Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini (92 page)

Now, let us take up bhutashuddhi. Before undertaking the practice the chakra system should be very carefully studied, memorized and contemplated on. (See Chapters 10–11.)

Another very important thing is to create a condition of the body—an ideal physical condition—for the successful practice of bhutashuddhi. This ideal condition is the physical excellence in which the following signs are manifested:

1  A complete elimination of a coated tongue, bad mouth odour, bad breath and unpleasant body odour.

2  Natural, regular, and complete evacuation of the bowels in two or three motions a day.

3  Good sleep.

4  A feeling of strength and joyousness.

This physical state is the result of regular and uninterrupted practice of right exercise, pranayamic breathing, right diet and internal cleansing.

Bhutashuddhi Process

Bhutashuddhi comprises a series of practices to be done in the right order. The best time for its practice is the morning. But if it is not possible to do it in the morning, the next best time is the evening, before dinner. The following is the order of the practices.

1 After getting up in the morning, do oral cleansing and pharyngonasal water bath; then drink a cup of cool water. Normal evacuation of the bowels may occur either before or after oral cleansing. Then take a bath.

2 Passive Invigoration. Assume accomplished posture (siddhasana) with the hands in the lap, palms up and the right on the left. Relax and be calm.

Now, think deeply that Guru, moon-white in colour, with his Power on his left side and red in colour, lies in the guru chakra. From them are flowing streams of death-conquering subtle substance of red colour by which you are bathed and you have become lifeful and powerful; you have no disease, no senility, no sorrow, but abundance of life and joy. All these should be done in deep thinking.

3 Active invigoration. Sit with the right leg extended forward, the perineum pressed with the left heel, and the hands placed on the right knee.

Now, inspire slowly and fully with both nostrils, and at the end of inspiration suspend the breath with chin-lock. Then bend the body forward and halfway downward, hold the toes of the right leg with both hands, and maintain this position until you are able to suspend the breath without much difficulty. Then bring the body to the original position and place the hands on the right knee as before, release the chin-lock and expire slowly and completely. Do it on the other side.

Contract the arms during inspiration and maintain the contraction during the suspension. Retract the abdomen during expiration, and at the end of expiration relax the arms and the abdomen.

Thereafter, place the right foot on the left one, with the hands in the lap, palms upward, and the right hand on the left. Now, inspire slowly and fully with both nostrils, and at the same time contract the anus, and then press gently the lower part of the abdomen near the genital region with the sides of the hands. At the end of inspiration, suspend the breath with chin-lock and at the same time make an inward abdominal pressure to a moderate degree, maintaining anal contraction. Suspend as long as you can without much difficulty. Then raise the head and expire slowly and fully and at the same time make abdominal retraction. At the end of expiration, relax the anus and the abdomen.

Finally, staying in the same position, inspire with anal contraction; then suspend the breath with chin-lock and make abdominal retraction, and then make sideward hip movements; then stop hip movements and expire and relax the anus and the abdomen.

4 Kapalabhati (abdominal short-quick) breathing. Assume the lotus posture (padmasana). First, expire quickly through both nostrils with the slight retraction of the front abdominal wall. Expiration should be immediately followed by a quick and passive inspiration through both nostrils with the relaxation of the abdomen. In this manner, quick expirations and inspirations should continue until the desired number is reached. The effective rate of expulsion is from 100 to 300 times a minute. Do 200 to 300 expulsions.

5 Hangsah (breath-reduction) breathing. Assume the accomplished posture (siddhasana). Now reduce the normal breathing rate to 4–3–2 a minute by relaxation and passivity of the body and tranquilization of the mind. It may take from 15 to 20 minutes or more. However, time will be shortened by regular practice. At a certain point the externalization of the mind will stop. This is the moment to start with bhutashuddhi proper.

6 Thought-concentration on Kundalini. The first part of bhutashuddhi is the thought-concentration on Kundalini in the muladhara. Sitting in the accomplished posture with the hands in your lap, think deeply that within the shining deep-red triangle in the muladhara is Swayambhu-liṅga as a shining deep red or black line, around which lies Kundalini in 3 1/2 coils. Kundalini is supremely subtle, that is, it is extremely difficult to produce an impression of Kundalini in thought. Therefore, it is advisable to think of Kundalini as lightning-like splendorous, and appearing around the Swayambhuliṅga line. The line should be gradually reduced to a point by deeper thought. At this stage thought is centralized to the extent that it becomes possible to image Kundalini in thought as lightning-like splendorous conscious power.

Then, (7) thought-concentration on Jiwatman (being with I-principle). Think deeply that your being-consciousness as ‘I’ is like a motionless flame of a lamp, situated in the pericarp of the anahata chakra. Then bring the ‘I’ to the muladhara and unite it with Kundalini by thinking.

Then, (8) Kundalini-rousing. Inspire slowly and fully through the left nostril and at the same time think deeply of the mantra ‘Yang’ during the whole time of inspiration. At the end of inspiration, expire through the left nostril slowly and completely, and at the same time think deeply that kandarpa-energy is stimulated and concentrated in the muladhara triangle by the power of the mantra ‘Yang’, and the concentrated energy is knocking at Kundalini.

Then, inspire through the right nostril and at the same time think deeply of the mantra ‘Rang’. At the end of inspiration expire through the right nostril and at the same time think that subtle fire from the mantra ‘Rang’ has been kindled in the muladhara triangle and that both kandarpa-energy and fire are focussed on Kundalini.

Then, inspire through both nostrils and at the same time think deeply that the combined apana and fire actions have produced so much heat that Kundalini is heated and agitated by it. Then, suspend breath with chin-lock, and at the same time contract the anus and mentally say the power-mantra ‘Hung’ and think deeply that Kundalini has been roused by the combined actions of apana, fire and the mantra ‘Hung’.

Thereafter think that the ‘earth’-principle (‘earth’-mahabhuta and smell-tanmatra), the Deity Brahma, Power Dakini, and smell-principle—all have been absorbed into Kundalini.

Then, (9) Kundalini Conduction. Then, bring Kundalini from the muladhara to the swadhishthana by saying mentally the mantra ‘Hangsa’ in deep thinking. Then think that the ‘water’-principle (‘water’-mahabhuta and tastetanmatra), the Deity Wishnu, Power Rakini and taste-principle are absorbed into Kundalini.

Then, bring Kundalini to the manipura by the mantra ‘Hangsah’ in deep thinking. Here, the ‘fire’-principle (‘fire’-mahabhuta and sight-tanmatra), the Deity Rudra, Power Lakini, and sight-principle are absorbed into Kundalini by deep thinking.

Then, Kundalini is brought to the anahata in a similar manner, and the ‘air’-principle (‘air’-mahabhuta and touch-tanmatra), the Deity Isha, Power Kakini, and touch-principle are caused to be absorbed here by deep thinking.

Then, Kundalini is brought to the wishuddha where the ‘void’ (akasha)-principle (‘void’-mahabhuta and sound-tanmatra), the Deity Sadashiwa, Power Shakini, and sound-principle are absorbed into Kundalini by deep thinking.

At this stage try to feel that you are at a point where the senses are no longer operating; think that you are without senses, and are in Kundalini.

Then, bring Kundalini to the talu chakra and rest there for some time, thinking that you are immersed in nectarous (having only life) fluid. Then, (10) Kundalini in Ajña System. Bring Kundalini to the ajña chakra where Power Hakini is absorbed into Kundalini by thinking.

Then, bring Kundalini to the manas chakra, and get chitta (sense-consciousness) absorbed into her; and then bring her to the indu chakra and get the Deity Parashiwa, Power Siddhakali, and buddhi (intellective mind) absorbed into Kundalini by deep thinking.

Then, bring Kundalini to the nirwana chakra. Here think deeply of Kundalini as the sole object, and that there is nothing but Kundalini.

Then, (11) Kundalini in Sahasrara. Bring Kundalini to the ama-kala point in the sahasrara and try to think of Kundalini as deep as possible. Then, at the nirwana-kala point get dhi (concentrative mind) and ahang (I-ness) absorbed into Kundalini; and then ‘feel’ by deep thinking that there is no mind-consciousness in any form, but only Kundalini remains. Now, Kundalini as Nirwana Shakti—the all absorbing power—remains alone.

Then, (12) Kundalini beyond Sahasrara. Now, Kundalini as supreme power is in 3½ coils: the first coil at Supreme Bindu, the second coil at Supreme Nada, the third coil at the Shakti principle, and the half coil at Sakala Shiwa. Then Kundalini begins to uncoil step by step, and absorbs Bindu, Nada, Shakti and Sakala Shiwa. Now, Kundalini is in her supreme aspect and only being. Then she becomes united with Parama Shiwa and fully absorbed into him, and becomes one and the same with him, in very deep thinking. Then think that you have become all life by the nectarous flow arising from the Shiwa-Shakti union in absorptive thought.

Then, (13) Pranayamic Purification. This purificatory process is to purify the subtle body (pranic and mental) as well as the physical body. The process consists of sahita breathing, mantras and thoughts. The relative measure of the breathing is 16–64–32.

Inspire slowly through the left nostril for 16 counts which are made by saying mentally the mantra ‘Yang’; during inspiration say mentally ‘Yang’ 16 times, and at the same time think that ‘Yang’ is smoke-coloured and has the drying power. At the end of inspiration, suspend the breath with chin-lock for 64 counts by saying mentally the mantra ‘Yang’, and at the same time think that the body is being dried by the power of the mantra. Then expire slowly through right nostril by saying mentally the mantra ‘Yang’ 32 times, and at the same time think that the body has been dried.

Then, without stopping, inspire slowly through the right nostril by saying mentally the mantra ‘Rang’ 16 times, and at the same time think that ‘Rang’ is deep red in colour and has burning power. At the end of inspiration, suspend the breath with chin-lock by saying mentally the mantra ‘Rang’ 64 times, and at the same time think that the impurities of the body have been completely burnt by the power of ‘Rang’. Then expire slowly through the left nostril by saying mentally ‘Rang’ 32 times and at the same time think that the impurities in the form of ashes are being eliminated from the body.

Then, without Stopping, inspire slowly through the left nostril by saying mentally the mantra ‘Thang’ 16 times, and at the same time think that ‘Thang’ is moon-white in colour and by the power of the mantra, nectarous fluid is flowing from the moon-sphere in the indu chakra. At the end of inspiration, suspend the breath with chin-lock for 64 counts by saying mentally the mantra ‘Wang’ 64 times, and at the same time think that ‘Wang’ is white in colour, and by its power the nectarous life-substance is utilized in reconstructing the body as a new lifeful body. Then expire slowly through the right nostril by saying mentally the mantra ‘hang’ 32 times, and at the same time think that ‘hang’ is yellow in colour, and by its power the newly made body becomes strong and adamantine.

14 A Special Practice. This practice is especially meant for those practitioners who have been initiated and given the basic mantra (mulamantra).

After pranayamic purification, transform into Ishtadewata, by deep thinking and using the basic mantra, Shiwa-Shakti, that is, Parama Shiwa and kundalini in union as one. Ishtadewata is the divine form of infinite Shiwa-Shakti roused by the power of the basic mantra. It can simply be said that Ishtadewata is the mantra-form of formless Shiwa-Shakti. The mantra is first made living, and then it is utilized for rousing Ishtadewata. So long as it is not possible to impart life to the mantra, it should be done by deep thinking.

Bring Ishtadewata to the sahasrara and think deeply of her (or his) form. Then open the hrit chakra by thinking. This chakra has eight golden petals where eight forms of superpower are situated. In its pericarp, there is a circular region as bright as the sun. Inside the sun-circle lies the moon-circle which is cool and calm. Inside the moon-circle is situated the fire-circle, where fire is burning and consuming everything except the gemmed seat which is there. This seat is your inner ‘heart’, the seat of deep feelings and inner power. Bring your Ishtadewata to the hrit chakra and place her (or him) on the heart-seat. Think that you are in the fire-circle, and everything—all your thoughts, feelings and desires—are being burnt by the fire. In this way being purified, you are in front of your Ishtadewata. Now, think deeply, without being deviated, but by focussing the whole thought, on Ishtadewata. This thought in time will lead to real concentration. This deep thinking may be done partly in conjunction with the mental use of the basic mantra. The thought should be saturated with the mantra and centralized in Ishtadewata.

Thereafter, worship your Ishtadewata mentally by offering in the following manner:

Offer to Ishtadewata your body; then offer the ‘earth’-principle, smell sense, enjoyment-action, and apana-force; then offer the ‘water’-principle, taste-sense, organic actions, wyana-force; offer the ‘fire’-principle, sight sense, locomotion, samana-force; offer the ‘air’-principle, touch-sense, prehension, prana-force; offer the ‘void’(akasha)-principle, sound-sense, speech, udana-force; offer sense-mind, intellective mind, I-ness.

Now, you can make japa of the basic mantra for 1008 times, or 508, or 108 times. Then bring Ishtadewata back to the sahasrara and from there to the infinite region by making her (or him) again transformed into Shiwa-Shakti.