MEDITATION IS A SCIENCE OF THE MIND

• The seat of all Happiness and Unhappiness is within the Mind.
• In deep sleep there is no Happiness nor Unhappiness.
• Depression, anxiety, poor self-worth, worry, anger, jealousy, are all 'mind-generated'.
• The Mind is the sole cause of all positive and negative mental fluctuations.
• The Mind is also the sole means to the release from all mental fluctuations.

Through the practice of kundalini yoga meditation, under the guidance of a Meditation Master, the Mind is directed away from the knowledge base of the five external senses which gives rise to conditioned, self-limiting thoughts, and is directed inward to its Source, and its Source is Pure Consciousness. The Mind experiences itself arising in Consciousness and subsiding in Consciousness. In this moment of 'self-recognition' it knows that all living creatures share in that same Consciousness. 

WHAT IS KUNDALINI YOGA MEDITATION?

The biophysics of the human organism is that of an electro-magnetic 'energy field' constantly transmitting electrically charged chemical substances, via the central nervous system, to the brain, and simultaneously, throughout all parts of the body. Yoga theory says there are 72,000 subtle energy channels or meridians (nadis) within the subtle body (suksma sharira) which traverse the entire physical body, acting as conduits for the flow of life-force energies (pranas).

Meditation Yoga unblocks the arterial system of the subtle body (nadis), allowing for an increase in unobstructed flow of  'life-force' energies (pranas) circulating the physical body. Through specific yogic practices, the bio-energies of the body (pranas) are brought to accumulate at the base of the spine (muladhara), and through the aid of specific breathing practices (pranayamas), this bio-energy enters the central meridian channel (sushumna) located within the lower spinal cord. Once this bio energy enters the central channel within the spinal cord it is referred to as the kundalini shakti. As it works its way up the central channel (sushumna), the kundalini shakti  'excites' or 'awakens' six major nerve clusters (cakras) located within and along the spinal cord. The awakening of the six subtle nerve centres (cakras) causes profound 'psycho-physical' sensations in the mind/body complex, as positive 'neuro-chemical' compounds flood the brain causing a radical expansion of conscious awareness. The brain is 'illuminated' (similar to the illumination caused by the switching on of an electric light bulb). 

The experiencer is lifted from the limitations of subjective personal experience (the waking, the dreaming, and the deep sleep states) into a transpersonal reality of Universal proportions. Described above is the unfolding of the evolutionary potential innate in all humankind. 

THE SUBTLE BODY

Yogic epistemology states that the 'soul' of every human being is encassed in 'three bodies' i.e. the gross material body (sthula sharira) belonging to the waking state of consciousness (jagrat) ; the subtle body or vital energy body (sukshma sharira) belonging to the dream state consciousness (svapna) ; and the causal body (karana sharira)  i.e. energy resting in a state of potentiality, of deep sleep consciousness (sushupti). Think of Russian dolls, each doll is encassed in a larger doll.   

Through the meditation process, the yogi consciously trancends the waking state comprised of the world of material objects experienced through the five external sense organs (ears; eyes; nose; tongue; skin; and nose), in conjunction with the sense of 'I' (ahamkara). This is the world of 'subject', the experiencer, and the world of 'object', what is experienced. Through yogic practice, the yogi attains a state of 'one pointedness' (ekagrata) where the duality of subject and object disappears. the yogi now enters the world of 'the subtle body' (sukshma sharira). 

In 'the subtle body', the laws of nature pertaining to the material physical world of waking consciousness, no longer apply. The yogi has access to a range of 'inner sensory perceptions' (anatahkaranas) - smell, touch, taste, sight, and sound - without the need of external sense organs i.e. nose; skin; tongue; eyes; ears. Conventional linear notions of Time and Space ratios are no longer relevant. Time becomes 'elastic', where past, present, and future become mixed and instantly interrchangeable. Space is without defining boundaries, and is not subject to normal laws of physics, such as gravitational pull. Thought and experience are inseparable. Whatever you think becomes instantaneous experience due to abscence of any Time / Space ratio. All duality of 'subject' as 'experiencer', and 'object' as 'experience' is abscent. The ordinary mind (citta) made up of memory, will, cognition, and conceptualization, derived from experience provided by the five sensory perceptions (smell; taste; touch; sight; and sound), and the five organs of perception (nose; tongue; skin; eyes; and ears), is transported into a 'light' and 'energy' field of experience.  

Under normal circumstances, we have only extremely limited access to the world of the 'subtle body' through our nightly dreams. Unlike yogis, we have not developed the capacity to remain fully conscious when we descend into the dream state belonging to the subtle body. Yoga practice is about training the mind to remain fully conscious of itself at all times, including in the dream and causal states. Generally, we enter the dream-state as a distorted and fragmented version of our waking state self, and as a result, manifest dreams similar to waking state experience, only distorted, chaotic in content, and unclear in meaning. On the other hand, the consciousness of the yogi enters into the dream-state world, fully intake. Only then does he/she have full access to the wonders of the subtle 'light', 'energy' and 'sound' phenomena which forms the basis of the material world. And furthermore, the yogi can enter this world at will.

THE CAUSAL BODY

Now, beyond the 'subtle body' is what yogis refer to as the third body - the 'causal body'. The 'causal body' can best be understood by using the analogy of the deep sleep state experienced each night. In deep sleep, all activity of the mind comes to rest. Nothing worries us because we do not exist in deep sleep. We simply wake up feeling refreshed. Through the process of kundalini yoga meditation, the yogi has learnt to enter the world of the 'subtle body' in a fully awake state. With a further strengthening of conscious awareness, the meditator is capable of entering the 'causal body' (karana sharira) in a fully awake state. Normally, a person entering into deep sleep loses all consciousness of experience. It is like we do not exist. On the other hand, the yogi has trained his/her consciousness to be capable of entering into the deep sleep state, and retain full awakefulness. Being fully awake, the experience for the yogi in the deep sleep state is one of perfect Stillness and Inner Peace.

There is a state of consciousness even beyond that of the waking state; the subtle (dream) state; and the causal (deep sleep) state. This state is called by yogis, Turya (the transcendental state). Through the process of kundalini yoga meditation, the 'fully awakened' consciousness that has remained intact throughout its journey into the world of the subtle and causal bodies, now enters the transcendental state (Turya). Upon entering the Turya state, and getting closer to the Source of itself, the consciousness of the yogi experiences intense Bliss and Ecstasy (the Turya state).  A thin membrane of consciousness separates the Turya state from the ultimate state of consciousness known as Turyatita (beyond the transcendental). At this point, the highly refined consciousness of the yogi finally comes to rest in the Source of all Consciousness i.e. Pure Consciousness - Self-Recognition. Turiyatita is described as being beyond all qualities, therefore is beyond description. Yogis refer to it as Cosmic Consciousness or God- Consciousness.

This is the fulfillment of human nature, and the ultimate goal of meditation