felt this shock of energy literally move from the top of my skull and down my spine. Once it hit my spine my eyes rolled back in my head and I fell to my knees. Everybody panicked and ran to me, all of them complaining about how they couldn't touch me because I was so hot. Ginger had healing hands and came to my side to see what she could do for me but she couldn't even stand near  me, her sensitivity to the heat my body was generating was too much. She brought me several cold towels, laid them all over my body and quickly moved across the room.

I have no idea how long I laid on the floor in that room, aware of the din but more aware of a humming that nobody else could hear. Just as suddenly as the bolt of energy hit me, I sat straight up and began walking through the crowd. I felt this very serpentine energy present in my body that seemed to be using me to watch the revelers. This was a strange sensation in itself but the most extraordinary experience was the complete and total unconditional love I felt for everybody I saw, whether I knew them well, liked them, didn't like them, loved them (there were many more of those) or was indifferent. The love I felt for all of them was overwhelming and powerful.

Slowly and uneventfully I came back to myself. It actually took a week or a little longer to be completely back to normal. I had no idea what happened to me. I certainly didn't see any connection between the yoga I was practicing and the blast of energy I experienced. It wasn't until a few months later when my friend, Patrice, came to visit for Sierra's rite of womanhood. Patrice has been teaching yoga for free for many long years. She used to teach at Casa De Luc which is what she was doing during this time. The subject of Kundalini just happen to come up during her visit and she started talking about the serpent and life force that lives at the spine and the awakening and Shakti and the movement of energy from the spine to the crown chakra. I told her with a rapid heart beat and quick tongue what happen to me. The first question she asked me was "had you been practicing any kind of yoga at the time?" OMG! Yes, Kundalini even. The mystery was solved. She told me that I should take it up again and I said I would.

That was 10 years ago almost. Now, here I am feeling the vitality and rejuvenation. Perhaps something awakened in me that I have kept dormant, it's time to experiment. I just don't want any more creepy snakes taking charge. I jest, it was a beautiful experience and I will always cherish it.

The spiritual aspect is amazing but the wonderful side affect is the amped up energy I've been feeling since I began practice. You really should try it if you want to get more out of your day and your fitness program. Within 30 minutes after yoga I went to Ramsey. They used to have a clock up so I could time my work outs but that is no longer there. I have adapted by counting the number of laps I do. My laps aren't all the way across the pool, they are just to the deep end rope. Treading water is my warm up method. I do that to the wall and back 3 times and then just mix it up from there alternating between backstrock, breast stroke and freestyle and this weird thing I do that really works my abs. I begin in a seated position and move through the water engaging my abs and using my arms. Holding the legs up keeps the abs engaged. I kind of had to play with this motion for a while to get the most out of it but I've got it down now. I do all movement to the wall and back to the line 4 times and repeat once.

Well, I think I'm finally petered out and ready for bed. I bet I sleep soundly.

STAY DETERMINED!!